Striker Read online

  "Gods, your scent is driving me mad." Dargon ground his groin into Zeus’s ass. "I am going to get into trouble."

  "For what?" Dargon attempted to work the fastenings of Zeus’s jacket with his free hand. He needed to touch skin, needed to be closer. Alpha purred and Zeus shivered.

  "For this." Zeus turned in Dargon's arms and pushed up on his toes to capture Dargon's lips in a sensual kiss, with soft, pliant lips pressing against his.

  Deft hands ran up Dargon's chest under his tunic. Alpha rubbed against him as he whispered to Zeus. Dargon broke away from the kiss and glanced down to see Zeus tenderly caress Alpha before he feathered kisses over Alpha. Dargon allowed Zeus to push off his tunic. He tackled Zeus’s jacket fastenings with both hands, the results much quicker than his one-handed attempt. The heavy uniform jacket hit the floor with a soft thud, revealing a pristine, spyder silk undershirt stretched across Zeus’s broad shoulders, the color matching Zeus’s eyes. Dargon struggled to control himself, his sex fully extended, aching for his lover's touch.

  "If you do not stop, I will take you right here." Dargon was not sure Zeus would hear his warning over the growl that accompanied it.

  Zeus took a slow step back, then another. Dargon leaned back against the table, gripping the edge to keep from giving chase. Another time and place, he would have given into the urge to have a good run and pursue Zeus. At the door, Zeus entered a code and the panel backlight went from green to red. His double hearts skip-scotched when Zeus turned and slipped his undershirt over his head.

  "That was the idea."

  Dargon pushed off the table and prowled toward Zeus. A mischievous light sparkled in Zeus’s eyes as he casually moved around the table. Dargon stopped and sniffed the air, basking in the scents of clean sweat, of clouds and fresh rain, and of male arousal. Dargon's eyes were riveted on Zeus’s hands as Zeus walked backwards, unbuckling his belt and removing his dagger, throwing them on a nearby chair. He loved how the hyde pants hugged Zeus’s legs.

  "I think you have too many clothes on." Zeus purred in an exact imitation of Dargon, spurring him into action.

  "Oh, he does that well. What other noises can we ring from him?"

  "I assure you that can be quickly remedied." He unbuckled his skirt, the weight of the garment falling heavily to the floor.

  Dargon stepped out of the circle of hyde, his erection bobbing proudly. For a split second, he considered removing his boots, but a long line of buckles from the knee to the ankle convinced him the effort would take time he wished not to spend working free of them.

  Stalking Zeus around the table separating them, Dargon watched as Zeus slowly unfastened his pants, revealing the line of dark hair from his belly button that disappeared below the material. He loved the wickedly sexy expression on Zeus’s face and the smirk lifting one corner of his mouth.

  For every step forward, Zeus stepped back, the tease! "Tell me, Dar Massaga, do you practice catch and release when you hunt your prey?" With the table still between them, Zeus stopped to unlatch and toe off his boots.

  Unable to resist the thought of his lover caught by his hyde pants, Dargon snarled and leapt onto the table surface, using it to pounce on Zeus. They rolled to a stop with Dargon on top, rising to hover over Zeus. "There is only one prey whom we will keep to ourselves."

  He sucked in a breath at Zeus’s laugh. None other in the universe was as lucky as him to have such a male for his Marked.

  Zeus’s silvery-white eyes rounded in mock horror. "You have to catch the prey first."

  In a move too quick for the naked eye, Zeus slithered out from the cage of Dargon's arms. He growled and chased Zeus around the conference table. What he would not give to have a jungle to pursue Zeus in. But for now, they would make do with a stateroom on The Gorgon. Peals of laughter filled the air when Dargon finally caught Zeus. He had a feeling his lover allowed himself to be caught, but he cared not. Zeus kissed him as if he would drink Dargon in.

  He trapped Zeus to his chest, hands sliding over the muscular back. His claws grazed down Zeus’s spine, causing him to gasp and throw his head back as his skin prickled. Dargon fit one hand down the back of Zeus’s pants and grasped a round globe, pulling Zeus’s groin against his own, while the other hand supported the rest of Zeus’s weight between his shoulder blades as he bent his lover backwards, lapping at the column of Zeus’s throat, nibbling the collarbone.

  Zeus clutched Dargon's shoulders, moaning long and loud. A hyde-encased leg wrapped around Dargon's naked hip. He needed Zeus on a flat surface so he could map the contours of his lover for the thousandth time with his hands. He spied the table behind Zeus. Perfect.

  Pulling away, Zeus whimpered softly before he hopped to wrap his legs around Dargon's waist. Relishing the embrace, he held Zeus snuggly and captured his soft mouth again, swallowing Zeus’s panted moans. He stood like that, not wanting the kiss to stop or for Zeus to move away—ever. But his legs began to tremble from the unaccustomed weight. He reluctantly moved to lay Zeus on the table. The arms around his neck tightened, easily convincing him to bend down over his prey. Zeus arched up into him, rubbing his trapped erection into Dargon's abdomen.

  Gasping for breath, he pulled away from the kiss. "Now you are the one who has on too many clothes."

  "Hurry, Dargon, I need to feel you."

  Fingers hooked on the waistband of Zeus’s tight pants, he pulled them down over Zeus’s lean hips. He stepped back reluctantly to remove them completely. Zeus release a sigh once freed of the constricting hyde. Dargon took a moment to appreciate the sight laid out before him. Zeus lay on the black lacquered tabletop, his hair blending into the surface. His alabaster skin seemed to glow against the dark veneer, and silvery eyes watched him with undisguised hunger as he traced his fingertips from ankle to knee. Zeus splayed his legs, temping Dargon, saying without words what he wanted.

  Zeus’s intense gaze followed Dargon's hands as they slid up muscular thighs, fingers tracing old, silvery scars. Alpha purred again and Dargon watched Zeus arch off the table top, head thrown back at the sound. Alpha's effect on Zeus was undeniable. When Dargon hooked his thumbs under Zeus’s heavy sack, pushing up and rubbing over the orbs, Zeus added breathy moans to the writhing instigated by Alpha's whispers.

  Running a palm over his shaft, Dargon gathered the oil his body secreted. Using the flat of his tongue, he licked the tender crevice between Zeus’s thigh and groin, causing the skin to form gooseflesh as he kissed and nibbled his way up the taunt abdomen. Dargon prepared Zeus carefully. He would not force his way in, but the desire bouncing between the three of them, the need for each other, rose to a frenzy.

  "Now, Dargon. Now." Zeus lifted up on his heels to push back against Dargon's fingers, only to cry out when Alpha slipped down and wrapped around Zeus’s erection.

  Taking Alpha's action as a hint, Dargon hooked Zeus’s knees over his elbows as the tip of his sex slid into Zeus’s body. A strong hand wrapped around the back of his neck, drawing him down for a kiss. The hunger now too strong to be restrained, there was nothing languid or sweet in the way he ravaged Zeus’s mouth. Zeus gave back as good as he got. He released Zeus’s legs to slide his arms between Zeus and the hard surface. Fingertips dug hard into Dargon's ass, silently urging him on.

  He snarled into Zeus’s mouth, energy zipping down his spine, heralding the oncoming orgasm. He wanted Zeus and Alpha to come first. He tilted his hips, looking for the one spot that made Zeus sing and knew he found it when Zeus tore his mouth away from Dargon's and hissed. In a quick move, Zeus nipped the meaty part of Dargon's shoulder near his collarbone then licked and sucked, moaning loud against Dargon's skin.

  The orgasm he had been staving off tore through him, startling a roar out of him with Zeus’s yell coming after his. For long minutes, he buried his head in the nape of Zeus’s neck, the both of them breathing in great, bellowing breaths. Zeus’s legs stayed wrapped around his hips, holding him in place. He had no intention of going anywhere soon.

&nb
sp; A warm chuckle brushed against his ear. "The two of you are going to be the death of me. I swear every time is better, more somehow."

  "It is the circle of the Trine." Dargon rose to his elbows as Alpha moved up his chest to his place at Dargon's collarbone. "We feed off each other. Fear, anger, joy, desire. They are all much more powerful with our link. We will have to learn to temper ourselves so that we are not overwhelmed, possibly endangering ourselves and others in non-secure environments."

  Dargon understood Alpha's concern but—"We have not had such problems before."

  "You and I have been together for years and have had time to adjust to what we sense in each other. By the time we left Hedisa, we had achieved a balance. Zeus brings out strong emotions in both of us and in adding him to our bond, everything we feel is heightened. Until he settles, we will have to teach him how to temper what he senses."

  Zeus’s frown deepened. "So we are empathic? I … is it my … I am sorry."

  "No, this is not your fault and no, technically we are not empathic. The psi-healer, Madux, he is an empath. He senses what everyone is feeling at once, all the time. On the other hand, we are keyed only to each other. The affinity we feel does not go beyond our circle. There is always a transition period when entering an Alpha Trine."

  Wanting to wipe the concern from his expression, Dargon nuzzled Zeus’s cheek affectionately.

  "We will encounter tense situations, Dargon. I cannot protect you if I am emotionally compromised."

  Dargon chuckled as Zeus began to harden again. "We have time to balance out. But first, before we give in to our desires again, we need to return to our quarters."

  Despite his attempt at distraction, he read the concern in Zeus’s expression even as his lover grinned back at him.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The detour to Qestaire ate up five standard days. Evading the psi-tracker had taken more time than originally anticipated. Zeus spent his time evaluating the Oethra 7 and making what improvements he could. He enhanced the shields and added more power to the vertical thrust. Being a Tradeline 3.2 modified long-range scout ship, it was altered to pass as a merchant vessel, if enough power was available, and the vertical thrust would allow the Oethra 7 to land upright in gravitational environments.

  With permission from Azaes, he and Otho salvaged parts from The Gorgon's supply of extra shuttles taken from the failed boarding party. Otho's small size and agility was particularly useful, as it allowed him to squeeze into spaces Zeus could not reach. The activity took Zeus’s mind off of the impending visit to Qestaire. He had reluctantly agreed to Dargon's and Alpha's presence within the landing party. With the added complication of heightened emotions, he quickly learned to filter and stamp down on his trepidation and worry over their welfare. The negotiations had to go well. He needed to convince the Feteine to ally with them before they entered Valespian space. He could not bumble the meeting because he felt snarly.

  As Zeus lay under the exhaust tube installing a new panel, Otho crouched near his feet ready to hand over any tool he requested. At twelve summers old, Otho was a little over middle-aged for a L'Eema. Zeus could see Otho's legs, the short, black fur exposed below the knee-length breeches. The prehensile tail curled around Otho's left ankle.

  "What will you do once the mission is over?" Zeus asked to break the silence.

  "I have been experimenting, creating different types of explosives and incineration devices."

  He paused, clippers hovering over the wire he wanted to slice. Everyone knew L'Eemas who reached the age of twenty years had an overwhelming urge to destroy themselves in the most spectacular way possible. Many made the journey back to their homeworld to hurl themselves into their solar system's sun. Those who could not make the journey in time blew themselves up; at times innocent bystanders became caught in the blast.

  "Otho …" What did he say?

  Otho began to laugh, the noise see-sawing out of him. "Prince Zeus, we L'Eemas do not destroy ourselves haphazardly. No others have more expertise than we do when it comes to the creation and handling of such devices. Even though the prospect of such a grandiose sendoff into the next life sounds divine, I am not suffering from the need to make such a gesture. Accidental death in such a way is not honorable."

  Zeus breathed out a small sigh of relief. "Is there a reason you already experiment with explosives?"

  "If the Bespoken cannot be found, the grid will fall, and the V'Saar will invade. We must find ways to defeat them, and beat them back. The beauty of the explosion is one way to fight them."

  "I hope it does not come to that, although I am sure your explosions are fantastic."

  "Oh, they will be better than fantastic. L'Eemas of age will be clamoring to try out one of my packets. It is rare to have a chance to extinguish ourselves in such a different way. Not that being swallowed by a star is not the ultimate demise, but to be able to gain extra honor in the defense of an unstoppable invasion, especially when survival is a calculated one percent if the barrier falls and the V'Saar invade."

  "As much as I am sure the extra honor of such a death would be good for your people, I would rather save ninety-nine percent of the population, instead."

  Otho gave a hefty sigh and Zeus could see his dark toes curl. "I know, but the explosions would be pretty, too."

  He paused again. How did one politely inquire about another's sanity when he had already been reassured Otho did not suffer from his race's mania—yet?

  Abruptly, Otho began to hee-haw in laughter. Zeus watched as Otho fell to the floor, clutching his belly. Large violet eyes gazed at Zeus, eyelids fluttered with excess mirth. For such a cute little one, Zeus secretly abhorred the sound of Otho's laughter. The off-key tone hurt his ears. He covered them, rubbing slightly to relieve the ringing.

  "Sorry." Chirps broke up the screech of Otho's laugh. "You have been tense the last several days, and I could not help but to joke with you."

  Zeus teetered between exasperation and humor. Otho was correct. He over analyzed every move they needed to make, fixated on his worry that he would be unable to protect his brothers, Dargon and Alpha, his family, or the Fal'Amoric.

  He could not withhold his laughter, Otho might have a strange sense of humor, but at this point, the release felt good. Making love at the end of the day assisted in easing the tension. He found it increasingly harder to stay in a positive frame of mind the closer they came to their destination.

  Zeus met Otho's purple gaze. "Thank you. I needed that." A thought occurred to Zeus and he asked before he could call the words back. "Are there any L'Eema who do not end their lives at twenty?"

  Otho's nose wrinkled in disdain. "Not many. There is no honor in resisting what comes naturally to us. It is part of who and what we are. We go willingly into the next life. Those who refuse to follow instinct, or the ones who are wired wrong and do not feel the urge, are doomed to be born as a L'Eema again. They spend the rest of their lives living in dishonor. Dead to their family, unable to return home, and ignored by those of us who cross them in our travels, they become nothing. They are ghosts."

  "How do you know they have denied their urges?"

  "Their eyes change to a deep maroon. The longer they resist, the more unstable they become, or so I have heard. I have never actually met one of the broken ones, but all L'Eemas learn of them. Many believe even knowledge of them will tarnish by the association."

  Zeus, distracted by the odd idea, tightened the screws holding the new panel in place. He gathered his tools, scooting out from under the exhaust system. "I do not recall hearing of any mishaps caused by an over-aged L'Eema."

  Otho's face scrunched in thought. "I know of no specific case either, just the academy's teachings."

  Before Zeus could inquire further, the Orion, Rhee, appeared in the doorway of the engine room. Orions were feared throughout the galaxies: they were a lethal race, and the fact they were unable to communicate audibly and looked decidedly strange meant they were often treated with more caution
than a deadlier, more humanoid-seeming race. Zeus and Rhee had become quick friends. That he appeared now meant that they were on approach to Qestaire and Zeus had just enough time to clean up and change.

  Zeus’s gut clenched in trepidation as he began to mentally prepare himself for the dangers of the trip ahead. He let out a ragged breath. "Thanks, Rhee."

  He rose stiffly from the floor and began to pack his tools away. He needed to convince the Qrxzl to contact the Feteine for them, then persuade the Feteine to become allies and accompany them to Valespian space. Otherwise, his meme would be walking into a trap, his father would be confined to the planet for an indeterminable amount of time, and the Fal'Amoric would be in danger of being captured again. Plus, in all the chaos, he somehow needed to ensure the safety of his brothers, of Dargon and Alpha, and of his future family. Zeus would have to utilize every negotiation technique his father had taught him. He hoped it would be enough. But just in case, he recited an ancient prayer to Poseidon.

  *~*~*

  There were too many people in the shuttle bay, giving the appearance of an invasion party, instead of a diplomatic team. Zeus mentally took a headcount. The Orions were there, but they would be staying behind. He could see Axis, the GyrFalconi navigator and Madux, the psi-healer, standing with Dargon. Axis would be needed to take the information on the coordinates for the Feteine's location. If Dargon insisted on coming, then Zeus wanted Madux along to ensure Dargon's and Alpha's continued health, in case they walked into a hostile situation.

  What Zeus had not counted on were the half dozen Monticore and Warlord Sohm'lan.

  "They insisted."

  Zeus turned to face Mestor. "What you mean they insisted?"

  "You have been away from home for far too long. You are a prince of House Vondorian. Any time you left the palace, you were escorted by six guards."