Atlantean's Quest Volume 1 Read online

  Jac’s lips were still swollen from the kiss. His eyes fixed on her sensual mouth. All right maybe not so respectable.

  “Your fate is sealed. Now go forth with your new mate,” Ariel announced to the crowd, but her eyes were on Ares. The crowd erupted into cheers and well wishes.

  Ares and Jac turned to face the onslaught.

  Rachel raced forward and gave her a bear hug, tears of happiness streaming down her face. “I’m so glad you changed your mind,” she hiccupped. “I couldn’t imagine life without you.”

  Jac felt her eyes growing misty. Probably allergies, she thought, because there was absolutely no way she was crying. She never cried—yesterday had been an exception to a very long standing rule in her life.

  And, well, today was like any other, except she’d gotten married to a warrior from another planet. The man she loved. No reason to cry about that. She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, before pulling out of Rachel’s firm grip.

  “Stop that right now.” Jac pointed to Rachel’s watery eyes, attempting to scold.

  Rachel laughed and hugged her again. She felt her own grip tightening on her friend’s shoulders.

  “Boy, wouldn’t Brigit freak if she could see us now,” Jac whispered against Rachel’s hair, then she pulled back.

  The women stared at each other, sudden sadness clouding the happy occasion.

  Rachel sighed. “It’s your wedding day. We shouldn’t be thinking about such things today.”

  Jac nodded, but her mind continued to wander over the miles to Brigit. She’d be waiting for news of her progress. How could they head off to another planet and not let Brigit know that she and Rachel were fine? Jac’s heart squeezed. Fresh tears filled Rachel’s brown eyes. Jac didn’t have to be telepathic to know they were thinking the same thing.

  “What are we going to do?” Rachel asked.

  Jac let out a stuttering breath. “I’m not sure, but we can’t go without telling her. That wouldn’t be right.”

  Rachel frowned. “I know, but we can’t go back to New York. It would draw too much attention to this place, to the Atlanteans. It’s bad enough Rumsinger’s sniffing around.”

  Jac’s expression steeled. “I should have shot that bastard when I had a chance.”

  Rachel nodded. “He’ll get what’s coming to him. I have no doubt in my mind, even if we have to come back to Earth to do it.” She smiled, confidence radiating from her.

  “Do you really think that’ll be possible?” Jac asked.

  “Yeah, I do. Or at least I hope so,” Rachel said. “Tomorrow I’m going to try to open the portal.” Her hands went to her belly. “Well the baby and I are going to attempt it.”

  Excited whispers raced through the crowd.

  She squeezed her friend’s hand, and then glanced around at the Atlanteans’ hopeful faces. In the back of her mind, Jac still had doubts that the transport would work, but for now she’d at least show her support for Rachel. “I never thought I’d be going into space, always figured it was Brigit’s job.”

  They both cracked up again, thinking about their friend’s love of science fiction and her desire to experience space travel firsthand.

  Rachel led Jac to where Ares stood chatting with Eros. She handed Jac into Ares’s waiting arms and then snuggled against Eros’s side.

  “’Tis time to feast,” Eros announced and led the procession over to the great table, which had already been laid out with fresh fruits, breads, fish, and exotic orchids.

  Ares and Jac sat side by side to Eros’s right, while Rachel took a seat on the left. They were at the head of the table with Ariel positioned at the opposite end. The Atlanteans’ passed food to the newly mated couple first, then shared the rest. Conversations varied from excitement over leaving, to what they were going to miss the most. Some even discussed the prospects of finding their true mates.

  Jac still didn’t quite understand the whole true mate business, but she now recognized true love. In the end the decision had been simple, leave and be miserable for the rest of her life or stay with the only man she’d ever loved. She continued to listen to the conversations with one ear, enjoying the fresh slices of mango on her plate. It seemed like no matter where you were from, problems in life were all the same. At some point or another, all people had to contend with moving, loss, and love. She smiled, reassured by the normalcy thrown into an otherwise abnormal situation.

  Ares’s hand rested protectively on her knee, as if he were trying to reassure himself that she was really there and not going anywhere. The air surrounding the table seemed to spark with a life of its own. It felt as if the temperature had risen by ten degrees within the last few minutes. Jac would have attributed the warmth to body heat, but they were outdoors, so it couldn’t have made that much of a difference. If she’d had a shirt on, she would have tugged at the collar. She ran her hand over her neck in an attempt to soothe her prickling skin.

  Her gaze darted along the table, searching to see if anyone else noted the change, but no one seemed to be paying attention. Rachel continued to pick at the bread and fruit on her plate. Every time she looked at Eros, a goofy expression crossed her face. Jac hoped she didn’t look like that when she looked at Ares. If so, someone needed to shoot her now and put her out of her misery.

  Ares laughed, sending her a sideways glance. “There will be no shooting today.”

  “Keep out of my mind. It’s not a seven-eleven.” Jac glared, but knew her bark sounded much worse than her bite right now.

  He grinned at her, his green eyes sparking. “I know not what you speak of, but I understand the meaning nonetheless.” Ares gave her knee a squeeze under the table.

  Jac stared at him and couldn’t help but smile. He was so handsome. And right now the light in his eyes made him look like a mischievous little boy up to no good. She snorted and turned back to her food, amazed by the circumstances that had brought her here and how strange a curve life had thrown at her.

  The sun set a few hours later and everyone moved away from the table, gathering around a fire that had been built earlier in the center of the compound. The mood was buoyant as plans were made for tomorrow’s journey. Ares stood behind Jac, cradling her against his chest, resting his arms about her waist. His chin brushed the top of her head, as if they’d been made to fit together.

  The bruises that had marred his body yesterday were all but faded. His peoples’ ability to heal was impressive. She sank back into his warmth, relishing his returning strength. The river had been a close call, too close for Jac. She didn’t want him putting himself in anywhere near that kind of danger again. Even though logically she knew it had been out of his control.

  Are you happy? he whispered in her mind.

  Jac thought for a moment and realized she actually was surprisingly ecstatic. Very…and you?

  More than I thought possible, now that I have you in my life to stay.

  Are you trying to sweet talk me?

  He purred. Maybe…

  She playfully jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow and laughed. Well it’s working.

  The dancing is about to start. Do you want to join in?

  Jac smiled. She had another kind of dancing in mind.

  Ares rubbed his hardening cock against her backside. If you’re not careful, I may take you back to the hut right now.

  She swayed her hips, suggestively. Who’s stopping you?

  Ares let out a growl and picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder, caveman style. Jac squealed, her hands coming down to pretend to beat on his back. With one arm he clasped her, holding her in place, while the other playfully slapped her on the bottom. She choked on laughter, only Ares heard the moan she tried to conceal. His smile widened as he strode off into the jungle, leaving the others to pair up for the night. He had plans for his mate and they didn’t include watching an orgy.

  He strode down the trail, his hands resting on Jac’s long legs. Ares imagined the myriad of ways in which he would give her pl
easure tonight. He’d take her slow and easy, hard and fast, and every way in between. His cock hardened to the point of pain as he thought about her long legs draped over his shoulders as he lapped her soft folds. He would hear her scream of release at least seven times before he’d let her seek rest. There would be nothing he would not give her, nothing he would not do to please her. Tonight was for fantasies, his, hers, and theirs. And they’d start the second the flap covering the door dropped.

  He picked up the pace, the sudden urgency too intense to ignore. Ares slid his fingers under the jade skirt covering Jac’s sex. His hand found her bottom and he began to massage. He traced her crack, trailing one finger down its length. Ares felt her tense as she recalled exactly what he’d done to her earlier today. He followed the line all the way around until he encountered her already moist entrance. Jac shuddered as he circled it a couple of times then continued down her thighs. She kicked in frustration.

  Ares grinned. He liked teasing her. She would willingly play any game he put forth, adventurous enough to take said game and turn it into her own. Tonight they’d test each others limits, discover boundaries then break through them. His blood heated at the thought of her resting upon his face as he drove his tongue inside her sheath, spearing her.

  They reached the hut and Ares released Jac, setting her upon her feet. He stepped through the door holding up the hides so that she could enter. He turned a palm to the fire pot on the table and sent an energy burst out, the flames leapt to life. A soft glow illuminated the hut. Ares moved to the hidden compartment in the side wall, opened it and began removing the items he planned on using tonight. There were oils, similar to the ones Eros had prepared Jac with, brushes of various sizes, and a couple of scarves.

  “What are you doing?” Her eyes narrowed, but her voice held a playful lilt.

  Ares waggled his eyebrows at her. “Preparing…”

  He juggled the items in his hands, careful not to drop any of them as he made his way to the table. He placed the items out, then began to examine the fruit. He picked out bananas and several camu camu, since they were similar in size to a plum and set them aside. Ares opened up a container of oil, poured some in his palm, and then began to rub his hands together. He didn’t want to think about the fact that Eros had done the same thing when he’d come to prepare Jac for the mating ceremony.

  Anger rose in Ares, at the thought of any man, including his friend, laying their hands upon his mate. The Seer had come close to restraining him, to keep Ares from returning to his hut to stop the preparation. He’d gone mad with jealousy. Ares took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. It was over and done. The ceremony had been completed, the healing performed. His eyes sought Jac. She stood near the door where he’d left her, watching him with hunger burning in her blue depths. The thought of stoking that fire had Ares hurrying with his task. He approached her, his hands dripping with oil. Her eyes widened and her breathing hitched. He reached out and gently took her palm in his, twining their fingers, locking her to him. He gave her a slight tug and she stepped forward.

  I wish I could say that I promise not to bite, but it would be a lie, I’m afraid.

  Nervous laughter bubbled from Jac. You don’t have to make that promise on my account. I love a good nip or two. She licked her lips and grinned.

  Instead of leading her to the bed, Ares walked her to one of the chairs situated around the table. The air was warmer there, near the fire pot, and he could easily reach the items he needed. Before allowing her to sit down, he slid the skirt over her hips, letting it drop to the floor. It made a slight rustle before settling on the ground. He held up her hand to help her step from the material, then guided her to the seat. Jac’s breathing had deepened, causing her nipples to quiver. Ares focused on her face, trying to ignore the tempting morsels so near his mouth.

  Once she’d been seated, he dropped to his knees. His hands came to rest on her thighs. Ares’s eyes locked with hers a second before he spread her wide, opening her for his perusal. When he had her positioned like he wanted, Ares sat back on his heels and stared. Her sex was total perfection, pink and puffy, lightly furred, and held a spicy aroma that was enough to drive him insane. His mouth watered in anticipation.

  Have I told you how beautiful I find you?

  No, she whispered in his mind.

  Ares stroked her a couple times, teasing the flesh with his callused fingers. So soft…so sweet…so wet. And it’s all for me.

  “For you,” she groaned aloud. Jac closed her eyes and bit her lip.

  Ares picked up the camu camu fruit. The plum like fruit, although sweet to the taste, it came loaded with enough stimulants to keep a bull elephant awake for a month. Not that the fruit affected Ares that way. His people were immune to most of the plants indigenous to this planet.

  Ares glided the fruit along Jac’s nether lips, encouraging her to open further. Her eyes flew open and locked on his hand. Her gaze widened, as she realized what Ares was using to tease her. Two more passes and the camu camu lay covered in Jac’s own juices. Ares circled her clit, then pressed down enough to send a jolt through her system. He slid the fruit down, until it rested at her entrance, then eyes locked on her face, he slipped half inside.

  Jac’s breath strangled in her throat. She couldn’t believe what Ares was doing to her. It was like torture as he caressed her with the camu camu—delicious, erotic, sensuous, and oh so carnal torture. The fruit filled her entrance, stretching her wide, exposing her to his riveted gaze. He pulled his fingers back, releasing the fruit. She went to remove it, but he stopped her with a look. His eyes flamed, as he leaned forward, drawing nearer and nearer.

  I want you, Jac. I dream of taking you, a thousand different ways.

  Shivers of delight shot through Jac as she waited for that first touch, taste. She didn’t have to wait long. Ares tongue snaked out, circling the camu camu. She would have come straight off the chair had he not been there to stop her. He lapped at her folds, never touching the food, up one side and down the other, always bypassing her clit.

  Your taste inflames me, tugs at my heart, shackles my soul.

  Jac grabbed his hair, twining her fingers through the silky strands, trying to pull him closer, but he wouldn’t budge. His words branded her, searing a permanent mark upon her heart. He continued his slow assault, adding a nibble here and a swirl there. Jac thought she’d go out of her mind when his tongue trailed along her thigh.

  Ares please.

  He lifted his head and arched a brow, then smiled. His face dropped into her lap once again, except this time he bit into the fruit. She whimpered as the juices exploded over her heated skin. The tension built within her. She was close, so close to tumbling over the edge.

  Ares ate the fruit like a man starved. When the camu camu was all gone, he continued to feast, as if the fruit had only been an appetizer and she was the main course. His lips and tongue fed upon her clit, drawing it out, stroking it, sucking it, and nibbling until her body convulsed.

  He plunged his tongue inside her core, lapping up her orgasm. The muscle undulated, like waves on an ocean. He massaged her G-spot over and over, eventually sending her into another release. His large palms covered her breasts. His fingers sought out her aching nipples, twisting and turning them, kneading and pulling. Jac felt as if she were on a sensual roller coaster ride, where each crest and dip blended with the last so quickly that her sated mind refused to keep count.

  Your taste, your scent, you’re driving me insane. I cannot get enough.

  Ares continue to plunder her. His mastery over her body frightened and excited Jac at the same time. He released one nipple, replacing his hand with a brush. The bristle stroked over Jac’s sensitized skin, sending gooseflesh rising on her body. She shifted in the chair, trying to press closer. Ares tossed the brush down and sat back on his heels once again.

  I could feast upon you forever. His chin dripped with her juices and he had a smile planted firmly on his handsome face. He stood in one swift
motion, pulling Jac up at the same time.

  He swung her up into his arms, skin slapping skin. Her hands flew to his neck reflexively. Ares strode to the furs and placed her upon them. He walked back to the table and picked up one of the scarves, leaving her sitting on the edge of the bed. He returned to Jac’s side, his eyes sparking dangerously with desire. His cock pressed so hard against his loincloth that she could make out every ridge. She didn’t get a chance to look for long. Ares placed the scarf over her eyes.

  Can you see?

  Jac shook her head.

  Good. He secured the material at the back of her head.

  Her hearing seemed to sharpen. She tuned into the deep cadence of Ares’s breathing, the rustle of the scarf as he tied it around her, and the gentle popping of the fire as each piece of wood caught and began to burn. Her other senses seemed to come alive as well. She could smell the citrusy odor of the oil he’d applied to her skin, the gentle brush of the furs beneath her bottom, and the scalding heat from Ares’s nearness. The bed depressed beside her and she knew he’d joined her. Jac tensed, listening.

  The furs shifted a couple more times, then seemed to settle. Her body trembled, waiting to see what would come next. She felt Ares’s hands as they slid around her narrow waist, then lifted her again. What was he doing? Ares lowered her onto his face, spearing her deep with his tongue. Jac threw her head back, trying to catch her breath. Ares lifted her up and down until she caught the rhythm, then she pushed his hands away. Jac bounced gently upon Ares face, feeling the slide of his tongue inside her channel.