“A kiss is far more intimate than anything you'll ask of me,” I said. “At least, to me it is.”
Braxis stiffened and backed away but stared at me with something that looked a lot like respect. “So it is. But you are so beautiful here, among all this life, with your eyes shining like precious jewels. I couldn't resist.”
I let out my breath and started to relax.
But then Braxis suddenly yanked me against his chest. I made a surprised yip. His hand sank into my hair and clenched into a fist to hold me tightly as his face lowered to mine. My breath caught as his free hand went to my waist and then slid upward until it was stopped by the curve of my breast. I didn't speak, just stared at him, willing him to not break his word.
“If you're going to deny me a kiss, then I'll take what I bargained for,” Braxis rumbled.
“What are you taking exactly?” I demanded.
“I'm going to touch you, pretty pixie,” he whispered in my ear.
“You said no sex,” I reminded him. “Touching me last night nearly broke your control.”
“That was an accident. I was... unprepared for the way you affected me. But I now know how far I can go without losing control. It's either this or a kiss. Choose.”
“I'm not kissing you,” I bit out furiously.
Braxis chuckled but it was low and soft and fluttered his breath against my throat. His lips quickly followed his breath, brushing along the column of my neck and down to my collarbone. I shivered and my fingers clawed into his tunic automatically. My neck is an erogenous zone for me, made even more sensitive by Malik's mark, and as much as I tried to remember that this man was my enemy, I couldn't help but feel pleasure from his touch. Braxis growled and pulled me closer. His hand released my hair to slide down my back and grab my ass. He pulled me forward against his erection.
“Braxis, don't—”
“Be still, little one, and I won't hurt you,” his voice was part threat and part promise.
My breath caught. I couldn't decide whether to sneer at him or whimper.
Braxis' tongue flicked out and tasted my skin. His hips pumped forward, grinding his thick shaft against my thigh. Things tightened low in my belly and I cried out in denial.No! I wouldn't desire this man. I tried to push down the pleasure that rose at his touch. But then Braxis made a purring sound of delight and opened his mouth to suck in my skin. His fangs grazed me but didn't pierce. I moaned and angled my head away. Braxis kissed a path up my neck to lick the curve of my ear.
“Amara,” he whispered, “I want you. I want to bury my face between your thighs and taste your nectar. I want to suck at your little bud until you scream for me.”
I clenched my teeth and strangled back the sounds that tried to emerge.
“I want to take your silky thigh between my teeth and bite deep. I want your blood in my mouth as I delve my fingers into your wet core. And when you lay quivering from the pleasure of my bite and my touch, I would sink my cock into you.” He paused to pant heavily against my throat. “I want so badly to feel your slick heat gripping me. To slam into your body until I fill you with my seed. Oh, fuck, Amara, please, touch me.”
Braxis grabbed my hand and eased back so he could lower it to his erection. He didn't press me any further, just released me there, inches away from his shaft. Then he went back to kissing me, pressing his lips down my throat and across my collarbone. My hand shifted forward and brushed him. It was just the tiniest of touches but Braxis cried out as if I'd taken him in hand. I jerked back, knocking into plants as I broke free of him. Pots crashed to the floor in a thunderous cacophony and I bolted like a startled mare, straight out the door.
I ran through the rec room, Braxis' warriors calling disgusting taunts after me and laughing as I fled. Braxis emerged behind me—I knew it because his men started shouting encouragement to him. But I didn't look back. I kept running until I was completely and hopelessly lost.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Of all people, it was Granelt who found me.
I had slowed to a cautious walk and was trying to find my way to the docking bay. This was the very opportunity I was hoping for. Even if it wasn't possible for me to steal a cruiser immediately, I would at least know where the cruisers were and could form a plan for later that night. But then I turned a corner and there he was—Granelt, the man who had verbally attacked me. And lost. In front of his fellow warriors. I saw the gleeful look in his eyes and immediately spun around and started to run, but his legs were longer than mine and he caught me in seconds.
Granelt shoved me against a wall and used his body to pin me in place. “Are you running from my chief, Queen Whore? That's a very foolish thing to do. First of all, there's nowhere for you to run, and second, there are men like me aboard this ship—men who would make use of such an opportunity as finding you alone.”
I couldn't believe I was going to use this as a defense but I started to say, “Braxis will—”
“Braxis is not here,” Granelt hissed, cutting me off. He was about Malik's size, nearly as large as Braxis, and his body formed a cage around mine as solid as steel bars. He pressed his erection into my belly and grinned viciously. “I think it's time I find out why our chief is so obsessed with you.”
He started to pull up my skirts and I started to fight. I thrashed like a wild thing and tried to claw him but he only grabbed my wrists and held them in one hand above my head as he laughed cruelly. My skirts were soon around my waist but then Granelt realized that he had a problem. How would he get me naked and spread out for the taking? Having sex while standing against a wall isn't easy; the woman has to angle her hips just so and the man needs to support her and help with that. And I wasn't about to help that bastard.
Granelt growled and brought me down to the cold floor with him. He pushed my thighs apart with his knees, pressed my restrained hands against the floor, and grabbed my breast savagely. I cried out and he just laughed again—a low triumphant chuckle. My body went cold and my mind went calculating.
“All right,” I cried in mock surrender. “I'll have sex with you, just don't hurt me.”
Granelt made a growling sound as he released my wrists. “I knew you were a slut. You're just panting for Bleiten cock, aren't you?” He lifted his tunic and undid his pants. His shaft sprung free—rather unimpressively. “Go on then, lead me in, Queen Whore. Show me what you can do. Perhaps you'll even be able to give me pleasure.”
