Irresistible (Delroi Prophecy) (13 page)

“Who says I got away?” she murmured in
response to Kareena’s statement.

“Not for long at least,” Zola said. “They’re
relentless, aren’t they?”

“Yeah.”

She was surprised at Zola’s
understanding and wondered what the hell she’d missed the last couple of days
while she’d been cooped up in her quarters. Zola had stayed away during that
time.

“So what’s going on?” Zola asked. “Have
they identified the rebels?”

One positive of Kaje being underfoot was
he couldn’t keep any secrets.

“The rebels, yes. The Tel members, no.
Did you see the photos?”

“Yes. I didn’t really know them. Lower
level soldiers, solid but mid-range telepathy skills. They were Clark’s men.”

“Who?”

“He was a committee member,” she
explained. “Probably still is. The man is a cockroach.”

“Great,” Kareena said. “Anything new on
the scientists?”

“Last I heard they think Ziri Bana was
the leak and they still haven’t tracked them down.”

“Yeah, that’s the last I heard too.”

Their investigation was going nowhere
fast, and as frustrating as that was, it was not the center of her thoughts.
She was sure the situation with the rebels and Tel was coming to a head. It was
unavoidable. What wasn’t so clear cut to her was what she was going to do about
Kaje.

“Well. I’m in the mood to beat on
something,” Zola continued. “Anyone else?”

“Hell yes,” Parker said.

She was more than ready to work of her
confusion and aggravation. She followed them inside to the training facility. A
weight area was set up in one corner but most of the room was devoted to hand
to hand combat training. Several women were already there and sparring, a few
nodded as she, Kareena, and Zola walked by and found a space for themselves. Kareena
sat on the corner of the mat while they warmed up and got down to business.

Parker put Kaje out of her mind and concentrated
on moving, on the rhythm of circle, kick, punch. She tried not to think about
Kaje, to forget the dilemma she faced, and the sexual need that seemed to only
burn hotter and faster the more she was exposed to Kaje. This, fighting,
appeared to be her only release. Unfortunately, it was temporary and not long
lived. She was a still regaining her former physical strength and endurance,
and it wasn’t long before she became winded. She couldn’t tire yet. She hadn’t
burned off enough of the energy making her crazy. Then desperation made her
sloppy. Even with Zola holding back—and wasn’t it frustrating she'd recovered
so quickly?—the kick landed against her thigh with enough force to stagger her.

“Oh fuck,” Zola said and rushed forward,
Kareena joining her. “You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” She waved them off. “Everything
but my pride is fine.”

“If it's all the same to you, I think
you can rejoin Kaje on your own,” Kareena joked.

“I’m gonna hang around here for a little
while,” Zola said.

Parker rolled her eyes. “Thanks. Think I
can sneak by him? I think I'd like a hot soak. Without a lecture,” she griped.

He was so protective and possessive, she
was pretty sure she'd get one. There was only one thing to do. Suck it up, walk
as normally as possible, and hope he didn’t notice. Unfortunately she couldn’t
quite hide the limp as she walked out. They exited the temple and for a moment
she was blinded by the sudden glare. As usual she sensed him before she saw
him.

He separated from the warriors he'd been
sitting with, stood and watched as she approached. She slowed, loathed to show
any sign the workout hadn’t gone well, but she didn’t hide it well enough. His
eyes narrowed, dangerous and angry, and he nodded to Kareena as she slipped by
them into the narrow pass.

“I'll check on you later,” she said.

“That won't be necessary,” Kaje clipped
out. “She'll be taken care of. I believe your mate is looking for you, Lady
Kareena.”

Kareena grinned. “I'll go see what he
wants.”

Parker shared a mental, and envious,
huff with her.
“You know exactly what he
wants.”

Kareena gave a pointed look at Kaje.
“Honey, I'm sure you remember how to seduce
a man. They're easy.”

“Oh
go away.”

With a wave, Kareena hurried away.
Parker was glad her friend was happy, but she wasn’t looking for the same
thing. She certainly didn’t expect it from the uncharacteristically dour
warrior at her side. Hell, she'd settle for getting laid. No pressure. No
strings. And she was totally lying to herself. She wanted everything and she
wasn’t convinced he could give it to her.

She shrugged Kaje off as he tried to
take her arm and stalked off before him. She managed to hold it together, too,
until they entered the massive courtyard of the Keep. When she couldn’t hide
the limp any longer and just wanted to curl up with some pain meds and a drink,
he overtook her. He swung her up in his arms as easily as he might a child and strode
down the first corridor he came to. When he came to the hall that split to the
chief’s quarters, however, he kept going.

“My room is the other way,” she reminded
him.”And you’re injured. You shouldn’t be carrying me.”

“No,
der'lan
,”
he said grimly. “Your room is this way and I’m more than capable of seeing to
your care.”

His tone and expression were so
unexpected she almost missed what he said. It took a few seconds to sink in and
then she struggled against his hold.

“Put me down, Kaje. I haven’t agreed to
this,” she hissed after they passed a group of warriors who didn’t even bother
to conceal their amusement at her predicament. She wasn’t the big scary
telepath now, was she?

He didn’t say a word and he didn’t let
her go until he came to his wing, then his quarters and slapped his hand
against the access panel, and walked inside. When the door closed behind him,
he secured it, set her down, and looked her over.

“What the hell are you doing?” she
asked, trying to step around him. He caught her with an arm around her waist,
the other moving up her back and finally cupping the back of her head.

“I'm not letting you run anymore,” he
muttered, his face lowering to hers.

He was going to kiss her and she was
pretty damned sure if he did, she'd be lost. She was supposed to be resisting
him. There was too much potential for heartache, she reminded herself. Unlike
Kareena who'd had and lost family and tried for so many years to never replace
them, Parker had never had anyone. But she'd yearned.

“Let me give you what you want, baby,”
he whispered, staring into her eyes. He shouldn’t be able to tell what she was
thinking, but he did. She could see it. She shook her head.

“I'm supposed to be meeting Vidar.”

“I'm here,” the voice drawled behind
her.

“Later, brother,” Kaje snapped out the
command but he didn’t wait for a response.

He picked her up again and carried her
to another room. She knew it was his as soon as they crossed the threshold and
the door shut behind them. His energy seemed to permeate the air, heavy and
masculine and seductive. She looked at the large bed and cringed, wondering how
often he shared it. How many women had spent nights here? With a put upon sigh,
he stalked into the bathroom, set her down gently, and moved to the faucets on a
soaking tub big enough for four.

“By tradition,” he clipped out. “The
only woman invited into the Steward's bedroom is his
der'lan
.” He stood and faced her. “No other woman has spent time in
that bed.”

She didn’t say a word as he pulled off
her clothes. She was too surprised, first at the admission then the hurt she
felt from him. He lifted her into the tub and she sighed as the warmth soaked
into her bones.

“I don’t understand this place,” she
muttered. “I don’t understand you.”

Wild sex on the beach was exactly what
she'd expect from a professional soldier, even if he was a charmer. But this?
Taking care of her without complaint when she could almost hear the angry
words, the lecture he was holding back in his mind? She leaned her head back
and closed her eyes. It made no sense.

“Sit up, baby.”

She did and he moved into position
behind her. She sat between his thighs, his legs bracketing hers, and held her
breath as his arms circled her waist.

“Relax,” he whispered. “Let me take care
of you. Let me hold you.”

 
“For
how long?”

“For always. Look into my mind, baby.
See for yourself.”

It was a mistake. She knew it, but she
did as he asked anyway. And cringed at what she saw. She tried to pull away
from.

“Where do you think you’re going, baby?”
he asked.

“I shouldn’t have looked. That's
inexcusable.”

“I invited you to, love. Why did you
give in if you think it’s so horrible?”

God, how could she answer that? She was
curious? Possessive? Jealous? “I needed to know if you're capable of the kind
of relationship you’re pushing for,” she whispered.

And she hadn’t found one damned thing in
his memories that reassured her. Instead of angering him though, her admission
seemed to please him, even maybe amuse him. She ground her teeth together.

“What kind of warrior would I be to
involve myself that deeply with a woman I know is not mine, Parker?”

“That's a long string of women,” she
snapped. This time she was positive he was amused and as her anger grew, his
hands stroked her in soothing circles.

“It's not nearly as long as you think,
and there hasn’t been any woman since we invaded Earth. There was too much to
do.” And no interest. Perhaps a part of himself had anticipated meeting her,
and prepared.

She wasn’t sure how to respond to that
admission or the thought he didn’t try to hide, but she was relieved.

“Is your past so spotless?” he asked,
then seemed to change his mind. “Don’t answer that. I don’t care about you did
before I found you.”

She should object to the possessiveness
in his voice, still wasn’t convinced pursuing anything but a physical
relationship was a good idea. No matter how she felt about him. It was hard to
focus on objections, though, while his hands were on her. His touch had turned
from comforting to stimulating. Before she could demand more he urged her out
of the tub, followed and dried them both before pulling her back to his
bedroom. To his bed. She hadn’t forgotten his words and bit her lip.

“I don’t know if this is such a good
idea.”

He sent her the sexy teasing smile she
found irresistible, and gave her a gentle push back, following her down to trap
her under him.

“Oh, it's an excellent idea. My bed.” He
leaned close and bit her just under her ear. Her sex clenched in response to
the primitive act. “My
der'lan
.”

Another teasing bite before he rolled
out of bed and looked down at her. His eyes were hooded, hot, avaricious. She
shivered under his gaze, wondering what she'd inadvertently let loose.

“You liked it when I restrained your
wrists,” he said with a grin so sinful she was surprised she didn’t come from
it alone. The hell of it was she couldn’t deny his claim.

“Maybe,” she said cautiously and he
laughed out loud.

“Why don’t we see what else you like,
baby? I'm so curious. Is it just being restrained that turns you on? If I spank
you will you like it?”

Somehow she managed to suppress a groan
of encouragement, but the words were in her mind,
yes please!
, and she couldn’t be sure he hadn’t heard them. He
turned from her and went to a cabinet. He had a large wooden box in his hands
when he returned. She sat up to see what was in it, but one stern look was all
she needed to decide maybe she didn’t want to know. Maybe this was a bad idea
all the way around. He pulled out a handful of leather straps, moved the box to
the floor, and turned to her with a serious expression.

“I would never hurt you, baby. I think
you know that, and,” he sighed. “I'm not sure if I can explain this so you'll
understand. Delroi males desire,
need
,
their
der'lans
to submit. We don’t
know how it works or even why really. But it is a biological imperative.”

She watched him warily as he sat by her
knee and undid the buckles on his straps.

“Have you ever done this before? Other
than with me?” he asked. His tone was even and calm, but there was an edge
under it that made her glad her answer was negative. Fantasized? Sure. Real
life experience? Unh uh.

“Only with you.”

“Good,” he said, low and fervent.

He wrapped a length of leather around
her thigh, buckled it, and she finally noticed there was another length and
buckle attached to it. He attached it to her wrist, repeated it on the other
side, so she was left with her hands restrained at her thighs. He stood.

“Beautiful.” She believed it when she
looked in his eyes. “But I think we can go a step further.”