Hunger: the V'KAR series

by Stone, Ciana

  “Within the hour.”

  She looked at Pandora. “Where to?”

  Pandora looked around at everyone then at Resa. “You will regret this. Mark my words. There will come a time when you will have need of me.”

  “Then we’ll know how to find you,” Resa replied. “Now, let’s go.”

  Pandora provided the location and Resa activated the gate. This was the first step toward unity between the D’Harahn, Valia, and Nuria. She was ready.

  Chapter Nine

  Constantine stood on the balcony, staring out at the night. His mind was still reeling from all he had learned during his time on Adahl’s home world. His heart still ached for all he had lost. His home was gone, V’Kar was no more. All that was left of his people were those who had been exiled.

  Competing with that shock was the realization that Resa was the child of Adahl, one of the creators of the V’Kar people. Adahl’s race had seeded more than one galaxy. They were the original inspiration for the tales of gods.

  A smile came unbidden to his lips. How ironic. Resa, the Alliance warrior, sworn enemy of V’Kar, was to be the mother of a new race. His daughters were capable of bearing children, like their mother. And his son could father many children, with V’Kar or human.

  He felt a great relief that he would not have to alter the memories of his daughters. They had decided that it would be of no benefit. Resa had revealed to Leonidas and Octavian that they had daughters and that her children would choose their own mates. Anyone who tried to force mating upon them would be immediately exiled. On that, she stood firm. She would not abuse her power, but she would protect her children.

  They had all vowed to honor her demands. Constantine suspected they would both seek to win the favor of his children. It would be interesting to see if they succeeded. At least they were cooperating. That was a first step.

  Even now, the council he, Octavian and Leonidas had established was busy forming a plan. There were six thousand V’Kar on Earth, half of whom were women. Through donations from his son, when he came of age, six thousand new children could be born. Within the span of three hundred years, a short amount of time to the V’Kar, their numbers would have grown exponentially.

  And, as Adahl had pointed out, breeding with humans was possible. It was not easily achieved, but there were those among the humans with the genetic code to successfully mate with V’Kar. Along with repopulating the V’Kar people, it was possible to create a hybrid race as well.

  Two races that could hopefully one day defend this world against the threat that was coming.

  “There is much to do before that time,” Resa’s voice came from within the room.

  Constantine turned to look inside. Resa lay nude on the bed. On her side, with her dark hair spilling over one shoulder, masking her breast, she was a vision of sensuality.

  “Yes,” he agreed. “I am still not convinced that revealing our true nature to the humans is wise.”

  “It will be,” she argued. “One day. When we’ve amassed enough wealth and power to insinuate ourselves into government and industry.”

  “Politics,” he said as he entered the room.

  “An area in which you excel, your highness,” she teased.

  “We no longer recognize monarchic titles,” he reminded her.

  “I do,” she returned and smiled. “Now, are you going to just stand there or are you going to shuck those duds and get over here and give your mate a proper loving?”

  Constantine laughed. “Do you think we could ask him to take a nap this time? I’d prefer not to have my infant son be part of what I plan on doing to his mother.”

  Resa laughed. “I’ll try and convince him.”

  Constantine chuckled, divested himself of his clothing, and joined her on the bed. He had lost much of late and the pain had not yet receded, but he had also gained. Now there was a chance for real peace among the V’Kar and a chance to build. There would be obstacles to overcome and enemies to battle, but there would also be opportunities to make Earth a true jewel in the Universe.

  For that, and for the woman who lay with him, igniting fire in his blood and hope in his mind, he was grateful. Together they could do anything.

  “That can wait for dawn,” she said in answer to his thoughts. “Tonight we free the hunger.”

  Fire exploded in his mind and body. “Tonight my hunger is unrestrained, Dhampir.”

  “Bring it on, Vampyre,” she teased.

  And he did.

  Book Three

  Irresistible Hunger

  Chapter One

  Fuck me.

  That was Shilah’s first thought when her father, Constantine Belenus announced to her that if she accepted the mission she’d be under the command of Leonidas Kahnn Branueesh.

  Of all the luck. She gets hand selected for a high profile mission and before the adrenaline rush can hit she’s nailed with bad news. There was no doubt that she wanted the assignment. Just the fact that she’d been selected was high praise.

  She hadn’t been with V’Kar, International that long. Only five years. She as lucky to have been allowed to participate, considering the fact that she was the daughter of Constantine Belenus and Resa Vanator, the former Crown Prince of V’Kar and his mate.

  As a child, she and her twin sister, Chaya, had been protected like true royalty. She grew up sheltered and kept apart from the ongoing war V’Kar had with the Alliance, a human organization whose roots stretched back centuries; an organization bent on destroying every V’Kar on earth.

  When Shilah finished her primary education she refused to continue with any type of schooling, unless that education included being trained as a warrior. Her sister, Chaya, followed suit.

  It was not an easy battle and it took them six months to convince their parents. In the end Constantine and Resa agreed. Shilah was certain they only did so because they thought she and her sister would be unable to measure up.

  That hadn’t happened. Despite the extra pressure placed on them, they had not only measured up, but had excelled. Like their mother before them, a legendary warrior, they were well suited to the life and thrived on the high of battle.

  Her parents had no choice but to accept that their daughters would be soldiers in the battle against the Alliance. They’d spent two years and countless thousands of dollars training Shilah and her sister. She was as skilled in hand-to-hand combat as any man in their command, trained in weaponry, explosives, poisons, electronics and even had been put through an eight week stint with a Special Forces military consultant sympathetic to their cause.

  Shilah loved every minute of it. A physical person by nature, she craved the high that came with danger. It was what made her tick.

  But getting saddled under the command of Leonidas Kahnn was not her idea of a great assignment. He rarely operated in the field, seeing that he was head of the security forces for V’Kar, and held a seat on the board of directors with her father, Constantine and Octavian Vanzati.

  Leonidas was heir to the Praetor of Nuria on his home world, destined to rule. With the destruction of the V’Kar star system, he like her father and all of the exiled V’Kar, became a permanent exile on earth.

  Regardless that he was a legend, one of the toughest and most fearless among them, he was possessed of a temper almost as legendary as his exploits and what was worse, gave her a serious case of the hots. She knew from harsh experience that passion and mission rarely mixed well.

  Leonidias was practically a legend who apparently craved danger. His exploits were hot topics of gossip among V’Kar personnel.

  His body was a hot topic of more than one late night fantasy, a secret she wouldn’t have shared under the pain of death. She’d met Leonidias a couple of years ago when she commanded a back-up team on one of his missions.

  To say that there was instant chemistry was an understatement. They’d hit it off like oil and water. He was in control and she resented it. It was only a strict code of honor that kept her from goi
ng head to head with him and she suspected the same held true for him. But not even the instant antagonism could blunt the force of the sexual chemistry.

  He was one potent man, which made him far more dangerous to her than a nuke. A bomb she could defuse. Leonidias? Well, she wasn’t convinced she could defuse whatever ticked inside him. Or that she’d want to. And she wasn’t about to let herself get involved. Her sexual encounters were few and short-lived. Letting herself become emotionally involved was the last thing she wanted. Nothing could get in the way of the job.

  ”Ah, here he is now,” Constantine announced, drawing her attention.

  Shilah stood and turned toward the door as it opened.

  Fuck me. Twice. Time hadn’t dimmed Leonidias’s presence one bit. If anything he was even more impressive. An good five inches over six feet, everything about him said “hard”. Hard eyes, with that unusual golden color that looked feline, hard angular planes composed his face, high cheekbones, strong chiseled jaw and prominent brow.

  And the body of a warrior that not even the expensive dark suit could disguise.

  *****

  Leonidias knew without question that despite his surprise nothing registered on his face or in his eyes. When he’d announced that he would personally handle this assignment, he had been surprised that neither Constantine nor Octavian had objected. He suspected Resa’s hand at work. She, like he, was bent toward battle. Away from the physical fight too long and they began to chaf at the bit. It was time for him to get back into the battlefield.

  He had not expected to find anyone else present in his strategic meeting with Constantine. Particularly not Shilah Belenus.

  “Constantine.” He inclined his head in a minute gesture of respect. It had taken years for he and Constantine to develop a relationship of trust.

  “Leonidias. Please, have a seat. This is Agent Shilah Belenus.”

  “We’ve met.”

  Leonidias gave Shilah a short nod of acknowledgment, took a seat and turned his attention to Constantine. “You have new intell?”

  Constantine’s eyes drifted momentarily to Shilah, clueing Leonidias that he was a hesitant about what he was going to say. He cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Before we go into the specifics of the mission, allow me to provide Shilah with a bit of background. As you may know, today some of the most decisive battles being waged are fought on an electronic battleground. Data transmission and its integrity has become a primary concern for every major player in the game. Not only on a corporate level, but at the government and military levels.

  “The last six months, six major batches of data have been successfully intercepted and Intelligence has fallen into the hands of the Alliance. Data that has not only cost billions but put the security of our entire race powers under threat.”

  “The East Korean deal,” Leonidias said with a nod. Despite being in the field for most of the last year, he managed to keep up to date on what was going on.

  “That’s just one,” Ken replied. “So far the hacker or hackers have remained untraceable, and therefore are considered a high level threat to security. The best minds among us haven’t been able to stop him but Octavian and his strategic team has developed a plan to trap him.”

  “While Octavian’s team of technicians sets up a string of false data transmissions with tagged data that’s incomplete and therefore useless, you will hand deliver the data to its destination.”

  “You want us to be couriers?” Shilah spoke up. Her tone surprised Leonidas. She obviously was hoping for something more. That begged a question, was she here because of a perceived ease of the assignment or because of her relationship to Constnatine? He knew her to be a competent agent, but had certainly not expected to be teamed up with her.

  “In a manner of speaking, yes.” Constantine replied.

  She shrugged. “What the hell. Call my team in for a briefing. We can be ready to go in twenty-four hours.”

  “Your team won’t be part of this assignment. You’ll team with Leonidas.”

  “Team?”

  “Let me rephrase. You will work under his command on this mission.”

  Leonidias turned his attention to Shilah for the first time since he’d taken a seat. “You’re willingly putting yourself beneath me?”

  The quick narrowing of her eyes told him she wasn’t exactly thrilled at giving up a command of her own and having to answer to him. To her credit, it would have taken someone with sharp eyes to notice the slight reaction.

  “To stop these Alliance bastards I’ll answer to a gorilla.” She turned and looked at her father.

  The sassy smirk that followed her comment told him that she’d just issued a nice insult in a manner than could be interpreted as completely innocent. But he knew better.

  Rather than satisfy her with a comeback he turned his attention back to Constantine. “Would you like to outline the plan for Agent Belenus?”

  Constantine leaned forward, propping his forearms on his desk. “Your cover has already been arranged to the finest detail. You’re a wealthy playboy who made a fortune in the dot.com wave who finally got snagged and are on a round the world honeymoon with your new bride. Leo and Shilah Hardison.

  “Your backgrounds and itinerary have been emailed to you and texted as well. You’ll depart in twenty-four hours aboard your private jet. “

  “And the data?”

  “Will be in the galley in a box marked Crystal when you board. Make sure you retrieve it before the attendant boards.”

  Leonidias nodded.

  “Any questions?”

  Leonidias shook his head. There was silence from Shilah. “Excellent,” Constantine said with a smile and rose. “I have a meeting in half an hour. There are tablets on the coffee-table for your use if you wish to review the data now. Take as long as you need. I’ll inform my assistant you’re not to be disturbed. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

  Leonidias stood as Constantine rounded his desk and left the room. When the door closed behind him Leonidias looked down at Shilah.

  “Looks like it’s going to be man on top.”

  Shilah felt the heat rise inside her. And it wasn’t the heat of passion. Leonidias sure knew the right buttons to push to anger her. She had to stop and remind herself that it was all about control. And when it came to being anal about control, Leonidias topped the charts. It was his way or the highway.

  It was a sure bet that taking orders from him 24/7 and pretending to be hot for his body was going to be the biggest test of will she’d ever faced. Not only would she have to refrain from killing him but she’d had to make damn sure he believed that she was only putting on an award winning performance when it came to getting up close and personal with him in public.

  “Like I said, to stop the—“

  “Yeah, I remember. But the question is can you perform?”

  Shit on a stick he was a cocky bastard. No way was she going to let him beat her. She’d take whatever he dished out and give it back in spades. “Watch me.”

  “Oh, I will.”

  If ever she’d heard a challenge that was it. Not just in his tone, but the dangerous gleam in his dark eyes and his posture. She stepped up close, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to look up at him. “Then hang on, honey, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.”

  Leonidias couldn’t help but acknowledge the affect she had on him. She might be stubborn enough to try the patience of a saint but was also, without a doubt, one of the sexiest women he’d ever met.

  A glossy mane of inky black hair that gave testament to her D’Harahn heritage hair framed a face that belonged in a wet dream. Smoky grey eyes rimmed with thick dark lashes set beneath elegantly arched eyebrows. Her nose was a bit on the longish side, but instead of detracting from her looks gave her a rather exotic appeal. As did her full lush lips.

  He wouldn’t describe her as a pin-up kind of woman. She was way too firm for that. But she
did sport a nice set of tits and an ass that could make a man’s mouth water.

  All in all, she was not a remarkably beautiful woman. Erotic was more fitting adjective. He wasn’t sure what it was about her that got to him. She was hard edged, almost stand-offish. But the why wasn’t that important. Acknowledging that it existed was enough. You have to know your enemy before you can defeat it. And sure as sin, he’d have to keep his wits about him with this one.

  “Ride it wild as you want, princess. Just make damn sure that you follow my orders to the letter. No questions asked. You give me your word on that now and we’re good to go. Otherwise I’m out. And if I’m out so are you.”

  The slight tensing of her body told him he’d hit a nerve. As he’d intended. If she couldn’t take orders then she was a liability, a wild card. And despite the relative simplicity of the plan as he understood it thus far, he never took anything as a given. Cover your ass was one of the primary rules of the game. And that meant having people you could depend on.

  She stepped back and extended her hand. “To the letter, sir.”

  Leonidias took her hand, finding her grip strong and sure. He wasn’t sure he fully believed her, but he’d bank on her professional reputation which was solid. And if he was lucky, he’d just enjoy three days of fucking with her mind and seeing if he could figure how just what made Shilah Belenus tick. He had a feeling there were depths to her that no one had every touched. Yet.

  Chapter Two

  The interior of the motel room was as dingy and worn as the exterior of the building. Carpet that bore stains from god only knew what turned the tan into a mottled discordant pattern that in no way complemented the faded green paint of the walls. Numerous rough patches of white plaster bore testament to the fact that the room had seen its share of violence or at least destructive behavior.

  Kathi shrugged and tossed her oversized shoulder bag on the dingy floral patterned bedspread covering the lumpy bed. She didn’t give a damn about the room. She’d worked every room in this flea bag. The only reason Dino used it was that he had a deal with the manager.