Claimed by the Warrior (7 page)

Daan nodded. “I know.”

“So if you give me a tour and I’m friendly, I’m not flirting or declaring any intention to mate.” Spelling it out clearly seemed to be the best course of action.

Ruari snickered but Daan nodded again. “I know that as well. But…perhaps if you see how nice it is here, you will relay it to your human female friends.”

She smothered a smile. The male was definitely honest. “Then I accept a tour.”

“Do you have your communicator with you?” Ruari asked. His frown made it clear he didn’t like the idea but at least he wasn’t attempting to stop her. Despite their insane Ducereco law and that they weren’t apologetic about it, she felt as if that was more in their attitudes than anything else. She had a feeling that their ferociousness, at least where females were concerned, was over-exaggerated on the mainland.

She nodded and patted the pocket of her fur covering. “Of course.”

“I don’t believe Con will like you taking this tour but he did not say otherwise so call me or him if you need anything.” He gave Daan a look that threatened bodily harm if anything happened to her. Oh yeah, they were more protective of females than anything else, that much was becoming clear. “Make sure she has everything she needs.”

“I will.” Daan nodded sharply, as if responding to an officer and she wondered if Ruari was higher in rank. They didn’t wear outward insignias so it was impossible to tell. But Ruari was likely a few solar cycles older, maybe more. He looked to be in his early thirties, the same as Con.

As Ruari left, she fell in step with Daan and headed down another corridor. She was excited to see more of the sector, but wished she was with Con instead. He was the only one who had actually wanted to help her leave before the stupid declaration of Ducereco and she found him more sincere than anyone else here.

In the model bathroom earlier, something had sparked between them. Before Einar had arrived she’d thought for sure that Con might kiss her. There had been a gleam of raw hunger in his eyes as he’d covered the distance between them. She’d felt it all the way to her core.

She definitely would have let him kiss her. She might not want to mate with him and his brother but the thought of
not
kissing Con seemed so wrong. It wasn’t as if she would be here forever so she needed to take advantage of the time she had.

* * *

“Thank you for the tour,” Leilani said to Daan as they reached the front door of Con and Cyn’s home. The corridor in this sector was so quiet compared to the rest of the places she’d been throughout the day. Part of her felt a little guilty that she hadn’t been working but exploring here had been fun.

It was much bigger than she’d originally imagined. There were floors and floors of various sectors from basically the bottom of the mountain to the top. They even had a little bakery in the food sector. The tiny place was run by a mated female—who Leilani wanted to visit again if she could remember how to get there—and had been packed. No surprise considering the smells coming out of the place. Leilani had been practically drooling by the time she was able to checkout.

“You are welcome. It was a pleasure.”

“You’re sure you won’t get in trouble for taking me out most of the day?” A few hours had turned into longer and she knew at one point he’d had to call his supervisor to check in.

“I won’t. My supervisor was happy to let me give you a tour. He wants more females here. He’s the one who suggested the bakery.”

She smiled as she started to press the buzzer for Con’s door. Before she did, the door flew open. Con stood there in a loose tunic and pants. No boots. His bright blue eyes seemed darker as his gaze narrowed on Daan. “Leave.” The word was a guttural growl.

It sent a shiver down her spine. Had Daan done something wrong? Or maybe something else had happened.

To her surprise, Daan swiveled around military style and left without a word. When Con turned to her, his expression morphed to a mix of concern and…definitely anger. At her? “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Is Daan in trouble?” She stepped inside with him. When the lock clicked into place it sounded almost ominous.

“Do you care if he is?” Energy seemed to pulse off Con in harsh waves.

For some reason she thought the answer was important to him, as if there was some underlying meaning to it. “I don’t want him in trouble.”

His brow furrowed. “I thought you did not like the male.”

“I was…very angry the first day. He apologized and gave me a lovely tour. I brought you this.” She held up a small black and white bag with a shiny blue bow laced through the top enclosure. When she’d purchased the pastries she’d told herself it was to thank him for his hospitality but the truth was, she’d just wanted to see him smile.

His brow furrowed as he looked at the bag. “You bought this for me?”

She nodded, feeling a little foolish. He was staring at it as if it held an explosive device. She jerked her hand back down to her side. “You don’t have to take it,” she snapped, her words harsher than she’d intended.

“No, I…did Daan touch you?” His growling tone was very similar to the one he’d used on Daan.

She nearly got whiplash from the change in topic. “What?”

“Did that male touch you?” His voice was quieter this time, but no less deadly.

“If you mean sexually…” She started to say no, but as it fully sank in, his question pissed her off. “How is that even your business? Your stupid law is keeping me here with the sole intent that I find two mates. You don’t get to ask me personal questions like that.”

“I will ask whatever I wish. I am leader here.” His autocratic tone rankled her.

Straightening her back, she pasted on a saccharine-sweet smile. “Technically you are correct. You can ask whatever you want, but that doesn’t mean
I
will answer. I’m not one of your warriors to command.” This wasn’t going at all how she’d planned. This male was so infuriating. She’d planned to ask him about his day, give him the pastries she’d agonized over buying and more importantly, she’d been hoping he might follow through with that kiss he’d been promising with his heated gaze earlier. Apparently she’d been looking forward to the kiss way too much.

“You should have told me where you were,” he snapped. “I’m in charge of your safety while you’re here.”

“Ruari trusted Daan. Is there a reason I shouldn’t?” She’d felt perfectly safe all day. There had been a few interested looks from males, but mostly they’d just been curious.

“No.”

“Then why are you angry?”

“Because you didn’t answer your communicator when I contacted you. I was…worried.” He rasped out the last part, as if it was difficult to admit.

“You called me? I…” She pulled her communicator from her pocket and frowned. Oops. She had ten missed calls. Still, that wasn’t a reason for him to be so angry at her. “It was set to silent mode.” She started to apologize when he cut her off.

“You will tell me your whereabouts from now on. I must know that you are safe.”

She blinked at him in shock, unable to force any words out. Taking a step forward, she thrust the pastry bag at his chest. Startled, he took it. Feeling her temper rise like one of the geysers from planet Prioni she’d heard about, she shoved past him. She wasn’t even going to respond to that ridiculous order. Angry and probably disproportionately hurt that he was being such a jerk, she started to move past him when he grasped her upper arm.

“I…” His fingers loosened, but he didn’t fully let her go. “I am sorry.”

She turned to face him fully, her chest brushing against him. She had to look up because of their height differences. That masculine scent she couldn’t quite define twined around her again. It made it difficult for her to think straight. The male was so infuriating, telling her what to do and talking to her as if she was one of his men. As if she’d asked to be held captive. But…standing here with him, she wanted to reach up and stroke her hand over his midnight dark hair.

Even if he seemed prone to giving orders, he wanted to keep her safe. It was hard to forget that. And he’d been so honorable about housing her here and respecting her wishes to keep other warriors away unless she changed her mind.

Some of the warriors had hair long enough to reach their shoulders, but Con’s was closely cropped along his skull. She wondered if it felt as soft as it looked. Okay, she really wondered what it would look like to have his head buried between her legs.

She never should have listened to the stories she’d heard about how talented Luminet males were with their tongues. Since meeting Con, she desperately wanted to know what it would feel like to have him—

He crushed his mouth to hers, jerking her out of her fantasies right into the reality.

Chapter 6

Leilani gasped into Con’s kiss, her first instinct to question the sanity of this, but she immediately melted into him. Maybe she should fight this, but his lips were soft, his tongue probing and teasing as it flicked against hers. Her nipples instantly pebbled at his gentle stroking. It was impossible not to fantasize about what it would be like to have that same tongue teasing her elsewhere.

She clutched at his shoulders as he hoisted her up. She wasn’t sure where he intended to move them, but she wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled her hips against him. The male was rock hard, a perfect specimen of Luminet warrior.

He growled into her mouth, the feel of it reverberating through her. He rolled his hips against her, his thick erection insistent and arousing. The man was huge all over. Heat flooded between her legs when he grinded against her again, his movements raw and sexual. She shouldn’t be so turned on when all they were doing was kissing—she let out a soft yelp as her back hit a flat surface.

The front door, she realized.

With restraint she didn’t realize she had, she tore her mouth from his. He let out a growl of protest, his eyes dark and filled with hunger. The thought of getting devoured by him had all her muscles pulling taut.

“I don’t want to be with your brother,” she blurted. She’d come to terms with the fact that when she mated it might be with two males. Unlike some of her friends, she’d adjusted to that part of this culture. But she and Con weren’t getting mated and she didn’t want to be with anyone else. She needed that to be clear to him.

“Good.” The word came out as a rumble. “Do you want to be with anyone else?”

Did he seriously have to ask? She shook her head.

He nipped at her jaw. “Say it.” A soft, dominant demand.

Another rush of heat flooded her at the command in his tone. “No. Just you.”

He feathered a string of kisses up her jaw until he reached her earlobe. When his teeth pressed against her skin, she arched into him.

Suddenly all the clothes she had on were way too many. All her nerve endings tingled with an awareness that soon she’d be climaxing, either around his tongue, fingers, or erection. She wasn’t sure how far things would go between them, but she wanted so much more from Con. Right now all she could seem to focus on was this giant, sexy male who had her pinned up against the door.

“I want to taste you,” he murmured, his wicked voice full of promises against her neck.

She nodded and let out a garbled moan that could have meant anything, but he thankfully seemed to understand she meant ‘dear goddess, yes please’.

Still keeping her pinned in place, he pulled slightly back and made quick work of her corset, then undershirt, stripping her faster than she was ready for. It had been a long time since she’d been naked in front of a male. The last time it had been a frantic coupling when she’d been certain she’d die within days or weeks. Even then she hadn’t been completely naked. Now her reasons had nothing to do with fearing death and everything to do with the male in front of her. She felt frantic to be with him, for him to be inside her. Whenever she was around him…she didn’t know how to explain it even to herself, but her body seemed to flare to life and nothing could ease the ache except him.

Con seemed almost frozen as he stared down at her breasts. No one had ever looked at her the way he was now, with such reverence. Sure she’d been on the receiving end of appreciative male looks, but this was different, more.

Without looking at her face, he cupped her breasts gently. His hands were callused and rough and the sensation of them against her sensitive skin made her shiver. When he stroked his thumbs over the tight points of her brown nipples, she moaned.

His gaze snapped to hers and now she had no doubt his eyes had actually darkened. She’d heard that Luminet people changed eye color with intense emotion but she’d never seen it before to such a degree.

“While you’re here in the mountains… I do not wish you to be with anyone else.” His neck muscles corded tight as he spoke.

She realized he was trying to ask instead of order her. Or at least that was how it sounded. “I won’t be.”

Something a lot like triumph glittered in his eyes, but he continued. “So we will be exclusive.”

It didn’t exactly come out like a question, but she nodded. Mainly because his use of we implied he would be with only her. Not that she really doubted that given the female population. That was apparently all he needed to hear because he dipped his head to her breast, sucking hard on her nipple. The sharp tug was unexpected. She’d thought he might tease her, work her up a little more, but she felt the effect of his mouth all the way to her core. She arched against the door, shoving herself deeper into his mouth, wanting more of his brand of pleasure.