Page 4 of Taken By the Gargoyle King

He took my hand, his tufted lion tail swishing eagerly behind his back, and guided me to a felled tree nearby. I was pretty sure our spaceship had recently toppled that tree; a huge clump of dirt still clung to its roots. He sat down, pulled me between his legs like that was the most normal thing in the world, and then he handed me a handheld medical scanner and a tissue regenerator. His expectant grin made my stomach flip.

Against my outer thighs, his legs were warm and firm. The ground was uneven beneath my feet, so I rested my palm on his shoulder for balance, the tactile heat beneath my fingers singing through my arm down to my core. Focus, that’s what I needed. Focus on the subdural hematoma on his occipital lobe and temporal lobe. The medical jargon only helped so much when I had his scent in my nose and all that power surrounding me. I wanted him to kiss me again.

He had a hard head at least, minimal bruising that was easily healed by the devices I held. Nothing too complex that required thinking. Then he raised his palms and wrapped them around my waist and everything feminine in me woke up. I felt positively dainty and small when his hands spanned nearly all of my body. I kept in shape in between my work at the lab, but long hours hunched over a microscope, munching on reheated meals meant I was softer in the waist than I would like. But that grip didn’t make me feel that way; I was tiny beneath those fingers, sexy.

When he covered my mouth with his, I was so ready for it, melting in his arms. Tissue regenerator forgotten, I breathed for his touch, his taste, and nothing else. Kal’s wings shuttered around me, cupping me to him as he took his slow, easy time to seduce me with little nibbles and nips, with the stroke of his tongue along mine. A moan escaped me and briefly that made me wonder why I was giving into this madness, but then those thoughts were lost on a wave of desire.

One big hand boldly slid up and cupped my breast, his thumb flicking over my nipple to lance sensation through me in bright, sharp ribbons. My gasp he devoured, then echoed back at me with a deep rumble in his chest that sounded much like the purr of a great cat. Although not so helpful, my mind tried to inform me that big cats did not actually purr, only their small cousins could. There was just nothing about Kal that could be labeled as cute, domestic tabby; he was all wild, primal heat.

“That’s it, sweet Caitlyn,” he said, and what sounded like a purr before turned into a deep, erotic groan. I didn’t even realize it was because I’d caught my hands in his hair and raked my nails across the back of his scalp until he arched into the touch. Then it was all I could do, feeling his hair, making him make that sound again for me. I didn’t even remember that I’d been holding a pair of medical devices before.

His hands pushed me closer, one stroking along my breast, flicking pleasure through my veins with each stroke of his thumb. The other moved down, cupping my ass and kneading the needy flesh. I found myself on his thigh when he lifted me, straddling that bare, muscular limb and finding sweet heady pleasure at the pressure on my clit. “Give me all of it,” he urged, and it was that sinful demand, that hint of ruthlessness, as he pleasured me that sent me spiraling. I came for him with a shout, from surprise as much as pleasure, as the orgasm crashed through me.

I was still reeling from it, my breathing rapid, my heart racing, and my head spinning. My fingers were digging into his shoulders, clutching him tightly as if he was my anchor in the storm. His wings cocooned me, but they suddenly rustled and then parted in a rush. It allowed the last rays of sunshine to hit his face; strong jawline, the sharp mercury eyes, and that regal brow. He was handsome, and he was alien, but he was not looking flushed and amorous like I was. It was the harsh alertness I saw in those swirling orbs, and it caused an answering wave of dread to settle over me that rapidly replaced the post-orgasm haze. “What’s happening?” I whispered.

He rose, dislodging me from his thick thigh, but his hands were gentle as he sat me on my feet. I felt his tail curl around my hip to anchor me when he turned and picked up the medical supplies and stuffed them back in the emergency kit. “A vehicle approaching through the woods,” was his only explanation. I found myself thrown over his shoulder like he’d done with the backpack, and then his big wings unfurled and we went up; up into the sky.

Chapter 5

Kalzudaud

I wanted to linger in that moment. More than anything, I wanted to keep pleasuring my sexy mate and discover all the things that made her moan for me. She deserved so much better than a quick romp in the woods. Silky sheets, jewels and gems, the finest Aderian wine or the tastiest Tarkan delicacies. Whatever she wanted, it would be hers.

Right now, her safety was more important than spoiling her. I could hear the sound of an approaching land vehicle and knew that we had to get out of here, fast. I should have remembered our dire situation, but I’d let myself get swept away in the tempting, sinful moment when she offered to heal me.

With a few powerful pushes of my wings, I had us soaring over the newly created clearing. The short range vessel was a mess, its nose dug deep into the Daudiras’ dirt, while a deep furrow lead the way through the woods toward it. The tall silkbark trees that still stood were each big enough to find a safe perch on, and I located just such a spot to set my mate down. “Stay here,” I warned her as I parked her sexy rear on the thick limb and notched the emergency kit in a few branches next to her. “I will deal with them.”

I spun around just as the vehicle careened out of the cover of the jungle trees and into the clearing next to the vessel. Several Tarkan males in their battle-forms leaped out, dressed in simple black leather kilts and armed with swords or axes. They had forgone any type of laser weaponry, which was almost entirely rendered useless against a Tarkan’s battle-form. Good, that meant they expected it to just be me.

They were not wearing any colors that denoted their loyalty, just black over their gray bodies. I made sure to be absolutely silent as I circled above them, waiting only long enough to be sure of their intentions. They entered the ship, leaving only a single male to guard the exit, and he was clearly new at this. “Is the bastard dead or not?” he yelled out impatiently, only to be cursed at and shushed by the rest of the thugs inside.

I had no mercy left in me for any of these traitors, not after they killed my sister and her mate and left Sera dying. Sweeping around, I folded my wings tightly against my body and with a rapid spiral drop, caught the lone male up and wrenched his wings. He screamed as I took the struggling male higher into the air, high enough for a fatal drop even in his battle-form. Watching him plummet wasn’t as satisfying as I had imagined, and his screams called the others.

Good, I could use a target for all this anger and rage. I was going to show them that I was no pampered royalty but a battle hardened warrior in my own right. This King had teeth, and he was not afraid to get his hands dirty. Iru would be sad to hear he’d missed a good fight, but these were all mine. They flung themselves into the sky after me and I relished the aerial battle that followed, dodging wing claws, swords, and ax blows. Catching these lowlifes where it counted, but always, always, making sure to keep them away from the tree in which my mate was hiding.

The fight was over far too soon, and still filled with the rage of the battle, I trembled when I landed on the thick tree limb next to my Caitlyn. Blood splattered me, none of it my own, and several bruises richer once again, but those I wouldn’t notice until later. We needed to move, and fast, because this was only the fore guard. When they did not report back soon, more would follow. It was tempting to stick around and hope that it would draw out the traitor behind it all, but the coward would probably not show themselves.

Caitlyn was staring at me with enormous eyes; they were a deep brown that seemed unique just to her and her species. She looked a little in shock, and a powerful scent of fear wafted from her that I had not noticed before. Despite my not so stellar introductions, and the fact that I’d stolen her from Aderia, she had not feared me.

“You are safe,” I told her. “They did not notice you were there.” I had made sure of that on the off chance that one of them managed to escape and report back. Nobody needed to know what I was up to. My mission to save Sera would only renew their efforts to end her young life, and I would not tolerate any danger to my mate.

She gave me a curt nod, and her swallow was loud enough for me to hear it. That did not assure her, which could only mean that it was me she felt apprehension for now. The heaviness that settled in my chest at that thought made me rub my sternum roughly with a knuckle. I would fix this. I would have her trust again when she realized my battle prowess was only there to serve her, to serve my kingdom.

“Iru, pick up my friend,” I said into my com device. As we crashed, interference could have prevented my call from going through, but we were on the planet now, and our connection should be effortless. If he did not answer, that could only mean that he was dead or out of touch on purpose. My mind spun with worry for my heart-daughter and my friend.

“It’ll be alright,” Caitlyn said in the laden silence while I glared at my unresponsive com device. She reached out across the branch to put her small hand on my wrist and the world seemed to right itself around me. I didn’t know it could be like that, but that touch brought back a light, a flicker of hope. She was right, it would be alright, I would make it so. I offered her a grateful smile and was rewarded with one of hers in return. Could her trust in me come back that quickly? Was a mate bond really that powerful?

“Kal? Is that you?” Iru’s voice suddenly crackled in the air between us and I jerked my eyes back to my com device. The connection was terrible, so he was either not on the planet with Sera, or somewhere deep underground. Both were very valid options. My friend would go to the ends of the quadrant if it meant fulfilling his duty to me and the future queen.

“It is. I succeeded. We need to rendezvous. Can you reach the palace safely by tomorrow?” When Iru confirmed easily, my worries faded away. I knew where he’d taken my heart-daughter, a good, safe place that not many would think to look in or even want to go. Tarkan were made for the skies, the underground catacombs were anathema to us all, but Iru was at home in the dark. Even better, they were very near the palace and help in case he needed it.

“I need to destroy my com to avoid trackers,” I warned. “I suggest you do the same. We will be there at the agreed time.” The call disconnected with another loud crackle and in the following silence, I raised my eyes to meet Caitlyn’s gaze. “I will keep you safe, always. That is my promise as a male, your male. Understand?” When she nodded, I raised my com and slammed it hard against the tree’s thick bark, then let the pieces scatter to the ground.

Chapter 6

Caitlyn

I had these dreams as a little girl about flying with an angel. Taken up into the clouds in a pair of safe arms that would hold and protect me as they showed me the wonders of the world. I had not had that dream in a very long time, but it came back to me now.

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