“Oh, moya…my beloved Liana. How can I deny you anything your heart desires?”
Ryan leaned over her back and gripped the base of her neck with his fangs, as he prepared to enter her. If he didn’t sink his unruly cock into her wet heat soon, he might pass out on top of her since all the blood that normally sent oxygen to his brain had lodged in his groin in anticipation of their lovemaking.
Several seconds passed while Ryan just inhaled the combined scents of their passion—his seed and her cream. After gaining control over his driving need to plunder, he wrapped his hand around the head of his shaft and placed it against her dripping sheath. With utmost care, Ryan entered the almost virgin hole, using his cock to stretch her slowly, so as not to abuse her tender opening.
“Please, Ryan. I need more. Please,” Liana begged, wriggling her hips, pushing back against his groin. Her voice cracked, her skin was slick with perspiration and her entire body vibrated with suppressed need. She pushed back against him again in an obvious effort to force him deeper into her.
No more than an inch of his cock was inside her tight entrance and already he was close to exploding. “By the Mother Goddess Alana,” he murmured, “she’s so blessedly tight.” She spread her thighs wider and raised her bottom to rest on his legs. Ryan surged forward before he slowly withdrew, then after a short pause, he finally, entered her once again. Goddess, she felt so amazing. This moment was perfect. Nothing could mar what had become the single most erotic and important night of his life.
Liana once again sat atop his thighs, wrapped her arms around his neck, and legs tighter around his waist. If he’d been human instead of a Chantrean—a male lion shape shifter—she would have crushed him with her new strength, drawing his own power from his muscles to her own through her Empathic abilities.
She groaned loud and low and the huskiness of the sound rippled through him like an electric current.
He knew he hadn’t hurt her despite his forceful entry, but he had to ask. “Are you okay, my beloved?” She was definitely ready if her angry glare and mental cussing indicated just how fine she felt at that moment. Pure frustration filled her mental voice. In fact, his ears were most likely a blistering red from the mental slap to get his ass moving. Ryan chuckled. He so loved having awakened a strong, independent and forceful mate.
“Shit, Ry. If you don’t fucking move right this damn minute, you’ll be the one hurting,” she vowed.
He chuckled again, he just couldn’t help it. She sounded so fierce and intense, like a lioness defending her cubs. He could hear the frustrated growls rumbling in her chest and it turned him on even more, making his cock grow thicker, longer inside her sheath. He thought his heart would beat right out of his chest; the pleasure looping between them became that intense. He had to move and he had to move now!
He tried to ease out of her gently, but she wasn’t having any of that and wrapped her legs around his waist even tighter, keeping him lodged deep inside her aching, clinging pussy. “Deeper, Ryan. Please, moyo.”
“Moya, baby, hold on. You don’t have to beg any more. I need you just as much as you need me.”
His lungs labored and his pulse raced as he pounded in and out of her cunt. In. Out. In. Out. Faster and faster. Deeper and deeper. His pace quickened yet again as the moans and whimpers coming from Liana grew louder. And when she purred, he knew without a doubt, she loved the hell out of every moment of their lovemaking.
Before long, they were heaving and sweating, writhing and grunting, trembling and petting each other. The force of his thrusts grew stronger, the penetration deeper and still they fucked and loved. Seconds later, he heard her scream out her climax through their bond just as her pussy clamped down on his cock. It nearly sent him over the edge with her. When her clenching pussy tightened around his cock yet again a mere second later, it milked him of rope after rope of scalding hot and sticky come.
Ryan sighed and murmured in awe, “By the Goddess Alana, I feel glorious and completely sated for the first time in my life.”
“Gah!”
He could hear her panting beneath him and knew he should move off her. He had to be crushing the life out of her but he just didn’t have the energy to move. Not yet.
Eons passed, or maybe just moments, before he had the vigor to roll off her and pull her into his arms. They lay like that, content, and, for just this perfect moment, safe and secure in their mating bed.
Trouble would come soon enough. For now, he wanted to cuddle with his beautiful mate, feel her heart beat against his palm, and let the world of dreams take them away to a place where there were no enemies waiting for them to make a big enough mistake to take them down.
Chapter Fourteen
As Liana lay in the fantastic bed someone had taken great pains to provide for their mating night, wrapped in her husband’s arms, she just enjoyed the moment. Never in her life did she expect to take a mate, one she could both love and be proud of. To say that she was fortunate no matter their currently dire situation would be putting it mildly indeed. There was no woman in all the known universes luckier than she was at this very moment.
Except of course, last night when she closed her eyes, the dreams began. Explicit dreams that left her shaken and so incredibly aroused she feared she could barely function the next day. She couldn’t sleep, not without dreaming of him, and those dreams were anything but tame. How was she going to solve the Chantrean’s fertility problems when all she could think about was the next time she could make love to her mate?
Ryan tucked her closer to his side, anchored down into the bedding with his thigh, then slid a palm over her right breast, and idly flicked her nipple as he nuzzled her neck and whispered in her mind. That time is now, love. There’s no need to suffer. Once the bond settles into place you’ll find it much easier to prioritize your duties, at least that’s what I’ve heard. It’s why the first week after a mating the new couple spends it in seclusion, until some of the overwhelming urgency passes.
Liana sighed, then rolled over looking into Ryan’s burnt amber eyes for the first time this new rising. Why is it that though I’ve live among the Chantreans longer than you have, you seem to have adapted easier to their lifestyle, their teaching and beliefs? Trailing a finger down the line of hair leading to his shaft, she contemplated this. Do you think it’s because you were a prisoner and feel more a part of the way Chantrea is supposed to be because of your captivity? Liana bit her lip. She hoped she wasn’t treading on memories that were too painful. She’d never purposely bring him pain if she could help it.
Don’t worry, beloved. Nothing you ask me is out of bounds. You and I are one. It’s not possible for there to be secrets between us, and I wouldn’t want there to be. As far as why I’m closer to the Chantreans, perhaps part of the reason is my captivity, but another larger part is because of how things were for us on Earth. It was constant war everywhere you turned, from local thugs and their gang wars to international wars between countries. With the exception of the Black Rose, Chantrea and its known neighbors are peace lovin, and only want to help each other. “Now that’s enough talk of war. Kiss me, my mate. I’ve been waiting for you to wake up for hours without molesting your naked body once. I deserve a reward, Liana.”
Chuckling, Liana reached forward and wrapped her arms around Ryan’s neck, pulling him down for his good morning kiss. Just as their lips met, slid across each other in the gentlest of caresses, the ship’s proximity alarms chimed throughout the ship. “Well, hell. I guess neither of us will get a good morning kiss today.”
With that said, Liana threw off the covers on her side of the bed and stood, just as Ryan slid off his side. Chuckling, Liana looked over her shoulder, “Depending on what the emergency is, we might have just enough time to bathe, if we share resources. Would you like to bathe with me? I happened to notice last night that one end of the bathing pool has a small fresh-water pool basin where the two of us should just fit. If you’re game that is?”
“Let’
s contact the others first. See what’s going on in the real world while we’ve been celebrating our mating.”
Ryan ran his palm down the length of Liana’s mahogany hair. He’d enjoyed disheveling it throughout the night. He gave it a quick tug before tucking a lock behind her right ear. “Great idea, moya. It shouldn’t take but a few moments for Contessa on board our ship Retribution to contact Hunter’s ship, Vengeance.”
“Do you think Contessa can manufacture or rummage up some clean clothes and send them here? I’d like a quick did in the pool, wash up a little before showing up at the control deck with the others, and I sure don’t want to look like I did yesterday.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. She can zap us up some from one end of the ship and send us, fully clothed, to the other in mere moments”
Liana snorted. Does she do hair, too? I’m sure mine looks like a family of mice have moved in.
Once again, Ryan ran his hand through the length of her hair, a small smile tilting up one corner of his mouth. I think you look beautiful just as you are and to prove it… He gently cupped her cheeks, stepped completely into her personal space, and pulled her into to a slow, thoroughly arousing, mind-numbing kiss. Several minutes passed before either thought to come up for air.
Liana blinked, looked up at Ryan through half-dazed, burnished, amber eyes. Of its own accord, her mind merged with his, picking up his thoughts, his emotions. By the Goddess Alana, he loved putting that look on her face. He couldn’t wait until he’d have the opportunity to do it again
Liana swallowed, filled with such awe and a sense of completeness she’d never would have imagined…not in a million years. In fact, she was sure—one hundred percent positive—that she could come up with the cure to their people’s fertility problems. Somehow, she instinctively knew the knowledge sat in the back of her mind all along, percolating, waiting only for her to access it properly. Just waiting patiently, and now with Ryan by her side she could do that. She didn’t have a doubt in her mind. Not anymore.
Reaching for her mate’s hand, she gave it a quick squeeze before meeting his searching gaze. He’d obviously been feeling her emotions through the bond and was curious, if the small smile and arched brow were any indication. “Let’s find out what’s going on. I have work to do. Somehow, someway, I will find the cure, and then the danger will really begin.”
“You’re right. We’ve lots to do and once the cure is completed the danger will only increase until everyone is inoculated or given his or her dose. Speaking of which, what form of dosing are you thinking? Are you considering delivering via an aerosol, inoculation, or maybe adding it to the food and water supply, perhaps?
Liana chuckled. It felt good to speak with another about her work who somehow not only understood what she was speaking about, but instead of faking interest for his or her own personal gain, actually was interested in it, for no other reason than that she was. That’s a heady power, my love, to hand over. If I were some wily female, I could take advantage of that.
I’m hoping you’ll become extremely wily later and take every advantage over me, once we take care of whatever mess awaits us on our ship, Liana, because I intend to take full advantage of you—just fair warning and all that.
Consider me warned. Liana could feel the blush burning across her skin. She’d never actively flirted with anyone before. The concept of having an actual adult, committed relationship with Ryan exhilarated her instead of making her quake in terror. She knew deep in her gut that she and he were destined—had always been destined. Now they just had to kick the Black Rose’s ass and anyone else who’ll try to keep them apart—or worse yet, dead—because of her work.
By the time the pair stepped out of the meadow pool, two piles of clothing were waiting for them to change into. Liana raised her brows in surprise. Contessa takes her job seriously. Once dressed, Ryan took a hold of Liana’s hand, raised it to his lips for a kiss, then while looking into his mate’s captivating eyes, murmured, Shoshoni, Thank the Shi’Lan’s for hosting us last evening and the full use of Mating Chamber. Please transport Liana and Ryan Morgan to the Command Deck of Retribution, and open communication between all allied ships so that we can ascertain exactly what has set off the perimeter alarms.”
“Message Sent. Transport in—Five. Four. Three. Two. One.”
No sooner had Liana’s feet settled down once again on solid form, than Contessa, the sentient computer aboard Retribution, had already started filling them in on what they’d missed. She’d have to learn to come out of transport more alert if she wanted to stay safe, hell if she wanted to keep her mate safe because he’d not leave her side during such a dangerous moment. Who knows what could have been lying in wait there for them. Once it was safe again, and time not so important, she’d practice transporting with Contessa. She did not want to cause either her or her mate injuries because of slow reaction times.
Ryan pulled Liana over to the Commander’s chair and sat her on his lap as he pulled up some schematics that seemed to come alive right before her eyes. It didn’t look like a projection screen, and like an idiot, she pushed her hand through the wall of information and her hand went right through. “Woah…”
While Ryan continued to read through the information screening across their eyes, Liana continued to scan the wide-open control room. There were several abandoned science stations, which she vaguely recognized from various times she’s been forced to leave Chantrea to follow a lead in her research, but this she had no idea just what Ryan was reading and how Contessa seemed to have accessed it. But she wouldn’t complain, especially if it helped them in the end. She just hated being the last to know something.
Within seconds, the movie, for want of a better name, ended, and she turned to Ryan, waiting for an explanation. Minutes passed and Ryan wouldn’t meet her gaze. Little by little, feelings of disgust, hatred, and shame started working their way through their bond and when she looked up to ask him what was wrong, the look of utter hatred on his face made her heart clench. Why? Why? She wanted to shout. How could he hate me when I’ve done nothing but love him?
Feeling Ryan’s loathing of having her near him, Liana stood as regal as she could and walked out of the room. She didn’t look back. Through their bond he’d know where she went and what she’d be up to so she wasn’t about to stick around. She didn’t even know what had turned his love for her into hate so quickly. Should she have waited and heard whatever accusation he made? Liana shook her head.
He didn’t trust her, that was clear enough from the feelings shouting through their bond. She couldn’t be in the same room with a man she loved whose love had turned to hatred. She just wasn’t strong enough, emotionally—not as an Empath and certainly not as his mate. He had to work it out on his own or he’d never trust a word she’d ever say, but she’d really like to know what he’d been reading. Did that even matter, though, when even now she could feel his disgust at being her mate, his desire to sever their bond permanently?
Liana let the tears drip from her eyes, but she didn’t utter a sound. She’d never felt so gutted in her entire life, not even when she’s originally been stolen by Taliff Shi’Lan all those years ago. Lost and alone she wandered, and in her wandering, something inside her withered away and died.
Chapter Fifteen
Ryan couldn’t believe what he’d read. Even after seeing the proof in front of his own eyes, reread it several times, his heart did not want to believe what the evidence was blatantly telling him. How could she have fooled him so completely? Not once had Ryan sensed any deceit or even evil intent in his mate, nothing but pure goodness, in fact and yet… Ryan shook his head, his heart weighing heavily in his chest. According to the report the Manruvians had sent this morning, Liana was personally responsible for killing or ordering the deaths of nearly three dozen high-level rebel operatives who supposedly came to close to discovering that she was the mole within the palace, the one feeding info to the Black Rose herself.
Ryan should
have Liana confined to the brig, but he had Contessa watching her. He just couldn’t bring himself to arrest her himself. He’ll let Prince Mikel of Manruvia do it when he arrived for their meeting this morning, though he was surprised that the report hadn’t come from the Prince himself, but from his Security Chief. With charges as serious as the ones leveled against Liana, it should have been cause enough to warrant face-to-face meetings between the Commanders of every ship, but especially the Manruvians as they were the ones injured the most by Liana’s crimes.
Something about the whole situation was beginning to feel off, he just didn’t know what. “Contessa, contact the Princes Shi’Lan on their private codes and delay the meeting two hours. Then Contact High Prince Mikel of Manruvia and have him report to the Conference Room on the surface below immediately. There may be a security breach aboard the Victory so it might be wiser to have the meeting inside the rebel base where no one can overhear.”
“Commander, what would you like done with your mate?”
Ryan swallowed past the tears that wanted to gather, and forced himself to remember every gory detail of the report he’d just read. “Liana Peterson is my mate no longer. Have it purged from our records immediately. Then send her to the brig. She’s to get the normal rations of an enemy to the state and no more.”
The sentient computer stayed silent for a few seconds before replying, “As you ordered. I’ve contacted the palace and had the mating expunged. Ms. Peterson is walking in the general direction of her quarters. Would you like me to send her to the brig now?”
Ryan shook his head. “She’ll have to wait. I don’t have time to file criminal charges now. Keep her closely monitored and inform me if she tries anything to harm this ship or anyone else. I need to salvage some of the damage she managed to do the short time she was onboard Retribution, and save as many lives as possible. Just let me know when the divorce is finalized and where her trial will be. I want nothing more to do with her until then.”
Worlds Apart 4: Ryan's Hope Page 9