On a Barbarian World (16 page)

He wanted to see it more. He wanted to be the cause of it.

Kavon felt a sting of something ugly. Aurina wasn’t in his plan. He had to marry a warlord’s daughter, and even if he could make Aurina his, she didn’t want to stay.

But for now, for this night, she was his.

And he’d make sure she never, ever forgot him.

He sat on the edge of the bed and stroked a hand down one of her arms. “So smooth.” He cupped one full breast, then the other. So much larger and plumper than he’d ever had. He kneaded them, learning just what pressure she liked from her murmurs.

Then he leaned down and tugged one pink nipple into his mouth.

“Yes.” She writhed beneath him, her hands sliding into his hair.

There were no timid touches from her, and she wasn’t afraid to show him what she enjoyed. She was intoxicating.

And the thought that she would leave him one day…it left a deep, dark rage growing under his ribs.

He nipped her with his teeth and she gasped. He felt a driving need to mark her as his. So she’d know his claim, wherever she was.

He gave her nipple one last lap, then flipped her over.

The sight of her gorgeous ass, the ripe, smooth curves of it, drove him out of his mind. But when she pushed back against him, searching for him, he lost the last of his formidable control.

With a growl, he gripped her hips.

She looked back over her shoulder. “You recover quickly.”

He ran one hand over the curve of her hip, delving between her cheeks and finding where she was hot and wet. She made a choked sound and pushed against his hand.

“All warriors recover quickly.” He covered her, pressing his body over hers, the head of his cock lodging in her delicate folds. He nipped at her ear. “If properly enticed, I can rut all night.”

Her head tilted back, her eyes were wide and she licked her lips. “Do your worst, warrior. I’ll match you every step of the way.”

He thrust inside her.

She cried out, her back arching. For a second, he thought he’d hurt her. This way, she felt smaller and tighter. But when she shoved back against him again, he smiled.

His little skyflyer was hot and in need.

He started pounding into her. Every sound and move she made showed how much she was enjoying herself. And every one inflamed him.

He’d always held a part of himself back during sex…but now, with Aurina, he gave her all of him.

He gripped her harder, thrusted rougher, worked her more ruthlessly.

When her release hit her, she bucked back against him and screamed. The ripples of her body on his sent his own orgasm crashing over him. He roared as he came, the pleasure swamping him.

He collapsed on the bed, and had enough presence of mind left to twist at the last minute and not crush her. She lay sprawled in front of him, her arms outstretched. He could only see the profile of her face—her eyes were closed. There were tears on her cheek.

Kavon tensed. Hell, he’d hurt her. He’d never been this rough or demanding before.

“Aurina.” He cupped her jaw and forced her face back to him.

She was smiling.

Everything in him relaxed. He’d pleasured his woman and he felt damn good. But now he wanted to take care of her.

He scooped her up and stood. She curled into him, and he loved it.

Kavon took her into the bathroom. He set her on the edge of the tub and turned the taps to set the water flowing. He sprinkled in some of the bath salts he never normally used, and was happy they smelled pleasant but not like a flower-laden meadow.

Once it was ready, he lifted her again and stepped inside. He sank into the warm water and settled her between his legs, her back pressed to his chest.

“This is good,” she said. “The water is great.”

He grunted his agreement. The water was nothing compared to how she felt resting against him, sated from their loving.

“I could get used to this,” she murmured, turning her face into his neck.

So could he. But it was something he couldn’t let happen.

***

Aurina woke slowly from sleep, blinking at the bright morning light streaming through the windows. She stretched slowly, and realized a hard weight was clamped around her waist. She turned her head.

Kavon was holding onto her tightly. She smiled. Even in sleep, he looked like a hard, tough warlord. There was no softening of those features, or of the pain of loss that was buried deep there. Pain she could now read so easily in him.

She traced a finger along his jaw and the stubble there. He was alive. Her throat tightened. So alive. He’d proved that over and over again throughout the night. She shifted, and between her legs she felt an achy throb, not to mention the scrapes from his stubble on her breasts, her stomach, her inner thighs.

Her gaze fell on the flawless bronze skin of his neck. Her heart skipped a beat. He’d almost died. In a brief moment, all that vital male strength could have been gone…but he wasn’t. She steadied herself. Instead, the gorgeous, big male animal was right here with her.

And she was falling for him.

God
. A million emotions flooded her, leaving her mouth dry. Carefully, she slid out from under his arm and stood beside the bed. She wasn’t going to think about that right now. She padded across to the bathroom.

Once she’d finished freshening up, she headed back into the bedroom. Her steps slowed.

He was awake, propped up on the pillows, his gaze on hers.

His eyes were gleaming gold again.

She walked closer. “Your eyes…they change color, from amber to bright gold. I noticed it last night.”

“The nanami do it.” His gaze roamed her naked body. “It happens when our emotions are running high. We can’t control it.”

She stopped a few meters from the bed. He stayed there, lounging like some sultan waiting for the world to see to his desires.

“Good morning, Aurina.”

“Good morning, Kavon.” She swallowed. “I am so very happy you’re alive.”

“I’m happy about that as well.” He nudged the sheet off his body.

Her breath caught. Stars, the man was so well built. His erect cock was arching straight up and she licked her lips.

He moved to the edge of the bed and set his feet on the floor. “Come here.”

Her pulse jumped. “Why?”

“You said you were happy to see I was alive. I want you to show me.”

She took a step toward him. Hell, she felt drawn to him. “What did you have in mind, warrior?”

“Get on your knees.”

The order should have rankled. But this wasn’t a battle of wills for him to recognize her opinions. No, this was something private and possessive, just between them. But most of all, this was for their pleasure. This time, the blunt words excited her.

“Kavon—”

His eyes glittered. “Please, Aurina.”

The words were harsh, rough, nothing pleading about them.

She closed the distance between them and fell to her knees between his strong legs.

Pressing her hands to his hard thighs, they felt like rock. As she leaned toward that generous cock, she smelled the earthy scent of his arousal and felt herself grow even damper between her legs.

Leaning forward, she swirled her tongue around the thick head of his cock, and he groaned. She opened her mouth wide, sucking him in, then relaxed, opening wider for the broad shaft that followed.

“Aurina.” His voice was so guttural she could barely understand him. He slid his hands into her hair and rocked his hips forward, pushing farther into her mouth.

She moaned, and under her hands she felt the hard muscles in his thighs tighten. She loved the feel and taste of him, and even more, she loved driving her hard, controlled warrior wild.

Suddenly, with a growl, he pulled her off him and tossed her back on the bed.

He spun, rising above her, stroking his hard cock in his hand. Mesmerized, she watched those rough strokes, loved watching him pleasure himself.

But his hot, golden gaze was on her. Leaving no doubt how he felt.

Desire was a restless emotion inside her. Aurina slid her hand down between her legs, strumming her clit, her gaze on her warrior. She lifted her hips in a jerky rhythm, already feeling another orgasm shimmering close.

With a groan, Kavon gave his cock one last pump, then he started coming. His warm come splattered on the skin of her belly. She tweaked her clit again and her own release pulled her in and shattered her apart.

As Kavon rose, she snuggled into the soft sheets, pretty darn happy with the world. He returned with a wet wash cloth and cleaned off her belly. Then he settled on the bed next to her, gently stroking her skin, like he wanted to touch every part of her.

“I like waking up with you, warrior.”

A kiss to her shoulder. “I feel the same.” His lips traveled over her shoulder, along her collarbone.

She felt his cock press against her thigh, hard and ready. “So soon?”

“I told you—”

“A warrior’s stamina.” She pushed him onto his back and climbed on top. “I’m not complaining.” She smoothed her hands over his chest.

His hand slid between her thighs and she moaned at the touch.

“So slick and ready,” he murmured. “Do you want me, Aurina?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me.”

“I want you, Kavon.” She cupped his cock and lined it up. She sank down so just the head of him pushed inside her.

He sucked in a sharp breath. “Open for me, little sunset.”

“I want all of you.” She pushed down, feeling him stretch her.

They moaned together, then she rose, dragging herself off him. Then she thrust down on him, taking him to the hilt.

“Aurina. You know how to bring a man to his knees.”

She pressed her hands to his hard chest. His eyelids were half closed, and his breathing was fast. Oh, yes, she loved driving her warrior wild.

His big hands cupped her breasts, flicking at her nipples. “Ride me.”

She didn’t care if he was asking or ordering. She knew it was what they both wanted. She lifted her hips and then let them fall, taking more and more of him inside her. She rode him with steady, firm strokes, panting as she felt the sensations overtaking her.

He lifted his hips on a groan. “Close.”

She felt it, the tension in his big body. Then his hands abandoned her breasts and one reached between her thighs. He flicked at her clit, tweaking in time with her strokes.

“Kavon, I’m going to come.” She felt the first tiny spasms low in her belly. “I can’t hold back.”

“Come.” He kept one hand on her clit and the other clamped on her hip.

He thrust up as she thrust down, and Aurina cried out his name. As the orgasm crashed over her, she threw her head back.

A second later, his fingers dug into her flesh as he roared her name in reply, and she felt him come inside her.

She collapsed on his chest. Under her ear, she heard the thunder of his dual hearts.

He slid a hand down her damp back. “Mine, Aurina. You are mine.”

She closed her eyes, and that part of her that had warned her away from Kavon, broke. She couldn’t stay away from him, didn’t want to. She pressed a kiss to his chest.

Chapter Twelve

Late in the afternoon, after a lazy lunch with Kavon, Aurina took a nap. She grinned to herself. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had the luxury of an afternoon nap. She kind of liked it.

Then, she had gone out and watered the plants on Kavon’s balcony, and snipped off a few dead leaves. Since no one had been watching, she’d sunk her hands into the rich soil and wiggled her fingers around with glee. She was planning to ask Kavon for some seeds and another flower box. There was enough room to nicely fit another one on the balcony.

The sound of a throat clearing brought her back to the present, and the meeting of Kavon’s mining supervisors. Aurina had wanted to join in, curious about how they conducted their mining, and what minerals they mined.

At the same time, Kavon was off with his warriors, busy assuring all his people he was very much alive.

She shifted in her seat and felt a twinge. Yep, he was very much alive. They’d just about killed each other with sex.

Except it wasn’t just sex. At least, not for her.

“Aurina?”

She blinked and focused on the man and woman with her. “Sorry, Gadiel. What was that?”

“We have encountered this rock with the following properties.” The woman in charge of Kavon’s mines rattled off a description. “But we aren’t certain if it is worth mining.”

Aurina frowned. “It doesn’t sound familiar to me. Could you get me a sample? If Kavon allows me some of my tech back, I can scan it.” She stared down at the miners’ papers, with their very accurate, hand-drawn pictures. She paused and pointed to one image. Was that what she thought it was? “What do you do with this?”

“It’s waste,” the man, Gadiel’s top mining superintendent, said. “We have the nanami consume it during mining.”

Aurina sat forward. “It looks like zanite. Tell me its properties. Color, weight, hardness.”

The man nodded and listed the answers to her question.

“Stars,” she said. “It’s definitely zanite. It is a highly valuable mineral in the central systems.”

Gadiel frowned. “Used for what?”

“Just about everything. Mostly it’s added to other metals to strengthen it. You could use it to do the same with your metals.”

The man started scribbling furiously, and Gadiel nodded. “We can rework the nanami to start collecting it.”

“I wanted to ask you all a question.” They looked at Aurina expectantly. “Do you know anything about the mines in the Caverns of Riom?”

Both faces went blank with shock.

The man cleared his throat. “They are a legend. The Lost Mines of Riom are said to be filled with bad, unstable ground. No one knows their location.”

“I know. I suspect Durendal is in those mines. It’s worth the risk.”

The mining supervisors looked at each other.

“The mine tunnels are said to be haunted,” Gadiel said. “Old adventurers who risked entering them either never came back…or came back sick or crazy.”

“Something in there messes with their nanami,” her superintendent added. “It drove them out of their minds.”