Oath of Challenge Conquering Kate (10 page)

The only other times she ever felt like this was when she was with Sharon or Gage. Men bonded in the weirdest ways, she reminded herself. They were weird creatures and Shimerian males were stranger than most. But, there was still something nice in the camaraderie she felt. Bonding by food fight. It was a new concept, but apparently affective.

The three of them sat in comfortable silence for a minute, eating the fruit they gathered from themselves. Finally, Jadik stood and said, “I am afraid I must go. Tair, I have been most entertained. It has been a pleasure.” He threw a mock fierce look at Kate.

Kate and Tair stood. Kate grinned as Jadik walked over to her and stared down. She felt her smile begin to fade as she saw him hesitate. He turned to Tair for a second and then looked back down at her. Placing both hands around her face, he raised it and brought his mouth down.

Kate froze in shock. Jadik was kissing her. His firm lips moved gently as he patiently sought a response. She felt her body grow warm and was appalled. She tried to pull back, but his hands held her firmly in place. He ran his tongue teasingly along the seam of her mouth. She kept her mouth closed firmly and grasped for control.

In a sudden move, he took one hand away from her face. Wrapping his arm around her back, he pulled her forward into his body. She opened her mouth to protest and he thrust his tongue boldly inside. Feeling like she was losing a battle, she fought to control the instinctive impulse to respond.

Finally, she answered his tongue with her own. They shared a hot, fruit-flavored kiss, and then Jadik pulled back. Wiping her hair back off her forehead with a gentle hand, he gazed at her with dark eyes and said huskily, “Welcome to Shimeria, Kate. I am honored to be your link.”

Kate was stunned. Wrenching away guiltily, she took a step back and looked at Tair in confusion. He was looking at the two of them, but his expression was calm. He smiled and said casually, “Kate, I believe it is time for us to depart as well.”

Kate said stiffly, “I have not agreed to link.”

She was so confused. Her emotions were in a tangle. Tair was blocking her again, so she had no idea how he felt. She couldn’t even begin to sort out her own emotions.

Jadik smiled. “I will see you both soon.”

Walking over to Tair, he clasped his hand on his shoulder. Tair mirrored the action. She heard the two speak in Shimerian in rapid, low tones. This being on another planet and not able to speak the language was damned inconvenient. She resolved to spend more time at the tutorial soon.

She watched as Jadik nodded to Tair and then turned and walked to the wall. Pressing the button, he walked out.

Kate didn’t want to discuss what had happened just yet. She was feeling off-balance and unsure. She turned to Tair and said crisply, “Tell me we don’t have to clean up this mess.”

She was recovering fast. His Kate was a fighter. In mournful tones, Tair said, “I am afraid that we do.”

Kate felt her heart stop. Looking around at the disastrous state of the room, she said flatly, “That is information I could have used an hour ago.”

Tair laughed and walked over to gather her in a hug. Smiling widely, he said, “I am joking,
sheka
. Others will come to clean the mess. We need only clean ourselves.”

Kate looked at the two of them. She was covered in fruit and so was he. She arched an eyebrow. “And just how do we do that?”

Tair said, “Please follow me.”

Following him out of the room, she muttered, “So you said before. I believe those were the words that made me a walking fruit salad.” The absurdity of the situation struck her forcibly. They both looked ridiculous. She smiled to herself as she walked.

Tair had been right. The entertainment at
Yginfa’s
was great. The meal was good. Her bizarre drunken allergic reaction had passed without incident. Certainly, dessert had been unique.

She was coping rather well with life on Planet Kink. Jadik’s kiss flashed into consciousness, but she pushed the thought away and filed it under, “To be dealt with later.” Much later.

She felt the movement of the
mityb
still inside her as she walked. The memory of her orgasm passed through her mind and left arousal in its wake. It had been hotter than any of her fantasies, and incredibly intense. With a shimmer of anticipation, she wondered what Tair had in mind as his next sexual surprise.

A little voice in her head said that he had been wooing her carefully up until now. It was a clever strategy to tempt her into further intimacy and lull her into feeling in control. The voice cautioned that when he next pushed her, he would catch her by surprise and be even more difficult to resist.

With a mental grimace, she told the voice in her head to shut up. She was Kate Carson, and she could handle anything. The voice asked, “Even Tair?” but Kate refused to answer.

Tair’s said loudly, “Kate, I have deducted our meal. We can reach the shower through here.” He was standing next to an opening in the wall. They were still in the back part of the restaurant separate from the diners.

Tair gave her a questioning look as he motioned for her to enter the next room. He must have been trying to get her attention for some time while she was wrapped in her thoughts.

Kate looked at him and swallowed hard. Suddenly, he looked very big, very male, and very impatient. She looked down at herself, and realized her top and skirt were indecently plastered to her body. Her nipples were tight and obvious against the wet cloth.

Looking back at Tair, she lifted her chin. She began walking and said irritably, “I’m coming, I’m coming.”

Tair gave her a slow, sexy smile in response. His eyes roamed her body with lazy appreciation. As she passed by him, he said with simple promise, “You will.”

Kate walked past Tair, suppressing a shudder at his words. Glancing around her, she saw a long hallway that appeared to run the length of the building. There were more buttons, of course.

Tair came up beside her and pushed a purple button. Purple must mean unoccupied, she surmised. The wall slid open to reveal a small room that was like one open shower stall. There were steps along the length of the walls like benches. There were hooks along the wall to the left.

She spotted a lever on the left too, off to one side, but she didn’t see any showerheads. Looking up, she saw tiny nozzles all over the ceiling. She glanced at Tair and raised an eyebrow in question.

Tair said casually, “We can hang our garments on the hooks. They will be cleaned as we are cleaned. As you know from experience, the
vasa
dries within minutes.”

Reaching for the hem of his shirt, he drew it up over his head and walked to one of the hooks. Kate watched the muscles ripple in his back and felt her mouth water. The man was being incredibly sexy without even realizing it. The sculptured contours of his muscular back and broad shoulders made her blood heat.

She stood there in silent appreciation as he hung up the shirt and then leaned down and removed his boots with quick economical motions. His hands moved to the front of his pants.

He was still facing away from her. She held her breath in anticipation of the view. As he peeled the pants downward over his legs, she watched his firm butt flex at the motion.

Evidently, he had left off underwear, too. She felt heat flow through her like a river. She was hot and she was aching, and she wanted him to turn around right now.

Tair turned and spotted Kate still standing, fully dressed. She was flushed and watching him with a look that was unmistakable. Her nipples were tight and protruding from the wet halter top. The outline of her sex was faintly visible under the skirt. She was looking at him like she wanted to devour him in one hungry bite.

His cock hardened painfully and throbbed in response. He tried to hold onto his control, but he had little remaining after being left hungry for Kate twice already today. Kate’s eyes went to his cock and she licked her lips unconsciously. He could have sworn he heard the snap as his control broke. Walking to her in long strides, he planted his mouth over hers and gave her a hard, deep, wet kiss.

Kate felt her heart jump when Tair strode toward looking her like a man who had been pushed beyond all reason. He planted his mouth on hers and thrust his tongue inside in a deep hungry motion. She was lost in an instant, and eager for more.

Opening her mouth, she returned the kiss frantically, dueling with his tongue. Shifting closer to him, she felt his arms come around her in a rough embrace. This was no teasing seduction. It was pure aching need.

Kate pulled back and drew her blouse over her head. Pulling away from him, she took deep breaths in an attempt to slow down. He watched her with the gaze of a waiting predator.

She walked to the closest hook and hung the blouse on it. In a quick jerky motion she pulled the sandals from her feet and then stood up to remove the skirt. Pulling it over her hips quickly, she placed it with her blouse. Then, she turned and faced him.

Tair wasn’t even conscious of walking to her. He knew he had to touch her, and then suddenly she was in his arms. Pulling her to him, he dipped his head and began to kiss her again. The touch of skin-against-skin made them both catch their breaths. Tair merged with her in one hard push.

Feeling his desire feed her own, Kate shuddered at the intensity of the feeling. The passion built between the two of them. She felt as if her entire body was heated from the inside out.

Kate moaned as Tair moved from her mouth and began licking and sucking on her neck. He was licking the juice from her body like a starving man. She shuddered at the wet velvet glide of his tongue over her skin. As he moved down to her breasts and sucked one hard nipple into his mouth, her legs went weak. His pleasure and need flowed into her in a continuous wave.

She pushed back from him and brought her mouth to his chest. The hard muscles jumped beneath her mouth and tongue as she licked and sucked. The tangy sweet flavors of the fruit were delicious combined with the taste of him. Tair went rigid as her roving mouth moved over him, except for his big hands stroking her back and shoulders.

Kate worked her way downward until she reached his navel. Placing biting kisses around it, she probed the tiny indention with her tongue. Tair moaned in response and his hands flexed on her back. His pleasure and intense desire swamped her.

Kate continued licking and kissing her way down and then abruptly went to her knees. She looked up. He was looking at her with heavy-lidded eyes dark with arousal. His face was tight and there was a flush along his cheekbones. He looked like he was holding his breath. She could literally feel his anticipation and need.

Kate leaned forward and took his hard length into her mouth. She heard him groan and looked upward to see his head fall back. His hands went to the back of her head and tangled in her hair. He was completely lost.

Feeling his incredible pleasure radiate to her, she moaned in response. She moved her mouth up and down his length in a slow sucking motion. He exclaimed huskily, “Kate!” as if asking for mercy.

His cock was huge and hard against the soft inside of her mouth and tongue. As she moved along its length, she could feel it throb in response. She brought her hands up and grabbed the cheeks of his butt, pulling him closer.

As she flexed her hands, she knew her nails were biting into him, but the tiny pain only enhanced his pleasure. His legs trembled. They both moaned. She continued tormenting him for several long moments, increasing the pressure of her mouth.

He warned gruffly, “Kate, I’m going to come” and made a motion as if to draw away. Instead, she pulled him closer and sucked him harder. She could feel his tension and the all-consuming need for release. He was breathing hard as if he had run a marathon and was in the last stretch.

Then, with a choking noise, she felt him go rigid. His spine arched and she felt the warmth of his seed in her mouth. Pleasure, powerfully intense and overwhelming hit her like a punch. As she swallowed, the intensity of his release triggered her own. Her sex clenched and pulsed as the blinding pleasure moved through her. She moaned and sank down to the floor. Tair sank down beside her and wrapped her in his arms. They held onto each other as they recovered.

Finally, Kate lifted her head. With a thoroughly relaxed smile, she teased, “And I didn’t even have to be a mind-reader to guess your fantasy. We females are powerful and mysterious creatures.”

With a huge grin, Tair said, “I believe this is one time that we are in absolute agreement. You may guess my fantasies whenever the mood occurs. I have no objections. You may seduce me at any time.”

He said the last statement with such enthusiasm that Kate threw back her head and laughed. Her sticky hair reminded her that they still needed a shower. With a groan of regret, she said, “As much as I enjoyed dessert, we still need that shower.”

Tair stood up reluctantly and held his hand out to her. She noticed another flash of amusement light his eyes. Taking his hand and getting up, she asked, “What’s so funny?”

He grinned and his eyes sparkled. “You look good on your knees.”

Kate shot him a narrow look and said tartly, “Well, I’ve had you on yours often enough, too.”

He wrapped her in a hug. The nozzles overhead turned on in a sudden rush and Kate felt
vara
cascade over the two of them like a hard, warm rain. Tair had turned the lever telepathically.

Lifting her face, she laughed and enjoyed the feel of it on her skin. It was like being caught in a rain storm on a warm summer day. Taking a step back from Tair, she twirled and lifted her arms up with sheer pleasure.

Tair watched her and felt his breath catch in his throat. She looked so incredibly lovely and free. Her open happiness and childlike joy made his chest tight.

With chilling fear, he realized he could lose her. She could walk right out of his life after only two weeks. Shoving the thought from his mind, he pasted a smile on his face to cover his sudden panic. He was not letting her go.

With cold calculation, he began plotting. The only way to win with Kate was to lull her into feeling he was no threat, and then strike. She would think he was giving in to her wishes. It would be all the more effective when he pushed her in earnest.

She would be angry and feel betrayed when he upped the stakes, but it was a penalty that he would pay. For him, the game had turned deadly serious. He was not letting her go. Ever. He was going to win at any cost.