The Unexpected Bonding Vow

by Michelle Howard

  She had no idea, no possible way of understanding what he did for the Guild. His work, his assignments, involved killing. The contract were planned meticulously, cleanly and without a trace of remorse.

  An innocent woman like Saedra could never fully know that and Garik had no intention of going into detail. He’d let her believe she saw him clearly. He never wanted to frighten her with the truth.

  Saedra reached up and traced her finger over his top lip. Sensations prickled from his mouth to his jaw. “Do you ever smile? Fully?”

  Her touch as always struck like a match to tinder. Garik groaned and nipped at her fingertip. Saedra yelped, pulling her hand away and drawing another lip twitch from him. Garik caught her wrist and brought it back to his mouth. He tongued the digit from the tip to the bottom then drew it deep into his mouth and sucked.

  Saedra gasped and her mouth formed a perfect O. Garik couldn’t have resisted if he wanted to. He released her hand and dropped down on the bed to curve his arms around her and tug her into his chest. His mouth landed on hers, catching her surprised breath. She softened against him and rubbed her legs between his. Garik parted his thighs, accepted her weight with a grateful moan as her breasts pressed into his chest.

  He teased her with his tongue, flicking it with hers until she responded. Tentative, but with enthusiasm, her tongue ventured into his mouth. Shivers rolled down Garik’s spine. He cupped the back of her head and held her in place while he explored her mouth and gave her space to do the same to him.

  Saedra’s hands delved into his hair, nails raking his scalp. He broke the kiss and gritted his teeth. The taste of her had been sweet, her inexperience obvious but her desire honest and true. For someone like Garik, it was an irresistible combination. He craved what she was giving to him.

  Hepetti, he could totally get behind that. Though arousal beat at his senses, Garik refused to rush into undressing. Instead, he aligned her curves to his and thrust his hips up and down.

  “Ohhh.” Surprise widened Saedra’s eyes.

  “Feel good?” he asked.

  “Yessss,” she dragged out.

  Perfect. Garik gripped her hips and guided her in a slow grind on his lap. Pink circles popped on her cheeks as she arched on a low moan. Garik slid one hand up her back, encouraging her to sit up. Her legs moved and bracketed his hips. The position also had the benefit of pushing her breasts closer to his face. Garik leaned forward and latched on to the prominent point of her left nipple. Their eyes locked on one another. He waited one beat then lowered his lids and sucked. Saedra cried out, her thighs pressing tight as she rocked faster.

  His gaze flicked up to take in the beautiful picture she made as she rode his clothed cock. Face flushed, body trembling and the skirts of her dress bunched up about her thighs. The visual imagery and physical stimulation crashed together. So good it made him want to extend the feelings forever.

  Except they really shouldn’t be doing this now. Garik released her nipple on an indrawn breath. “We should stop.”

  It killed him to make that admission.

  Saedra’s cheeks were a bright red. Her mouth formed a pout and she rocked again. “No. I want this.”

  At this rate, she was going to make him come in his pants. He pressed lightly on her back and gave attention to her other breast with the same nip, then suck.

  Saedra fell forward and fisted her hands in his hair to choke out, “You feel good. Please don’t stop.”

  Everything he was feeling was reflected on her face. She was wrapped in the same vortex of pleasure, except if the quivering in her thighs was any indication, closer to climax. Flushed and gasping, she was the prettiest sight he’d ever seen. He wanted her to come. Right now, like this and intended to make sure she found the release she was eagerly chasing while he watched and enjoyed the sight.

  Garik eased off her nipple and took in the two damp spots on her thin white shift from where he’d been sucking. Shit. Forget his plan to remain calm through this. He worked his hips up and down, hands clamped tight as he moved her over him. The orgasm racing toward him like an out of control shuttle was going to collide with hers.

  “Please, Garik,” she whined. Her head dropped and dark hair cascaded about his chest and face.

  “I’ve got you, Saedra. Don’t be afraid, sesi. It’s all yours.”

  I’m all yours, he wanted to add.

  Their clothes provided a thin barrier but neither of them seemed to care. Their hips smashed together amidst his deep grunts and her whimpering cries. Tingles raced up Garik’s spine, the impending explosion unstoppable. Saedra’s panting grew louder.

  “Yes. Yes. Yes,” she chanted.

  Suddenly, she jerked upright, dug her nails into his chest and slammed down on him with a scream. Garik reached up to cover her mouth with his hand as a crazy display of lights blasted over his vision. He used his other hand to hold her tight as he watched her rock and pump in a frenzy.

  Chapter 10

  Shudders still rocked Saedra’s frame as she sat stunned atop Garik’s lap. She’d orgasmed. Not her first but greater than anything she’d given herself in the darkness under the covers in her room when curiosity had beat out misplaced decorum. Gasping for air, she glanced down at the man lying between her legs.

  His eyes were closed, a fine sheen of sweat on his brow while his chest continued to rise and fall from exertion. The hand he’d used to muffle her sounds slid down clumsily to rest on her shoulder, where he squeezed once before his arm fell flat to the bed.

  Heart pounding, Saedra didn’t know what to say or do. She unclenched her nails and slumped on her haunches. What had she done? She stared around her then back down and froze. Garik’s eyes were now open and watching.

  Taking a deep breath, Saedra said, “I didn’t expect that to happen.”

  His mouth twitched then curved up slightly. “Should I apologize?”

  A snort-laugh burst forth. Saedra nearly groaned at the sound. Clearly, she was still giddy and riding on a cloud of endorphins. She was perched on his waist, which seemed inappropriate now and slid off of him and onto the mattress. The separation did little to calm the rioting emotions inside yet her answer to his question was instant. “No. But maybe I should?”

  She wasn’t the most experienced but she was pretty sure he hadn’t come when she did.

  Garik adjusted himself casually and stretched out on the bed with one knee cocked up. With his rough edges and the constant awareness of how deadly he was, Saedra shouldn’t have been the least bit aroused by his actions.

  Except, everything about him was turning her on. Someone like him probably had dozens of women throwing themselves at him. She nibbled her lip and waited to see what his response would be.

  “It wasn’t supposed to happen, but you don’t owe me an apology. I save regrets for things that can’t be changed. I assure you I have very few of them in the life I lead.”

  Alright. Saedra wasn’t sure how he wanted her to take that. She rose from the bed, embarrassment searing her face and ears from the sticky feeling between her legs. She hurried over to the counter and the water unit.

  “Saedra?”

  She ignored Garik and turned on the water, searching the floor frantically for something to clean herself. Nothing. This was humiliating. She turned and retrieved the bag that had contained the clothes she’d given Garik and came up with a pair of dark-colored underwear. Underwear, he clearly wasn’t wearing. She smacked her self in the head then shook off her distress and went back to removing her own panties and washing vigorously.

  Once done she let her dress fall about her ankles, unsure how to handle her damp panties and spun around. Garik was standing directly in front of her, his glaring erection impossible to ignore. He cupped her jaw and leaned down to kiss her forehead. “There is no reason to be uncomfortable. It was sex. If you need an excuse, blame it on the stress and danger of the situation.”

  It was an easy out. Saedra’s breath eased out on a sigh. “It wasn’t the
situation. Well, partly. But also, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I was attracted to you.”

  Garik ran his thumb gently over her chin before releasing her. She missed the contact instantly. He shrugged. “Not a bad thing to be attracted to the one you’re bonded to.”

  Saedra blinked. She might not be well versed in sexual matters but she wasn’t completely naïve. “You didn’t come, though.”

  It sounded accusatory, but now that she wasn’t blinded by her body’s demand for him, she could think clearly and felt guilty for not giving him the same release he’d given her.

  “I did actually. But, I enjoyed watching your pleasure more.”

  Embarrassing. She contemplated offering to do a better job the second time but the words wouldn’t come out, so she ended up waving her hand in the general direction of his crotch and the prominent bulge. “Do you...?”

  “No. I’m fine, sesi. There are other things we should worry about and not whether or not I got off.”

  She flushed, wondering if there was an insult in there. “I know you said you’ll protect me but are you saying...we’ll stay bonded after this?”

  “Gerelins bond for life,” he answered in a deep tone.

  She remembered that. Saedra just hadn’t expected that they would continue to actually be together. Even now, she wasn’t sure if that was what he was truly saying but fear held her back from clarifying, so she let the matter drop. “Alright.”

  To her dismay, Garik backed away, his expression turning serious. “We should figure out our next moves. What time are the tickets for tomorrow’s shuttle?”

  “First thing. Six sharp when the artificial light starts projecting.” Garik cursed and Saedra flinched. Seeing the questions in his gaze, she hurried to add, “We can stay here as long as necessary. My source said it’s a safe space.”

  “Who is your source?”

  Good question. Saedra had gotten his name from a dark site that advertised all manner of things. She’d known it was risky at the time but desperation had made her numb. Her first purchase had been through a secondary party for tickets off Quantoon. He’d been the one to give her a contact when she’d mentioned needing a hover-cycle. Daboo had given her the location of the shed after confirming the hover-cycle would be where she needed it.

  There had been times Saedra worried Daboo or any of the others would say something or cheat her despite her best attempts to keep her identity enshrouded in secrecy. Her deepest fears had centered around her concern they wouldn’t follow through on her requests. It was utter relief that so far everything was going off as it was supposed to.

  Soon she would be far away from Quantoon and the abuse of her father. Whatever plans he had for her and his friend Hritham would be nothing more than an ugly memory.

  “I can’t give you a name. Everything is done in confidence.” Secrecy was key in the world she’d found herself dabbling in.

  Garik grunted. “How do you know they didn’t sell you out?”

  She didn’t. But damn it, Saedra had to have hope if nothing else. “I didn’t say who I was. Plus, I’m trusting the old saying of honor among thieves.”

  He stared at her as if she was insane. “Are you serious?”

  Humor or teasing? She couldn’t tell. “Yes.”

  Garik stared longer. “You continue to surprise me. Not many would believe honor in any form exists among the criminal element.”

  “And you? Is there honor among assassins?”

  ***

  Garik should have expected Saedra’s counter. Before all of this, he would have told her unequivocally yes. Being a part of the Guild built an inherent sense of trust among peers. They counted on each other during assignments if they worked together and relied on one another for information when tracking targets if they were assazi.

  Aside from Dedrin, Garik couldn’t think of a single member of the Assassins Guild who wouldn’t respond if he reached out. That wasn’t even taking into account the number of people who’d crossed his path and owed him favors for one reason or another.

  So his response to Saedra remained simple when it came to honor. “Yes.”

  She blew out a breath and a relieved smile spread across her lips. Because his answer made her trust him? Helping her and getting off of Quantoon had nothing to do with his affiliation with the Guild. Garik had the feeling that despite what he’d told her about Gerelins and bonding, she didn’t fully understand what he’d do for her or how far he’d go to protect her as was his right.

  “Well, there you have it. My trust is not misplaced or foolhardy.”

  Garik refrained from rolling his eyes. He wouldn’t go that far. There was one thing about her plans he’d have to change. “We can’t stay here.”

  The relief and joy on her face fell. “What do you mean? It’s safe. There’s nutrition packs, water and somewhere for us to sleep until tomorrow.”

  Garik shook his head. “My gut is telling me Maurin won’t give up so easily. In fact, he’s probably going to intensify the hunt since he didn’t find us last night. He’ll be in more of a rage today. I think it’s in our best interest to change locations in case this position is compromised.”

  Her brows creased. “You really think so?”

  Garik fought the unusual urge to kiss the wrinkle away. “Anyone can be bought, Saedra. You’ve done a good job, but if we want to make it off this rock, we need to take every precaution and staying in this place longer isn’t the right move.”

  He expected her to fight his logic. Garik wasn’t used to explaining his actions to anyone but again, his every reaction was different when it involved his bond mate.

  She twisted her fingers about, took a deep breath, then asked, “Where would we go?”

  The tension lining his shoulders faded. Her easy agreement took him by surprise. “I might know someone who can cover for us for a one night stay. We could leave in a few hours when there won’t be much traffic and people about. In the morning, we board the shuttle and leave Quantoon and Maurin behind.”

  Garik would come back after he got Saedra settled. He had a score to settle. Maurin actions wouldn’t go unpunished.

  “Alright.” She rubbed her hands together and pushed back the hair sliding across her face. “There’s no communication device, though. How will you reach your...friend?”

  It would be difficult but not impossible. “I’ll figure it out on our way. Gather the essentials. As soon as it’s safe, we’ll leave.”

  Saedra’s eyes widened. “Right. I have a sack with straps to stuff a few things in.”

  Chapter 11

  Saedra did as instructed and had the nutrition packs, a blanket, preserved hydro bottles with water and the credit chip she’d requested to have left here stuffed inside the satchel. The credit chip was an in case of emergency and if a purchase needed to be made. She hoped to avoid using it and creating any traceable record of her whereabouts.

  Once done, she sat on a small stool near the kitchen nook area. In fascination, she watched as Garik deflated the mattress with a press of his toe on the lever then removed the outer casing from the recylo water unit. There was a clear container with yellow liquid in it. He used the liquid to douse the underwear she’d purchased on his behalf and went about scrubbing the floor on his hands and knees.

  He must have noticed her confusion because he glanced over his shoulder. “The purifying agent in the machine has strong chemical components that will help eliminate some of our presence here. It’s the best I can do under the circumstances.”

  That was smart. Saedra wouldn’t have thought of that and if her father or his guards found this place the krels would have signaled that she had been here. They spent the net few hours clearing up their presence from the moded shed. Or rather Garik did. He was meticulous in a way Saedra would never have even thought about being.

  “Did you learn this in assassin school?”

  Garik had crammed his torn pants and shirt into a pile and was watching it burn on a metal pane he’d r
ipped from the urinal and set on fire. He turned enough to see her in his peripheral. A lip twitch followed and Saedra held her breath.

  His mouth curved further, but no smile. At least not one like she wanted to see. “I wouldn’t call it something as trivial as assassins’ school. The Guild is an academy with extreme studies for its attendees. Extraordinary discipline is required to complete the intense program. That’s why those of the Guild are the best at what we do.”

  At killing. Which brought up a good question. “How did you end up in my fath—”

  Saedra broke off as she realized what she had been about to say. The satchel with her belongings slipped from her nerveless fingers and she lunged to catch it.

  Garik quirked a brow, the smile she hoped to see nowhere in sight. Instead, his mouth was a grim slash across his face. “What did you say?”

  Saedra had to force the words past a throat gone dry. “H-h-how did you end up in Maurin’s dungeon.”

  His brows lowered and a storm of untold proportions gathered in his gray eyes. “Who is Maurin to you?”

  Her heart slammed into her chest. Saedra backed away and clutched the bag close. “He...he is evil.”

  It wasn’t an answer, but she didn’t want to tell him. Everything would be ruined. They were getting along so well. She felt comfortable with him. Trusted him and now it would be spoiled.

  Suspicion blared from his gaze and her stomach grew hot with discomfort. Garik closed in on her and grabbed her forearm. “Who is he to you, Saedra?”

  “I-I want you to like me.”

  He froze. His hand fell away from her and a stunned expression flashed on his face before he masked it. A dark and dangerous current ran between them as he continued to stare down at Saedra. He shook his head. “You want me to like you? What does that have to do with anything for stars sake, Saedra?!”

  Saedra. Saedra. Saedra. He kept calling her Saedra instead of sesi or petti coincin. Already she felt the distance growing between them. Her fingers trembled on the satchel. She worked her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.