Chapter 16
ALLY
Why won’t he kiss me?
Ally thought she was making things obvious, but Lyk didn’t seem to take the hint. Would she have to take matters into her own hands? Leaning in even closer, she blinked up at him, then licked her lips.
When she heard him groan, Ally couldn’t hold back a smile. He wants me. Although that was her plan, to seduce him, she hadn’t expected to feel so conflicted.
I want to seduce him but not to manipulate him. I actually want to feel his naked skin pressed to mine.
He was sexy, after all. Ruggedly handsome with tanned skin and a muscular build. Although she’d yet to see him without his clothing, she could already tell that he’d had the body of a deity, and, if the bulge in his pants was any indication, the cock of one too.
But at the same time, she felt guilty for trying to manipulate him in the first place. Although she’d done nothing but give him a hard time since they met, he’d been infinitely patient, and even now, he was spilling his secrets to her. And she planned to repay him by fucking him over.
I have to. My sister’s life depends on it.
If she couldn’t convince Lyk to make nice with his family and use their combined forces to get Evie off Dazimin, then she at least had to lull him into a false sense of security so he’d lengthen the leash, so to speak, allowing her the opportunity to slip away.
Kissing and cuddling with him was one way to build trust between them. But none of this will work if he won’t kiss me!
“Lyk,” she whispered, her eyes filled with need that was feeling more genuine by the moment. “Why won’t you kiss me?”
His hand cupped her face gently. “You’ve been through too much. It wouldn’t be right.”
“Please,” she whispered. “Help me forget about it all, just for a little while. You’d be doing me a favor.”
Lyk shook his head, brushing his thumb against her cheek. “No, never a favor. You granting me access to your body will forever be a divine gift from you to me, never the other way around. You are sheer perfection, and to be able to taste you, to wring pleasure from you, is a gift like none other.”
His pretty words shot straight to her core, causing a rush of moisture even as they made her insides feel warm.
“Then accept your gift,” she whispered against his lips, pressing them gently with her own until his restraint broke.
He captured her mouth, taking control of the kiss. Leaning her head back, he probed deeper, making her melt with languorous pleasure. Ally tried to keep her wits about her, but it was hard when all she could think about was how good he made her feel.
Finally, he pulled back, and Ally struggled to catch her breath. His eyes burned into hers. “I’ve never wanted a woman like I want you,” he admitted, and from the earnest expression on her face, Ally could almost believe it.
“You need to rest,” he said at last.
“Nonsense. I’m not at all tired, especially after that kiss.”
He smiled at her, but her words didn’t stop him from pulling away. “I’ve got to check on my men. Why don’t you take a nap? I’ll be back to check on you soon.”
Ally did her best pout, but it only made him laugh. Before long, he was out the door, the lock clicking behind him.
“Shit!” she yelled to the empty room, beating the mattress in frustration, and not all of it at her plan being thwarted. Part of it was pure sexual frustration.
Although she was exhausted, Ally couldn’t waste a second, not when her sister’s life was on the line. She scurried off the bed and headed to the table that doubled as a console. Going down on her knees in front of it, she studied the controls.
It didn’t take long for her to find the last number connected, and she re-dialed it, waiting patiently until Kara’s face filled the screen.
“I never expected you to call back, brother,” she said, then frowned when she saw Ally’s face. “Where’s my brother?”
“He’s busy bossing other men around. I wanted to talk to you, woman to woman.”
Kara looked her up and down, then nodded. “You love my brother.”
“What? No!” Ally sputtered. “You have exactly the wrong idea. I just want to get my sister back.”
Kara pursed her lips. “Sure. In any event, we’re on the same side. An enemy of the Crown Prince of Hell is a friend of mine. Why are you calling?”
“I need to know more about Dazimin, about how to get my sister away from these demons.”
“I think we can help with that,” said a voice from off screen.
“Who’s that?” Ally asked, suddenly suspicious.
Kara smiled. “You said you wanted to speak woman to woman. Well, I just happened to be meeting with the women involved when you called.” Kara hit a button on her console and the view shifted, exposing a room full of beautiful women.
Kara joined them, sitting on a sofa next to a voluptuous redhead. “This is Mayra, the Great Oracle of Territh and holder of the Eye of Tomorrow, which sounds suspiciously like the necklace your sister was wearing.”
Mayra held up a chain around her neck, and Ally’s mouth dropped open when she saw the charm dangling there. It was identical to her family’s heirloom. But how did this woman she’d never met have the same necklace as the one Evie was wearing when she was taken?
“I’d also like to introduce you to Gemma,” she said, motioning toward the small, dark-haired woman sitting on the arm of the sofa. “And that’s Dawn there, and Tess, and over there is Midnight.”
Midnight. She’s the demon. Ally studied the woman with hair so black it was almost blue and eyes to match. She seemed like any other woman, if more coldly beautiful than most. “And finally, Queen Jazmine.”
Is that the twin daughter of the Goddess of Light Lyk told me about? There was something about the woman, some inner radiance that shone through her gorgeous features. The daughter of a goddess. Gee.
Kara spoke again, and Ally turned her attention back to the Vartik female. “We were just discussing your little problem.”
“There’s nothing little about it. The demon squad kidnapped my sister. I want her back, even if that means going into Hell to get her.”
“Ooh, I like her spirit. She’s more than a match for any Vartik male.” This was from the queen, who clapped her hands like an excited child.
Kara laughed. “You haven’t met my brother, Lyk, yet. If there was an intergalactic award for stubbornness, he’d win it every year.”
“Have you figured out anything to help me?” Ally didn’t care about what these women thought of her. All she wanted was information that would help her get Evie back.
“I believe we have.” This was from Gemma.
She motioned toward the necklace around the oracle’s neck.
“I’ve found mentions of the Eye of Tomorrow in the ancient texts, and one leads me to believe that your family is another branch of the now-defunct line of the Kings of Arth.
Like Mayra, you’re a descendent of the early kings of Territh.
One historical record says that each member of the line was given a charm like this.
That means there could have been a half dozen or more.
It looks like more than one has survived. ”
“So we’re cousins!” Mayra said, her smile bright. “I’m so glad to learn that I have family. I’ve only ever met one other family member, and it didn’t exactly go so well. In fact—”
“Why do the Seekers want the charm?” Ally didn’t have time to get into mushy stuff. Whether she was a distant cousin of the woman didn’t matter right then. Her immediate family was at stake.
Mayra looked shocked to be cut off. Gemma glanced in her direction, then returned her gaze to Ally. “We think they want it because it’s tied to the Goddess of Light. She was the patron goddess of the Arth kings, and it’s said that her power imbues the charm with its abilities.”
Ally frowned. “That seems a little far-fetched. I mean, it’s just a stupid light-up gem. I always thought it was just a gussied-up child’s toy.”
“That’s not true,” Mayra said, her voice stiff. “It doesn’t just give off light. It can help guide you by vibrating, among other things. It has powers that go beyond simple mechanics. Maybe the demons think they can harness this power to use it against us.”
“You’re an oracle, right?” Ally said, not bothering to hold back on her cousin. “Why can’t you just look into the future and see how to best get Evie out of Hell?”
“It doesn’t work exactly like that,” Mayra said, and it looked like she was about to give a speech she’d given many times before. But before she could, the door opened and Lyk strode through, freezing as soon as he realized Ally was using the console.
“Hang up,” he said, his voice like ice.
“No,” Ally said, her voice just as cold.
Lyk came over and hit a button on the console, making the holographic image disappear. “You little brat. You don’t even know what trouble you’ve caused.”
Ally stood, putting her hands on her hips. “You promised to help me, but you weren’t going to do anything! At least your sister and the rest of your family are willing to help!”
“You’re going to learn to stop going around me whenever you don’t get your way!”
Ally was surprised by his anger. She’d ignored his orders multiple times before. Why was this any different?
She watched as he took the comm pin off his shoulder and tossed it to the table before moving toward her. Lyk grabbed her by the arm, pulling her to his bed. He sat, then forced her over his knee. “You want to act like a child, then I’m going to punish you like one.”
The first smack on her ass was hard enough to get her attention. “Ouch! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m spanking you. Your little stunt might have given away my ship’s location to my brothers. If they decide to come after me, I’ll have you to thank.”
The next smack was just as hard, and her ass was starting to heat. “Stop it!”
“Not until you learn to do as you’re told. This is my ship, and you will follow my rules!”
“I never asked to be on your ship!” she spit out after the third smack. She squirmed, trying to get out of his grip, but he held her steady.
Switching to the other cheek, he gave it an equal number of smacks. “You’re going to learn to behave, little girl.”
It was one of the most humiliating moments of her life, and when he finally released her, she dove at him, pounding on him with her fists. Lyk fell back against the bed, letting her straddle him and rain down blows.
“You’re such an arrogant fucking asshole,” she shouted at him. “Keep your damn pirate hands off of me!”
“That’s not what you were saying earlier,” he reminded her, which just made her want to beat him harder.
“You’re… you’re a scoundrel… a bastard…” The energy started to go out of her, and she finally collapsed against his chest, breathing heavily.
Without warning, Lyk suddenly turned the tables on her, flipping her over so that he caged her body from above. “And you’re a disobedient brat and the sexiest fucking woman I’ve ever seen.”
Then he kissed her, and her whole body lit up with electricity. It wasn’t like before. There was none of the slow exploration, none of the teasing. This was a full-on assault, and she was teetering on the brink of surrender.
“You’re going to learn who’s in charge here,” he whispered against her lips before claiming them again. “And you’re going to learn to love following orders.”
She moaned as he kissed his way down her neck, ending at the place where the zipper sat on her coveralls. Ever so slowly, he gripped the zipper and began to pull it down, exposing the cotton bra hidden beneath.
Lyk buried his face between her breasts, and Ally writhed against him. What was it about this man that drove her so crazy with lust? He’d just spanked her, for godssake! She should be ranting and raving, but instead, she was on the edge of begging him to fuck her until she forgot her own name.
“I want to taste every inch of you,” he murmured before sucking a nipple through the thin fabric of her bra. “I won’t stop until you climax a dozen times.”
Ally wanted those climaxes, wanted to feel his mouth all over her. She gripped his head, burying her fingers in his thick, dark hair. “I won’t let you stop until you reach a dozen.”
His chuckle against her skin was the sexiest thing she’d ever felt.