by Ann Mayburn
“Not your bondmate,” she muttered, but the psychic connection between them continued to grow stronger.
Ignoring her words, he focused on bringing her to the edge of orgasm. He almost felt bad about what he was about to do to Lacey, but she had to give him permission to kiss her. Time was running out. While he’d love nothing more than to give her the satisfaction she so desperately craved, he needed to start her transformation.
Once she had her crystal implant fully activated, once she could feel their souls, everything would become much easier. She would know they spoke the truth, know the joy of sharing love with her bondmates. He tried to imagine what her bondmark would look like on her chest, if the Lord of Life would gift her with a large, elaborate piece or something smaller and intricately detailed. Hot, heavy desire, feminine and mysterious, built in his soul as Lacey threw her head back, balanced on the edge of orgasm. He could practically feel the almost painful tension tightening every muscle in her body.
With the utmost regret, he easily lifted her up by her hips a couple inches so her pussy had nothing to grind on but air.
Balancing her hands on his chest, she moaned out, “Why did you stop? I was almost there.”
Her beautiful eyes were dazed as she stared down at him, the pink suffusing both her cheeks and lips. Unable to help himself, he sat up and ran the tip of his nose up the curve of her neck, smelling her skin before softly licking at the heavy pulse beating in her throat. The flavor of her burst on his tongue and his hormones surged, demanding more of the taste of his mate. When Lacey wrapped her arms around him and fisted his dark braid, he growled. Lowering her down, he let her feel his shaft pressing against her heat, but allowed no movement. She was so on edge, her whole body shivered on the precipice of release, but he kept her in place.
“My alyah,” he whispered against her silken neck, gently licking his way to her ear. “Give me permission to kiss you, and I will give you pleasure like you would not imagine.”
“Gwarnon,” she moaned as he nibbled at her earlobe, and gave another delicious shiver. “This isn’t fair. I can’t think when you do that.”
“Don’t think,” he urged. “Feel. Feel how much I want you, how I cherish you. Feel my desire.”
He pushed as much of his emotions into her as he could, careful not to snap the fragile bond connecting their souls.
Lacey immediately pulled his braid so tight it hurt, her lips pulled back from her teeth in a snarl of pure lust. “Stop doing this to me. It’s not fair.”
“What was that Earth saying that Lady Roxy is fond of? All is fair in love and war. I love you. You know I do.”
Her lower lip quivered, and tears filled her eyes as she softened against him. “But how do I know any of this is real?”
He gripped the back of her slender neck, holding her in place as he lowered his head until their mouths were close enough to share a breath. Inhaling deeply, he took in the heady smell of her need, the curves of her body pressed tight to his as she tried to rub against his erection. To his embarrassment, he was seconds away from losing control and filling his pants. He couldn’t help it—she felt so good, she stripped away all of his careful control. Vibrations started to hum through his blood, and Lacey let out a moan while she rubbed herself against him.
“Oh my God, it’s true. I thought Roxy was bullshitting me, but your cock really does vibrate.”
“Yes, there are—”
He didn’t get a chance to finish his explanation of the pleasure ridges because Lacey muttered something about ‘fuck it’ a moment before she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his in a kiss.
Shock held him immobile for a moment, and he sensed her hesitation then disappointment when he remained still. That snapped him out of his stupor, and with a low, animalistic growl that came from the pit of his soul, he wrapped both of his arms around her tight and pressed their bodies together. She pulled back from their brief kiss with a startled sound, but he didn’t let her get far. With one hand clasping her delicious, tight little ass, he used the other to fist her hair in his hand and bring her mouth to his.
Joy exploded from him as he kissed her, and she let out a needy moan. Feasting on her lips, he distracted her as he sliced open his tongue on his emerging fangs. The ache in his upper jaw was somehow erotic, those sharp teeth descending only for battle or mating. Nipping at her lower lip, he thrust his tongue between her pouty lips when she opened for him, her moans growing louder while she rubbed herself against his vibrating cock.
Brilliant passion and the aching need to be filled echoed from her side of the bond, the mental seduction just as good as the physical. Gwarnon let out a silent roar of victory as her tongue rubbed against his, taking in his blood that would—hopefully—begin her transformation. Gripping her tight rear end, he ground her against his cock, their kiss turning savage.
Her climax drew closer and closer, like a gigantic wave growing in the distance, different from the intense fire of his release. She sucked on his tongue, those lovely little sounds of pleasure she made driving him crazy. His balls tingled, growing tight when the fire of his lust met the huge wave of her release, mingling and crashing together.
Lacey tore her mouth from his with a scream, her back arching so much, he had to steady her with both hands as she writhed with pleasure on top of him.
Right before he went over the edge, a terrible, razor sharp pain screamed through his bond with Chel, making him cry out in shock as his own soul absorbed his blood brother’s agony.
Her scream turned from pleasure to pain, and she stared at Gwarnon in horror as she yelled, “What’s happening?”
“Chel,” he grunted, absorbing another psychic blow to his soul that left him reeling. “Under attack.”
“Help him,” she yelled, then curled into a tight ball with a groan of pain and moaned out. “Help him.”
“Stay here,” he growled at Lacey as he stumbled to his feet, then ordered the room to use all defensive measures against anyone who tried to breech it.
Her protests followed him out the arena, but he ignored her orders that she come with him. He had no idea what kind of threat they faced, and his imagination kept wanting to show him images of his beloved blood brother dead or dying. Racing as fast as he could through the NevShoo ship to the portal leading to his vessel, Gwarnon ran through the various diagnostics and could not find any indication of a breach of any kind. A quick check with the NevShoo and his own crew confirmed that they showed no signs of either craft having been breached.
Sprinting through the doors of the medical quarters where Roxy was currently recuperating after her transformation, Gwarnon stumbled to a halt, mentally canceling the distress call he’d sent out to the crew. At least for the moment. Chel leaned against the table next to Roxy’s bed, shaken but okay. Chel’s gaze met Gwarnon’s, and he sent a wave of calming emotions to Gwarnon, helping him fight back the dark anger that wanted to annihilate anyone who harmed his blood brother.
Roxy stood nearby, her cheeks pale against her dark hair as she stared at Chel, then Gwarnon, then back to Chel again with her hand over her mouth. Behind her stood a very worried Nosa, his amber gaze focused on his bride. At his side, Roxy’s blond future bondmate, Cormac, gave her a deeply worried look. Neither Warrior was injured and showed no signs of having fought anyone or anything.
Frustrated at Chel being hurt and being torn away from Lacey at the worse possible moment, he snarled, “What is going on? Chel, are you all right? What happened? The ship didn’t detect any intruders, and the Baladium swears no one approached or boarded our vessel.”
Chel allowed Gwarnon to help him to a couch, more of his soothing calm attempting to ease the rage and worry burning in Gwarnon’s heart. “I will be fine. Lady Roxy unintentionally used the dreshentah on me.”
His stomach bottomed out as he stared at Roxy, instinctive fear making him take a step back.
Dropping her hand from her mouth, Roxy turned to her men. “What? Someo
ne tell me why you’re all freaking out right now, please.”
Giving himself a slight shake that made his dark skin gleam with purple highlights, Nosa said, “There has not been a Kadothian Matriarch who can cause soul pain since the Great Sorrow took our females from us.”
“And that’s bad?”
He slowly nodded. “Until now, it has been a gift only the Hive possesses.”
Roxy clutched at her middle with one hand as if she’d been hit in the stomach. “That’s bad.”
As Gwarnon got over his initial shock, his ever calculating mind worked out that this new development was in their favor. “This is also good.”
Chel stared at him, “Meaning no offense to my Lady, but how can this be a good thing?”
“You are viewing the situation the wrong way.” Gwarnon ignored their skeptical looks and continued, “The gift is not evil; it is the intent of the wielder which makes something bad or good. Before the Great Sorrow, it was celebrated when a Matriarch possessed the gift of soul pain. In the right hands, the gift is a great tool for order and justice, a way to punish without death. Roxy is an honorable woman, a Warrior who shed blood to protect the innocent. The Lord of Life was wise in giving her this gift. It will certainly enhance their odds of winning, and that is the only thing that matters right now.”
“But others will fear her,” Nosa said. “It will give her enemies fuel to cause dissent.”
Gwarnon shrugged. “They may, but having the dreshentah gives us a great tactical advantage. None of Roxy’s potential opponents have any idea about what she can do. We know that Lacey and Roxy will be pitted against humanoids of a similar size and physical prowess, but other than that, their abilities are a mystery.”
Cormac knelt next to Roxy, his voice heavy with emotion as he said, “You should only use this gift as a last resort.”
Watching her closely, Nosa said, “It would help if we were fully bonded. The bondmarks she will bear are visible proof that the Lord of Life blessed our union. It would make it harder for her enemies to use her abilities against her.”
Gwarnon shook his head. “No, you cannot bond her until after the Baladium.”
Nosa snapped, his teeth bared in anger as he snarled, “You would dare try to forbid us from bonding? On what grounds?”
Gwarnon held up his hands as he backed away from the enraged male. “Easy, Warrior. I forbid you nothing. It is in Lady Roxy’s best interest to wait. If she fights in the Baladium as a Matriarch, she will be subjected to stiff fines and punishments by the Kadothian High Congress. They could even try to ban her from her Territory. You know there are Council members itching to have a reason to make a negative example of an Earth Matriarch. Most will understand the circumstances, but some are threatened by the Earth Matriarchs and the power they possess. However, if Roxy is still a bride when she fights, then she is breaking no laws. The ruling by the High Congress to forbids Kadothian Warriors and Matriarchs from participating in the games. It says nothing about brides.”
“Clever,” Chel said with a small smile before he gave Gwarnon a brief but heated kiss.
Pressing his lips firmly against his blood brother’s, Gwarnon was getting ready to deepen the kiss when a pleasurable but shocking sensation roared through him, something akin to plunging into a cold ocean on a hot day. Surprise, adrenaline, and the ability to breathe all became scrambled in his mind as his soul rejoiced.
“What is that?” Chel whispered as he drew back, his hands clenching Gwarnon’s shoulders for support.
Gwarnon cleared his throat. “If you will excuse us, Lacey is going into transition.”
Chel’s chiseled jaw fell open, and blinding happiness and profound relief filled Gwarnon, compounding his own joy until he thought he might burst with it. “You got our kiss?”
“I did. It was so quick, I was unsure if she absorbed enough of my blood. Unfortunately, just as we began to kiss, Lady Roxy’s attacks came through our bond. As I thought you were in mortal danger, I left.”
Roxy dipped her head with a wince. “Sorry again about that.”
Gripping Gwarnon’s shoulders tightly, Chel said, “Tell me what happened.”
“We were training and bickering as usual. Lacey managed to get me on my back. I used my new knowledge of the human female anatomy and made sure I worked her clit with my hips.”
“She responded well?” Chel asked in a worried voice.
“Yes,” Gwarnon said with a no doubt very satisfied smile. “She allowed me to caress her. I took Lord Rell’s advice, and I waited until the moment of her orgasm to kiss her.”
“Well done,” Chel said with a beaming smile. “Well done, indeed.”
Gwarnon smiled back, pride and relief singing through his blood as he shared his love with his brother through their bond. Warm, glowing, their joy mingled and blended together, creating a peace inside of him better than anything he’d ever felt. Then, suddenly, there was another presence with them. Soft, feminine, but also strong and deep as the mighty Alialulin River that surged through Northern Continent.
Astonishment came from Lacey’s spirit a moment before their souls brushed together, their essence mixing into the beginnings of a true bond. For two glorious heartbeats, he had the chance to fully embrace Lacey’s soul with his own, to finally allow someone other than Chel into his deepest of hearts. All too quickly, she slipped away, hidden behind her mental walls, but for the few fleeting moments they’d been together as the Lord of Life intended, he’d known a bliss he’d fight to the death to experience again.
Throwing back his head, he roared out his celebration, Chel’s voice rising with his own, their triumph ringing through his ears and soul. Nosa and Cormac added their voices as well, congratulating them on finding their Matriarch.
Blinking at them with wide, dark eyes, Roxy said, “What was that all about?”
“We were celebraiting with our fellow Warriors because they have found their Matriarch,” Cormac explained with a small smile.
An itch started at the base of Gwarnon’s spine, a prickling along his nerves like his skin had been stripped away. His upper jaw ached a little as his fangs began to drop down, all of his senses heightening as his body began its own transformation. While the bride went through a great physical change, her bondmates went through their own transition as their bodies readied themselves for the privilege of defending their wife. It made them unusually aggressive and unpredictable, which is why most Kadothian males chose to stay away from their brides until the transition was over. If they were with her in their animalistic state, they would not allow anyone to approach her, even if medical care was needed.
Some males suffered from these possessive instincts more than others, and worry came from his bond with Chel as Gwarnon swallowed back a growl. The other males in the room were too close to Chel, and Roxy’s presence irritated him. Hostility filled him, and he clung to the anchor of Chel’s mind, trying to keep from getting sucked into the dark place deep inside of him where the bestial animal that he could become resided. That animal didn’t care that Roxy wasn’t a threat, didn’t care that Nosa and Cormac were men he’d grown to both respect and admire.
Men that he could, in time, call friends.
No, that beast only saw his fellow Warriors as potential threats.
Chel abruptly stood then grabbed Gwarnon’s hand as he began to back away with a bow. “Forgive me for being rude, Lady Roxy, but we must leave. My instincts will not allow another female near me until Lacey is done transitioning.”
Roxy gave them a hesitant smile. “Of course. We’ll be off. I’m very happy for you—for all three of you. Congratulations on finding your Matriarch. Lacey is a good woman, and I know you’ll treat her right.”
“Yes, thank you,” Chel managed to get out before he hauled Gwarnon out into the hallway.
Two of their men, Samit and Brelin, stood at the end of the hallway, worried looks on their hard faces. Gwarnon had known them for a long time and trusted them with his life. They w
ere his former weapons trainers, two seasoned Warriors who’d taken a green recruit under their wing at the Academy and taught him to survive. Between the two of them, they’d saved his life a thousand times over, but in the moment, he wanted to tear their throats out.
“Stay back,” Chel shouted, keeping both of his hands on Gwarnon’s shoulders. “Lacey has gone into transition. It is riding his protective instincts hard.”
Samit smiled, the white of his teeth brilliant against his blue black skin. “Congratulations!”
Brelin, with his brilliant green and blue hair, threw a fist into the air. “Well done! Lord of Life’s blessing on your bride!”
“Thank you,” Chel said as he began to push Gwarnon down the hall to their room. “I have sent you instructions for her care. Do not fail me.”
Chapter 5
Lacey
Her eyelids were so, so heavy, but for some reason her mind insisted she wake up. A nagging sense that there was something wrong kept poking at her as she tried to slip back into sleep. Thoughts drifted through her mind, and her lower spine gave a few cracks as she stretched out. It seemed like her body was always stiff these days from the endless training that Gwarnon and Chel put her through.
Gwarnon…
Abruptly, she forced her eyes open and blinked away the blurriness.
She was in an unfamiliar room with strange instruments all around her.
Sitting up, she looked down at the soft, pale sea green tunic style dress she wore and fingered the smooth, shimmery material.
An unfamiliar feeling of something sliding over her neck startled her, and she reached up, touching long blonde curls that now reached past her shoulders.
Puzzled, she held a strand out and stared at it as the doors to the room she was in slid open, revealing a smiling Roxy wearing a pair of loose white pants and a sleeveless teal and gold shirt.
“You’re awake!” her friend said with a wide smile.