Intercept Read online

  He turned her to look up at him. “Because I have little self-control where you are concerned. I don’t want to injure the next thing to a sibling that you have out here.”

  She nodded. “I want you two to get along.”

  “We will get along when he has his own mate.”

  She laughed. “He is waiting. She is a hunter on an undercover mission. The match has been approved by his government and hers. He just doesn’t like to talk about it.”

  “So, she is away from him like you were kept from me?”

  “Similar but different. I had a finite list of work to do. She is off and trying to pretend she is something else. Her job is a little more dangerous than mine was.” She chuckled.

  “You ended up enslaved in a Raider stronghold and you don’t think your work is dangerous?”

  She tried to lead them down the hall to continue their tour. “That wasn’t the bad part. Hauling Lekar’s unconscious ass out of the dying ship was the bad part.”

  He made a low growling noise and she scuttled along as he came up behind her. “How did you lift him? He is close to three times your weight.”

  “I managed, but he got a little bashed up in the process.”

  “Good.” The satisfaction in his tone was unmistakable. He swept her up in his arms and started to move at a rapid pace through the halls.

  The arboretum was their first stop and Tridell picked a blooming rose for her. “To match the blush in your cheeks when I kiss you.”

  She smiled and inhaled deeply of the fragrant flower. It wasn’t quite a rose by Terran standards, but it was close enough. “Thank you.”

  He leaned down and she took the hint, wrapping her arms around him and pressing a kiss to his lips. Her tongue teased his, but his prehensile appendage far outstripped hers when it came to waking sensual awareness. The intensity of her reaction to something as simple as a kiss was surprising to her. This was heat without the excuse of chemical intervention, arousal simply because she was with the right man.

  She kept that rose with her as they continued the slow walk to the shuttle bay. The equipment techs and refuellers nodded to them. The shuttle that they entered was huge height-wise. The compensation for his wings was obvious in the narrow-backed chairs that would allow for his spine to be supported while his appendages hung free.

  She took the navigator position and clutched the edges of the chair. There were no straps as in Alliance vessels. He went through pre-flight checks and she still couldn’t believe that she hadn’t insisted on speaking with her Representative. But, she hadn’t and she trusted Tridell to keep her in one large piece.

  Everything else could be worried about at a later date. There was plenty of time to figure out what she was going to do after she was officially mated to the Drai, but she knew that he had to complete a few very stringent courtship rituals.

  She decided to get the first ritual out of the way. “I dreamed of you.”

  He froze in the middle of a pressure check, “And I dreamed of you. Beside me, next to me, on top of me at times, but always with you as my partner.”

  “I dreamed of you beside me, watching me, helping me and letting me do what I must but always with me.” The joining of their dreams and the similar images that had worked their way into both of their minds was a symptom of their minds resonating at the same frequency. It was the first point of comparison that the Alliance engaged in and the most telling.

  Their minds actually did think alike.

  He finished the pre-flight checks and got clearance from the warship to launch. As they floated free of the Alliance ship, she looked back to see the bulk of the craft that had entered Raider space and returned intact.

  “How did they manage to get that ship into Raider space?”

  “They didn’t. The Sector Guard ran a relay picking us up and delivering us to a secure place in space near Nodak Station. First, they took the prisoners and they separately removed the Raiders with Fury keeping the oxygen at the lowest tolerable level for hours.”

  “Wow. How long was I out?”

  “Eighteen hours. I was surprised when Livin came into medical. I was sure that Vasu would have made sure she rested.” The disapproving frown on his face was unmistakable.

  “I am sure that she didn’t want to take a nap or she would have. Are you going to try and boss me around, because I can tell you now that it won’t go over very well.” She crossed her arms before clutching back at the edges of the chair while he triggered the jump engine.

  She caught her breath when they exited the jump and glared at him. “That was sneaky.”

  His wide-eyed, innocent grin didn’t fool her. “I apologize. I am so used to travelling alone that I forgot to announce it.”

  She read the displays and tried to orient herself. “Where are we?”

  “Gencarra 3. My home and yours if you wish it to be.” He aimed their shuttle for the large blue-green jewel in the darkness and applied the full force of the engines to get them home.

  She twisted her lips in a smirk and noted how he had avoided the insinuation of his being a bossy-boots. They would revisit that in the future and he wouldn’t be able to throw her off balance to distract her.

  She wondered how he would choose to avoid that discussion and looked forward to finding out.

  Chapter Eight

  The home was built of onyx and protruded from the side of a mountain. It took Maud’s breath away. Balconies of swirling crystals were designed for full panoramic view that would allow anyone on them to see both a bright dawn and a brilliant sunset.

  The shuttle landed under a covered overhang, neatly tucked against the side of the rock face, by its skilled pilot. Maud let out a blast of breath when they landed and he closed down the ship’s systems.

  “Tense, Maud?”

  “Well, you came in rather fast. I wasn’t quite positive that you were going to stop in time.” She got to her feet, feeling bruised and rather brittle as she straightened. The ride had been a tense one. She was used to wild pilots, but the harness in standard Alliance ships always gave her a measure of comfort. That comfort had been missing from Tridell’s shuttle.

  “Are you sure you are all right?” His concern was palpable and he wrapped an arm around her waist.

  “Just a little shaken up from the flight. I don’t suppose you would consider installing a safety harness on the navigator station? My muscles are a little tight from hanging on for dear life.” She tried to keep it light, but her entire body ached.

  “Of course. I have never thought of it before. The ship was designed for Drai males to pilot. Our wings give us the stability we need via the support bar on the seats.” He gave her a lot of support as they crossed the landing site.

  She winced as the tension kept her from keeping up with him and finally he simply lifted her off her feet. Her body was in full riot. The acrobatic sex from the previous day coupled with the harrowing flight was making itself known. Her body was not happy.

  Cradled in his arms, she was able to enjoy the view of his home. Despite being made of black volcanic glass, the pale marble flooring created a light and open atmosphere. Daylight streamed in through elaborate skylights making the interior as bright as the afternoon light outside.

  “It’s very pretty. Who cut the flowers?”

  Every corner table and end table had a graceful vase filled with brilliant flowers in gem-like hues.

  “I have a set of servant bots that prepared the house for your arrival. They remain in storage until needed.” He rubbed his chin along the top of her head and she smiled. He was home and his very posture changed.

  A subtle whirring caught her attention and she saw one of the teeny bots scoot along the wall and into a small door that opened for it in the stone. “What was that one doing?”

  “Probably finishing up in the bedroom. I sent the commands when we left the warship.”

  She looked up at him and he was both walking and watching her intently.

  “Do you l
ike the house?”

  It was not a house. It was a palace, a city occupied only by them. She smiled and hid her face so he could not see it. “I will tell you in the morning. Right now, I need a hot soak and a good meal. Can those things be arranged?”

  He sighed with enough energy to move her hair. “Yes. A meal should be waiting for us. You are really going to keep me wondering?”

  She chuckled. “These are Drai rules, not mine. I will tell you when and if I accept your home as soon as I am sure that I can build a life here.”

  He grunted. “Fine. I will accept that.”

  “Good, because that is the way it is.” She tried crossing her arms, but it wasn’t a very effective gesture with him carrying her. It made her look more like a pouting child than a woman putting her foot down.

  The halls were expansive and wide, but the huge double doors to the bedroom were unmistakable. The sculpture of a dragon wrapped around a human woman a striking image embossed into the stone. When they got closer, Maud could see that the woman was herself, right down to the scar on her face. She reached out to touch the scar in stone with one hand and her face with the other.

  “How did you get this detail?”

  “I have been seeing you in my dreams for centuries. It was more than enough time to get everything just so.” His smile was soft and intimate. “Might I say that the reality far eclipses the dream.”

  Maud blushed as he held her with one arm while the sculpture swung open to reveal their room. The white floors accented with jewel-toned bedding, cushions and flowers took her breath away. A huge balcony was on display through clear quartz doors and she felt the tension in Tridell’s arms.

  She smiled. “You can go for a flight as soon as you put me down. I am not going anywhere, I promise.”

  There was a spring in his step as he opened another carved door to the bathing room. A cloud of fragrant steam wafted from the door and she smiled as he deposited her on a chair in the bathing room, kissed her soundly and walked to open the huge balcony doors.

  From the edge of the tub, Maud could see him shift and flex as he threw himself into the sky. A few heavy beats from his human-formed wings and another greater shift took place, leaving a dragon flying where the man had been.

  Maud sighed and removed the ship suit, dropping it and the shoes to the floor. The hot water beckoned and with a groan, she simply rolled off the edge of the tub to splash completely under the surface.

  It was not the most dignified entrance to the tub, but it satisfied her urge to be immersed as quickly as she could. She sat under the water and embraced the heat that enveloped her.

  What are you doing?

  She almost spluttered to the surface, but kept herself under the water as long as she could. I am taking a long soak.

  You aren’t breathing.

  I am holding my breath under the water. It was the best way to get all of me warm in one shot.

  As fun as it had been, she raised her head from the water and sat against the edge of the enormous tub, her eyes closed and a peculiar breeze blowing across her face. When she opened her eyes, she was facing the large and wickedly sharp head of her dragon and he was staring down at her through a door that was accessed from the outer wall of the chamber.

  She squeaked and stared at him in shock. Why are you peeping at me?

  Am not peeping, I am simply watching you to make sure that you are all right.

  I am fine. You had best move or you are going to get splashed.

  You wouldn’t dare.

  She couldn’t ignore the challenge in his mental tone. She stood up, hip deep in the water and flicked a handful of it into his face.

  There was a soft patter as the water struck his golden eye, but he merely blinked at her in astonishment. I can’t believe you did that.

  She ignored him, stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel. With a casual movement, she flipped it over his head and he jerked backward, taking all of his scaled toothiness out of the room.

  Smirking, she wrapped herself in another towel and walked into the bedroom. There were wardrobes full of clothing along the walls. Some for her, some for him. Wrapped in nothing but her towel, she walked out onto the balcony and watched Tridell fly in his other form. She braced her hands on the railing and watched him soar.

  Her heart skipped a beat as he turned mid-flight and came back to her, picking up speed as he dropped altitude. His form blurred and contracted as he shifted and using his wings as brakes, she was scooped up into his arms and borne into the air, her towel fluttering down onto the stone as she clung to him in panic.

  What are you doing? Her mental shriek was loud even to her own ears.

  Showing you my world, just hold on tight. I won’t let you fall.

  She held on with her arms around his neck and his hands around her waist, holding her against him. The sun caressed her skin as they flew over the landscape and he showed her his world.

  When the wind chilled her skin, she heard a whisper, I promise to warm you up later.

  Chapter Nine

  Watching him spit a spark to light a fire in their bedroom was amusing and having him close all the doors to keep her from getting a chill was endearing.

  “What did you wish for in a mate, Tridell?” She was warm from another bath, this time, one shared with her dragon and the large size of the tub now made much more sense. For him to get his wings wet involved the same full immersion that she had engaged in and the similarity made her laugh.

  She had scrubbed his back and he scrubbed hers, both of them studiously ignoring his erection and her hardened nipples. It was time for a bath and dinner. There was several lifetimes’ worth of sex that they could access whenever they wished. They didn’t have to hurry.

  After they ate, he took her hand and led her to the fireplace. He wore nothing but a short fabric wrap around his hips and as he started the flames, she took a seat on a romantically assembled pile of cushions with a backrest and waited in her own silk wrap.

  He scooted in behind her and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her against him. “I will be honest. I never gave it any thought. My people have always dreamed of their mates and even now, I don’t see anything but you.”

  She sighed and relaxed against him. “That is nice. Obviously, I have been much on your mind. Is that us carved into the headboard?”

  He stroked her from neck to hip. “I had to have something to do after I woke. The rest of the house was finished. I simply needed something to complete the collection. But after touching your curves and caressing the silk of your skin, the stone is a very poor mimic.”

  She smiled as the warmth of his muscles behind her mixed with the warmth of the fire and her body eased back to conform to his.

  He eased his hand down her hip to mid-thigh and slowly trailed it back up again. She sighed happily as the soothing touch unknotted tension in her very soul. Well, it loosened her tension until she realized that he was very slowly dragging her skirt up.

  Maud twisted to ask him what he thought he was doing, but her question was forestalled when his gaze met hers and glowed hot gold. She parted her lips and he leaned down and pressed kisses across her forehead and nose before resting his mouth on hers. Just that point of connection started a stirring inside her. They shared breath and she raised one hand to his shoulder encouraging him to deepen the kiss.

  “Let’s see if we can’t give you some more inspiration.”

  Her words ended on a gasp as his hand moved swiftly under her skirt, parting her and sliding two fingers into her. Maud’s thoughts spun in a whirl as his tongue snaked into her mouth and his hand mimicked the motions. She twisted and writhed as the sensations built and he started to stroke her clit with his thumb. Her shriek echoed on the stone walls and his dark chuckle worked its way through her sensual haze.

  With a swift move, she was on her hands and knees and he was behind her, smoothing her skirt out of the way and lifting his own wrap. The floor under them was lightly padded, perfec
t for the moment when he rubbed the head of his cock against her, slicking his shaft with her moisture before he slid completely into her in one long stroke.

  Air whooshed out of her lungs at the feeling of being filled to the limit. When he started to move in her, she let every murmur, cry and whimper break free. In front of the fireplace, he thrust into her with a savage possession that took her by surprise at the same time that it made her heart soar. This was the first night of the rest of their lives and as he rocked, thrust and slammed into her, the sound of their bodies impacting in the room, she could only imagine what they would get up to.

  The inner stroking worked against her G-spot and a buckling shiver ran through her limbs. It was a forerunner to her release and as he slid, pushed into her over and over again, his hands reached around her to caress her breasts and belly.

  He gripped her tightly and sat back on his heels, lifting and dropping her against him. She reached behind her and held him to her, flexing her thighs and circling her hips against him. The flat plane of his belly rubbed against her buttocks and spine until he stopped and turned her again.

  He sat on his heels, his wings spread for balance behind him and lifted her up to lower her slowly onto his shaft once again. Meeting his gaze before he pressed his lips to her neck and shoulder, she braced for what came next.

  His hands lifted and dropped her rapidly, building a heated tension inside her until she could feel the quivering of her inner muscles around the heated rod within. He bit down and she came, a gasping freeze that locked her in place as he thrust deep and growled low in his throat.

  She could feel the spurting inside her, more heat to a molten welter of slick friction. Her body quivered tightly, shimmying in place. The feel of his teeth still in her flesh was not merely painful, it was also arousing and she was not up for another round.

  Tridell slowly released her neck and he licked the wounds closed. The blood on his lips was apparent when he delivered a kiss that curled her toes. “There is nothing like a first kiss.”