Dark-Pilot's Bride Part 3

Five exceedingly pleasant o.r.g.a.s.ms later, Josia tried on the new gown Arthur had found for her, emerald green as he'd promised and made of the silkiest fabric she'd ever felt against her skin. It fit her lovingly and as she turned in front of the reflective surface Arthur had turned the wall into, she was pleased with her appearance. She looked...beautiful! Well, maybe not quite that, but she was at least pretty, and that was far better than she'd ever looked before. In addition, she felt different. She felt pretty, and that was pretty terrific.

Dimitri thought she was beautiful.

Warming at just the thought of him, Josia stepped back from the mirror and the wall returned to plain metal. She wondered how long it would be until Dimitri returned to her. She wanted to show him her new outfit, and tell him how wonderful she felt.

She also wanted to try making love to him in that bed he'd promised her. Her experiences in the tub had only whetted her appet.i.te for more loving. Enough water sports. She wanted a man. Or a Dark-pilot with a hard-on.

She sank onto a comfortably soft cus.h.i.+on in the lounge.

"Arthur, how soon until Dimitri returns?"

"Very soon I would think." The AI didn't sound concerned, but there was a hesitancy to his speech. "He should have been finished by now."

"Maybe some of the goods require special handling and he needs help." "Perhaps you are right. I'll send a spy probe out to look for him. In the meantime, we should be preparing for your departure with us. Is there anything you might want to bring with you?"

She really was going to leave her home planet, and never see her sister again. Josia ignored the pang that thought caused.

"Most of my personal items were with the trade goods. There was a small case with them."

"Hmm. I think I see it. A small blue one? I'll move it to the main cabin."

"Thank you, Arthur. I was thinking, since we will have so much time in s.p.a.ce, I might want to bring my loom with me.

And some thread to weave with."

"A capital idea." The AI sounded honestly enthusiastic. "I took a peek at some of the fabric Dimitri told me was your handiwork and I must say I was impressed."

The AI's praise made her beam with pride. "Thank you, Arthur!"

"Not at all, Lady Josia. Now, you'll want to say your goodbyes tomorrow evening before we take off. Perhaps we could have your family onto the s.h.i.+p and some friends for a going away party. How many should I prepare refreshments for?" "There is only my sister. No need for a real party."

"No party?" Josia thought he sounded disappointed but then abruptly Arthur's voice seemed far away, as if she held only a fraction of his attention. "Your sister-what would you say she looks like?"

"Like me. Dark hair and brown eyes."

"Long hair, perhaps? But she is younger and her face and body are a good deal thinner, correct?"

Suddenly concerned, Josia sat up. "That sounds like her. Why do you ask?"

"Because my spy probe has located Dimitri, and a woman fitting that description is aiming some sort of weapon on him as we speak!"

Chapter Six.

In spite of Arthur's protests over what Dimitri would do to him if something happened to her, Josia found her slippers and dashed out of the s.h.i.+p, heading for her sister and Dimitri. She couldn't imagine what kind of weapon Kissa could have found that would keep a Dark-pilot prisoner, but her sister was pretty imaginative. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility that she'd come up with something that would be a threat.

She arrived to see that Arthur hadn't exaggerated. Sitting perfectly still on a case of supplies meant for the colony, Dimitri's gaze was fixed on the beam of purple-blue light hitting the ground just in front of his feet...and with good reason. The light emanated from a narrow cylinder in Kissa's hand and Josia recognized it as one of the colony's few ultraviolet torches. The light was used to cure minor skin ailments but it could give someone with Dimitri's sensitivity a nasty burn.

From behind a tree, she watched Kissa raise her makes.h.i.+ft weapon higher, the beam now hitting the case between Dimitri's open legs. Josia winced as it inched toward his crotch, wondering what damage it would do if it hit his c.o.c.k and b.a.l.l.s.

"I asked you where Josia was. I won't ask it again."

Dimitri frowned. "I told you that my lady is safe and where no one will harm her."

"No one but you, you mean."

"I intend only good things for her. I intend to make her my mate." Kissa shook her head. "You expect me to believe that? No one wants Josia. No one cares for her but me."

The truth hurt more than a little, although she knew her sister honestly loved her.

Dimitri shook his head. "If you care for her then you know what a wonderful person she is. I love her too, little one.

That's why I want her to go with me."

Dimitri actually loved her? It was all Josia could do not to run to him.

From the look on her face Kissa wasn't convinced. She glared at the Dark-pilot. "You only want to feed from her. You'll take all her blood and she'll die!"

"Not at my hand." Dimitri rose to his feet and raised one hand as if to swear by it. "She will never come to harm through me."

The beam jerked as the torch shook in her hand. "Don't come any closer. You're just trying to trick me. I want you to release her, now!"

"I won't do that. She is mine."

"Because they tied her up and gave her to you as payment?

They had no right to do that. You would keep her enslaved for that?"

"I told you. She is no slave. She has given herself to me."

"She was given no choice."

The Dark-pilot's green eyes glowed. "She has now. I'll give her the choice."

"So if she wanted to stay here, you'd let her? You wouldn't make her go with you if she didn't want to?"

"I-" For a moment Dimitri looked uncertain then he faced her sister squarely. "That's right. If she wants to stay, then I won't force her to go with me."

Josia held her breath. She could stay? He cared for her that much, to let her free if she wished it? She stepped out from behind the tree. "Don't hurt him, Kissa."

Kissa jerked around, bathing Josia in a deep purplish glow.

Horrified, Kissa dropped the torch and ran to her. "No! I didn't mean to burn you." Bursting into tears, she threw her arms around Josia. "You're okay? He didn't make you like him?"

Josia couldn't help laughing as she stroked her sister's back soothingly. "A UV lamp isn't going to hurt me unless I spend a few hours under it. I'm still human, Kissa." "Oh thank the stars!" Tears flowed down her sister's face.

"Did you hear him, Josia? He said he'd let you go."

Looking at Dimitri, Josia saw him watch her holding her sister close. "I heard him."

He hesitated, then his shoulders slumped. Even without touching his mind she could feel his despair.

"I promised no harm to you, Josia, and that includes sorrow of the heart. I could never separate you from someone you love."

"I know, Dimitri." She hesitated then turned her sister to her and kissed her on the forehead. "Go home, Kissa."

Her sister still had tears in her eyes. "Aren't you coming with me?"

"Not now. I was given to Dimitri for his time here at least."

"But Josia...you mean you want to stay with him?" Kissa's face clouded it had when she was little and being denied a sweet, and Josia was reminded of how young she was.

"I intend to fulfill my obligations to him for now. As for later..." Her voice trailed off. "There is much I need to think about."

"Oh. Okay. I guess that's fair." Kissa didn't look like she meant it, but she started for the edge of the glade. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"My s.h.i.+p won't leave until tomorrow evening." Dimitri said.

"Return then."

With a last bewildered look at Josia, Kissa nodded and left.

After a moment's hesitation, Dimitri crossed the s.p.a.ce between them, took her into his arms and kissed her and again Josia fell under his spell. "Thank you for staying, for this night at least."

She pulled away and smiled up at him. "I'm too distracted to say no to you, remember?"

His grip tightened. "And I share your distraction. If you believe nothing else, believe that."

"I do." She needed a way to distract him. "Now, didn't you promise me a bed for next time we made love?"

His laughter sounded forced but he kissed her again and lifted her into his arms, clutching her as if she might disappear from his grasp. "I did indeed."

Chapter Seven

And an amazing bed it was. Soft, warm, and with just the right amount of bounce to it, plus it filled the entire corner of Dimitri's cabin, giving them plenty of room for all kinds of s.e.xual activities. Making love was going to be good in this bed. Making love with Dimitri was going to be fabulous.

Once again stripped of her clothing by an impatient Dark- pilot, Josia lay against the pillows, watching him pull his own garments off, nearly ripping the seams in the need to be free of them. A complaint came from Arthur over the damage, reminding Dimitri that someone would have to repair his clothing, but that was short-lived as the pilot told the computer to turn off all monitoring in the bedroom. At Josia's relieved sigh, Arthur muttered something about lack of respect, then the only sounds were those of her and Dimitri's harsh breathing.

He stood before her, unclothed and unconcerned, the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. His body was all hard muscle, toned from hours of exercise meant to reduce the symptoms of gravity loss. Her body tingled all over at his strength and his desire for her, obvious from the way his c.o.c.k pointed at her, long and heavy. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to be with him. The lottery that had selected Kissa, forcing her to take her sister's place, had given her to a man who desired her.

More than that, he actually loved her.

She felt like the luckiest woman in the universe. "Are you going to stand there looking at me all night?" "Much as I'd like to, I can't. It will be dawn in a couple of hours and I sleep while the sun is up." He knelt on the bed next to her and crawled forward to lie between her legs. "I look forward to spending that rest with you in my arms. You will stay with me through tomorrow evening?" A melancholy note crept into his voice.

"I'll stay with you during your rest, Dimitri." She stroked his face. "Please, make love to me now."

This time when he kissed her there was something else in it, less possessive and more tender. She no longer heard his mental mine, mine. Perhaps the thought that he might lose her made him treasure her more-whatever it was, Josia felt the depths of his need for her and fell right into them. She reached out to him with her mind, letting him see just how much she wanted him.

He leaned over her, brus.h.i.+ng his lips against her neck. She could just feel the tips of his fangs. "My pleasure, Josia."

"No...our pleasure," she said smiling up at him.

They'd had s.e.x before. But this was different. Dimitri had been enthusiastic and nearly feral in his interest the first time, the second time he'd made love with the joy of possession.

He hesitated now before he claimed her body. This was less s.e.x, the joining of two bodies, and more a joining of two minds, two hearts, and two souls. This was love, not s.e.x. "You told my sister you loved me. Do you think it possible to love someone the first time you see them?" Josia said quietly.

"I didn't used to believe in love at first sight. But that was before I met you." His lips twitched into a smile.

"I must admit though that love wasn't the first thing on my mind. You just looked so appetizing tied to that tree." His hand ran down to lift her breast, bringing the nipple close, and his tongue leapt out to caress it. The tip pebbled and he leaned forward to suck carefully on it. Josia could barely feel the points of his fangs on the tender skin.

"You taste so good, sweet lady. Like..." his voice trailed off and he laughed. "Funny, I can't think of anything that tastes as good as you do."

She sat up and pushed him onto his back. "I want to taste you this time."

Dimitri's face showed deep appreciation as Josia wrapped her hand around his shaft and took her first tentative lick of his c.o.c.k. Oh, it was as lovely as she'd expected. Using her free hand to fondle the soft sac beneath, she explored his man's parts with as much curiosity as pa.s.sion. His satisfied groans told her she was touching him right, but when she took the tip of him into her mouth he nearly exploded. Hold it right there, Josia! I want to wait and come inside you.

Sitting up, he knelt behind her, spreading wide her b.u.t.t cheeks to give his mouth access to her p.u.s.s.y and c.l.i.t. As he took his first lick, he opened his mind to her, letting her see how much he enjoyed her taste. In response, Josia shared the flavors she'd taken from him, the salt of his prec.u.m still on her tongue. Sharing their experiences, as much as Dimitri's mouth on her p.u.s.s.y, set Josia on fire until she was all but begging him to come inside her.

Dimitri entered her slowly from behind, his long, thick c.o.c.k filling her and making her quiver. She whimpered, first from the size of him then at the way he moved, each stroke firm and strong. Glancing back, Josia saw his face, the near painful intensity on it. He draped himself over her, licking the skin of her shoulder before biting down, taking only a few sips before sealing the holes.

Uncertainty and doubt blossomed in her. He needed her for blood and s.e.x, that's what she was to him.

But he'd heard her thoughts. I need you for my life, Josia. You give me love and laughter and a future worth living.

As before in the storage hold, as their pa.s.sion grew and they came close to climaxing, their minds blended together. Josia saw his thoughts again, this time of how much he wanted her, how much it meant to have her...and how alone he would be when she was gone. It was enough to break her heart, especially as she realized that like him, she too had been alone most her life. Her weaving had been her work, and her sister had needed her, but soon Kissa would choose one of the many young men who sought her favor. No one had or ever would seek Josia's hand and she too had long empty years ahead of her.

Dimitri sped up and her mind emptied of all thoughts but how wonderful it felt to have him behind her. Before her the wall became s.h.i.+ny, probably Arthur's work, and she saw their reflection. Dimitri's handsome face over her shoulder, his eyes closed in pa.s.sion, his hands lovingly kneading her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, his hips pounding his c.o.c.k into her backside. He opened his eyes and they lit up with love at the sight of them together.

Their combined images joined with all other sensations and pushed her into climax. Josia poured the resulting pa.s.sion into their link, drowning it before it drowned her. Caught in the maelstrom, Dimitri lost control and climaxed with her, their minds blended even as their bodies peaked in simultaneous o.r.g.a.s.ms. With matching groans, they collapsed on the bed. In the aftermath their minds gradually separated, although the link still existed.

Josia lay replete in his arms, listening to the idle thoughts in her Dark-pilot's head. s.e.xual satisfaction gave them a warm glow, but there was still the sense of foreboding, his fear she would leave him. She herself felt drowsy, from the easing of her own s.e.xual tensions and the lack of sleep. "How much longer until dawn?"

He gave a short laugh. "Even after all these years spent in s.p.a.ce, I can still feel the sunrise coming. We have maybe five minutes, then I'll fall asleep until the day ends." Lying on his side, he turned her to face him. "If you wanted to slip away during that time, you could. I wouldn't be able to stop you."

"I'm too tired. Besides, you could always tell Arthur to take off with me aboard as we slept if you wanted to."