Zealot (7 page)

His skin was warm and smooth, no five o’clock shadow or razor stubble. Did Rodytes not have facial hair? She was doing it again. Rambling.

His gaze narrowed. Apparently she wasn’t reacting the way he’d expected her to react.

“Or taste.” The words sounded all rough and growly. And then his hand pushed into her hair and his mouth covered hers.

His words made her brace for an aggressive kiss with lots of wet, intrusive tongue. But he caressed her lips with his, teasing and challenging her. Ah, she was the one who needed to explore. He already had his answer. But did she want to find out that she was genetically compatible with someone every woman would want? Could she live the rest of her life knowing her man was prettier than she was? No, Zilor wasn’t pretty. He was drop-dead, panty-meltingly gorgeous.

Curiosity urged her on. Well, curiosity and the warmth of his breath and the silken glide of his lips. She edged closer, wishing two armrests weren’t keeping them apart.

As if he’d heard her mental grumbling, he scooped her up and deposited her on his lap without even breaking their kiss. She was no stick-thin actress. She was tall and had substantial curves. This guy was ridiculously strong. She wrapped one arm around his neck and buried her other in his thick hair. Oh yeah, this was better. Her mouth opened wider and he followed her lead. She eased her tongue past his lips and his was there rubbing against hers, curling around hers, spreading his taste.

Heat and…something she’d never experienced before flowed into her mouth and down her throat. It warmed her abdomen then burst into mist that spread throughout her body. She gasped then moaned. “What was—” She couldn’t finish the question. She no longer cared. All she wanted was more!

A pleased chuckle rumbled through Zilor’s chest as he took control of the kiss. Play time was over and now she would learn what it was to kiss a Rodyte. He wrapped his arm around the back of her neck, cradling her head as his mouth became more aggressive. She resisted for a moment, her fingers tangling in his hair. He eased up a bit, balancing her need to explore with his need to conquer.

She wiggled and groaned, obviously restless. Then her hands were tugging up his uniform top, obviously searching for bare skin. All he’d planned to do was kiss her, let her feel the mating pull. Well, she was feeling it all right, feeling it strongly.

“I want to touch you.” She whispered the words against his parted lips.

He quickly released enough of the fasteners so he could pull his shirt off over his head.

“Oh God.” She shifted on his lap, straddling his legs so they faced each other. Her hands moved boldly over his chest and down his arms. “Why do I feel so…” She was panting too hard to go on. She bent and pressed her open mouth against his shoulder, tasting his flesh with slow, thorough licks.

He grasped the armrests until his fingers ached to keep from returning the favor and stripping her naked so he could feast on her body. He didn’t rush her, didn’t pressure her, just let her do whatever she wanted. Every time her skin rubbed against his, she picked up his scent. It would work a lot better if they were both shirtless, but he wasn’t going to—

She peeled off her top and pressed her breasts against his chest, driving the breath from his lungs. He wrapped his arms around her, preventing her from pulling away. Heat and energy pulsed between them as desire spiraled through his body. He’d been hard since she asked if his name was on the list, but a fresh rush of blood made his cock ache so badly he shook with his need to claim her.

Gradually, he drew air back into his burning lungs and loosened his hold enough to kiss her. Then everything became a sensual blur of sliding hands, skin rubbing against skin, and questing tongues. They pressed against each other and shared each other’s breath until he wasn’t sure if he was inhaling or exhaling.

She suddenly broke away, panting harshly. “I have—to breathe. I’m so dizzy I’m seeing stars.”

He nipped her bottom lip and chuckled. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Just give me a minute.”

She didn’t pull away and her hands still moved over his bare skin with obvious hunger, so he whispered, “Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.” Then he kissed his way down her neck and onto her shoulder. The hormones needed to “mark” her were in his sweat, his saliva and his semen. There was no way their first time together was going to be on the floor of a cramped spy ship. But they’d come this far already, he wanted to make sure his scent was strong enough to warn off other males.

He caught her under the arms and gently lifted until he could bend and reach her breasts. She put her hands on his knees and arched her back, offering herself with unabashed enjoyment. Her full breasts thrust toward him and her smooth skin beckoned his touch. Colorful flowers, geometric patterns and fanciful, winged creatures decorated her arms and upper chest, but his gaze gravitated toward her lush pink nipples. Gods, she was glorious.

His lips caught one puckered tip as he cupped her other breast in his hand. He licked and sucked on her tender flesh until she shivered and the scent of her arousal started making his head swim. But he didn’t stop, couldn’t stop, had to spread his scent over every inch of her body. Well, every inch he could access. He kissed and licked then licked some more. She gasped and quivered, lost in the pleasure.

When he’d stroked every millimeter of her bared skin and trailed his tongue over almost as much, he collapsed back into the seat and pulled her forward. “Your turn, doll. I need to breathe.” He guided her mouth to his chest and buried both hands in her hair.

She licked her way from one of his flat nipples to the other, pausing to tease him with her teeth. She was every bit as eager as he’d been and almost as thorough. But her breathing slowed and her touch became much more tentative as the sexual frenzy gradually subsided. Finally, she lifted her head and looked into his eyes. “You must think I’m such a floozy.” She averted her gaze. “One kiss and I’m ripping off your clothes like a dog in heat.”

He stroked the side of her face. “Look at me.” It took her another moment, but she finally obeyed. “Your reaction is natural and there is no shame in what we’re feeling. I don’t think you’re a floozy. I think you’re a passionate woman who just encountered a possible mate. Many compatible couples spontaneously orgasm the first time they kiss.”

“I came damn close,” she admitted with a shy smile and then crawled off his lap.

Every molecule in his aching body objected, but he fisted his hands and let her go. He didn’t dare take this any farther or he’d lose control. Their reaction to each other was combustible.

“Will I react like this to all those men?”

She sounded horrified by the idea, so he didn’t take offense to the fact that she was thinking about other men with his scent emanating from her like incense. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before she moved too far away. He’d thought her scent was heaven. It didn’t compare with
their
scent.

He opened his eyes and found her staring at him expectantly. She’d asked a question, but all he could think about was how badly he wanted to finish what they’d begun.

She shook her head and walked past him so she could pick up her discarded shirt. After pulling it back into place, she tried again. “Will I go all ally cat each time I encounter one of the men on that list?”

“Not now,” he said with a secretive smile.

“What does that mean?”

He stood as well and picked up his uniform top, but waited to put it on. It might work to his advantage if she was still a little distracted. “This is supposed to be the part where I explain that it’s not safe for you to be on board our ship unless one of the men on that list marks you with his scent.”

“Oh my God. That better not mean what I think it means.”

He laughed. She was too damn adorable for her own good and much too adorable for his. “I’m not going to pee on you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Glad to hear it.” She shuddered at the thought. “What do you have to do? Obviously, I need to be on the ship if I’m going to help Chandar.”

“It’s already done.”

Her eyes widened as understanding spread across her features. “You marked me with your mouth?”

Unable to ignore such an opening, he pulled her back into his arms and tugged down the front of her shirt, baring one delightfully flushed breast. Then he bent and sucked on the delicate flesh near her nipple hard enough to bruise her skin.

She gasped then cried out. “Did you just give me a hickey?” She twisted out of his arms and turned her back. “Oh my God! It’s already there. I’m going to kill you!” After righting her shirt she turned back around and smacked him hard on the chest.

“I don’t think that left a mark. You’ll have to try harder.”

Planting her fists on her hips, she glared at him. “I’m not fifteen. I can’t believe you did that.” She rubbed the spot through her little pink shirt as he grinned at her.

He’d wanted her distracted from the fact that he’d marked her, but it was obvious he needn’t have bothered. She didn’t realize the significance of what he’d done. All she knew was she’d be able to help Chandar now. He started to tell her then suppressed the urge. Yes, this was the first step in creating a mating bond, but it was also temporary. His scent had to be reapplied every five to seven days or it would fade and she would be free to explore other options.

Instead, he asked, “Are you all right?” He was still feeling a bit woozy.

She made a face. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not the first man I’ve kissed into submission and you probably won’t be the last.”

The surrendering had been pretty mutual, so he didn’t argue the point. But he had every intention of making sure he was the last man she ever kissed.

With that goal solidly fixed within his mind, he pulled his uniform top on and closed the fasteners. He watched her as he tucked in the shirt. “I need to contact the ship, get clearance to show you our secrets.”

“Do I still need to sign the contract?”

He’d been hoping she’d bring it up so he wouldn’t have to. “It would keep my brother from killing me if you would. Generals are weird about people following rules.”

“Your brother is a general?”

“Yeah.” She didn’t need to sound so impressed. “He’s one of the leaders of the rebellion.”

“If I sign the contract, will you tell me what battle born means?”

He nodded. “If you sign the contract, I can tell you anything you want to know.”

“Then let’s keep your brother from killing you. Did you bring a contract with you? You seem to have everything else.”

“A good Rodyte is prepared for anything.”

One of her eyebrows arched while the other stayed still. How did she do that? “I thought that was a Boy Scout.”

“I wouldn’t know. What’s a Boy Scout?” He picked up the sample processor he’d used to test her blood and returned it to the overhead compartment then retrieved the datapad he’d stashed there along with the other equipment.

“It’s a club for boys,” she told him. “They go on camping trips and have activities that teach boys how to be better people. Supposedly. I have no personal experience with the organization as I am an only child.”

He smiled, charmed by her effervescent personality. “Here you go. You can just sign with your finger.” He passed her the datapad.

She signed the screen then handed it back to him.

“There’s no turning back now,” he said dramatically. “For the next six months—you’re mine!”

For the next six months—you’re mine!

Indigo was pretty sure Zilor had been kidding, but a knot formed in the pit of her stomach as the words echoed through her mind. It didn’t really matter if she signed a contract or not, he was taking her to the moon. It wasn’t like she could change her mind and sneak away when he wasn’t looking. For the next six months, or until they chose to bring her back, she’d be at the mercy of the Rodytes.

These men needed to come with a warning,
Irresistible to hybrid females
. Ashley, Raina, Laura, and Indigo, they were compiling quite a list. Now she understood why the others had found it so hard to resist their respective temptations.

Refusing to dwell on her humiliating defeat, she smoothed down her hair and looked anywhere but at Zilor. “Can you hang around up here while I go pack or will you come back for me?”

“It’s more than likely that whoever is watching your house sensed your disappearance.” He waited until she looked at him to add, “You can’t go back there. I’ll send Raina to gather your things first thing in the morning. That way your mother won’t worry about you.”

“She’ll worry regardless of what Raina tells her, but at least she’ll know where I am.” His only response was a thoughtful nod. She’d already lined up Amy to help with the store, so she wasn’t running out on her responsibilities. Even so, she felt a little guilty. She glanced down and lamented, “I don’t even have shoes. And I need my toothbrush. I can’t walk onto your ship like this.”

“I’ll bio-stream us right to my quarters. No one will see you until after Raina returns with your things. Okay?”

“I guess.” What choice did she have? She wanted to help Chandar, so she had to play by their rules. Her bullshit detector went off as she heard her own thought. She couldn’t blame her interest on Chandar. At least not entirely. Yes, she wanted to help someone who could benefit from her gift, but this opportunity was so much bigger than that. She wanted to interact with aliens, to experience a world few humans were ever allowed to see. And the final admission was the hardest of all. She wanted to spend more time with Zilor.

He put his hands on her shoulders, drawing her wandering thoughts back to the present. “Either Vinton Tandori can teleport or he’s acquired bio-streaming technology and that’s highly unlikely. I’m not taking any chances with you.”

“Can he teleport to the moon?” She couldn’t imagine being able to teleport across a room. Bio-streaming, maybe. There were scientific explanations for technology.

“Again, it’s unlikely or he would have confronted us before tonight. According to him, you and Raina both belong to his tribe.”

Belonging had always been a comforting concept. At the moment she felt threatened and annoyed by it. “Is that why you’re taking me to your quarters? To protect me?” Or to continue his seduction?

“It’s just until I can talk to Kotto and figure out what we want to do with you.” One of his hands swept up to her neck and he stroked along her jawline with his thumb. “Not that I wouldn’t enjoy having you in my bed every night.”

He was way too good at this. Easing away from his touch, she said, “Kotto is Raina’s mate, correct?”

“Yes. He commands the
Crusader
.”

He made it sound as if he didn’t want her to confuse which ship he’d meant. “Are there more than one?”

“More than one Kotto?” One corner of his mouth quirked, warning her that his playfulness had returned.

“Ships. How many Rodyte ships are stashed inside the moon?”

“There were two when I left.”

She knew an evasion when she heard one. “Meaning there could be more by the time we arrive? How many Rodyte ships are in this solar system?”

His smile broadened as he moved toward the front of the ship. “Six, if you count the
Relentless
, but it’s possible Akim was recalled to Rodymia.” He slipped into the pilot’s seat and awakened the controls with the wave of his hand.

Not wanting to stand there like a fool, she joined him in the cockpit. She sat in the chair next to his and followed his lead when he fastened his safety harness. The multi-strap set up was complicated so it took her a minute to figure out which clasp went where.

His hands glided through the controls with the grace of a hula dancer. It was amazing that such a big, burly man could move with such agility.

“Who’s Akim?” she asked as she settled back in her seat.

“Akim’s the bastard who hurt Chandar.” He glanced at her as emotion tightened his features. “He had her for two years, so it’s more than likely he wasn’t the only one.” The ship took off with a sudden burst of acceleration, but then the ride was so smooth, she could barely detect the movement.

She could only nod as compassion banded her chest. Two years of continual abuse? Just the thought of it made Indigo physically ill. It also made her want to hunt down Akim and blast him out of the sky. What kind of a monster held someone captive for two years? Earlier Zilor had said something about Chandar’s captor trying to wipe her memory. “How much does she remember?”

“I don’t know. She’ll only talk to Raylon.”

“That’s the man who helped rescue her?”

He nodded, made a quick adjustment then explained, “Raylon coordinates information and delegates responsibilities between all our ships in this star system. I wasn’t exaggerating about him being busy.”

“Then how does Chandar spend her days?”

“She won’t come out of his cabin,” he admitted.

He’d said she wouldn’t go anywhere without Raylon, not that she wouldn’t go anywhere period. “How does she react to other females? Has Raina or Ashley tried to talk to her?”

After glancing at her, he found something on the control panel fascinating. “Chandar sent out a telepathic cry for help and Ashley was one of the people who received it. Because Ashley doesn’t know how to shield her mind or filter emotions, she was traumatized by the exchange. You might need to work with Ashley too.”

She accepted the new information with a silent nod, but her mind was spinning. What had she gotten herself into? Her gift had been active for the past six years and she’d done all she could to maximize her effectiveness. She’d studied psychology and many therapeutic techniques, but most of them had little impact on what she did. She could look into a person’s mind and literally see their pain. She knew when to push and when to back off because she could
see
how her patient was reacting. Still, she’d never attempted to help someone she knew personally. Would that make treatment easier or more complicated?

“I didn’t scare you off, did I?”

“I’m just strategizing.”

“Good. Danvier would never forgive me if I screw this up.”

“You’re safe.” She had to force a smile. “At least for now. How long will it take to get where we’re going?”

“Half an hour, give or take.”

He could make it from Colorado to the moon in half an hour? She just shook her head, barely able to absorb the reality of what was taking place around her.

“Okay, now you’re down right pale. Talk to me.”

She was feeling completely overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Reality as she knew it had been redefined. No, that wasn’t accurate. She’d known, or at least suspected, that all of this was real. It was more like the shadowy corners of reality had been illuminated. “I just need a distraction while my mind processes all of this.”

He winked at her. “I can be very distracting.”

“While you pilot the ship?”

“Good point. How about if I answer some of your questions, give you something mundane to think about.”

She nodded, trying to look more enthusiastic than she felt. “Kotto had a weapon that transformed from a knife into a sword. Are such things common on Rodymia?”

“It’s called a flexblade and they’re extremely hard to control. Only the most skilled soldiers ever master their use and earn the right to carry one.”

“Do you have one?”

Without looking at her, he indulged in a smile. “I do, but when and why did Kotto have his out?”

“Vinton Tandori showed up with a knife in hand, so Kotto didn’t want to feel left out.”

Zilor’s smile broadened. “He was protecting his mate. Any of us would have done the same.”

Any of us? Had he meant the battle born or any male Rodyte? “Tell me about the battle born.”

“Well, you already know about the war, so that makes things easier.” He swiveled his chair toward her and all playfulness evaporated from his expression. “Before I get into this, I want you to understand that we find the actions of our forefathers inexcusable and we’re as disgusted by what I’m about to explain as you will be.”

“Okay. You’re not to blame for the nastiness. Got it.”

He checked the controls again before he began. “During the first few years of the war, Rodyte males took Bilarrian females as a sort of war prize. It was a feat of cunning and strength to outmaneuver people who could use magic. But the practice took an even darker turn when someone discovered that a child born of his Bilarrian captive had inherited her mother’s powers.”

Understanding unfurled inside her and her blood ran cold. “I don’t like where this is leading already.”

“Then you’re on the right track.” He looked at her then back at the controls. The ship was more or less flying itself, so why was he so antsy? “They started calling the women war brides. They were captured and enslaved until they produced a child and then they were released without the child they’d delivered. Children produced by this despicable practice became known as battle born.”

She shuddered and a sort of cold numbness expanded within her. So much for the topic being mundane. “Your mother was a Bilarrian captive?”

“Yes.” His curt answer made it obvious he didn’t want to get into the details. “Battle born males are born with magic, but we’re unable to access it. No one is sure why.”

“Why did you specify battle born males? Are battle born females able to access their magic?”

“Yes. Battle born females are important and revered, while we are discarded and despised. According to the Rodyte elite, all we’re good for is military service and menial labor.” He paused for a quick adjustment on the panel, but she heard his frustrated sigh. “The irony is that the quest to reintroduce magic into the Rodyte population has created a system nearly identical to the one from which our ancestors fled.”

That didn’t surprise her. “History is often cyclic. Those who don’t learn from the mistakes of their ancestors are doomed to repeat them. It happens all the time on Earth.” He was silent and tense, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. “So what’s the fixation with human females or is it just human/Rodyte hybrids?”

“When Rodytes prepare to mate they go through a transformation. Our scientists are hoping to use this transformation to give us access to the magic locked inside battle born males. Right now the procedure only works when we bond with hybrid females.”

“Theoretically, mating with me could help a battle born male unlock his magic?”

He looked at her, his gaze intense yet inscrutable. “Yes. Theoretically.”

Now she was uncomfortable with the subject, so she tried to lighten the mood. “Tell me about your brothers. How many are there?”

“Three, counting me. Garin, the general is the oldest. Bandar, Ashley’s mate, is in the middle and I’m the youngest.”

“Is your father still alive?”

He shook his head and what little bit of ground she’d gained was lost. “Garin is head of our family and has been more of a father to me than our father ever was. Bandar and I are very close as well.”

She nodded. “Raina’s mother and mine are twin sisters, so Raina has been more like a sister to me than a cousin. We spent every summer together and countless weekends.”

Little by little he relaxed and his easygoing personality reappeared. “We got into so much trouble as children. It’s a wonder any of us survived.” He said the words with a wistful smile, obviously lost in memories.

“Well, I’ve yet to meet the general or Bandar, but you turned out rather nicely.”

His smile returned and he rolled his shoulders. “We’re almost there.” He nodded toward the large windows in front of them.

The moon loomed before her like a heavily dented ball of gray clay. Light reflecting off the Earth gave the moon a soft almost pinkish cast. “So how do we get inside?”

He smiled without shifting his focus from the complex control panel. “You’ll see.”

The ship suddenly dipped and banked sharply to the left. She laughed as her stomach dropped to her feet, nearly sure he’d done that intentionally. “Keep it up, big boy, and I’ll toss my cookies into your lap.”

His laugh finally sounded carefree. “Is that a strange euphemism or did you just threaten to throw up on me?”

“I get motion sick in the car. Trust me, you want to keep the ride smooth.”

“I hear and obey.”

He followed the contour of the moon until they were swallowed by darkness. She tensed, feeling suffocated by the oppressive blackness. The ship gave off light, but it was like driving through dense fog in the middle of the night.