Parallel Fire (6 page)

Anna clung to his body, both of them naked and tangled together, so ready for it. But the lakeshore didn't seem the right setting, not this night; he needed more from her. Hell, they needed more together, something more erotic, more at the very edge of connecting—and that's why he was carting her right into the depths of the barely melted lake.

It would be cold, bracing, but erotic as hell to take her there. For Refarians water was the most arousing element of lovemaking: In the shower, in a steaming pool, even in a frigid lake, and they were driven to near-madness with lust. She thrust her hands through his hair, capturing his mouth with a rough kiss even as he gripped her bare buttocks, steadying her against his own naked body.

She had both legs slung about his waist. Her back was to the lake, her eyes shut as she made love to him with her mouth, murmuring his name over and over. As he stepped into the water, the first splash of the cold liquid sending a jolt through his body, she made a giddy, wild sound in his ear.

“That's going to be damnably cold.” She worked to angle herself against his thick cock. If the woman had her way, he'd fuck her blind standing ankle deep in the lake.

“You don't care,” he growled back against her ear, taking several deep steps, until, losing his footing, they tumbled together into the chilly water. His body was blazing with heat, burning from the inside out, and a light steam immediately circled them where they stood in the lake. “Besides, I have the gift of energy, remember?”

Already the water that lapped about their waists was warming by multiple degrees. In a matter of moments they would be in a veritable hot pool, the temperature of that small ring about their bodies raised unnaturally.

Anna's heated body first cooled, then immediately began to bathe in a warmth that was totally new for her. The sensation of Nevin's energy spilling into the water about their bodies, the erotic play of it along her skin, almost caused her to lose it right on the spot—especially as he dipped his powerful arms low about her body, drawing her legs about his strong hips once again. “Here,” he instructed knowingly, “just float, lean into the water, I have you.”

She felt the rounded tip of his erection push against her opening, the mixture of her own wetness and that of the water combining with the silky hardness of his masculine body. “No, hold me!” she cried, scrabbling at him, and he swung her upward until they were pressed chest to chest. “I need to be closer, Nevin. I need to feel all of your body.”

He nodded, burying his face against the top of her head, and with a powerful thrust of his hips, pushed inside of her, deep and hard and thrilling. For long moments after he'd penetrated her, they clung to each other, trembling and gasping for the air around them.

“Such a strange place to make love,” he admitted with a husky laugh.

“Perfect,” she disagreed, showering his warm chest with kisses.

“The bank was so cold.”

“And the water…” she barely managed to add as he grasped her hips and brought their bodies to the edge of separation, then drove them back together once again.

For long moments she floated, literally, within his grasp. Unlike their previous times in the past two days, he felt slow, aware of every second that played out between them. Allowing his energy to build about them, he transformed the frigid lake into a bubbling hot tub, the waters churning and pulling at their nude bodies. Nevin shifted his feet on the cool sand beneath them, drawing Anna's legs more tightly about his body. They were at a perfect ninety-degree angle—she floating along her back on the water's surface, he the warrior, the one with the sure-footing, driving into his love once again.

For a brief moment, he gazed up at the full moon; that was the exact moment when he felt their souls brush together. It was the deepest moment for any two Refarians, the one when they could choose—or be compelled—to lifemate. The one when their twin souls would dance together, twining and gyrating into a mystical union.

But he'd not expected it quite this soon. Oh, who was he kidding? He'd known it was likely from the first moment of their crash, his need to meld with her had been that profound.

Floating against him, her eyes flew open. “I felt that.”

He bowed his head, giving another gentle, half-thrust. “I did too.”

Hidden within his soul, the feather-light brush of her essence pushed closer. His Anna would never be denied, and he'd known that, too, from the very beginning.

His upper lip curled back; he pushed deep inside of her, and sensed thousands of colors merge with his consciousness—it was Anna. Lovely, perfect Anna, melding as one with his own soul.

“Both of us,” he cried into the night. “Both of us…one!”

No longer floating within his grasp, she wrapped her body about his, practically climbing along the length of him. “Yes!” She whooped. “Oh, by the gods, yes, yes, yes.”

“Mated,” he whispered, pressing his mouth against the top of her head.

With a lighthearted, joyous giggle, she threw both arms about his neck. “Totally, sir!”

 

 

 

The seed inside of her burned a bit; it was different than the other times they'd had sex, relatively few though they were. “Nevin,” she murmured as he covered her with his jacket there on the lake's shore. He silenced her with a kiss, and then knelt beside her, stroking a damp tendril of hair back from her cheek.

Naked, he reclined slightly on his side, just watching her through his slanted, sensual eyes, a gorgeous smile on his face. She'd always thought him beautiful before now, but bathed in the moonlight, transformed by their euphoric lovemaking, his handsomeness defied description.

“Nevin,” she began again softly, leveling him with a serious look, “I think…” Oh gods above, how to tell the man. She felt her hands shake, but there was no way around it—he had to be told. “There's something you should know.”

The glorious smile on his face faded somewhat at her tone. “What is it? You seem upset.”

“No!” She sat up, and grabbed hold of both his hands, his jacket slipping down into her lap. “No, I'm not upset. In fact, it's amazing news…for you. Or maybe for me.” She shrugged staring out at the lake. “For both of us,” she clarified resolutely.

“Tell me.” His words were edged like iron.

“You're not in your maturity.” She began to laugh, swinging her gaze toward his face. “I think you're still fertile.”

He pressed a hand to his temple, wiping at the sheen of perspiration that had formed between his eyebrows. “This is not amusing—not funny at all.”

She cupped her abdomen. “I can feel your essence inside of me now. It's burning, powerful.”

He shook his head. “That's not possible,” he announced stiffly, turning away from her to stare at the lake.

“I know what I'm feeling.”

Turning upon her, he roared, “Look at me, Anna! Look, by All's sake! My outward change doesn't lie!” She swore tears glinted in his black eyes.

“Does it matter?” she asked softly. “Is it bad? Do you not want children?”

He buried his head in both hands, planting both elbows on his knees. “You're confusing me. Is this some strange trick—after what we just shared?” His voice was plaintive and the broken sound of it tore at her heart.

She sidled up next to him, kneeling, and placed both hands on his shoulders. “Nevin,” she whispered gently, “I can only tell you what I feel.”

“You wouldn't know…would you?” he added the last in a soft, almost hopeful voice.

“Well, from what I'm told, that burning sensation only comes when a Refarian male is at the height of his fertility.”

He shook his head, closing his eyes. “That is true. Totally and completely true.”

Anna edged around until she met his gaze, saw the powerful emotion on Nevin's face. Oh, he wanted it to be true all right, so much so that it was obvious he didn't even dare hope. “If it's true,” she said gently, “then you know what it means.”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “We can't possibly have done so.”

She threw her arms about his neck. “You might have just given me a child.”

“All this need, this urgent hunger,” he whispered in her ear, “it's you, Anna. You brought me back into my season somehow. Just being so near you for these past few days.”

“Do you really think that kind of thing is impossible? Maybe it was just different for you, your change. Maybe your hair silvered, but”—she ran her hands sensually down his chest—“but your body never changed.”

“Oh it changed all right.” He gasped, his lungs pulling at the night air around them. “You've awakened me like I've never known.” He clasped her face between his palms, staring into her eyes for a long, hungry moment, literally trying to take her inside of himself somehow. “You've changed me, Anna—in a very short period of time.”

Pressing her forehead against his, she whispered, “You said something about the meeting room. That you first noticed me then. Was it when I had to come explain about the Madjin?”

He held her close against his chest, feeling the rapid pounding of her heart against his own. She needed to know the truth. “No, Anna. That was just the first time I let myself show you that I'd been noticing you for a very, very long time.”

She jerked backward, her dark eyes wide like the moon above them both. “Okay, you did get some kind of…look, or something, that day! I knew it.”

He laughed, stroking his hand down the length of her silky hair. “It was all that talk about your energy. It turned me on, completely.”

She scowled at him playfully. “You could have done something about it.”

“I wish I'd known how. I tried, I supposed, that day in the conference room”—he frowned—“I just didn't know how to make you notice me.”

“I've noticed you for years, Nevin.” She cupped his cheek significantly. “And now look what's happened.”

His eyes grew hooded and dangerous looking. “We're mated. For life.” Inside of her soul, she felt a demanding pull, a surge of ownership from Nevin's soul against her own.

“When you finally get down to it, you don't waste any time, do you?” She laughed, adding, “Sir.”

He lay back onto the ground beneath them, staring up at the night sky with a deeply serene expression. “I expect you to add a salute with that, Lieutenant Draekus.”

She lay down against him, resting her head over his heart. “Salute this,” she teased, sliding her hand between his legs.

One black eyebrow cocked upward. “You may not get a return salute from that department, at least not for a few more minutes.”

“I can wait. We have forever now—no matter what happens, we're bonded together.”

Nevin smiled, but inside he felt a terrible wave of dread. Having mated and bonded themselves to each other was one thing while they were here in the wilderness—but how would they possibly handle such an awkward proposition once back on base? He was still her commanding officer, and nothing about that problem had been resolved.

With a slight shake of his head, he drew Anna much closer within his arms, needing to feel her warmth, her tenderness. “Yes, we do have forever,” he promised. Inside his heart, however, he didn't feel quite so sure.

 

 

 

Chapter Six

A hard object kept bumping into her thigh. Repeatedly. But sleep was so cozy, what with the early morning sun warming their bodies, that she didn't mind. She just rolled closer to Nevin, nestling against his uniform-clad chest, and pulled his jacket over them both.

“Anna.” It was the voice of her twin sister.

“Go away. I'm still sleeping,” she murmured drowsily.

Sudden cold covered her half-bare body as the jacket ripped away; Nevin bolted upright beside her, and together they discovered Anika and a full rescue party gaping at them.

“Oh,
medshki
,” Anna muttered, her gaze sliding first to Nevin's half-buttoned, disheveled uniform, then to her own bare legs, and finally back to her twin's eager face. Anna pulled frantically at the uniform jacket, covering herself.

Anika issued a quiet command to the rest of the party, and they immediately moved away toward the lake, giving the three of them privacy.

Nevin staggered to his feet, smoothing out his uniform. “Lieutenant Draekus,” he said, addressing her twin sister. “Thank you for your diligence in finding us.”

Anika inclined her head slightly. “My apologies, sir, that it took so long.” Then, much to Anna's dismay, her sister's gaze slid between them meaningfully. “I trust you fared well during this incident?”

Nevin ran an anxious hand over his new growth of beard, blushing. “We are well, Lieutenant.”

Anna remained on the ground, watching the interchange, and wondered why Nevin didn't just announce the news of their lifemating. This was her own twin sister, after all, the only other person on the planet that she shared an intense connection with.

But Nevin said nothing—didn't so much as comment on their compromising position—while the rescue party gathered their meager belongings from beside the lake.

Anika glanced at her, confusion obvious, but Anna gave her head a light shake. It would be up to Nevin how they handled this; as much as it irritated her, she did understand that he would be cautious about sharing their news. Most likely they would have to return to base first, and then the news would become common knowledge.

Anika extended a hand to her, grinning conspiratorially. “Come now, sis, let's go board the craft. I have a warm breakfast waiting for you both. You can tell me all about”—Anika cut her eyes sideways subtly—“your adventures.”

 

 

 

Nevin sat impatiently in the medical area, ruing like hell his actions of the past hours. Returning to the compound had disconcerted him—especially his commander's concern about their well-being. There'd been one key moment when he should have confessed everything to their commander, Jared Bennett, let him know the truth about Anna and their lifebonding. But that moment had slid past, and he'd kept his mouth shut. Afterward Anna had gazed at him with such raw pain in her gorgeous black eyes that he'd been rendered speechless.