Feral Fever Page 6

  My heart ached until I could feel nothing but her touch.

  Her palms rubbed into my drumming heart.

  Only a fool would withdraw from the intoxicating warmth of her skin.

  So much for dishonoring oneself by giving into desire. She'd captured my heart. Looked upon my face. My soul. There was no turning back for a conquered warrior. Or so the people claimed. I'd be cursed double fold if I failed the Luvks after this…

  But was it failing oneself to finally taste the pleasure forbidden a man born into power? To feel the soft curves a Royal Guard dared not tempt him into betraying duty. Or his sanity. To let go and dive into desire was lunacy.

  But lunacy prevailed as she pried my lips apart with her lashing tongue and sucked mine deeply into the warm cavern of her mouth.

  Deeper into deadly desire.

  My arousal throbbed and lurched.

  But my vow to protect her was more than lust. It was to help all Luvks. And Mother would be pleased in the process nonetheless. Pleased with the female's conquest. But I could think of nothing but sucking her tongue into my mouth.

  I claimed it for my own.

  She raked her tongue over mine again.

  My body burst into flames. Perilously burning as my heart froze, then thawed in one agonizing bout of confusion as if forcing me to reevaluate the situation. But it didn't matter. I had to move forward. I had to protect the Luvks. And with Aisling, I could know love in the process. If she could love. Was that even possible with females from her world?

  If only I could touch her all over. Trace the curve of her breasts with my tongue. Taste her sex. Suckle her nipples. Just like all of the consorts I'd monitored mating with my Queen when I was forced to stand watch over Queen Ishan as her lead Royal Guard whose sole goal was protecting his Queen from her lovers.

  Trust would be an even greater reward. But duty was duty. The Luvks needed an advocate. And what worse prize than lying with Aisling's writhing body beneath mine as we danced to the little pleasure sounds I drove from her body?

  * * * *

  Borun's lips trailed across Aisling's chin and down her neck to latch onto the throbbing skin above her jugular in one warm sucking tribute before his presence withdrew completely. And he stared so deeply into my eyes that I couldn't breathe, she thought.

  "I won't let anything happen to you, little one. This I vow. You can take my word to your grave. For the vow will surely put me in mine."

  Was he joking? That was a new side to him. A side I welcomed. I tried to breathe looking into that proud face. But he'd sucked my soul from my being and left me hollow and aching for him right where I really shouldn't have been thinking I needed him. However, sex at the moment seemed like a really excellent way to celebrate our alliance.

  His gaze was so intent that I couldn't look away and dared not risk breaking the spell of his declaration by stumbling over my feelings with stupid questions. I didn't know him enough to differentiate between his implied meanings and cultural dogma. Especially whether his statement was an agreement to mate with me or just a promise to help with his mother. A political alliance was a political alliance. And one with a warrior who looked as amazing as Borun couldn't be a life sentence. I slid a palm across his warm neck and stiff collarbone to the supple skin concealing his steadily beating heart.

  He yanked his warrior mask over his face, stepping back into the Luvk prince mystique, ignoring my touch.

  Now I couldn't read the concern furrowing his brow or squaring off his eyebrows. Or feel it in his kiss. I could only rely on his word again. Truth. Honor. Vows. These warriors were all about such things. I just needed to keep my cool and wait for instructions. Especially after that amazing kiss. Or I'd be royally screwed, to say the least, the way my body was humming. "Alright. Just tell me what to do."

  "Turn around. We must reach the palace by nightfall to meet with the Queens. Or we lose time and opportunity."

  How time and opportunity were defined on Luvk would be interesting to learn. I turned in the saddle, Borun steadying me with a python arm locking around my waist.

  He always steadied me. Why? Was his some medieval mentality or a personal preference he had for me? I like the preference angle. At least, he worked to create a plan of attack. For what? Surely he would share information now. "You said time and opportunity were key here. What did you mean?"

  He slid his other arm beneath mine and took up the reins, locking me between the powerful musculature in his upper limbs.

  Sitting there was becoming awfully nice, cradled between two robust arms and his cushioning chest. But muscles were my Achilles heel. And there were too damned many muscles around me. Squeezing my little voice of reason into a squealing teenage girl.

  Need shafted me from heart to groin.

  He leaned down close to my ear where the chin of his mask barely touched my shoulder. "We can't afford to have the Royal Guards squawking before the Queens."

  Jonner leapt beneath me, rocking my need into madness, and the world raced by.

  So much for a clear answer. Especially with the way my groin ached for the hunk of man pressing into my back. The day would drag on excruciatingly.

  * * * *

  By the time they reached the top of the hill leading down to Queen Ishan's palace later that day, all Aisling could see were thousands of bright fires lighting up the night's darkness. The territory undoubtedly looked as rocky and barren as the last few hours' worth of daylight had shown this territory to be, she noted.

  Jonner halted as if honoring his home with a quiet salute.

  "Here is your new home, the Starry Sky realm, my Mother's domain," Borun said with a soft rolling growl. "Climb behind me. I doubt we're clear of the deep waters yet. And I'll need full use of my arms to safeguard you."

  Danger here? Not by the millions of stars twinkling overhead. "But we're almost to your mother's palace. Are these guards so stupid that they'd attack us in full view of the village?"

  "Desperate, Aisling. They are desperate. Quickly. I need you to hang onto my harness to ensure your unshakable grip protects you if anything happens."

  And with the way Jonner moved, an unshakable grip would save my ass. I growled a little myself on my grand crawl around all of his supple muscles to reposition behind him in the saddle.

  If I'd done anything of the sort on earth, I'd have had the man on the ground, peeling back his leather pants, taking what I wanted from him by now, whether or not his motives were obvious or not. But Borun was an enigma as much as his Luvk culture proved. What did he want? What in the hell did anything he say mean? And just what was he about to do? Just where would I be when his dust cleared and I faced his mother? I settled onto the saddle against his back and leaned in to gain a grip around his broad chest.

  "For the record, Borun, I don't care for them calling your clothing a harness. It's like you're some animal they get to lead around. And those damned masks really irritate me."

  A chuckle rumbled in his chest. "It's been a long time since I felt like anything but a war beast. So, hold tight, little one. And when we arrive inside the palace walls, remember to let me do the talking."

  Jonner pounced into a run.

  The dark world rushed toward them in a fresh gust of cool mountain air. I settled down and leaned into Borun's solid warm back, my cheek above the circle in the center of his harness. The rocking motion could have lulled me to sleep if my fingers weren't pinched by gnawing leather. But our moving bodies shifted in sync as if we'd always rode together.

  Hypnotically. I could have held onto him forever. Clutched the darkness. The killer warrior who kept saving me. He'd better have what I craved in mind.

  Something danced in the blackness where my gaze stared.

  Whatever it was had phantom qualities. It seemed to come and go but always had a presence. Ephemeral. Then I saw the stripes. I shot up as high as I could with a jarring motion, yanking on his straps. "Warriors," I shouted into the cool wind.

  Borun's head snappe
d left and right.

  He must have kneed Jonner.

  The war beast's gait lengthened or quickened.

  In the night's darkness, either was a difficult call. But I watched the dancing firelight whisk toward me in the night while hugging his warmth.

  Drums thundered to my right.

  I turned to assess the sound.

  War beasts. Their pounding footfalls. Rode by two mounted warriors on dog-horses with glowing red eyes.

  "Borun, to the right."

  Jonner veered left.

  My body swayed right, but I righted myself with a pull on the halter against Borun's steely body. We rode so closely that I thought we'd certainly be considered mated by all who witnessed our arrival.

  "Hold on, Aisling," Borun shouted.

  Jonner was airborne, throwing my body and Borun's into the dark velvet of the cold night sky. I doubt I would have managed to stay on the dog-horse if Borun hadn't stuck his seat. The impact from landing jarred my teeth to their root tips. But Jonner didn't let that stop his escape. The war beast grabbed something in the darkness and heaved us upward, vertically.

  Hanging there, I squinted at the tiny points of light in the heavens and made out a dark pointed barrier above us. A wall. One that looked like it was fashioned from medieval pointed posts.

  Jonner hauled us against gravity's pull, up to the edge to teeter above a crowd of masked tiger people and buildings behind the palisade.

  Were our attackers still following us? I looked down at the dark ground where we had just been.

  Nothing but ground and a silver moat watched our balancing act. "They're gone, Borun."

  "Let's go then."

  Jonner leapt from his perch.

  The crowd ran from the war beast's descending mass.

  Jonner landed in a crouch and hissed at anyone foolish enough to stand too closely. Or maybe at the wicked impact Borun's and my body had with his back.

  Borun let out a ferocious roar. "I don't know who dared chase me outside my own gate, but I've had enough tonight. Get out of my way or die."

  Apparently, the villagers spoke English too. They backed the Hell out of our way.

  Jonner hopped into the receding masses. The war beast carried us around two corners and up to a well-lit set of stairs spanning the side of a two-story building. The night cloaked most of the structure's details except for the double-door entry and the pair of guards at each side of the entrance.

  The crowd quietly followed from a distance. Even children gaped in wonder.

  Was I that much of a sight to draw so many from their night activities?

  Jonner halted before the flickering torches lighting the building's steps.

  "Come," Borun said, sliding off the war beast. He immediately turned and plucked me from the mount as if he'd grabbed his most treasured weapon.

  Villagers closed in to their rear, then on both of the sides leading up to the steps.

  Borun growled a low threatening sound.

  The villagers halted and stared.

  Watching. Did I really look that different or interesting? Maybe they thought it quite a feat he returned with me at all.

  Borun grabbed my hand and gently ushered me toward the closed doors.

  Gently considering his gait almost insisted I jog.

  Two identical white and black guards stood to the left. Another set stood on the right, but they had orange and black stripes. Borun didn't bother with greetings. He stormed toward the doors, kicking them into enormous clattering wooden shutters, and leading me into brilliant white light cast down a short corridor.

  Both doors kept banging against the walls.

  People stood everywhere. Flinching tiger people. All of them turned to the noise. The crowd parted as if the racket from Borun's entry shook the dark wooden rafters.

  Ahead stretched a wooden platform spanning the far side of a cavernous room with an extremely tall ceiling. Older women, or females, obviously tiger queens, lounged upon thrones or chaise lounges before a golden wall. The scene was almost odd and out of place after everything I'd been through to get this far. Especially when those matriarchs looked too damned comfortable.

  Borun led me to the base of the Queens' platform, released my hand, and planted his black boots apart. "Mother."

  The most centrally located female who sat in a chair-throne-smiled an almost insincere smile at him. "I'd thought I'd lost you for good, Borun."

  Borun's growl rolled low and steady across the room.

  Was he angry with his mother? Or just everyone in general?

  "One would think these bastards would have killed me to possess the Marshal. But they all failed, Mother."

  All the Queens shot disturbed glances between one another. Not a sound dared to tempt Borun to throw another insult at the group.

  "Now you see why I sent you to escort the Marshal to me." His mother's smile curled into one cheek and her blue gaze slid to mine. "Welcome, Aisling. I trust Borun has taken good care of you."

  Funny she phrased the feat that way. I nodded and opted not to speak for Borun's sake. After all, he wasn't angry at me. I owed him cooperation. And maybe he could save me however he intended.

  Goro and Johnson stepped out of the crowd to my right. Goro toted my backpack.

  Thank goodness. I had nothing on me from earth except some underwear. Underwear didn't make for creature comforts or memories. And by the looks of the animal hides gracing the walls in this great hall, there didn't appear to be much in the way of preciosities to be had by noble women in Luvk either. I really had entered the Dark Ages.

  Goro crossed the space in seconds to hand me my possessions. "Are you well, Aisling?"

  Something inquisitive flickered in his fiery orange Xquine eyes.

  "Yes, commander."

  A door squeaked behind me.

  Borun turned to face the sound and straightened his shoulders.

  What now? I followed his line of sight.

  A tall black and white Luvk male wearing slashes on the chin of his mask stormed into view.

  Borun stepped to my side to cover me in his menacing shadow.

  "That one is trouble," Goro whispered.

  The black and white male's black boots ate up the space between us until Borun stepped in front of him.

  "Stand away, Borun. I have business with this female."

  Shit. Acidic tones did mean trouble.

  Borun's growl heightened until the whole damned chamber resonated with rumbling thunder.

  "Bring your complaint to me, Prince Kruk," Borun's mother ordered.

  The man who I beat with his mask. No wonder he sounded so pissed. Did he want me to show the crowd how easy it was to beat the Hell out of a Royal Guard with his mask again?

  Kruk's black boots skirted Borun's boots. Step by step. But Borun sidestepped with each of Kruk's footsteps, blocking Kruk from catching my gaze again.

  Goro had moved to stand near Queen Ishan. Johnson too.

  Kruk claimed a spot before the Marshals and Queen, bowing slightly.

  "What is this complaint that brings you so angered into my palace?"

  "This female," Kruk pointed at Aisling, "Unmasked me. I demand compensation. I want her for my mate."

  No.

  My heart sank.

  There could be no worse catastrophe than this. Not now.

  "Nobody touches my mate." Borun's growl rattled off like the gunfire from an automated weapon. "I claim Breeder's Rights and not only refuse to allow Kruk lodging until my rightful three months with Aisling have passed, but I refuse to allow him any contact with her until any younglings from our mating have been born."

  My gut twisted.

  What did Borun just claim? Rights? Breeding? Babies? God, he's defending me. What did any of those demands matter? He could have anything he wanted as long as he kept that devious prince away.

  Kruk snarled.

  Borun didn't seem to hear Kruk's protest. "And if Kruk doesn't care for my conditions, I'll put him out of h
is misery now. He certainly deserves it after torturing me and my charge the past two days."

  Kruk whirled to the Queen. "I demand compensation any Royal Guard would require."

  Not good.

  Borun leapt, grabbing Kruk's shoulders, and hurled the warrior's enormous mass across the room at a wall decorated with weapons. "Choose the weapon you wish to end your life, Kruk."

  Kruk jumped to his feet and snarled at Borun.

  Were they going to fight? And could Borun beat anyone as tired as he must be? Kruk was almost as tall as Borun. This had to be a mistake.

  "I demand compensation," Kruk roared at the queens.

  Nobody uttered a word.

  "Choose," Borun roared, "or I'll make the choice for you."

  Kruk lunged at an object on the far wall, something with an extremely long handle hanging about four feet above his head. The weapon had a bulbous end with at least two spikes protruding from it.

  Shit. Borun just stood there. Waiting. He needed to get his ass over to find something to beat off an attack with Kruk's piece of hell on a stick.

  Kruk growled and swung the weapon in a charge.

  All Borun did was stand there.

  I'm going to die right after him. I will. In Kruk's bed.

  ?

  Chapter Seven

  Aisling could only watch as the weapon's spikes in Kruk's hands headed right for the metal circle positioned on Borun's chest. That damned harness was a bull's eye, she decided.

  Borun dropped to the floor, just in time to evade the weapon's impact, then leapt unnaturally at Kruk whose body kept turning before he could manage to stop swinging and react. Borun grabbed the weapon's handle, kicking Kruk's ribs with such force that the massive warrior flew into the male audience as Borun wrenched the weapon free of Kruk's grip.

  The crowd shifted in a blink, away from Kruk as Kruk's body came to a halt at the boots of three orange males dressed in standard Royal Guard attire.

  Nobody even gasped.