Dominated By Desire (3 page)

“Good. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He gently touched her shoulder.

“Do you wish to join the interrogation?”

She nodded. Talking was out of the question. She wondered if the guards could see her disheveled look and swollen lips. If they did they showed no reaction.

Storm offered her his hand which she took and they followed the men to the security section.

“You might not like the way we do things around here but it is our way,” he said.

He had kept his distance from her, allowing her to regain some control.

What had gotten into her? She never behaved like this before. Most men who showed her any attention learned quickly she didn’t want it. What was wrong with her?

Keeping her gaze averted she couldn’t help but notice the two wet marks on his clothes. One on his thigh and the other over his groin. Heat filled her cheeks. She did that to him. What must he think of her?

Relief filled her when they entered the security section. Something to draw her focus.

Two of the guards stepped into the room. One held a strange looking weapon.

“Tell us why you invaded the ambassador’s home.” The four men just stared at them.

“Do you know what this is?” The guard with the weapon asked. “It’s from our planet on Vespia.” He turned it on a low setting, pressing it against the stomach of one of the intruders causing him to crumple to the ground.

He turned it up a notch and aimed it at the next man.

“We know nothing.” His answer wasn’t what they wanted to hear. The guard pressed it against the neck of the man causing him to cry out in pain before crumpling as well. A large burn mark showed on his throat.

“It is designed to help with our animals. We can use it on the lightest setting.” He pointed to the first man on the floor. “To keep them from wandering. The highest setting kills.” He moved it to the top notch and sliced through a table sitting in the room. “Clean and precise. Now, why are you here?”

Sweat broke out on the brow of the third one. “I didn’t get paid enough to die.”

“Shut up,” said the other. “How do you know they won’t kill you after you talk?”

“I’d rather die at their hands than his.” He looked up at the guards, fear dancing in his eyes. “We were hired to get the woman. We don’t know why, just following orders.”

She looked at Storm. “Woman?”

“You.”

“Me? Why?”

“That is the question, isn’t it?”

Chapter 2

The next morning Storm stood in front of the monitor speaking to the head of the Vespian council. “We understand there was a break in last night.

That’s not like you. What distracted you?”

“Nothing.” Except a little wisp of a woman with white blonde hair and bright violet eyes, a tough exterior but so soft if you knew where to touch.

He had enjoyed their little interlude. “We caught them before any damage could be done.”

“What did they want?”

“That new diplomat you thrust on me.” He figured someone had already told them everything that happened, so he wasn’t sure why they were asking him to repeat the information, but he was going to let them know he wasn’t happy about it.

“We were afraid of that. Someone doesn’t want our planets to unite, but we’ve come up with a solution. All trade agreements will be done on our planet.”

“Ma’am.” He felt his brow crease. “You know that can’t be done. We don’t allow outsiders on our planet.”

“She won’t be an outsider as your bride, will she?”

“You want me to bond with her for a treaty?” His anger started to boil. He couldn’t believe what they were asking of him. No Vespian had been forced to wed an outsider. It was against their rules. Why would they suddenly ignore that?

“One day you will rule this council. Can you think of a better way to complete this treaty? Did you forget how your grandfather was bonded?”

“No, Ma’am.” His grandfather had been promised to one of the council’s daughters, but then fell in love with an outsider during a dignitary mission and threw everything away for that woman. It helped bring that race and their people to their side during a bloody war the Vespians ultimately won.

One they might not have if his grandfather hadn’t taken that woman for a mate.“We need them. These people from Earth hold the key to our future.” She paused for a moment. “That is all I can tell you.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” He kept his anger over the situation under control. The soldier in him knew he had to follow orders but the man hated being told what to do. Heather struck him the same way. He wondered how his little human was going to take this. She couldn’t be very happy about it either.

“Who is telling her?”

“I believe she is speaking to her people right now. She’ll be instructed to meet you in your quarters when she finishes with her communiqué.” Now all he had to do was wait.

****

“Excuse me?” She thought her ears were playing tricks with her.

“What part didn’t you understand?”

“I am to marry him?” She couldn’t believe this. “Sir, I wasn’t trained to be a dignitary. I was trained to work in the science field.”

“Correction, Lieutenant. You scored high in the science area and wanted that to be your field but your innate abilities in security put you there.” His voice held no anger but he rarely called her by her rank. Only when he wasn’t pleased with her. “The Vespian council was the one who picked you out of all the other people up for this security detail, and as part of the negotiations they wish to bring our planets together through marriage. I’m sorry you’re not happy about it but you will follow orders. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” She kept her features schooled but inside she was in turmoil.

Marriage? To a man who made her blood boil? This just wasn’t fair.

“They will be sending a Vespian protocol specialist here to work with you. Once the marriage has taken place you will finish negotiations on Vespia.” Before she could protest again he continued. “Someone has been assigned to train you in that as well. You are to meet with the ambassador after we’re finished then wait for the Earth diplomat who will train you. He should be there in an hour.”

She turned off her screen and plopped into a chair. Screaming wouldn’t help, although it would make her feel better. How was she going to face him? It was as if everyone knew about the steamy kiss and decided the kiss was a good measure for marriage.

Running through her mantra a couple of times she stood and headed out the door. Might as well get this over with.

The moment the men outside his large double doors saw her they opened them and stepped aside.

“I see news travels fast here.” She stepped into his room for the first time.“Most of my people have too much time on their hands.” He glared at the two of them before the doors closed. “What were you told?” He seemed almost nervous over how she would react. He should be as mad as she was. Why was he taking it so well?

“Not much. I’m to be trained by my government, then your government and then we’re off to Vespia to finish the negotiations. Did I forget anything?” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, yeah, we’re supposed to be married.” He grinned. “You seem to be taking it well.”

“Oh, believe me I want to scream, then throw something, but I’ve been trained to be better than that.”

“I can take you someplace where you can do those things.”

“Thanks, but I have to meet a diplomatic trainer in about an hour and I’ll want more time than the hour offered right now.” She looked about the huge suite, amazed at how white it was. White walls, white furniture, so sterile. “Vespians not into color?”

He looked around. “I’d rather earth tones but this is what your people interpreted from what we sent them.”

“Someone didn’t get the right memo.” She found the huge bed that must have been specially made for his seven foot six inch frame, but that brought back memories of their kiss and she wasn’t ready to confront that yet. She turned to find him inches from her.

“There is a ceremony intended mates go through.” His gold eyes searched her face.

“We have a simple ritual too.” She sure hoped his would be simple.

“The man normally gives his bride-to-be a diamond ring.”

“It is my planet’s wish to have the ceremony happen now.” He continued talking like she hadn’t said anything. She just loved being ignored. Kicking something sure would make her feel better.

Storm gestured to a man hovering in the background. She sensed him back there but hadn’t paid much attention to him because Storm hadn’t.

He was dressed in strange garb, carrying a small leather book that looked centuries old. The little man stopped in front of them and waited.

Two others came out, wearing the same strange clothes. One carried a chalice and the other a weird looking leather strap. The items rested on a bit of cloth.

“And what do
you
wish?” it came out a little sarcastic but she couldn’t help herself. She had lost control of the whole thing and had no clue how to get it back.

He hesitated for a moment. She could tell he was choosing his words carefully. “Like you I am a soldier and have been trained to follow orders.

Is that not what you’re doing?”

He had a point. Storm knelt and gestured for her to do the same.

The little man spoke in a strange language she could only guess was Vespian. He gestured over their heads as he spoke, sprinkling an iridescent powder over them. Next he took the chalice from his assistant and offered it first to Storm, who took a drink, then to her.

She held it and looked at Storm. She should be fighting this. Why wasn’t she? Her hesitation put a worried look on his face. They were both caught up in something neither had control over and he was right. She was only following orders. The marriage would probably be annulled the moment the treaty was signed.

Lifting the cup, she took a sip, finding the liquid bitter to the taste. She couldn’t help making a face as she swallowed it. Whatever was in the liquid made her head buzz a little. Next the man took the leather strap and said a few more strange words. Taking her left hand and Storm’s right he wrapped the strap around each, speaking his odd little language before tying the ends.

She started feeling lightheaded. Her world spun then went dark.

****

“These humans are a little weak, aren’t they?”

Storm had been quick enough to catch her the moment she passed out.

He turned to glare at the little man. “You sure your potion wasn’t a little too strong?”

“Sure it was.” He pointed to the soft, thin leather slowly seeping into their wrists. “Didn’t think she should know the details of this ritual.”

“She will be part of our world now. Would you keep secrets from me?”

“Of course not. But secrecy is our way and you know it.” The Vespian religious leader shuffled to the door. “The bond will be complete once the cord has disappeared. She will probably think this marriage can be reversed once the treaty has been signed. You will have to convince her to accept it.”

“Why her?”

“She is your destiny. Treat her well.”

“I promise.” Being careful of the leather, he picked her up and placed her on the couch. He had thought about placing her on his bed for a moment or two but knew he needed to take this one step at a time.

He was bonded. Storm couldn’t believe it. When he learned they wanted the bonding ceremony this soon he tried to get out of it again. The argument he had with the elders and their religious leader didn’t work. It came down to two things. One, the elders had their own reason for wanting this human as his mate and two, he could never win an argument with a man who had visions. Heather was seen in a vision as his mate. That was all it took for them to make the decision. He had always trusted their decisions before so he put his and her fate in the hope they were right again.

Once the leather had been absorbed thoroughly he woke her. “You alright?”

Her eyes fluttered open. “Yeah. What was in that drink?”

“No one knows.” He helped her sit up.

She rubbed her wrist. Did she still feel it on her?

“It sure packed a punch.” She sat up when she realized where she was and what had just transpired. “I need to be meeting that stupid trainer.”

“You could skip it for the day.” He was amazed at how she snapped to the task at hand, but she had no idea what she had been through. “I’m not sure how long the wine will sit in your system. It could make you groggy for a while.”

“I’m fine.” She pushed herself to her feet only to land right back on the couch. She looked up at him and grinned. “Okay, maybe it still has a little bit of an effect, but I can do this. It will probably only be a ‘what do you know so I know what to teach’ lesson anyway.”

****

The diplomat they sent was a young man barely out of training. She was sure of it. Great, she needed someone to show her the ropes and they sent her a bookworm.

He sat his pad on a nearby table and shook hands with her. Something happened during that handshake because she felt a slight flush and his whole demeanor changed. He cleared his throat. “Right, so I have my notes right here.”He picked up his pad and proceeded to read from it but he kept looking at her. She wasn’t sure why, but it made her uneasy. Once he had covered what he knew of her assignment he sat the pad down and took her hand. “So what do you need to know?”

“Um, isn’t that why you’re here?” She pulled her hand out of his grasp and moved so that there was some furniture between them.

“Did you know you have the prettiest eyes?”

Something was definitely wrong. Men found her attractive but she never had one go this overboard. “Excuse me, maybe we should reschedule.”

“No, no.” He cleared his throat. “I’m quite capable of doing this.” She crossed to the air unit and turned it on high. It seemed to calm him down for a moment but it didn’t last long. Pretty soon he was chasing her around the room. Spouting how much he loved and wanted her and how he would die for her.

“You need to get a hold of yourself.” He was acting like all those women who chased after Storm.

“I only want to hold you.” He lunged for her.