DangerouslyHis (5 page)

Relief was the only thing she felt as they finally reached
the medical center. Five white, body-size containment units were lined up along
one side of the room. Stopping in front of the first, Saia began to help Fainia
undress, laying her clothes across Aria’s forearm.

When the last shift was taken off and her mother stood
before her naked, Saia gasped.

Not only did bruises cover Fainia’s body, but she also had
long parallel welts, as though Olo had dug his nails into her skin and dragged
them over her torso and legs. Down her arm, around her shoulder and over her
collarbone were…

Saia caught her breath.

Bite marks.

Olo had bitten into Fainia with such force that he had torn
through the skin.

How could he do this to her?

Saia’s stomach dropped. Bile rose in her throat.

As she stared at her mother, horrified, Aria moved to shield
her from Saia’s view. “Here, let me finish this.” She looked to Milin. “Milin,
help Saia undress.”

“No, Aria. I’ll take care of her. She’s my mother.”

Aria tsked. “You should not hold this burden by yourself.”

“I’ll be fine, Saia, let Milin take care of you.”

Saia held back tears. “I can’t…I don’t…”

Fainia pulled Saia close and held her in a brief but tight
embrace. “Aria has taken care of me since before you were born. We have many
secrets between us that only a queen and her trusted aide could share.”

She reluctantly nodded and did as she was told. After Saia was
naked, Milin helped her into a healing tank and closed the glass top. The tank
was large enough to fit one of the Sonis males with ease. She could almost
fully extend her arms to the sides, but not quite. The top wouldn’t allow her
to sit fully upright. When the healing tank began to vibrate and hum, Saia knew
Milin had activated the regeneration sequence. There was no telling when the
sequence would be complete, but one it was, the healing tank would turn off.

Exhausted, Saia closed her eyes and let the hum lull her to
sleep.

* * * * *

Once finished in the medical center, Saia and Fainia made
their way to the royal suite. There was no need to worry that the rooms would
be occupied. Taio didn’t allow anyone else to use them.

They passed the kitchen area, through the elaborately
furnished sitting room and up the winding staircase. Saia stopped at the first
door, which was her room. After giving her a kiss on the forehead, Fainia
continued down the hall to the double doors that led to her mother and Olo’s bedroom.

As Saia entered her room, she called out, “Ship? Are you
still here?”

“I am present,” he said.

“Thank you for getting us here unseen.”

“You are most welcome.”

“I don’t want you to involve yourself anymore. I don’t want
you to get into trouble with Taio.” When he didn’t answer, she said, “Ship, do
you hear me?”

Her question was met with silence.

Even as reality tugged on her mind, she fought to stay
asleep.

She didn’t want to leave the man in her dream. The same male
she’d dreamed about often. The setting always changed—sometimes they stood on a
remote beach or walked through a bustling marketplace—but the male did not. She
never remembered his face when she awoke, but she held on to the way he made
her feel, even if it wasn’t real.

A shriek, high and piercing, interrupted her dream.

Saia woke with a start. She sat straight up and grabbed the
covers to her sides.

Where am I?

Her heart gripped with fear as her gaze darted around the
room, nearly empty save for the expansive bed she was in. The green curtains
gently billowed as the breeze from the Singha Ocean swept through.

Sonis.

She exhaled. They were safe from Olo.

Another shriek.

Mother.

Saia pushed the light blanket aside and scampered out of
bed. She ran toward the door, her heart beating at an incredible pace.
If
Olo has her…

Running down the hall, she followed the sounds that came
from her mother’s room. She stumbled twice, tripping over the sleeping gown
that draped to the floor. At her mother’s doors, she didn’t hesitate to knock.
She turned the knob without breaking her stride.

And ran straight into Aria’s back, making her fall forward.

“Saia! I have told you time and time again. Princesses do
not run through rooms,” Fainia scolded.

Aria, Josanis and Eva turned to watch her as she
straightened.

Eva.
Saia let out a reassuring breath. “It’s only
you.”

Even for a human, Eva was short. She had once explained that
she was “petite”, whatever that meant. Although Eva and Taio looked odd
together—he tripled her weight and stood half her length taller—one could still
feel the love between them.

Today, Eva wore her black hair in a braid down her back. She
was also one of the few females on Sonis who wore pants. While Saia understood
it was a normal custom on Earth, she’d noted many of the human females chose to
wear traditional Sonis gowns.

“Well, it’s nice to see you too, Saia,” Eva said, her blue
gaze on her.

“I’m sorry. Hi, Eva.” Saia went to give her a hug. “I am
glad to see you. I was expecting someone else.” Saia shifted her gaze to
Fainia, who was playing a game with Josanis.

Fainia mouthed, “All is fine,” behind Eva’s back.

Even just waking, Fainia looked as regal as ever. Her black
hair fanned around her face and the healing tank had brought back the vibrancy
of her skin tone. She looked fresh and glowing and her lavender eyes looked
alive.

“Who were you expecting?” Eva asked.

“Um, Taio.”

Eva nodded. “I’m sure he’ll be around shortly. He just
returned from Volrais. He’s still trying to get himself organized.” Then she
frowned. “I wasn’t expecting you two for a couple more days. Is something the
matter?”

“No,” Saia said quickly. “We wanted to come early to help.”

Eva raised a brow. “Help? You mean
physically
help?
Hanging decorations, moving chairs…that sort of help?”

Saia shrugged. “Yes, with anything you need us to do.”

Eva grabbed Saia’s hand and led her to where Fainia sat. “I
was joking. You two have probably never moved a chair in your lives. Spill it,
what’s the matter? Did Olo find out that Taio plans to meet with Ranuit Pi?”

“No, he didn’t,” Fainia said. “We had nervous energy and
wanted to ensure everything was going as planned.”

“Hmmm,” Eva said, her gaze searching up and down Saia’s
body. “Something is off with this situation.”

“Eva, please,” Fainia offered. “You are always on high
alert. Relax.”

“I’ve got so many alarm bells sounding in my head right
now,” Eva said. “I can’t ignore my instincts. They’ve saved me more than once.”

Instinct was indeed something Eva had heavily relied on all
of her life. On Earth, she had been a lethally trained martial artist. When
Taio rescued her from Xenaris’ slave auction block, Eva had been in the middle
of a fight against two Tresdonians, a species whose short, thick bodies gave
them the ability to withstand the hardest of blows. But it wasn’t her fight with
the Tresdonians that had given her a dangerous reputation.

It was the fact she’d singlehandedly gone up against three
of Sonis’ royal guards—killing one.

Now Taio let Eva train females, which was unheard of in
their culture. And to prove that he saw her as a warrior, he had even given her
a
jango
, a fighting sword warriors of both Sonis and Drazlan trained
with.

Saia sat on the bed next to Fainia and Josanis. When she
did, he held out his arms and she picked him up and kissed him. Although he was
only one and a half birth cycles, he was a heavy child and her arms strained to
hold him. He had his parents’ black hair, with one blue eye inherited from Eva,
and one lavender, from Taio.

“So? Neither of you will tell me what’s going on? Okay. I
see,” Eva finished when no one replied. “Ship! I need you.”

Silence.

Eva narrowed her gaze on them. “You won’t tell me what’s
really going on and nosy Ship isn’t anywhere to be found. How convenient.”

“I’m sure Ship has more important things to do besides
hanging around us,” Fainia said. “Besides, we have other things to discuss. Has
Taio decided how he’s going to get Ranuit Pi alone? Does he know what terms
he’ll set?” She shifted to swing her legs over the edge of the bed. “Maybe I
should go speak with Taio myself.”

“Queen Xochis—”

“Eva, I have asked you to call me ‘Mother’.” Fainia raised
her chin. “I’ll not listen to a word you have to say if you address me as
‘Queen’ again. Unlike my mate, I don’t believe my children should call me by a
title.”

Eva blushed and shuffled her feet. “Umm…”

Seeing Eva’s discomfort, Fainia added, “You may call me
‘Mother’ or ‘Fainia’. But not ‘Queen’. Never that name.”

This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation,
with Eva always uncomfortable about the request. Taio had explained to them
that Eva had grown up without parents and was often unsure how to behave around
Fainia, but despite knowing that, their mother seemed to press relentlessly,
trying to break down Eva’s barriers.

Eva nodded. “Taio and Rasha are meeting with the Zarcarians
today to complete the paperwork for their settlement rights on the northern
border of the Singha Ocean. I’m sure that will take up most of the morning.”

“I understand,” Fainia said. She stood and stretched. “We
forgot our clothes for the engagement party. We’ll need to see the tailors.”

Eva held up her hand. “Fainia, the first time I met you, you
were dripping in jewels and wearing the prettiest dress I’d ever seen. Did you
honestly think I’d believe you
forgot
your clothes?”

“Eva, please,” Saia said. “We’re handling the issue. Let it
go.”

“I can’t do that. Is the problem with Olo or Ranuit Pi?” she
asked.

“Olo,” Saia said.

Unfortunately, Fainia said, “Ranuit Pi,” at the same time.

Saia held her breath as Eva squinted at them both.

“So which one do I have to kill?”

“No one,” Saia said. “Let us take care of everything.”

“And will letting you ‘take care of everything’ come back to
haunt me?”

Saia exchanged a glance with Fainia. “No.”

Eva shook her head. “Why do I still not believe you?”

JB flattened himself against the woman he’d convinced to
meet him in the closet, a petite African-American beauty with hazel eyes shaded
in thick black lashes.

He scooped up a handful of dark hair in various shades of
black, brown and red, and took a long, exaggerated whiff. The aroma of
fresh-baked bread clung to every curly strand. He found that he enjoyed the
smell immensely, especially when it came with the promise of wild sex.

“JB,” she said breathlessly, “I don’t think we should do
this here.” The words coming from her mouth didn’t match her body language.
Instead of pushing him away, she clung to his arms and gyrated against him.

“Hmm.” He took a few steps, making her walk backward, and
pressed her curvy but slender frame against the wall. His cock throbbed in his
pants, waiting to be released. “Do what?” He kissed and nipped her jaw.

She moaned and tightened her grip on his arms. “Make love,”
she said in his ear.

He thrust his hips between her legs and began to grind.
“We’re not going to make love.” He cupped her round, luscious ass.

“Umm,” she moaned, deep and throaty, practically melting in
his embrace.

“Now be a good girl and lift up your dress,” he coaxed.

She looked past him to the closed closet door. “I don’t
know…” He snaked a hand between her legs and massaged her wet clit. Her eyes
fluttered closed. “I’m due back in the kitchens to help prepare dinner. We’ll
have to make it quick.”

He intended to.

He pulled back to free his dick and give her room to wiggle
her dress up to her waist. With his jutting cock aimed in her direction, he
gave her ass a playful slap. “Let me feel those beautiful legs around me,
darling.”

One long, mahogany-colored leg wrapped around his waist. He
lifted her, helping her with the other. She slipped her arms around his neck
and leaned against the wall. He grasped the base of his cock and pressed the
head over the entrance of her dripping pussy. Hot and needy, it seemed to
beckon him.

He thrust forward with a grunt. His knees immediately
weakened. Margie’s pussy was so tight that it always took his breath away. She
bit her lip and a whispered moan broke through. Margie, like JB, didn’t want
anyone to know what was going on behind the door of the food storage room.

As he pulled out slowly, his nails dug into her firm ass.
She exhaled and lowered her head to rest on his shoulder. He entered her again,
slower than the first time, savoring the slickness of her walls.

She couldn’t stop moaning again. It came out guttural and
filled with lust. “Oh, JB.”

He eased out again.

“You said we weren’t going to make love,” she whispered.

“Mmm,” he groaned. He thrust forward, pinning her butt to
the wall. “We’re not,” he said as she cried out.

He slammed again and again into her throbbing pussy. Her
delectable juice trailed down his cock. Sweat from his body and hers rolled
down his legs. Margie ran her nails through his hair, tugging at the strands.
She used the muscles in her legs to act as a vise around his waist and bounced
up and down. Her ass wobbled and jiggled in his grasp.

“Yes! Fuck me,” she grunted.

Each stroke was deep and hard. “Is this my pussy?” he asked.

“Yours,” she moaned.

He rotated to sit her on top of a box of goods. She leaned
back on her elbows as he held her knees, opening her legs wide.

“Play with your beautiful titties for me, baby.”

She didn’t waste any time in pulling her gown down over her
full breasts, exposing herself to him. She grasped them and teased her large
brown nipples. He watched them longingly, salivating at the thought of pulling
them between his lips.

She watched him through heavy-lidded lashes. “Like this?”

He licked his lips. “Yeah.”

He used his thumb and massaged her engorged clit. He circled
and circled as her back contorted. The pleasurable sounds of her moans filled
the small space with each thrust.

She pulled a nipple into her mouth and suckled.

His thrusts went deeper, harder. She grunted and mewled. Her
pussy caressed him.

“Are you going to feed me your dick?”

He’d like nothing better than to watch her full lips wrap
around him.

He pulled out and fisted his slick dick. Margie sat up and
scooted to the edge of the box, coming at him with an open mouth.

Just as he grabbed the back of her head, the door slid open
and light penetrated the darkness. “What the—” he began.

A large and imposing figure stood in the doorway and
growled. JB let Margie go and stuffed his resisting cock back into his pants.

Margie looked over his shoulder and inhaled sharply. She
scrambled away and tugged her dress back into place.

JB stared at the very person he was trying to avoid.

Taio.

Taio glared down at him, which wasn’t hard considering Taio,
like the other Sonis males, was well over seven feet tall. Not only was Taio
taller than JB, he was considerably bigger, weighing in at somewhere around
three hundred and fifty pounds.

Shit.

“T-Taio,” Margie stammered. “It’s not what—” She stopped
when Taio turned his penetrating glare on her. She put her head down. “I’m
sorry. Please forgive me. It won’t happen again.”

Taio didn’t reply. He moved to one side and with a hand,
indicated for her to leave.

She scurried past him in haste, not even hesitating to see
what would happen to JB. He didn’t really blame her. She was scared of Taio. If
JB had any sense, he would be scared of him too.

After she left, Taio turned back to him.

JB shrugged. “Umm… It won’t happen again?”

“Kane likes you. Ship likes you. Rasha likes you. Ancients,
even my mate likes you.” Taio tilted his head to the side. “And I can’t figure
out why.”

“Because I’m nice and fun to be around?” JB offered.

Taio glared at him. “You’re a disrespectful whore.”

JB snorted. “That’s a bit harsh. I’ve been respectful to
everyone on Sonis. My grandmother would roll in her grave at just the thought
of anything but.”

“You have disrespected my head guard as well as my mate by
not heeding their command to leave the human females alone. By disrespecting
them, you have disrespected me. By disrespecting
me
, you have
disrespected the people of Sonis.”

“Well, since you put it like that, I believe I owe you and
Sonis an apology,” he drawled.

Taio growled and JB took a step away, bumping against the
wall.

Shit, trapped.

“Are you mocking me?” Taio ground out.

JB shook his head. “Of course not. I may be a whore, but I’m
not crazy.”

“Am I going to have to upset my mate by killing you?”

JB shifted uncomfortably. The thought of fighting Taio was
making him nauseous. Not only was Taio massive, but throw in the well-defined
muscles that flexed with every movement and the menacing enlightenment tattoo—a
bird of prey, its talons seeming to grip one of Taio’s eyes and its body
flowing down his neck and torso—and JB’s stomach curdled.

It wasn’t even a question of who would win that fight.

“No.” JB threw up his hands in defeat. “I’ll behave. I
promised Jess that I would stay for her bonding ceremony. I’ll leave right
after that.”

When
was
her bonding ceremony? Four days? He could go
without pussy until then, right?

Right.

He’d gone longer before. When he was a slave on Toquel there
hadn’t been pussy or the prospect of getting pussy—ever. And sometimes they
hadn’t docked for months while onboard
The Vengeance
.

Taio rolled his head from side to side, cracking his neck.

JB could wait. His life depended on it.

“I’m not in a good mood, human. Consider this your last
warning,” Taio said.

Is he ever in a good mood?
“I understand. Um, are you
going to let me leave now?”

Taio glared at him and hesitated before moving to the side.
JB held his breath, too afraid to exhale as he slid past.

Normally he was ready and willing to fight. He’d had more
than his fair share as a space pirate. But what would be the purpose of
fighting Taio?

For Margie?
Hell no.

She’d already made it clear she wanted to find a warrior to
mate with. JB had only caught her at one of her weaker moments.

It was time to move on anyway. He’d clearly outstayed his
welcome on Sonis. And Kane would be disappointed, but JB wouldn’t go back to
Laconia either, which his friend called home. Not right now, anyway. Kane was
trying to build a life with Sa’Mya, and although he was treated as one of the
family, JB thought they should be given alone time.

He always had a job with Ryan on
The Vengeance II
,
but he wanted something more.

He could look for his twin sister…

Reluctantly, he pushed the thought out of his mind as he
left the kitchens and started down one of the numerous winding halls of the
palace. He didn’t want to think about Justina now. Not while he was in public
and unable to hide his tears, should they fall from his eyes.

He’d spent so many years pushing thoughts of his sister down
deep inside, it was second nature. He wasn’t trying to forget about her. No,
just the opposite. He allowed himself to think about her when he was alone.
Only then did he remember all the good times they’d shared and let the tears
flow. He tried, night after night, to imagine her somewhere free. His heart
ached, but somehow he didn’t believe she was dead. Justina—or Tina, as she
preferred to be called—was too strong-willed to let aliens break her.

He turned down a familiar hall, one that led to the offices
of the advisors. Taio had an office toward the end of this hallway, and so did
Rasha. But he was here to see Jess.

He approached her open door and breezed in. Projected on a
screen in front of Jess was an alien face from a species JB didn’t recognize.

She flicked her gaze up to look at him and, since she didn’t
shoo him away, he took a seat across from where she sat at her desk.

“It was our understanding that King Taio would meet with us
before our hibernation.”

“Lord Halil, he has every intention of doing so,” Jess
replied. “He asks only that you be more flexible with your time. He has the
upcoming bonding ceremony of his most loyal friend, Rasha. And he’s hosting an
engagement party for his sister, Princess Saia, and Lord Ranuit Pi of the
Zumagala.”

Lord Halil tilted his head. Three black eyes blinked in
succession. The hair on his head seemed to move on its own, in different
directions. “We may have received the wrong information. We were under the
impression he was desperate to secure contracts for settlement on Sonis.”

Jess smiled and retained her composure. “Yes, I believe the
information you were given was incorrect. King Taio has never been desperate.”

The alien watched her in silence. A red tongue darted out of
his mouth and ran over black, leathery lips. He leaned off screen as if talking
to someone else.

Jess winked at JB and mouthed, “Hold on a minute.”

JB had never been more impressed with Jess than he was now.
A year ago, she would have run screaming and crying with one look from the
alien before her. He would have been cradling her in his arms and trying to
ease her fear and anxiety. Even a month ago she would have had panic attacks at
just the thought of having to do business with an alien. But now, with the support
of her new love Rasha, she was handling this alien with ease and not a hint of
anxiety.

He suspected she was making the alien sweat just for the
hell of it. She was slowly coming into her own and he couldn’t be prouder.

Lord Halil came back into view. His face appeared…softer, if
it could be described that way at all. “Please contact us with a suitable
meeting time.”

Jess smiled and nodded. “I’ll send a number of dates for you
to choose from. All before your hibernation schedule, of course.”

The alien nodded and the picture disappeared.

JB placed a hand over his heart. “You make me prouder every
day.”

She shook her head and leaned back in her chair. “Whew. I’m
glad I didn’t fuck it up. How did I look? Did I look nervous?”

“You? Hell no. You looked like you were about to tell him to
fuck off and hang up the call.”

She let out a heavy sigh. “Good, that’s what I was going
for. Mazel said if I showed any weakness with him, he’d chew me up and spit me
out.” She curled her lip. “And he looks like he would have enjoyed it.”

“Where is Mazel anyway? Shouldn’t
she
be taking calls
for Taio?”

“Yeah, but Eva needed her for some kind of emergency.” She
threw her arms out to her sides. “I’m holding down the fort by myself today.”
She let out a nervous giggle. “I can’t believe it.”

“What? It should be like riding a bike. Isn’t this what you
did for your father?”

Jess snorted. “I never negotiated with aliens for my dad. I
helped run his company, not a small world.”

“You’ll do fine. I’m serious though, I
am
proud of
you.”

Jess looked away, embarrassed. “Thanks.”

“So where’s the old ball and chain?”

“The training field, where else? He seems content being out
there all day. He thinks I’m trying to punish him if I request he come to his
office. Taio’s around somewhere.”

“Um, yeah. I already ran into him.”

Jess narrowed her eyes. “Please tell me you were behaving.”

“I would, but it’d be a lie.”

Jess groaned and put a hand over her face. “You have got to
be kidding me.” She peeked at him from behind her fingers. “Since you’re in one
piece, I can assume he didn’t jump you. Did he kick you off Sonis?”

He shrugged. “Naw, I told him I would leave.”

Jess leaned forward. “What? Leave? When? No!”