Stay here. Coridan released Ariel’s wrist. She rubbed it as if his touch had left an impression on her skin. He took in her actions, his eyes roaming over her body, checking for any injuries. I will return in a few moments with food and water. We can even build a pit fire, because it will be impossible to locate in the dense growth. He didn’t give Ariel a chance to respond before he once more slipped through the invisible opening.
* * * * *
Ariel watched his wide back disappear. Her heart thudded rapidly in her chest and she slowly turned, examining their temporary home. Tall trees surrounded the area, forming a natural canopy should the weather decide to turn inclement. The lower vegetation circled the area, creating a natural wall that neither side could see through. She slipped off her skirt then sat before she collapsed. Her legs had been trembling ever since Coridan had battled the Professor’s men.
Fear had gripped Ariel with its razor sharp talons, ripping at pieces of her soul with each crack of gunfire. It was a miracle they had survived. She’d been so frightened for Coridan’s welfare that it hadn’t occurred to her that she could have been killed. At the time of the altercation, she would have gladly given her life to save his. Luckily, it hadn’t come down to that in the end.
She was still amazed at the power Coridan had wielded. He fought like ten warriors, firing energy bursts at several different opponents all the while clocking what happened to her. After the battle ended, he’d still managed to heal himself.
Ariel shook her head. She’d truly misjudged his power. He had kept much hidden from the tribe, from her. The thought excited and scared her. Was her power up to the challenge of Coridan’s or had she just encountered a warrior far beyond her psychic abilities as a Seer?
She wasn’t sure. Many questions remained unanswered. However, before anything could be decided, she needed to make one thing perfectly clear. She was grateful that he’d saved her, but she was not any man’s mate. As soon as Coridan returned, she’d let him know.
Ariel closed her eyes and lay back onto the soft grass. The green blades tickled her shoulders, stroking her, cupping her firm ass like loving hands. Her mind easily slipped back in time, remembering Coridan’s caresses. How he’d pleasured her body, filling her with his rigid cock. She groaned, her hand moving of its own volition to her nipples.
She stroked herself, feeling the familiar warmth rise in her body. She needed to release some of the tension caused by the day’s events. She pictured Coridan’s muscular form, imagined his weight pressing down upon her.
Their semi-joining had given her some relief from the symptoms of Atlantean heat, but she was wise enough to know the feeling was only temporary. Soon the heat would return stronger than before, more tempting. Without a firm grip on her control, Ariel knew she’d be unable to resist Coridan’s advances. She wouldn’t want to. She didn’t want to consider what would happen if he sank his cock into her scalding channel.
Ariel’s clit twitched and her sex flooded at the thought. If she’d allow him, Ariel had no doubt Coridan would plant his seed deep within her belly until she grew ripe with his child. Her eyes flew open as the last thought flitted through her mind. She waited for a negative reaction, but it never came. Instead, her heart fluttered with…hope. She was shocked to find that the thought of having Coridan’s babe didn’t disturb her in the least.
That fact scared her senseless. She should be disturbed. She should be fighting their attraction with every fiber of her being, but she wasn’t. Instead, Ariel found herself clamoring for his touch, longing for him to stroke the fire burning within her, wanting him to claim her. Her breath caught as her nipples engorged. She pulled at the tender flesh, pinching the peaks between her thumb and forefinger.
Ariel moaned as wetness trickled between her legs, giving the humid air a musky aroma of sex. She bit her lip as she released one nipple and then slid her hand over her abdomen until she reached the area causing her so much discomfort. Her fingers splayed over her hairless mons, caressing her lower lips until they took on a healthy pout beneath her questing fingertips.
Her hips moved with each swipe of her hands. She spread her nether lips, seeking the tiny nub hidden beneath. The first scrape of her nails had her seeing rainbows. She bit back a cry as she circled the sensitive flesh, gently squeezing it between her fingers. Her body shook, balancing on the precipice of release. So close. So very close.
* * * * *
Chapter Eight
Coridan scented Ariel’s pheromones the second he neared the hidden clearing. It was the same glorious aroma that had drawn him to her in the first place. He’d been so preoccupied with gathering supplies that he hadn’t noticed sooner. Her gentle moans now reached his ears, the sound burning into his senses, transforming him from sated to ravenous in seconds.
He pushed through the brush until he could see her. Ariel writhed on the ground, one hand pulling at her stabbing nipples, while the other lay buried between her spread thighs, slick from her womanly juices. Her full lips were parted slightly as she drew in a heated breath.
Coridan groaned at the sight. His cock immediately leapt to attention, stretching the material of his loincloth until it became painful to remain clothed. He stepped into the clearing, dropping the fruit and gourds filled with water on the ground. In one swift movement, he’d untied his loincloth and let it slip to the ground. His cock sprang free, bowing slightly from its massive size.
His nostrils flared as he inhaled her womanly scent, the aroma sweet enough to almost cause him to spill his seed before he had a chance to touch her. She hadn’t noticed him yet. Not that he was surprised. Her eyes remained closed, her face a mask of sexual ecstasy. Unable to control his pleasure, he growled.
Ariel’s eyes flew open, pinning him in place. We cannot. She murmured in his mind, all the while her hands continued to torture her flesh.
Why do you punish yourself—and me?
I—ahhh…
Coridan’s body shook as she cried out in rapture, her orgasm crashing over her goddess-like body. He closed his eyes, fighting for what little control he could muster. His mate did not want to join with him. Ariel was killing him, one release at a time, and she did not care. The last thought hurt the most. He opened his eyes and gazed down upon her. A healthy pink blush covered Ariel’s lush body, a gentle reminder of her recent orgasm. Coridan willed himself to back away, but his feet would not obey.
Ariel’s gaze traveled from his face, over his chest, before landing upon his painful erection. She licked her lips as she rose to her knees before him, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. Coridan tried to swallow, but all the moisture had abandoned his mouth. Tentatively she reached out, her hand encircling his shaft. Coridan bit down hard enough to make his jaw ache. If this were another ploy to manipulate him, she’d be sorry.
Her grip tightened on his cock, gaining his full attention. Ariel smiled as she slowly stroked up his length and back down, while her free hand reached beneath him to cup his sac. Coridan’s muscles locked and his lungs refused to allow air inside. His body swayed as she released his sac to clasp his shaft with both hands. He swore under his breath. If he got any harder, he’d explode. Ariel’s hands moved in tandem, up and down, while adding a slight twist of her wrist.
He leaned forward in an attempt to capture her mouth. She pulled away.
If you try kissing me in order to bring about an energy bind, I’ll be forced to stop.
You are impossible.
She smiled. Her movements continued until a pearl of liquid appeared at the eye of his cock. Ariel paused a second before bringing her finger up to swipe the seed away. Instead of wiping it on the grass, she brought her finger to her lips and sucked on his essence. Mewing sounds escaped from her throat as she relished his taste. Coridan groaned at the same time his knees gave out.
She hadn’t released his cock and he prayed she never would. Ariel smiled, drawing her hand away from her mouth. The fingers around his shaft tightened as she slowly lowe
red her head. Coridan held his breath, waiting. The second her lips surrounded his crown it was all over. He’d promise her anything, even that he would leave her alone once they reached Zaron, if that was what she wished. Ariel slipped more of his cock into her hot, velvet mouth and began the delicious up and down movement she’d done only moments ago with her hands.
Coridan’s fingers sank into her hair, grasping the soft tendrils as she pleasured him as no one ever had. His body tensed and his hips bucked against her downward movements, extending the sweet torture. She may refute it, but with each swipe of her tongue, each gentle pull, Ariel bound herself to him a little more.
She wouldn’t be able to resist him for much longer. Her body already trembled with need. He could sense her hunger, feel it goading his own. Soon her resistance would be gone and he’d be there, waiting.
Coridan smiled as his sac drew up next to his body, within seconds he was trembling. He bellowed as his seed erupted, draining him of energy. Ariel drank deep, the column of her throat working as she lapped up every drop of his essence before releasing his cock. They fell back onto the ground, their lungs heaving with the effort. Coridan tucked Ariel close, her body tensing for a moment before she relaxed into his embrace.
* * * * *
Ariel curled up into Coridan’s warmth, her sated body limp from her earlier release. Her lips still tingled from taking him into her mouth and she could still taste his salty essence. Her hunger for him was growing, no matter her attempts to stave it off. Soon she’d be the one making advances. Coridan made no effort to force himself on her. He didn’t have to. In fact, she no longer worried about her warrior, only herself.
She’d wanted his kiss to seal their fate. She’d wanted to feel his lips upon hers as they performed the energy bind. The intimacy of that simple act would have been too much. Ariel knew she couldn’t handle the emotions that would ultimately come with it.
As it was, her people’s welfare had begun to take second place in her heart and that realization scared her to death. Coridan claimed to have no people, yet he offered himself to her at every turn. Was it truly possible for a Seer to have a true-mate? Not according to Atlantean law. Moreover, what might happen to her power if they performed the energy bind? She couldn’t live with being powerless. Her power was as much a part of her as breathing.
She hadn’t examined how she felt since their escape from the professor. In doing so now, Ariel couldn’t detect any difference. Was it possible for her to join with Coridan and keep her magic? Of all the tales that had been passed down through the ages, she’d never heard of this being so, but…what if?
Ariel’s hand brushed along Coridan’s chest, tracing the hills and valleys, which made up his ribcage before finally settling on his firm abdomen. Her fingers followed the rise and fall of his chest with each breath he took. Coridan’s skin remained hot beneath her touch, as heated as her own. It was as if the Atlantean heat had transferred over and engulfed them both. Ariel shivered at the thought. If Coridan had somehow caught Atlantean heat, he’d be uncontrollable.
With you, Seer, I’m always in heat. His voice held a teasing lilt.
Ariel closed her eyes and willed herself to feel nothing for the man beside her. They needed rest if they were to do battle tomorrow. Later they’d figure out a plan of attack that would allow them to reach the transport unharmed.
She hoped.
* * * * *
“What do you mean you can’t find them?” The Professor turned to face Santo and Raoul. The men cowered beneath his gaze, moving out of striking range.
“Senor Professor, we have searched everywhere. It’s as if they’ve disappeared.”
Rumsinger growled. “The guards are still positioned at the transport, correct?”
Raoul shifted nervously. “Si, senor. They are exactly where you ordered them to be.”
“Good. Then they’re still here somewhere.” Rumsinger locked his onto the men, daring Raoul and Santo to move. His foul mood reached out, ensnarling them. “I suggest you search again. I’m not a man who appreciates disappointment.” He stepped closer. “If you disappoint me again…” He smiled. “I’ll kill you both.”
Raoul’s and Santo’s eyes widened. Fear morphed their features, twisting their semi-handsome faces into macabre masks. “Si, senor. Right away, senor. You can count on us.”
The Professor laughed. “Your lives depend on it.”
The men scurried into the jungle. Rumsinger watched until he could no longer see the whites of their shirts. “Damn incompetent bastards,” he grumbled. “I’m going to have to do everything myself.”
Rumsinger strolled into the jungle, leaving the security of his hut behind. The light in the afternoon sky had begun to fade, leaving much of the brush in deep shadow. A slight breeze ruffled the treetops, but didn’t quite make it down to ground level. The place was like hell, but with humidity.
He tapped the pistol strapped to his hip for reassurance, before reaching into his pocket to retrieve a flashlight. He shined the beam on the trail ahead. Iguanas slithered off the path, their clawed feet taking them up the sides of the trees with no effort. The Professor snorted, paying little or no attention to the slinking reptiles, his mind too busy working out a plan to get the stones and crystals loaded and back to New York for further study.
The Seer had called the stone contraption a transport. He was certain that’s what she’d said. Which meant that despite the fact it didn’t look like much, this object was some kind of transportation device. But to where? A thrill raced up Rumsinger’s spine as he reached the clearing that contained the stones. Visions of space and time-travel flashed in his mind. There was no telling where you’d end up when you stepped through the device. If the bitch told the truth, he’d just made the discovery of a lifetime. To hell with the leaves he’d brought back on his first expedition with Dr. Rachel Evans. This device would change mankind.
Nobel Prize, here I come.
Rumsinger covered the small distance remaining until he could clearly gaze upon the stone symbols that made up the transport. Guards stood at the ready nearby. He crushed the vegetation growing around the device as he paced back and forth examining the objects. The stones and crystals all seemed in order, yet it didn’t work.
His beam followed the etchings around the circle as he carefully pieced them together in his mind. He reached the bottom of the transport a few minutes later. Rumsinger stared at the stones and frowned before stepping closer. Although it had been made to appear otherwise, one of the stones was missing.
“Damn it,” he spat out to no one in particular. “Where’s the other stone?”
The men looked at each other.
“Have any of you moved anything?” he asked, his voice raising in frustration.
Negative replies echoed in the clearing.
“How many stones were there?”
“Don’t know, senor. We did not count them. We just guard them.”
Rumsinger turned on the men, his thoughts murderous. “One of you has to have written the information down.”
A small man stepped forward with a piece of paper, all but tossing it into the Professor’s hands. Rumsinger peered over the notes, pausing long enough to look up at the device and then back down at the paper.
“There’s supposed to be thirteen stones here. I only count twelve.”
His breath came in angry gasps as he glared at the men around him. “I won’t be mad, just tell me which one of you moved a stone.”
Hushed whispers spread in rapid fire throughout the group.
“No one has touched a thing, el Profesor.”
“Damn it all to hell!” Rumsinger stilled as quickly as he’d exploded. The male must have taken the missing fragment. No wonder the thing wasn’t working, it couldn’t, as is. He had to find the male of the tribe. The woman was of no use to him. She’d been nothing but trouble since her initial capture. Women truly were filthy creatures.
Rumsinger turned to the guards, who stared w
arily back. “Has anyone been here since I sent you to stand guard?”
The men stepped back. “No, senor, you are the first person we have seen.”
The Professor snorted. Surrounded by incompetence, Rumsinger knew there was nothing he could do to change the situation. He shook his head and then turned back to the trail he’d just traversed. He strolled back through the jungle, replaying the earlier battle scene in his mind. The missing piece was not small and the male hadn’t been wearing enough clothing to conceal anything, which meant he’d hidden the missing stone somewhere nearby.
Rumsinger swung his light around, looking for any place obvious that could be used for hiding an object of that size. Nothing jumped out at him. A bird squawked above him, as if the light had disturbed its beauty rest. The animal was lucky he didn’t kill it; given the mood he was in, it wouldn’t take much to kill man or beast at the moment.
He picked up a nearby twig and threw it blindly at the creature. Within a matter of seconds he’d lost everything, the woman, the warrior, and the stone needed to operate the transport. Without the latter, he had nothing to show the world. Nothing to proclaim his superior intelligence. Nothing to garner the respect he ultimately deserved.
Tomorrow he’d order the men to fan out and begin the search for the missing stone. He had to find it before the giant Tarzan-looking man did or all would be lost. Rumsinger gritted his teeth. He’d sacrificed too much on this bloody trip for all to be lost now. He’d kill every individual if necessary. No one was going to keep his treasure from him.
No one.
* * * * *
Ariel awoke to the sound of Coridan tossing logs onto a fire. The wood crackled, spitting flame. She blinked, but wasn’t able to see much of the fire due to the depth of the pit he’d dug. Fruit had been placed next to the pit as Coridan prepared what looked to be a feast for them. Ariel stood and walked the small distance separating them.
Atlantean's Quest Volume 2 Page 9