Gambit (20 page)

A hot shiver of need shot under her skin and she looked up, holding his dark gaze. Deliberately, she swirled her tongue over the head of his cock, enjoying his sudden intake of breath. “I’m not finished with you.”

His wicked smile forced her heart to miss a beat. “You left your title at the door, remember?”

“I—”

His speed and strength caught her and before she could argue with him, she was flat on her back, the Daned-warmed silk delicious against her bared skin. He pinned her arms above her head, his face in shadow. The heat of his body, the promise of what was to come—namely her—flushed her skin. His mouth hovered over hers. “Permanence will be interesting.”

His hair-roughened chest brushed her aching nipples and she couldn’t help herself as she arched into him, eager for more, for all of him. “Only interesting?”

He flexed his fingers around her wrists and teased his cock over her mons. “And I think it’s only fair that I wrap you in Igasho gold.” A hand stroked down her arm, his fingertips finding sensitive skin. He skirted across her ribs, her belly, until his knuckles brushed over wet flesh and the head of his cock slid over her clit. Chae bit at her lip to stop the startled moan from escaping. “Then I’d bend you over and fuck you.”

“I’ll never wear gold.”

Daned traced kisses over her jaw. His lips and his fingers and cock pulsed desperate need low in her flesh. She pushed against him, the tease of him making her breath short. “When you’re asleep,” he murmured, “I’ll push it over your breasts, your stomach, burn it to your skin.”

“You wouldn’t dare…”

He sank into her and the brief, brief flare of her release scorched her mind, her body. “You have no idea what I want to do with you.”

The shapes of his thoughts curved over her mind and the burst of sensation—of his mouth, his teeth, his tongue, his fingers, his cock bringing her every pleasure—swept fire through her body.

“Yes—” she swallowed, her mouth dry, “—yes, I have.”

“Good.”

He thrust deep and Chae let out a cry. His mouth covered hers and she threaded her fingers through his thick hair, losing herself in his kiss, in the hope of having him always. She wrapped her legs around him, meeting every slow stroke of him into her body.

“You’re mine.”
The thought burst from her, hot and fast and primal. She wanted to fold herself in and around him, hold him, love him—

Daned broke their kiss and stared at her, his breathing quick. “Love?”

An embarrassed flush burned in her cheeks, but she held his gaze, daring him to say something, to mock her. She couldn’t explain why lust had given way to love in such a ridiculously short amount of time…but it didn’t feel fast. Chae felt as if she’d known him forever and no time at all. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Dark humor quirked his mouth. “Yes, I’m learning that about you.” Chae thumped his shoulder. Hard. His smile deepened and he rolled his hips, the sudden sensation forcing a gasp from her. “Right now, I need to make my hot, naked pilot scream.”

He crushed her to him, his mouth at her ear, his breathing hot and ragged. Desire burned through her. His mind wrapped around hers. Need, want, affection and something extra, something that threaded through her thoughts and drove fresh fire through her flesh. Her heart pounded, little gasps escaping her as Daned stroked into her, faster, harder, flaring the fire in her belly. A delicious tightness gripped her flesh, the burn of her release so close she ached.

“Make me come, Daned.”
She pressed her hot, damp skin against his, her fingers digging into his buttocks. Her thoughts surged over his.
“Make me yours.”

He groaned, his mouth hot against her shoulder, his arms fierce as he held her.
“Yes.”
The force of his release charged her own, made her heart pound, her breath quicken. There. Almost there.
“Yours.”

The flare of incredible heat swept over her, over him, wrapping them together as searing as gold and just as binding. It caught her, spun her thoughts, light and fire whipping through her mind, her flesh binding them, locking their bodies, their souls, together in a permanent bond.

A low moan escaped her and she arched under him, her limbs shaking, unable to fight the incredible,
incredible
roll of pleasure that was Daned and her combined. Slowly, the rush of their release eased back and Chae let her head fall into the soft, warm silk. Daned’s body was a comfortable weight, his hot skin pressed to hers. She sighed and let her fingers play over the muscles in his back, feeling his skin twitch under her light touch. “I don’t feel any different.”

Daned rolled, taking her with him. Light from the long windows edged his features as he propped himself up on his elbow. He brushed the wild tangle of her hair from her face. “We’re together,” he murmured. “Together feels…normal.”

A smile tugged at her mouth and she pulled in a long, slow breath. His familiar scent mixed with the wicked hint of recent sex. “I never thought to be normal.”

Daned echoed her smile and teased an almost tender kiss from her lips. “We only have a few minutes left, Chae.”

He paused, his dark eyes holding a sharp pain and his mind…There was no shutter protecting him. His thoughts touched hers, as gentle as the press of his mouth. Warmth and affection flowed over her and eased the start of her anxiety. Then another emotion wrapped around her and sank deep. Her heart thudded.

“I didn’t expect this.” His soft voice wove around her. “I’ve seen permanence before.” He winced. “It was…reluctant.”

Chae eased herself against him, the brush of his hair-roughened skin sending little tingles of pleasure through her flesh. She walked her fingers over his hip, not yet ready to admit that she had to leave him for another man—men—all too soon. She looked up at him. “Are you?”

“I know what you have to do.” For a moment, his mouth thinned and the bright spark of fury lashed over his mind. He controlled it and a thin film coated his thoughts, holding his anger back from her. “And the need I have to make your rule an absolute monarchy is tempting.” His mouth twisted into a wry smile. “Who needs nine princes?”

He stroked her hair, tucking a stray strand behind her ear and the affectionate gesture tightened her heart. “I wanted to hijack a ship—and you—and run from here.”

His smile deepened. “I know. And believe me, I was tempted to let you.”

“But we have our duty.” Her fingers trembled against his hip and she curled them into a protecting fist. Her gut knotted and Chae wanted to will herself away from the contact of his bare skin against hers…but she couldn’t. To break away would mean she had to acknowledge fucking nine men, the thought of whom made her skin crawl. “I’m already screwing with enough traditions by corrupting my imperial advisor.”

“It was mutual.” Daned traced his fingers along her shoulder to the curve of her upper arm, his hungry gaze following the path he took. “It was almost impossible to resist you.”

Chae couldn’t help grinning. “Trying to curry favor?”

His fingers traced over her ribs, her waist, and she felt his cock harden against her belly. “We left those needs at the door.” His hot palm rested on her backside and urged her hard against him. “Other needs, not so much.”

Chae wiggled, enjoying the fresh little tendrils of need coursing her veins. “Flatterer.”

“Truth.”

“I may keep you, after all.”

His hand tugged at her thigh and eased it over his hip, exposing her to the hardness of his cock. The need to find him again, to wrap her body around him and find another dose of ecstasy burned through her flesh.

He covered her mouth in light, insane little kisses that stole her breath. “You have no choice.”

“Chae Beyon, the nine princes await you in the Ara throne room.”

The curt voice of the sunder-seld broke through the growing heat haze, and a knot twisted hard in her stomach. Her head sank to Daned’s muscled shoulder. She drew in his scent, willing it to ease the sudden flare of sickening panic.

“I will come to you after.” His lips touched her hair and she shivered. “I promise.”

“You heard it?”

He didn’t reply as his palm pushed up over her spine, the contact soothing and protective. That she needed him should’ve scared her more than the nine foul princes waiting for her, but it didn’t. He was right. Being with him was her new normal. And that was…nice.

“You need to wash.” Daned pulled back and offered his hand. “I want you to remember my hands on your skin.”

Her heart tightened, but she followed him, their feet silent on the deep rugs. Daned led her to a blank wall of crystal. He pressed his palm to a plate on the wall and the device glowed around his long fingers. The wall parted with the scrape of crystal against the floor to reveal a white-walled washroom. Lights flickered and then gleamed spots over the great slabs of cool marble.

Daned pulled her across the warming floor to a curve of marble that created a wide shower cubicle. She yelped as jets of perfectly heated water erupted from the walls. His hands teased across her shoulders and she shivered, the gentle scent of almonds weaving through the growing steam.

His fingertips worked her muscles, the delicious ache he built in her flesh drawing a moan from her. “Can I make you my official back scrubber?”

Daned gave a soft laugh. “You’re drunk with power.” His soaped hands shaped her waist, his fingers slipping, sliding over her skin and increasing the liquid fire between her thighs. “Though I would have to execute anyone else who did this.”

Chae let her head drop forward, the tangles of her hair clinging to her spine and falling in wet strands across her cheeks. “In ways that would become legend?”

He pressed his chest to her back, his fingers tracing tantalizing circles against her belly. The hardness of his erection slipped over her backside and the urge to push back against him, for him to fuck her right there, was fire and need in her thoughts.

“If I had time, Chae…” His hot breath sent a shiver over the shell of her ear. “I would make you come so many times.”

“After.”

His arms tightened around her and he held her close, his mouth pressed to her neck. Water cascaded over her breasts, her belly, her legs, ran in warm rivulets down her face, but she ignored it. For a long moment, she willed herself to memorize his touch, the feel of him wrapped around her, his scent mixing with the expensive soap and the sharp smell of the steam.

“After.” The word rumbled through her back and burned against her skin. “It’ll just be us for hours.”

A smirk pulled at her mouth. “Until we’re raw and can’t walk?”

His soft chuckle warmed her. “I have stamina, lady.”

The memory of how gold had bound them swept through her body. Now she was about to sully that memory with other men. She winced. There was no other way. The horror of touching any one of the princes had been acute before Daned and she had crossed the line. Now? Without gold, she’d try to throttle them at the first touch. Her mouth quirked upward. It was probably best for her not to be armed when she entered the throne room.

Daned pulled back with a reluctant sigh and ran his fingers through her hair. A gentle massage worked shampoo through to the roots and his patient rhythm worked away the sharpness of her anxiety. “It will soon be over,” he murmured. “And then normalcy will resume.”

Chae laughed. “I’m still not getting over this ‘we’re normal’ thing.”

He channeled warm water over her head and lather slipped down her face. “I like it.”

She wanted to blame the burn in her eyes on the soap and lather…but she knew she couldn’t. Chae pressed her fingers to her eyelids and willed fresh barriers to form over her mind. She didn’t want Daned to be with her, to experience her time with the princes.

“We share everything.”

Chae frowned. “And the Founders thought tying us together like this was a good idea?”

“I don’t think they had much choice. Their use of black crystal dictated certain necessities.”

The water stopped and Chae shivered. Daned wrapped the warmth of a large towel around her body and the gentle rub of his hands drove the sudden chill from her flesh. “Fixing genetic compatibility being one of them.”

He ran the towel down her spine, the soft material curving over her backside before he bent and dried her legs. The liquid ache that had simmered in her flesh bloomed as he teased the towel between her thighs.

His hot breath brushed her cheeks. “Black crystal is aware. Not conscious but its drive lives in us. We can’t fight it.”

His lips brushed her skin and she sucked in a quick breath. “So it’s the crystal that wants you right now? Hard and fast against this wall?”

Daned’s soft groan curled a smile. “Don’t tempt me, Chae.”

“Nice to know that I can.”

He turned her and rubbed the towel over her belly, pushing up toward her breasts. He stood, dropping a shadow over her. She could feel his sudden tension, the tautness of his muscles, and it caught her breath. He’d shifted into the dark predator, the man who oozed power and stealth and the man who made her heart pound.

“I’ll hunt you.” His voice was low and he let the towel drop to the floor. Chae backed away until her spine hit the cool marble of the curved wall. Daned closed the short distance, his mind dark with images of chasing her down, of pushing her up against a wall and taking her there. “Fuck you where I find you.”

Her fast breaths pushed her chest hard against his. Damn it, he couldn’t do this to her, promise something so delicious just before she had to screw another man—men. “Daned…”

His large hand cupped her jaw, his thumb tracing her bottom lip, and the contact forced a gasp. “I’ll bring you here, wash the stink of them off you, you’ll dress and then you have a five minute head start.”

Her body thrummed with his insane proposal. But she needed insanity…and he knew it. Her heart twisted and her cool fingertips brushed over the back of his hand. “You don’t have to do this.”

His head tilted. “You’ve yet to learn all my kinks.”

Chae wet her lips, tasting the tip of his thumb. The taste of his skin fired against her tongue. “Kinks?”