Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Kaitlyn & the Warlord

Kaitlyn watched Viktal stride toward her. She realized she was tired—both emotionally and physically. It felt as if she were mired in place. Unable to get anything done, and everything she didn't have the energy for—upset her. She needed to pull it together for her mate. To talk to him. She knew he would help her. She just had to ask.

He leaned down and scooped her into his arms. Then sat on the boulder.

She squirmed to get comfortable, and it wasn't long before her tears dried up. She sighed, "It's… okay. I think I'm done."

He squeezed her tighter for a moment. Acknowledging that he heard her. But remained silent. Happy to sit and hold her.

She snuggled against his body. God, she loved this man. A small smile erupted as she remembered how they met. How she had never been able to keep her hands off him. She sighed. Lately, Kait was even too tired for that some of the time.

After a few moments of sitting quietly, Viktal stood with her and started walking back to the village. Her eyelids drifted shut. He was so good to her. Safe in his arms, she thought about how meeting him and loving him had both saved and changed her.

She'd been so out of her element. A recent prisoner of the Siloth after being kidnapped from Earth. All the women on the spaceship had managed to escape but, in the melee, her cousin Lauren disappeared. She'd just been reunited with Lauren and met Dax, her cousin's dragon man. She wanted time alone with her thoughts, so she sat outside their cave.

Not a very smart thing to do. But it worked out okay. It was how she met Viktal. Smiling, she let herself remember…

Kaitlyn's skin crawled. She gazed into the dark and shifted nervously on the rock. She'd been an idiot and come out of the cave without a gun, her knives, or even one of the weird alien silver cane weapons they'd stolen from the Siloths. The back of her neck prickled as if someone was watching her. God, she wanted to go home. Back to Earth, where she knew how to protect herself and handle almost any situation.

She was floundering here. Trying to take care of herself and the three women who escaped the ship with her. Trying to bolster both human and alien captives, allowing them to believe they would someday go home.

Yeah , Kaitlyn had a fairly good idea that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Before she started crying, she stood up and dusted off her jeans. All the questions and angst could wait for another day. She was tired. And when Makayla got here, she and Lauren would help Kaitlyn figure everything out. The three women would share their stories and decide what to do next. The anxiety and sadness swamping her slowly melted away. Filling her lungs with air and slowly breathing it all out—she knew without a doubt that whatever plan they came up with—they would work on together. They would stay together.

As she turned, a large, dark-haired man stepped out of the shadows and stood just a few feet from her. His flesh was tinted red, and he had amazing scrollwork running up his arms.

Kaitlyn's jaw dropped, and she squeaked. Immediately realizing who this was. This was the man who saved her and Tallie and then left her dead aliens as gifts. As well as some of the food that she'd cooked for everyone tonight. And flowers, she couldn't forget the flowers.

She couldn't close her mouth either. She was in shock. Her mind was thrilled at being this close to the man who'd saved her. Probably more than once. She couldn't help that her body reacted to him immediately. Her heartbeat sped up. Her palms got sweaty, and her breathing increased. He was so incredibly… beautiful.

The man was a massive giant. There was no weapon in his hands—but he didn't need one. Hand-to-hand combat with him would be a joke. If he wrapped those thick arms around her, she wouldn't be able to move, and he could just squeeze her to death.

Her gaze slowly slid up his body, and she shuddered. His chest was a thing of beauty, and his neck was corded and strong. He had amazing, dark, curly hair that fell past his shoulders. And oh, momma! Brilliant blue eyes that she got lost in for long moments. Not to mention what looked like extremely pettable, light red flesh.

Kaitlyn braced. Ready to run and scream if he moved toward her. But the man stayed in place and didn't try to get closer. Slowly, she exhaled and began to relax. She felt as if she were drooling, so she quickly swiped her hand over her mouth.

He hadn't said anything. Simply stood and watched her. Silently scrutinizing her hair, her neck, her breasts…

Well, if he could do it, she could too. Kaitlyn let her gaze drift to the uncovered muscle-bound arms that were all tatted up. She let herself get caught up in the pleasure of his chest, and of the abs she could see defining his flat stomach. The man had a definite six-pack. Maybe eight. She needed her hands on his flesh to count and make sure.

Her gaze snagged on the V-cut, disappearing into the fur loincloth settled over his hips.

She licked her lips and shuddered. He was a handsome giant.

Kaitlyn slowly raised her head and met his burning gaze. The man had beautiful blue eyes that made her believe time had stopped. Everything but those eyes disappeared from her thoughts. At this moment, there was only Kaitlyn and the man in front of her. Her skin crawled with heat and longing. That unusual reaction surging through her body snapped her out of the trance she'd fallen into.

She shifted her gaze again, looking away from the pull of those blue eyes to an overall view of his body.

The barely dressed man wore a light-colored, short-haired fur loincloth. Added to the knee-high leather boots, the look was very barbarian. Desire shot through her, and she licked her lips again. Her mouth was dry, and she wondered why it was so hot all of a sudden. The two suns were down, the air temperature should cool off.

She jumped when he beat his large fist on his chest and said, "Viktal." Then pointed at her and said, "Kaitlyn." Although it sounded more like Catlin.

His next words shocked her.

"Catlin mate."

Once again, her mouth dropped open. How in the hell did he know her name? She needed her weapons.

Before she could scream for help or turn and run, he took two gigantic steps and had her in his arms. His mouth on hers. Kissing her.

Kissing… Oh!

Oh, my God, the man could kiss. She no longer had to wonder what he would taste like, because now she knew. Heaven .

Her body flushed, and she felt her core weep with need. It shocked her. She had never felt like this before. Never needed like this before. Never thought she could.

She was so happy he was kissing her. When he put those massive hands on her ass and lifted, it was easy to wrap her legs around his waist. Easier to kiss him. And keep kissing him.

His lips and tongue caressed her in a truly magical way. It made her tighten her legs and arms around his body. She had no intention of stopping. Every reflex told her to hang on. She didn't want him to leave her behind. She'd never been this attracted or felt so overwhelmed by any man before. The attraction scared her, but she didn't plan to fight it.

Leaving the memory behind, she nuzzled Viktal's amazing chest. Turns out she did fight the attraction—but eventually she lost her heart. Their path to this point hadn't been easy, as Kaitlyn fought what fate had put in front of her.

Until she was kidnapped a third time by other aliens and taken to the planet Dorvan as a new addition to the alien zoo.

She stopped fighting her warlord when she realized her heart knew that Viktal would come for her. That he'd never rest until he found her. So, she turned her energies to outwitting her captors and saving another woman.

And he did come. He'd proven time and time again over the weeks and months they'd been together that he'd be there for her in any way she needed.

She really should talk to him .

She felt him place her on their bed. He thought she was asleep. She sighed and let herself relax. A nap was a good idea. But she decided she would talk to him when she woke. Between one thought and the next, she dropped off.

Viktal

He sat and watched his mate sleep for several minutes. Something was wrong. Viktal could feel it. She wouldn't talk to him. He wondered if she'd spoken to her sister.

He picked up Kaitlyn's com unit and pushed the buttons he'd seen his mate use almost every day. He was relieved when he was informed in Kait's Earth language that the call was being connected. He didn't know if the Guardians were on the planet or not. Since their job was to patrol the galaxy—they could be anywhere.

But within moments, he was looking at Falcon's silver skin.

Viktal was the desert Warlord, leader of one-half of the Megoth Hordes. He was unused to asking for help. Without explaining why he contacted them, he asked Falcon if he could speak to his mate's sister.

Soon, Makayla was frowning at him from the screen. It was obvious he woke her.

Her long, curly hair was messy. Deep brown eyes looked both tired and worried. Her light brown skin was flushed. This woman was ten earth years older than his mate. For much of their lives, Makayla had been more mother than sister to Kaitlyn.

"What's wrong?" she demanded. "Where's my sister?"

He grimaced, realizing she assumed something bad had happened. "She's here," he said softly, hurrying to reassure her. "Sleeping beside me." He turned the tablet so she could see.

"So, what's wrong?" she asked again.

He shrugged and sighed heavily. "I don't know. She's tired a lot. And seems to cry about something every day. She won't tell me what's wrong. I thought you might know what's bothering her?" He hoped she could tell him something that would help him understand.

She frowned. "I wouldn't tell you if it was a secret. But I really don't know. Is she acting sick?"

Viktal shook his head and then realized that wasn't the truth. "Not so anyone would notice. But she doesn't have much of an appetite. And some smells bother her now that didn't before."

Kayla leaned in. "What do you mean? Like what?"

He sighed and thought for a minute. "Well. You know how she loves that coffee thing you gave her. She makes that foul drink every morning. But lately, the smell makes her vomit."

"Holy shit!" Makayla said, jumping out of bed.

The tablet spun through the air, and he watched Falcon catch it.

He heard Makayla saying, "We'll be right there. Well… we will be there in a couple of hours."

His heart dropped. "What? What is it? What is wrong with her?" Viktal demanded.

Makayla hissed, "I'm not sure. Which is why it's going to take a few hours for us to get there. We need to bring the ship so we can use the med bay to scan her, and it will take a bit to get this thing ready to travel."

He watched her walk to the door of the room and pause. "Don't tell Kaitlyn we're coming," she warned.

Viktal cursed. He didn't like keeping secrets from his mate. But he didn't want to keep finding her like he had this evening, sitting alone and crying over something she couldn't talk to him about… He didn't know how to fix what was wrong. Maybe she'd sleep until her sister arrived.

Kaitlyn

She didn't open her eyes when she woke. She knew she was lying in bed next to her mate. Covered in furs. His arms were around her. Comforting. She felt better. Lighter. She would feel even better once she talked to Viktal about all the things she promised Kayla she would do.

Build pens for the horses and cattle and figure out something for the chickens. Sheds for tack and grain had to be built. And that was only part of her list. Just thinking about it made her tear up again.

She took a deep breath and decided she had to talk to him tonight. Before the animals got here and nothing was ready for them.

But first, she wanted a bath and quiet time with her mate. She felt like she had added to his burden the last few weeks. Being so… emotional.

She opened her eyes and rolled over to see if he was awake. His beautiful blue eyes met hers and he smiled down at her.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'd feel even better if we could go to the bathing pool," she wheedled.

Now the grin transformed his face, taking away the worry. Viktal jumped up and plucked her out of the bed furs, and within moments, they were at the pools.

He stood her at the edge and quickly stripped off her clothes before helping her climb into the warm water. He went to go get drying cloths from the baskets, along with pots of the sweet-smelling soap.

She sat on the bank of the small hot spring and sighed. Sucking in a lungful of sweet-scented air that came from the flower vines covering most of the rock. The pool of water was wide and shallow. All around the rim of the pool, there were flat rocks submerged just below the surface at various depths. She found one to sit on that put the water just over her shoulders. Damn, that felt good!

She could feel the moisture from the steam hydrate her skin. The misty dampness felt wonderful. Glancing up through the broken canopy of thin limbed trees, she noticed the sky was filled with stars and an almost full moon.

There was plenty of light to see by, and that was important when she had a mate built like Viktal. She was spellbound at the sight of him. She didn't understand how someone so large could be so graceful.

Next to the water, he put down the pots of soap and the fabric that passed for towels in this village and slowly started to undress. He kept his eyes on her the entire time. He knew she loved seeing him get naked.

Without saying a word, she watched him strip off his fur kilt so his massive cock could spring free. It was erect and weeping, swinging with each small movement.

His body was magnificent. She wanted to start at one end and touch and taste until she managed to cover every inch of his flesh with her fingertips or her tongue. He stepped into the hot springs and sat down. The water hit him at mid-chest.

He held out his hand to her. "Come join me."

She closed her eyes and sighed. She decided they'd talk after… she didn't want to spoil the mood.

With a hidden smile, she took Viktal's hand and scooted closer. She remembered the first time they were in this pool together. She had kept on her underwear, thinking that would keep her from succumbing to the sexy alien. She had insisted they couldn't have sex. The edict hadn't worked for long.

Today she was bare-ass naked. Instead of No Sex , she planned on Lots of Sex . She had a pretty good idea tonight would go as she wanted.

The water felt so good. She sank and let the warmth flow over her head. As she popped out of the water, she moaned.

Viktal pulled her into his arms and just before he claimed her mouth, he whispered, "I want my hands and mouth on you."

He skimmed his hands over every inch of her as he deepened the kiss. Then he pulled back and took out some of the creamy, sweet-smelling substance from the little pot. And lifted his hands to her hair.

She straddled his lap. She could feel his bobbing erection nudge her coochie as he massaged the shampoo through her thick, straight hair and studied her reaction.

When she moaned in ecstasy at the feel of his strong fingers on her scalp—he leaned forward and captured those moans with his mouth. For a long moment, he massaged her scalp and feasted on her cries of pleasure.

She rubbed her breasts over his chest—excited at the skin-to-skin contact.

He leaned over and filled his hands with soap again and brought them to her breasts, rubbing in the slick concoction as she gyrated on his lap. Viktal used his palms to cover her breasts and his fingers to pull and tug on her sensitive nipples. When he dropped his lips to her neck, she could only mewl and thrash in mindless wonder.

His mouth and hands were driving her insane.

Viktal

Kaitlyn was his. Not for a moment—but a lifetime. He wanted her to feel that in her soul. He didn't want secrets between them. He planned a slow seduction, wanting to remind her that she was addicted to his touch.

He would touch and taste her until she demanded more from him.

Viktal leaned over to capture her mouth in a kiss. He feathered his tongue lightly along the seam and flicked his thumb across her nipple. Her gasp let him in. She raised her hands to dig her fingers into his hair and hold him to her. He felt the satisfaction vibrate through her body when she found what she searched for. The mating nubs hidden in his long hair. She loved what they could do for her.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her naked breasts against his chest. Her hands delved once again into his hair, and she pulled his lips back to her mouth while she played with his horns. Trailing her fingers over them, playing with what she knew was one of the strongest erogenous zones on his body.

Most of the horn was hidden. They were larger than they looked, and they were incredibly sensitive when his mate touched them. It was as if she played with his cock, only more intensely.

His fingers curved around the nape of her neck, sifting through the cool wet tendrils of her hair. Nothing mattered to him but touching her, tasting her. His entire focus centered on getting close to her, skin against skin, as he anticipated the moment when he would bury his body deep inside hers.

She tried to pull her hands away, but Viktal stopped her. Maybe this is what he needed to do to learn what was wrong with her. The mating nubs allowed him to know what she felt—and every emotion that ran through her soul. Just as she would know his thoughts and emotions. It should give him the insight he craved.

Of course, the real reason for the nubs was the heightened physical response. He would feel her every response to his touch as she felt his. He cupped her breast in his palm and flicked her nipple with his thumb.

He moaned as she gasped and pushed her flesh into his hand. The sensation was wonderful, but Viktal felt her frustration—the touch was a shadow of what it could be. He knew she wanted the more intense connection.

He stilled—wondering if she would hide from him in this way, too? Would she trust their bond?

Kaitlyn wrapped her arms around his neck and reached up to his horns, holding on tight. The rush of shared emotion and physical ache soothed and excited them both. It was incredible.

Viktal sucked in a breath. Knowing she could feel his desire pulse through the link between them—swamping their bodies. She could feel his body hurt with the compulsion to join hers. He leaned down just as she strained upward to find his mouth.

He kissed her again. A long slow kiss that blossomed into a spiraling curl of heat, using every fiber of his being to blend hot passion, building love, and possession. Mouths clinging together, their slippery bodies moved from side to side, rubbing… deepening the fire between them.

She pressed her body closer to his, and Viktal was happy that she refused to let go of the nubs and give up the closeness and the intense physical need coursing through them both. Her tongue slid along his teeth, teasing him, and drugging his senses with her intoxicating response. His fist bunched in her hair and his mouth fused with hers as he held her to him.

Viktal plundered her mouth and explored the tender flesh between her lips, and used the mating bond to fill her mind with desire. There was an instant, urgent demand as a tidal wave of heat poured over them both. The connection forged by the mating nubs pushed their yearning higher.

Her wet breasts pressed against his chest, and she wrapped one leg around his thigh, pushing her steamy core in invitation against his cock. Growing need spiraled out of control. He swept one hand over her side until he found her breast and began to play with the smooth nipple, teasing the light burgundy tip of flesh until it hardened under his touch. When she started to keen and gyrate against him, he switched to her other breast to repeat his actions and then moved to trace the contours of her hip and to open his palm over her buttocks.

At her gasp of delight, he dipped into the honeyed splendor of her mouth. Drinking in her moans, he gloried in her body's uninhibited response and moved between her legs without breaking the kiss to nudge her thighs apart, settling his erection against her heat. He could be inside her in one small movement. Not yet. He wasn't ready yet.

Using his tongue to glide in and out of her mouth in a slow parody of mating, he pushed his hips forward to rock slowly against her clit, driving her passion higher. His body railed at him. His cock ached, needing her heat. His nipples felt as if they were on fire. He slowly moved his hand up her arm and wrapped his fingers around one wrist to take that hand off his mating nub and guide her palm to brush against his chest.

His skin was bathed in the swirling, stimulating essence of her soul... until every inch of his flesh pulsed with need. He couldn't stop the groan of pleasure at her explorations. He loved the feel of her hand on his body, especially her fingers, as they traced and molded the contours of his shoulders and back.

Kaitlyn

Panting, she tore her mouth from Viktal. The impressions spiraling through her were unbelievable. She had such a clear awareness in her mind of what her barbarian felt. She could sense him… feel the tightness and sensitivity of his flesh as his body burned for her. It was as though their bodies were merging—the entwining passion grew and pounded within her.

She knew he would also see everything she worried about. Maybe this was the best way for him to find out.

She wanted —more of him. More of his body and their connection. She wanted the hard ridge that tormented her, buried deep within.

A sharp and rhythmic pinch at her nipples, and the soft strokes between her thighs escalated her hunger. Kait's entire body burned with the intensity of her need.

"Please, Viktal, don't make me wait any longer. I can't take it. Ohhhh."

Viktal whispered in her ear, "I still need to taste you, love."

Viktal

He ground his teeth together as Kaitlyn's hands slid up and down his chest, raking back and forth over his nipples. Each passing of her sweet flesh caused a chain reaction within him. His cock twitched and expanded.

Suckling at her breast, he played for long minutes with the tight bud of her nipple, lightly biting. Breathing deep, he savored the unique and wonderful scent that was Kaitlyn. Her fragrance called to him. It was sweet and musky and something he had become addicted to.

Her breasts were magnificent. Soft and plush and more than he could fit in one handful. Glorious brown nipples were surrounded by the tempting satin circles of a subtly lighter color. They were large and puckered into hard nubs, which grew longer and harder the more he paid attention to them. He truly believed she was created solely for his pleasure.

Moaning and frantically clutching his head and the mating nubs, she arched into his delicate touch as he teased and tasted her. He rolled her pert nipple against the roof of his mouth and then released it to torment the other. Her escalating cries of passion filled the night as she screamed his name over and over. Begging him to take her.

He stood with her in his arms and turned to place her on her back at the side of the pool. He kissed his way down her body, moving slowly so he could ravish every inch of her flesh, sipping first at her belly button and moving down to lave the lush arch of her lower stomach. The soft curls hiding her sweet-scented mound were moist with yearning, and he drew more of her body's perfume into his lungs. Arousal blasted through him, and the burning need to mate with her increased.

He looked down, mesmerized by the sight of her naked body—spread before him, with her flesh gleaming softly in the moonlight.

"Open for me," his voice hoarse as he commanded her, "I want to see you."

Without hesitation, she did as he demanded and moved her legs wider. He put his hands between her thighs and parted her folds. The rumbling started deep in his throat at the vision of the rosy, swollen tissue. Weeping for him, her sweet cream oozed from her tight passage.

Lifting her hips so he could position her for his mouth, he buried his face between her legs—intent on capturing her essence on his tongue.

Kait whimpered at the first slow swipe of his tongue over her center. Viktal used his elbows to keep her open to him, refusing to allow her to escape when the pleasure increased to almost pain. Closing his eyes, he lost himself in the taste and feel of his mate. Ignoring the frantic tugs on his hair, he worshipped her rich flesh with his mouth. Flickering and stabbing against her, then plunging his tongue into her liquefied core, he forced her uninhibited responses higher.

He focused attention upon her hardened bud, dragging his tongue over her again and again until her hands held him in place with a fierce hold on his mating nubs instead of trying to push him away. Sobbing and thrusting her hips to meet him, she succumbed loudly to his fevered caress.

She screamed through her first release and when he didn't stop, her screams turned to more sobbing demands. His mate was completely enamored with his tongue. Smiling at her wanton demands, he kept his mouth over her and carefully pushed a single finger into her swollen, throbbing sheath.

Kaitlyn came again with a wild scream. Arching her back in sensual demand, her ass lifted in an untamed shift that threatened to remove him. Lightly holding her hips, he followed her movement and continued his sensual assault until she begged him to stop.

Waves of heat and desire crashed through him, tugging at him with a brilliant flash of color and madness. He rose over her and fit his engorged cock at her entrance. Viktal slipped right in. She was slick and ready for him.

They were both teetering on the edge of orgasm, so it didn't take long for their screams to fill the night.

And with that release, all Kaitlyn's secrets flooded his conscience.

His mate wrapped her arms around his neck and softly murmured in his ear, "I love you." She was warm, and her hair smelled sweet from the neeta berry soap.

He felt her body tense as she realized he'd seen her secrets. Only it wasn't her secrets that caused a reaction. " You called Makayla ?" the fury was evident in her tone.

Viktal sighed. Through their shared connection, he discovered she was worried he would be mad at her for not asking permission to bring the beasts coming from her home to his village.

"Ye gods Kait. How many beasts are coming?" he demanded.