The Pirate Prince (12 page)

Kirill, right after his coronation, was the first to fall for a woman. It hadn’t surprised them much when he found a lifemate. Ulyssa, the new Var Queen, was a good woman. She used to work for the Human Intelligence Agency and made a good match for the Var leader. She was smart, cunning, and knew how to use a weapon. To her credit, she loved Kirill very much.

“And she gave it up to be with him?” Mei asked.

“Yes,” Jarek answered, not really thinking about it too hard. Mei’s sweet smell was around him. He liked holding her delicate body to his.

“Tori was a scientist with ESC. She came to my home planet of Qurilixen to rid it of a biohazardous contaminate. After she finished, she married my brother Quinn.”

Prince Quinn was the Var Ambassador. In truth it wasn’t just a biohazardous contaminate that had brought Tori to their planet. She had gone to Qurilixen to rid it of something much worse—bioweaponry. Dr. Tori Elliot was highly intelligent, if not a little overly serious, also a good choice for the royal family.

Jarek’s father had brought the bioweaponry to the planet in hopes of killing Lochlann’s dragonshifting kind, the Draig people. Jarek didn’t believe in the annihilation of a whole race, no matter how old the quarrel. Luckily, Kirill felt the same way and was working toward peace. The war really was unwarranted, just old prejudices rearing its ugly head.

“And she gave up her job to be with him?” Mei asked. “Yes, she did.” Jarek glanced down, wondering at the single mindedness of her questions. “Falke married Sam after that.”

“And, let me guess, she was something great and she now gave it up to be with him?”

“Actually, Sam was captain to this very crew, except for Jackson, Loch and myself. She kidnapped my brother and fell in love with him. She decided to stay with him after she brought him home.” As an afterthought, he added, “She is very happy with her decision.”

Perhaps the biggest shock of all three was when the stoic Commander of the Var armies, Prince Falke, lifemated to the space captain who’d abducted him. But Samantha had captured his brother’s heart somehow, making the big bad warrior feel. Now Sam was also highly intelligent, but she was no ex-undercover agent like Ulyssa and no overachiever scientist like Tori. She was, on the other hand, a bit of a hardheaded smartass and the brothers could more than appreciate that quality in her. In fact, to Falke’s irritation, they all liked to encourage it. It was payback from when they were

younger and he’d been in charge of their warrior training. “You know this, but you know not if they have had their babies?” Mei let loose a soft sound of disbelief.

“My sisters were all happy last time I saw them,” Jarek defended.

“Ah,” was all she said.

Thinking it best to finish his list, he said, “And my twin brother, ah that means we have the same mother.”

“I understand the word.”

“His name is Reid. He married a woman who had no place to go and nothing to give up. Her name is Jasmine.”

There,
he thought,
that should make her happy.

Jarek had been with Reid when he met Jasmine. The woman had been abused and drugged by a man who had forced her into marriage, a marriage that was later proven illegal. Reid had saved her from that and Jasmine in turn had saved Reid from himself.

Her illegal first husband was beheaded by the Medical Mafia.

“I wonder if she would see it the same way,” Mei grumbled under her breath.

Jarek opened his mouth to defend his family further, when she rushed on. “And the boys?”

“My nephews?” Pride welled in him at the thought. Jarek was happy for his brothers’ blessings. He liked children and they seemed to like him. He would be proud to hold his nephews in his arms and to help raise them, as was the Var way. “What of them?”

“Do any of them have names?” she asked.

“Ah, I only know two.” He ran his hand lightly over her arm, pulling her closer as they talked. The words flowed naturally between them.

“And they are?” she prompted, nudging his chest with her head. Jarek picked up a strand of her hair and rubbed its silky texture between his thumb and forefinger.

“For Kirill’s son, they picked Korbin. For Quinn’s son, they chose Roderic.”

Mei was quiet for awhile as she lay in his arms.

“They have lifemated to them,” Jarek said. For some reason he thought he read disapproval in her. “Not half mated.”

“I don’t understand what that means.” She laughed.

“Lifemates are when one of my kind marries and is mated to only one woman for the rest of our lives. It is a great sacrifice. If a Var’s lifemate dies, they would be forever alone. Hundreds of years would be a long time to be alone. It is a great sacrifice to be made.”

Mei didn’t answer. Jarek frowned, wondering why she was bothered by this. It wasn’t like it affected her. His brothers were another story. He worried about what might happen if they ever lost their wives. They would be destroyed.

Lifemates were a privilege best reserved for the lower classes—tradesmen, farmers, even hunters and lower ranked soldiers, all men who could ill afford to keep many mates on a planet so barren of women to begin with. His home planet of Qurilixen suffered from blue radiation which made female children damn near impossible to conceive.

“And let me guess, half mates don’t get this courtesy?” Mei asked.

“No, they don’t. A Var might take one lifemate or many half mates, never both.

My father had many wives and all but my twin and I have different mothers.” Okay, why was he sharing so much? It was like he couldn’t stop talking. What had happened? Did he orgasm all his brains out? “It is a great sacrifice, what my brothers have done.”

“You mentioned that,” Mei said dryly.

“It isn’t wise for us to lifemate. Once it is done, it can not be undone. We live a long time and pass that long life on to our lifemates.” She glanced at him, frowning in confusion.

“We are aided by a mystical power that guides us and our long life is due to the radiation from our blue sun.” Jarek paused. He tried to force himself to be quiet, but his mouth wouldn’t listen. It was as if a part of him was desperate to tell her everything about himself. Great, now he was like a chatty woman after sex. “But a lot could happen in the

hundreds of years a Var lives. If a lifemate dies, the widower would be condemned to centuries of heartache. Many have died from such a fate.” Was he repeating himself? It felt like he was repeating himself. He waited for her to speak.

“And what does this family of yours do? Aside from the housewives who bear your brothers’ sons?”

Mei’s tone was low.

Jarek sat up, turning to look her in the eye. There was more to Var women than the way she put it. But, how could he defend what went on in a Var marriage? Attor wasn’t a fine example of it and he’d never been lifemated. He’d never even been half mated.

“Well?” she asked.

“They are....” he hesitated and she lifted a brow. Carefully, he finished, “In politics.”

It wasn’t a complete lie.

“Ah,” she whispered. “Politics. I understand now. They are politician’s wives.

You are right. For the right person, that can be a full time job. May they all be blessed with luck in their choices.”

Jarek nodded. “Did I ever mention I liked the dinner you cooked? That I was just giving you a hard time when I said I didn’t like it?” He smiled. Mei laughed.

“I knew you liked it!” She jabbed him in the side with her finger. It didn’t hurt. “So, what does your family do?” He’d been monopolizing the conversation with talk of his family. He wanted to know about hers. “All chefs?” Mei again laughed. It was a sweet sound. “No, I lied. I am no chef.”

“Then?”

She smiled secretively and said, “They are also in politics.”

Jarek wondered if she was telling the truth. She was too hard to sense, especially when his libido was in full force. Just feeling her naked body in the bed, so close to him, made it hard to concentrate.

“And you decided to go the other way,” she laughed. “I assume that’s why you haven’t been back. Being a pirate, you aren’t good for the family reputation, are you?”

“Something like that,” Jarek said.

“So, what,qin ài de ? You didn’t like staying put? No arranged lifemate or half mate waiting for you?”

“Mm, sorry,fea , I like moving around. I like adventure.” He grinned, glancing down at her breasts.

“There was nothing for me there. I wasn’t needed.” “Any jealous half mates anywhere that I should know about?” she asked.

“Mm, no, none of those either. Anywhere.” His tone dropped and he couldn’t help his wandering gaze as he narrowed in on the small thatch of hair between her thighs. “I’m free as asofliar, whose trilling call echoes over the forests near my childhood home.”

“Ah, the pirate captain is a poet.”

He shrugged.

“And do you think you’ll ever find a woman to tame you?” Mei asked coyly. Just looking at her, he knew she wasn’t asking to be that woman. Funny. He had a feeling she was the first woman he’d met who would be up to the task of trying.

“A man does need to have sons,” Jarek said quietly.

“Ah, but he does not need to marry for those,” Mei said.

“Very true,” Jarek answered, though for him it wasn’t. To carry his son, a woman would have to be claimed by him. He couldn’t bear the idea of taking a baby from its mother and he wouldn’t let the mother take the baby from him. Though, finding a woman willing to sail the high skies was going to be a challenge. Spaceships and alien ports were no place to raise a child and he wasn’t ready to give that life up yet.

“Well, my naughty pirate, what do you say we forget about marriage and lifemates and all things serious. They have no place in our bed.” Mei turned on her side and reached for his thigh. He was still sitting and she slid her hand easily up his leg to his rising shaft.

Jarek felt a moment’s regret at her easy dismissal of there being more than sex between them, even though he knew she spoke the truth. Pumping her fist over his length,

she worked it to a full, pulsing erection. He groaned, tossing back his head in approval.“Before we go any further,qin ài de,” Mei said. “I must have your word on something.”

“What’s that?”

“I am your woman on this ship, no one else’s. I will not be passed around”

Jarek touched her face gently to calm her worry. They had never mistreated a woman in such a way. “Have no fear of that,fea , on this ship you are mine. Just mine.

And, so long as you are under my protection, no harm will come to you.” His voice lowered. “I will protect you, Mei.”

I will protect you with my life.

Mei smiled. It was a shy, beautiful smile. Her eyes dipped to his mouth. Jarek watched her in wonder. How was it that she could look so innocent and yet knowing at the same time?

“You have my word of honor on it.” He brushed her soft hair back from her face, liking the idea of possessing her in such a way, of being able to declare her his, even if it was only mistress of his ship. In truth, he couldn’t claim her for more even if he’d wanted to. He knew too little about her.

Keep telling yourself that, Jarek.

“Tell me about you,fea .” He cupped her cheek. “Why were you running?” “Shh,” she shook her head in denial. “Later,qin ài de . Now I want you to take me again.”

It was a command Jarek could not disobey. He pulled Mei into his arms, kissing her deeply. Her mouth was a drug he couldn’t get enough of. Her velvety hot tongue slid against his, tangling in a deep, breath-stealing kiss.

Mei pushed him back on the bed, kissing down his throat as she pushed his head roughly back. She ran her hands over his flesh as she licked a wickedly delicious trail down his neck, licking at his nipples, biting lightly down the center of his chest and stomach. Rimming his navel before crawling lower, she finally reached his stiff erection.

Mei kissed along the shaft, working down to the thick base and back up again, before taking the tip into her mouth. Jarek watched as she worked her mouth and hands over him. It was sheer, erotic bliss. When he was close to climaxing, she pulled off and came up over him.

Her hair spilled over her shoulder. It was a glorious sight. She lowered herself onto him, whispering words he could barely understand. Jarek let her have her way, as she set a fast, needy pace. She was a vixen in bed, as insatiable as he was. He couldn’t help but stare in wonder as he imagined he’d finally met his match in the bedroom.

Jarek came again with her on top of him, surging everything he had into her warm, trembling body. Afterward, she collapsed against him, their bodies sated. He held her close, not minding the lightness of her weight pressing into him. She fell asleep on his chest and he let her lay there as he stayed awake, watching over her.

Chapter Seven

Jarek eased Mei off his body, lightly kissing her temple before letting her go.

Rolling off the bed, he swiftly got dressed. He needed to join his crew in repairing the ship. As he left her in his quarters, he took one last, long look. He felt close to Mei on a primal level, but he didn’t feel as if he knew her as well as he wished to. He wanted to learn everything about her. It was odd, but not knowing the woman in his bed had never bothered him before. Maybe it was because he needed to trust her to read the map and save Rick. Maybe it was something more, something he didn’t want to admit fully to himself quite yet.

Jarek frowned, as he walked down the long empty corridor. He took a deep breath before joining his crew. To his surprise, everyone was up and working. They shot him knowing looks.

“Decide to skip your shift, Captain?” Lucien teased, even as he didn’t stop what he was doing.

“Argh, I told you to wake anyone who didn’t show. That included me,” he grumbled, giving them a forced smile. Guilt hit him hard. Now was not the time to let distractions in. Rick depended on them. “Someone fill me in. Where are we at?” “You’re doing what you need to do to help Rick,” Evan said quietly, so only he could hear. “She’s important.”