“Why are you wearing that?” He jerked his arms hard against the restraints and gave his feet a kick. A vain attempt at escape if there ever was one.
“What’s wrong with this?” She slid her hand along her side and over her hip.
“Nothing, if you want every male on this station panting after you.”
He remembered the way Donaldson had looked at her. Kamran wasn’t naive enough to think others hadn’t viewed her with the same desire. Uncontrollable anger surged up in him once more. She was his—not some object for others to ogle.
Haylie shrugged. “A girl has to keep her options open. After all, you claim that a relationship between us is impossible. And as hard as this is to believe, I may want a family of my own someday.”
The growl left his mouth as he jerked hard against the restraints. He couldn’t clear the images of Haylie in the arms of Donaldson. Their children running around, playing in their family home. Kamran wanted to kill him.
He jumped as Haylie touched his chest.
“What’s wrong with you? I wasn’t serious.”
Looking at her, he knew she was lying. She did want a family and a mate who could take care of her. Even love her. The thought was soul shattering.
“If you promise to calm down, I’ll release your arms.”
“No, don’t.” A small rational side of him knew if she freed him there’d be trouble.
Haylie rested her head on his chest, right above his heart. He could feel it beating strong against his ribs. His surging emotions calmed slightly, but he still wasn’t himself. He swore in his own language.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
She looked at him, confused. He felt more in tune with her now than ever before. As if their absence had strengthened their bond. Haylie gave her head a light shake and smiled. The tension between them passed.
“If you’re going to speak like that, then it’s time for a language lesson. We’ll save the naughty words for another day. For now, let’s start with the basics. What is this called?”
She rose above him on the bed and kissed his nose. Her breasts bumped against his throat.
“Nalaa.”
“And what about this?” She leaned forward and sucked on his earlobe.
“Shrish.”
“And this?” She ran her tongue across his throat.
“Rotha.”
Moving down his body, Haylie sucked, kissed and licked her way back down to his stomach. Kamran was at his limit of self-control. How could anyone resist a woman like this?
Haylie paused for only a moment above his cock before he heard her voice in his head say and this?
He wasn’t sure if he responded or not, verbally or otherwise. The sensation of her mouth sucking the sensitive tip of his cock was more than he could handle. Slowly she leaned forward, taking the length of him in her mouth, pausing for a second before slowly bringing the suction back to the top.
The steady pumping motion of her mouth and hands set his skin on fire. His balls tightened against the base of his cock and he had to fight the sudden urge to try and rip the restraints from the bed. He felt every muscle tighten, his release urged on by her skillful mouth.
She withdrew at the last possible second before he came, leaving his heart racing and his breath coming out in gasps.
“Di machachta.”
“What does that mean?” She asked as she slid her leg over his body once more.
“It’s not…the type of language…an ambassador should be using.”
“Thank god you’re a criminal,” she said and flashed him a wicked grin.
Haylie climbed up onto the bed, swinging her muscled leg over his body to straddle him. It only took her a moment to move his swollen tip to the heat of her entrance. The tip of his cock now pressed against her pussy. She didn’t continue and kept him from the place he most wanted to be.
“You’re going to kill me.” His words came out in a half groan, half growl.
Haylie didn’t seem to notice. She leaned forward, rubbing her breasts against his chest. He felt her tight nipples with the contact. Her softness against him. Kamran realized how much he needed her, needed to be a part of her. A need that went far beyond the physical.
She rested her head against his. Her breath hot on his neck. “At least I can guarantee a pleasurable death.”
Kamran couldn’t resist bucking his hips, grinding hard against her clit. He didn’t want her thinking about anyone but him, ever. Her moan drove him wild and he strained, wanted to plunge inside her.
“Yes, okay,” she answered.
Opening her legs wide, she positioned him at her entrance. With a short sigh, she impaled herself on top of him.
For a second, neither one of them moved. The realization that this was where he belonged hit him hard. By the goddess, didn’t want to consider the possibility of another mate. Haylie, his Haylie, was all he wanted.
There were no more words between them, only the steady hum of their bodies locked together. Kamran was lost in her, not only her body, but her mind. Pleasure and longing cocooned him, causing him to lose track of which emotion belonged to whom.
She began the slow up and down rhythm that he’d been craving. Her pussy muscles tightened around him, milking his pleasure. His fingertips brushed her knees, his thumb rubbing against her skin. He wanted to touch her everywhere. Hold her.
But she was in charge.
Haylie made her own explorations. She licked his neck. Placed kisses at the base of his throat. He watched as she leaned back, continuing to ride him on the bed, and touched her breasts. Her fingers rubbed lightly over her nipples, rewarding her with obvious pleasure. Each touch caused her to grind down hard against him. Her pace increased.
“I’m going to come,” she cried out.
He couldn’t look away.
Her eyes fluttered closed and her fingers squeezed her breasts. Soft mewing noises escaped her before growing into groans. He had to fight his own release as she squeezed, pumped and ground hard on him. Her pace increased, carrying them both to the edge.
“Oh god!” She threw her head back and cried out. Her face flushed, a bead of sweat rolled down her chest between her breasts.
It was his undoing. Thrusting his hips up once, twice, he exploded into her. Her muscles tightened and released around his cock, squeezing every drop from his body and sending another tremor of pleasure through him. Finally, Haylie collapsed against him. Their breathing was ragged. Her weight on his chest made him feel safe. A minute or two passed before she stirred.
She didn’t speak as she reached over and fumbled with the leather restraint that held his right wrist. Kamran panicked. Without a word, she turned her head and kissed him. The kiss was gentle, probing. Her tongue flicked in his mouth, exploring, distracting. A loud clicking noise signaled his partial freedom. His hand found her ass, which he loved and he squeezed firmly.
She broke the kiss long enough to say, “Only one.”
“One,” he agreed.
He was still hard as stone and he didn’t need to look at her to tell she was ready. With his left wrist still bound, he managed to roll on his side. Haylie’s head rested on his arm, her back flat on the bed. The side of the bed and his confinement kept them close together. Ignoring the pain of the awkward angle, he bent his head and captured her nipple in his mouth. He felt amazingly close to her like this.
Haylie entwined her fingers in his hair and kneaded his scalp. He loved her taste. The sensitive tip grew in his mouth. His tongue circled the hard bud, coaxing further pleasure from her.
“Hon, we need to talk.”
He didn’t want her thinking, so he slid his hand down over her stomach and rested between her legs. “Later.”
She bucked her hips at his touch, reached over and grabbed his cock. “I promise we’ll finish. But we need to talk. Someone wants you out of the way. They have had us chasing ghosts, taking us away from the real issue”
He swore. No, he didn’t want to do that now.
He was with his mate and he was only now beginning to understand the depths of how much he cared for her. The rest of the universe could go to hell.
“Then why did you free my arm?”
She squeezed his stiff cock, running her finger up and down the length of him. “Because I knew it was bothering you. But you’re too freaked out of have them both removed.”
“I might kill someone.” He retaliated against her sensual attack by sliding a finger into her slick cunt. It was well lubricated from their lovemaking a moment earlier.
“Do you…remember the valley from…my dreams?” She panted in between each thrust of his fingers.
He didn’t want to answer. Leaning forward once more, he sucked her nipple into his mouth once more.
Kamran?
Haylie’s voice rang clear in his mind. He froze, his brain unable to process that she really hadn’t spoken aloud.
“How are you able to do this?”
Think the words.
Haylie?
Her smile was beautiful. We’ve never been able to do this before.
This isn’t a common ability, even among Briel mates. Another anomaly?
She shrugged and slipped her fingers from his cock to his testicles. Like everything else about our relationship. Now, answer my question.
“Do you remember the valley from my dreams?”
His head was clearly muddled because he couldn’t think. It wasn’t until she flashed the image of the valley that the memory of the dream came rushing back.
That was your dream?
She lightly slapped his chest with her hand. “Where’s that valley? I asked a few of my team, and even some of the miners, but they didn’t recognize my description.”
“Absolutely not.” He pulled his hand away from her core and cupped her chin.
“I don’t think you have much to say about it. I need to follow this investigation where it leads me. Don’t you want to get out of here? Cause if you don’t care, then I have a mountain of paperwork waiting for me back in my office.”
“I don’t want you going anywhere near there.”
Haylie slapped his hand away and glared at him. “I’m not some Lunar crystal to be protected from the universe. If I don’t get the information from you, I’ll go to someone else.”
“Who?”
“Taber, to start. But I’m sure even the Elder Council would help if they thought there was a chance you might be innocent.”
“There is nothing you can do to prove to the council that I’m not guilty. Even if there is proof, I don’t want you risking your life to get it.”
That is my decision to make.
“No, it’s not. I’m the one who stands accused of treason. I’m not going to have you run off and get yourself killed when it won’t make a difference anyway.”
For the first time in his life he truly felt terror. Kamran had to struggle to control his body under the weight of his emotions. His breathing became labored and he could feel his blood pounding through him. Mentally, he erected a barrier in an attempt to contain his fear and concern. The last thing he wanted was for her to see the depths of his emotion.
He knew he was successful instantly. Too successful. Not only had he blocked her from seeing his fear, but he had broken the rest of their connection. Haylie sucked in a gasp and looked hurt. Her hand fell away from him.
“Why?” Her voice sounded strange.
Her question echoed in the room when she pushed away from his body, cool air replaced her warmth. He knew he should say something. He opened his mouth, but closed it again. He wouldn’t give her the information she wanted. His life wasn’t worth hers, no matter what she thought.
Instead, he was forced to watch her dress. The clothing that she had enticed him with a short time ago, she now donned as a protective barrier against him. She jerked her pants up and turned to face him. He didn’t like the expression on her face.
“Please, don’t.” He somehow managed to keep his concern from his voice.
Haylie pulled out the strands of her thick hair that were caught in her shirt. With a fascinating movement of her hands, she tied the silken strands into some sort of tight bun. No, this wasn’t good.
“Haylie?” His voice didn’t rise above a whisper.
“I’m not a child who needs protecting,” her words were clipped. “I’ve lived my whole life dealing with the scum of humanity, so you needn’t worry about that. And yet again the universe has reminded me that relationships are nothing more than vapor. You’d think I’d have learned that lesson when my mom left us. But I guess I’m not too bright.”
“Please don’t think that.”
“Thank you, Ambassador. I will keep you informed of any breaks in our investigation,” she said coolly. Haylie pressed a button on the key pad by the door. “I’m done here.”
Kamran closed his eyes and almost reached out with his mind. He didn’t want to lose her. Not this way, not ever. But no matter what she thought, he knew that somehow the valley would be dangerous for her.
The sound of the door swooshing open reached his ears a second before the blast of cold air from the hall.
“If you’re not going to listen to me, please be careful.”
She looked at him, her mouth opened for a second before snapping shut. Without even a backward glance she left him alone.
Chapter Fourteen
Haylie tried to scratch her nose yet again through the environmental suit and cursed once more as her finger jabbed the reinforced plastic that kept her alive. This was crazy. She was crazy. Her dreams were probably nothing more than a byproduct of her oversexed libido. But she couldn’t walk away from her duty, no matter how pissed off she was.
Stupid, god dammed, conceited, smug…alien.
Not that it mattered much anymore. Once she solved this mystery, she was going to hop on the first transport off this nightmare planet and head somewhere else. Titan colony was looking for an assistant chief of security. They were only a three-month journey by cargo shuttle and had fresh water on the planet. And they had the added bonus of having no Briel.
Unfortunately, solving the mystery meant finding this damn valley to see what the hell was out there.
“Are you well, Ms. Bond?” The speaker in her EV suit crackled in her ear.
Haylie looked up. Dr. Ray was waiting for her at the top of the ridge. The wind had let up, giving her enough visibility to see what lay beyond. Not that it was anything other than more sand until they hiked another two miles.
“I’m fine. Just thinking.”
“We don’t have time for your feet to go idle. If we are to make it to your valley and back before nightfall, we must hurry.”
She nodded and increased her pace until she was beside him. It was impossible to clearly see Ray through the EV suit. And even if she could, his body was as completely covered as her own. Between the high winds whipping the sand in her face and the haze from the EV mask, visibility was poor. The added layer of clothing between her and Ray set her more at ease. She didn’t feel the same comfort around him as she had back in med bay. And the rest of her personnel were either on duty or resting, so she didn’t want to ask any of them to come. For now, having Ray act as her guide made sense. Still, something wasn’t right about this whole situation.
Haylie shook her head. Why the hell had she run into him just as she was trying to leave? She really wanted to do this alone in case it turned out to be nothing. The only other person who posed more of a problem was Taber. Damned Briel were a stubborn bunch. She’d decided to bypass asking others for information on the valley and turned to the old Briel archives. Her access allowed her viewing privileges on non-classified information, including geological surveys of the planet. It was in one of those files that she’d found an early survey done of the Corridor. The place was a non-area. Nothing of note for minerals or resources that the surveyors could find. No reason at all for it to appear in her dreams. She had to see what was hiding there. She would have been able to slip
out without anyone noticing if Ray hadn’t come looking for her with a message from Sara.
As soon as he discovered what she was about to do, Ray announced that he intended to help her find whatever it was she was looking for on the planet’s surface. What the hell did he think a doctor could do to help? If she did run into anything dangerous she doubted he’d be able to do anything in time to help.
She’d tried every tactic she could think of to keep him from following her. Even threw her weight around as security chief and claimed that it was too dangerous for the colony’s main Briel doctor to be traipsing around the planet’s surface.
She even tried to use the truth. She was investigating the strange occurrences on the station and it led her to the Corridor. Ray simply smiled as he slipped the EV helmet on and twisted it into place.
“Are you coming?” His voice was almost cheery.
He was going. What choice did she have? Now she had to watch her back and his.
As they walked, she probed him for anything information she could. Best to keep him occupied and not worrying too much about what she was looking for.
“So what can you tell me about this place? Anything we need to be aware of before we get there?”
“The first settlers referred to this place as the Corridor. Not a totally appropriate description, but one that stuck nonetheless.”
Haylie heard him start to speak further, but then stop.
“What? What is out here?” she asked as casually as she could. Her throat hurt from the minute dust particles that wriggled their way past the air filter in the ventilation unit, making it difficult to speak.
“Nothing at all. Sorry, I thought I saw something. I remember the Briel who scouted the area years ago were surprised that a planet had such an unusual area. Dead patches like this are rare. No microbes or plant life of any kind. That’s why I was intrigued when you told me this is where you suspect the root of our problems lie.”
“Well, my information could be incomplete, but I trust the source.”
Ray stumbled, letting out a curse she’d heard Kamran use before.
She turned to face him, completely shocked at his outburst. “Are you okay?”
The Bond That Ties Us Page 19