Winner Takes All
Page 17
In this timeless place she saw herself reflected in his thoughts and memories. A strong warrior, a beautiful woman, a caring protector of the innocent who didn't know how to turn against what she knew was right.
She stared in astonishment as her inner turmoil was laid bare before her. In Gren's view, the warrior and woman within her were one, each aspect of her personality making the other stronger, truer. He didn't understand why she fought to subdue her feminine traits, her desires and physical needs.
She blinked, trying to process it all, and suddenly found herself in his arms again, the water lapping around them in soft whispers. Gren felt hard inside her, still needing more from her than she'd given.
"Gren?" she asked in wonder as she brushed his hair back from his face.
"Please, sura," he gasped, his control wavering as he shook in her arms. "I need you, all of you." She could feel his need to move inside her, yet he refrained.
"You have all of me," she said, squeezing him tight with her inner walls. He gasped and closed his eyes, his head tilting back in surrender. "Make love to me, Gren. Fill me with your heart, your love."
He immediately began thrusting, long deep thrusts that rekindled the building desire inside her. With each drive she felt closer to him, connected on a level beyond anything she'd ever known.
Energy built, making the pool glow as the powerful force of belonging surrounded them. Deeper and deeper he moved, his feelings slowly bleeding over into her until she felt every touch of her skin on him, every drop of climbing ecstasy growing like a fire inside him.
"I love you, sura," he rasped and thrust one final time, exploding inside her.
Temis opened her mouth but was paralyzed with feeling, the incredible rapture of love and lust entwining her and Gren together.
When she could finally move again, she wrapped her arms around Gren, hugging him tight. She had never known a more giving lover, and knew she never would. In Gren she'd found something precious and rare, a man of strength, character and integrity. He had a power that could have made him a rich man, yet instead he worked with the peacemakers to save innocent lives.
"Gren," she said, not surprised at the wobbly thread of sound that escaped her throat. "I just wanted to say--"
"Later, sura." He slurred his words, his hands tightening around her hips. "I'm sorry, but I can't--" He groaned and thrust deep inside her, his shaft iron hard. Instead of sharing his ecstasy, this time she observed from a distance, gently cradling him as he lost control.
She felt him come inside her again, felt him shudder as he continued to strain against the waves of bliss overpowering him. And when his body lit like Eyran crystal, she shared in his light, clearly able to see for the first time.
* * * *
When Gren opened his eyes, he saw Temis staring down at him with a loving expression.
"Your outer wounds have healed," she said softly and sat on the bed next to him. With a callused hand she stroked his shoulder, singeing him with desire. "How do you feel?"
He stared at her, in awe of what they had shared in her dream. "My body has healed, if that's what you're asking." He wanted desperately to know that the dream was real, that she had meant all the things she'd felt and said. But he needed to hear her say it. Never had he felt so vulnerable with another.
She smiled, a small curl of her lips that made him want to pull her to him and never let go. He frowned, irritated at the sentimental nonsense running about in his head. Damn, but the woman had him in knots.
Her grin widened at the sight of his displeasure. "What?" he barked, wanting to make her tell the truth. His Theshan power screamed to be used, and he had to wrestle the energy into place. What he wanted from Temis could not be forced.
"Why don't you just ask me?" she offered and leaned over him, her lips just inches from his. She licked his flesh, her tongue brushing his mouth in invitation.
He closed his eyes, unwilling to give in to her physical needs until he heard the truth.
"Ask you what?" he said hoarsely.
She chuckled, a sensual sound that rent his control to shreds. Without another thought, he lowered his trousers enough to free his cock, then pulled her on top of him. He reached into her trousers and shoved his finger inside her.
She moaned, squirming on top of him as he plunged another finger inside.
"Wait," she breathed and shed her trousers in a flash. Then she straddled him and lowered herself, fitting him perfectly.
They moved in unison to the song only their bodies and hearts could hear, and as she crested into climax, she cried out her love.
He joined her, shouting at the feeling of oneness, of utter peace, and waited for clarity to reclaim them both.
"You can't take it back," he said, trying to catch his breath.
"I don't want to." She stared down at him, her gaze one he'd never seen before. All woman, Temis watched him with love fresh in her deep violet gaze. "I love you, Gren. I'm not sure what it means, but I know I'm lost without you by my side."
He smiled. Temis would never be anywhere but at his shoulder, equally possessive and stubborn, an infuriating woman that drew him like no other.
"I've got some thoughts on the future, Temis. But being together will demand certain sacrifices, on both our parts."
She frowned but nodded, and he kissed her again.
"I take it you're not going to join the peacemakers?" When he shook his head, she sighed. "I didn't think so."
"But it's not all bad." He watched as she dressed, wanting her again. "I know you only knew of me as a mercenary and opportunist, but hopefully you now understand that all to be a ruse." He sat up as he spoke and redressed.
When she didn't respond, he growled, "Temis?"
She laughed. "I know. You're Thesha, and not a simple mercenary. What you are, exactly, I have no idea."
"I'm a guardian, a protector of an ancient race. And as my mate, you have one of two choices."
Her interest perked as she put on her boots and stared at him, waiting.
"You can either retire to my home world, where I will visit as often as I can between missions, or--"
"Or I can travel with you, assisting you in your 'missions,'" she answered tartly.
He grinned. "Exactly the choice I thought you'd make."
She looked surprised.
"It's true, love. I would have been stunned if you'd agreed to staying put on Ak'rea, my home world. No one but the Thesha know of its existence, and once there, you would not be permitted to leave, not for a very long time.
"I would rather you accompanied me on my journey through this life. And I'm glad to see you'll endeavor to please me in the future."
She rolled her eyes and he grabbed her in a massive hug. "You please me, woman, you truly do." He gave her a kiss that melted her to the core. "From now on we will be as one, a unit functioning together."
She smiled. "That I can agree with. But for the record, I want it known you will be the one endeavoring to please me in the future."
"It could be no other way." He gently stroked her back. "I would give my life for you, Temis."
Her eyes filled with tears and she frowned. "I'm not crying."
"I know." He wiped a tear from her eye.
"Warriors don't cry." Her eyes, though glassy, crinkled into a smile. "But we do prove the most loyal of wives. And speaking of which, you owe me a wedding ceremony."
"I would be honored." He dragged her to the door. "I'll fetch Sernal."
"No, no, no." She pulled free of his grip. "I'm from Zephyr, and we do things a little differently there. Besides, you have to meet my family." Her eyes twinkled. "If they don't approve of you, I'm afraid we'll never be married."
His eyes narrowed. "We're heading there as soon as you pack. Sernal okayed a week's leave. You can tell him now or after that you're leaving the peacemakers. But I warn you now, I'm not planning on spending my honeymoon in Chula fighting with you."
"We'll see," she murmured as he waited impati
ently for her to pack.
Chapter Seventeen
"That was the most interesting wedding ceremony I've ever witnessed," Rafe remarked as he sat beside Sernal looking out at the large, pink ocean. Aflera's most exotic resort hadn't been cheap, but he'd made enough beks while working as an undercover informant to buy both him and his brother some peace of mind.
With the slavers neatly processed and the missing women all returned to their homes, with the exception of one mysterious woman no one could trace, life on Mardu returned to normal.
Sernal had been so pleased with the outcome of the mission that he'd rewarded his peacemakers with two weeks of fully paid leave. And as the new "Head of Peacemaker Central," as Gren liked to call it, he had the authority.
"I didn't know the Zephyrans fought on their wedding day."
Sernal chuckled, his eyes closed as he basked in the warm sun. "I'll never forget Gren's face the moment Temis said the bonding oath. He looked so in love, and then Temis brought him to his knees with her wedding gift."
"I thought most Zephyran brides handed their husbands their family warstaffs."
"Most do."
Rafe laughed, happy for Temis and pleased he'd been able to see Gren finally brought down a peg. He'd been invited to the wedding ceremony and rehearsal, but still had no idea what awaited Gren.
Temis had a hulk of a father and three overbearingly large brothers, all protective and all wickedly outstanding fighters. They'd grilled Gren for a week before conceding to the marriage.
She'd let slip how much fun she'd had making Gren beg for her family's permission. "He knows I love him, and he's always had things a bit too easy when it comes to women. It's good he had to work for me."
Rafe smiled at the memory and watched a gorgeous woman with six arms nearing Sernal. Ah, the infamous Jahnja, and the reason Sernal had insisted on visiting Aflera.
Sernal's eyes fluttered open with a sparkling gleam to the gold depths, so Rafe wasn't surprised when he left with the woman clinging to him.
"Another ambrosia." Rafe nodded to a nearby server and relaxed back into his lounge chair.
His thoughts returned to Temis. As brief as their partnership had been, he'd miss her. She had a hell of an instinct and the fighting skills of a peacemaker with twice her experience.
Yet he knew he'd see her again. When he'd questioned her about the future, she'd turned a mysterious eye to her new husband.
"Oh, we'll be seeing you around."
So, Gren had finally found a woman who accepted his nature and complemented his tough-as-nails approach to life. It would be interesting to see them again after married life had settled.
His brother Catam was now as tame as a kitten, and his younger brother Gar had been the same before his wife died. Rafe preferred neither existence. Who wanted to be so tied to a woman he forgot his wild nature, or worse yet, who wanted to be so tied to a woman that her death broke you in half?
He shook his head. Love was for other men, but not for him. For now he'd enjoy life and all its entertainments. He'd leave love and 'warm emotion' to his lovesick friends.
He nodded invitingly to the two women eyeing him like a fresh piece of rak meat. They sauntered to his side wearing little more than ragged bottoms, their breasts puckering with desire as he stared at them.
Grateful to his Xema heritage, he winked and stood, then escorted them back to his room. He might not be Thesha, but he had skills in the bedroom no woman wanted to be without.
And when they joined one another on his bed, he proved it to them.
* * * *
Temis sighed with pleasure. "You're not mad at me?"
Gren laughed. "Not after that." He slid his hands under his head and stared at the black sky littered with stars. "Where did you learn to use your tongue like that?"
"I'll never tell." She drew her fingers over his chest dreamily, wondering what it would someday feel like to hold his babe in her womb. She'd been having these fluttery maternal thoughts since they'd married a few days ago.
"Are you ever going to tell me how you got that scar?" she asked, still trying to ferret out all his secrets.
He gave her a mysterious wink and changed the subject. "I still can't believe we're married."
You'll eventually tell me.
Perhaps. She sighed at his stubbornness, then laughed. She learned they had more in common every day they spent together. "I can't believe we're married either. Now I'm Lady Gren." She chuckled. "Don't you have a last name?"
"Nope." He rolled her on top of him. "Have I told you how lucky I am to be your husband?"
"Tell me again, and this time fill in the part about how much the elders think of me."
He groaned, and she could tell he was already regretting telling her of his conversation with them. I should never have said anything. Now your ego is larger than mine.
Ha, as if that could ever happen. She grinned, pleased with the direction her life was headed. The elders had been grateful Gren's guilt and misdirected life finally had purpose. Though a guardian for his kind, Gren had too often drifted through space without a care for himself. And the elders sensed it.
Feeling the true bond between Temis and Gren, they wholeheartedly approved of the bonding.
And they said we could visit Ak'rea anytime we liked, she reminded him. Nice lie you told me.
He winced at the mental pinch she gave him. Now sura, I had to be sure you wouldn't rather live with them than me. You'd be miserable on Ak'rea without me.
Yeah, she humored him. Surrounded by Theshas with nothing more to do than pleasure a woman.
He growled and rolled her under him, thrusting deep inside her on a breath. "No one will ever pleasure you but me."
He rode her hard, increasing their desire until they exploded on waves of golden wainu.
"Ah, Gren?" she asked when she could form a thought.
"Sura?"
"I don't quite think your jealous streak is under control." She stroked his back and felt him harden again inside her. Incredible. "Why don't we work on that?"
He chuckled and began to move in her again. "For you, sura, anything." He sent her a vision of a pale haired baby with dark green eyes. "Anything at all."
The End