“Tell our parents not to worry. I’ll be home as soon as I can.” With the push of a button, Nojan disconnected the call.
“Was that your brother?” Mayra asked from behind him.
“Yep.” Nojan didn’t bother to turn around. He got busy updating the shielding software. He’d been working on the simulations for the cloaking program before Marek left to sow his princely oats, but it hadn’t been quite ready then. Just last week, he’d finished debugging it, and his last six simulations had all shown it successful.
“Did he just say the cops are after us? And someone named Krang?”
“Kange. Evar Kange. He’s the one we should look out for and not the cops.” A few more entries and Nojan started the software running. The ship’s power fluctuated, lights dimming then almost bursting from brightness. A loud pop at the console, a small shower of sparks, and then a not-unpleasant hum started the systems running.
“There,” Nojan said, crossing his arms over his chest and smiling broadly. “It works.”
Mayra’s eyes were wide with doubt as she stared at him. “How can you tell?”
“Well, I can’t. Not exactly.” His grin started to fade. “The software is running, and it’s been successfully integrated into the shield matrix. However, I won’t be able to confirm its effectiveness until we know that someone is tracking us but not able to find us.”
“So we won’t know that it works until it works?” Mayra rolled her big blue eyes. “More like we won’t know that it’s failed until it fails.”
Nojan leaned forward, grabbed her by the hips, and pulled her onto his lap. “Have a little faith in my abilities,” he said while nuzzling her neck. “I got us off Vanfia safely.”
“And I still don’t quite understand how you did that,” she countered. “How did you convince the king to give me to you? And how were we allowed to launch? I heard the guards talking about locking down your ship.”
Nojan leaned back, his hands moving to brush her hair back from her forehead. It was like they had a mind of their own, unable to think of anything but touching and stroking her.
He wondered if he should reveal the full extent of his powers. Right now, she only knew about the healing abilities of his blood. If he told her he could read minds and about his powers of persuasion, she could think he might use it against her.
Or worse, she might realize it if—or when—he used them on her.
“I bribed the king,” he said, shrugging as if it were a matter of course. “He can’t say no to fine silks. And as for the guards, I bribed them as well. A few gems placed in the right palms can get you out of any scrape.”
Mayra’s eyes narrowed. “The king was furious. I doubt he could be so easily bought off by silks. And the guards planned to take all your gems, not just the ones you were willing to give. So I don’t see how—”
“Shh,” he whispered, covering her mouth with his hand. “It doesn’t matter how it happened. Just trust that I can protect you, beautiful.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he kept his hand in place. “And before you tell me that you’re not beautiful, I’m going to insist that you are. Now, we’ve got,” he turned around to look at the console, “one hour and twenty-three minutes before we reach Territh’s lunar colonies. I suggest we spend that time getting to know each other a little better.”
Slowly, he removed his hand from her mouth. He was expecting her to protest, but instead, she sat looking at him, the faintest trembling in her bottom lip. “Don’t be afraid, gorgeous. I would never hurt you.”
He stroked her hair gently as if soothing an animal to prevent it from bolting. Nojan saw her breathing become heavy and he took it as an invitation. Leaning in deliberately, he watched for any sign of distress. At last, he reached her lips and kissed her with a gentle pressure.
Nojan focused on a subtle seduction, even though it was all he could do not to rip both of their clothes off and carry her to bed to plunge inside her with everything he had. But he understood that they were still almost strangers. Yes, she had so willingly submitted earlier, but he wasn’t sure how much of that was due to his powers. For now, he would take it slow and gentle, to get her used to his touch.
Her stunning eyes grew heavy and finally slid closed, a small sweet sigh escaping her lips. Nojan responded to her instantly, his erection already verging on painful. He pressed his tongue between her pillow lips and began teasing her with little playful licks that soon had her panting.
One hand gripped the back of her head, his fingers buried in her luscious curls, while the other made its way to her breasts. He caught her gaze, wanting to be certain she welcomed his caresses. What he saw there was unexpected.
Mayra was staring steadily at him, her blue eyes like deep pools he could lose himself in if he wasn’t careful. Her skin was flushed, her breathing quickened. His hand hovered over her heart, feeling the steady beat against his palm.
It was as if she were willing to allow him his explorations but in a detached way. Like she was outside her body, watching the seduction happening. Earlier, she’d responded, had melted beneath him in the small bed in such a way that he’d known he could have her. He’d wanted to take her then, but his exhaustion had weighed heavily, and he hadn’t wanted her first time to be anything less than superb.
Now she was holding still for his touch but was holding herself back. Just what was going on in that pretty little head of hers? Maybe it was time to find out.
