King of Swords Read online

  Sinking down onto his thickness, she took him as deeply as she could. She loved him. In that moment, she knew the truth of it, and she’d do all in her power to help him, and cherish him for as long as he’d let her. She began to move on him, grateful for the urging and support of his strong hands. Starting here and now, she’d show him how much he meant to her. She’d give him everything she had. And then she’d give more.

  “That’s it, Adele,” he ground out as they both neared an incredibly high, fast peak. He was ramming into her now, meeting her downward thrusts with forceful upward movements of his hips. He was in her deeply, body and soul, as she cried out.

  “David!” She began to shudder and clench around him in the most intense orgasm of her entire life. Never before had she come so fast or so hard, but then, she’d never loved a man as deeply as she knew she loved David.

  It didn’t make any sense at all, but it felt more right than anything ever had.

  She clenched again as he came with her, shooting hot jets of his cum into her eager body. She was wracked by ecstasy, wound tighter than she’d ever been and shot higher than ever before. She screamed his name as she peaked yet again, held taut on the edge of paradise for long moments.

  She slumped against him as she came down, kissing his neck and nuzzling the stubble of his beard.

  “You feel so good,” she mumbled into his skin. “I love what you do to me, David. I love…you.”

  He stilled and every muscle in his body tensed. Not exactly a good omen. Regretfully, she straightened away from him, her hands on his shoulders as she looked into his stunned face. He looked like the fabled Earth deer caught in the front lights of an oncoming land vehicle. She smiled to put him at ease, though her heart took the blow silently.

  “It’s okay,” she stroked his incredibly muscular shoulders. “I know it’s too soon. It’s crazy in fact.” She shrugged and tried to smile, but he clutched her waist tightly.

  “Not too soon, Adele. And not crazy.” He paused as if searching for words. “Unless I’m crazy, too.”

  Hope lit within her heart. “You” She realized in that moment, his cock was still inside her, his body still joined as intimately as he could be and now, it felt like their hearts were joining on some metaphysical plane as well. “You love me, too?”

  Swallowing hard, he nodded. “I didn’t think you’d want to know. I didn’t want to insult you.”

  “Insult me?” She was outraged. “David, your love is a treasure. A precious gift. You are a precious gift. You could never insult me. Ever. I love you.” She leaned down and rained happy kisses all over his face, pausing for a long, hot time at his mouth.

  Somewhere in the distance a reminder tone pinged. She tried to ignore it. She really did. But David pushed back lightly, groaning as he did so.

  “Honey, we’ve got to get ready. The team is counting on us.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Shocked back to reality, she scrambled off his lap, giving one last, regretful look at his cock as she went.

  “We’ll finish this after we get the station back,” she promised as she scrambled back into her clothes.

  After that, the situation developed rapidly. Once everyone was in place, David maneuvered the large craft into position and manned the guns. It was a big job for one man, but David was more than able. All in all, he impressed Adele in every way. Damn, the man was capable. And hot. And he made love like something out of a dream. No, make that a fantasy. A very naughty fantasy.

  She chuckled to herself as she got ready to interface with the jits onstation. Since she was the one with the codes—and the authority as a CSS officer—they’d decided she’d be the better voice of command and negotiation in this situation.

  Once they were sure Alex and his men, as well as the station police forces, were in position, she opened a channel directly to the command and control of the station. She hacked in through their backsystems to prove to them she meant business.

  “This is Colonel Adele Senna of the Civilian Station Service. You have two minutes to surrender or suffer the consequences.” She was able to bring up a visual of the command center and nearly chuckled at the scrambling jit’suku who couldn’t figure how she’d hacked into their supposedly secure comms. “You should know that we’ve captured your ship and have taken prisoners.”

  That got their attention, she saw from her stolen vid feed. A moment later, the jit commander opened a channel to her, so they could see each other. The man was a hardened warrior with a stone face, but if she was any judge, he looked more than a little agitated at the moment.

  “You surprise me, woman.”

  “That’s Colonel Senna, to you,” she was quick to correct, politely, but firmly.

  The jit commander inclined his head slightly, but never broke contact with her eyes.

  “From where I sit, you are in no position to demand my surrender, Colonel,” he emphasized the title with disdain. “In fact, I demand your immediate surrender and the release of my crewmembers.”

  Adele shook her head and laughed softly. “Nice try, but no deal. For one thing, we’re targeting your mech section.”

  “You wouldn’t disable the station. There are too many people here for you to risk it.”

  Her expression hardened. “Try me.” They stared each other down for a moment. “But you should probably know you’re totally outnumbered. Remember those station police you locked up?” She saw the man pale, just slightly. “Yeah, we found them. They’ve got you surrounded even as we speak. If you don’t surrender in,” she checked the chronometer, “twenty-six seconds, they’ll open fire on your forces. I assure you, they are up to the task, and royally pissed off.” One of the men behind the jit commander bent to whisper in his ear. “So what’ll it be?”

  The jit commander sat silent as rifle fire sounded on his side of the connection. She saw him dive out of the command chair as fighting broke out inside the command area. Adele watched the vid feed as Alex and his team stormed the control center, moving faster than the human eye could follow. Before she knew it, the jit commander was facing her once more, this time with a laser rifle aimed at his head.

  Dave touched her arm to get her attention. She muted her end of the channel so they could speak freely.

  “Don’t leave a record of Alex’s involvement. Don’t call him by name and don’t record him or any of his men.”

  Slowly, she nodded. More was going on here than a couple of retirees helping a station in need.

  “I understand, but after this is all over, you are going to tell me what’s up with them. And you. Don’t think I haven’t noticed your superior abilities, David. You can do things no normal man can.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it gallantly. “I’ll tell you what I can, but there’s a lot about me—and Alex and the guys—that’s classified.”

  “Okay,” she turned back to the screen, “I get it. I’ll do what I can to keep their involvement off the record.”

  “Thanks, Adele. I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important.”

  She met his gaze, sensing the seriousness of his words. She could do this. As a CSS officer, she understood need-to-know situations and secret ops. Thinking fast, she reopened the channel.

  “I, Adele Senna, am hereby taking command of Madhatter Station under my authority as a colonel in the Civilian Station Service. Station police are hereby ordered to secure all hostile parties in the station brigs until such time as the rightful command chain can be reestablished and proper judicial due process reinstated.” She recorded her side of the comm for the official record and patched it through to the station speaker system so everyone could hear it. Everyone who was awake, that is.

  Many of the station inhabitants were still suffering under the effects of the sleep gas and would be out for another day or two without medical attention. She gave orders for medical personnel to be resuscitated first.

  They could organize waking up the rest of the populace. In the meantime, s
tation police were rapidly filling the brigs as small firefights erupted here and there throughout the infrastructure.

  “I think that’s about all I can do from here.” Adele turned to David, who watched her with an admiring gleam in his eyes.

  “If I haven’t said it before, I’ll say it now. You are one hell of a woman, Adele Senna.” The very real appreciation she read in his devilish grin warmed her from within. “You handled that like a pro, sweetheart.”

  She shrugged. “Well, that’s what I am.” Throwing down the command stylus, she turned to face him fully. “Or at least, I was.”

  “So what happened? What brought you here?”

  “I was passed over for promotion.” She shrugged, trying to be nonchalant about one of the most hurtful episodes in her life to date.

  “Jeffrey was a co-worker, and my lover. Turned out while I was thinking long-term, he was all about the moment and climbing the promotion ladder—right over my foolish back. I still have the footprints on my ass to prove it, too.” She tried not to be bitter, but it came out anyway.

  “The bastard.” David reached for her, dragging her out of the chair and onto his lap. “He didn’t deserve you, Adele. You’re a born leader. The command should have been yours. Not what’s-his-name’s. Forget him.”

  She chuckled, looping her hands around his neck. “I think I already have. The moment I laid eyes on you, colonel, I knew Jeff couldn’t hold a candle to you.”

  David grinned. “I like the sound of that.”

  “Come to think of it,” she tilted her head to the side, watching him closely, “few men could compete with your super-human abilities.” She felt him tense under her. “Can you tell me about it, David? I’ve never seen anyone move the way you and those other soldiers can. It’s definitely not normal.”

  He rested his forehead against hers. “I can’t tell you much, but you’ve already seen some of what we can do. We were all spec ops—part of a special, even more secret program. We volunteered for…changes…to be made to us on a cellular level. It’s given us some pretty amazing abilities, but it does have its drawbacks.”

  She felt him tense up even further. “What kind of drawbacks?”

  “For one thing,” he tried to shrug, but it was unconvincing, “it made me sterile. I didn’t think it was such a big sacrifice at the time. I mean, I have brothers and sisters who are non-military. Some of them have kids already. I figured I didn’t really need to worry about it, but now that I’m older, I realize my decision was potentially unfair to any woman I might get involved with.”

  “Well,” she stroked the nape of his neck with her fingers, “speaking as a woman who you got involved with,” she chuckled, “it doesn’t make you less attractive on any level, David. Don’t worry that some foolish woman will reject you over it. If one does, she wasn’t worthy of you in the first place.” Her own vehemence surprised her, as did the possessive feelings stirring in her heart.

  She was afraid she’d revealed too much, but the light in David’s eyes reassured her. He squeezed her waist, his lips covering hers for a tender salute.

  “You’re a wonder to me, Adele. I never thought I’d ever meet a woman like you and now suddenly, here you are.”

  “It’s fate, David. Seeing things the way I do…” she hesitated, having never really talked about her abilities outside her own small family.

  “Well, it gives me an appreciation for the hand that fate plays in our lives. Of course, not everything is pre-destined. Human will plays a large part. But I know the path that led me to The Rabbit Hole—and to you—was my own good fortune.” She stroked his spiky hair.

  “So you’re saying you’re okay with the fact that I’m a little different?” He seemed to want to make sure of something, his eyes intensely studying her response.

  “David, you don’t mind about my gift. Do you?”

  “How could I? It just saved our asses.” He chuckled, then grew more serious. “It’s part of who you are, Adele. I can see that. And I like you just the way you are.”

  She smiled broadly. “Then you have your answer.” Leaning in, she kissed him with all the pent up desire in her heart, rubbing against his hard body in a way that made her breath catch in her throat. David’s broad palms skimmed over her, shooting her temperature higher.

  Then the comm chimed.

  Time to go to work. They had a station to secure and a few thousand civilians depending on them to do it.

  “We’ll pick this up later,” David promised as he helped her stand.

  Her knees were a little wobbly, but the promise in David’s shining eyes steadied her…and made her impatient to get the work done. So she could play some more with her beloved soldier.

  Chapter Twelve

  Dave got the four jit prisoners linked up with force cuffs. Only their feet were left mobile so he could walk them off the ship and to the waiting station police. They cooperated since they knew there was no way to escape. There were two younger men who wore high quality gear and carried themselves a bit differently than your average jit pirate. The other two were older and had the look of personal guards. One of the younger men looked to be in his early twenties, and the other might’ve been in his late twenties or early thirties. The younger of the two stopped in front of David, curiosity on his angular face.

  “Are all human women like yours?” His dark eyes glanced to Adele and back, curiosity written plainly in his expression as the other jits stood behind him, almost protectively.

  “Many human women are courageous, intelligent and sexy as hell, but I will admit, my Adele is a cut above the rest.”

  “That is your heart talking,” the oldest of the prisoners said with a hearty smile. “Though I admit I have seen few human females with this one’s qualities. She is something else again.”

  “That she is.” Dave knew he was smiling like a besotted fool when Adele finished her comm and came to stand next to him, but he couldn’t help himself. Her eyes clouded for a moment and she swayed. Dave recognized the signs of a vision this time. He put out a hand to steady her. She regained her balance and not a moment later, she walked right up to the youngest jit prisoner and frowned at him.

  “You should not be here, your majesty.”

  Gasps sounded from all the men as Dave’s eyes narrowed.

  “I go where I wish.”

  “You tempt fate, and she is not happy with you.” Adele’s beautiful face was stern, but a moment later she smiled. “Still, perhaps you’ve learned something from this adventure, but I recommend against such exploits from this point on. You’ll one day have an entire galaxy depending on you.”

  “How do you know this?” One of the older men demanded.

  “She has the ability to see the future.” Dave stood behind her, his expression daring these men to try anything against his woman.

  The jit prisoners surprised Dave by taking his words very seriously indeed. They looked at Adele with even greater respect and the older men bowed their heads, though their eyes never left her face—a mark of respect among jit’suku warriors.

  “What do you see, Lady?” the young man asked in almost hushed tones.

  Adele smiled. “You’d be surprised.” She touched his shoulder, almost protectively. “I’ll tell you this though. If you stay safe and continue on your present course, with no more adventures in our galaxy, you’ll be the one to end the war. You’ll be known as the Peacemaker, in the fullness of time. And your wife…” Her eyes seemed faraway as if she were looking at something only she could see. “Your empress will be a very special woman.” Her gaze refocused on the young man. “She’ll be human…but not. Pay attention to the man from the Pyramid when he crosses your path. He and his brothers will be the key.”

  “Lady, you speak in riddles.”

  Adele smiled. “When these things come to pass, you’ll understand and hopefully note their significance. That’s my purpose. To make you aware. But you must live your life and gain from your experiences. Just please don’t
take quite so many chances in future. The perils are great, and if you come back to this galaxy uninvited again, you’ll pay the consequences.”

  “Then you won’t turn me in this time?”

  “Speaking for myself, I won’t reveal your identity. In fact, because you didn’t invade the station itself, but rather remained behind on the ship, chances are, there will be no charges levied against you four. They’ll probably escort you to your side of the border and let you go.”

  “Is this true?” one of the older men demanded of Dave.

  “Adele is a highly ranked CSS officer. She knows their procedures better than I do.”

  “And what about you, sir? Will you divulge my identity? Knowing it would probably spell my death?”

  The young man’s steadfast gaze impressed Dave. Here stood a man with deep honor and courage. And if Adele was to be believed, he would one day be the jit’suku emperor.

  “You’re just a kid,” Dave said off-handedly. “I don’t know who you are beyond that.” Dave leaned down to look the younger man in the eye.

  “I trust Adele. If she says you’re the one to bring peace between our people, then I’ll give you every chance to do it.”

  “Yet you are a soldier.”

  Dave nodded. “I’ve been fighting on the rim for twenty years. I’ve had my fill of war. And we’re too well matched. This’ll go on forever if we don’t come to some kind of truce at some point. I’m hoping you’ll be the man to do it. If so, God speed, Emperor.”

  The young man shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not emperor yet.”

  Adele smiled softly. “But you will be. I hope you’ll remember us then. I hope you’ll know there are many humans who would welcome peace with your people.”

  The boy looked skeptical, but held his tongue. After a moment, he bowed. “I thank you for your counsel. What are your names?”

  Adele laughed, apparently caught by surprise. “I’m Adele Senna and this is Colonel David Hellerby.”