Taken By Storm (4 page)

“I must give you pleasure.”

Did he mean…surely, he didn’t mean she had to have an… “If I refuse to allow this? Will you simply take what you need?”

“The exchange is tainted when it is forced. As weak as I am, it would do me no good. I need this desperately and it must be soon or it will be too late.”

She trembled. Purple smudges shadowed his eyes and deep lines bracketed his mouth. His breathing grew labored and her heart lurched into her throat. He meant every word. If she didn’t allow him to touch her, he would die. Could she really be so selfish?

“I have so many questions. Once you’re restored, will you answer my—”

Taking her phrasing as consent, he cut off her words with a quick, urgent kiss. One arm slipped beneath her neck and his hand moved to her hip, pulling her more tightly against him.

This isn’t sexual. It’s medicinal.

She tried to relax, to accept the warm pressure of his mouth. Fear kept her stiff and unresponsive. He deepened the contact, coaxing her lips apart, but he refused to penetrate her mouth. He seemed to want her to come to him. Tentatively, Charlotte touched his tongue with hers.

He groaned, the desperation returning full force.

Slanting his mouth over hers, he took possession. His lips molded and moved, his tongue traced and stroked and finally delved deep. She arched into his embrace and returned his kiss with an eagerness she didn’t fully understand. She wanted to taste him and wanted him to taste her. She needed to touch him, needed to feel his hands moving across her skin.

Tingling sensations erupted all over her body. She could feel it happening again as it had on the mountain.

He was gathering something within her only it was different this time, more acute, more powerful. She was trapped by his arms and tangled in his hair. Her breasts swelled and her nipples tightened painfully while the sensations focused and coalesced. Scalding heat radiated out from her feminine core until even her toes felt hot.

Consumed by the heat, she surrendered to the storm.

He reared up onto his knees, dragging her with him.

His hands were everywhere, sliding under the tantalizing curtain of his hair. He cupped her breast. Heat seared her sensitive nipple. Sliding along her spine, skimming her hip and belly, his touch tantalized and built the pressure. He molded her to his chest and slipped one hand between her thighs.

Charlotte cried out sharply, frightened by the intensity of her feelings. Demanding need pulsed through her, electrifying her senses. He parted her feminine folds and stroked her, his touch gentle yet sure. She trembled, clinging to his arms. Circling her ultrasensitive nub, he commanded her body’s surrender.

Pleasure burst within her, sizzling along every nerve ending and triggering the powerful pulsation of her muscles.

A draining, sucking sensation siphoned her strength in one violent withdrawal.

She screamed, fighting just to remain conscious. His arms tightened and his body shook. A low, ragged groan escaped him as he collapsed onto his side.

His arms released her but his hair was still tangled around her. She trembled, her lungs desperate for air, her muscles burning. Her body ached, her mind reeled and she collapsed across his chest.

“You said it wouldn’t harm me,” she whispered, and slipped into the void.

Charlotte awoke slowly, feeling muddled and abused. Why was she so weak and why… Her fingers encountered something warm and smooth and her thoughts trailed away.

Awareness crashed over her with shocking clarity.

She lay entwined with the alien, naked, tangled in his hair. Her shoulder was tucked under his arm and her leg was bent, nearly circling his waist. His hand held her knee, lightly securing her leg in its intimate position.

“I know you’re awake,” he said softly. “I can feel the tension in your body.”

She started to sit but thought better of it. Her bathrobe was spread beneath them. His hair caressed her naked body, leaving tingles in the wake of each silky strand. “Are you…healed?”

He chuckled. “Very much so and I thank you. It’s quite likely you saved my life last night.” He rolled, reversing their position. She stared up at him silently as she took mental inventory of the situation. She had to get out of here. Which meant she had to get dressed and to her car. Would he let her drive away with a friendly wave goodbye? Somehow, she didn’t think so.

“Will you please let me up?” She didn’t trust the way her body reacted to this man.

“If you like.”

“I’d like it best if you’d just leave. If you’re honestly grateful for what I did, that’s how you can repay me.”

His smile caught her by surprise. The flash of white teeth and intensity of his extraordinary eyes made her stomach clench and her breath catch in her throat. He ran his fingertip down her nose, tapping it against the tip. “Is life ever that simple?”

“Certainly not mine.”

“I’ll turn my back so you may dress. You seem uncomfortable with your nudity.”

“I’m uncomfortable with…” She started an indignant explanation then bit back the harsh words.

Caution was a wiser course until she knew more about this…person. “Thank you.”

She scurried off the bed and yanked the top drawer of her dresser open. Tugging on the first pair of panties her fingers touched, she found the matching bra and ventured a glance in the mirror. He stood on the other side of her bed, fully dressed, watching her.

“You said you’d turn your back,” she reminded, struggling to work the front clasp on her bra.

“I did turn my back.”

He smiled—no, that uneven curving of his lips could only be described as a smirk. His hair flowed over his shoulders and wound itself into a neat coil.

He wore the same elongated vest that bared his arms and chest, serving no apparent purpose. His pants were loose, nearly shapeless, bound by a wide band at his waist and tucked into fawn-colored boots.

“Are you finished dressing?” he asked.

Glancing down, she realized she hadn’t even finished fastening her bra. “Hardly.” She returned her attention to the task, refusing to ask how he’d managed to dress completely in the time it took her to pull on her panties. “How are you able to speak my language?” Before he could answer, she turned around and asked, “What’s your name?”

“Tal Aune.”

“Talon? Like the claw of a bird?”

His hair tightened in response to something in the question and he turned to the window. “Tal, second son of the House of Aune. How shall I address you?” She slid the closet open and pulled on a pair of jeans. “My name is Charlotte Layton. Where did you come from?” Finding a soft, baggy sweater, she wiggled into it as she waited for his explanation.

“I don’t know if I can make you understand. Much of my world can’t be explained in your language.” Charlotte didn’t believe him. How could the answer be that complicated? His attention stayed focused out the window.

She glanced at the door. Last night, she hadn’t been able to open it. Would it open now? Could she grab her coat, her boots, and make it to her car before he stopped her? Probably not. Still she wasn’t going to follow him around like an obedient puppy.

“Who are you?” she asked softly as she sidestepped toward the door. He didn’t answer. She took another step. “Where’s your world?” No answer.

“How did you get here? Do you have a ship or something?”

Reaching out as quietly as she could, Charlotte tried the knob. It remained immobile within her grasp. The knob itself had no locking mechanism.

What had he done to it?

“The handle is fused. I will release it in a moment.” Had he read her thoughts or simply realized what she was doing? “What do you want?”

“I want your promise that you will not attempt to escape until I am able to determine what went wrong with the spatial transportation.”

That got her attention. She turned toward him, struck again by how…interesting she found his appearance. His face held no real expression and the swirling of his eyes nearly stopped. She buried her hands in the pockets of her jeans and continued to study him.

In the sunlight, his skin had a subtle pearlescence the moon hadn’t revealed and she could see thin blue streaks scattered through his hair. Not highlights—

individual strands of his hair were cobalt blue.

“Spatial transportation?” she echoed. “Like wormholes or something?”

“Wormholes are a naturally occurring phenomena, unpredictable and generally unstable. The portals I mentioned are intentionally created and controlled.”

“I see,” she muttered, though she didn’t see at all.

“And you can create one of these portals?” He crossed his arms over his chest. The muscular ripple of his torso made Charlotte itch to touch.

“The portal is incidental. I must determine what happened to my companions. That will be impossible if I spend all my time chasing after you.”

“So your proposal is that I trust everything you tell me and—what? Twiddle my thumbs until you—” A sharp gasp cut her argument short. He suddenly stood in front of her though she hadn’t seen him move. His hands pressed against the wall on either side of her shoulders. As he leaned in, his spicy scent surrounded her, filled her head and made her almost giddy.

“I understand sarcasm, Charlotte,” he whispered into her ear. “I don’t have time to entertain your temper. People I care about are on that ship. Your choice is simple. Offer me whatever vow an Earthling will honor or I will put you in stasis so you no longer hinder me.”

She wasn’t sure how stasis was accomplished in his world but it didn’t sound good. Her mind reeled from the things she’d seen him do so far. Was it wise to test him? “That isn’t a choice. It’s a threat. How long do you anticipate this…investigation taking and what does it entail?”

He stepped back, his gaze moving over her features. “How is information communicated on this world? If something of significance happens, how is the general populous notified?”

She was almost afraid to ask. “You mean like the crash of a spaceship?”

He nodded.

“There was more than one ship? Was it your ship that started the fire on the mountain? Were you the only person in your—”

“I’m a Master-level Mage. I don’t require a vessel for interdimensional transportation. I was stabilizing the conduit for the others.”

He sounded affronted but Charlotte was still confused. “You created the portal for them? Were
they
in some sort of ship?”

“Yes. If Trey’s ship is in orbit as it should be, your world will never know. If there was a serious malfunction—”

“Who is Trey?”

“My brother.”

“Don’t you have some sort of communicator?” She bit her lip to keep from laughing. She suddenly felt like an escapee from a Star Trek convention.

“I am a Master-level Mage.”

“And I have a law degree.” She sighed. “Look, I didn’t ask for your résumé. If Trey’s ship crashed in or around Aspen, it would definitely make the news.

Unless of course, the government managed to cover it up.”

“And how is this news accessed?”

Tal watched her walk to the door and gesture expectantly toward the latch. He commanded the metal to reshape and waited for the acrid smell, confirming its compliance, before he nodded for her to try again.

She pulled her fingers back with a sharp gasp and shook her hand. “That’s hot.”

“My apologies.” Reaching around her, he opened the door. “I forget the limitations of Earthlings.” Indignation pulsed from her in little bursts as he followed her into the outer room. Her shoulders squared and she impatiently shoved her hair off her brow. He shouldn’t provoke her. It wasn’t wise. But her reactions fascinated him. Her odd, sky-colored eyes blazed and the skin above her sculpted cheekbones blossomed with color.

“Your flesh is impervious to heat, I suppose?”

“I can adjust my body temperature to compensate.”

“Like a reptile.” She shot back.

“No, reptiles are susceptible to their environment even more so than…” He took a deep breath and smiled. “Why are we arguing?”

“Because you said the word
Earthling
like it was a disease.”

He really did have more important things to do than goad the female. She might even be able to assist him, if he stopped antagonizing her. “Would you please access the news and see if anything of significance has been reported?”

“Wouldn’t that be a refreshing change,” she muttered, and moved to the small table beside a cushioned bench covered in tanned animal hide. How barbaric. She picked up a small, thin box and pushed a button, which activated a much larger box. As the picture came into focus, he realized it was some sort of audio-video monitor. The design had been so unusual he hadn’t recognized its purpose. She continued pushing buttons on the controller, changing the picture on the screen.

What should he tell her?

How much did she really need to know?

If Trey were lost and Vee… The thought was too painful to complete. Dez dar Joon had cost him so much already. Tal would surrender nothing more!

His gaze moved back to the woman. She was completely unaware, innocent—helpless. Could she even comprehend an evil such as Joon?

Joon had traveled through space and time to find her. The thought sent chills down Tal’s back. He could imagine how this little Earthling would react to such a revelation.

Apparently, she found what she desired for she stopped changing the image on the screen. Tal took advantage of her distraction and sent out a seeker pulse. If she noticed what he was doing, he had no doubt she’d try to escape. He had to decrease the efficiency of his other senses to power a long-range pulse. Hopefully, her search for information would keep her occupied. The doors were fused and he had immobilized her conveyance so she wouldn’t get far.

Still, he didn’t trust her.

No one responded to his mental call. He reached farther, intensifying the power level again and again.

He felt nothing. Awareness faded as he poured more energy into each pulse. The room grew hazy, out of focus. Sound became an indistinguishable rumble.

Still he pushed on, reaching farther, desperately searching for the people he loved.