by Aria Bell
“There are conditions where a human could become a part of a Jardan crew.” Dra’sten’s frown deepened. “Most of them would have you serving as a hand or tech for years to prove your loyalty and your work ethic.”
My father laughed scornfully. “Pirate work ethic. How amusing.”
Dra’sten turned a cold eye to him. The waves of anger coming off him doubled, so that I wondered if computer equipment would begin to break, just from the negative psychic force. “Or she could mate with one of the crew. When a female of any species is mated to a Jardan, she gains the rights and privileges afforded to all Jardan.”
A mad recklessness came over me. My father wanted me to grovel. He wanted to kick me into a corner, make me submit to him. If I refused and my father left me to these pirates, they would probably kill me or jettison me on some desert planet because I was no longer of any use to them. If I agreed to my father’s terms, he would never let me leave the planet again until I was safely married. And even if I didn’t end up married to Qegort, I’d be chained to some other pompous aristocrat who would always use my “reputation” against me. The reputation didn’t matter—kidnapped by pirates, captain of a pleasure cruise ship, anything that didn’t fit the narrow view of noble life on Tirinva would make me subject to their pity and their scorn. Either way, my career as a captain was over. So what did I have left to lose?
“Mate me,” I demanded of Captain Dra’sten.
Dead silence reigned on the bridge. Dra’sten’s eyes bugged out at my words. He opened his mouth, but for the first time it seemed like he didn’t have a word to say. I’d certainly wiped that roguish smile off his face too. Maybe even permanently, if I was lucky.
“Enough, Sylvis,” my father snapped. “You prove nothing by desperately throwing yourself at the scum of the universe. I know you want to hurt me, but destroying yourself is not the way to go about it.”
I ignored my father. Instead, I faced Dra’sten, my hands bound before me, my gaze drilling into his hard-edged but handsome face. He really was quite attractive. His dark hair contrasted perfectly with the blue of his skin, the white of the scars on his heavily muscled warrior’s body. So tall, powerful. Strong jaw, but those lips looked soft. His eyes…they were the bright blue-white of a new star, so intense sometimes they were frightening.
I couldn’t read his eyes or his expression right now—or maybe I was afraid to. I didn’t know how to appear coy and alluring. I could only express what I was right then—desperate and determined. I was prepared to do whatever it took to stay out of my father’s clutches. Anything. This was my choice. My decision.
But when Captain Dra’sten still did not answer, I repeated myself. “Marry me. Mate me. Whatever you want to call it. You’re captain here. You have the power to perform ceremonies on board your ship. Consider this me throwing myself at your feet.”
Did he want me to literally do that? I was so furious with my father that I would without hesitation. What did a little more humiliation matter now? I was up to my neck anyway.
Something flickered in Dra’sten’s striking eyes. My heart caught, then began to pound fast. My life would change forever. What in all the worlds was I thinking? But I couldn’t turn back now. I’d spent my life out from under my father’s thumb, and I refused to go back.
“No,” Dra’sten said.
And my father began to laugh.
* * *
Captain Kash Dra’sten
My fists were clenched as I escorted Sylvis Trasker back to her room after the disastrous subspace transmission with her father. When Duke Trasker had laughed, it had taken all my debatable self-control to keep from ripping a chair from the bolts that held it to the deck and throwing it at the viewscreen. I wanted to kill the man. I felt as if my insides were being wrenched apart, seeing how he treated this brave little human. Hearing the anger and contempt in his voice, seeing his utter lack of love for his daughter made me want to challenge him to a duel, swords or blasters, his choice.
It also made me want to take her in my arms. To comfort her. To make her groan my name in purest ecstasy. Whatever it took to put the fire back in her eyes. I didn’t understand why or when those feelings had become so strong. Or why it had hurt worse than a sword wound to tell her no.
But I had my crew to think of. The crew had to go by Jardan code, even on a pirate ship, and if I mated her, they would get nothing. I cursed Gren’don again for backing me into a corner, forcing me to take hostages and setting all of this in motion. The crew now believed we needed this ransom to cover all we’d risked penetrating this deep into the galactic core. And they had a point. With a ransom this size, along with all we’d stolen from the Mero Tallasa, the Defiance Blade would be set to cruise the skies under the pirate flag for at least another solar year, possibly two. Without it, I just might face a mutiny. Led by my first mate, of course.
So mating this endearingly feisty human female was out of the question.
Even if some fool-headed, overprotective part of me now only wanted to wrap her in my arms and rescue her after seeing how she’d been treated on her home world.
Even if some traitorous, primal part of me wanted to claim her. Capture those soft lips with mine. Kiss her breathless. Run my hands over that small but deliciously curved body. To open her thighs, to have her wet and eager for me. To slide my cock into that blissful heat—
I grunted and forced my thoughts elsewhere, otherwise my already stiffening cock would draw attention to itself. And this really wasn’t the time.
We reached the door to her room. The biometric scanner identified me, and the lock I’d set to keep her contained and protected released with a pleasant chime.
After I had refused Sylvis’s…demand? Request? Plea? I didn’t know. But after I’d refused her, she’d gone pale as snow and quieter than I’d ever seen her. There’d been nothing left to do but set a date and time for her handoff and for us to collect the ransom. All that remained was to pick a location of my choosing. That choice would be left for the last minute, so the duke would have no time to alert the authorities. Her father hadn’t told her good-bye. Sylvis hadn’t spoken again, even after the viewscreen had gone dark.
Refusing her crazy offer to take her as a mate hadn’t been easy. But telling her no while looking her in the eyes, knowing what it cost her to ask in the first place, watching that spirit of hers I so admire break right in front of me…all felt as if I’d reached into my chest and squeezed my heart until it burst.
But when I chose a mate, I would be the one to claim her, not the other way around. And neither did I want to be mated to a female who hated me, who saw me as space scum, who was joined to me only because she loathed her father more. Yes, my little human hostage was more than pretty enough, desirable, with good hips and breasts that made my hands ache to caress them, but she was also smart, a good captain who put the safety of her passengers and crew above her own, and she had the spirit of a Jardan warrior. That was not a compliment I gave lightly. Despite all those things in her favor, I would mate for love and nothing else. I would never admit that aloud. I would cut off random parts of any pirate who learned it and made the mistake of mocking me for it. But it was true. No matter how much I regretted putting her in this position, no matter how much I wanted to take her, to fuck her to the stars and back, to own her in every carnal way possible, I refused to mate someone who hated my guts, who felt nothing but contempt for me.
We stepped inside her room. The icy silence between us was thick as fumes from a chemical spill. I took off the damn binders and freed her.
She faced me, rubbing her wrists. Her dark eyes were furious…and hurt.
Sympathy flooded through me. She had been the proud captain of a huge luxury starship, she was young, beautiful, and courageous…and now she was trapped here, about to be sold back to a life she’d fled. I felt like punching something. I felt like taking her into my arms, holding her tight. I couldn’t do either.
But I needed to do something. Somethin
g to rekindle that fire inside her I admired so much…
“I want you to dine with me in my cabin,” I said gruffly.
She looked me right in the eye. “No.”
A smile spread across my face. This woman… I shook my head. She was crazier than I was, and I admired that. “‘No’ is not the answer I want to hear.”
“And yet it remains my answer,” she replied coldly.
“Allow me to try this again. You will dine with me in four standard hours. I will come get you and escort you to my cabin.”
“Are you too stupid to understand the word no?”
“Oh, I understood you perfectly, Your Charming Grace. I simply refuse to accept it.” I gave her a smile I knew annoyed her and leaned toward her. “And you don’t have any say in it. The same as if I wanted to kiss you right now. I simply would.”
Her furious glare was hotter than plasma. “You just go ahead and try, you bastard. You didn’t want to mate me, but you delude yourself into thinking you can steal kisses? What a typical male idiot. Try it and I’ll gnaw your lips off.”
“I am a typical male idiot,” I confirmed, still grinning. “Especially when confronted with a beautiful female.”
“Stop mocking me,” she snarled, fury on her face, but the hurt deepening in her eyes.
I blinked and felt my smile slip. I hadn’t been mocking her but trying to pay her a genuine compliment. I softened my tone. “I do not mock you, Sylvis.”
Her hand flew up and slapped me across the cheek. I’d seen the slap coming as soon as her hand twitched but hadn’t stopped it. If this was what she needed, an outlet for her pain, or a way to get back at me for my role in this, then it was the least I could do to endure it. Although it stung slightly, I was not hurt.
“Don’t you dare call me by my first name,” she said, her eyes flashing dangerously. “You have no right.”
“That’s true, I don’t,” I said, my voice low as I moved closer to her. “And yet I’m a pirate and a notorious rake and villain.”
She was watching my lips as if believing I intended to kiss her. Instead, I reached out and snatched her wrist and brought her hand toward me. She was so surprised, she didn’t resist as I leaned over her hand and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. Her skin was soft and warm against my lips. She smelled human and female and utterly appealing.
She punched me in the jaw with her other hand. Her blow even managed to move my head…a little. My grin widened as she jerked her hand out of mine and stepped back as if fearing my wrath. I felt no wrath toward her, only amusement, respect…and that flame of desire that just might be spreading.
“Stay away from me!” she said.
I cocked my head to the side as I regarded her. “Since we always seem to be telling each other no, I will continue our game. No. Kissing the back of your hand was worth a punch.”
“You’re insane!”
“Then I’ll fit right in with you.”
“You… You…” She swallowed, shook her head, and stared at me as if she truly couldn’t figure me out. “Why would you want to have dinner with me? You…said no.”
“You are my guest. The Defiance Blade may not have anything close to the level of elegance and service of your ship, but this is the least I can do. I give you my word, you will be quite safe. When everything is ready, I will return in to escort you to my quarters.”
I turned and walked toward the door. My cheek still stung from her slap, and my jaw ached a little from her punch. She was strong for a human. Fierce too. Damned if I wasn’t coming to like her more and more.
“Dra’sten…” she said from behind me.
I stopped and glanced back at her, my eyebrows raised in silent question.
“Nothing. Just go. Just get out!”
I gave her my most courtly bow, keeping all my feelings restrained. “As my princess wishes.”
But when I turned and took another step toward the door, I heard her sob. The sound cracked the metal armor of my cold pirate heart. I took another step toward the door…and damn me forever, I turned back to her again.
She stood there with her head lowered, the glint of tears on her cheeks. With two big steps, I crossed the room and pulled her into my arms.
She cursed me. She pounded against me ineffectively with her fists. I did not flinch. All I did was pull her into a hug, embracing her, comforting her. Holding her tightly as she wept and cursed me and trembled. I didn’t say a word. What words would be necessary? I understood her fear and her desperation, her strength and determination, to throw herself at me in a last-ditch effort to avoid her fate, only to have someone who should’ve been her hero turn her down.
Sometimes I absolutely hated being a pirate. And I’d never hated it more than in that moment. Refusing her when she’d had no one else to turn to had gutted me more effectively than a sword cut. I’d hated myself for drawing her into this whole ugly situation, for the pain in her eyes that she hadn’t been able to hide. But this wasn’t the time for self-recriminations either. Right now I needed to remain focused on her, giving her comfort I hadn’t been able to give when she’d surprised me with her demand—her plea—to be mated.
She finally tired of pounding against me and only stood there in my arms. After awhile her tears stopped. Her body ceased trembling. She seemed to relax into my embrace. I kept her wrapped protectively against me, wondering at how delicate, how small she was. It was easy to forget because her small body contained such a fiery warrior spirit. When she drew away this time, I let her go. She stood near her bed, not looking at me.
“You probably think I’m such a weakling,” she said quietly, a tremor in her voice. “Nothing but space garbage.”
I reached out and gently tilted her head up so she was looking at me with those expressive eyes. “No. Not at all. It is your father I think of as space garbage. Not you.”
She gave me a tentative, pained smile. I wanted to kiss those full lips, take her into my embrace again, but I knew this was not the moment. She needed her space. And I needed some breathing room to come to terms with all the madness that had happened.
Those were all the things I needed to do if I were wise.
Instead, I leaned toward her—slowly, to give her time to withdraw, to slap me, to curse me and tell me to blow myself out an airlock. But she didn’t draw away. She only stared up at me with those wide eyes, her lips slightly parted, and as I moved closer, her eyes fluttered closed. I claimed her lips with mine, pulling her against me, reveling in the feel of her soft skin, her curves pressed against me. She kissed me back, hard. Her arms held me tightly, as if she were afraid to let go.
Finally I ended the incredible kiss. I drew back enough to look down into her face as her eyes slowly opened again to stare up at me. I could read so much in those big eyes, hope, hurt, desire, and determination.
I’d lost control of myself, lost control of the situation. I had to leave before this went any further.
But then she put her hand behind my neck, stood on her tiptoes, and pulled me into another kiss.
And I let her.
* * *
Captain Sylvis Trasker
When Dra’sten kissed me, I lost myself in the simple pleasure of his lips on mine, his massive, hard body like a wall around me. But I hadn’t wanted him to leave after he’d kissed me, because when he’d captured my mouth with his, for a moment I escaped from my fears, my pain and humiliation. Instead, there was only the powerful response of my body, aroused, aching to feel alive and loved. I knew he felt the same, because I could feel the hard length of his cock pressing into me, straining against his pants. It made me feel powerful again.
I needed that. My head hurt from thinking too hard. My throat was tight and my face hot from my tears. I knew I looked like a wreck. My emotions were completely ensnarled, but as strongly as my body responded to him, I no longer bothered to deny how much I desired him. I felt safe when I was in his arms. That was insane, he was a pirate, and yet I couldn’t deny the simple
truth. I wanted him so badly I ached. Was I trying to seduce him? I didn’t know. I didn’t care. I only knew that in this instant, I wanted him more than anything else.
He growled deep in his throat as he deepened the kiss. But an instant later, his big hands gripped my waist, and he effortlessly picked me up and moved me back, breaking our connection. He was breathing fast, his broad, chiseled chest rising and falling almost as quickly as mine.
“Enough,” he said, his voice rough-edged. “Or I’ll do something I won’t regret.”
“Won’t regret?” I shot back, my body rigid and my tone filled with challenge. “Do you want me on my knees in front of you? Begging? What more does it take?”
His lips pulled back from his teeth, but the desire in his eyes burned hotter than thruster engines. “Woman, you are going to drive me mad.” He leaned closer to me, his big body looming. I stood my ground, but my knees felt wobbly. “It’s all I can do not to grab you in my arms and fuck you on that bed until you can’t talk back to me because you’re screaming my name.”