Aerdan: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Romance (Zhekan Mates Book 1)

by E. A. James

  “The gods may have the feast,” Aerdan growled. Slipping one arm under Angelica’s body, he carried her to the bed and gently laid her down on the mattress. Angelica moaned softly as Aerdan lay on top of her, kissing her deeply. His tongue probed the inner hidden places of her mouth and she spread her legs and arched her back underneath her lover.

  “Oh,” Angelica moaned. Aerdan straddled her, pushing her into the bed with his powerful bulk. In the dim light, his blue eyes flashed like sapphires. Aerdan tangled his hands in Angelica’s hair and gently tugged at her scalp, pulling her chin up and exposing her delicate neck. When Angelica felt Aerdan’s lips and teeth on her sensitive skin, she moaned and writhed beneath him.

  “I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you,” Aerdan growled. He pulled at the laces to Angelica’s gown, tugging the delicate silk away from her body. Underneath she only wore a garment of sheer cotton. Angelica’s nipples were stiff under the fabric and when Aerdan lowered his mouth to her breasts and began to suck, she thought she would explode with pleasure. Lust and arousal crawled through her, mingling with the adrenaline and desperation she felt having been faced with the prospect of never seeing Aerdan again. When Aerdan wrapped his arm under her body and pulled her up, Angelica peeled the silk gown from her arms and locked eyes with her lover.

  “I missed you so desperately,” Angelica gasped. “I had to find you, Aerdan.”

  Aerdan wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close and kissing her deeply. Angelica ran her hands over his smooth, muscular body – underneath his own silk clothing, he felt as lithe and powerful as a tiger. She closed her eyes and lowered her face to his neck, nipping and kissing at the deeply tanned skin. Aerdan groaned with pleasure. Angelica ran her hands over his leggings, gently rubbing the bulk at the fork of his legs. The thought of his hard manhood filling her made her gasp with pleasure and soon, Angelica was fumbling at the laces to Aerdan’s loose trousers.

  Aerdan gently pushed Angelica back down on the bed. He ripped the delicate cotton away from her chest and lowered his face to her nipples, where he began to suck and lick. Angelica went wild. She arched her back and moaned, writhing under Aerdan’s powerful body. As eagerly as she could, she pulled the rest of her silk dress away from her body and tossed it to the side. Being naked underneath Aerdan felt completely natural and soon, Angelica was begging for him to touch her most secret place.

  “Please,” Angelica whimpered. She took Aerdan’s large hand and moved it down her bare body, gently rubbing her lower belly and sliding his fingers between her legs. As Aerdan gently probed and stroked her, Angelica spread her legs and buried her face in the pillows to keep from shrieking with pleasure. She could feel Aerdan’s thumb stroking long, delicious circles around her hardened nub of pleasure and she knew that her skin was bright red with the intense arousal she felt. She no longer cared how she looked – the pleasure inside of her body was driving her wild.

  “I need you,” Aerdan growled. He pulled his tunic away, and then stepped out of his silken leggings. With his hard manhood protruding from his body, Angelica was having a difficult time controlling her lust. She shivered in anticipation as Aerdan crawled on the bed. Spreading her legs, she waited for him to mount her.

  Instead, Aerdan shook his head. He gave Angelica a playful grin.

  “Come here,” Aerdan said. He reclined on his back, his manhood bobbing in the air. Angelica blushed hotly as Aerdan took her by the hand and guided her on top of him, until she was riding him astride.

  As Aerdan’s manhood slowly slid into Angelica, she threw her head back and moaned. The tips of her dark hair brushed against her sweaty back and she began to grind and rock her hips. Aerdan put his hands to her breasts, gently pinching and rolling her nipples between his fingers as she rode him. Angelica began to moan. She leaned forward and braced herself against Aerdan’s strong chest, bucking hard. Sweat dripped from her face as the explosively delicious sensations built in her lower belly. When her orgasm hit, she was surprised by the intensity. Amazing sensations gripped her and she could barely remember to breathe. Aerdan grabbed her by the hips and began moving her harder on top of his stiff member. Even as her orgasm slowed, Angelica felt nothing but intense pleasure as Aerdan moved his body beneath hers, brushing her most sensitive area with his pubic bone.

  “Gods,” Aerdan cried, closing his eyes and groaning. He bucked his chest and shoved his hips high into the air, driving deeper and deeper inside of Angelica’s body. Grabbing Angelica’s hands, he pulled her body down on top of his under her stiff nipples were rubbing against his smooth chest. When he exploded inside of her, Angelica felt the most intense pleasure she’d ever experienced. Soon, she was coming for a second time and they bucked and gasped and moved together in a frenzy of passion.

  Angelica lay against Aerdan, breathing hard. He pushed her sweaty bangs away from her eyes and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head with a sweaty mouth.

  Angelica sighed with happiness. After a few seconds, she slid off of Aerdan and curled up next to him, fitting her head in the hollow of his shoulder and draping her arm across his perfect body.

  “That was amazing,” Angelica said. She sighed happily again and nuzzled Aerdan’s neck, enjoying the musky fragrance emanating from his body. Pushing a hand into his dark, sweaty hair, she propped herself up on an elbow and stared deeply into his sapphire eyes.

  “And they say only women in Zheka get to experience magic,” Aerdan joked. The two laughed quietly for a moment, then faded into a comfortable silence.

  The sweat on Angelica’s body began to cool and she pulled the sheet over herself.

  “Shouldn’t we dress? Go to the feast?”

  Aerdan grinned. He rolled on his belly and winked at her. “I have a secret,” he said. “I ordered two platters to be brought up…right about now.”

  Angelica flushed. “You’re awfully cocky,” she said. “How did you know I wouldn’t tell you to wait?”

  Aerdan shrugged. “I didn’t,” he said. “Just a lucky guess.”

  Angelica smiled happily. “Well, you were right,” she said softly.

  Aerdan stroked her hair. “Angelica, if I may ask, how do you feel about me?”

  There it was. The question she’d been waiting to hear ever since the first mention of marriage had happened. The question she’d been waiting to respond to ever since Muertha had spelled things out for her in grim, unpleasant terms.

  Angelica licked her lips. “I’m falling in love with you, Aerdan,” she said quietly. “But I don’t think that I’m ready for marriage yet.” Her heart squeezed and tears came to her eyes. “If you…if you have to marry someone else, I understand.”

  Aerdan grinned. He pulled Angelica close and kissed her deeply. “No,” he said. “Angelica, I don’t want anyone but you. Until I met you, I’ve never known love.” He swallowed. “But, that being said…I, too, am not ready for marriage. I don’t think that I am ready to settle down and stay at the castle. I find I yearn for more excitement and adventure.”

  Angelica sighed with relief. “Nor should I think you’re all that eager about fighting six men just to win me.” She blushed. “Not that I’m planning on asking you to do that, or anything,” she added quickly. “I could never see another show again and be quite happy about it.”

  Aerdan chuckled, faking offense. “No,” he said. “But, for you, I would win,” he added, puffing his chest out.

  Angelica burst out laughing. “There’s a surprise for you, too,” she said softly. Climbing out of bed, she pulled Namaya’s cloak around herself, giggling when Aerdan groaned.

  “Don’t deprive me of the sight of your body,” Aerdan said.

  “Trust me, you’ll want to see this,” Angelica replied. She reached into the pockets and pulled out vast handfuls of golden coins, dropping them on the bed.

  Aerdan’s jaw dropped. “What? How? What…what is this?”

  “I guess her pockets were bewitched,” Ang
elica said. “I didn’t even notice until I was out of the castle, but this was all inside of her cloak.” She swallowed. “It’s enough for a ship,” she said. “A ship of our own…one that could carry us across the seas on our adventures.”

  Aerdan blinked. “You want to do that?”

  Angelica grinned. “I do,” she said. “Maybe then I can find some clues about how to get back home, you know – if I ever feel like going back to New York.”

  Aerdan grinned. “Come here,” he said. He pulled Angelica close and kissed her deeply. “You’re wonderful,” Aerdan said. “I wouldn’t want to adventure with anyone but you.”

  Angelica snuggled happily into the arms of her lover. “I know exactly what you mean,” she murmured drowsily.

  EPILOGUE

  Namaya stood at her table, leaning over her scrying glass and waving her fingers in the misty surface. Her green eyes glowed with hatred and evil as she parted the clouds. When she saw a beautiful castle surrounded by blue seas and green fields, her eyes narrowed into tiny, angry slits.

  Curse them, Namaya thought as she leaned closer, making the castle bigger. The Zhekan castle was decorated for the feast of a hero. Gold and red flags flew from each parapet, and Namaya could hear the sound of cheering crowds from where she stood. Hatred and evil swelled in her heart. For a few moments, she was silent. Then, with all her might, she smashed the scrying glass to the floor. The bowl shattered into a million tiny little pieces. Some of the glass pierced Namaya’s bare feet, but she no longer felt pain.

  She had not felt pain in hundreds of years.

  At least, not physical pain.

  “They have tricked me,” Namaya said to her familiar, Eris, a large black cat perched on the floor. “They have deceived me! And that damnable wench, that girl! Stole my cloak and the stone!”

  Eris blinked at his mistress with big yellow eyes.

  “I will not rest until they are both destroyed,” Namaya vowed, taking a knife from the folds of her robes and stalking to the hearth. Despite the warm weather, a large blaze roared against the iron grate. Namaya took a handful of potent herbs from the mantle and tossed them into the flames. Soon, the room was filled with a thick green smoke.

  Namaya held her hand over the fire and sliced her palm with the knife, dripping blood onto the flames. A musky, warm scent filled the room and clouded her head. Soon, her eyes glazed over with white and she crumpled to the floor, deep in a trance.

  As the evil sorceress of Glasule lay twitching on the floor, dark clouds filled the sky and the sea began to froth and twist.

  They will pay for their transgressions. I will not rest until their souls have been ripped into a thousand pieces.

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  WINTER’S EDGE

  CHAPTER ONE

  “You have to act fast, Captain. They’re gaining.”

  The voice coming through the speaker wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know. Did he think she was blind? She could see the dots on her sensor array growing bigger and bigger.

  Pushing down hard on the intercom, she glared at the displays in front of her, daring her enemies to get within her reach. “Are the missiles lowered?”

  “Did you ask me to lower them?” the calm, cool voice replied.

  “Lower them!” Kira snapped, not worrying about her forceful tone or abrupt order.

  Just as she released the intercom button, an enemy ship came into view on her starboard camera feed. The enemy vessel had locked in on her position, and sensors were beeping wildly around her.

  Inhaling sharply, she pushed down on the controls, sending her ship into a quick free-fall, guiding it out of the enemy’s line of sight. As she continued to descend, she scanned the screens, checking the monitors with quick, swift glances. Surely there was more than one of them out there.

  The sensors began to beep again. The first ship had begun to dive after her. Her eyes quickly shifted to the monitor to her right, the one connected to her ship’s rear camera. She saw the large, metallic body of the ship growing closer, inching up on her position as its large turrets swiveled in her direction.

  Just as the image rippled with the explosion of the projectile weapon being fired from its heavy barrel, Kira pulled the ship up. The torpedo zipped past her vessel, just missing it. As she ascended once again, she spun the ship around, positioning the crosshairs on the belly of the ship as it turned to continue its pursuit.

  Just as her target came clearly into view, the sensors once again began their high-pitched chorus.

  “There’s another one, Captain,” the voice came over the intercom again.

  As she had anticipated, another ship warped in on her location, appearing suddenly behind her. The ship in front of her, visible now through the viewscreen locked in on her position as the newcomers did the same from behind.

  As the beeping grew louder, her heart beat faster. She moved her hand from the launch switch and grabbed hold of the ship’s controls once again. Her eyes darted back and forth between the monitor linked to the rear camera and the viewscreen sprawling out in front of her.

  “Come on,” she whispered slowly, holding her breath. “Come on.”

  Simultaneously, the two vessels let their weapons fly—the two torpedoes hurled through the air, their paths aimed directly at her. She pulled up on the controls forcefully, sending her ship on a quick ascent, just as the two projectiles collided into each other.

  As the ripple effect of the explosion shook through the air, she spun her ship around, locking her targets once again on the first ship. Both of the enemy vessels were caught in the aftershock, and she needed to act fast before they were able to regain complete control.

  Just as the crosshairs of her missile guns covered the hull of the first ship, she hit the launch, letting her own weapon fly. It was a direct hit, disabling the vessel immediately upon impact.

  “One down, one to go,” she mumbled, turning her ship around to set her sights on the other.

  To her surprise, the second ship wasn’t where she expected it to be. She tightened her grip on the controls, watching the monitors carefully. The sensors were chirping loudly, letting her know that the enemy was somewhere nearby, and was locked in on her location.

  “Where is he, Captain?” the voice came over the intercom. “You have to find him.”

  “You don’t think I know that?!” Kira snapped.

  The front, rear, starboard, and port cameras were showing no signs of the ship that was causing her sensors to go crazy. That only left one option.

  "I’ve got you," Kira said under her breath, pulling her ship up suddenly and repositioning it quickly to the side. Just as she did, the ship came into view. The vessel had taken evasive action of its own, diving down quickly, positioning itself below her, out of view of her cameras. It had then locked on her position and began to climb, its guns pointed at her ship's underbelly.

  She steered the ship out of the line of fire just as a projectile went hurtling past her. The ship, now clearly in the line of sight of her port camera, was spinning around to square off with her.

  “I don’t think so,” Kira said, quickly finding the ship in her crosshairs.

  Before the enemy vessel had the chance to lock its guns in on her position again, she slammed her hand down on the launch button, sending a missile flying directly into the front of the ship. Just as the air filled with the orange glow of the explosion, her monitors switched off and the viewscreen went blank, encasing her in darkness.

  As the ship shuddered to a halt and the lights came on around her, Kira let out a sigh of relief. Her hands still gripping the controls, she leaned her head back against the he
adrest as the ceiling of the makeshift cockpit popped open.

  “I don’t usually give out perfect scores,” her Field Training Officer’s voice rang out over the intercom, “but I would be hard-pressed to find something to criticize about that performance, Cadet. Although, I could have done without the snappy tone.”

  Pushing herself up out of the seat, she shot a confident smile in his direction. “You taught me to be a strong, confident leader, sir. I was just showing that I could do that,” she replied. Although she couldn’t see him, she knew where he was—seated in his usual spot just behind the one-way mirrors lining the far wall of the simulation room.

  “I don’t think anyone had to teach you how to be strong or confident,” he replied.

  “So,” she said, not ready to begin celebrating just yet. “Does that mean…?”