Captured & Seduced (12 page)

Ry hesitated an instant before he bit down. The pain passed in a flash, replaced by pleasure so powerful she didn’t think she could bear the intensity. Ry withdrew and pounded back into her pussy. If anything the pleasure increased, pushing her over into climax, sensation pulsing in giant, breath-stealing waves. She gasped, weak and pliant in his arms, still shuddering in post-orgasmic pleasure.

“Camryn.” Ry thrust into her again and pushed her head into the crook of his neck. She licked across the base of his neck and he shuddered, his groan of appreciation making her repeat the move, this time with her teeth. She nipped the skin and he plunged into her with deep, frantic thrusts. He licked her neck, the warm, wet suction driving her higher. The flash of climax seared her again, and she convulsed around his cock, gripping it tightly, gasping for breath.

Incredible. Intense. Unbelievable.

The coppery tang of his blood filled her mouth. It should have repulsed her but didn’t. Instead, she held tight while Ry spilled his seed and drifted down through aftershocks to satisfaction.

Ry inhaled deep before lifting her off his cock and letting her slide down his body. “Hell,” he said with a rueful laugh. The humor dissipated when he studied her neck. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” He ran his fingers across the bite on her neck.

Camryn gasped and tried to jerk away, but he held her fast.

“God, it’s bleeding. Let me.” He dipped his head and licked the puncture wounds.

The lap of his tongue sent a spasm through her, the brush of his fingers bringing goose bumps. Camryn battled the need to rub against him like a cat in heat. She wanted the sleek thrust of his tongue in her mouth. Her vagina fluttered and he lifted his head, his eyes a deep, mossy green when he stared at her.

“I want to fukk you again,” he murmured, his voice husky and seductive.

“Get out of my head,” she protested, but her disapproval came out low and breathy and held not a whit of authority. She tried to build a wall in her mind—one brick at a time—like Mogens had described. The first three rows of bricks were perfect then they crumbled without warning.

Their gazes clashed and while she watched, a slow Cheshire cat smile bloomed across his features. “You like me there,” he whispered. “As much as you like me thrusting into your hot little cunt.”

Unable to meet his gaze for a second longer, Camryn curled into his embrace. She didn’t understand, not any of it, and she hated the out-of-control sensations she experienced when they were together.

It wasn’t right.

It felt like betrayal yet she couldn’t stop herself.

“If you think I like this any more than you do, then you’re wrong,” he gritted out, pulling away from her to glare. He hauled up his trews.

When they no longer touched, she was assailed by a sense of loss. She avoided looking at him and, after righting her clothing, stared at the ground, forcing her mind to concentrate on thoughts of the hell-horses and their training. “We should go.”

Ry snorted. “You’re right of course. Whatever this is between us can’t get in the way of winning the race.”

“There’s nothing between us. Once the race ends I’m going home.”

Ry picked up his pack. “Also correct.”

In terse silence, they made their way down the steep incline, and after searching, they found the narrow entrance to the canyon.

“Why don’t we block the entrance now?” Camryn wanted to capture the horse and start training. Leaving this strange planet and returning home couldn’t happen soon enough. Ry’s face had started to replace Gabriel’s. She had to concentrate to recall her husband’s scent. She needed to depart before Ry stole all her memories.

* * * * *

Darkness had already fallen by the time Camryn and Ry walked into camp.

“Captain, we were starting to worry.” Mogens eyes narrowed. His swift change of color spoke of his true feelings. “Are you hungry?”

Ry could tell Mogens would have plenty to say once he managed to get Ry alone. The seer took too much upon himself. “The terrain was difficult today.” He jerked his head in Camryn’s direction where she slumped, exhausted, on a nearby rock. “We found a blind canyon containing a large herd of hell-horses and spent a couple of hours blocking the entrance so they can’t get out. I don’t think they even knew we were there. Anyone else have any luck?”

“I saw herds in the distance but they sensed my presence,” Jannike said. “They ran off.”

Mogens shook his head. “No sightings, although I restocked my herbal supplies.”

“No surprises here in camp, Captain,” Yep said. “The tender is fully functional again, although we’ll need to do further repairs once we return to the
Indy
.”

Nanu rubbed his face, the smear of grease on his cheek creeping closer to his ear each time he repeated the move. “It’s not perfect but it’ll do.”

“Kaya, how did you get on?” Ry asked.

“I saw a few hell-horses in the distance. You know how we haven’t seen any large animal life apart from the horses? Yeah, well, I saw this giant bird that stood taller than me. Nearly crapped myself.”

Jannike chuckled. “Have you got a secret stash of ouzotine?”

“I haven’t been drinking,” Kaya protested, her chin jutting out in combative mode. “I saw a giant bird.”

Ry believed her. Kaya wasn’t one to make up stories. “Where did you see it?”

“In a lightly forested area, near a big pond,” Kaya said. “I’m not making it up.”

“We believe you,” Mogens said, ever the peacemaker.

Jannike snorted and her lips quirked, however she refrained from further comment when Ry glared at her. The last thing he wanted was squabbling amongst his crew. They needed to pull together or they’d never have a chance of winning.

“Tomorrow we’ll take the tender to the canyon and set up base there. I saw a couple of areas big enough for the tender to land.” Ry glanced at each of his crewmates for agreement but didn’t expect protests. They were all eager for the training to begin.

Ry glanced at Camryn, his gut hollowing in apprehension. He didn’t want her facing the creatures. It was dangerous for a fragile Earthling with slow-healing powers. Forcing down his fear because he had no other option, he turned to Kaya. “Have the rest of you eaten?”

“Yeah. I’ll grab pouches for you and Camryn.”

“I’m not hungry,” Camryn said. “I intend to wash and sleep. And I should study the Dowry Derby rule book again so I know it inside out.”

“Child, you must eat,” Mogens said. “You must keep up your strength.”

In the flickering light of the fire, Ry saw the seeds of protest forming. “I don’t need to do anything apart from training the horse,” she snapped. “I’m going to wash.” She turned her back on them and stalked toward the river.

Ry growled, low and grouchy, and his crew watched him warily. “Pouches?”

Kaya handed him two. Ry prowled into the tender. He grabbed a flask out of his personal gear and stalked back outside. “We leave at daybreak tomorrow. The sooner we capture a hell-horse, the better I’ll feel.”

“Aye, Captain,” Yep said. “We noticed a few tenders flying over today. I don’t think we were spotted because of our camouflage.”

A thought occurred to Ry. “Any of you see hunting parties on foot?”

“No,” Jannike said. The others shook their heads.

“Does that strike you as strange?” Ry demanded. “With the number of people lining up to enter the race we should have seen more hunters.”

“Especially since the hunting fields close to the city are depleted,” Mogens said. “You’re right, Captain. We should have seen hunting parties.”

“There are plenty of tenders flying over,” Jannike said after an uneasy silence.

“Yeah, but what does it mean? Are we hunting in the wrong area? Are there easier pickings elsewhere? Or are we being set up?” Ry scanned the faces of his crew, his superior eyesight giving him a good view despite the scant firelight. They all looked uneasy. “We need to beef up security again,” Ry said. “I don’t like it. My gut is roiling.”

“That would be the sex thing,” Jannike retorted.

Ry dropped the pouches and flask, moving so quickly she didn’t have a chance to avoid him. He grasped her shirt and yanked it, throwing her off balance. “Leave Camryn out of this.”

Jannike stilled, not a muscle moving despite the fact he could break her neck at whim. “And maybe you should leave Camryn out of this. She’s not gonna be worth a thing as a trainer if you fukk up her mind with sex.”

Plain speaking. In the past he’d always valued Jannike’s bluntness. Right now he didn’t want to hear a repetition of Camryn’s opinion. She didn’t want his attentions. Ry took a deep breath, consciously wrapping control around him like a cloak. He released his grip on Jannike’s shirt and stepped back.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, pissed he’d put himself into a position where an apology was necessary. The knowledge his second-in-command spoke good sense didn’t help.

Ry stooped to pick up the pouches and flask and strode from the campsite without another word. Frag it, he knew Jannike was right, but the urge to possess ate at his control. And the moment he touched Camryn he lost any semblance of restraint. All he could think about was fukking her, taking and giving pleasure.

“Hell,” he whispered, the sentiment fierce. Ever since Camryn had walked into his life, his hard-fought discipline had taken a holiday. He’d cut off his right hand before he’d let on how much the loss of humanity scared him. But it did—the ceding of control to the feline happened more often. It terrified him. Other things had changed as well. Physically he’d had to shift on a regular basis, just as he’d needed sex. He’d taken both where and when he could, managing a semblance of discipline.

Ry realized the urge to shift hadn’t occurred since he’d met Camryn. The sex thing still happened but only with Camryn. Ry cursed under his breath, knowing he shouldn’t go to her but unable to stop. She was a fever in his blood at a time when he needed his wits about him more than ever.

The rush of the water increased as did his inner turmoil. His head told him to stay away. Ry didn’t listen. The idea made his gut churn. He spotted her dark silhouette on the edge of the river.

“I brought you something to eat.”

“I said I didn’t want anything.”

“Don’t be childish. You need food otherwise you won’t be strong enough to train the hell-horse. We need this win, Camryn. I must win.”

“Why?” Camryn turned to stare, although he didn’t think she could see his expression. “For money and a woman. There must be easier ways.”

“Revenge.”

She cocked her head. “Against whom?”

“My brother.”

“I can’t imagine hating my brother that much.”

“You don’t know my brother,” Ry said.

“Are you alike?”

“I was adopted as a baby.” His tone discouraged more questions.

“The big, bad face might work on everyone else but you don’t scare me.”

Ry’s mouth twitched. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Why don’t you get on with your brother?”

“Until I was accused of murder, I thought we got on well. I knew the Coppersmiths adopted me. I knew Talor was the Coppersmith heir, and the business would pass to him. I was fine with that. My father trained him to take over the family business while I didn’t do much of anything. I played a lot and caused trouble. I led a charmed life.”

“You were a playboy?”

Ry snorted. That pretty much summed up his life on Ibrox. He’d spent money freely, tupped willing women and acted like an aimless rich kid.

“You need to eat.” Ry handed her the pouch. Their fingers touched during the transfer, scorching his nerve endings. Ry gritted his teeth and forced himself to sit on a nearby rock. Her hair hung in wet tendrils around the collar of her tunic, water dripping down to dampen the fabric. She wasn’t wearing her Earth bindings. The plump curves of her breasts caught and held his attention. Blast it. He wanted her. Ry shifted uneasily in an attempt to ease the discomfort.

Camryn glowered until he looked away. He heard the pouch tear open and smelled the spicy meat and plant contents. The murmur of voices carried from their campsite.

“Revenge sounds ominous.” Camryn broke the uncomfortable silence between them. “What do you intend to do?”

“My brother and I have come to an agreement. If our hell-horse wins, Talor will clear my name.”

“And if you lose?”

“I stop intercepting his shipments and leave the area.” And never return. He’d never see his sisters again. Now that he’d had his life ripped from him, he’d come to value the important things—friends and family. He had to beat Talor. Ry opened his pouch and started to eat. When he finished, he set it aside and picked up his flask. He unscrewed the lid and handed it to Camryn.

“What is it?”

“I thought you might want a drink.”

Camryn accepted the flask and sniffed before smiling. “It smells like berries.” She tipped back her head and drank. “Tastes good.” Camryn licked her lips in a slow, seductive move, and a moan formed deep in his chest.

“Easy. It’s strong.”

Camryn handed the flask back. They sat in a companionable silence, passing the flask back and forth. He felt at ease sitting beside her.

“What is the family business?”

“Magical charms.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No. Coppersmith Magical Charms is well-known and very successful. They sell charms for luck, love and hundreds of other varieties.”

Camryn stared at him with wide eyes. “Do they work?”

Ry shrugged because they’d never worked for him. “People believe they work. They keep buying the charms.” Uncomfortable talking about his family and past, he changed the subject. “How will we train the hell-horse? What do we do first?” After all, she was the expert, not him. He excelled in thievery and running freight. In truth, he wanted to talk with her, listen to her sexy accent. And the need confused him when all he’d wanted in the past was a quick fukk. When he required conversation, he spoke with his crew.

“I guess I’ll tackle them like I would an unbroken horse at home. We’ll need to choose one and keep it contained. I’ve been thinking. We’ll still need to build a yard even though the hell-horses are contained in the canyon. It will make it simpler. A younger horse would be best since it’ll be easier to train. I’ll rope it and get it used to my presence.”