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JARDUN
I relaxed into the chaugwas’s lumbering pace and allowed Laria’s nearness to calm me. After joining the vryndarr, there had not been room in my life for a female. Any companionship I shared was the result of a brief encounter where my sexual needs were sated. Jealousy was not something I was familiar with. Yet I had no doubt the emotion was responsible for my reaction to the way Burke comforted Laria.
My observations of their interactions, along with her surrendering kiss, had convinced my logical side that the male’s interests were his alone. My emotional side struggled to accept the information. Even now, as she slept in my arms, I fought with the urge to pummel the male for touching her. Had she not agreed to ride with me instead of him, I was certain a continued conversation between Burke and me would have ended in physical altercation with both of us requiring medical repair.
My irrational behavior was troubling, and once again I questioned if there was a deeper connection between Laria and me, whether or not she was my ketiorra. And what would I do if she was?
“Your Laria is very brave.” Zaedon had slowed his chaugwas to keep pace beside mine a short time ago and was finally getting around to sharing what was on his mind.
My Laria. Somehow, the words felt right, but I knew better than to hope they might be true. “Yes.” I glanced down at her slumbering form, her head resting below my chin, her feminine scent tainted with the odor of battle and raising havoc with my senses. She had fallen into a deep sleep not long after we started our journey to the loicryn.
“A ketaurran female never would have battled a snakkril.” The females of my race were not weak, but because of our culture’s longstanding tradition whereby the males took on the protective roles, their skills lay in other areas. Areas that did not suit the lifestyle of a vryndarr, a male trained from a young age to be a soldier, a protector, and an assassin if required. A ketaurran female would never willingly venture into the Quaddrien. Yet Laria, knowing the risks were dangerous, possibly lethal, had still agreed to help me.
“Perhaps Khyron is right, that our world will recover and find strength in bringing both races together.” Zaedon sighed. “Watching your female demonstrate her abilities has given me hope that I may one day find my ketiorra, one with the ability to fight by my side.”
Females were always to be cherished, to be protected. It was the way of our people for centuries. Yet to hear Zaedon embrace the vision of a different future, one where the vryndarr did not suffer a lonely existence, once again had me thinking about my attraction to Laria.
What was it about her that I found so appealing? Her beauty? Her strength? Her loyalty?
In the short time since we’d met, I had developed an emotional bond to her, one that stirred feelings and desires I had never encountered with another female. As much as I wanted this mission to be over, to have Khyron’s health restored, I dreaded its conclusion. I had resigned myself to the fact that Laria would return to her life and I to mine.
Instinctively, I tightened my grip around her waist. Was it possible that the future held more than the singular goal of protecting the drezdarr and my people? Could she be the key to another path, one filled with the possibility of love?
The others slowed their animals. We had arrived at the edge of the loicryn, cutting my contemplations short.
“Remain here,” Garyck said to Celeste and Sloane before handing his lead to Burke. In a smooth, precise move, he slid from the seat, his blade drawn before his feet touched the ground.
Zaedon handed me his lead, then dismounted and quickly followed after Garyck. Their goal was to survey the area and ensure it was safe before we entered and set up camp. Within minutes, they reappeared, Garyck signaling me with a hand motion that it was safe to proceed. Zaedon approached and took the lead for his animal.
The change in the chaugwas’s motion caused Laria to stir. I tipped my head, grazing her ear. “It is time to wake. We have reached our destination.”
“Um, okay.” She groaned and wiggled to sit up, then tipped her head from side to side, stretching her neck. She glanced at the expanse of plant life in front of us: trees, grasses, blossoms in varying shades of blue, purple, and orange. She shifted sideways to give me a wry smile. “So this is what a ketaurran oasis looks like. I’m surprised anything this beautiful exists in the Quaddrien. I only got glimpses of sand and rocks from the inside of a solarveyor when we were relocated to the settlement.”
I viewed the area, trying to see it through her eyes. Other than an overgrowth of tall grasses and the additional height to some of the trees, the area had not changed much since my youth. I remembered the days long ago when the handful of males who had joined the vryndarr, Zaedon, Garyck, and myself included, had completed a portion of the training and been thankful to reach the lush area.
The masters in charge were merciless in their survival teachings, setting our tasks during the hottest temperatures and worst conditions. A few hours spent in the cool shadows beneath the trees and quenching our thirst from the natural bubbling ponds had been a gift.
I slipped from the chaugwas’s rump, then held out my hands to Laria. She pursed her lips as if to say she was capable of dismounting herself, yet placed her hands on my shoulders and allowed me to help her from the seat. I enjoyed the feel of her body pressed against mine and lingered with my hands on her hips longer than I should have.
“You guys coming?” Celeste asked, then shot Sloane an annoyed glare after the other female smacked her arm.
I was unsure what had transpired between the females, but it brought a hint of red to Laria’s cheeks. “We should go.”
“Yes.” I reluctantly released her.
After everyone removed their bags from their animals, Garyck led us through some thick foliage to the clearing where he’d chosen to make camp.
Sloane kicked at the tall grass surrounding her feet, then squinted in Garyck’s direction. “Not to criticize your choice of places to spend the night, but the blanket sleepers we brought aren’t going to do much good if it rains.”
“Not to mention keeping out any of the little creatures squirming in the dirt,” Celeste added.
“We will not be sleeping on the ground.” Zaedon walked over to some large blue fronds with streaks of purple running along the veins.
He pushed aside the giant leaves, exposing a large, cavernous area naturally formed within the trunk of the trees. It was wide enough for three or four people to sleep comfortably. Or at least as comfortably as anyone could on the hard, partially flattened surface.
“There are several of these hidden within this area.” Zaedon grinned at Celeste. “Do not worry, zyrdena. You will not encounter any squirming creatures inside.”
“You know, Zaedon”—Celeste placed her hands on her hips and straightened her shoulders—“Sloane’s not the only one who knows how to shave someone’s head while they sleep.”
He snorted, letting the leaves drop back into place. “Are all human females as amusing as you?”
Celeste’s face reddened, her fingertips toying with the handle of her blade. “I’ll show you...”
“Okay, then.” Laria stepped between them and hooked her arm through Celeste’s. “Why don’t we go find a place to sleep?”
LARIA
Because of the flat terrain, any fire used for warmth or cooking could be seen from a great distance across the wastelands. Jardun didn’t want Doyle detecting our presence, so our evening meal had consisted of dried rations Zaedon found when he’d raided the storage building back at the outpost.
The compartment inside one of the tree trunks wasn’t exactly comfortable, but it did provide Celeste, Sloane, and me with a cozy shelter. I rolled onto my side and listened to the heavy breathing coming from both of my friends. As usual, Celeste’s stones weren’t far from her head. I’d expected having to spend this much time around the ketaurrans would dredge up old memories for her and was glad to see her resting peacefully.
Sleep eluded me, and my body pulsed with energy. The nap I’d gotten earlier had refreshed the exhausted state of my body. I couldn’t explain why spending time in Jardun’s arms felt perfect, right, safe.
Afraid my restlessness would wake my friends, I carefully pushed aside the leaves covering the entrance and slipped outside. The air was cool yet refreshing. Even with half of their rounded edges cast in shadows, the planet’s two moons filled the evening sky with light. A light that gave the surrounding plant life a soft blue glow. Burke had taken an alcove not far from ours. I could hear his rumbling snore as I crept by.
I didn’t have a particular destination in mind, but wasn’t surprised when I arrived in the same clearing as Jardun. It was as if I had a natural ability to sense and home in on his presence.
He was sitting on the edge of a large boulder, staring at the horizon. The moonlight glistened along the scales on his arms and tail, making their pale blue surface shimmer. His bag sat on the ground near his feet, an indication that he had yet to select a place to sleep.
His head jerked in my direction, the hand covering the hilt of his sword immediately relaxing. His concerned frown was replaced with a smile. “Laria, why are you not with the others?”
“I couldn’t sleep.” I perched on the empty space next to him. “Are you still on watch?”
He shook his head. “Zaedon already relieved me, but I could not sleep either.”
“Were you thinking about tomorrow, worrying about what we’d find?” Or whether we’ll be able to get out alive once we make it inside the ship?
He shifted to face me, his gaze darkening and locking with mine. “No.” He cupped my cheek, grazing my lower lip with his thumb. “I was thinking about you.”
“Me... Why?” The moment he pulled me into his embrace and his lips captured mine, all other thoughts disappeared from my mind.
His growl was feral, his kiss possessive, more demanding than our last. It was as if he was staking a claim, one I was more than willing to accept.
“Ketiorra.” The soft words murmured against my lips were barely more than a whisper.
Had he really called me his mate? My breath hitched, my pulse raced, my core heated.
He grazed the column of my throat, lavishing my skin with gentle kisses. “Share my bed with me tonight.”
His request sent a shiver tingling along my spine. Even if it was only for one night, I wanted to be with him, to caress his skin, his scales. To run my hands over his firm body. To know what it felt like to have him inside me. “Yes,” I gasped.
Another growl vibrated from deep within his chest. He lifted me off the ground, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, rubbing against his hard shaft and eliciting a groan.
With one arm keeping me in place, he leaned forward to grab his bag. He carried me to an alcove far enough from the others so we wouldn’t be heard. He pulled the leaves aside, then gently set me on the edge. After I scooted farther inside, he tossed in his bag and climbed up next to me. The moonlight filtered through the leaves, providing dim lighting.
In a matter of minutes, he’d used his blankets to make a bed and taken off his vest and folded it into a pillow. After removing first his boots, then mine, he braced his back against the smooth trunk and pulled me onto his lap. He tugged the end of my braid. “I wish to see what your hair looks like when it is not bound.”
I nodded my permission, then held his gaze as he tugged on the binding.
He slipped his fingers through the strands, slowly pulling apart the braid until the lengths cascaded over my shoulders. “I like it this way.” He gave a curl an absent tug, then reached for the ties securing the front of my vest. Starting at the top, he peeled back the fabric, leaving a blazing trail of heat wherever his thumb touched my skin. By the time he’d bared my breasts, I was shuddering with need.
“There is no other creature on all of Ketaurrios that possesses your beauty.”
Before his words could register, his lips were on mine, tasting and teasing, using his tongue to possessively take control of the kiss. At the same time, he splayed his hand along my ribs, moving upward to cup my breast. He brushed his thumb across the nipple, and I moaned. The warmth from the midday sun was nothing compared to his heated touch or the effect it was having on my body.
After grasping the hair at my nape, he tipped my head backward, using his arm to brace my upper body as he scorched a trail with his lips, moving downward from my shoulder. When he curled his tail around my ankle, I couldn’t resist running my fingertips along its length, the scales flat and smooth to the touch.
Jardun shuddered and groaned, then tugged on my wrist. “My tail is extremely sensitive to stimulation. If you continue your caresses, I will explode like an inexperienced male.”
“Really.” I smirked. “Does that mean you’re sensitive here as well?” I playfully swiped a path across the scales on his breastplate, then held back a satisfied grin when he sucked in a breath.
“Female,” he growled, then grabbed me around the waist, rolling me onto my back with his hips wedged between my thighs.
“Laria,” I corrected, then reached for him again, only to have my arms pinned above my head with one hand. Everything about him exuded power and control, and I wasn’t surprised to discover it extended to his seduction skills. I found that I liked his dominant behavior, that it aroused me even more.
“Let us see how you like being teased, Laria.” He purred my name, then cupped one breast, giving it a squeeze before lowering his mouth over the other.
The man definitely knew what he was doing. Switching between sucking and swirling his tongue, he transformed the nipple into a hard nub. It wasn’t long before he had pleasure spiking from my core. “Jardun.” I rubbed against his erection, frantic to have him inside me.
“Not yet,” he murmured with a nip to my skin.
The more I begged, whimpered, and bucked, the more relentless he became in his ministrations to fulfill his promise of taunting. He kept my arms pinned, then slipped two fingers inside me, slowly pumping, each thrust pushing me closer to the edge.
He soon found the spot that sent my senses into overload and had me squirming even more. Not long after that, my orgasm hit, one rippling explosion after another, wrenching his name from my lips.
When I thought I couldn’t take any more, thought I was about to pass out, he replaced his fingers with his cock. Each push and pull from his much larger shaft stimulated sensitive spots within me, hurling me toward another orgasm. One I was certain would be bigger than the last. One that might possibly kill me.
Several more hard and fast thrusts pushed me over the edge into ecstasy with Jardun following right behind me. We lay there, covered in a sheen of sweat, panting and trying to gain our breath.
When Jardun finally moved, it was to take a long-drawn-out sniff of my neck.
“Zaedon mentioned my scent earlier. Is there something wrong with the way I smell?” Since I hadn’t bathed since the day before, I hated to think he found my odor unappealing.
“There is nothing wrong with the way you smell.” He took another long inhale and rolled onto his back, pulling me close to his side.
“So why do you keep sniffing me?”
“The males of my kind are drawn to the scent of their chosen, their life mates.” He adjusted his vest underneath his head.
“And?” I used his shoulder as a pillow and draped my arm across his chest.
“And, it is time to get some rest.” He closed his eyes and snuggled me closer.
Apparently, the frustrating male was done answering any more of my questions.
