Working him with her hand and her mouth, she tried her best to make him lose control. But he was more skilled and she was powerless to resist the tantalizing swirl of his tongue. Lust and tenderness twisted through her being, making her dizzy.
He pushed his tongue into her core, triggering the first ripples of her orgasm. She groaned around his shaft then bobbed her head up and down, desperate to take him with her. His clever lips closed around her clit and sucked just hard enough to shatter her composure. She cried out, shuddering violently as pleasure inundated her senses and filled her mind.
Before she could recover enough to protest, he flipped her onto her back and turned around so they were face-to-face. “I wanted to finish you with my mouth,” she murmured.
“Next time. I need this more.” He caught the backs of her knees and opened her legs so he could kneel between her thighs. Then his cock thrust into her core as his being surged within her mind.
She gave herself over to the intensity, surrendering to her mate. He moved with strong, deep thrusts, filling her completely. She stared into his eyes, drunk on the emotions they shared. Urgency tightened his features, but his gaze remained soft and dreamy.
Drawing her legs up against his sides, she no longer needed the support of his hands and he took full advantage of the freedom. He caressed her hips and ass, her breasts and belly, all the while shuttling in and out of her body.
Her second orgasm hit without warning. She cried out and arched into his next thrust, but he didn’t seem to notice. He kept rocking into her and sliding over her as his hands moved to either side of her head. Her desire simmered while his boiled, which allowed her to watch him, to experience their joining from his perspective. His features twisted, nearly savage, as his need for her consumed everything else. It was hot and overwhelming, violent yet tender—uniquely Raylon.
He gasped and trembled, stubbornly fighting off his climax. She didn’t understand his motivation until he slipped his hand between their bodies and found her clit with his fingertip.
“Together,” he insisted and her body obeyed.
His finger strummed over her clit while his hips picked up speed. She opened her mind and saturated herself with his emotions, rapidly accelerating her arousal to match his. Their bodies ground together, desperate for release. He clutched her to his chest and his mouth captured her cry. She arched and he shuddered, then pleasure flowed so freely through their entwined bodies and across their link that it was impossible to tell where each sensation originated.
They kissed and caressed, slowly drifting back to reality. “Much more refreshing than sleep.” He whispered the words against her damp lips and she smiled.
“Do you have to go back to work now or can we shower together?”
Raylon carefully separated their bodies and rolled to Chandar’s side. He was content and sated and he’d like nothing more than to drift back to sleep with his mate wrapped in his arms. “What time is it?”
“Almost two.”
He sighed. “I need to at least check-in with Garin.” After pausing for another lingering kiss, he swung his legs over the side and crawled out of bed. Chandar rolled to her stomach and bent her knees, her legs crossed at the ankle. Her chin rested on her folded arms and she watched him silently. She lay nearly sideways across the bed, her sleek body and tousled hair like the irresistible call of some ancient sorceress. “How am I supposed to give a shit about anything else when you look like that?”
She smiled and her silver phitons shimmered. “Then come back to bed.” Before he could respond to her temptation, she held up her hand. “Hold on. Danvier just pinged me.” Her expression turned vacant and her gaze dulled as she conversed with her brother. When she came out of the trance, her features reanimated, but her expression appeared grim.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, except our romantic evening will have to wait.” She left the bed and headed for the bathroom, obviously intending him to follow. “They have Haven, and Vox will be here shortly with a device that will allow us to track the Relentless.”
They showered together, but only to save time. Within minutes, they were dressed and jogging to the new command center on the top tier of the commerce district. Garin had agreed to meet them there.
“Can Danvier sense what we’re doing?” Raylon asked as they waited for Garin to join them. “That’s twice he’s contacted you moments after we finished.”
“He’d been trying for a while, but the signal didn’t penetrate until I lowered my privacy shield.”
He wasn’t sure how that worked. Still, he was relieved that Danvier couldn’t sense their intimate moments. “Did the rescue go smoothly?”
“It sounded like Haven was cooperative until she realized they weren’t taking her back to Integration Guild headquarters.”
“They’re bringing her here?” Danvier and Vox had solidified their plans on the way to Rodymia, so Raylon wasn’t aware of the details.
“Apparently so. Was that not what Garin wanted?”
“I’m not sure.” He motioned toward Garin who had just reached the doorway to the conference room. “Let’s ask him.”
Garin stepped into the room and closed the door, then activated audio dampeners. “Did Chandar have another vision?” Raylon hadn’t told Garin what they needed, just that they had news.
Anxious energy crackled in the room and none of them moved toward the table. They stood facing each other as Chandar explained, “Danvier and Vox have Haven. Despite her vigorous protesting, Danvier is bringing her here. Vox, apparently, has been given a device that will allow us to track the Relentless. He’s going to teleport here rather than waiting for the ship to bring him.”
“Haven just happened to have the exact device we need, what in her pocket?” Garin asked, clearly suspicious about the development. “Isn’t that a little too convenient?”
“Danvier didn’t go into details. You’ll have to ask Vox.”
They didn’t have long to wait. Kotto escorted Vox into the room a few minutes later. Garin clasped arms with Vox then motioned everyone toward the table. “Where’s Ulrik?” Garin asked.
“He’s wandering about the outpost,” Kotto told him. “Do you want him here?”
“Just the opposite. I don’t want him to know anything about this mission until it’s over. If we fail—which I’m not expecting—he doesn’t need to know we tried. He’s starting to come around and I don’t want his temper to compromise our progress.”
“The support of Tandori Tribe is important to our long-term goals, but recruiting hybrid females might be far less crucial.” Kotto ended the prediction with a sly smile.
“Meaning.” Garin was clearly not in the mood for word games.
“I’d just left the Intrepid when Vox arrived. According to Kaden, all four of the research teams agree that they’re ready for human trials.”
Garin stilled and possibilities narrowed his gaze. “The second formula is finished?”
Kotto nodded. “All the simulations have been flawless. Now we need to see if the procedure works with full-blooded human females.”
“That would certainly simplify things,” Raylon mused.
“And it strengthens our position with Ulrik,” Kotto added. “If the second formula works, we’re no longer at his mercy.”
Garin shook away the speculative haze and refocused on the present. “One obstacle at a time. Akim has eluded us for much too long and Milanni needs to answer for her actions.” Vox had placed the device on the table. Garin motioned for the Bilarrian to hand it to him. “How did you convince Haven to give you this and where did she get it? I’m presuming she didn’t happen to have the exact device we need on her person when she was kidnapped.”
“Not at all. We told her that being able to find the Relentless was the price for her rescue.” Vox paused for a sardonic smile. “Danvier might have hinted that we’d put her right back where we found her if she didn’t agree to our terms.”
Everyon
e chuckled and Garin said, “Sounds like Danvier.”
“It took her a while, but she figured out what we needed and where to find it. The device was stored in this massive warehouse about an hour away from the capital,” Vox explained. “You wouldn’t believe all the tech the IG keeps on hand.”
“Tech is what the Integration Guild does,” Garin muttered as he turned the device this way and that. “How does it work?”
“It plugs into your scanner system, allowing you to detect the ‘continual modulation of their transponder signal’. Beyond that, I have no clue.”
Dread spread through Raylon as he processed the implication. “The Crusader and all the Phantoms have modulating transponders. Can any technomage with one of those devices track us?”
“Afraid so,” Vox agreed.
Raylon shook his head. “We should have realized the IG wouldn’t leave themselves vulnerable. They never introduce a new technology without building a back door into it.”
“A lesson we learned from Letos,” Garin muttered.
“Who’s Letos?” Vox looked around the table, waiting for someone to explain.
“He’s a technomage/spy,” Raylon told Vox. “He was working undercover aboard the Relentless when Bandar crossed paths with him. Bandar was trying to figure out how to bio-stream through Akim’s covert shields and suddenly Letos had a device that allowed them to do exactly that.”
“The IG intentionally creates problems so everyone has to turn to them for solutions. That way they benefit from both sides of the equation.” Garin looked even more suspicious than Raylon felt. “I’ll have our engineers make sure this new device does what Haven says it will do before we install it in one of our ships.”
“A wise precaution,” Vox agreed.
“Then they can get to work on a countermeasure for the weakness.” Garin shifted in his chair, scooting closer to the table. “Akim thinks he’s safe. That’s how we’ll get him.”
“This needs to be fast and clean,” Raylon warned. “As soon as he realizes we’ve found him, he’ll jump to safety.”
“Can the device be replicated?” Kotto asked.
“I didn’t ask, but I don’t see why not.” Vox shrugged. “It’s tech. There’s nothing magical about it.”
“Then I say we use the Phantoms,” Kotto suggested. “All six have been updated with the device Letos gave us, so they can bio-stream through covert shields. Besides, spatial displacement and vapor trails will be minimized with the smaller ships.”
“Do you need all six?” Garin asked. “The greatest danger is premature discovery.”
“There are only four available,” Raylon pointed out, “but that should be enough. Danvier hasn’t returned with Phantom One and Phantom Six is still grounded, or at least it was this morning when I checked.”
“Raylon, I want you to coordinate the strike. No one thinks faster on their feet than you do.”
“Of course.” Garin’s unflappable confidence in Raylon meant the world to him.
“It’s basically two simultaneous missions.” Garin rubbed his chin as he often did when he was strategizing. “One team needs to focus on capturing Akim, the other Millani.”
“Two ships per team.” Raylon nodded, the pieces starting to fall into place within his mind. “Three men per ship.”
“I’m just warming a seat.” Vox pushed back from the table. “Unless you have more questions, I’m going to head back to the Pavilion.”
Garin stood as Vox came around the table. “Thank you.” They clasped arms again. “I know what you risked to help us.”
“I might be willing to assist from time to time, but anything I do would require the same discretion.”
“Things are moving quickly now. I’ll keep your offer in mind.” Vox left and Garin returned to his chair. “This is your mission,” he told Raylon. “I’ll allow you to choose your teams.”
“I appreciate the freedom.” He hesitated then asked, “Is anyone off limits?”
“Who’d you have in mind?” Garin leaned back in his chair. A lifetime of training and experience had made him comfortable in the role of general.
“There aren’t that many pilots with actual time in the cockpit of the Phantoms. Unless Danvier returns, which is doubtful, I’ll have Zilor fly my ship.”
Garin chuckled. “Don’t let my puppy know he’s your second choice or he’ll pout for a week.”
Raylon smiled. Zilor hated the nickname, which was why Garin persisted in using it. “It’s nothing personal,” Raylon assured him. “The puppy knows I love him. Danvier just happens to be a better pilot.”
“Anyone else?” Garin asked, dismissing the momentary tangent.
“Kotto, Bandar, and anyone else you can think of with lots of fighter experience.”
“You’ll want Orrin,” Kotto suggested. “He’s meaner than hell’s outer ring, but can fly anything.”
“I’ve got no problem with mean,” Raylon assured him. “Is he part of your crew?”
Kotto shook his head. “We served together a few years back. He’s on the Destroyer now. Their flight instructor in fact.”
“Sold.”
“Who else?” Garin asked.
“I need Kaden Lux.”
“Why Kaden?” Kotto wanted to know.
“Garin trusts him to keep things running smoothly, but—in my opinion—he’s wasted on the Intrepid.”
Garin smiled. “Babysitting scientists might seem beneath him, but the Intrepid is the most important ship in the fleet right now. I wanted one of my top men ensuring that nothing goes wrong. What those scientists are doing will determine the fate of the battle born.”
Raylon tensed. “Does that mean I can’t have him?”
“I didn’t say that. If he’s willing, you can borrow him for the mission.”
“Thank you.”
“Why is Kaden wasted on the Intrepid?” Kotto asked.
Raylon wasn’t sure how many were allowed to know Kaden’s background, so he looked at Garin rather than answering the question.
“Kaden Lux spent ten years as a field operative before I promoted him to commander,” Garin explained. “He’s a damn good commander, but at heart he’ll always be a spy. I’m sure he’ll enjoy a little adventure after months on a research ship.”
“Do you want Akim alive?” The bitterness in Raylon’s voice made it obvious why he asked.
After a thoughtful pause, Garin said, “We need to interrogate him. If it comes down to escape or execution, I’ll accept execution. But I really do want him alive.”
“Then Kaden needs to lead the team targeting him and I’ll lead the team targeting Milanni.”
“It’s your call, but Akim is a higher priority than Milanni.”
Just thinking about all Chandar had suffered because of Akim sent rage coursing through Raylon. He had to take a deep breath before he could speak. “If I see Akim, he’s dead. If you want to interrogate him, it has to be Kaden.”
“Like I said, it’s your call.”
* * * * *
“Are there any questions?” Raylon looked around the conference table five hours later. The men he’d hand selected stared back at him attentively. Each man understood the importance of the mission and the need for secrecy. Akim had eluded them for so long, the only news Garin was willing to release was of Akim’s capture or death.
“Do we know the current position of the Relentless?” Zilor asked.
“We do. Kotto found the ship about an hour ago.” Raylon shook his head, disgusted by their enemy’s proximity. “Akim parked his ass just inside sensor range. Like an invisible fly on the wall, he’s been monitoring every move we make.”
“I know the covert shields disrupt sensors, but won’t they be able to spot us visually?” Orrin was from the Destroyer, so he wasn’t familiar with the integrated systems found on the newer ships.
“The covert shields are amazing,” Zilor said with a smile. “You could be standing next to one of the Phantoms and not know it.”
Orrin only nodded, so Raylon went on, “The coordinates will be transmitted to each Phantom as soon as you clear the mouth of the cave.”
“You said there will be two teams. Who’s on which one?” Bandar asked. “And who’s the other team leader?”
Raylon quickly told each man which team he was on then said, “Kaden will lead red team and target Akim. Blue team is with me and we’ll target Milanni.”
Kaden was clearly surprised by the choice, but he didn’t object. Instead, he asked, “Dead or alive?”
“Garin wants him alive, which is why you’re leading red team.”
Understanding unfurled in Kaden’s eyes as he said, “Got it. Are we authorized for deadly force if he leaves us no other choice?”
“Yes. Akim cannot be allowed to escape this time.” Raylon looked around the table, waiting for anyone else to speak up. When no one did he pinged Garin.
Easily guessing the reason for the call, Garin responded using Raylon’s private link. They’re working on the last ship now. It’ll be ready by the time you get down here.
Copy that. We’re on our way. Raylon pinched off the connection before he spoke out loud. “Show time, gentlemen. The Phantoms await.”
Raylon pushed to his feet and the others quickly did the same. They walked through the commerce district and out the main door of the outpost, trying not to look too conspicuous. Anyone who was paying attention would know that something was about to go down, but only a select few knew the specifics of the mission.
Garin stood beside Phantom Five, so Raylon walked past the other shuttles. Zilor and Lintrel, the other member of Raylon’s crew, followed in his wake. “Was there a complication?” Raylon nodded toward the mechanics who were still working on the shuttle.
“No.” Garin waved away his concern. “They’re almost finished.”
Defender (Battle Born Book 4) Page 21