Chapter 11

I froze in place, stunner heavy in my hand. There was no chance I could turn and shoot before he killed me, and the alien duke sounded unhinged enough to do it, despite Rhakaris’s inevitable and terrible revenge.

Everyone else froze too, the sudden expectant silence deafening. Poison winds whipped around the tower, and no one dared to move. Even Rhakaris was motionless, staring past me at the bastard holding me hostage. He was the first to recover, though.

“Duke Strahar Vazand, I give you this one chance. Put down your weapon, accept your plan has failed, and I will allow you to abdicate with honor and go into exile.” His voice held an edge that I’d not heard before. It was cold as the void of space, and just as deadly. “If you do not take this offer, I will kill you. That is a promise from your king.”

“Exile? You are a fool and a weakling. I will rule the kingdom through you. You don’t have the will to let her die.”

“It is not strength to allow your loved ones to die. If you think this makes me weak, then you are a fool, and will soon be a dead one.” Rhakaris dropped from the altar and cast aside his rifle, walking slowly and deliberately toward us. Everyone scattered out of his way. “But I will not let you kill Eden. Take the way out I offer you, Strahar. It is the only way you survive this.”

His gaze locked on my captor, Rhakaris stalked closer. Behind me, Strahar’s breathing was shallow and fast, and he pressed his rifle’s muzzle against the back of my neck. His hands were shaking. The duke wasn’t as confident as he tried to sound.

“Shut up and do as you’re told,” he shouted. “I will kill your precious human if you don’t.”

Rhakaris cocked his head to the side. “No, I don’t think you will. Slay her, and you’ll be dead before she hits the ground.”

Another tremor ran through the gun pressed to my spine, and I wished I shared my mate’s certainty. But Strahar didn’t fire.

“My men will kill you.”

“They will not,” Kharmiya said, voice a crack of command. “House Vazand does not employ people stupid enough to shoot their lawful king for no gain.”

The guards behind her shifted uncomfortably, but lowered their rifles. Rhakaris’s smile was pure predator, making me shiver even though I wasn’t its target. He paused beside my family and spoke. “Your daughter understands. It’s one thing for a faithful follower of the Ancestors to force a king to obey prophecy. Quite another to kill him without a plan. No, it’s just you and me now, Strahar. As it should be, a contest between equals. One of us will die, the other live.”

Saying that, he reached into the cluster of humans, and I saw what he was going for. The hunting rifle had been no use to my family, too bulky for a human to use in this crazy melee. But in the hands of a man as big, strong, and fast as Rhakaris, it looked light as a toy.

He swung it one handed, like an oversized pistol, and everything seemed to slow down. Strahar lifted his rifle from my neck, aiming past my ear, and I knew with a cold certainty that he would find his target first.

Like fuck he will.

I raised my foot and stomped down hard, all my weight on my heel as it landed on his shoe. Something crunched and Strahar jerked, yelling in pain. His shots went wide, deadly pulses of energy screaming past Rhakaris and into the sky.

The duke grabbed my throat, claws digging in and tearing as he fell backward. That was fine, if I had to die to save my family and Rhakaris, it was a sacrifice I’d make gladly.

But my alien mate didn’t agree. He brought the laser rifle up one handed, like an oversized pistol, and he fired once. A ruby red beam sliced through the air next to my head, close enough to singe my hair, and Strahar let go of me with a gurgle, every muscle going limp.

Rhakaris’s shot had struck true, burning a hole through his eye and into his brain.

Oh good, I’m going to live, I thought. That’s nice.

Then I fainted.

* * *

Fainting may have been the best decision of my life. It meant that I missed out on all the messy aftermath of the fight. By the time I woke, everything was under control.

I woke to voices, lots of voices, all speaking a language I didn’t know. Most of them sounded worried, some terrified, but the single stern voice answering them made me feel safe. Rhakaris. My mate. My husband. My love.

Eyes fluttering open, I saw the high ceiling of a room in Karych Castle. I lay on a sofa, a light blanket draped over me, and my hand was in Rhakaris’s. No sooner had I moved than he hissed a command in Drachali. Everyone fell silent. Raising my head, I looked at the small crowd of noble, several of them looking relieved that I was recovering.

“Lady Eden needs my attention,” my mate said, switching to Galtrade. “I will hear the rest of you later. Go.”

“But, sire,” one noblewoman protested, or tried to. That was as far as she got.

“Was his Majesty unclear?” Kharmiya said, making shooing motions at them. “The king’s word is law. We are all leaving. Now.”

She led by example, taking Ellarax by the arm and walking out. The others followed without a word, and in moments, Rhakaris and I were alone.

“Thank the Ancestors,” he said. “They will drive me insane, all of them wanting to prove their loyalty by informing on their rivals. I’d much rather spend my time with you.”

“I’m better than a court of bickering nobles?” I grinned. “Damned with faint praise.”

He laughed, stood, and lifted me to my feet. “Come on, we’ll get some proper rest aboard Blackwing.”

“Oh, we’re calling it ‘rest’ now?” I giggled and blushed. Rhakaris laughed too, shaking his head and pulling me along.

“There may be some distractions before the rest,” he admitted.

No one dared to stop us as he led me back to the Blackwing and up to his cabin. I stopped on the threshold, looking around the elegant, empty room. Something important was missing, and I turned to my host.

“There’s no bed,” I said, confused. Rhakaris grinned at me, then answered by throwing me into the room. I had just enough time to squeak a protest before a gravity field caught me, leaving me bobbing in the air.

“What the fuck?” I glared at my beloved, trying to look stern. Not an easy task when you’re floating and flailing. “Put me down.”

“No,” he said. “It’s only fair that I get a turn.”

“What are you talking—oh.” Memory of the Blackwing’s hold resurfaced, and I wondered if I’d regret the fun I’d had at his expense. I flailed again, but to no effect. Nothing was in reach, and without leverage, I couldn’t move. “Come on, that was just messing around.”

His grin broadened, and he walked closer. “That’s fine. I, too, will just ‘mess around.’”

Grabbing my ankles, he spread my legs wide. My breath caught, and my cheeks heated. The bodysuit and harness I wore hadn’t been designed with modesty in mind.

“My brave mate,” Rhakaris murmured as he traced a claw up one of my legs and down the other. I shivered as he brushed my sensitive skin through the thin fabric. Leaning in, he planted kisses on one inner thigh, then the other, and each touch of his firm lips sent a burst of joy through my body. I arched my back and bit back a whimper of desire, refusing to give him the satisfaction so easily.

His dark, hungry growl told me I hadn’t fooled him. “Oh, you want more, dear one?”

Sliding his hands up my sides, caressing as he went, he kissed his way up my thighs, getting closer and closer with agonizingly slow progress to my sex. When his fingers found the fastener, he grinned up along the length of my body, and opened the bodysuit with equal slowness. I grabbed at him, my whole body shaking with need as he teased me mercilessly. All I managed was to make him laugh.

“You’re going to drive me insane,” I gasped.

“No, beloved. You are too strong, and besides, you are already insane in all the best ways.”

He peeled the bodysuit off me, slow and delicate. At last it fell free, floating away in the gravity field, and he kissed his way along my thighs again. This time his lips, his tongue, his fangs brushed my skin directly, and it was all I could to not to beg him for more.

It didn’t take long for him to reach my pussy again, and now naked and wet and eager to meet him. My blush spread from my cheeks down to my breasts as he tasted me.

Licked me.

Kissed me deep.

I cried out as his tongue parted my folds, clutching at his head to pull him to me, or me to him. He didn’t need urging, burying his face between my legs and eating my pussy with an eager hunger and incredible skill. It was like an act of worship for him, devoting himself to my pleasure with a single-minded focus that overwhelmed me. That damnable Drachali tongue, long and dextrous and rough, sent me into a screaming orgasm as soon as he found my clit.

I don’t know how many times he sent me over the edge. They all blurred together as my brain stopped processing anything other than his touch, fingers playing along my sides and teasing my breasts, mouth devoted to my overstimulated pussy. Floating in the air, supported by a gravity field, I had no other sensations to distract me. I had to face his intense assault on my senses alone, and fuck, it was good. When he eventually lifted his mouth and looked up at me, his face dripping with my juices, I whimpered with the need for more. More of him.

“Please,” I said, my voice raw from shouting. “Please don’t stop.”

“I will always work to please you, my queen.” He spoke with utter, undoubtable certainty, adjusting the forcefield to tilt me just so. The head of his cock pressed against my entrance, vibrating in pulses that shattered my self-control. Wrapping my legs around him, I tried to pull him in, begging without words. He leaned in over me, kissing me on the lips and whispering a question. “You are my queen, aren’t you? For now, and forever.”

Fuck. Fuck. “Yes, fuck yes!”

His pulsing cock thrust into me as I spoke, and my words dissolved into incoherent cries. This time he fucked me slowly, deliberately, taking his time and making sure that I enjoyed orgasm after orgasm before he allowed himself to lose control. When he finally came, I was a shaking, sobbing mess, and he was exhausted. Clinging to each other, we floated in mid-air and panted for breath.

Eventually, I had enough breath to speak, though my throat was raw from screaming.

“What happened to ‘no pressure?’” I asked with a grin, snuggling into him. Rhakaris laughed.

“You know I would not hold you to something you promised under duress,” he said, brushing hair out of my face and planting a kiss on my forehead. “If you ever decide to leave, you are free to do so. I hope you never make that choice, but I won’t stop you. I wanted to present an argument for staying.”

“And a powerful solid argument it is,” I said with a grin, reaching down to caress his dick. It pulsed in my hand, stiffening again already. “But you didn’t need it to convince me, my beloved. I am here for good.”