WarlordsBounty (6 page)

“Khan.” Zeta covered his hands, her palms soft against his
scarred knuckles, and he entwined his fingers with hers. “Yes,” she sighed and
stilled, a small smile curling her lips as though she’d needed him as much as
he’d needed her.

“Yes,” Khan agreed, the connection between them good and
right and strong. He gazed with wonder and reverence at her sleeping face,
warmth spreading up his stomach and across his chest.

“Berke claims human females are incapable of loyalty,” he
murmured, unaware that his brother had any dealings with human females. “Yet I
trust you.” Khan inhaled the fresh air scent of Zeta’s hair, the soft tendrils
flowing over his shoulders, mixing with his. “And I can only hope when all of
this is done, you’ll still trust me.”

Chapter Five

“I don’t want your rations.” Khan glared at her, his mood
over the past two days growing progressively worse. He sat in the first
officer’s chair, clad only in a white drying cloth, the strip of fabric
covering him from waist to thigh. His warrior garment and his weapons had been
safely locked in a wall panel in their shared sleeping chamber, a precaution
Zeta had taken should he change his mind about complying with his imprisonment.
“I’d rather starve than eat that flavorless muck.”

“Then starve.” Zeta tossed the platter onto the console in
front of him and strode away, having prepared the best of her limited selection
for him.

“As you will,” he murmured.

“What?” She pivoted on her booted heels and stared at him.

“I glanced into the eating chamber as we passed.” He met her
gaze, his face dark with a fury she didn’t understand. “You don’t have enough
rations for the voyage home.”

“You don’t know what I have,” she bluffed, his calculations
correct.

“I do know. Contact the client, Zeta.” His voice softened.
“You need to collect the bounty on me or you won’t eat.”

“I don’t have to contact the client. I’ve sent a message to
your warrior friend Oghul. Your brothers will pay your bounty,” she shared,
pleased with her solution.
They’ll pay his bounty, the school will have the
credits and Khan won’t be harmed.

Khan’s mouth opened and shut and opened again. “They won’t
pay the bounty.”

“They will,” Zeta insisted, tossing herself into the
captain’s chair, the leather fitted to her body. “They love you and that’s what
families do…or so I hear.”

He examined the beams crisscrossing the bridge’s ceiling.
She tapped on her tablet, ensuring their communications channel remained open
in case his brothers finally returned her message, vividly aware of Khan’s
scent, his presence, his everything.

I need him.
She hugged that scary truth close to her
chest.

“My brothers won’t pay the bounty,” Khan finally stated.
“Because it’s not part of the plan.”

“What?” she shouted, fear escalating her rage, only ten days
remaining before the lease had to be paid, the school running out of time and
options.

“If you want to eat, contact the client,” he continued as
though he hadn’t heard her.

“Forget about eating. The bounty isn’t about eating.” Zeta
brought Lisa’s image up on the viewscreen, the brown-haired, freckle-faced girl
the same age she had been when she’d been orphaned, the same lost expression in
her big brown eyes.

“
This
is why I need to collect on your bounty.” She
jumped out of her seat and flung her hands at the image. “If I fail to earn
those credits, Lisa, along with one hundred and six other girls, will be
returned to the streets where we found them, forced to do anything to survive,
alone, easy prey for any predator.”

Zeta turned her back to Khan, staring at the far wall, unable
to face that future, to face her failure, to face him. “I won’t fail them. Tell
your brothers the plan has changed.”

“Come here,
gerel
.”

“Give me their contact information or you can contact them
yourself.” Hope blossomed inside her. “That might be more effective. They’ll
know you’re alive and—”

“Come here,” he boomed, his tone allowing for no refusal.

“I’m coming because I want to come,” she informed him as she
moved to his side. “You need me to access the system.” She stared at his square
chin.

“I don’t need to access the system.” His voice rolled over
her. “I’m not changing the plan and you aren’t failing those girls. You’re
collecting the bounty on me.
That
is the most feasible solution and you
know it.”

It is the most feasible solution.
Zeta frowned,
unwilling to accept that fate. “I won’t—”

“No.” Khan grabbed her face with one big hand, his grip
harsh and painful and exciting. She raised her gaze, meeting his, and her pussy
moistened, his eyes black and unrelenting. “You will. No arguing and no talking.”

He whipped away the drying cloth, his cock hard. “Use that
mouth for something productive, little hunter. Suck on me.”

“Suck your own cock.” Her thighs trembled.

“On your knees,” Khan barked.

Zeta kneeled, responding instinctively to his voice, a female
submitting to a more dominant male. She glared up at him and his lips twitched,
his eyes glowing.

“Suck.” He grabbed her hair and pushed her face into his
lap. She opened her mouth, forced to take him, his cock head sliding past her
lips and over her tongue, filling her mouth.

Khan’s tip tickled the back of her throat and he stopped,
holding her down, his base remaining untouched. She wrapped her fingers around
his excess shaft and she sucked, her cheeks indenting around him, his scent
teasing her nostrils.

“Yes,” he groaned. “Suck me hard,
gerel
.” He spread
his legs wider, his right foot shackled to the chair. “Rut on me with that
filthy mouth of yours.” He pulled on her hair, raising her lips, pain shooting
over her scalp and down her spine.

She laved his shaft with her tongue and flicked his rim and
he pressed down once more, his fingers twisting in her curls. Khan guided her
up and down his shaft, Zeta obeying him, embracing her punishment, embracing
him.

I need this.
She pursed her lips around his cock,
creating a tighter seal and more arousing friction.
I need him.
Zeta
shook, her pussy juices running down her thighs, wetting her flight suit, her
musk scenting the air.
Oh stars.
How I need him.

She palmed his balls and squeezed them gently. Khan inhaled
sharply, yanking on her hair, the sweet agony her reward.
This time, it’ll
be different.
Zeta dragged her fingernails over the sensitive skin between
his balls and asshole, and his feet kicked out, rattling his restraints.

I’ll protect him.
She traced the vein running
underneath his shaft with her tongue, maintaining her suction.
He won’t
leave me and he won’t die.

“So right,” Khan huffed, his chest heaving, his face
flushed. “You’re so right for me.” Zeta rode his thrusts, his rhythm fast and
hard. “Fierce and wet and hot.” His fingers tangled in her hair. “I want to
bond with your mouth.” His base expanded, the band of flesh solidifying.

No way.
She narrowed her eyes, his grip on her head
holding her to him.
He’ll blow out my throat.
Zeta slapped his thigh.

His gaze lowered to meet hers, his eyes feverously bright.
“I’d never hurt you,
gerel
.” He released her. “Stick out your tongue.”
He yanked on his shaft with a viciousness that made Zeta wince.

She extended her tongue, waiting impatiently, trusting him
not to hurt her, her pussy throbbing and her nipples tight. Khan stroked
himself, lines etched around his mouth and between his black eyebrows.

Zeta reached out and grabbed his balls. He jerked forward,
his cock head sliding along her tongue, and hot jets of cum shot into her
mouth, rushing down her throat, making her senses sing, his taste as wild and
raw as he was.

His seed hit her stomach and she screamed, a euphoria
bursting inside her. Her pussy clenched down on nothing, her body shook, and
she opened her mouth wider, greedily catching all of his seed, needing more,
more, more, addicted to his high.

As their orgasms eased, he cupped her head, pulling her onto
him, and Zeta gently sucked his softening cock, licking him clean, swallowing
every last magical drop.

“What was
that
?” She sat back on her heels, dazed and
docile.

“Pure pleasure.” Khan brushed the hair away from her face.
“A pleasure that can only be found with me.”

Only with him.
Zeta met his gaze, his eyes soft and
shining, and her heart squeezed. “Yet you want me to trade you for credits.”
She pushed to her feet, her legs stiff, his cum warming her stomach. “I won’t
do that. I—”

“An unknown warship has entered the sector, Captain,” the
ship’s guidance system informed them, its voice curt and robotic. A sleek black
vessel dominated the viewscreen, no markings on its bow.

Zeta scrambled to her seat, fear scattering the last
remnants of passion. “Is that one of yours?”

“Not any longer.” Khan glowered at the warship, his
expression frighteningly hard, and he wrapped the drying cloth around his
torso.
Preparing for battle.

“The warship is requesting we open hailing frequencies,
Captain.”

Requesting? Do I have a choice?
Zeta’s stomach
twisted, her ship slower and outgunned. “Open hailing frequencies.”

“Video and audio link established,” the ship responded.

A scarred face projected onto the viewscreen, the male’s
eyes as black as Khan’s, his coloring remarkably similar. “I’ve come for the
fugitive Khan,” he demanded, forgoing communications protocol, his voice
brusque. “Prepare to be docked.”

“Wait!” Zeta muted the audio, and turned to Khan. “Friend or
foe?”

“Foe,” he growled, his fingers curled into huge fists.
“Tolui is no friend to any
Chamele
. He attacks our planets, kidnapping
our females and children. That ship he’s using is one of ours, stolen early
this season.”

“Foe then, definitely foe.” She chewed on the inside of her
cheek, her palms moist. “He must be a client. How did he know I had you?” Zeta
shook her head. “I’ll worry about that later.” She released the audio. “You’re
mistaken, captain. There’s no Khan on board this ship,” she bluffed,
perspiration trickling down her spine.

The warrior tapped his screen. “My scans indicate you have
two life forms on board your ship. Give me visual of the second life form.”

He knows I have Khan and he wants him dead. If we run,
he’ll blow us both up.

Zeta took a deep breath.
I’m a bounty hunter. Be a bounty
hunter.

“Do you have the credits?” She stared straight ahead, at the
screen, unable to look at Khan, to see the pain her words had inflicted. “I
require payment before the fugitive is transferred.”

A sinister smile stretched across Tolui’s face, his black
eyes promising cruelty and death. “I have the credits, little hunter.”

Little hunter.
She twitched, the only male having
ever used that endearment being Khan, her fugitive, her love.
Stars.
My
love.

“I’ll prepare the ship for boarding.” She forced her reply.
“Transmission ended.” The viewscreen returned to the image of the warship, the
threat looming before them, large and very, very real.

“There’s little time.” Zeta rushed to Khan’s chair, bent
over and released his restraints. “Come with me.” She grabbed his arm, urging
him to his feet. “We have to do this quickly.”

“Zeta.”

“Not now. Trust me.” She ran down the corridor, the lights
flickering to life, Khan following her closely, his warm breath on her neck,
reassuring proof that he lived.
He’ll continue to live.
Her heart
pounded and her lungs ached.
I’ll protect him.

Zeta skidded to a stop in front of the escape pod and
accessed the panel, her fingers shaking.
This has to work.
The doors
slid open. “Get inside. I’ll time the pod to detach in a few minutes.” She
fumbled with the system, her fingertips clumsy. “Once I’m certain he’s on
board.”

“Zeta, what are you doing?” Khan, the only male she had ever
cared for, stood stubbornly beside her, holding his drying cloth in place with
one big hand, his forehead wrinkled.

“I’m saving you. I’ve seen that look on client’s faces
before, Khan. Tolui won’t give you an opportunity to escape.” She pushed on
Khan’s shoulders, his skin hot and smooth against her fingers. “He wants you
dead. You leave now.” Zeta nodded at the pod. “And I’ll hold him off.” She
extracted one of her guns.

“No.” Khan twisted the gun from her hands, his movements
unfettered, his restraints removed. “You’re not protecting me this time.” He
pointed the weapon at her, his lips flat and his eyes hard. “You get in the
pod.” He extended the claws on his free hand, raked them over her holster, and
slung the leather over his shoulder. “Now,” he barked.

Zeta stepped backward, confused. “You don’t understand. He
plans to kill you.”

“And you don’t understand.” Khan shoved her deeper into the
pod. “I plan to kill him.” He slapped the control panel and the door closed,
locking her in. “Trust me,
gerel
.” He placed his palm on the porthole.

“Trust you?” She hammered the door with her fists, furious
with him and terrified for him. “Release me, Khan, or when I get free, I swear
I’ll shoot those big balls of yours right off!”

His laughter trailed behind him as he stalked down the
corridor, leaving Zeta trapped in her own escape pod.

* * * * *

“There’s no risk.” Khan shot the locks off the sleeping
chamber’s wall panel and it slid open, revealing his clothing neatly folded and
his weapons arranged by size. He grinned, Zeta’s feeble attempts to hinder his
escape adorable, the care she’d taken with his things more telling than any
confession of love. “As I suspected, Berke knows nothing about human females.”

He dressed quickly, strapping his sword to his back and
slinging his long gun over one of his shoulders, conscious that it would take
mere minutes for his clever
gerel
to override the escape pod’s locked
door. Booms echoed down the corridor, his
Chamele
rival equally
impetuous, not waiting for an invitation to board Zeta’s ship.

“And Tolui knows nothing about stealth.” Khan ran toward the
sound, his fingers tightening around one of Zeta’s small guns, savoring that
connection to her. The metallic door dented inward, pounded by bullets, the
same door Khan had easily torn off with his claws.