Forbidden 3: Sleeping With the Enemy

by Marteeka Karland

  “Safe,” she said, her voice trailing off. “I’m not even sure what that means anymore.”

  “Let me put it this way.” Taber knelt beside her bed and took her small, delicate hands in his own large, callused ones. “Once this is all over, if there is any way I can prevent it, you’ll never spend another minute in a healing tube again. From a new injury, at least. Those days are over.”

  “We’ll see.” She managed a small smile. “Gamin will try his best to keep me, even from his grave. Davin won’t give up as easily as you think.”

  “I know, Dearheart.” Taber gave her his most charming smile. “But we’ll all be ready for him.”

  Chapter Five

  Akahana wasn’t really sure what to think. After moving to a more secure medical suite where everyone left her to rest, it hit her that the women she’d met lived a life she had never dreamed existed. Her mother had submitted to her husband, as Akahana had submitted herself to her own husband. She was only now beginning to figure out how sheltered she’d been. It was just one more reason she found it hard to honor Gamin’s memory.

  She also wasn’t sure she wanted to put herself in that position again. She didn’t want any man to have a say in her life. And as nice as Taber was to her, that included him.

  But that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy her time with him.

  As she fingered the delicate white petals of yet another vase of flowers, she couldn’t forget their shared dream. She’d never before enjoyed sucking cock, but she had picked that out of Taber’s mind and she couldn’t seem to help herself. Oh, she’d tried to blame it on Taber -- he’d wanted her to perform that act, he was in control of the dream, so she had.

  But deep down, she knew she’d wanted to. She had enjoyed it! His cock was magnificent! Even in the distorted images sometimes present in a shared dream, Taber gave her an impressive image of himself. His cock was as dark as the rest of him, with a thick, purple mushroom head. It had glistened with her saliva as she’d taken him into her mouth.

  Thinking on it now, her hand wandered to her own cunt. Deftly, she manipulated her clit, dipping her finger to her pussy. She was surprised at how wet she found herself. Her stomach clenched as she stroked herself again. Oh, that felt good.

  After a brief pause, she stroked herself again, this time dipping two fingers inside her pussy. She sighed and arched her back, relishing the pleasure she’d been denied for far too long. Even on the occasions she managed to block Gamin from her private thoughts, she had never truly enjoyed herself for fear her block wasn’t strong enough. The one time he’d caught her…

  No. She wouldn’t think about that. It was over. He couldn’t hurt her anymore.

  And she wouldn’t let anyone put her in a position where she’d ever be hurt again. She was learning about the choices she had in the “real world,” and she liked what she’d found out.

  I would never hurt you, Dearheart. The drowsy male voice was deep, seductive, sexy. Your pleasure is the only thing that concerns me.

  Get out of my head! Her blocks were set. He shouldn’t have been able to penetrate them, especially given his novice skills.

  I can’t. She could feel his confusion. He honestly didn’t know why he could pick up her thoughts and feelings. If I could, I would, because it is what you want.

  You expect me to believe that? You’d simply leave me alone because I wanted you to?

  Yes. I have the greatest respect for your wishes. I always will.

  I don’t intend for you to always be in my life, therefore I don’t care what you respect.

  The second the thought entered her mind, she regretted it, but she wouldn’t take it back. If hurting his feelings drove him away, so much the better. It would make things easier in the long run.

  You won’t even give me a chance to prove myself?

  There’s nothing to prove. I don’t need any man in my life to be happy. I’ve had a soul’s mate and found it wasn’t as wonderful as everyone says. I’ll pass this time.

  She could almost hear him sigh in resignation. As you wish.

  And his presence was gone. She suspected he’d become fully awake and lost the thread instead of severing it himself. Blocking him was going to be difficult, but she’d manage.

  * * *

  Taber couldn’t sleep. Every time he did, he managed to find Akahana. And not only in his dreams. He knew without question he was seeing into her mind, and it disturbed him. Not because he could do it -- that part was actually pretty cool. It upset him because she didn’t want him there, and he didn’t know how to accommodate her. It was the only way he could think of to earn her trust, and the only thing he couldn’t do for her.

  She was the loveliest woman he’d ever seen. With her slender, delicate body, caramel colored skin and white blonde hair, she looked like every Earth man’s dream of a California girl. A fine dusting of silky white hair graced her darker skin, giving her a “glow” that was ethereal in its beauty. White eyebrows arched elegantly above her green, almond shaped eyes.

  Christ! The more he thought about her, the more he wanted her! It was useless to deny himself, because he simply was unable to pull his mind from her. The only thing that kept him from fully indulging in the most erotic fantasy of his life was his fear that his thoughts would bleed over to Akahana. He didn’t know enough about his mind link with her to block his thoughts, as she seemed to be able to do.

  There were times since she’d told him to leave her alone two days ago he was almost sure she was dead. It was only when his anxiety got so high he was on the verge of barging in on her physically that she would let her guard down. He wasn’t sure if she was taking pity on him, or simply afraid he’d breach her privacy.

  He sighed. He needed advice.

  A chime at the door drew his attention away from his troubled thoughts. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he stood. Damn, he was tired. “Enter,” he said. As the entry panel slid open, he was pleasantly surprised.

  “Anna. Come in. Please.” He stood aside and gestured inside.

  “It is good to see you again, Sergeant.” The smile she flashed at him warmed his heart. This woman’s wounds had healed.

  “You look happy. I’m glad.”

  “Things turned out quite differently than I expected.”

  “So it would seem.” He offered her a seat on the sofa, and he took one in a nearby chair. “I assume you’re here to tell me about the Chamber of Souls?”

  “Yes. I thought you could use some enlightenment.”

  “Actually, that can wait.” He debated all of two seconds before taking his problem to Anna. “I need some advice.”

  “Advice about what?”

  “About this soul’s mate business. Akahana acknowledges she and I are supposed to be together, but she refuses to let me get close to her.” He stood and paced a few steps before turning back to Anna. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “You do what you’ve been doing,” she said without hesitation. “You be there for her, you see to her needs. She probably won’t want you to do big things, but sometimes the little things are the ones that make the difference.”

  “You want me to court her.” He made it a statement. No use looking too much like a dumbass.

  “Exactly.” She crossed her legs and sat back comfortably. “You can’t make someone love you -- or even like you -- even if you are soul’s mates. Sometimes, you just have to do it the hard way. The old fashioned way.”

  “Hell!” He plopped back down into the chair. “Running around inside someone else’s head is hard. I was born and raised in Georgia. Courting, I can do. But how do I stay out of her head? She doesn’t want me there, and every time I go to sleep, I either end up in her dream or pull her into mine.”

  “She knows you can’t control that.” Anna sounded more confident than he felt. “She may fuss at you for being there, but she knows. She’s Gothe’maran. This is a part of everyday life for mates. Sometimes I can’t stay out of Khan’s dreams either. Especially if we
’re apart for any length of time.”

  “So, by forcing me to keep my distance, the problem is only getting bigger.”

  “Yes. Not just the need to touch mentally, but physically, as well.”

  “Are you sure she realizes that?” If their earlier conversation was any indication, he wasn’t so sure.

  “She does. At least, she’ll remember. If you’re right about the abuse you suspect she’s suffered, she could have become adept at blocking Gamin, but your brain works differently. Don’t give her a reason to really want to block you, and she’ll never learn.”

  “Sound advice. Thanks, Anna.”

  “I’m just returning the favor.” She smiled. “Though, as I remember it, you tried to do me a favor by keeping me out of the fighting.”

  He snorted. “That was sound advice, also. Had things been as bad as we thought they had been, you’d be dead now.”

  “That’s beside the point. I got what I wanted anyway.” She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “So, are you ready to hear about the Chamber now?”

  “No.” He needed to think. “Soon, but not now.”

  Anna stood, and Taber followed. “I imagine you have a lot on your mind. Let me know when you’re ready.”

  “I will.” He reached for her hand, and her grip was warm and firm. She had changed, but steel still ran in her veins. “Thank you, Anna. Please thank your husband for me, as well. Having him on my side will give me the time I need to find out what actually happened to Akahana.”

  “Hum.” She narrowed her eyes. “Finding the truth may be more difficult than you think. Personally, I suspect Gamin was part of a rogue cell hidden within Military Command. It’s a theory Khan has been working on for some time, and this is the first information he’s had to confirm his suspicions.”

  “Then my best bet is to get the information from Akahana.”

  “Yes. But you’ll still need a witness.” Anna sighed. “Even if Davin doesn’t challenge your claim as mate to Akahana, you might still need the Chamber of Souls. When you’re as focused on your mate as you must be when within the Chamber, there is nothing you can hide from the Souls of the Ancients.”

  Taber rolled his eyes and took Anna’s arm, guiding her to the door. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I really can’t process this right now.”

  Anna laughed and rose onto her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Just respect her and you’ll be fine. It’s all about respect.”

  “Oh. I almost forgot. How’s the little girl doing? And I heard your son wasn’t killed at the Pilot after all -- how’s he?”

  Her soft smile turned absolutely brilliant. “They’re wonderful. It’s hard to believe Alex is ten, and little Doriena has recovered wonderfully. Alex will hardly let her out of his sight.”

  “It really is good to see you so happy, Anna. I thought about you often since I sent you off to war.”

  “Thank you, Sergeant. Goodnight,” she said, and shut the door as she left.

  Taber stretched and scratched his chest as only a man can do. It was time for sleep. If he met Akahana in a dream, so be it. He was dead tired.

  Chapter Six

  Akahana knew Taber slept. She knew he dreamed of her. He reached out for her subconsciously, caressed her body sweetly, gently. She sighed and lay back on her bed. Did she dare to meet him in his dream?

  Did she dare submit to his touch?

  Tucking her legs beneath the covers and pulling the plush blanket to her chin, she closed her eyes and snuggled into the warmth of her bed.

  Yes. She’d take that dare.

  * * *

  “If you don’t want me invading your dreams, you really should do me the same courtesy.” Taber wasn’t the least bit upset. Amused would be a better word to describe how he felt. Akahana couldn’t help but grin.

  He stood naked in front of a massive window overlooking an Earth city from high above the ground. Light from a full moon and thousands of lights from nearby buildings softly illuminated his nude form. He was an impressive male specimen.

  In every way.

  The man was huge. Massive musculature set off rugged features, giving him a fearsome appearance. But for all that, for all the violence tightly leashed within him, he was probably the gentlest man she’d ever met. She knew this not because of any vast amount of time she’d spent with him, but because she could get inside his head and know him as well -- or better than -- he knew himself.

  “I believe there is a saying on Earth. Something about becoming a part of what you cannot successfully defeat.”

  Taber laughed a full-bellied laugh full of all the humor and joviality she suspected was a vital part of his personality. “I think you mean ‘If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’.”

  “Was that not what I just said?” Akahana tried not to smile, but she giggled anyway. She reached out a hand to him. “I want to enjoy our time together, Taber. However long that turns out to be.”

  He took her hand without hesitation, pulling it to his smooth, heavily muscled chest. “Does that mean you’re giving me a chance to prove we can be good for each other?”

  “No.” She answered as honestly as she could. “It means that I want to experience the pleasure denied me all my adult life. This is not about you being my mate. This is about me taking advantage of what the Universe has decided shall be my fate.”

  “Do you honestly look at this as nothing more than fate? Can you not see the potential for happiness like what Khan and Anna have found? Like what Mikkarn, Kiril, and Mara have found? Having a mate doesn’t have to mean endless suffering.”

  “It doesn’t mean I have to simply accept what is and hand my life over to someone else because he is my mate, either.”

  “I don’t want control of your life, Akahana,” he answered. “I have problems enough managing my own life. All I want is someone to come home to each night. Someone to hold me when I’ve had a bad day. Someone to love me because she wants to, not because she has to.” He pulled her gently into his embrace and kissed her forehead. “I want someone to explore our mutual sexual fantasies with and I want to satisfy her in every way I possibly can.”

  “I want to talk about this later.” She wasn’t at all comfortable with what he was telling her. It was dangerously close to what she wanted herself but never dared to hope she’d ever find. “Right now, I want to get to the sexual fantasies part.”

  His chuckle was deep and rumbling. It vibrated deep within his chest and tickled her insides, leaving her excited and needy. Funny how that happened. One little expression of mirth combined with an enticingly naked man holding her closely, and her knees became weak and her cunt spasmed.

  She had never felt this way with Gamin, or any man before him.

  It was confusing.

  Shaking her head slightly, she blamed it on the dream. Nothing was as it seemed when one dreamed. When she awakened, she’d feel differently.

  At least, that’s what she tried to convince herself. This man was special. And he’d crawled under her skin before she’d realized it.

  She reached for his cock with her free hand and gave him a gentle squeeze. He sucked in a breath, and she could see the pulse at his neck accelerate as his arms closed around her and his mouth descended on hers.

  She tried to devour him but he held her back, gently pulling away when she got too hungry. A couple of seconds was all it took for her to settle, and he started kissing her again. Slowly. Languidly. As if he had all the time in the world.

  When he broke their kiss yet again it was because she hurried him by nipping his bottom lip and plunging her tongue deeply into his mouth. She realized the scenery had changed.

  The city skyline had been replaced by a sky full of twinkling stars and a giant, full moon. She lay on her back on a bed of soft, sweet-smelling flowers with Taber resting beside her, his naked upper body covering hers. He lowered his head again, this time to her neck and the swell of one breast. That was when she realized she was also naked.

  When he took
a nipple into his mouth, she almost screamed. As it was, the tiniest of whimpers escaped her throat. His grunt of approval spurred her on, and she moaned again when he nipped the other nipple gently and a finger found her pussy and circled her clit.

  His hands roamed her body, coaxing sighs and the occasional squeal from her even though she tried her best to hold back. The last thing this man needed was to know how he affected her. Even in a dream.

  “I’ve never wanted a woman this much before. All I can think about is burying myself as deeply as I can inside your wet little cunt.” He raised his head and stopped everything he was doing. “But I absolutely will not make love to you until you see it as just that. Making love. I’m not interested in meaningless sex. Not because fucking you senseless doesn’t appeal to me, but because I don’t want my heart broken any more than you want someone else in control of your life and body.”

  She blinked, then shoved him away from her and sat up. “I’m not interested in ‘making love.’ Love has nothing to do with sex. All I want from you is physical satisfaction. It’s all I’m capable of.”

  He sat up slowly, and though a sexy grin spread across his face, she still felt the hurt inside him. “I think you’re a highly passionate woman, Akahana. I think that you crave the love of another even more than most people because you’ve only known pain and heartache.” His clothes appeared as if they’d been there all along -- dark pants with a white shirt that hugged him like a second skin. “When you’re ready to love me like the mate you claim I am, I’ll be here. However long it takes.”

  And he faded into the mists.

  But she still felt his bruised feelings as if they were her own.

  The dream slowly faded…

  And she woke in her bed. The covers had bunched around her as she’d thrashed about under Taber’s masterful touch. She was surprised to feel a lump in her throat and tears spilling from her eyes. Rubbing a finger under one eye, she stared at the damp pad in amazement. Why did Taber feel so strongly about this? Why couldn’t he be content with a little fun before moving on? She’d go back to Gothe’mar, he’d stay on Earth. She’d keep her newfound independence, and he wouldn’t have to worry about adding another person to his life. She’d always been told that Earth men hated any disruption in their lives.