DarykRogue (19 page)

“And where are the other men?” Aramus’ tone was sarcastic.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Rayder shook his head.
“Maybe Drakus’ men did away with them, or maybe they were smart enough to not
to come back to the ship.”

“This is their livelihood! Why the hells wouldn’t they come
back?”

Rayder shrugged.

“Why did you come back?” Aramus hissed the question.

Rayder’s arms went down to his sides, as if he sensed that
Aramus wouldn’t start a fight. “For my wife.”

Xandra’s heart filled with warmth. Rayder had come back for
her, and she couldn’t wrap her mind around the idea.

“Are you all right, Yoanda?” Rayder asked.

Yoanda nodded, her eyes now sparkling with unusual glee.
“I’m wonderful now that you’re back, Rayder. We were all so worried.”

Rayder chuckled, and at this angle, Xandra couldn’t see his
face, but she heard the sarcasm in the sound. “I doubt the admiral is happy I
interrupted…whatever it is I interrupted.”

Rayder kept his body angled so he didn’t turn away from
Aramus. He took Xandra’s arm as he opened the door. She placed the statue on
the table. Rolling and tumbling, her stomach danced with nervousness. She
couldn’t wait to get out of there.

“My wife and I bid you good night.” Rayder nodded as they
left and he closed the door. He started away without speaking.

“Rayder—”

With his grip still on her upper arm, he walked so fast she
had to trot to keep up with him. Men hailed him, but he hurried without
acknowledging their calls.

From the fury on his face, she didn’t know if he was angry
with her or the situation. Either way, she didn’t like his expression. Her
heart beat in her chest with leftover fear.

When they reached his quarters and he closed them inside,
she’d had enough of being dragged along. “Rayder, you didn’t have to drag me.
I’m capable of walking myself.”

He clasped her shoulders and searched her face. “I wanted to
get us the hells away from him.” His voice was rough with concern. “Are you all
right?”

“Yes, but I’m glad you came when you did. I went to the
admiral to beg him not to leave shore. I thought he’d leave you behind.”

“He probably would have. Why did you take the risk of going
to his quarters?”

“I was worried. I would have done anything…” And she almost
had.

“By the god, I don’t know whether to strangle you for
putting yourself in so much danger or kiss you.” He groaned low in his throat
and dragged her into arms.

His mouth came down on hers just as he stuffed one hand in
her hair and bracketed her close to his body with his other arm. As his mouth
tasted hers, his tongue thrust deep, teasing and stroking. Flame ignited in her
belly, and she clutched at him.

Rayder’s arms made her instantly forget that she’d suffered
an agony of not knowing if he’d been injured or killed. Relief filled her heart.
His tongue stroked, not teasing but taking, caressing, desperate in his
passion.

He drew back and she trembled at the fire in his eyes.
“Phili told me the admiral might move the ship before you got back. I was
afraid of being here alone without you.” Her fingers gripped his shoulders as
anger made her say, “And I couldn’t stand that. I should be strong here without
you. I should—”

“You couldn’t have stopped him if he wanted to move the
ship. As it is, he didn’t leave because he knows he can’t run this ship without
me.”

“I was willing to…” She shuddered at the thought of what
might have happened if Rayder hadn’t appeared.

His eyes narrowed. “Willing to do what?”

“Offer myself to him to make certain he wouldn’t leave you
on shore.”

Rayder’s grim expression didn’t frighten her, but the
disapproval in his expression left no doubt what he thought. “By all that is
holy, Xandra. Are you out of your head? I’m not worth putting yourself in that
much danger.”

She’d say it even if he didn’t want to hear it. She tapped
her chest with two fingers. “Maybe you aren’t worth it. But even if I don’t
like it, I need your protection.”

She wouldn’t admit to anything more, to heavier, more
elaborate feelings. No, admitting that would only lead to problems later when
she had to leave him.

That luscious red, as rich as a sunset, filled his eyes.
Passion stirred in her stomach in response.

He kissed her again, his tastes lingering, gently
passionate. He ignited a yearning within her core that grew like a fireball.
His kiss didn’t coax her it threw her into a maelstrom and demanded an answer.
She gave it. She met his tongue, using what he’d taught her. He groaned against
her mouth as she became the aggressor. She explored, tasting Rayder with the
same passion he’d shown her. His hand slipped down, down and cupped her butt.
He squeezed her bottom, and she clenched, her pussy aching deep with a desire
to hold his thickness inside, to feel it stroking her thrust after hard thrust.

Curling her fingers against his hard chest, she wished he
were naked. The thought flew through her head, shocking but completely true.
She wanted to experience that tenderness, that ravenous passion he’d introduced
her to not long ago. This time, though, she wanted to know him in every way
possible. She wanted his body inside hers to discover the ecstasy she’d already
found. Before she could show him how much more she wanted him, he drew back
quickly.

Words backed up in her throat, tight and almost impossible
to say. “When I was locked up in the hold with the other women—”

“What?” Anger crossed his face.

She shook her head. “It is a long story.”

“One that you shall tell me in short order.”

“Take your rest first.”

Rayder cupped her face. “I’m sorry I didn’t come back last
night.”

Her hands clutched his waist. “What happened to you?”

“Complications.” He released her and headed for the bathing
bowl. “Several.”

“I’ve had some complications of my own.”

He removed his shirt and belt in short order. Pectoral
muscles shifted, moved, his muscular stomach tempting her. She wanted to feel
the strength under that light dusting of hair.

“Are these weapons yours?” she asked when she didn’t
recognize the sword and dagger in his belt.

“No. Mine were taken from me.” He splashed water across his
face.

Back muscles bunched and rippled as he moved, and she licked
her lips. By the god, she loved his muscles.

“Drakus Fina wanted me dead,” he said.

As water dripped off his face, she puzzled over this
information. “I thought you were compatriots with Drakus Fina?”

He grunted. “Yes and no.”

He explained his adventures in more detail and how he
escaped Drakus’ men with the help of Daryk Ones. “They apparently didn’t like
the idea of killing me.”

“Thank the god.” She wanted to hold him again, wanted to
experience the reassurance that he was really here. Really alive. She might
have lost him, and the thought staggered her. “You might have been killed.

“Every time a man goes into the jungle, he puts his life at
risk.”

She sank down on the side of the bed. “What does this mean
for your slave trading? Will the admiral be angry with you?”

“It means that Drakus Fina is probably my enemy now. It
means he might be the admiral’s enemy now. I’m not certain.”

“Oh dear.”

He laughed, the sound unconcerned but weary. “An
understatement of amazing proportions, my beauty.”

“What happened after you escaped Drakus’ men?”

He wiped his face with a towel. “I headed to Minilos
Willburi’s tavern outside Grimnald Castle. That’s when I ran into another Daryk
One.” Rayder’s mouth twisted with regret. “We used to be friends. I helped him
rescue his mate from a slave trader.”

Her eyebrows went up. “You’re a slave trader, yet you helped
your friend save his mate?”

“My loyalty to Dane Charger is far stronger than my loyalty
to a slaver.” He smoothed a wet cloth over his torso. “You’ll be happy to know
Dane’s mate is your friend from the ship, Ketera Aldrancos.”

Xandra gasped with delight. “That’s wonderful. She’s alive.”
A bad thought interrupted her joy. She grabbed his arm. “Was she harmed? Is
this Dane Charger treating her well?”

“I got the distinct impression, though he wouldn’t admit it,
that he was desperate to recover her. She’s his true mate, and he would die for
her.”

Xandra exhaled. “I’m so relieved she’s alive. I would love
to see her.”

“Not much chance of that at present.”

Xandra recalled what Phili had said considering Rayder’s
protective attitude toward the women on the ship. Taken together with his
loyalty to his fellow Daryk One in recovering Ketera and she’d begun to doubt
the evil slave trader personality he wished to cultivate.

“You are a fake,” she said softly.

“How?”

“From what I learned from Phili and from Malena, you’ve
helped the slave women. Tried to keep them as safe and comfortable as
possible.”

He sniffed. “Do not believe everything you hear.”

She snatched the cloth out of his hand and smoothed it over
his pectorals. Her skin brushed his, hot and undeniably potent. She savored his
masculinity, wanting to explore and touch with abandon.

When she dared look up, his eyes flamed that potent red. He
gasped and held her hand to his chest. “Why do I have the feeling you’ve much
to tell me?”

“I do.”

His head tilted to the side, his eyes devouring her. A
tingle started low in her belly. Heat gathered and pooled. Moist need dampened
her between the legs. Restless need demanded she act. Before she could try
anything reckless, he eased the cleansing cloth from her hand and stepped back.
Disappointment pinched her until he continued to undress.

He removed his boots, shucked his pants and kicked them
aside. Her heartbeat increased as she eagerly took in sculpted muscles, hard
thighs, and his thick, erect cock. Her breath caught at the sight of him so
aroused and ready.

“Tell me what happened to you while I was gone,” he asked.

She barely heard him.

“Let me help you.” She snatched the cloth from his hand
again and swallowed her inhibitions. “Turn around.”

His eyes widened a little with disbelief, but then a smile
touched his mouth. “As you wish.”

When he turned away from her she almost closed her eyes to
block her overwhelming reaction to his sculpted form, the powerful line of his
wide shoulders, the way his back tapered down to that intriguing firm butt. He
was a sight to feast on, and her mind whirled with possibilities. Sinful
thoughts dominated, and yet she could barely dredge up a smidgen of guilt for
feeling them. He looked over his shoulder, and the fire in his eyes made her
breath catch.

“What happened?” he asked.

In a halting voice, as she cleansed his back, she told him
about Phili locking her in with the rest of the women, of the admiral
attempting to lure her upstairs, and Phili’s surprising revelations. To her
surprise, he listened without interrupting. Men on Magonia frequently
interrupted women.

Each movement of the cloth over his skin raised her
temperature until she believed she might burn. His skin gleamed with moisture
as she allowed the cloth to skirt those firm ass cheeks. She knelt to touch his
thighs, one hand touching the left, the cloth making quick work of his other.
Hair sprinkled over his hard legs, and the masculine lines of one muscle after
the other made her heartbeat quicken, her mind filled with appreciation. Yes,
she’d seen him naked before, but this close and touching him so intimately
changed everything.

His muscles twitched slightly, and she wondered if her touch
affected him that much. Disconcerted, she stood slowly. He turned toward her,
his eyes filled with red and an anger that was almost palpable.

“That bastard Aramus. To think he could have taken you out
of there and—”

He cut himself off and clenched his fists.

Once she’d been a bit afraid of that red. His passion was
high, and if he wanted her, she didn’t have it in her to deny him.
Instinctively she understood if she told him not to touch her or take her, he
would honor it. He’d said he wouldn’t hurt a woman, and once she’d seen how the
slaves below adored him, she wondered which was the true Rayder? The honorable
man or the dishonorable one?

Everything in Rayder’s expression said if Aramus had been in
the room he would have killed the man and damn the consequences.

Rayder would kill for her.

She didn’t know how she knew, but she felt it. A scary
feeling, to be certain.

“You musn’t believe what Phili tells you,” he said,
interrupting her thoughts.

“I wouldn’t have, but she was sincere. I could see that.”

He shook his head. “She lies.”

“Perhaps. But only to survive.”

“She lies to survive, but she also lies to get what she
wants. She’s not the worst woman I’ve met, but she is far from the best.”

“Who is the best person you’ve ever met?”

He shook his head. “Perhaps my sister.” His voice was
hushed, his gaze caressing hers. “But she’s gone.”

“How did she…”

His face darkened, and his anger seemed to increase. “Not
now. I can’t tell you now. It’ll only make me more angry, and you don’t want that.”

Some of his tension eased, and then his closeness surrounded
her, his masculine beauty so potent she couldn’t ignore him. She felt
overwhelmed and protected at the same time.

Perhaps she should change the subject. “Phili also told me
Yoanda is not what she appears to be. That Yoanda is as much a manipulator as
she is.”

“Yoanda is timid enough.”

“Not according to Phili.”

“Take what Phili says with great caution.”

She plunged onward. “She’s also planning to escape this
ship.”

He looked surprised then indifferent. “Let her try. It is on
her head.”