Captured & Seduced

by Shelley Munro

  “I hope you’re going to feed me back at camp,” Nanu said. “I’m going to fade away.”

  “This is stupid,” Kaya said. “She doesn’t know anything. Let’s go back inside and eat our dinner.”

  “She has a name,” Camryn snapped, lifting her head to inhale. Ry. Without questioning her instincts, she started to run. It wasn’t the same way they’d walked to the tavern but her gut told her Ry had walked this road.

  “Wait, dammit,” Jannike called.

  Camryn heard the thud of boots when Jannike raced after her. She never slowed and splashed through puddles, heedless of the wet, cold water. Ry. His name echoed through her mind, desperation to get to him reverberating through her. She kept running, Jannike and the others following.

  A battlelike cry up ahead made her put on a spurt of speed. Damn, she’d known he was in trouble. Four men on one. They were just about to even the odds.

  Stay back, Camryn.

  And miss all the fun?

  You distract me.

  One of the attackers planted a solid fist in his middle. Camryn heard the air hiss from Ry, his pained groan. With a battle cry, she launched herself at his attacker. Jannike, Kaya and Nanu arrived and waded into the fight. A curse sounded. The crunch of fist hitting bone. One attacker fled while the other three continued with dogged determination.

  Camryn seized a man’s shirt. He tried to throw her off to attack Ry again. Laughing, she clung. Let him try to throw her off. Better animals than he had tried.

  Get ready to jump. Ry’s thoughts shot through her head and she tensed, waiting for his signal.

  Now.

  Camryn let go and pushed herself away from the man. She landed hard in the middle of a pile of smelly bovine dung. Ry clipped his jaw and the man went airborne. He hit the mud and didn’t move. The remaining two took off, leaving their friend to his fate. Jannike crouched beside him to go through his pockets.

  “Are you okay?” Ry hauled her into his arms, his hands running over her body to check for injury. Heat suffused Camryn, her sexual response instantaneous. She shivered and let out a soft moan. “Where does it hurt?”

  “Stop touching me,” Camryn hissed. “I’m not hurt. I…I…” She groaned again, the sensation of his hands brushing across her nipples shooting desire straight to her core. All Camryn could think was how much better it would feel if there were no clothes between them and if his mouth drew on her nipple.

  “No identification. Nothing to say who sent him. Are we done here?” Jannike asked.

  “I’m hungry,” Nanu said in a plaintive voice. “I need food.”

  Jannike’s brows rose when she saw where Ry’s hand rested. “Do you need us anymore?”

  “No, we’re good.” He glanced at her. “I take it you’re coming with me?”

  Camryn swallowed, fought a brief inner battle and finally nodded. “Yes.” She had to accept it. There was something wrong with the way she craved sex with Ry all the time. Her skin burned and she throbbed with desire. And her heightened senses. It wasn’t right. Heck, it scared her because she was starting to behave like him.

  “We’ll go back to the pub,” Jannike said.

  Nanu nodded enthusiastically. “Maybe I’ll get to eat my dinner this time.”

  They left to head back into the center of town, leaving Camryn with Ry.

  “How do we know there aren’t more people lying in wait for us?”

  Ry wiped a spot of blood from the corner of his mouth. “We don’t, but I don’t sense anything. Do you?”

  Camryn lifted her head and opened her senses. She couldn’t feel anyone lurking in the shadows or hear the elevated breathing of an assassin hiding in the shadows. “No.”

  Ry chuckled, the rough edge sending another wave of arousal through her sensitized body.

  “Kiss me,” she whispered, standing on tiptoe with her lips pursed.

  “No, not now.”

  “Why not?” Camryn could feel the tension in him.

  “Because if I kiss you I’ll need more, and I don’t want to take you in the middle of this dirty street. I want privacy for what I have in mind. Besides, you need to sanitize.”

  “No argument about that.” Camryn shivered and nodded, her head feeling strangely heavy. Every inch of her body tingled and craved him, the strange tattoo on her shoulder feeling scorching hot. She shrugged, part of her uneasy but the rest excited and eager. The hot expression in his green eyes increased her tension, and without another word, Ry took her hand, setting a fast pace and practically dragging her down the rutted street. He snarled at a beggar who approached them and ignored a pair of prostitutes offering sensual delights.

  “We’ll do a foursome, love,” one shouted after them. “Discount prices for a handsome gent like you.”

  “They all want you,” Camryn said. “Even Jannike and Kaya look at you but you never look back.”

  Ry stopped walking and frowned at her. “I’m not a saint. I used to fukk any handy woman who wanted me.” He swallowed, his eyes glowing when he looked down at her. “I had to—it was a compulsion inside and the medicine Mogens gave me only helped between spaceports. Since you’ve arrived I haven’t been with anyone except you. I haven’t wanted anyone else.”

  “Is that good?”

  “I don’t know.” Ry’s powerful shoulders moved in a helpless shrug and he started walking again. They skirted a group of men standing outside a crowded tavern and another group of men standing in a tight circle. They cheered and shouted, offering encouragement to something Camryn couldn’t see.

  “What are they doing?”

  “Bird fight. The birds fight to the death and the men bet on them.”

  Camryn hurried past, glad Ry was at her side. Many of the men staggered, drunk on the local ale, and she witnessed three fights during their hurried trek down the center of the street. She shot a glance at Ry and found him scowling. It wasn’t difficult to pick up the tension. A different tension from before, but Camryn didn’t understand. They’d talked about sex and women…

  Shit, what would happen when she left to go home?

  She shot him another uneasy look while her mind grappled with the problem. If they won the race, Ry would have a wife and money. He wouldn’t need her. So why did she hate that idea?

  They walked in silence. Camryn noticed they were both scanning the street for signs of danger until they reached their campsite.

  “Anything wrong?” Mogens called from his seat beside the small campfire.

  “Something’s come up,” Ry said. “Camryn and I are making a quick trip to the Indy. We’ll be back before the final race.”

  Camryn smiled at Mogens. “Can you make sure Gabby gets plenty of exercise? We need to keep up her fitness levels for the race.”

  Mogens’ mouth firmed to a slash of disapproval. “Do you want me to ride Gabby?”

  “If she’ll let you,” Camryn said.

  “We were ambushed on the road tonight. Jannike will tell you about it when they get back to camp. Take extra care with security.”

  Mogens dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Someone tried to steal Gabby. I scared them off and will continue to keep watch. I can’t sleep anyway,” he said. “The restless ghosts whisper.”

  “Will you be all right here alone?” Camryn asked with a quick glance at Ry.

  “The clouds said so. The men ran off screaming. They will not return.”

  Ry nodded. “If you’re sure. Do you need anything from the tender?”

  “Bring me my spare satchel of medical supplies,” Mogens said. “I will have need of it. When do you leave?”

  “We’ll go as soon as we unload the necessary supplies off the tender.”

  “I did it earlier,” Mogens said. “The clouds foretold of a journey so I prepared.”

  A shiver went through Camryn. Sometimes the seer was damn creepy.

  They flew the tender to the private spaceport on the other side of the planet where they’d left the Indy. After a while Ry couldn’
t take the silence anymore. It throbbed between them, reminding him they were alone. He ached for her, but along with desire came guilt. She’d asked about other women. Camryn had all the information, but he didn’t think she’d put it together yet.

  He wasn’t going to let her go.

  He couldn’t.

  The self-reproach played with his mind, and Mogens wasn’t helping with his attitude. He understood Ry wouldn’t let her leave. Ry knew he hadn’t acted wisely with Camryn, letting his libido rule his actions. In his defense, he hadn’t known the consequences until too late. Now he’d trapped both of them. Ry wanted Camryn, needed her for survival.

  “Are you going to let me know how we’re going to win the final race?” He didn’t want to fill the silence with tortured thoughts any longer.

  “I think we should treat this race like the ones we have at home. I’m going to ride Gabby.”

  “No!” A sick sensation churned his stomach. “Some of the hell-horses are veterans. They’re man-eaters and have grown used to the taste of flesh.”

  Her chin lifted in firm challenge. “Do you have a better idea?”

  “No.” He’d thought long and hard about the race and Talor. “I could ride Gabby.”

  “Yeah, that would work,” she mocked. “Gabby tolerates you at best and you’re big, too big. Your extra weight will slow her down.”

  Ry exhaled in irritation. She was right, dammit. Admitting defeat, he said, “We need to keep this quiet. We don’t want anyone else knowing beforehand because we’ll lose our edge.”

  “What if someone has seen me riding Gabby and preparing her for the race?”

  “Hopefully they’ll think you have a death wish and not consider other possibilities.”

  Camryn snorted. “How much longer before we reach the spaceport?”

  “Fifteen mins.”

  “Perhaps you should go faster.” Camryn smoothed back a lock of her long hair and he caught the furtive way she licked her lips, leaving them glistening.

  Ry clenched his fists to stop reaching for her and did as she suggested, pushing the tender to greater speed.

  They made it in ten, slipping into Indy’s bay. If they kept a low profile no one would realize they were there.

  Ry turned to Camryn. She swallowed, the smooth line of her throat attracting his avid gaze. The desire to see her black hair loose and flowing around her shoulders was like one of Talor’s compulsions. He slipped his hands behind her head to remove the leather tie Mogens had given her, and with great satisfaction, he watched the fragrant locks fall free. Leaning down, he buried his nose in the scented strands, breathing deep. He’d never, never tire of her spicy, piquant scent.

  “We need to get you in the sanitizer unit.” The street dirt and dung clung to her clothes, smelly but not lessening his need of her.

  A snooty gasp escaped her. “Are you telling me I stink? Such gratitude. And after I saved you too.”

  Ry suppressed his amusement and didn’t bite back. Bite. Devil take it, he’d love to take a bite or two. His cock swelled to press insistently against his trews, and impatient to get to his berth, he swept her into his arms, exiting the tender with rapid steps. His boots thudded on the metallic floor of the frigate, beating in time with his heart. It was a quick trip to his cabin. He shouldered his way inside and kicked the door shut with his boot before setting Camryn on his bed.

  Without moving his gaze from her, he tugged off his boots and made short work of removing hers as well. Their clothes landed haphazardly on the floor. He switched on the sanitizer unit and pushed Camryn inside. She sat on his bed while he took his turn to refresh.

  Then his stingy store of patience gave out. He crawled onto the bed, crushing her into the firm mattress and claiming her mouth while he cuffed her wrists above her head with his hands. It had been too long since they’d been together. Way too long.

  He tried to take it slow. He really did. With his tongue he outlined her mouth. He pressed his lips to hers, savoring the tart spiciness and softness, the way she pressed as close as possible. His heart thudded, pounding against his ribs, and he was lost in a wash of sensations.

  Heat. Scents. Her quick breathing.

  His skin itched, his back and chest prickling enough to make him uncomfortable.

  “Oh,” she gasped, wriggling to free her hands so she could explore his body. “I have to touch you.”

  “Soon.” Yes. He needed her touch. Desperately. Her fingers kneaded his pectoral muscles, clutched his biceps and he shivered, the pleasure more intense than it had ever been. He stroked one breast, and he took pleasure in the way her nipple tightened at his touch. The scent of their arousal filled the air, pushing him even higher.

  It was hot. Fast. Scary even.

  His mouth fastened around her nipple, and he sucked hard in the way she liked. She bucked against him, her cry of pleasure echoing through his chamber.

  He needed to taste her. Now. Urgency propelled Ry down the bed. Roughly, he parted her legs and lifted her to his mouth. His tongue raked the length of her slit, gathering her cream. Camryn moaned, her brown eyes closing while soft color suffused her cheeks. He lapped at her entrance, the rasp of his tongue making her quiver. The taste of her rushed across his taste buds. The rough sound that escaped Camryn spurred him on, and he trembled when his tongue slid across her swollen bud.

  “I think about this, about being with you all the time. With you I’m powerless,” he confessed, sharing what was in his heart. He loved making her sigh and groan and shudder with desire. It made him feel powerful and important. Escalated need clawed him, and he realized how much he ached for her, ached for this. His tongue stabbed inside her core while his fingers teased her higher.

  “No more, Ry. Please,” she begged. “Inside me. Now.”

  “I live to please you, sweet.” Instinct guided Ry. He flipped her over so she rested on her stomach and arranged her until she balanced on all fours. A pleasurable shudder racked him, the ache in his balls one of savage demand. Ry smoothed his hand over the rounded cheeks of her ass then pushed into her. Watching his cock disappear into her hot, wet flesh was the sexiest thing. The grip of her flesh and the way she gloved him so tight was miraculous. His growl of pleasure reverberated between them.

  “Camryn, I wish you could see this, our flesh joining.”

  “Describe it for me. Make me see.”

  “First, I watched my cock disappear as I impaled you. When I pushed inside, I started to feel your flesh parting to let me inside then the way you pulse around me, squeezing and massaging my shaft. It feels amazing.”

  “What else?” she whispered.

  Ry wished he could see her face. This position felt too good to move though, and he leaned over, brushed the dark hair from her shoulder to press his lips to the leopard tattoo on her back. Her sheath spasmed around his cock, squeezing him rhythmically. It felt damn good so he repeated the move, scraping his teeth across the sensitive skin and rasping the sting away with a lap of his tongue.

  “Each time I pull out, I can see my cock shiny with your juices. It’s sexy knowing you want me, that you’re welcoming me into your body. I like the easy glide into your body. I want to go slow, but the massage of your channel against my shaft feels so damn good. I want to do it again and again. Faster and faster,” he whispered into her ear.

  Camryn pushed against him, taking each gliding thrust and demanding more, as if his words made her hot. Voicing his feelings sure made him hot. Ry withdrew, moving back enough to see his glistening cock and pushed back into her, the firm slide of her flesh against his bringing exquisite pleasure. Unable to help himself, he quickened his strokes. Pleasure roared through him with each hard thrust, each touch.

  The liquid sound of arousal competed with Camryn’s ragged sighs and the roar building in his throat. He gripped her hips and thrust, each smooth glide of his cock driving him toward climax. Ry slipped one finger between her legs, stroking across slippery folds and teasing the small knot of nerves that
gave her pleasure.

  “Yes,” she whispered, her breathing shallow, labored. “Keep talking.”

  “Your sighs and the demands of your body drive me to speed. I start thinking about biting your flesh to give you greater pleasure.” Giving in to temptation Ry leaned over to scrape his teeth over the crook of her shoulder and neck. He felt the convulsive clutch of her inner muscles, the shiver and tensing, heard her sweet moan of pleasure. With her flesh gripping and releasing him so exquisitely, he shafted her hard and fast. The electrifying sensation of orgasm rushed up from his balls and he exploded, the velvet heat of her quim milking his cock.

  Chest heaving, his nostrils flared, their combined scents pleased him. Without haste he pulled away, separating their clammy bodies. The feline part of him snarled in displeasure when their bodies parted. Sighing, he tugged Camryn’s petite frame against his chest. Pushing the silken curtain of hair from her neck, he licked and laved the area where he’d bitten her.

  Camryn stiffened against him, her breath catching. “Oh heck.”

  Ry stilled, the human part of him appalled at the red mark he’d made on her delicate skin. “I’m sorry I hurt you,” he said, regret throbbing in his low voice.

  “No.” Camryn turned in his arms and peered earnestly into his face. “No, you didn’t hurt me.” She brushed the hair from his face. “Lick me again.”

  He lapped across the reddened flesh, across the slight indentation where his teeth had sunk deep. There was no blood. No angry wound.

  “Ooh,” she whispered, and he watched in amazement as pleasure deepened the brown of her eyes. A delicate flush colored her cheeks.

  Her enjoyment ignited desire in him again. He dipped his head to kiss her, pushing his tongue between her parted lips, tasting her, and collecting her soft, breathy sigh before it gained substance. With one hand, he tugged at a nipple and pinched it between his fingers, wanting to drag another sweet sigh from her. No sigh this time, but she clutched him, stroking her hand over his back. The score of her fingernails went straight to his balls. His cock pulled tight, urgency pushing him again.