Bonds of Blood [Lords of the Expanse] (Siren Publishing Classic) (13 page)

Taking her hand in his, he kissed her fingers lightly. “Come, wife, and stop worrying about such things for now,” he said quietly. Guiding her down the stairs, he paused by the closet and pulled out her wrap, holding it for her and draping it around her shoulders. Taking her hand in his, he held it as he opened the door and stepped out, searching the hall before allowing her out and closing the door behind them.

She held onto him and sighed. “All right, husband, let’s you and I go to see your men so they know not to shoot me when they see me, all right?”

A half hour later they were in the shipyard, her hand in his as he guided her up the ramp to the lowest level of the vessel. Moving through, he nodded to the crew, who all stopped and gave a small bow of their head to their superior officer. “Sergeant,” he said, looking to one, “inform the command deck I am here and let the Major know I need to see him and the other officers in the war room before they depart the ship for the night.” As the young man took off to a console, Andries guided her through the ship quickly to a lift that would take them to the command deck. “I’ll give you a tour before we leave,” he murmured softly to her as they stepped into the lift.

She frowned as she looked up at him. “I don’t want to complain, Andries, because I very much like it, but you do realize that you are still holding my hand, don’t you?” She did, however, step closer to him and felt more of his heat surrounding her in a warm comfort that she didn’t think she could ever step away from. “And several of your men saw you holding my hand. Are you going to be all right with that?”

Glancing down at her, he nodded. “I do realize,” he told her and then looked up at the display to see where they were. “If I was not all right, as you phrased it, I would not being doing so, Xandra,” he pointed out quietly. “In the war room I will need you to sit quietly for a time, Xandra. I need to speak with my second about preparations for departure as well as brief him on the mission. I know it will likely be boring, but it is necessary, so I hope you will understand.”

“As long as you are certain that I won’t get in the way.” She knew that she wouldn’t get in the way at all simply because she had no insight into what happened in a war room. “I will be perfectly content to remain at the side simply watching and listening.” Especially if it was him she was going to get to watch and listen to. She tugged absently at her hair, ensuring the deformed ear was covered once more before the shiny doors swished open and he led her from the small lift into a sparse hall with guards lining the doors.

Moving down the corridor, he guided her to the war room, and placing his hand on the scanner, he stepped inside with her. “Gentlemen,” he said to get everyone’s attention. “Before we begin, may I introduce my wife, the Lady Xandra. Xandra, my second, Major Slater,” he said quietly. “If you need anything and I’m unavailable, you can count on him.”

“A pleasure, my lady.” The major bowed his head in respect, having noted the colonel was holding the lady’s hand, an interesting detail.

“Ensure the crew knows that the lady will be joining us for this mission and to ensure that everything is as it should be.” In other words, they had better behave or Andries would have their hearts on a platter.

“Of course, Colonel.” The major nodded and then looked to a young lieutenant, who bowed his head slightly and left the room.

“Come,” Andries said to Xandra before leading her to the head of the table and his seat. Pulling it out, he seated her, giving her hand a slight squeeze before he moved to look at the star charts spread out. Undoing his jacket, he pulled out the packet with their orders and passed it to the major before doing his jacket up again.

Turning in the plush seat that seemed to mold to her body as she leaned back, she watched him carefully and the men at his side. She took in everything. While she hadn’t been taught so much, Xandra was far from stupid. Every detail of the map, of the orders she had seen only briefly would be committed to memory. It wasn’t planned but simply the way that she was. On certain things Xandra had complete and total recall, rare for a woman and an ability she hid stingily from all.

For the next hour, Andries covered every detail of the mission they had to a planet in their galaxy. There was to be a summit meeting of sorts, and they had to stop along the way to pick up the ambassador that would be needed at the meet. He made it quick, not wanting to keep the men too long. They needed sleep. “That’s it, Major,” he said at the end as the orders were put in the safe as well as the star maps. “Ensure everyone is on board and accounted for in four days’ time at 05:00. The lady and I will be here the night before.” Because he wasn’t planning on getting out of bed early enough to travel to the port.

“Yes, sir,” Major Slater said as he bowed his head in salute to his commanding officer and then turned to Xandra to bow slightly deeper for her. “My lady, good evening to you both,” he told them and then, ordering the others out, followed them to complete the shift change.

Looking to Xandra as he shut the safe and spun the tumblers, Andries lifted a brow. “Bored yet?” he asked softly before he moved toward her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would take as long as it did.”

“Don’t be. I enjoyed it.” She really had, actually, which was a surprise. “It was interesting, to learn the names of the stars I have watched for so many years in the skies.” Turning to face him, she stood and smiled. “I’m ready to go for dinner now, if you are hungry as well, that is?” A short flush colored her cheek as she reached out and touched his chest, only daring the move because she knew they were alone. The colored cheeks came from thinking of how he had fed from her, dined on her blood, and moon and stars help her, she wanted to feel it again.

Watching her, he touched her cheek lightly. “What is going through that head of yours, Xandra?” he asked, not really expecting an answer. “Did you want to tour the ship now or the night we come aboard for the trip?” he asked a moment later.

“If you wouldn’t mind, I would like one now.” Looking up at him, her eyes glittered with need. “I was thinking of how you drank from me, and for a moment I was hoping you would tell me you were hungry and bend to drink from me again. Pretty silly, I know.” But there it was.

He had no control over his brows as they shot up toward his hairline. Nor did he have any idea what to say to that proclamation. Blinking a few times, he got his voice back. “I see,” he murmured quietly. Pulling her closer to him, he bowed his head so that his lips hovered just over hers. “You like when I feed from you?” he asked softly.

“I liked it a great deal. I know that it’s something I shouldn’t, and while I admit it held pain, it was more the feeling of”—she didn’t know how to think to phrase it, so she finished with—“the feeling that I am giving you something that no one else could.” Anyone could give it to him, but that was beside the point. “However, if you prefer not to, I understand fully. I am not from your home planet, and I’m certain that I’m nowhere near what you could get from here.” She shrugged and leaned in, brushing her lips so very lightly over his that were so very close. “I won’t be offended by the bags, I promise,” she said when she pulled away.

Searching her eyes for a moment, Andries stroked his finger over her pulse. “You are much preferable to any bag or live source ever, Xandra. Your blood is rich, full of life, sweet, and slightly spicy,” he said quietly. “But if you are not comfortable with my taking from you, Xandra, I am more than able to survive with the bagged blood.” Now though, gods, now he wanted her on his tongue again, her taste, her scent, everything.

She snorted and shook her head, looking up at him with a smile. “I loved you taking from me, Andries. Didn’t you get the memo on just how much I loved that? It made my whole body come alive, every single nerve ending firing rapidly, knowing that I was giving you something that would help you survive.” She sighed and traced her fingers over his lips. “I loved it, Andries, and I would very much like you to do that anytime you are in need.” Like now, her body screamed.

Feeling her pulse jump under his fingers, he continued to stroke her neck lightly. With a gentle finger, he turned her head and lowered his own to her throat. Licking at her pulse gently, he nibbled at her skin. “I’m in need, Xandra,” he told her quietly. Letting his incisors slide out, he scraped them lightly over her skin and then, quickly and before he could rethink it, he sank his teeth in deep, wrapping his arms around her to hold her closer.

Her arms wrapped up and around him as she gasped for air. “Andries,” she whimpered softly in the quiet room as her body molded against his fully and completely. Her hands moved over his back, one anchored against the back of his head and the other the one doing the exploration before moving to his front and sliding down.

“I’m in need, too, Andries,” she confessed as he slowly drank from her. One of her hands found him and cupped his cock gently. “Please.”

Growling softly against her throat, Andries lifted her and took a step to the table where he sat her down. Moving between her legs, he slowed his feeding so he didn’t hurt her as he worked the skirt of her dress up her legs to find her underneath, his fingers teasing her wet flesh gently. All the command officers were off the ship, so there was no one that could get into the war room, which meant they had absolute privacy.

Bracing her hands on the flat of the table, she lifted slightly so the dress was fully bared and bit her lip as she moved the same hands back up and to the stays of his pants. “Please don’t stop, just…” She didn’t know how to ask for what she needed as she bared his flesh to her waiting hands finally. “Andries, please,” she begged as she began to stroke the heated shaft in her hands lovingly.

Rocking his hips into her hands, he slid two fingers deep into her tight pussy and gently stroked her. But it was her hands that were truly distracting him, his free arm tightening around her as he pulled her closer to the edge of the table. Shifting, he stroked his damp fingers over her thigh as he waited for her to guide his throbbing cock into her body, hoping she’d know what he wanted.

She seemed to move on instinct alone and pressed the bulbous head of his cock to her hot entrance and wrapped a leg around him to tug him in closer. Her head fell back and to the side, giving him far better access as she wrapped her other leg around his. Bracing her hands on the table, she pulled him in at the same time she lifted herself with her arms and met him halfway until he was fully buried in her pussy. “Andries,” she sobbed in pleasure.

Shifting his arms, he cupped her bottom to him as he began to move his cock in her pussy, feeding once again at her throat gently. Massaging her ass, he lifted her higher so she would wrap her arms around his shoulders, tipping her upright gently.

Her arms found their purchase around his shoulders, where she held on tightly and bit her lip as her legs tightened around him. There was no pain this time when he pushed into her body. It was perfect, felt amazing, and each time he moved his cock deeper into her body, she felt like screaming.

Rocking her on his cock, Andries pulled himself from her throat. He was taking too much, but the temptation was so strong. Clotting the wounds with slow swipes of his tongue, he licked over her flesh to her mouth and kissed her as he breathed her in, his eyes meeting hers.

Kissing him until she couldn’t see, she pulled back to watch him, watching her. Both of their bodies had stilled as he looked at her, watched her. Without even questioning it, she leaned forward and pulled him close. Her hands on his shoulders once more, she began to slowly move on his stiff cock, building the moment again until finally her head fell back, and in a moment of pure shock to her, she let out a yelp of passion as she came before him.

Andries held her as she took her own pleasure, and when she slowly came down, he began to move his cock inside of her. Pushing her back up through the need and desire, she felt him come hard, pulling her to him tight as he growled her name softly against her ear, his arms steel bands around her soft form.

She felt cherished as he held her close and closed her eyes as she lay her head on his shoulder. “That was very, very nice.” If she ever saw his war room again, she wouldn’t look at it in the same way. Her hands moved slowly over his back and she shivered as he squeezed her closer and closer.

Shifting his head slightly, he brushed his lips over her cheek. “Are you all right?” he asked softly. He’d behaved as an animal, just taking her with no concern for her or her care and welfare. It was not an acceptable decision on his part. He would have to do better by her from there on out. She deserved some civility, even married to a beast.

“Oh my goodness yes, I am all right.” She grinned happily at him and nodded. “I am very, very all right.” Looking up at him, she touched his cheek and asked the question that was burning. “I shouldn’t have started this. I’m sorry.” That wasn’t the question, but what came next was. “Will you forgive me for behaving as I did?”

Easing her down to sit on the table once more, he bent over her so their connection wasn’t lost. “How was it you behaved, Xandra?” he asked, confused and curious all at the same time. A common occurrence with this woman, his wife, he’d noticed in just the last two days of their marriage. So short a time and already he knew that they were going to have a full, if very interesting, life together.

“We are in your war room, yet I couldn’t keep my hands to myself.” She bit her lip and shook her head. “I can’t seem to keep my hands to myself or my thoughts as mine alone.” She did smile up at him. “But I look at you, you touch me, and I just lose myself. I need to feel you touching me, and now that I know how it can be between us physically”—again her cheeks colored—“I want it often. I want to feel you inside of me and you drinking from me, pulling me into you, for lack of a better description.” There was a pause. “Can you forgive me? I promise I will work on it, Andries. I will try to keep my hands to myself and not attack you the second we are alone.”