“Oh, no, you don’t,” he muttered. “You’ll not be waking this warrior from a sound sleep, toying with my manhood, then backing away, all innocence. You’ve got it hot and hard, just as you wanted. Now finish the job, wench. Keep going until I drench you with my seed. Hands, mouth, pussy—use whichever you choose.” He laughed, a low rumble deep in his chest. “Or give me the choice and I’ll take all of them.”
He ran his palm up and down the length of his cock, taking the softer, smaller hand with it. He tried to force his lust-filled mind to concentrate, but he couldn’t remember where he was. Or, more important at the moment, who she was. Likely a buxom tavern maid he’d been toying with before having one drink too many. The brazen little wench must have slipped into his bed after he passed out. Surely he’d remember if they’d fucked.
No. He couldn’t have fucked her. His manhood wouldn’t be straining for release right now if he had. His balls wouldn’t be swollen and aching. But by all the gods, he’d been a fool not to. Even with his eyes closed, he was wildly attracted to her. It was her scent. Strangely familiar. The musky aroma of hot pussy with an exotic edge to it, like a spice that tasted mild at first but carried an addictive explosion of sweet heat.
He pumped his hips up, grinding against her hand, and felt her fingers tighten around him. Oh, yes. Gods, yes. His breathing quickened. Another white-hot stab of pain hit his lungs at the same time his brain finally identified the scent.
Kadan couldn’t say which one shocked him back to full consciousness. Hoarfrost hell! His lungs felt as though they’d been punctured with shards of ice chiseled from the old witch’s temple walls. But he knew that scent. It had been gradually penetrating his subconscious, dragging him up from the depths. That—and the little vixen’s hot hand roaming over his manhood as he slept.
He forced himself to take shallow breaths and locked eyes with the female whose hand was still caught under his. Fingers trapped around his cock.
“Maia.”
She tried to slide her hand out from under his but his grip tightened a little. Her eyes flickered wildly around the room and a blush rose to her cheeks.
“Omega Kadan. You… you’re awake.”
His palm took hers on a languid journey up and down the rigid length of his cock. “So it would appear.”
“Please…” She struggled to pull her hand away. “You’ve been gravely injured. You need to rest.”
He made her stroke him again. “And this is your way of seeing I get that rest?”
She looked as though she’d burst into tears of embarrassment any second. “I’m sorry. Please, forgive me. I shouldn’t have… touched you that way.”
Proud, haughty Maia. The woman of his dreams, who’d sworn she wasn’t attracted to him. He was enjoying her discomfort so much, he nearly forgot about the pain.
“Touched me what way?” He used the tip of one finger to trace around her hand, then pistoned it up and down his length a few times. “You mean this way?”
“Yes. I mean no. I mean…”
“Say it, Maia. Say it and I’ll let you go… for now. Say you want me as much as I want you. Say you’ve dreamed of me. Felt me inside you, pulsing hot and hard, like I am right now.”
“Yes, damn it! Yes. I’ve had visions of you. Of us. Wild, erotic visions that make me act like a wanton woman. Make me long to touch your cock. Caress it and stroke it, until it grows stiff and hot.”
His voice dropped but his hand kept moving. Taking hers with it to fondle and tease his rigid length. “And then what do you do, Maia? In those visions of us?”
Her fingers fluttered, teasing the head of his cock. She lifted her head and met his gaze boldly, her dark eyes flashing with heat.
“I lift my skirt and climb on top of you. Lower myself over your raging hard cock until it’s grazing the lips of my pussy.”
“And then?”
“And then you take over. Grab my waist with both hands and hold me in place while you thrust upward. Bury yourself inside me with one powerful surge of your hips.”
Chapter Eight
He climaxed. Came right then with her fingers wrapped around the head of his cock.
“Aaah!” The stab of pain in his lungs following on the heels of his orgasm had him seeing stars. He muttered a vicious curse.
“Perhaps…” He fought to get his breath under control. “Perhaps you’d better not see that I get any more rest—at least not until I’ve had a few more hours to heal.”
To his surprise, she flashed him a grin. “On Earth my healing methods are in great demand.”
He grinned back. “Then it’s lucky for me that you’re here. I’ll be needing a great deal of healing, especially the kind you just provided.”
He watched the cloud descend over her face. Fear, worry. “We shouldn’t be joking. And I had no business doing what I did just now. You were gravely injured. I’ve been with you every moment for the last two days.”
“Two solid days of your healing? No wonder my cock was so hard!”
She blushed. “No! Well, yes. But not… not that kind of healing. I’m truly sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never been inappropriate with a subject before.” She bent her head and her voice dropped to a whisper. “Sometimes when I’m around you, I become a different person.”
He reached out with one hand, lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “I’m glad you do. I like this person you become.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Very much.”
That coaxed a tiny smile from her.
“Judging from how painful it is to draw a full breath, I’m guessing Teo fractured a rib or two along with nearly filleting me.”
“Yes, he did. But Galen sealed the wound in your side. It’s already healing. And ribs mend quickly—as long as they aren’t subjected to additional stress. The blow to your head was more dangerous. You’ve been in and out of consciousness.”
“My brothers in arms will be shocked to hear that. They’ve always maintained I was the most hard-headed of us all.” He started to rise, but she pushed him back.
“You need to rest.”
“More rest? Already? My lady, I fear I don’t have the stamina I did as a young lad.” He leered at her comically and reached out. “But if you’ll lie down here with me, I’m certainly willing to see to it that you’re well rested.”
“You were much easier to deal with when you were unconscious,” she muttered, evading his grasp. “Now that you’re awake you need fluids. Nourishment. I’ll get Solymus to bring you some broth.”
“Broth? Better have him bring a side of roasted aurak along with it,” he called as she disappeared.
* * *
Over the next few days, Maia rarely left him. He wasn’t sure when or where she slept, because every time he woke, even in the dead of night, she was sitting next to the bed. She argued when he insisted on getting up, fussed when he began working out. But he’d been injured plenty of times in battle. He knew his body. Knew how much punishment it could take. The sooner he was back to his routine, the faster he’d regain his strength.
She continued to perform her healing rituals on him when he was asleep. Sometimes he’d wake up feeling a tingling sensation in his side. Other times he’d open his eyes and a wave of warmth and relaxation would wash over him.
Maia was like no other female he’d ever been around, though in all fairness, he hadn’t spent much time with any female once his craving for her was satisfied. Calm and peaceful by nature, she never expressed her feelings through emotional outbursts like some members of her sex. He discovered he enjoyed having conversations with her, even ones that didn’t incite raging erections. She had a quick mind and a ready wit and she proved to be a shrewd strategist in the Anterean game Lord of the Empire. They played endless matches. He suspected it was her way of keeping him from taking on too many physical challenges.
He was happy to oblige. He played with one part of his mind on their match, the other drifting into fantasies of how and where and when he�
�d claim her. It became a game far more entertaining than the one where they competed to conquer a mythical empire. He tried to project his lustful thoughts into her consciousness but she’d erected a barrier between them. He discovered he could breach it when he sent her images of the two of them engaging in especially wicked acts. Her breathing would quicken, she’d lose focus and make a foolish mistake in the game. Then she’d dart him a sideways glance, as if wondering whether he, too, could see the erotic scenes playing out in her mind. He’d learned to hide the naughty grin that gave him away, meeting her eyes with a pleasant smile.
A skilled Omega, Kadan knew the secret to success in combat was knowing when to strike. He planned his conquest of her with all the patience and skill he’d bring to a battle. He wove his most seductive fantasies and sent them to her while projecting an outward image of friendly detachment. His Earther shied away from closeness, both physical and emotional, yet in the Oracle’s vision he’d seen and felt the fire inside her. Somewhere in her past, someone had slashed her heart as deeply as Teo had slashed his chest. To protect herself from pain, she locked away her passion. Kadan vowed he’d be the one to set her free.
* * *
Maia climbed into the transport vehicle eagerly. They’d both grown weary of seeing little except the inside of his tent and for the last few days Kadan had been planning an outing. He promised to show her something more of the Worlds of the Seven Stars than gray buildings and endless dark forests. She didn’t know whether Antereans healed much faster than Earthers, or if it was due to his prime physical condition before the injuries, but over the last week her patient seemed to have fully recovered.
Every time she questioned whether her presence was even necessary anymore, he came up with another reason for her to stay in camp. He had Solymus set her up in a small tent alongside his, saying she needed a bit of privacy and undisturbed sleep. She suspected it was so he could resume his grueling workouts, going on half the night without having her fuss and fret. In the mornings, she’d come in to find him sprawled on the bed, every muscle tight and sore. He’d claim he was still recuperating and ask for another healing session.
Often he’d drift off to sleep while she ran her hands just above his body, spreading healing light. She was careful never to actually touch him again as he slept. Though her mind filled with visions of the two of them indulging their darkest desires, she didn’t dare allow herself to act on any of them.
She’d never been as strongly attracted to anyone, not even Jarod. Her ex-fiancé had been part of her life for years. She’d trusted him, confided in him, but that relationship had brought her nothing but ridicule and pain. How could she possibly allow herself to get emotionally involved with an alien, a being from another world?
Maia knew if she gave in to the hunger Kadan awoke in her, it wouldn’t be just sex with him. She was already falling hard. Not only was he a virile male who could set her on fire with one lust-filled look, she’d come to know him as someone she could respect during their time together.
She watched him interact with his team when they came to visit. It was easy to see why his men looked up to him. Always a leader, he thanked them for their care and concern, then turned the conversation to their needs. He urged them to talk about the Quest, eased their doubts and fears, and then told each of them how vital he was to accomplishing the Seneschal’s mission. He made them all feel like invincible warriors.
He was intelligent as well as being fiercely competitive. She’d seen evidence of both in the game they played. Yet he could make her laugh at the most unexpected times. Though she knew he felt the same intense arousal she did when they were together, he never pressured her, treating her with the utmost respect.
To a fault. Alone in her bed at night, she’d fantasize about having him take charge, like he did in those visions that popped into her head when they were together. He’d silence her halfhearted protests by capturing her mouth in a thrilling kiss, then demand her obedience as he mastered her body.
The sudden burst of speed as the transport vehicle took off brought Maia back to the present with a little jolt. With two long benches facing each other, the craft was built to hold eight—or six hulking warriors. She glanced at her companion seated across from her. She was supposed to be the one with telepathic skills, but Kadan had a gleam in his smoky gray eyes, as though he’d been reading her lust-filled thoughts.
“You look lovely, Maia. That gown brings out the brilliant turquoise color in your eyes.”
“Thank you.”
She’d dressed with special care this morning, choosing a sleeveless gown with a skirt made up of several layers of filmy fabric in varying shades of blue. It swirled around her calves, making her feel feminine and festive. Ashleigh had sent it, along with half a dozen others in a care package she received the other day. She’d been exchanging messages with the other women, telling them she’d be back at the garrison soon and giving them regular updates of Kadan’s progress.
Ashleigh had slipped a note into the folds of the dress.
Time to celebrate your warrior’s full recovery!
She’d put the dress aside, waiting for the perfect time to wear it. Now she smiled at him. She’d made up her mind last night. As long as she kept reminding herself it was only sex, there was no reason to deny her hunger for him any longer. She’d become the woman she longed to be with him. Confident and daring—and wild.
“Tell me about the place we’re going.” He’d been teasing her, keeping their destination a secret. All she knew was that they’d finally be alone. No more guards right outside his tent. No one to hear if he made her scream the way he did in her fantasies.
“You’ve told me about Earth. How beautiful it is, compared to many of the other planets. I’m going to take you to a place I hope you’ll find just as appealing. There’s a large body of water here on Prya. We call it the Velvet Sea. The shore is lined with sand as warm and soft and pink as your lips. It’s completely deserted. We can swim and bask in the sun. Cadet Solymus packed us enough food for an entire battalion, along with a beverage I think you’ll like. In the military, it’s customary to make everything either male or female.” His voice dropped an octave, sent a little shiver through her. “The drink is sweet but you’ll feel her heat the moment she touches your lips. We call her ‘honeyberry.’”
The little shiver reached her core, became a spasm that flooded her pussy. “I think I’m going to enjoy the Velvet Sea.”
“I intend to see that you do.”
* * *
The trip took several hours. They left the forest behind and the terrain changed along with the climate. The trail they’d been following through the woods disappeared and their craft glided over a grassy meadow filled with flowers in brilliant colors she’d never seen before. Before long, grassland gave way to tropical plants in a landscape dotted with enormous ferns the size of trees. Their vehicle required no driver. It flowed between obstacles, leaving Kadan free to slide onto the seat beside her and point out the sights as they sped by.
Delighted, Maia lost herself in a dazzling new world.
“This is incredible. Why don’t any of your people live on Prya?”
“The Seneschal has declared Prya a Sacred Place. It will remain as the gods created it for all time, except for the small area housing our military installation. We would not have desecrated this planet at all if the safety of our Worlds did not require it. From time to time, individuals are given special permission for a short visit. We are fortunate to have been granted the privilege.”
The craft slowed as the tropical jungle gave way to a calm sea, rimmed by sand the color of the soft blush inside a conch shell. Maia slipped off her shoes and stepped out.
Her toes sank into the sand and she giggled like a schoolgirl. “I love the beach! This is so much nicer than the one I used to go to back home. The water was ice-cold, even in the middle of summer, and I hated going barefoot because of all the rocks lining the shore.” She twirled around, he
r skirt fanning out. “Come on, let’s go down and stick our feet in the water. It’s safe, isn’t it?”
Kadan laughed. “Yes, it’s safe. No sea monsters. No weird alien creatures popping up out of the sand.”
He stripped off his shirt and tossed it on the seat of their vehicle. Then, without a hint of self-consciousness, he unbuckled his pants and stepped out of them.
Maia’s eyes widened. She’d seen him without a shirt before, when he dined with her dressed in traditional warrior’s garb at the Seneschal’s reception. She’d seen his manhood when she first healed him as he lay naked and unconscious in his bed. Even touched it. The memory still made her blush.
But she’d never seen him like this. Standing tall and strong and healthy, his magnificent body gleaming in the sun. His cock stirred to life under her gaze. She tore her eyes away and found he’d extended his hand.
“Shall we?”
She put her hand in his.
* * *
Gods, she was breathtaking. He wanted to rip off that dress and take her right there in the sand. But he’d waited too long to ruin the moment by acting like a horny lad alone with a fuckable female for the first time.
He led her to the water’s edge.
“Oooh! It’s so warm!”
She took a few hesitant steps, then hiked up her skirt and waded deeper. He got out in front of her, walking with his back to the sea so he could enjoy the sight of her body under the filmy dress, silhouetted by the sun. He felt the surge at his back as a large wave came in, grinned when he realized it was about to drench her.
She saw it coming, but by then it was too late. The wave hit her, swirling her skirt higher, and swept over her to break on the shore. He caught his breath. He hadn’t seen her naked yet, but this view was almost as tantalizing. The silky gown clung to every curve and outlined the mound where her shapely legs came together. Droplets of water had splashed upward, plastering the dress to her soft, full breasts. Her nipples stood out, ruby-red peaks under the wet fabric.
Claimed by the Omega_A Sci-Fi Alien Romance Page 9