Assassin Mine (7 page)

Chapter Seven

Sabria sat at the foot of the bed and replayed the
transmission.

“For the cost of a replaceable breeder, the glory of
capturing the Federation’s prize future-bender could be mine.” Darius’ flat,
dead eyes froze her heart, the heart she’d given him, an assassin.

“I’m a fool,” she muttered.

“I’m the fool.” Darius stood in the doorway, filling the
space, his hard form large and lethal, and Sabria’s body hummed to life. “I’ve
made many mistakes.”

“Including capturing me.” She clutched the bed sheet to
prevent herself from reaching for him. “If you had captured the valuable
future-bender, you’d be a hero on
Balazoid
right now, not a fugitive.”
She slumped her shoulders.

Darius tapped on the viewscreen and the display faded to
black. “If I had returned to
Balazoid
with the future-bender, they would
have killed me to cover up her existence.” He wrapped his fingers around Sabria’s
waist, picked her up and tossed her to the middle of the bed. “I’d be dead.”

She bounced on the bed. “What are you doing?”

Darius straddled her hips, pinning her to the surface. “I’m
restraining my irreplaceable breeder, protecting her.” He unwound the long
leather straps wrapped around his forearm and a frisson of excitement skittered
up Sabria’s spine. “Because I care for you, Sabria. I may never say the words
again, but never doubt it.”

She blinked up at him, stunned by his confession. “
Balazoids
don’t care for breeders.”

“With you, I’ve never been a
Balazoid
.” He pushed up
the overly long sleeve of her pale-blue flight suit, looped a leather strap
around her right wrist and attached it to the bedframe, pulling her arm
straight. “Or a
Dreck
.” He repeated the process with her left wrist.
“I’ve always been Darius.”

“Why me?”

Darius shrugged. “Why not you?” He moved down her body,
grabbed her right ankle and bound that limb also. “You serve my purposes.
You’re everything a female should be.” He secured her left ankle, spreading her
completely open to him.

“And you care for me.” Sabria yanked on the leather, unable
to free herself, the straps secure. “Although you threaten to never say the
words again.”

“Why do you need words from me?” He scowled. “I watched you
with your bots, female. They didn’t tell you their emotions, yet you cared for
them.”

Sabria stilled, hearing the wistfulness in his voice. “They
didn’t need to tell me they cared. They showed me.”

Darius extracted a dagger from his leather jacket. “I’ve
showed you, numerous times.” His arm blurred as he sliced her flight suit into
ribbons of fabric, his downward swoops fast, yet accurate, not a scratch left
on her skin. “I captured you, breaking
Balazoid
laws to take you. I
defied my senior officers, my planet, my people. I haven’t yet blown up your
brother’s embarrassment of a ship.”

Yet.
Sabria’s eyes rounded in alarm. “And you won’t.
I love my brother, Darius.”
As I love you.

“No more talk about your perfect brother, female.” Darius
flung the dagger across the room. The blade stuck in the metallic wall, the
handle vibrating with the force of his throw. “I’m showing you how I feel.”

“I—”

Darius leaned over and covered her open mouth with his. His
hot tongue slid along hers, silencing her words, dissipating her thoughts.
Sabria moaned, arching her back, yearning to touch him, yet unable to move, her
body bare and restrained under his.

He wound his fingers in her hair, the teasing pull sending
tremors lower, his grip felt down to her pussy. The leather of his outfit slid
over her naked skin, rubbing, softly abrading her taut nipples and her spread
pussy lips.

“You’re overdressed,” she murmured, in a daze, as he sucked
on her chin.

“I’m showing you,” he repeated, his lips humming against her
neck. “This isn’t about my release, my needs, wants, pleasure.”

“
Balazoids
don’t please their females.” Sabria raised
her chin, allowing him access to more of her.

Darius licked along her collarbone and she shivered, the
sensation as intense as his loving. “I no longer care about what
Balazoids
do or don’t do.” He swirled the tip of his tongue around her right breast,
cupping her left with his big hands, his long fingers squeezing to a rhythm her
entire body felt. “I’m Darius and I please my female.”

“Your breeder.” She pulled on the straps, offering him her
breasts.

He slid his hand down her torso and rested his palm over her
fluttering stomach. “My breeder.” Sabria’s heart squeezed at the thought of
carrying his child. “I’ll show you what I’m feeling.” Darius fastened his lips
over her nipple and sucked, feasting on her breast, and Sabria cried out,
undulating against him, swept away by sensation and sentiment.

He lowered his hand and stroked along her pussy lips,
spreading her juices and escalating her desire. “Yes,” she called
encouragement, pushing into his caresses, the motion straining her thigh
muscles, the tension delicious.

Darius increased his tempo, sucking harder and strumming her
folds faster, grazing his thumb over her clit, and Sabria panted his name, her
lungs aching, unable to retreat from his passionate assault.

He wielded his long fingers as though they were swords,
slicing away her control, bringing no pain, only pleasure. She trembled and she
shook. “Please,” she pleaded, for mercy, for release.

Darius released her breast with a lusty pop. He held her
gaze, his crimson eyes dark, as he circled her clit, each rotation of his
fingertip winding her tighter and tighter.

“My female.” He bared his white teeth over her reddened
nipple and Sabria tensed, anticipating his bite.

“My breeder.” Darius sank his teeth into her fragile skin
and she screamed, flinging her body toward him, breaking into pieces, her
emotions no longer her own. He kept them, controlled them, her captor, her
lover.

“You showed me,” she sighed, sagging against her restraints,
her mind hazy, her form warm.

“I showed you nothing.” Darius grinned, his angular face
softening, his expression boyish. He stroked his fingers deeper and deeper into
her, slipping into her entrance, filling her with first one finger, then two,
and finally three.

“Darius?” Sabria’s passions stirred, building once more, her
exhausted body revived by his caresses.

He flicked her abused nipple with his tongue. “You’ll see
all of my emotions and all of my weaknesses, Sabria. No one will hold as much
power to hurt me as you will.” His grin faded, his lips settling into a grim
white line.

“You can trust me, Darius,” Sabria assured him. “I’ll never
hurt you.”

“I trust you and only you.” He swiped the flat of his tongue
over her stomach and an after-tremor shook her. “I’ll show you everything.”

He nuzzled her mons, mouthing words she didn’t understand
into her skin, gripping her ass in his palms. “You smell like home,” he
murmured, his voice reverent and soft, and Sabria melted under his adoration.

Darius licked her from ass to clit and she trembled. “And
you taste like happiness. You’re that place you told me about, and in your
arms, I’m accepted and equal.” He nibbled along her folds, soothing each bite
with his tongue, and Sabria curled her fingers around the leather straps,
twisting her restraints.

“I want to be that place for you.” He pushed into her
entrance, sliding his tongue along her inner walls.

“Yes,” Sabria cried out, pressing her pussy against his
lips.

Darius slurped lustily, his pale stern face positioned
between her spread legs. He ate her pussy with the same intensity he applied to
his battles, his focus entirely on her pleasure. Any doubts Sabria had of his
feelings faded away.

He loves me.
Sabria gazed at him, overwhelmed by
emotion.
There’s no other reason for this.
Spurred by that realization,
her arousal built with a painful quickness, her pussy becoming hypersensitive,
each brush of his mouth too stimulating for her senses. She writhed and
twisted, but she couldn’t avoid his torturous mouth.

“Darius, please,” she begged, tears streaming down her
cheeks.

Darius kneaded her ass cheeks with his long fingers as he
ravished her with his tongue, rubbing his nose into her clit, applying himself
to her taste with an almost android-like devotion.

“Darius, this is too much, too good.” Her voice rose to a
thin whine. “Savor me later. I need to come. Make me come.” She curled her
fingers into fists.

“Later.” A corner of his grim mouth quirked upward. He
continued his slow torment.

“No.” Sabria growled, struggling against her bindings,
shaking the bed. “Darius, please let me come. I’ll do anything you want,
anything you—”

“Anything?” He met her gaze and warning sirens sounded in
Sabria’s mind.

She ignored them, her need too great to be denied.
“Anything,” she promised wildly, beyond thinking, beyond caring of tomorrow.
“Make me come.”

“I’ll bring you release.” Darius positioned his lips over
her clit and she quieted, watching him wide-eyed.
What is he—

He inhaled, sucking on that tiny bundle of nerves. Sabria
closed her eyes and shrieked, her voice pitched so high, it was barely audible.
The darkness exploded with light, waves of pleasure hitting her body, pulling
her under, and she wiggled her fingers, grasping for something, anything to
keep her afloat. Rough palms smacked against hers and Darius held her tightly,
calming her inner storm.

“Darius,” she whispered, drained beyond recovery.

“I won’t abuse your vow, Sabria.”

Vow?
Sabria opened one of her eyes. Darius swiped the
back of his hand across his face, wiping the wetness from his cheeks.
My
wetness.

“I’ll only ask one thing from you.” Darius removed pieces of
body armor from wall compartments. “That you don’t leave this chamber until I
return for you.” He fastened armor to her arm.

“I should be with you when you meet with my brother.” Sabria
shook her arm, trying to dislodge the armor, her mind clear and her body fully
awake. “It’s too dangerous for you to see him alone.”

“I will see him alone.” Darius covered Sabria’s torso with
large black armor, the heavy material hanging off her body and flattening her
breasts. “Because you’ll be here, safe and secure.”

“My brother won’t harm me,” she protested, her concern torn
between her mercenary brother and her assassin lover.

“I’m not taking any chances, female,” Darius growled,
loading her slighter form with more and more armor. “You promised to do
anything I asked. I’m asking you to stay here.”

“I spoke in the heat of passion.” Sabria glared at him.

“I showed you my feelings in the heat of passion,” Darius
replied softly. “I meant them, all of them.” Sabria bit down on her bottom lip,
swallowing her protests. “Armor, fasten.” The armor tightened around her body,
encasing her in protective material. “You’ll stay here.” He stood, looming over
her, dark and menacing.

Sabria met his gaze. “I’ll stay, but please don’t kill my
brother, Darius,” she pleaded. “Traz is the only family I have. I love him.”

Darius didn’t answer. He extracted a wide strap from his
jacket, bent over the bed, and brushed his lips over hers. “I trust you more
than I’ve ever trusted anyone, but a good assassin never takes unnecessary
risks.” He placed the strap over her mouth.

“No!” Sabria yelled. No sound escaped the strap. “Don’t you
dare muzzle me!” She struggled, shaking her head. He calmly attached the strap
and stepped away from her. “Not again!”

“I’ll protect you, Sabria.” He rested his hand on the hilt
of one of his daggers. “Don’t leave this room,” he advised as he left, the
doors sliding closed behind him.

“How can I leave?” She yanked on the restraints, the strap
across her mouth smothering her words. “You’ve tied me to the bed.”

She struggled until she tired, the straps not loosening,
Darius’ knots tightening with each pull. The ship was eerily silent and still.
He
won’t kill my brother.
Sabria stared up at the ceiling, the surface as
blank as her future.
I have to trust him, even if he doesn’t completely
trust me.

The ship shuddered.
Docked.
She held her breath.

The gunfire echoed, faint, far away.
Darius.
Sabria
closed her eyes, picturing the ceiling weapons, the armed floor bots, the
impregnable fortress her assassin had transformed his ship into.

The sounds of guns grew louder and louder.
Traz is coming
for me.
Sabria watched the doors, waiting, debating whether to tell her
brother the truth or a more palatable lie.

Metal scraped against metal and the doors slid open,
revealing her brother’s scarred face. There was no sign of Darius.
Is he
dead?
A pain pierced Sabria’s heart, leaving her breathless.

“Stay still,” Traz instructed. He drew a knife from his belt
and sliced through the straps. His mouth was set in a stern, unforgiving line
and blood dripped down his arm, the wound on his shoulder thankfully shallow.

She yanked the strap from her mouth, her fingers tingling.
“Traz, what are you doing here?” She rolled off the bed and scrambled to her
feet, gazing around her brother’s body, looking for Darius.
Where is he?

“I’m rescuing you. What does it look like?” Traz drawled.
Shots rang out.
Darius.
Sabria relaxed. A woman screamed. “Fuck,” her
brother cursed. “We have to go.” He gripped Sabria’s wrist. “Before he hurts
her.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Sabria pulled her arm out of his
reach, remembering Darius’ instructions. “Do you know who he is? He’s the assassin
they call Dreck. Through him, I have access to the
Balazoid
system.” She
touched the tracking device attached to the back of her neck. “The Federation
would—”