Valan's Bondmate (18 page)

"When he returned from the training field. Lie back now and rest. I'll be right back with your dinner."

"Olga? Bring a tray for yourself. I don't want to eat alone."

When she saw the nurse hesitate, she added, "Unless you prefer to eat alone."

"No. I'll bring us both a tray."

Lia played with the tassels on the ribbon. It was the kind of gift a warrior gave a child giver when he'd done something to hurt her. Was he sorry for what he'd done to her? Frowning, she wondered if he thought he could buy her forgiveness with trinkets. He wouldn't fool her into staying with him. Not this time.

When Olga returned and asked her if she was all right Lia nodded and pulled her thoughts away from the past. She accepted the tray Olga held out to her and ate.

"Do you have a family?"

"Yes. I have two sons."

"Are your sons warriors?"

"No, only Zarronians are allowed to be warriors. One of my sons, Emmet, is an engineer. My younger son, Hugo, is a med-tech at Doctor Veeson's clinic."

"And your owner?" She looked away and then asked, "What do you call your male?"

"My mate is Edwin. He is an engineer on the Invincible."

They finished eating and continued to visit until Lia could no longer concentrate on the conversation. She shook with the fever building in her body. Tears rose in her eyes as she tried to fight it. She mumbled to Olga she was tired, and slid down in the bed and turned onto her side.

Olga tucked the fur around her patient. "Are you well?"

Embarrassed, Lia nodded. "Just tired."

"Very well. I'll leave the door between our chambers open in case you need me. Just call and I'll hear you. Sleep well."

Olga went into her chamber and prepared for bed. A unit later, she heard Commander Eirikson come up the stairs and enter his chamber. She retrieved the ZL3 from her med-box, prepared the injection gun, and entered Lia's chamber gently injecting her with the drug. 

"Olga?" Lia asked.

"Shhh. Go back to sleep. You're safe." Lia's eyes fluttered, then closed, and her breathing deepened. Leaving the chamber, Olga closed the door behind her.

***

Lying awake, Valan heard the soft cries coming from Lia's chamber. Knowing she needed him, he hesitated for only a moment, then went to her door. He wrapped his hand around the knob and dropped his forehead against the wood while he reminded himself he shouldn't go to her. Against his will his body responded to her heated cries and his fever began to build. He forced the warning away and turned the knob until it clicked open.

Lia lay on the bed, illuminated by the moonlight, covered only by the nightgown she wore. He sank down onto the bed and pulled her into his arms. She snuggled against him and ran her hands over him. Did she know it was him?

He lowered his mouth to her cheeks and kissed the tears away, then moved to her lips and tasted them. She responded to his touch. Valan knew she was dreaming about him touching her, kissing her, needing her. The fever burned hotter and he felt her struggle against it.

"Be still, little cat." He shouldn't have come to her. Already, he could feel his control weakening. He slid his hand down her body and absorbed her heat as he felt his own fire grow hotter in response to her. Spreading her legs, he slid his fingers between them, groaning with need when he felt the moisture on the tender folds. She was ready for him. Spasms of need raced through his belly, as he found the hard nub and swirled his fingers over it. She cried out and he covered her mouth with his. Her hips rose from the bed, pressing against his hand. "Be still, Lia."

"Valan, I need you."

"Just," he paused, "be still. Do you feel me touching you? You're close. So close." He pushed the tip of his finger into her and lowered his lips to her breast. "Come for me. Come now."

He held her still as she shivered and cried out with pleasure then he buried his hot face into her cool neck and held her until she fell into a deep sleep. His own arousal throbbed in time with his pulse, needing the release only she could give him. He nuzzled her breasts, then rested his cheek on them. "I burn for you. I burn."

He held her for another micro-unit then rose from the bed and left her room, going down the stairs, into the kitchen and fixing himself a glass of wine. He sat on one of the stools surrounding the table, shaking with the fire coursing through him. After a second glass, he moved to his den and began the meditation techniques he'd learned when he was fifteen. The sun was rising when he slipped into a restless sleep. His dreams were filled with dark fire, and the sound of Lia screaming his name.

***

Three cycles later, Valan was as restless and dangerous as a caged saber-cat. Dark circles shadowed his pale, glowing eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept or eaten. His only hunger was for Lia. The wine and the meditation no longer helped him control his need for her.

His warriors dreaded the sight of him stalking onto the training field. The previous afternoon, he'd lost control and almost broken a warrior's arm. Because of that, he’d decided to stay away from the training field until Lia was well and he could join with her. 

Every night he went to her and held her. When she burned he used his fingers and mouth to give her pleasure then he rose from the bed and stood at her window as the dawn approached. Last night he'd distracted himself by planning an arbor for the garden. An arbor Lia would be able to see from their bed chamber window. Around it he would plant the flower he'd taken from her garden on Zhang. When the sun almost topped the trees he'd brushed a soft kiss across her lips before leaving her. 

It only took him a few micro-units to gather the tools he needed. He looked around as the sun reached its zenith and realized he'd almost finished digging the foundation. Sweat ran into his eyes and he wiped it away and looked up at Lia’s window for a moment before pushing the shovel into the ground and lifting another pile of dirt. He forced himself to concentrate on the foundation he was digging. It was better not to think about Lia.

Soon he would have to return to the Invincible and check on the progress his engineers were making on the installation of a new engine. He and his warriors would leave for Zhang in sixty cycles. With the new engine, he'd be able to make the journey in fourteen cycles, instead of the thirty cycles it had taken to bring Lia to Zarronia.

Lia—every thought brought her back to his mind. Thinking about his starship, brought back the first time he'd taken her, and shared his fever with her. The bonding had been so much more than he ever imagined it would be. The moment he pulled her onto his lap, he knew he was lost and his life would never be the same. She'd burned in his arms, holding nothing back. He glanced at her window again, and then spun around when he heard a footstep behind him. 

Morna smiled and slid closer as she raised her arms to hug him.

Valan pushed her away as he stepped back. His foot caught on the pile of dirt and he stumbled and Morna’s arms wrapped around his neck as she tried to kiss him. Her heavy musk fragrance surrounded them and his body shuddered with revulsion at her touch. Grasping her wrists, he pushed her away and stepped back. She followed.

"What are you doing here, Morna? I ordered you to stay away."

Morna smiled at Valan and reached out to touch him but he stepped back. "I want you, Valan."

"I've told you, you're free to go to one of your other lovers."

"But, I don't want to leave you. Please, let me stay with you."

"I no longer desire you."

"You don't care about her. Everyone knows how much you hate her. She doesn't even share your bed. Send her away and we can be together."

He reached her in two long strides. Grabbing her arms, he jerked her onto her toes. "Who told you about Lia?"

"Everyone knows about her and how you treat her. None of the warriors would have blamed you if you'd let the Council order her death."

He could hear the lie in her rapidly spoken words. "Don't lie to me. Now, tell me the truth." He tightened his hands on her arms and shook her.

"Valan…"

"The truth! Now!"

"Your workers. Your workers told me."

He shoved her away from him. "If I ever see you anywhere near Lia, I'll have you deported from Zarronia."

Morna glared at him. "You’ll be sorry for sending me away," she said before turning and running away. 

Valan picked up the shovel and viciously stabbed it into the ground. As he worked, Morna's words echoed in his mind. It didn't take him long to figure out what happened. She'd carried the tale of his treatment of Lia to Ruler Arlenson, one of her many lovers. Arlenson and Seligson kept the other warriors riled, and together they'd manipulated the Council into summoning Lia for judgment. Why had Morna taken such a dislike to Lia? She'd always understood she was free to go to another warrior anytime one caught her eye.

If it had been Lia, instead of Morna, kissing him and rubbing her body against his, he would have tripped her to the ground and taken her. An image of her lying naked with the flowers of his garden surrounding her formed in his mind, and the fever in his body increased and flared through him. He could see her lying on a bed of flowers. The one he'd named Warrior's Delight. They'd stick to her honey-gold skin and he'd spend many micro-units licking them away. Heat blazed through him, shaking him and his hands clenched on the handle of the digger.

His father had been right. The only female he desired was Lia and thinking about her made him burn. Suspiciously, he wondered what else Eirik had forgotten to tell him about bonding with a female. It was time he did more investigating of his own.

***

Lia watched the scene between Valan and the dark-haired woman until he'd grabbed her. Enraged by the sight, she'd moved away from the window. Pacing the room, her hands fisted at her sides, she cursed him. Now, she knew why he hadn’t come to her. Apparently, he was too busy bedding his kourtisan. Tears rose in her eyes and she angrily brushed them away as she decided it was time to leave. Behind her the door opened and she glanced over her shoulder and saw Borg and Olga enter the chamber.

"How are you, Lia?" Doctor Veeson asked.

"Stronger than I've ever been in my life."

"Excellent! This will be my last visit. It's safe for you to return to your normal routine starting this cycle."

The news should have been welcome instead she found it disturbing as she hated the thought of resuming her duties as Valan's pleasure giver. She couldn’t keep the frown off her face.

"Lia?"

"Are you sure the babies are out of danger? Perhaps I should rest for a while longer just to make sure."

"Valan needs you. He won’t harm you or the babies." Borg turned to Olga and spoke to her so quietly Lia couldn’t hear what he said.

"Will you be leaving, Olga?"

"Yes. This evening. It's time for me to return to my duties at the clinic."

"I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you as well. But soon you will have your babies, and then you will be very busy and very happy. I know you will."

***

Borg found Valan in the garden, covered with dirt and sweat. Dirt flew from the end of the digger as he worked, and formed a cloud of dust around him. Clearing his throat, he caught Valan’s attention. "I've examined, Lia. She's completely healed, and I've told her she can resume her normal routine."

Valan's eyes darkened and he looked at her window, then back at Borg. Seeing the concern on his face, he told him, "I won't harm her."

"Have you used the ZL3 I left for you?"

"No."

"You're as stubborn as your father and Lia. The three of you together, in the same family, boggles the mind." His words had no effect on Valan. "Olga will be leaving after she serves Lia dinner." Walking away he shouted over his shoulder, "One more thing, Valan. Stop sending so many injured warriors to my clinic. My med-techs are beginning to complain."

***

Valan had dinner with his father. He'd wanted to stay home, but Eirik demanded his presence. While Eirik ate, Valan counted the micro-units as they passed.

"Have you heard anything I've said to you?"

"Yes. I'm to meet with the Council seven cycles from now."

"To discuss?"

"The plans for the raid on Zhang."

"Go home."

Eagerly, Valan rose and strode from the room. He ran across the yard connecting his home and his father’s. The front door slammed behind him but he came to a sliding halt as he saw Olga standing in the foyer with her bag on the floor beside her. "Can I call someone to escort you home, Olga?"

She smiled then shook her head. "I only live a couple blocks away. I was waiting for your return before leaving." She picked up her bag and walked toward him.

Valan opened the door for her. As she passed him he said. "Thank you for caring for my bondmate."

He saw her smile and then watched her disappear down the path before he closed the door and rushed up the stairs his feet pounding on the treads.

Lia heard his footsteps in the hallway and spun to face the door as it flew open. Valan already removed his vest and dropped it to the floor as he approached her. In mid-step he kicked off one boot them the other. She backed away from him and bumped into the crystal window behind her. He took another step toward her and she darted towards the bathing chamber, determined to put the locked door between them. His arms closed around her waist. She screamed, and tried to scratch him but he caught her hands and held them prisoner as he carried her to the bed and dropped down onto it.

He released her hands and she reached for his eyes. Before she could make contact, he grabbed her wrists and held them to the mattress above her head. She bit him, sinking her teeth into his chest and he froze above her.

"Let go, Lia." When she shook her head, he grimaced with pain, then gathered her wrists in one hand, and pried her teeth away. He'd forgotten his little cat would bite when provoked. She jerked her arms trying to free her wrists. "Be still."