“I love you too,” she managed to gasp and then he thrust up hard inside her, almost as if he was reaching for her heart, and she felt the head of his cock pressing hard against the mouth of her womb. She gasped and stiffened against him as he swelled even thicker within her. Then something hot and wet spurted against the end of her channel, making her moan again.
“Stav!” she gasped as he continued to bathe her pussy with his seed. God, he felt so good inside her…so right. And as he came inside her, she felt his pleasure at the way her inner walls spasmed around him, almost milking the cum from him, as well as her own pleasure at the feel of him coming so deep inside her.
“Stav,” she moaned again. “Stavros! God…love you so much!”
“I love you too, Falinda,” he murmured, finally withdrawing his fangs. “Love you forever.”
Charlie felt her heart overflowing and for a moment she thought she might actually cry she was so overwhelmed. She looked deep into her man’s eyes and opened her mouth to tell him it was forever because she was never leaving…
And then the world grayed out and Stav’s indigo eyes disappeared. Instead, she was seeing something completely different.
After a moment, she realized it was the interior of a little spaceship—much like the Kindred shuttles they used to ferry people back and forth between the Mother Ship and Earth. And in the shuttle, was a tall, black haired man with piercing silver-blue eyes. He was holding a girl with creamy brown skin to his bare chest and rocking her gently.
He was saying something but Charlie couldn’t quite hear the words. What was going on? How was she seeing this?
But just as she thought to ask those questions, the scene changed and she saw Two speaking to what looked like a living pile of mud.
“Alas, they have escaped my liege,” Two was saying, his steel teeth flashing as he spoke. “But never fear, I will bring them back. And when I am done, they will beg for the merciful death of the passion berries. But no, I have a different fate in store for our lovely couple. A fate so much worse than death…”
He threw back his head and laughed—at least Charlie thought it was laughing. A strange, unearthly howling noise issued from his skinny throat, sending chills down her spine.
“They deserve no less,” the mud creature said in a thick, clotted voice. “Your reward will be great if you accomplish this, Two.”
“How great?” Two’s eye gleamed with greed but somehow Charlie didn’t think he was greedy for money.
“I have been dishonored in my own lair,” the mud creature said. “You shall have whatever you wish.”
“Then you will See for me?” It was clear by the way he spoke the word that it had some great significance.
The mud creature frowned, making it look like his face was melting off.
“That is a very great request. As you know, my people can only See three times in their lifetime and then the gift is gone. I have lived a long life and have already Seen twice. I had thought to use my last Seeing to find the manner and time of my own death, so that I could circumvent it as others of my kind do.”
“Ah, so you do not wish me to go after the two of them after all.” Two shrugged his narrow, bony shoulders and sighed deeply. “I understand, my liege.”
“I did not say that.” The mud creature shifted slowly in its chair, making it obvious to Charlie why he couldn’t go after the girl and the dark haired man himself. Clearly he was slow as molasses in January, as her Mama used to say. There was no way he’d be able to get himself going in time to catch anyone if it came to a chase.
Two, on the other hand, with his skinny physique and stringy muscles looked like he could really move. And she knew from awful experience how strong he was—he’d dangled her by the ankle over a bottomless pit and almost dropped her to her death. He was definitely the man for the job if you wanted to catch someone, she decided.
“Well?” Two asked, looking down at the mud creature. “Will you agree to my terms?”
“I must consider.” The mud creature frowned. “They are probably long gone, even as we speak. How can you find them? And even if you do, how will you approach them without them knowing? Your appearance is…singular, even for one of your kind.”
“If you’re referring to my striking good looks, I must thank you for the compliment.” Two performed an elaborate bow. “But as to tracking them, finding people who want to stay hidden and knowing information that is supposed to be secret is something of a specialty of mine.”
“They why do you wish me to See for you?” the mud creature asked.
“Because some things are beyond even my ability to discern,” Two admitted. “Not this, however. I know exactly where the two miscreants you wish to have punished are and I have a way to get right next to them—to even touch them—without them having any idea about it.”
“That sounds…mysterious.”
“Mysterious but very effective. I can punish these two for you in any way you see fit. If you will do the Seeing.”
“I must consider. Leave me for now.”
“As you command, my liege.” Two bowed obsequiously and backed out of the room. But look at his face, Charlie thought. He’s like the cat that got the cream. He knows Mr. Muddy-britches will come around. All he has to do is wait.
“I just wonder what he wants the Lud’om to See for him,” Stav’s mental voice murmured in her ear.
Charlie blinked and suddenly she was back again in Stavros’s arms on the side of the bed.
“What happened?” she asked, looking at him wide-eyed. “So you saw all that too?”
“I did.” Stav looked grim. “And so did you, apparently. The only question is how?”
Chapter Ten
“I’m cold. So c-cold.” Trin shivered helplessly and Thrace held her close, rubbing his hands over her back to try and get her warm.
She’d been shivering ever since she woke up, an hour after he’d gotten them aboard the small life pod. Even the thermal blanket he’d found in the emergency stores and wrapped around her seemed to do no good—probably because the damn passion berries demanded physical contact to counteract their effects. So he was holding her, trying to warm her with his own body heat though he wasn’t sure she’d like it. It wasn’t like she had much choice, though—it was be held by him or shake herself apart. Thrace thought she’d prefer the former to the latter—he hoped anyway.
At least she was all right. For awhile there, after he’d gotten the pod a safe distance from the Demon’s Eye, he’d been afraid she wouldn’t wake up at all. She’d been so still—barely breathing—and her cheek had been icy when he’d touched her. That was when Thrace had gathered her into his arms and held her close to his bare chest, trying to warm her and wake her.
But for a long time she wouldn’t wake. As he stared at her still face, he’d wondered what he would do if she slipped away. Not that he should care about her—not after the way she’d chained him up and treated him like a Gods-damned pet. But he did care—there was something about her. Something he didn’t want to lose. What, though?
Nothing, he told himself uneasily. I still owe her a debt which I must repay. It would darken my honor if she died before I could make it right. That’s why I don’t want her to die—only that and nothing more. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to let her go and he’d been filled with relief when she finally opened her eyes.
“Why am I s-so c-cold?” she whispered, looking up at him.
“That’s just the effects of the passion berry wine you drank,” Thrace said grimly, brushing a lock of her long black hair out of her face. “You’re lucky you’re not dead.” Then, as relief gave way to anger he demanded, “What in the Seven Hells were you thinking, going into that place alone?”
Trin frowned and wrapped her arms around herself.