Freedom (Delroi Prophecy) (5 page)

Slowly, she took more of him into her mouth, and then just as slowly withdrew until he almost sprang free. Her fingers brushed, back and forth, along his sensitive shaft as she did. Again and again until his mental demands, his need to claim and take over, swamped her. She moved her hands to grip his hips as he took control, thrusting in and out of her mouth in long fluid strokes. Faster and faster, until she felt his orgasm building, knew he was seconds away. When she felt his intent to stop, she dug her nails into his skin in protest. She wanted to feel him orgasm as he had her. Wanted the taste of him on her tongue. He growled as he came, jets of salty sperm filling her mouth as he froze, buried between her lips. She sucked until there was no more then collapsed on the bed, not quite believing she’d let herself get so carried away. It should have frightened her, but she was ready for more. He chuckled as he joined her, rolling her to her side so her back was to him.

“
Good, angel,” he whispered against her ear as he lifted her thigh up and back over his. “Because we’re far from done.”

Unbelievably, he was erect. His cock was hard against her, sliding back and forth over her pussy but not entering her. He cupped her breasts, plumping, squeezing, rolling her nipples between his fingers. When she couldn’t stand being empty a moment longer, he thrust into her. His strokes were slow and measured. It wouldn’t normally be enough for her to reach the climax she yearned for, except his hands were still firm and demanding on her breasts. When one slid between them, down and over her pelvis, she held her breath. He dragged out the anticipation, making her wait several seconds before pinching her clit. She exploded.

He rode her through it, never altering his pace, until her shudders subsided. Then he flipped her over, moved her to her hands her knees and started all over again. The same slow torment, over and over, until she thought she’d go mad. She wanted him hard and fast. She felt an unfamiliar craving. To be claimed. To be possessed. As if her revelation was just what he was waiting for, everything changed. His control disappeared and he gave her what she wanted. He fucked her. It was wild and primal.

She felt her mind and body spinning out of control. The orgasm that raged through her was fierce, rolling through her in wave after wave of sweet torment. The last thing she was aware of was his arms locking around her, of his cry muffled against her nape. A satisfied smile curved her lips before she passed out.

When she woke he was spooned behind her. His hold was possessive, one hand on her breast the other cupping her sex. She could have handled that. It was his thoughts, his feelings that were overwhelming. He was thinking of them in the long term. Planning to take her home with him. His possessiveness veered into jealousy, domination. She tried to move out of his arms, but they tightened around her. He was gentle, but it was clear he wouldn’t let her go. He pressed a kiss to her nape.

“
What’s wrong,
der’lan
? You unleashed the beast and decided you couldn’t handle him?”

She blinked at the turn of phrase. It was pretty damned apt. She wasn’t sure if that wasn’t exactly what she’d done. Cornered a wild animal. One bent on caging her, taming her. She
hastened to rebuild her shields and block the weird connection between their minds that she’d accidentally forged. His growl was menacing, but he didn’t fight her. This time he let her go and she rolled out of bed.

“
Don’t make those plans, Roarr. They aren’t for me.”

He crossed his arms under her head and gave her a hard stare.
“Which plans would those be?”

She rolled her eyes.
“Your little home and family fantasy. I’m not interested in a serious relationship with you or anyone else.”

“
Why is that, Kareena?” he asked softly, almost tenderly. “You’d rather be alone?”

She paused at the bathroom entrance and an inexplicable pain momentarily gripped her.
“I’d rather be free,” she said, then forced herself to move.

If she expected him to be gone when she returned to the room, she was in for a disappointment. Exasperated, she sighed.
“You don’t take a hint well do you?”

He lounged on her bed gloriously, beautifully naked. It was damned hard to keep her eyes on his face. He grinned. The smug bastard knew just how appealing she found him. The attraction was getting stronger by the second. She should be sated. Impervious. But instead she felt arousal, sharp and cutting, building as if she hadn’t just had him and the best orgasms of her life. She took an aggressive step forward, fighting to think through the growing fog.

“This isn’t natural. What’s going on?”

He grabbed her wrist and tugged her down. The towel she’d wrapped around her body fell to the floor.

“Now you want to listen,” he complained, his eyes focused on the skin he’d exposed. She grabbed the sheet and covered herself.

“
Now would be good,” she snapped.

“
We call it mating lust.”

She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. Falkor had called Janice his mate. She’d figured it was just their way of saying girlfriend or wife.

“Be more specific.”

His eyes narrowed at the order, but he answered. The problem was the more she heard the more panicked she became.
“My people have a true mate, someone who can only connect with them, our
der’lan
.”

She’d wondered what that word meant.
“So
der’lan
means mate.”

“
It translates more closely as mate of my heart. There’s only one, Kareena,” he said firmly.

“
And you think I’m yours?” She ignored the butterflies flying nervously in her stomach, the dread turning her blood to ice.

“
I know you are.”

She shook her head. Even if she bought any of this, and she didn’t, it wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t want to belong to anyone or vice versa. She’d already lost everything, everyone she’d ever loved. She wouldn’t risk that pain again. Besides, she wasn’t sure if she could trust these aliens.

“You’re wrong,” she said harshly. “I can’t give you what you want.”

“
You mean you won’t,” he said, rolling to his feet. His anger pulsed between them and he started to dress.

Her nod was more a jerk.
“Fair enough.”

He pressed his lips together, holding back what she was sure would be a hot accusing response if he let it out.

“Fine, but I need you at dinner tonight.” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to protest. “Food, not sex. Don’t worry, baby, I don’t share well with others and there will be a lot of others there. Parker and Zola are invited, too.”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, because she had the weirdest urge to reach out to him and beg him to understand. He spun on his heel and stalked from the room. His leaving made her feel bereft. She crawled into bed, dragging the covers over her head as she tried to figure out just what the hell was wrong with her. But she didn’t stay there long. She needed to think, needed to meditate in a place where she felt part of something bigger. On Earth, she’d go into the woods or a virgin park, and she’d discovered just such a place on the ship earlier. She didn’t want to go alone, however, didn’t want to be alone. She dressed quickly and was surprised when Parker and Zola stepped into the corridor at the same time.

“What’s up?” she asked, a little concerned at their somber mood.

“
We aren’t sure how freely we can speak in these rooms,”
Parker answered mentally.

“
Just stretching our legs,” Zola said.

“
I know a place,”
she answered Parker and smiled at both of them, continuing aloud. “I found a really cool garden yesterday. Let’s go there.”

A garden on a spaceship that conveniently had a waterfall. If anyplace was safe from listening devices it was the most likely they could access. No one spoke until they were on a curved bench close enough to get sprayed. Kareena already felt better.

“So?” she asked.

“
Has anyone questioned you? About why we were prisoners? Who we are? Anything?”

“
No. You?”

Parker pressed her lips together and shook her head.
“What I’d really love to know is how they knew to look for us.”

Zola’s total lack of expression was telling.

“What?” Kareena asked.

“
Tel. I stole something they want and someone hoped if I escaped, I’d lead them to it.”

“
Kind of hard to do that on a spaceship heading to Delroi,” Parker said dryly.

“
I couldn’t anyway,” Zola said. “I gave it to an underground telepath then had him remove the memory from my mind. I don’t even remember who the telepath was.”

“
There’s only a handful of people strong enough to do that,” Kareena said. And if she could identify several of them, she wouldn’t put it past Tel to track them down either.

Zola shook her head, granting one of her rare small smiles.
“There are a lot more than you think. Tel, rebels, foreign operatives. I know that information is safe. It’s why they let me live so long. If they’d found it I would have been killed long ago.”

“
So why would they tip off the Delroi?”

She sighed.
“I’m guessing the committee decided if they weren’t getting it back they might as well kill me.”

“
But you think someone believed you might still be useful.”

She hesitated so long Kareena knew there was more to it than that.

“No. This more a debt paid. I can’t say more than that.”

“
Okay, we won’t ask more about that. For now.” And maybe they wouldn’t have to. It was possible it was all over now, that Tel wouldn’t come looking for them and Delroi wouldn’t require payment for sanctuary.

“
If it becomes necessary, I’ll tell you as much as I can, but you know the less you know about my past the better.”

Kareena did know which was why she didn’t push Zola for answers. They’d survived this long without questioning each other’s honor or integrity. She wouldn’t change the rules of the game now. Besides, they wouldn’t be returning to Earth and what were the chances of Tel tracking them down halfway across the galaxy?

“So what do we tell them when they ask?” Parker asked softly. “And why are they waiting? What are the chances they’re playing a bigger game, using us to either get to Tel or forge an alliance with them?”

“
Very little, I think,” Zola said earnestly, leaning forward. “We tried to infiltrate their forces and didn’t get anywhere. They wanted complete surrender, never played any of us against the other. Look at the peace accord.”

“
So why go through so much trouble to rescue three Earth women?”

Zola shrugged.
“You got me.”

Kareena wasn’t buying it.
“They’re conquerors. I can’t believe they’d save us just out of the goodness of their hearts.”

“
Me either,” Parker said. Zola didn’t look convinced. “You know something more?”

“
No. I don’t believe we’re in any imminent danger, but I have no idea why they did what they did or what they have planned for us. I just can’t believe it’s as political pawns.”

“
So what do they want?” Parker asked again, frustration straining her voice.

Kareena didn’t offer an opinion, but she had a growing suspicion. Roarr hadn’t questioned her about her captivity, hadn’t asked what her value was as a prisoner, but he’d made it damned clear he wanted her. He wanted to possess her, to own her. Maybe her earlier assessment was right. Maybe she was a war prize. The scary thing was a part of her didn’t care. The wanton greedy side that was blown away just remembering the sex. If only it could be so simple.

“Maybe we’ll discover something at dinner,” Kareena finally said, answering Parker’s question.

But Kareena couldn’t escape the feeling she already knew.

“There’s something else we have to worry about,” Zola said, looking uneasy. “Tel won’t give up. The general populace doesn’t know a thing about any of us, but within our spheres we’re all well known. The underground knew you were being held. Someone will tip them off that you’ve been rescued and by who, if they figure it out. If you were just anyone they might let you go, but you aren’t. You’re a symbol of the resistance, both of you.”

She exchanged a look with Parker. Neither of them had considered that. The guilt that spiked through her heart at abandoning her people was a jagged edge. Still, she reasoned, she was no use to them dead.

“I need to get word to the underground,” she whispered. Someone would have to step into her place. Hell, probably already had. The thought soothed her conflicted heart, alleviated some of the guilt.

“
And you?” she asked Zola.

She snorted.
“They will definitely come after me.”