Thorn's Bondmate (Zarronian Warriors Book 2) (6 page)

Both boys nodded.

She thought it was strange but then anything was possible when you were dealing with an entirely different culture. "Do you think I could hide there?"

"Sure. There are five different areas and one of them is empty. Isn't it, Dev?"

Dev nodded. "You could hide there, Daria, and we would come see you whenever we could."

"I'd like that, sweetie."

"We know a secret elevator that will take us to the fourth floor," Dane said. "It's used for supplies but we know the code."

She thought about it for a moment. "Alright, when things settle down we'll go there. Now, let me see your books."

They brought them to her and she checked the math they'd done. "When you're at home who teaches you?"

Dane puffed out his chest. "We go to school and we have several teachers."

"That's wonderful, Dane. I bet you two have lots of friends."

They nodded and Dev said. "Grandfather says it's important that we build friendships with the other boys because someday we'll be warriors together and we'll have to depend on each other to survive."

Daria smiled. Her two little warriors were so sweet. She couldn't begin to imagine them as huge Zarronian warriors. "What about the girls? Do you become friends with them too?"

Dev shook his head. "There aren't any girls. Only boys."

Before she could ask about that Dane tugged on her hand. "Father will be home soon. You should go to our room and stay there."

She ran her hand over his hair, pushed it out of his eyes, and smiled. After hugging both of them she went into their room, looked around and decided the safest place to hide was the closet. No sense taking chances as their father might decide to step in and say goodnight to them.

# # #

They'd searched the entire starship and hadn't found the spy. Frustrated, Thorn paced his office. He ran his hands through his hair and dropped into the chair behind his desk. He would find her before they reached Zarronia. A frown darkened his gray eyes as he reviewed the design of his ship. He knew they hadn't missed any place large enough to hold a small child, much less a leggy, full-grown female. He'd even had the maintenance workers search the fresh air and electronic ducts. They'd found nothing. The communicator on his desk chimed, interrupting his thoughts. "Yes."

"Commander, your sons are looking for you."

"Very well." He broke the connection then pushed the button for his quarters.

"Father?" Dev answered the summons.

"Dev, are you and Dane alright?"

"Yes, Father. We were just wondering when you're going to return."

Thorn thought for a moment. He needed to be close to the bridge tonight in case one of the guards he'd posted in the corridors spotted their unwelcome guest. "I'm going to stay here tonight, Dev, but I'm going to send Dag to stay with you."

"You don't have to do that, Father. We're not babies and the door is locked."

Thorn thought about it for a moment. He'd posted a guard in the corridor outside of his quarters so they should be okay. "Alright, Dane but if you need anything I expect you to contact me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father."

"Have you and Dane eaten your dinner?"

"Yes, Father. We had Alterian roots. Lots of them."

Thorn grinned. "I'm sorry I couldn't join you, Dev. But, I'll see you tomorrow. Alright?"

"Alright." It was Dane who answered.

"Sleep well, boys. I'll see you at breakfast."

They both bid him goodnight then disconnected the link. He leaned back in his chair, propped his elbows on its arms and leaned his chin on his fist. He didn't really expect her to make a move tonight, but she would sometime during the next few days. Eventually, she'd need food and water. When she did, he'd have her.

# # #

For two nights Daria slept in Commander Valanson's huge bed. When he'd come to his quarters to see Dane and Dev, she'd hidden in their room. The entire time he'd been present, she'd been terrified that he'd find her.

Today, the boys were taking her to the fourth floor where she'd take up residence in one of the vacant chambers. She'd already packed her notebook, several books, and three of Commander Valanson's shirts.

Now, she sat on Dev's bed and waited for them to return from checking the corridors they'd travel on their way to the fourth floor. When she heard them return, she picked up her bag and joined them in the living area.

"Daria, the corridor is clear."

"That's good, Dane. What about the fourth floor?"

"There's only one tricky part, but we have a plan. Dev is going to go first and fall down then pretend he's hurt his leg. When the guards try to help him, you and I will sneak into the vacant quarters. Alright?"

"It's too risky, Dane. Maybe, I should just stay here for another night."

"No. Father said he's returning tonight," Dane said.

"Oh. Well, then, what about the quarters next door?"

"He locked all of them and we can't get into them without the security code," Dev said.

"I see. I guess we better go, then."

Dev stepped out into the corridor, looked both ways and signaled them to follow him. They hurried after him to the end of the corridor and turned the corner where a large elevator door stood open. They entered it and Dane gave the command for the fourth floor.

Daria knelt down and looked into their eyes. "If we get caught, I want both of you to claim that I forced you to help me. Promise me." She looked at them pleadingly as the elevator rose and they reluctantly agreed. When the elevator stopped Dev stepped out and ran down the corridor. Dane held the doors open until they heard Dev's cry of pain. He peeked out and signaled to Daria to follow him.

As she stepped from the elevator, she glanced to her left. Fifty feet away, Dev lay on the floor loudly complaining about his leg. Two huge warriors knelt over him. Quickly, she followed Dane around the corner and through a doorway. The corridor they entered was dark and empty. She felt Dane take her hand right before he snapped on a small light he'd brought with him.

"This way," he whispered, leading her towards the last door on the right. "You'll be safe here, Daria."

"Thank you, Dane." She hugged him. "You'd better go rescue Dev before they call your father."

"Alright. We'll see you in a five cycles, Daria."

After he left, she closed the door and leaned back against it. The walls and floor were a creamy beige color. A table and four chairs sat to her left with a small food and beverage processor behind them. A large, dark-blue couch took up the space to her right. The wall opposite the door was taken up by a huge bed covered with a light blue blanket. A closet and the bathing chamber were to the left of it.

She unpacked, making sure to put everything out of sight in the bathing chamber then collapsed on the bed. The past few nights her sleep had been restless and filled with strangely erotic nightmares about Dane and Dev's father. In the beginning of the dreams he'd be pursuing her then suddenly when he caught her they'd be naked and on his bed and he'd be inside her, his thrusts pushing her toward an explosive climax. Just before she'd get there she'd wake up, sweating and panting. Most nights she'd had to get up and shower before she could go back to sleep. At least here she didn't have to worry about him showing up and catching her while she slept.

She rolled onto her back and studied the ceiling. She'd been on the Invincible for ten cycles. If she was caught now she didn't think they'd take her back as it was too far to Earth. Instead, they would probably confine her for the rest of the journey and turn her over to the Zarronian Council.

Rolling from the bed she paced her new quarters. On one trip across the room she stopped at the beverage processor, programmed it and waited while it produced a glass of wine. She continued pacing as she sipped it then eventually wandered to the window and gazed at the stars as they soared by them.

When the glass was empty, she disposed of it and curled onto the bed. Hugging the pillow she yawned and closed her eyes. The pillow beneath her head smelled clean, but different. The pillows on Commander Valanson's bed had a distinctive scent and smelled much better, she thought, as she drifted away.

Chapter Three

He needed a female!

The past three nights had been pure hell. The nano-second he entered his quarters the ever present blue mist that traced along his skin glowed brighter. His belly clenched and his cock hardened. His senses lit up, searching for a phantom scent that saturated his pores, clung to his clothes and filled his bed. His dreams were filled with sex. Hot, dirty, wild and primitive sex. The kind of sex that made a warrior keep on thrusting even when the enemy was at the door. The scent was driving him insane because he knew there was no fucking way the female who produced it was real.

His fever blazed as hot as it had when he and Soren had been young before he'd met Naline and become entangled in the web she'd spun around him. Frowning, he placed his empty wine glass in the disposal unit and programmed the processor to prepare him two more.

Dane and Dev were asleep in the room they shared. He glanced at the closed door, grateful they couldn't see him now. He was slightly drunk, and intended to get completely wiped out before the night ended. He'd lost count of the number of glasses he'd had but with a couple more he might manage to get some sleep.

He propped himself up against the counter and finished the first glass, picked up the last one, sipped it and staggered into his bed chamber. Some of the wine spilled when he dropped onto the bed. He propped himself on his side and gulped the rest. He rolled onto his belly, buried his face in the pillow and inhaled deeply. There was a scent there, like flowers, but better and it made his cock hard. He needed a female and that's when he remembered the pleasure-givers on the fourth floor. Staggering from the bed, he dropped the empty glass onto the mattress and left his quarters.

The security guards in the corridor nodded at him when he stepped out of the elevator. He acknowledged them before he turned to his right and disappeared around the corner. The corridor was dark and empty. He scowled. Where were they?

He activated the light panel, then moved to the first door and opened it. The chamber was empty. He left the door open and moved to the next one. Then, the next. There were females here. He could smell them.

He opened the last door and grinned, congratulating himself. He'd found one. The light from the corridor shone into the room, softly illuminating the figure in the bed. He entered and closed the door behind him. As he moved toward the bed, he shed his clothes, carelessly dropping them to the floor. He slid onto the mattress and buried his face in her hair. Tor, she smelled good! Slowly, he slid the cover away from her. She was curvy with breasts that were just the right size with big nipples. Just the way he liked them. Her waist was small and flared into the kind of hips a man could hold onto when he was fucking her and her mound was bare. It glistened with moisture and scented the air, making his cock throb with need. She was the kind of female who could keep up with a warrior's passion.

Her lips were full and well-shaped. The lower lip slightly larger than the upper one. Her nose was long and slender. Thick lashes outlined her eyes with dark brows above them. Her hair was dark against the whiteness of the pillow. He reached out and pulled on a curl, then let it go. It sprang back into place. Her scent surrounded him and his fever rose, burning hotter and higher. He grasped her shoulders, then slid his hands down to her breasts. For a moment, he played with her nipples, feeling them harden beneath his fingers before he explored her gently rounded belly and slender waist, dipping his fingertip into her navel. Tempted, he kissed it and tongued it. Her skin was sweet and as smooth as a warm flower petal.

He eased his hands down her legs and curled his fingers around her ankles, measuring them. His fingertips easily touched. Gently, he eased her legs apart and lowered himself between them before he lowered his mouth to her neck and nibbled on her smooth skin. She shivered and threw one of her arms over his back. He found her ear and his tongue darted into it. She curled her arms around his neck and moaned. Everywhere they touched the blue mist moved from his body to hers. He nibbled a path to her mouth, licked her lips, and slid his tongue between them. She opened for him and entwined her tongue with his as his fever grew hotter.

# # #

Daria was having another one of those delicious dreams. The phantom lover was back and this time he brought some seriously delicious moves with him. His hand slid between her legs, pushing them apart before callused fingers stroked her. His lips left a string of kisses from her neck to her breast then closed around her nipple. She moaned again when he closed his teeth around it and his tongue stroked over and around it. She shivered and moved closer to him, burying her fingers in his hair and holding him against her. Everywhere he touched he left a trail of fire. The heat from his body made her want to move away from him. Instead she raised her hips and felt his erection press against her belly. Instinctively, she rocked against him, then wrapped her legs around him as his lips took possession of hers.

His tongue stroked into her mouth, exploring it. She ran her hands over his back, urging him closer. He answered her summons and shifted until his cock pressed against her. Alarms began ringing in her mind and she wiggled away from him. The dream had never gone this far before!

He pulled her back into his arms. His mouth devoured hers, and his fingers slid over her nipple, strumming, then pinching it. Her breath increased catching up with her heartbeat as he urged her closer. She hooked her leg higher on his hip and pushed against the fingers stroking her clit, shuddering with pleasure when one of them slid into her.