“But Romy—”
He spread her thighs and pinned her down, holding her in
place so she couldn’t move, and the aggressiveness of the action stunned and
excited her to silence.
“I don’t think you understand.” He positioned himself at her
entrance and speared her. His lips moved over hers without finesse, only raw
need. Any and all resistance faded as desire overwhelmed everything. As he
fucked her, he seemed almost two different people. This one domineering and
rough, the other tender and gentle. But both were loving. Dual facets of her
mate that fueled her heart and body to accept him.
He continued to press a spot inside her that felt so good
she couldn’t stop reaching for another climax. She shrieked, unable to help
herself, as he pushed her into an orgasm. His quickly followed but lasted
longer than she might have thought possible. He shuddered and held her tight as
he poured himself into her.
“Tara,” he groaned, an echo of voices as he pressed harder
against her. “I can’t stop.”
He jetted again, his cock continuing to release with pulses
that vibrated through her body, prolonging and enhancing her own pleasure.
Energy spilled, holding them both in its wake before the power slowly faded and
returned them to normal.
Or what was normal for them.
Gasping for breath, Tara clung to Romy, needing the contact
as much as she needed to make sense of all this.
“Stars and sun above.” Romy slowly withdrew and eased onto
his back, pulling her into his arms. “I don’t think I can move again, not for a
while.”
Tara glanced at his drawn face and couldn’t help the smile
that escaped.
I’ve never heard of a man screwing so much he knocked himself
out.
Very funny.
“I hope I didn’t hurt you.” His eyes
widened as if the thought had just occurred.
“You didn’t. I may be a little sore later, but I can barely
think beyond the pleasure you’ve given me.”
“Pleasure, yes. Extreme, intense pleasure I will never,
ever
be able to forget. Tara, you are so perfect. And you’re mine.” He closed his
eyes.
Admit it.
A bit of defiance she wouldn’t have thought capable reared
its head. “As much as you’re mine.”
“I am. Yours.” His voice slurred as exhaustion settled. “My
iriu
.
I love you so much.”
Love
.
Her heart fluttered while hope and
confusion grew. Tara turned on her side to watch him sleep, still not sure what
the hell had happened between them. She sighed, unable to keep from touching
Romy. His skin felt soft yet hot, and he turned his cheek toward her as she
stroked him. Her fingers itched to touch his muscular chest, and she followed
the impulse, content for the first time in forever.
Tara sighed and closed her eyes. The warmth from Romy’s body
and his steady breathing lulled her into a deep and dreamless sleep.
* * * * *
Jonah Trotter swore as Pachi delivered bad news. “So she’s
in Selection, and Drowe has her?”
“Yeah.” Pachi swallowed. “I, ah, got the feeling they’d been
going at it too.”
“Going at it?” Jonah asked icily. “You mean fucking? He took
her before you could find them?”
“Mr. Trotter, sir, I—”
Jonah stared hard at Pachi. “You feel pressure, don’t you?”
His voice softened, vibrating along Pachi’s nerves. “Your heart feels like it’s
going to burst, and you’re drowning in the air we breathe. It’s thick, like
water almost, and you can’t seem to inhale.”
Pachi turned blue and choked, reaching for his neck. His
eyes watered and he fell to his knees, clutching his heart.
“You’ve disappointed me for the last time. But I know how
sorry you are, how much you long to please me.”
Pachi nodded, desperate to breathe.
“So die quickly and make me a happy man.”
Pachi dropped to the floor, no longer moving.
Min and Daket Yal appeared in the doorway when called. Jonah
liked the worry in their eyes as they stared down at Pachi.
“I’m told Drowe has Tara Drake.” He saw the surprised looks
on their faces, glad at least he wouldn’t have to kill them for conspiracy.
He’d seen how friendly they’d grown with the man. “Tell me what you know about
him.”
Min spoke first, and without hesitation. Another good sign.
“He’s definitely a pyro, because we saw him light the Threaders’ asses on fire
all week long. Seems like a decent enough guy. Kept the law off our asses a few
times and made a solid rep for you.”
“And Tara Drake? What does he think about her?”
Daket and Min exchanged glances.
“Well?” Trotter narrowed his gaze.
“Hell.” Daket sighed. “Like the rest of his, he noticed her
right off. We told him she’s off limits. Besides talking about how incredibly
hot she is, he hadn’t gone near her, at least not when we were around.”
Trotter tapped his chin, thinking. “We have an Otra who
wields fire, lightning and enhanced persuasion skills. He’s stolen a female,
my
female
, newly entered into Selection.” A cell phone rang and Trotter waved
at Min to take the call. Min stepped aside to answer it. “One more thing. I
just found out the mole we presumed guilty and disposed of was actually
Fromer’s pyro.”
Daket looked stunned. “But if that slug was actually
Fromer’s pyro, then who the hell is Luke Drowe?”
Min returned, his frown pronounced. “We’ve got another
problem boss. A big one.”
“Do tell.” Jonah felt ready to explode. Fromer wouldn’t be
pleased that Jonah had terminated one of his men. Drowe had been among
Trotter’s people and place of business for an entire week, where he might have
learned any manner of things. Despite the headway he’d made on eliminating the
Threader gangs for good, Jonah had been played for a fool. The dickhead had
been fucking the one woman Jonah had been dying to conquer since he’d first set
eyes on her.
He could too easily imagine Drowe sinking into her heat,
could envision Tara’s delectable neck exposed, her head thrown back as she came
around him. The passion that belonged to Jonah had instead gone to another
Otra. An Otra who, by all accounts, was a traitor.
Min pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. Then
he opened them, his tone apologetic. “Sorry, boss, but it seems Rhenec and
Zaret Talson ’Or Fal are due to arrive any day now. They’re making the rounds
and wanted a surprise visit and sit-down with you. Only reason we know now is
we have a contact at Port Watch who filled us in before Roarke Talson found him
out and fired his ass.”
“
Shit
.” Jonah couldn’t understand how everything had
gone to hell in one night. “We need Drowe here, ASAP. He’s hot for the woman,
so we’ll use her as bait,” Jonah sneered. “Daket and Min, you two bring me
Killer Drake, with his head on a fucking platter if need be. Let me know as
soon as you have him.”
The two left without a word. Jonah mused on the plan
frothing in his mind. With Killer under his thumb, not to mention the threat of
exposing his Otra heritage, Jonah had no doubt he could convince Tara to throw
Drowe over and commit herself to Jonah as his
iriu
. Once his mate, he’d
own her property and that priceless OQ statue. Then he’d have no need of Talson
Shipping. He could finally ditch the company and truly become the entrepreneur
he’d always meant to be.
And Tara…she’d be so appreciative of his mercy. He grew hard
thinking about her on her knees before him, pleading with him to let Killer
free. The thought of those red, ripe lips wrapped around his cock had him
wishing he hadn’t let the new girl go just yet. Damn, but thoughts of Tara
constantly had him hard, and he couldn’t understand it. Sure she was Otra and
now going through Selection. But from the first he’d been intrigued. Watching
her touch herself the other day had caused a major meltdown
in his pants
.
Embarrassing to say the least.
Stifling the strange hold the woman had on his libido, he
wondered how Luke Drowe, or whatever the fuck his name was, might try to save
Tara from Jonah’s clutches. He had no doubt Drowe would do everything in his
power to keep Tara to himself. If the bastard had licked one bit of her sweet
cunt, he’d never give it up. Jonah prayed the asshole would do his level best
to save her. Chuckling, Jonah couldn’t help his amusement at the thought. Drowe
would die a slow, painful death. And once Jonah had Tara and her famous brother
under his control, he didn’t intend to let either of them go. At least, not
alive.
Chapter Seven
Romy groaned and rolled over, his body pleasantly sore, his
dick well used. His arm brushed against soft skin and he inhaled the sweet
smell of his
iriu
lying next to him. Satisfaction welled, and his
psychei
surged with power, leaving him revitalized and in control of his psychic skills
once more.
Damn, she makes me strong. And so hard
.
Even
though they’d both loved each other to distraction last night, he wanted her
all over again. He glanced at the bedside clock and noted the late morning
hour. Hell, it was nearly noon.
“Romy?” she murmured and stroked his chest. Electricity
raced over him, pinpricks of sensation arousing him further. “Was yesterday
real?”
“Very,” he answered in a throaty voice, aware the woman had
no idea what she did to him. He felt her dwell on everything that had occurred,
as well as her responsiveness to her
iriu
. Pleased she at least thought
of him as her husband even if she didn’t fully accept it yet, he remained quiet,
content to lay under her touch.
“So we’re married?”
“Yes.” Damn. If she kept petting him, he’d come with or
without wanting to. Ah, that lovely Selection. He could smell her need on her
as if she wore it like a perfume. The desire for her mate, for a child,
overwhelmed him. It was with great restraint that he held himself still in bed.
She sucked in a breath, and her nipples hardened as she
rolled toward him. “I think I’m in, ah, heat again,” she said, her face on
fire. “The Selection isn’t over.”
Thank the heavens.
Romy bit back a wide grin. “I know
you are. Yesterday should have cured some of this intense need. But I want you
so badly I can taste it.” He closed his eyes to get a hold of his control. And
then he
saw
her stroke his nipples. A source of second sight that
disconcerted him.
Blind vision?
A new talent he’d never before
experienced. Now, with his eyes closed, he could see in terms of touch—the
phantom touch of his
iriu
’s body.
“Romy,” she breathed. “Would you mind if—”
He took the words from her mouth by pulling her on top him
and easing her over his erection. They both sighed as she took him inside her.
As she began riding him, he couldn’t help falling in love with her all over
again.
“I love your body.” Romy had no problem admitting his feelings.
“And your mind and your soul. Everything about you calls to me,
veyou
.”
He fitted his hands to her waist to increase the pace and swore he felt a spike
in power as she neared orgasm. “This pretty little pussy, for example.” He
pressed circles into her clit, gratified by the harsh slamming of her body over
his. “It tastes so sweet. And your plump clit is just begging to be eaten.”
“Romy,” she gasped. “I’m going to come.”
“Do it. All over me before I shoot inside you. Can you feel
how hard you make me?”
She groaned and writhed, her body falling over his in a
rhythm that made his blood boil. He played with her clit with one hand and
reached for her breast with the other. The soft feel of her tits and the sight
of such ripe nipples had him expanding inside her. He pinched her clit hard in
response and she climaxed, rippling around him in a release that drew his own.
He surrendered to the clenching walls of her pussy. His
climax felt so good, especially knowing his cum sought the warm haven of his
iriu’s
womb. A flutter of
psychei
found its way, and within seconds Romy saw
the bright-blue energy of new life burrowing into Tara’s soul. Joy infused him
and he worked hard to hold his emotions in check, not wanting to startle his
new mate.
In that moment, he saw, too, her every attempt at healing,
her overwhelming need to help, and her unquenchable desire for
him
.
“Oh, Romy, yes, yes.” She bore down hard, squeezing him
inside her. “You feel so good in me.”
“Hell, yes,” he agreed, stroking her belly, warmly welcoming
his future child.
Little one, come to us with love and know you are
treasured even now.
Tara smiled down at him, but her grin faded as she noted the
placement of his hands. “Oh my God. Did you just put a baby in there?”
He didn’t know what she wanted him to say. Though she paled,
a larger part of her was jumping for joy. He could sense her conflicted
emotions and remained silent.
“But—But how did you do that? How do you know that? No, no.
I know. It’s an Otra thing.” She attempted to leave him but he held her tight,
his hands around her waist.
“Tara. Honey, it’s okay. It’ll all be okay. You just need
time to process all this.”
“And you don’t?” she snapped. “One minute you’re running
drugs for the Talsons, and the next I’m Otra and you’re fucking me senseless.
Then we’re mated and I’m pregnant. But then what do I know? I
was
only
human.”
Romy scowled. The woman should have been basking in bliss,
at the least pleased about their child. “First of all, I never worked for
Trotter. Second, you’ve always been Otra. My fucking you—making love to you—had
everything to do with you being who you are. It’s not about you being Otra or
human or some of each. I don’t care what you are, it’s who you are that I
love.” She settled a bit at that, and he continued. “Tara, I’m sorry. I didn’t
intend for you to get pregnant so soon. I can’t control conception. It happens
when it happens, but I won’t say I’m not overjoyed at the thought of our
child.”