Unleashed by the Defender: A Kindred Tales Novel

by Anderson, Evangeline

  Only now, she had doubts about that, too.

  J’are had been discharged from the Med Center almost a week ago. He was completely well, as far as Imani could see. She had the idea that Commander Sylvan was deliberately holding off on clearing him completely in order to give them time to get their plans in order. He was also talking to the High Council about the possibility of allowing J’are to stay aboard the Mother Ship, under the presumption that he was safe to be around because he was bonded, but so far he hadn’t made much progress.

  Well, the Council didn’t need to be worried about J’are, Imani thought, casting a sidelong look at her new mate. Even though the clock had just struck nine o’clock at night, he still showed no signs of going into his feral state. In fact, he hadn’t gone feral since the two of them had come aboard the Mother Ship over a week ago.

  This was worrying for Imani. At first she had wondered if her new mate wasn’t switching to his feral side at nighttime as he was supposed to because they were in an artificial environment with no moons in the sky to trigger him. But now, watching J’are from the corner of her eye and seeing the strained look on his face, she thought there must be a different explanation.

  J’are wasn’t going feral because he wasn’t letting himself go feral. He was holding it back, somehow. Although how he could hold back part of himself that was as natural as breathing was beyond her. She had spoken about it briefly with Liv, who was a doctor. Liv had made some suggestions and given her some equipment to try, but Imani hadn’t made use of it yet.

  But it wasn’t just his refusal to go feral that was worrying Imani. It was the fact that her new mate hadn’t touched her once since being discharged from the Med Center.

  Oh, he hugged her when she hugged him first and was willing to cuddle on the couch. But when Imani tried to take things any further, he suddenly had to get up and go to the bathroom or he wanted a snack or he had forgotten something in the other room or any of the hundred other little excuses he used to keep from making love with her. They hadn’t had any sex since their bonding night back on Yonnie Six and Imani was beginning to feel really neglected and worried.

  At first, she had told herself the big Nightwalker was just still tired and healing from his surgery. But his wounds were closed completely and he moved without any pain. In fact, he went running around the common area parklands in the center of the ship every morning for an hour and a half. Surely if he could run that much without any problem, he could make love to his wife—right?

  Wrong, apparently. Because J’are was always making excuses not to do it. Imani, hurt, had retreated and stopped trying. She would have given up all together, if not for the fact that every now and then she caught him looking at her with lust glowing in those pale green—lust and a longing so deep it nearly stopped her heart.

  It was clear to her that J’are still wanted her—wanted her as much as she wanted him.

  So what was stopping him?

  Imani didn’t know, but she abruptly decided to find out—both about the sex (or lack thereof) and his continued refusal to go into his feral state. She thought the two might be connected, though she couldn’t prove it.

  Well, no time like the present, she told herself. Rather than enduring another lonely night of hurt and rejection, she was going to get to the bottom of this—right now.

  “Hi, baby,” she said, sitting down beside him on the couch in front of the fireplace. It was a clean device which generated no waste, and warm blue and green flames were crackling quietly in the hearth. J’are was staring into the shifting flames with a strained look on his face.

  “Hmmm?” He looked up at her for a moment and then back to the fire. “Hello,” he muttered.

  “It’s evening—after dark. At least, it would be on a planet,” Imani pointed out. “Shouldn’t you be feeling frisky by now?”

  “Frisky?” He frowned, clearly not understanding the Earth euphemism.

  “You know, frisky. Wild. Feral,” she emphasized. “It’s nighttime—shouldn’t your feral side be dominant right now?”

  J’are frowned.

  “No.” he said shortly. “I don’t do that anymore.”

  “What?” Imani frowned at him. “You can’t just stop doing something that’s part of your nature!”

  “I can and I have,” he said firmly.

  “Why?” Imani asked reasonably.

  “I was in my feral state for more than three solar months when I was in the hole on Yonnie Six,” he said, still not looking at her. “I’ve had enough of it for a while. Besides…” He cleared his throat. “I like to be in my thinking mind when I’m around you.”

  Imani frowned.

  “And why is that?”

  “You know why.” J’are still wouldn’t look at her.

  “No, I don’t until you tell me.” Imani crossed her arms over her chest. “You might as well spit it out—I’m not leaving until you do.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “Well?”

  “I don’t want to go feral because I hurt you the last time I did, all right?” J’are threw her a tense glance. “You know that, Imani—you heard me swear I would never go feral again.”

  She frowned.

  “I remember you saying something like that in the court room, but things were so crazy at the time I didn’t even think about it.” She shook her head. “You can’t just cut off a part of yourself because of one incident, you know.”

  “That incident as you call it, was me bonding you to me against your will,” J’are growled. “I’m not going to risk anything like that happening again, all right?”

  Imani was beginning to get the picture but she wanted to make sure she had it right.

  “So you won’t go feral because you’re afraid it will make you want to make love to me?” she said slowly, spelling it out. “And I’m guessing you’re avoiding making love with me because you’re afraid it will make you go feral. Am I right?”

  J’are nodded reluctantly.

  “That’s…pretty much it.”

  “But J’are, don’t you see—that’s a vicious cycle,” Imani protested. “You won’t go feral so you don’t lose control and you won’t lose control—sexually at least—because you’re afraid to go feral. And in the meantime, we haven’t made love once since our bonding night and I miss you.”

  He turned towards her at last and she saw that agony in his pale green eyes.

  “Gods, Imani, I miss you too. And I want you—so fucking much! But I don’t dare touch you—I’m afraid I’ll hurt you like I did last time.”

  “You didn’t hurt me,” Imani countered. “You did bond me but it wasn’t painful, J’are. Even in your feral form, you weren’t cruel.”

  “I don’t care,” he said stubbornly. “I don’t want to risk it. I’m sorry, Imani, but I’d rather never go feral again than lose control and hurt you.”

  Imani felt her heart swell. Lots of guys wouldn’t have given a damn if they hurt her, as long as they got what they wanted. But J’are loved her—loved her so much, he was willing to deny his own needs and his own nature!

  Well, it looked like it was time to use the tools and suggestions that Liv had given her.

  “What if I told you I have something that might help?” she asked. “Something to keep me safe even if you do lose control and go feral?”

  “You do?” J’are frowned at her suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

  “Come in the bedroom and I’ll show you.” Imani got up from the couch and grabbed him by the arm. “Come on,” she said tugging gently. “Just come see—please, J’are?”

  At last, with a sigh, the big Nightwalker rose and came with her into the bedroom. Once inside, he looked around with a frown.

  “Well? Where is this miracle solution? I don’t see anything.”

  “Look closer,” Imani murmured. “On the bedposts.”

  J’are walked over and looked with a frown at the padded handcuffs hooked to the bedposts on either side.

  “What are those? Some kind o
f restraints?”

  “Exactly.” Imani smiled at him. “Liv gave them to me. Apparently lots of couples use them to ‘play’ when they’re making love, but these are actually really strong—made to Kindred specifications. So you can trust that they’ll hold.”

  “So…you want to chain me up while we make love?” J’are’s green eyes flashed. “Is that it?”

  “I think it’s the best way for you to feel safe,” Imani told him. “This way if you go feral in the middle of our lovemaking, you can’t, er, get into any trouble.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “Plus, maybe this time I want to be in charge. What do you think?”

  “What do I think?” J’are went to lie down in the middle of the bed and raised his arms. “I think you should chain me up immediately,” he growled, his voice deep with lust. “Because I fucking want you, Imani—it’s been killing me how much I want you—I just didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t,” she assured him as she went to lock the padded cuffs around his wrists.

  They were made of dark gray plastisteel—an extremely strong substance, Liv had assured her. They ought to hold firm even if J’are went feral in the middle of their lovemaking. Although, remembering the hot, wild way he had rubbed against her on their first night together when he was scent-marking her, Imani couldn’t help feeling a little sorry as she locked the gray bracelets around his wrists. She had been scared during their bonding night, but also incredibly turned on. His feral side seemed to bring out her own wild instincts.

  Once J’are was secure, lying on his back with his long, muscular arms stretched out on either side of him, she sat back to admire the view. He was wearing only a pair of silky black sleep trousers which left his top bare. The black k’dra markings all up and down his arms and chest and shoulders made him look exotic and dangerous and his pale green eyes were filled with hunger for her.

  A hunger Imani felt for him as well.

  “All right now,” she murmured, giving him a lazy smile. “How should we begin?”

  “How about taking off that little robe you’re wearing?” J’are murmured, his eyes flicking over her from head to foot. “I’ve been trying so damn hard not to look at you but I’ve been dying to see your sweet body again, baby.”

  “Mmm, I guess I could do that.”

  Imani gave him a naughty little smile and untied the sash of the emerald green robe she was wearing. Under it, she had on a pretty little outfit she’d bought at one of the stores near the common area while J’are ran in the morning. It was a silky deep green teddy with lacy, see-through cups which tied right between her breasts and came down just barely far enough to cover the green lace panties that went with it.

  The panties themselves might have come straight from Yonnie Six. They were small and lacy but best of all, they had a slit running right up the middle, making them essentially crotchless when Imani spread her legs.

  “Gods!” J’are’s voice was a deep, hungry growl. “If I’d known you were wearing that under the robe, I don’t know if I could’ve held myself back from taking you!”

  “Well now you don’t have to hold back,” Imani pointed out, arching an eyebrow at him. “Because the cuffs will do it for you.”

  “Come here.” His voice was hoarse with desire. “Come closer and let me see you better, baby.”

  “I’d be happy to.” Straddling his waist, she sat down, pressing her panty-clad pussy against the long ridge of his shaft, which was straining against the black material of his trousers.

  “Gods!” J’are groaned as she rubbed against him. “You’re driving me crazy!”

  “Mmm, but I’ve only just started,” Imani purred. Slowly, deliberately, she untied the deep green teddy and let it fall open, revealing her bare, thrusting breasts. Her nipples were tight with desire—they looked like ripe berries begging to be sucked.

  Imani cupped her full globes and slowly ran her fingers up to pinch her own nipples, putting on a show for her lover, who was watching with half-lidded lust in his eyes. She couldn’t believe she was being so wanton—so naughty. But she’d been aching for the big Nightwalker—needing his hands and mouth on her so badly it kept her up at night. All that pent-up desire seemed to have made her bold.

  “Gods damn it!” J’are swore hoarsely. “Come closer than that—I want to touch you, baby!”

  “But you can’t, because you’re chained up,” Imani pointed out. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Want me to unlock you?”

  “No,” he said at once, with no hesitation. “No, this is the only way I feel safe doing this with you—the only way I’m not afraid to make love with you.”

  “Well, then I guess you can’t touch me with your hands.” Imani shrugged and pretended to look thoughtful. “Though it occurs to me that your mouth is still free.”

  As she spoke, she crawled up his body until she was straddling his broad chest. Leaning over him, she rubbed one ripe nipple against his lips.

  Groaning with desire, J’are opened his mouth and sucked her tight peak between his lips. Imani moaned as he lashed it with his tongue, sending sparks of pleasure straight from her nipple to the hot wet spot between her legs.

  J’are sucked her long and hard and deep, taking as much of her breast in his mouth as he could before drawing back to slowly lap her taut peak while he looked into her eyes.

  Imani loved the way he was looking at her—loved the way he was tasting her. She withdrew the first nipple and gave him the other one to suck as she writhed above him.

  When she finally pulled back, her nipples shiny from his attention, both of them were panting with desire. J’are’s eyes were glowing again, just as they had during the bonding night.

  “Want to taste more,” he growled. “Give me your pussy, baby—let me taste your sweet little cunt. Want to lap you until you come all over my face.”

  Imani felt a surge of desire between her thighs. Her first instinct was to give him what he wanted—what they both wanted—at once. But then she decided she wanted to play a little first—to tease her new mate.

  “Oh, you mean this pussy?” she murmured, raising up so that he could see the naughty little crotchless panties. “But I’m afraid I’m awfully wet.”

  Reaching down, she parted her pussy lips—which were clearly outlined by the green lace of the panties—and showed J’are her glistening inner folds.

  “Gods!” It was a low groan, drawn from his lips. “Gods, baby—so wet and hot! I want to taste you so damn much.”

  Imani thought of the way he’d tasted her when he was giving her a massage—the hot way his tongue had gone to work on her sensitive clit. Then, she had been the one lying on the table while he had the upper hand. But now she was in control and J’are was the one chained down.

  The thought made her hotter than ever, somehow—was she getting off on handcuffing him to the bed? Maybe there was more of the Yonnie Six Mistress in her than she knew!

  The thought made her smile. Inching forward, she pressed her pussy to his mouth and murmured,

  “Here you go, baby. You can give me a kiss if you want to—but just a kiss—all right?”

  “Just a kiss,” J’are agreed hoarsely. And then he was pressing his lips to her pussy in a hot, open-mouthed kiss that nearly took Imani’s breath away.

  She moaned breathlessly and gripped the headboard as he nuzzled deeper, sucking her aching clit between his lips and circling it with the tip of his tongue.

  “Oh! Oh, J’are!” she moaned as she pressed even closer, riding his tongue shamelessly as she took pleasure from her mate. “You know you were only supposed to give me a kiss! Not lap me with your tongue and taste me like that.”

  “Can’t help myself, baby.” He pulled back for a second, panting. “You taste so fucking good—need to lap your sweet pussy and get all your honey.”

  Then he dove in again, swirling his tongue around and around her throbbing clit until Imani threw back her head and cried out with pleasure.

  “Oh, God, J’are— fe
els so damn good!”

  The big Nightwalker’s hands were clenched into fists. It was clear he was dying to break free and grip her hips so he could control the tasting more himself. But though he strained against them, the plastisteel cuffs held—barely. Were the chains bending a bit? Imani didn’t know and at this point, she didn’t care.

  Right now, she was enjoying being in charge. She never would have dreamed she might like this kind of thing, but she really did enjoy pulling back from his seeking mouth to tease him and then pressing close again to let his long, hot tongue invade her and slip deep into her channel.

  When she finally pulled away completely, she was panting with need and J’are wasn’t in much better shape.

  His shaft was thick and hard, pressing against the thin material of his sleep trousers and his mouth and chin were shiny from her juices. A deep growl of desire was rising in his throat as he looked up at her.

  Imani had the idea that he was very close to going feral—but she wasn’t afraid. In fact, part of her wanted to push him over the edge—to see if the plastisteel cuffs could still hold him in his other mental state.

  What’s wrong with you? she scolded herself. You shouldn’t want that—shouldn’t want him to lose control. It’s better this way with him chained down—safer for everyone involved.

  But at the moment she didn’t want to be safe—she wanted to be wild.

  “Why did you pull away?” J’are growled hoarsely, looking at her. “I wanted to feel you coming on my tongue—wanted to taste your juices as you came for me, baby. Why did you stop before you finished?”

  “Maybe because I wanted to finish another way.” Scooting down his big body, Imani ran a hand over his straining shaft.

  J’are groaned and bucked his hips up to meet her light touch.

  “Gods, that feels so damn good! But I don’t…don’t know if we should. I can feel my feral side getting really close to coming out,” he panted.

  “I don’t care about that.” Imani looked at him. “I’m not afraid of you, J’are—it doesn’t matter if you’re in your feral or your thinking mind. I just want you inside me.”