Page 41 of Bound to the Bounty Hunter

“No,” she said firmly. “I’m not giving up on you. You’re stronger than this, Arkon. Remember who you are.”

I took a stumbling step forward, then another. My body moved of its own accord, drawn inexorably towards Samira. Inside, I raged against the drug’s influence, desperately clinging to my sense of self.

“Please,” Samira pleaded, her voice cracking. “Snap out of it. This isn’t you.”

I wanted to reassure her, to tell her everything would be alright, but the words stuck in my throat. My vision swam, tinted with a red haze. Samira’s face blurred, becoming indistinct.

My hand reached out, fingers stretching towards her throat. No, no, no. I screamed internally, fighting with every ounce of willpower I possessed.

Suddenly, Samira lunged forward. Her lips crashed against mine in a desperate kiss.

The moment Samira’s lips touched mine, something inside me snapped. The drug’s influence twisted, warping from murderous rage into raw, primal desire. I kissed her back with bruising force, my hands gripping her waist and pulling her flush against me.

A growl rumbled deep in my chest as I tasted her, my tongue plundering her mouth. She tasted of fear and desperation, but beneath that lay a sweetness that made my head spin. Or maybe that was the drug. I didn’t care.

Samira’s fingers ran through my hair, tugging hard enough to hurt. The pain only fueled my passion. I spun us around, pinning her against the cold metal wall of our cell. My body pressed against hers, trapping her.

“Arkon,” she gasped as I trailed biting kisses down her neck. “Don’t hold back. I need you.”

Her words ignited something fierce within me. The last shreds of my self-control evaporated. I captured her lips again in a searing kiss, my hands roaming her body with desperate need.

Samira arched into me, her breasts pressing against my chest.

I growled again, louder this time. My hands found the hem of her shirt, ripping the fabric away with ease. Samira didn’t protest. Instead, she moaned, the sound driving me wild.

“More,” she demanded, her nails raking down my back.

I obliged, tearing away the rest of her clothes. My own followed suit, shredded and discarded without a second thought. The cool air of the cell did nothing to temper the heat between us.

“Samira,” I groaned. “I can’t... I need...”

“Then take me,” she breathed, her eyes dark with desire.

That was all the encouragement I needed. I hoisted her up, her legs wrapping around my waist. In one swift motion, I buried myself inside her.

We both cried out at the sensation. Samira was tight, wet, perfect. I stilled, overwhelmed by the feeling of her surrounding me.

“Move,” Samira demanded, rolling her hips.

I didn’t need to be told twice. I set a punishing rhythm, each thrust driving us both higher. Samira met me move for move.

The world narrowed down to just us, to the points where we connected. Nothing else mattered. Not Zhen’la, not the Consortium, not even our dire situation. There was only Samira, and the pleasure we were chasing together.

The madness rushed through me again, a tidal wave of primal need that threatened to drown my last vestiges of control. Samira’s scent filled my nostrils, intoxicating and irresistible. My Vinduthi senses picked up every nuance of her arousal, the sweet musk of her desire mixed with the salt of her sweat.

I buried my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. My tongue darted out, tasting her skin. The flavor exploded across my taste buds, sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my core. I couldn’t get enough.

My lips and teeth grazed the curve of her neck, alternating between gentle nibbles and more forceful bites. Samira moaned, her head tilting back to give me better access. The sound reverberated through me, making my veins burn hot.

“Arkon,” she gasped, her fingers digging into my shoulders. “Oh god, don’t stop.”

But I had to stop. Even through the drug-induced haze, a part of me knew the danger. The urge to claim her, to mark her as mine for all eternity, was overwhelming. My fangs ached with the need to sink into her soft flesh, to inject her with the DNA-altering venom that would bind us together forever.

I growled, low and feral, fighting against the instinct. Samira didn’t understand what was happening, couldn’t know thesignificance of a Vinduthi claiming bite. And I couldn’t do that to her, not like this, not when neither of us was in our right mind.

“Samira,” I managed to grind out. “I can’t... I might hurt you...”

She pulled back slightly, her dark eyes meeting mine. “You won’t hurt me, Arkon. I trust you.”

---