Claiming Derryn Read online

  He teased her clit with his thumb, two fingers buried in her body. He rose over her and pumped his tongue past her lips, mimicking what he planned to do into her core with his aching erection. He swallowed her cries as she tipped over the edge, her skin flushing, head falling back as she writhed under him, her climax hard and sharp.

  Damn it, he had no finesse left, no capacity to slow down or stretch this out any longer. He dragged her to the side of the bed and opened her legs wide, lifting her feet in the air. Her still-quivering pussy lips opened to his sight and he froze for a moment, unable to decide which he wanted more, to taste her or take her. A hard tingle at the base of his cock decided the issue and he lined up carefully, leaning to stare into her eyes before he buried himself with one sure stroke.

  Her cry echoed in his head like the finest music. She welcomed him, surrounded him, clutching at his shoulders. One of her legs remained trapped between them and the angle forced his cock deep. The sheer pleasure of being surrounded by something other than his hand after so long was amazing, but knowing it was Melina who held him turned off all the logical parts of his brain, leaving nothing but sensation.

  Fuck, it felt good.

  He dragged his hips back slowly, savoring every inch of slick heat rubbing his skin, stroking him as he withdrew to hover over her opening before driving back in. The visual image of slipping into her body drove him mad. The way her cream clung to his cock, the way her pussy lips swallowed him then flowered open—gorgeous. Fucking gorgeous.

  His balls grew tight and he thrust harder, the friction such a perfect combination of satiny-smooth caress and iron-hard pressure he was close to blowing up. Trev adjusted his angle, lowering Melina’s leg to the side to access her clit. She purred her approval and his attention rose back toward her face. Eyes closed, she raised her hands to cup her breasts, nipples caught between forefingers and thumbs as she rolled them in tight circles. The flush on her skin spread down her chest, droplets of sweat decorating her torso. Every time he thrust, she answered him with a raise of the hips or a tilt of her pelvis.

  And the tightness of her passage. She squeezed him so hard he saw stars at the back of his brain right before the room exploded. Melina screamed his name, her sheath convulsing around him, grasping him until he had nowhere to go. He tunneled in again, and once more before his climax took him and ripped him apart. Buried in her body, he never wanted to leave. Never wanted to let go of the addictive sensation of her clinging around him, milking the semen from him as he spurted into her depths. The heat of his release poured over the head of his cock and she whimpered as she lifted her legs tight around his hips, refusing to let him withdraw from her body.

  They clung together until the pulsing beat between them slowed, the intimate connection of belonging to each other too good to break apart. Trev’s arms trembled and he had to lower himself before he collapsed, all the strength from his body washed away, drained by her touch.

  She smoothed a hand down his cheek, her dark eyes glittering at him for a second before she pulled him close and kissed him. No longer frantic, no longer desperate but still far too needy. One whole fucking year lost. The soft caress of her lips drew his heart closer. His body sated, now his mind and soul relaxed as well.

  He rolled to the side, panting for breath. Since they last made love, he’d fantasized about her regularly, but all the daydreams in the universe couldn’t complete with the real thing. Trev lifted her nearest hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles before linking their fingers together. He rested them together on his chest where his heart still pounded a heavy beat. Sex like that would kill him, but what a way to die.

  They lay on their backs for a long time, the constant noise of the planet’s underground streams creating a relaxing backdrop for their postcoital, nearly comatose sprawl. Trev watched her, watched her slow her breathing, take back control of her body. Seeing her reclaim the persona of order and calm after sharing her passion and wildness always amazed him. He smiled. Something deep inside him was pleased to know few had seen that side of her.

  She swung herself up so she straddled his hips, her breasts still peaked with arousal. Melina’s expression was thoughtful as she studied him.

  Then she pulled back her fist and slugged him.

  Chapter Two

  Shit, that hurt. Melina shook her fingers as he howled in pain and squirmed under her. Heartfelt satisfaction rose deep inside, almost as fulfilling as their recent lovemaking. She slammed a hand on his shoulder, pinning him to the bed.

  “You asshole. What was that crap you pulled out there? Are you so used to raping women on a regular basis you have no troubles getting your jollies off in public?” Now that the first flush of desire had passed and she really, truly knew he was alive—she was going to kill him.

  “I didn’t rape you. I stopped you from getting tossed around the room like an appetizer at a party. You should be grateful.” He struggled upright until they were nose to nose, his hand rubbing the side of his jaw where she’d smacked him.

  “Grateful? Grateful?” She grabbed him by the ears and twisted.

  “Oww…”

  “Stripping me in public and shooting a load all over my goodies is not the usual way to make friends and influence people. I’m part of an official delegation—”

  Trev slapped his hands over hers to still her twisting fingers. “And you all would have been officially dead in about three seconds if I hadn’t stepped in. Come on, baby, you walked into a trap. Give me the benefit of a doubt. I saved your ass and your companions. You’re lucky you found me working undercover. What were you thinking, strolling in like it was a cocktail party on Sirius Seven?”

  Staring into his eyes, his solid body under her hips, the scent of sex floating on the air around them, she found it hard to remember what she’d been thinking. “It was supposed to be a simple trade negotiation. Then the advanced technology failed and messed up our backup. If I’d known, I would have ensured we had a defensive weapon. As it is, we barely survived the landing.”

  He lowered their hands, skimmed her shoulders, twisting his fingers in her hair. “Yeah, the planet’s got some neat tricks up her sleeve when it comes to screwing with technos. Still, there’s more to Derryn than meets the eye. So, you want to hit me again or did you get all your aggression out? We need to talk.”

  “Understatement of the century, bub. What the hell—” She stopped abruptly. He had scrambled her brains. She wasn’t even sure this room was secure, and not only had she crawled all over him and fucked his brains out, she was chatting as if they were safely on an Institute vessel. She tapped a quick message on his leg and he laughed.

  “Umm, you don’t want to hear this, but I have no idea what you just said.”

  Melina stared at him in disbelief. “You didn’t understand a word I told you back in the audience chamber, did you?” He shook his head, dark bangs falling over his eyes. He had the audacity to wink at her. The tension between her shoulders built again. Totally unbelievable. “Jerk. Ass. Arghhhhh.”

  “But I’m your jerk, admit it. You still love me, Melina?” He stroked the side of her breast and she slapped his fingers away.

  “How should I know? You’re a stranger, I don’t fall in love with strangers.” He leaned closer and nuzzled her neck. As good as his touch felt, the anger and longing inside her waged a war, and this time anger won. She climbed off him and looked around for her robe. Arrogant asshole.

  “Where you going?”

  She gave him the look. “I assume you have a plan to get me off this rock without having to share me with the other boys. I’d appreciate it if we got a move on. There’s going to be people worried when they don’t find me in the pod with the other two members of the committee.” She prided herself on keeping her emotions under control, but even she heard the fear in her voice. She grabbed her robe from the floor and clutched the fabric in her fist, clinging to one small piece of substance that remained unchanged. She held it up to see the entire front was shr
edded, the garment completely useless, and tossed it aside in disgust.

  Trev swung his legs over the side of the bed and opened a cupboard. “I do have a plan, and yes, the room is secure. Feel free to discuss our secret life out loud.” He held out a shirt and she grabbed it.

  “I assumed you would have found a way to alert me by now if it wasn’t safe, even if you had to spell it out. Do you remember any of the passcodes from our training days?”

  “Enough to warn you in the hall.”

  “Gee, maybe you should have memorized ‘get ready for me to fuck you in public’. We’ll have to mention that to the instructors the next time we visit the Institute.”

  “Be reasonable, Melina.”

  “You went into the bathroom for a drink of water then vanished for twelve months. Now I find you leading a group of rebels and I’m supposed to be reasonable?” Shit, she hadn’t said that. She stepped away from him but he was too quick, grasping her arm and locking her in position.

  “That’s what this is about, isn’t it? You don’t really care if I jerked off in front of a group of cutthroats and painted you with my jism. Hell, you always were a bit of an exhibitionist. This is about not knowing where I’ve been for the past year.”

  Her throat closed and she fought for control. She was not going to cry. She was not…

  The dam burst. Unbearable pain shot through her as she relived the fear, the uncertainty of the days following Trev’s disappearance. His arms surrounded her as she sobbed like a baby, pounding her fist against his shoulder. He caught her hands in his and soothed her, patting her hair, pulling her close to his chest. Melina cried her eyes out, releasing all the pent-up tears she’d stored away when she didn’t know if he was dead or alive, didn’t understand why he’d left. He’d been all she had left after Davis had shipped out and broken apart their team of three.

  By the time she’d spent all her sorrow, hiccups racked her frame. Each breath shuddered out with a gasp, and still he comforted her. Trev swept her into his arms and she buried her face against him, clinging to his neck. The sound of dripping increased, the steam on her skin growing warmer. Splashing ensued, and then the velvet touch of water slightly above body temperature covered her body.

  Cradled in his arms, finally back where she’d longed to be, she was tempted to close her eyes and simply forget the world of trouble around them. A soft chirp by her ear enticed her away from hiding, from continuing to ignore the reality saying it was time to move on. Melina lifted her head to stare into swirling blue eyes.

  The sharysa sat on the edge of the bathing pool, its head tilting from side to side.

  “She’s worried about you.” Trev adjusted them so Melina sat straddling his hips, submersed to their necks. “She wonders why you cry when you’re with your mate.”

  Melina drew another shaky breath. A mate? “You can talk with them?”

  “This one is more articulate than the others. She seems to like me. Usually all I get is a blurry message, but with her it’s clearer. Piata thinks you should be happy since we’re together.”

  The name he gave the petite creature made Melina smile. Only Trev would name a one-foot-tall furry rodent after one of the mammoth beasts of Tarn.

  “Are we together again?” Her heart ached, longing for him to acknowledge what they’d shared.

  Trev scooped a handful of water and washed her tear-covered face. “We’ve never been apart, Melina, at least not in my heart. I still love you.”

  The tightness eased, and she kissed him. Their lips and tongues meshed as their hands clasped beneath the waters. Happy chirps and clicking brought a laugh from them both as they glanced at the little beast who now nodded in approval.

  Trev bowed his head graciously. “I agree, Piata, my partner looks very good in my arms. She belongs there.”

  He turned his gaze back on Melina, the comforting passion-filled look hardening and becoming more focused. His battle face. “You ready to hit the road? We’ve got a ship to catch.”

  ———

  He led her down a narrow corridor, scarcely aware of the unusual number of sharysa dodging their feet as they raced downward.

  “The window of opportunity is small, but if we hit it just right, we’ll be off planet within the hour. I began preparing for transport a few days before your trade delegation arrived.” Melina matched his strides, but he knew she was itching to ask questions. There was no time now, he’d indulge her propensity for details when they had the luxury of a large room with plenty of pillows and…

  Keeping his mind on track was going to be a test with her around again. The intense connection between them hadn’t faded a bit. He chuckled as he paused to help her maneuver around a chasm in the floor. His parents may have thought an arranged marriage would kill his adventurous streak, but they hadn’t done their homework nearly well enough. Melina was perfect for him. Smart, feisty and sexually explosive. He wouldn’t have accepted a partner less than her caliber in the bedroom or out of it. Still, there were a few potential problems. Like explaining where he’d been for the past year, and why he hadn’t contacted her.

  Actually, that might be the easy part. She was going to die when she found out who he worked with now.

  The passageway took a sharp corner and they paused to catch their breaths. Trev kept his face blank but counted silently. By the count of five the questions began.

  “They use crystals for a light source? Are the Derrians insane? Each of the lanterns we passed is worth a mint on the universal market. And why is it getting colder instead of hotter? We’ve been descending steadily for the past hour and—”

  He planted his mouth on top of hers to silence her. Melina hesitated at first then leaned into him, responding with her usual warmth and vigor until they were both panting. Trev grinned at her. Oh yeah, it was so good to be back together again. There was only one thing lacking to make it absolutely perfect.

  “The lights—they use what’s plentiful. On Derryn, charged crystals are as common as whores at a space dock. The temperature—we’re headed west beneath an ancient volcano. There’s asteroid debris down there that gives off a variation of fluorocarbon and cools the whole area. It’s one of the rare sections of the planet where I’ve found hi-tech works temporarily, so we can launch the shuttle to reach my ship.”

  “What ship?”

  A low growl cut her off and Trev offered a prayer of thanks. No way did he want to mention they were headed for the Nottingham. He’d wait until she was safely stuck onboard to explain she was about to board one of the few ships featured on Wanted posters in every port, on every planet, in the galaxy.

  A narrow ledge ran the length of wall before them and it teemed with furry bodies. The sharysa were out in full force.

  “Holy hell, that’s the biggest beastie I’ve seen yet.” Melina reached to brush the fur of a pitch-black creature as thick around as his thigh.

  “Melina, be careful.” Crap, she was going to lose a finger at the least.

  “I saw you pet Piata.” Her fascination with all things wild had always amused him and annoyed the crap out of Davis. She should have become a xenobiologist with the way she attracted alien life forms.

  “These are wild ones. I’ve seen them slice a man’s arm so deep he lost it.”

  She ignored him, leaning closer. “He likes me, don’t you, beautiful?” They were nose to nose and Trev held his breath, hoping for the best.

  “Trev?” She sounded distracted as she buried her fingers in the thick fur of the creature.

  “Yeah, baby, um, could you step back, please? I kinda like your eyes in your face.”

  “When Piata talks to you, does she ever show you symbols that look like coordinates?” The black sharysa nudged its nose against Melina’s forehead then stepped off the ledge onto her shoulder. An excited roar rose from the pack, the rest of the sharysa dancing in place before disappearing like ghosts into the shadows.

  “That was bizarre.” Trev grabbed Melina’s hand to lead her away,
and the creature growled at him from its perch on her shoulder, its thin fingers tangled in her hair as it sniffed suspiciously in Trev’s direction.

  “No, Jem, he’s my friend. Leave him alone.”

  Trev back off slightly. “He’s got a name already? You still picking up strays on every one of your assignments, baby?”

  She blushed. “I try not to. He says he’s coming with us. At least, I think that’s what he said.”

  Damn, some things never changed. He remembered their quarters at the Institute being crowded with homeless waifs rescued from shuttles. “Who am I to argue with a furry bundle of teeth and claws?”

  The familiar brushing of the sharysa from his quarters against his feet was followed a loud purr. “Do we have every one of the creatures on the planet following us now?” Trev reached down and grabbed Piata, settling her on his left side. The black beast on Melina’s shoulder chirped and the two animals wrapped around each other for a moment. “I don’t believe it. We’ve got a menagerie hitching a lift with us. Can we go now?”

  “How are we getting off planet? Engines fail when you hit the atmosphere.” Melina stroked her sharysa as they walked, the furry beast purring softly with its nose buried in her hair. Trev was suddenly jealous. He wanted to be the one immersed in her scent, clinging to her softness. Soon, he promised himself. When they docked. He was sure Davis would have an idea or two about greeting Melina properly once aboard the vessel as well.

  “Not true. Crystals work fine. It’s all the guidance systems on ships that fail. You landed the Mari 14, didn’t you? I’m assuming it was you who stick-handled her down when she lost power?”