“No!” Raeder’s shout filled the jump deck. Ruthlessly he pulled energy from the five people connected to him. He forced the images of Mouria and Allouria to merge in his mind, kept the flow of information from Mylee, filtered through Pantair, playing through his mind.
One moment they were above Mouria. The next they were in the thick of the battle to save his home world.
Aleea didn’t have a chance to think. It felt as if the very essence of her being was torn from her. Linked to Raeder, she could only respond as he directed.
Four Sharakan broke off from The Heritage to target the planet. Three raced after Zaen’s ship. The smaller Strider turned and spun in a dizzying ballet. A bolt of energy obscured it from view.
Raeder swore with savage fluency. Ruthlessly, he absorbed the energy of the five people around him and sent The Summit after The Heritage and the Striders chasing it. He wouldn’t lose a brother.
Aleea felt the disruption in space as three other starships jumped into Allouria’s space. She recognized them from Mouria. Had they followed The Summit? Were they here to help? Would they be able to help? A jump left a Strider vulnerable because of what it took from the jump crew, didn’t it?
All thought disappeared as Raeder took over once more. He didn’t just move, he made tiny, incremental jumps, disappearing and reappearing, confounding the enemy. Images flashed instantly through his mind.
Aleea grasped his arms, her fingers digging into flesh but the dizziness didn’t stop.
Raeder felt the mind of his brother, Zaen, at the edges of his conscious.
“Like this.” He melded his mind with Zaen’s, felt the wrench of adding a connection to those already established with his team. Information flooded from him to Zaen allowing an instant knowledge of how to make incremental jumps and stay ahead of the enemy’s weapons.
He severed the connection just a breath after making it. With deadly precision, he made the jump away from the Strider behind Zaen and appeared between Allouria and the deadly energy bolts raining down on his home.
An energy bolt slammed into The Summit.
Fueled by Raeder’s rage, four energy bolts hit the Sharakan vessel in quick succession. The hull buckled. He hit it again, the energy bolt white-hot. It sliced through the enemy vessel, spilling people and equipment from the gash.
The Heritage spun on the lead Sharakan following it. It raced toward the vessel, firing bolt after bolt of energy.
The Jaedred, Myka’s ship, moved to help The Heritage but it was moving slow. The energy bolts it fired were sluggish though no less powerful.
The rear Sharakan turned on The Jaedred. It began to glow as it collected energy and began focusing it.
Raeder swore a savage stream of curses. He fought space and time, blended the images of where he was and where he wanted to be. Between one breath and the next he made the jump. The hull of The Summit slammed into the Sharakan battle Strider as it fired on The Jaedred.
Aleea was thrown into the shock webbing. Powerful hands gripped her arms. The image of the jump deck was layered with the vision of Allouria and space. Through Raeder, it filled her mind.
A blue-tinged energy bolt fired from an enemy vessel. Aleea screamed, felt Raeder’s fierce, unbendable will as he forced the starship into a starboard turn away from the deadly ray.
Pure energy hit The Summit.
The shock webbing didn’t hold. Aleea skidded across the floor of the jump deck. Her head cracked into the aqua-run.
Dizzy, disoriented, she felt hands grasp her arm, holding her as the ship listed. There was a stinging, burning sensation in her left arm. Energy was pulled from her. She was looking at the planet then facing away from it.
A bolt of energy aimed at The Heritage missed its mark, barely.
Aleea felt herself fading as her life’s force was fed to The Summit. The hull was split, precious air leaking out. She could see the ship, its internal structure, the dance of atoms and electrons, the melding together of the fabric of the ship. She could feel the Strider’s essence, a humming resonance that sang through her. It was alive and with the help of the jump team and herself, it was healing.
Awe changed to horror as she watched The Heritage take three hits. The hull blackened but held.
The Jaedred fired at the Sharakan.
Suddenly another ship swung into view. The Kulurik, Cynjyn’s ship, slammed bolt after bolt of white-hot energy into the enemy Strider.
Raeder sent a volley of energy bolts at one Sharakan Strider. Peripherally, he was aware of The Heritage and The Kulurik. The enemy vessel between them took another series of hits. It and its two mates fired at the two Allourian ships.
Sparks flared from the enemy’s hull. One moment it was there, the next, debris hit the Allourian vessels and the two remaining Sharakan ships.
The Sharakan Striders raining fire down on the planet turned as one to flee.
Raeder reined in the psychic energy of his team, felt Tayera falter and fade, her reserves depleted. He wouldn’t let the Sharakan leave unscathed. Cowards, running when the odds were against them. They had attacked Allouria and for that they would die.
Meticulously, moving fast, he honed in on the last of the fleeing Striders. He timed his jump as he pulled energy in, using his ship to harness the power.
One moment he was watching them run, the next, he was behind them. The power surging and spiking through The Summit was tremendous. He focused on his target, concentrated the energy to the leading edge of the ship and released it. Fury lent power to the strike.
Blinding light seared through space, hit the Sharakan and detonated the starship like a bomb. Raeder caught a glimpse of The SunRunner tumbling away from the blast.
The energy wave hit The Summit. The Strider spun out of control. Raeder was flung against the one strand of shock webbing still holding him to his chair.
* * * * *
Raeder didn’t know how long it was before the wild tumble stopped. Through his connection with his ship, he viewed the skies above the planet. The enemy was gone. How many had survived?
He shook his head. What mattered was that Allouria and his family were safe. Their ships would need repairs. While that was happening, he and Aleea would rebuild the Rilirian Field.
Aleea? Where was she?
Shaken, he shrugged off the shock webbing that clung to his shoulders. He got to his feet. Laiera, Pantair and Kael were unconscious in their jump seats. Where was Tayera? Aleea?
Adrenaline burned through his veins. He spun around, saw Aleea slumped against the aqua-run, blood on the side of her head.
“Aleea!” He raced to Aleea and lifted her into his arms.
“Fallyn!” He yelled for the healer.
She didn’t respond.
“Incom.”
“Ready,” the ship answered.
“Tilby. Get to my chambers immediately.” He yelled the command at the ship’s second healer.
He raced across the jump deck and through the translocator portal, Aleea held tight to his chest.
* * * * *
Tilby was in his chamber when they entered. She took one look at Aleea limp in Raeder’s arms and hustled forward.
“What happened to the child?” she demanded, pushing Raeder’s hands away even as he was laying Aleea on their bed.
“The shock webbing didn’t hold. She must have hit her head when The Summit rolled.”
Tilby tsked under her breath as she ran her hands over Aleea, concentrating on her head and left arm. She closed her eyes, let her mind connect with Aleea’s and assessed for internal damage. A relieved breath escaped her when she found only minor wounds.
“You’re a lucky man.” She glared up at Raeder as she pressed one hand to Aleea’s head, the other to her arm. “She has no major injuries.”
“Why isn’t she awake?” he demanded.
Tilby glowered up at him. “You try and break your head and see how fast you want to wake up.”
“She’ll be all right?”
&
nbsp; “No thanks to you.” She sniffed, closed her eyes and began the healing process.
Raeder felt too relieved to be angry over Tilby’s scolding. He leaned against the wall, let his head fall back and took a deep breath. He couldn’t afford to give her much recovery time. They had to get to Allouria and reenergize the Rilirian Field. The Sharakan, and whoever was behind their attacks, wouldn’t be content after losing today’s skirmish.
“You listen to me.” A solid finger thumped into his stomach.
Surprised, Raeder looked down to find Tilby glaring up at him from his waist.
She jabbed him with her finger again. “You’re not to bother this girl, do you hear? No sex no matter how much your cock kicks up a fuss about it. She’s to rest until she’s ready to wake.”
Raeder frowned. “Of course.”
Tilby snorted. “Of course,” she mimicked his affronted tone. “You just do as I say.”
Raeder’s jaw tightened. Tilby might be an old family servant, but she was about to find herself planet-side working with his mother.
“Your help is appreciated.” His tone was dismissing and he didn’t try to soften it.
“My help but not my advice.” Tilby scowled at him. “Don’t put the girl in any more danger than she’s already been in.”
“Tilby, I’m sure there are other people aboard who require your services.”
With a harrumph, she hustled out of the room.
As the door closed, Raeder eased himself onto the bed beside Aleea. He wrapped one arm around her waist, captured her legs under one of his and closed his eyes. He needed to contact his father. There would be casualties, massive destruction. He needed to get Aleea to the crystal cavern for the official consummation of their union.
How had her psychic potential been missed? The standard educational entry testing had failed to detect her ability. She should have been trained, her abilities developed. It made no sense. The tests had been created for people just like Aleea. If he hadn’t found her, her talent would have been lost.
There were a lot of questions he wanted answered. When she woke would be time enough. For now, what she needed was sleep.
He watched the rise and fall of her breasts with each breath, studied her narrow rib cage and tiny waist. Her hips were gently flared, her legs long and toned. She smelled sweet and fresh. A scent unique to her.
It was his duty to protect her, to keep her safe, for himself but even more for his people. She was the key to protecting the tract of space his family controlled.
He’d fallen short of his responsibility. She could have died using the translocator. Now she’d been hurt during a battle to save his world.
He leaned forward to rest his head against her chest. Under his cheek, her heartbeat was strong and steady.
How had she done what she’d done? The jump to Allouria had been extraordinary. The members of the jump team had been able to go into battle ready, not exhausted. It had made the difference between success and failure, and it was because of her.
He didn’t have the information he needed to keep her safe. What he needed to know would be in ancient tomes, no doubt buried in archives that his father’s historians would gleefully delve into.
The Sharakan attack hadn’t lasted long but there would still be considerable damage.
He lay down beside Aleea, tucked her head under his chin and settled his hand over her left breast. Her heartbeat was strong. Her nipple was soft.
He lifted his head, leaned down and closed his mouth over her breast. He licked the nipple, suckled the tip with gentle pressure. Her chest lifted on a sigh, her nipple hardened in his mouth.
He nuzzled her breast with his lips. He wanted to go on tasting her but now wasn’t the time.
He returned to his previous position with her head tucked under his chin. She was alive. Even in sleep she responded to him. For now, he wouldn’t ask for more.
Eyes closed he held her tight, trapped under his leg. He would contact his father, but for now he needed Aleea, to feel her against him, her skin warm against his, her heart beating under his hand.
He closed his eyes and savored her.
He would do everything he needed to do, but first she needed rest and he needed her. They would see his father soon enough. And after being a part of a royal wedding, Aleea would finally understand her future was with him and tied to Allouria.
For the first time in a very long time, he was unaware when sleep overtook him.
Chapter 8
Tayera hid behind the tapestry on the wall of Raeder’s room. She still couldn’t believe it. What that woman Aleea had done wasn’t possible. A jump was a gradual building of energy, a merging of each member of the team. It wasn’t a flash of power that ended before it began.
She’d ruined everything. She was nothing. A nobody from a nothing planet. She couldn’t be allowed to ruin everything.
* * * * *
Aleea blinked, opened her eyes and looked around the sleeping chamber. She could feel everything. The ship around her. The planet below The Summit pulled at the Strider, gravity dragging at her. She could also feel Raeder beside her, his leg over hers, his hand cupping her breast. He smelled warm and undeniably male. His skin was hot where it touched hers.
Taking a deep breath she fought to understand what was happening. The duality was more than confusing. It was like she was in her body and outside it at the same time.
And what was it with the sexual tension? It had started before the jump and built during it. If it hadn’t been for the battle when they reached Allouria, she would have torn Raeder’s clothes off and sank herself on his hard shaft, jump team or no jump team.
She was so ready now she wanted to scream. Her skin felt tight and she was hot, inside and out. She moaned and twisted on the bed.
Raeder woke, rose on one elbow and stared down at her. “What is it? Are you hurting?”
His hand tightened on her breast. His tone was sharp.
She grimaced. He wasn’t helping her cool down. “I’m not hurting.”
“What is it? I felt you tense.”
She shook her head. What was she supposed to tell him? By the way, I need you inside me right now, so get to it?
“What is it?” he demanded. “Do I need to call Fallyn or Tilby?” He couldn’t stand the thought of her hurting.
“No.” She closed her eyes and shook her head again. Couldn’t he just take no for an answer? “I’m not hurting. Not the way you’re talking about, anyway.”
Raeder’s eyes narrowed on her. “In what way are you hurting?”
She opened her eyes and met his intense stare. “I want you.”
He took a deep breath and almost smiled. That kind of hurt he could live with. Hell, he lived with it every waking moment himself. He pressed her into the bed with his leg over hers. “I want you, too.”
“But I feel you inside me.”
He rolled over, pressed his hard cock against her pelvis. “You feel me inside you?” His brows rose.
She rolled her eyes. “Not like that.”
“Then how?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s you. I feel…” She shook her head again. How did she explain something she didn’t understand?
“You feel the blood racing through my veins. The heat I feel deep in my gut, the pressure building in my cock.”
Her eyes widened. “How do you know?”
He rocked against her pelvis. “I feel the fire in your veins. The heat in your belly. You’re wet and you want me inside you.”
“How do you know that?”
“Something happened when we made the jump.” How did he explain what he didn’t understand?
“What is it?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. The historians will help us when we translocate to the surface.”
Her eyes closed halfway as the heat spiked inside her. She undulated against him. She really was going to scream. “What do we do about these feelings?”
“What did you want to do on the jump deck?”
“You know about that?” She pushed against his chest. “How did you know?”
“The same way you know I’m in pain right now from wanting you. Now, what was it you wanted on the jump deck?”
Stars, there was nothing like feeling exposed and vulnerable, sexy and wanted all at the same time. If her blood got any hotter she was going to go up in flames, literally.
“You were in your chair on the jump deck, reclining. You pulled me on top of you, my back to your chest and I could feel your cock hard and straining under me. I wanted to try it that way. You filling me from behind. Stars all around us.” The thought of being exposed added a certain thrill to the whole idea, but she wasn’t ready to share that.
For a moment Raeder didn’t move or respond. “Incom. Reclining chair matching the specs of the command chair on the jump deck.”
A chair lifted out of the floor. Raeder rolled away from Aleea and off the bed. He pulled her up so she was sitting before walking across the room to sit down. He reclined back, watched her as he caught his penis in one hand and held it away from his body. It was her turn to take him. He needed to know how much she wanted him.
“What next?”
She stared at the dark, turgid length and swallowed hard. She got off the bed and walked to him, unaware of the sensual sway of her hips and breasts.
Reverently she reached out and touched the head of his cock where a bead of pearly liquid had appeared. She rubbed her fingertip around the broad head, playing with him. She lifted her finger to her mouth and sucked it as she lifted her eyes to meet his.
“You taste like you smell. Musky, salty, male.”
More fluid seeped from the head of his cock.
“This was your idea. Do what you were talking about or I’ll take you where you stand.” He couldn’t play games. He was hurting too much.
She smiled, her expression full of lust. “Promises, promises.” She turned her back to him and stuck out her butt. Hands braced on the chair between his legs, she swung one leg over his.
Darkeen Dynasty 1: Raeder's Woman Page 12