Oath of Challenge: Conquering Kate

by Marly Chance

  He had blocked her a great deal. She wondered about it, but figured he was trying to keep the peace. He had been careful not to push her sexually either. Well, he had fulfilled a lot of fantasies, but he hadn’t pushed for intercourse very hard.

  They had walked a very fine line sexually to satisfy each other. The only problem for her was the absence of that final act only tantalized her all the more. Each time they came together and didn’t have intercourse, the desire to go all the way only grew greater. She laughed inwardly as she realized she sounded like a teenager.

  Still, the lack of aggression from Tair bothered her in some indefinable way. She had a nagging feeling that everything was too perfect. She was waiting for unhappiness to rear its ugly head. She was used to being happy on her own, but she wasn’t used to having that feeling with someone else. She distrusted it instinctively.

  Yet, the fantasy popped into her head at times. She had thought occasionally about staying on Shimeria with Tair. Like some kind of crazy dream, she imagined working and coming home to him every night. She knew the relationship was doomed, but the lure of trying to make it work was strong.

  She had waited for the intensity between them to die down, and it had to some degree. The passion still burned hotly, but there was comfort and affection underneath it. Thinking back to all the broken relationships in her life, she realized she should be thankful that her time with Tair was limited to two weeks. Already the thought of leaving produced a hollow ache in her chest. She didn’t want to imagine what it would feel like if they had several months or years together before a split.

  Shrugging her grim thoughts aside, she resolved to enjoy the time she had with Tair. Kate Carson was no wimpy whiner. She grabbed hold of life and wrung it dry. Feeling the need to do something, anything, she wondered what to do with all this energy.

  The image of Sharon filled her mind. Sharon would have said, “Kate, what you need is a plan.” With a broad smile, Kate gave a mental nod of agreement. Maybe she would surprise Tair today with some new move. She was no circus performer, but she might be able to come up with something to shock the hell out of him.

  Sitting up, she brushed her hair back off of her face and listened. She didn’t hear Tair moving around anywhere or feel him. He was blocking her obviously. Still not hearing him, she decided he must have gone out. She headed for the bathroom, plotting and planning.

  Later, after she showered, she realized she had forgotten to bring clothes into the bathroom. She glanced around. One of his shirts was hanging from a hook. She hesitated. She was alone. The no clothing rule applied only when he was around. Besides, it was really more of a form of sexual foreplay than a rule. She rolled her eyes a little at the two of them and grabbed the shirt. Shrugging into it, she padded down the hallway barefoot, humming softly to herself.

  Spotting Tair in the living room in a chair, she halted in sudden surprise at his presence and the look on his face. He was staring at nothing, but the expression on his face was grim. He was wearing pants; but his chest was bare and he was bootless. Clearing her throat, she walked into the room, and said, “Good Morning.”

  She felt a chill go through her when he turned to face her. His eyes were hard and he looked dangerous. His lips moved in a small smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He said pleasantly, “Good Morning, Kate. Please come greet me properly.”

  He was sounding very Shimerian suddenly. Kate admired his grasp of slang, but noticed his English grew more formal when he was feeling angry or some other intense emotion. It was not a good sign.

  Wondering what had caused this sudden mood, she walked over to him and gave him a cautious kiss on his mouth. His mouth moved under hers with lazy precision. She felt the warm glow of arousal and pulled back to look at his face again.

  He was looking at her with naked hunger in his eyes. The intensity of the look startled her. Before she could comment, his expression changed and he smiled warmly, with casual intimacy.

  Tumbling her onto his lap, he cradled her close and kissed her enthusiastically. When he raised his head, she looked up at him in surprise. She said huskily, “Well, good morning.”

  He grinned and said simply, “You look beautiful.”

  Kate felt heat rise into her face. It was ridiculous to be so touched by such a simple compliment and a few kisses and hugs. Lifting her chin, she said with mock solemnity, “Of course. It’s a curse. Thousands of men throw themselves at my feet each day, but I endure.”

  Tair ran a finger down her cheek and laughed. Suddenly, he raised his head and a resigned look passed over his face. Kate asked, “What is it?”

  Tair looked back down at her and asked, “Kate, do you trust me?”

  Kate was uncomfortable at the sudden question. She did trust him on a lot of levels. In fact, she trusted him more than she should, given her track record and their current situation. She looked away and searched for an evasion. Her heart pounded as she really thought about his question.

  Tair felt his heart sink when she made no response. The temptation to scan her thoughts was great, but he needed to hear the words. Just as he was sure that she was going to answer negatively or evade, he heard a soft-spoken, “yes” in the silence of the room. He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. She looked miserable, but honest. It was enough.

  Kate saw the relief flood Tair’s face. He was acting so strangely this morning. What was his problem? She opened her mouth to ask when the front door opened.

  With a sinking feeling, she watched Jadik stroll into the room. Her thoughts went into a frantic spin as she realized that the linking discussion had just gone to the top of the agenda. She straightened up and climbed off of Tair in a hurry.

  Jadik said warmly, “Hello!”

  Kate stood next to Tair’s chair and sent looks back and forth to the two of them in silent accusation. Settling on Jadik as her first target, she said icily, “On my world it is common courtesy to knock.”

  Jadik looked confused at her words. Raising an eyebrow, he answered mildly, “I broadcast my coming arrival to Tair. He answered me. On my world that is considered courtesy enough.”

  Kate felt off-balance and extremely agitated. Without thinking, she said coolly, “Yes, well, I’m human, not Shimerian. A mental knock doesn’t cut it. If you want to enter our home, you’ll knock physically, too.”

  Suddenly realizing just how much she had revealed, she added, “I meant Tair’s home. While I’m here.” She turned and paced further away from the two of them.

  Tair felt like shouting his triumph at her mistake. He was making more progress than he had thought. With more confidence, he said boldly, “Kate, you must link with Jadik today.”

  Looking at her with total sincerity, he said firmly, “Your protection supercedes all else.”

  Kate knew deep down that there was no way around it. She had gone over the tutorials during her brief times alone, looking for some loophole, but could find none. It was Shimerian law. He was a cop. She was an attorney and a law-abiding person, too. She had no desire to become a criminal at this point. She could even appreciate that it was a tradition and a safety measure that was old and ingrained.

  She felt uneasy and unsure about it, but she understood their point of view. Buying time, she said coolly, “I haven’t made my decision yet.”

  Jadik sat down in the chair across from Tair and watched her calmly. In a soothing voice, he said, “Kate, I may be able to help.”

  Kate regarded him suspiciously. She liked Jadik, but there was something about him that made her nervous. He reminded her of an iceberg. What you saw on the surface was only the tip. She asked shortly, “How?”

  Tair watched their exchange and held his breath. If Jadik was going in the direction he suspected, the results could be positive or completely disastrous. With Kate, there was no way of knowing how she would react.

  Jadik leaned forward and said calmly, “You do not trust me. It makes it difficult for you to feel comfortable.”

  Well, th
at was true. She didn’t see what they could do about it, though. Nodding her head in agreement, she said, “No offense, Jadik, but I don’t know you very well.”

  He nodded his understanding and said gravely, “To have trust, one must give it. I am going to reveal something to you that very few know. There are rumors about my abilities, but very few people know the extent of them. If they became common knowledge, my life would be in jeopardy. I would be treated as an oddity or even a threat. I am trusting you with my life now as I ask you to trust me.”

  Kate was extremely curious. Jadik was staring at her with total intensity and sincerity. The effect was pretty powerful. She gave a nod and said simply, “I won’t tell anyone.”

  She walked to the sofa and sat down with her body angled toward him. She added gravely, “I promise.”

  Jadik gave her a slight smile and said, “First of all, I am a shifter.”

  Kate was confused. In a surprised voice, she said, “You’re bisexual?”

  He looked stunned and then repelled. When Tair burst into laughter, Jadik shot him a lethal glare. He said slowly and with great enunciation, “I am attracted to only women. That is not at all what I meant.”

  Kate couldn’t help smiling at the indignant look on his face. It broke the gravity of the moment. Relaxing her shoulders, and leaning back on the sofa, she said, “Now, Jadik, it was a perfectly logical mistake. I have no idea what a shifter is.”

  Jadik still looked a little unsettled at her assumption, but he said, “I am a shapeshifter. You have probably seen some of the animals here with the same ability.”

  Kate was shocked. Recoiling at little, she ordered, “Tell me you don’t turn into a rat.”

  Tair interrupted indignantly, “Deva is not a rodent. She is a sheka.”

  Kate rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

  A sudden thought occurred to her. Looking at Jadik with horror, she exclaimed, “Oh, no! Tell me you’re not…!”

  Now Jadik rolled his eyes. The humor of it struck him and he asked teasingly, “Have you ever seen us in the same room together?”

  Kate made a choking sound.

  Jadik laughed uproariously. “I am joking. No, I am not Deva or any sheka.”

  She continued to regard him suspiciously. He became sober and said earnestly, “Kate, I vow to you I am not a rat or a rodent of any kind. Truly.”

  Turning to Tair, he said, “I cannot believe I have said those words.”

  Tair laughed until his sides ached. Kate would never cease to surprise him. There was no one like her. Only Kate could get one of the most powerful men on the planet to make such a ridiculous oath.

  Kate believed him. They might think it was a bizarre suggestion, but she had been on Planet Kink long enough to know that things were often not what they seemed. Relieved, she asked, “Okay, then what do you change into?”

  Jadik said, “I have different forms, but they are all Shimerian. In other words, they are merely different body forms I can assume at will.”

  When she arched an eyebrow and opened her mouth, he said quickly, “All of them are male forms. I am not female.”

  Jadik shot a suspicious look at Tair, but Tair was studying the ceiling as if in great thought. However, the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth gave away his true feelings.

  Jadik glared at him and said, “You could help with explanations. She is your pactmate.”

  Tair gave up and laughed. He said, “Yes, Jadik, but you are handling it so well.”

  Kate asked, “You mean, you can look like someone else?”

  Jadik turned back to her. “Yes, I have several different forms. The body size is approximately the same, but the individual features are different. I use the shifting in my work sometimes to hide my identity. It is effective.”

  Abruptly turning very serious, he said, “Kate, shifters are rare and not understood. Many people regard someone different as a threat. It is this way on your planet as well as mine.”

  He continued grimly, “However, I hide my ability for other reasons as well. There are certain mental abilities that come with the gift. I would rather not discuss them now, but I ask you to trust me. We will talk about them some time if you have questions. I will answer you honestly.”

  Kate nodded her head in agreement. The whole ability to shift was a strange idea and she figured her quota of bizarre was pretty much filled for the day. Staring at Jadik, she tried to picture him assuming another form the way Deva had in the bathroom. Somehow, she couldn’t imagine it.

  Jadik said, “My confession has two purposes, Kate. I want to prove that I trust you so that you will feel more comfortable. In addition, the ability to shift may make linking more acceptable.” The last part of his statement was said in a carefully neutral tone.

  Kate looked at Tair. He looked somber, although his expression was bland. Jadik looked just as blank faced and unexpressive. She asked curiously, “What does shifting have to do with linking?”

  Jadik said, “You can pick which form you desire. I will link with you in that state.”

  Multiple Jadik’s to choose from? The thought was scary as hell. With a grimace, Kate said, ‘I believe I’ll stick with the original.”

  A thought stuck her and she asked, “Is this the original?”

  He smiled. “Yes, this is my natural form.”

  Leaning forward, he said softly, “Kate, you may pick another form that you desire more or desire less. Whatever will make you feel more comfortable with the sexuality of the link.”

  Kate was tempted for a second. Part of the reason she was so uncomfortable with the damn linking thing was her attraction to Jadik. In a sense, she was afraid that it would get out of hand. It would go only as far as the three of them wanted it to go. The problem was she was nervous about where her stopping point might be.

  Still, picking a less desirable form felt almost cowardly. Almost like refusing to take a test out of fearing she’d fail it. It wasn’t her style and it wasn’t the way she wanted to live her life.

  With sudden decision, she raised her chin and said, “When I link, I accept no substitutes or imitations.”

  Jadik sat back with relief and gave an amused smile at her phrasing. He had to admire her spirit. She was confused by the cultural differences, but she was facing them squarely.

  Tair felt overwhelming relief and a sense of pride. She had studied their culture and understood what was at stake. She was facing her fears and battling her way through them in the most direct way.

  Tair stood up and gave her a warm smile. Crossing to the couch, he paused and looked down at her. He said simply, “Thank you, Kate. Now, it is time to link.”

  Chapter 13

  Kate realized several things simultaneously. First of all, she was wearing a shirt and nothing else. Granted, it was Tair’s shirt, so it was very loose and came down to mid-thigh, but she was extremely conscious of her lack of panties. Secondly, she had just agreed to sexual activity with two men for the first time in her life. And she hadn’t even had breakfast yet. Third, she was scared out of her mind.

  Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she attempted to ask nonchalantly, “So, shouldn’t we have a drink first or maybe throw on some mood music?”

  What kind of music did you play in this situation? The theme from that very old classic Twilight Zone series filled her head. Appropriate, but not exactly the mood she was seeking. She gave a choked laugh in response.

  Tair exchanged a look with Jadik and then held out his hand to her. He asked gently, “Kate?”

  Kate looked at his hand and then looked into his face. It was now or never. She placed her hand in his and stood up on shaky legs.

  Tossing her hair back, she said nervously, “There won’t be any more surprises, right? You have just one form and I’ve seen it before. We’re merely adding a new dimension to a familiar theme.”

  Tair enveloped her in a strong hug. She was vibrating with nerves. Placing a kiss to the top of her head, he said, “Kate, I will be sca
nning you the whole time. Nothing unacceptable or awful is going to happen. You have my oath. Please trust me.”

  His voice came out huskier than he intended as he added, “It will be extremely pleasurable.”

  When she clung to him without lifting her head, he cleared his throat and teased softly, “Kate Carson conquers planets. Two men are mere trifles.”

  Kate raised her head and lifted her chin. It was time she found her backbone. Pulling away from him, she said tartly, “Obviously, I’m going to have to take charge. The two of you are way too emotional about sex.”

  Both men lifted their eyebrows at her in disbelief, but she ignored them and strolled over to the bar. Tair had told her that he put the bar in just three weeks ago. It was long, running nearly the length of the room and not very tall, but fairly broad. It had a small food and drink transport accessible from the back. She stared blankly down at the dark top of it for a second in panic.

  At the moment she was grateful he had installed it. She didn’t really plan to have a drink at this hour, but she needed a distraction, any distraction. Her heart was pounding like a drum in her chest. She was going to have a heart attack.

  Tair followed behind her. As they arrived at the bar, she was startled when he reached around her and planted both hands on it, caging her.

  Spinning around within the circle of his arms, she stepped away from him until the bar bit into her back. Looking up, she said, “Yes?”

  Tair leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her mouth. He lifted his head before Kate could respond. His eyes had grown darker and his look was piercing.

  His tone was pure temptation. “Kate, remember Yginfa’s? How the fear intensified your arousal?”

  The image of her orgasm flashed through her mind. The fear of discovery. The intensity of the pleasure. She felt the hum of arousal start through her body. She nodded.

  Tair said, “This will be even better.” He leaned down and gave her a hard kiss.

  Kate reached up and caught his head in her hands. Running her fingers through his hair, she leaned into the kiss. Her mouth opened wide and she met his tongue with her own. As the velvet warmth of his tongue penetrated her mouth, she felt her nipples harden.