Emily, an award-winning wildlife photographer, is recruited by her cousin to help introduce the battle born to the people of Earth. Emily is awed by all the alien technology and intrigued by the gorgeous warriors who operate Lunar Nine. But one man stands out, more mysterious and attractive than all the others, a Bilarrian Mage named Vox.
From the moment Vox meets Emily, he burns to claim her as his mate. He is running from obligations back home, and choosing a human mate will greatly complicate the situation. But Vox doesn’t care. He’s found the one woman who can complete him, and he’s just as determined to win her devotion. All that stands in his way is Emily’s absolute insistence that she has no interest in romance of any kind. Vox welcomes the challenge and uses every sensual technique he knows to wear down Emily’s defenses. Their future will be long and happy, if she can just learn to trust him.
Copyright © 2017 Cyndi Friberg
Long moments passed as she clung to him, absorbing what warmth she could. The rain soon drenched his clothes and dampened his skin, decreasing the heat he was passing on to her.
“If I increase my body temperature any more, I’m risking brain damage,” he spoke against her dripping hair. “Are you willing to try something else?”
“I’m willing to try anything.” A violent chill shook her body, reinforcing her determination. “We can’t stay here. Not like this.”
“I won’t hurt you, Emily.” He whispered the promise into her ear, his voice low and even. “You’ll never have to worry about that with me.”
Her hair rubbed against his chest as she shook her head. “Never and forever. No one can keep promises like that. Too much in our lives is beyond our control.” She raised her head and motioned around them. “Case in point.”
He placed both hands on her shoulders, staring deep into her eyes. Rain dripped off his nose and plastered his hair to his head. “You’re right. Forever can be tricky, but I can promise you this. I will never intentionally cause you harm and I will do everything within my power to protect you.” He slid one of his hands up to her face. His fingers curved around her chin, keeping her from turning away. Then his head lowered slowly, giving her plenty of time to object.
Paralyzed by uncertainty and desire, Emily allowed his lips to cover hers. Was this just a kiss to reassure her, or was he doing… She had no idea what he could be doing that would require kissing. His lips slid and pressed, caressing her mouth. One arm firmly banded her waist while he pushed his other hand into her hair, securing her head at just the right angle.
She wrapped her arms around him, savoring the contrast of strength and tenderness. The fire warmed her back, yet his body felt even better, more inviting. A sigh parted her lips and he took advantage of the opportunity, tracing her lips without venturing too far into the softness of her mouth. He coaxed when he could have conquered, eroding her inhibitions instead of overwhelming her senses.
His tongue continued to tease until she grew restless, then she touched him with the tip of her tongue, inviting him inside. A throaty groan escaped as he accepted the invitation and sank between her parted lips. He groaned again and shifted her head into the crook of his arm. The kiss deepened, becoming more aggressive. She responded, lost in passion like she’d never felt before. Their breaths mixed, and she found his taste evocative, sweet from the raspberries yet rich like coffee or Kahlua.
Sensations arced between them, crackling like static electricity. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed against his chest. She couldn’t get close enough, never wanted to stop kissing him.
Suddenly she felt energy leaving her body and flowing into his. It wasn’t painful, exactly, just strange and frightening. The sucking sensation increased and she cried out against his lips. What the hell was he doing to her? She struggled, pushing against his chest, but his arms stayed firmly wrapped around her.
She opened her eyes, trying to draw his attention, desperate to understand what was happening. His eyes remained tightly closed. He extended one hand toward the fire. The flames leapt, growing bigger and brighter, then they jumped out of the grate and onto his palm. Her startled cry was muffled by his mouth as his flesh absorbed the fire.
His other arm tightened and his voice whispered in her mind, Don’t struggle. We’ll only get one shot at this.
She wasn’t even sure what he meant until the world around her blurred. Quickly closing her eyes, she clung to him, welcoming the renewed intensity of his kiss. She felt the strange sucking again and surrendered to the sensation. She wasn’t sure where he was taking her, but anywhere was better than this dilapidated cabin on such a stormy night.
Something solid connected with her feet and the air around her warmed. Still, she was in no hurry to leave the comfort of his embrace. The kiss slowed and he gradually pulled away, a lazy smile curving his lips.
“Welcome back,” he whispered, then all the color drained from his face. “Oh shit.” He staggered to the nearest piece of furniture—luckily it was a couch—and collapsed across its surface with a loud groan.
She looked around with some confusion, torn between worry and elation. She stood in the middle of a cabin, but this one was not only intact, it was in perfect condition. With lodge-style furnishings and charming splashes of color mixed in with the earth-tone upholstery, it looked like guest accommodations at some high-end wilderness retreat. “Where are we?”
“My cabin. Stargazer Ranch.” His voice rasped, raw and exhausted.
She glanced toward the door. Should she let the others know they’d returned? A violent shiver reminded her that she had more pressing concerns. They were both soaked and well on their way to hypothermia.
Moving to the couch, she touched Vox’s arm. “Can you sit up? We need to get you out of those clothes.”
“You first.”