Dazon Agenda: Complete Collection Page 30

  She crossed her arms over her shoulders, feeling a bit obstinate, but finding the idea of being shadowed intolerable. “I know the risks, and I know what he wants from me, but I’m prepared to endure a little risk rather than have someone with me all the time. It’s not like I know any important trade secrets, or any information that would help Aryk win the war, so let me take the risk. It’s my life.”

  His expression softened, and he suddenly moved forward, pressing her against the wall behind her. “I won’t lose you. It’s too risky, and you can’t knowingly put yourself in danger. Agree to having a protective presence with you at all times.”

  Her hackles rose at the bossy tone, but it was the tender concern in his gaze that swayed her. With a nod, she gave in. “Fine. Give me my own security detail, but they aren’t coming in the bathroom with me, and they don’t get to come into the bedroom.”

  His tone deepened, and he lifted a hand to push a strand of hair off her face before cupping her cheek. “The only Dazon coming in your bedroom is me.” A second later, Sash’s head descended, and his lips covered hers.

  Each kiss was like the first one, and it sent a wave of heat spiraling through her. She wrapped her fingers around his uniform front, holding him closer against her as she gripped silky black fabric and savored his mouth on hers.

  The kiss was far too brief, and he ended it by dropping a light peck on her nose. “I have things I must attend to at the moment, but I’d like to see you tonight.”

  A spurt of mischief guided her as she brought a hand to his neck, brushing against the spot where the button lay that allowed her to strip him of his suit in seconds. “Or you could make time for me now.”

  He growled low in his throat, but it was a sound of pleasure and not anger. His fingers went to her neck, performing a similar maneuver. Since moving into the Moon consulate, she had adopted the Dazon uniform as her own, enjoying the simple ease of shedding the uniform, while still providing secure coverage. One of the technicians at the uniform shop had specifically modified her suits for her, allowing a broad range of color choices. Today, she had gone with lavender, but now she wore nothing, just like Sash.

  He kissed her again, and his hands moved over her body with easy familiarity. He paused to cup her hips as he dragged her closer to him, his kiss turning possessive and demanding rather than gentle as it had been.

  She clung to him, enjoying his arms around her. During the day especially, he was far more likely to treat her with distant friendliness than as though she meant something more to him. It had been like that from the start, even after they had first become lovers.

  She wished she could separate how she was feeling from how she was acting just as easily. There were alarm bells in the back of her mind reminding her not to betray any emotional reaction to the sex as his hands moved down her body. She wasn’t Sash’s mate, or he would have told her she was by now. That meant this was strictly a temporary liaison, and she was already far too emotionally attached to him, since she knew their fling would end, likely sooner rather than later.

  As Sash wedged his fingers inside her slick folds, testing her wetness for him before he began to stroke her clit in small, firm strokes that made her shiver and sent her racing to the edge of orgasm, she knew she shouldn’t do this with him again. This had to be the last time, or she was going to end up getting her heart broken.

  As her sheath clamped around his fingers, her juices flowing copiously from between her thighs, she reminded herself she’d taken that vow at least eight times now, and yet here they were again, having sex despite her resolve not to.

  She let out a small moan as he parted her thighs, his cock sliding deep inside her a moment later. Now they were having sex, she silently amended. He held her tightly, as though it pained him to let her go, though she was certain it was her own fanciful imagination. Sash set a slow pace, clearly unconcerned about all the work waiting for him at the moment. She couldn’t care less about her own work as she let herself get swept up in the rhythm he set, and the way it made her feel. When he came inside her, she tightened around him again, enjoying her second climax, and finding this one far more satisfying since he filled her so completely.

  Afterward, she rested her head against his chest for a moment, enjoying the feel of their connection. If it could always be like this, she’d have no doubts, and she was certain he wouldn’t have either. He would have made her his mate by now, but since he hadn’t experienced any indicator that she was his match, she knew she couldn’t be. The mating flare hit the Dazon as soon as they met their mates, and it wasn’t a slow development from prolonged exposure. If she hadn’t been his mate from the first day, she never would be.

  In the meantime, she’d have to settle for stolen moments like these while guarding her emotions to keep him out, or choose the far more sensible option of putting a stop to their affair before she was in so deep she couldn’t function without him.

  She tried to tell herself with conviction she would do the first choice, but as she melted into his arms again when he kissed her—another long, throbbing kiss that left her lips tingling—she admitted to herself she was probably lying. He seemed to be her favorite mistake, and she made it often.

  Chapter Two

  Late the next morning, Jordan folded to the White House with her contingent of Dazon guards, along with her sole human bodyguard, who accompanied her when she left the Moon consulate. Damon Connors didn’t speak much, but she was reassured to have him along, appreciating whenever the ambassador married to Prince Ysaak shared her personal guard. He was likely no more competent than the Dazon males, and certainly with their superior size and bulk, they were probably technically more proficient at protecting her, but none of them seemed to care much about her, whereas she got the sense Damon was concerned for her safety and made her welfare paramount.

  It was a routine fold, though she was hyperaware of her surroundings, both before they left the Moon and once they reached the private folding point set up outside her mother’s office. A sole guard stood there this morning, and he barely glanced in her direction besides nodding respectfully as he returned to whatever he was looking at on the computer screen. He wore a mask of diligent concentration, but she wondered if he was secretly playing Candy Crush.

  With her contingent in tow, she approached the Oval Office and tapped on the door. Her mother’s familiar voice beckoned her inside a moment later, and she stepped through the door with her guards flanking her.

  “Good morning, Mother,” she said as she strode toward the arrangement of couches where her mother sat, a tea tray on the table. Evelyn had spent three years in India as part of her volunteer work with the Peace Corps, which had given her a love of strong Indian tea that she shared with her daughter. Jordan’s mouth watered and her nostrils flared as she smelled the intense brew steeping in the pot. Before sitting, she pointed to the tray with a vague gesture of her hand. “Shall I pour?”

  “Please,” said her mother.

  Jordan completed the task quickly before sitting with her cup in her hand, eschewing a saucer despite her mother’s pinched look of disapproval. The events of the previous evening caught up with her, and though she hadn’t intended to tell her mother just yet, if at all, the words tumbled from her mouth. “The emperor tried to abduct me last night.”

  Her mother frowned before shaking her head. “How typical of that man.”

  It was a strange response, and she quirked a brow as she sipped the strong tea. “The commander wants me to have guards at all times, even when I’m sleeping. That sounds dreadful, but I guess I see his point-of-view. I resisted the idea when he suggested it, but in retrospect, it makes sense.” She waved to the four Dazon guards and her sole human companion. “I guess I’ll be seeing more of them.”

  Evelyn simply sipped her tea. “Perhaps not, darling. I’d like to speak with you privately, if your guards will allow you out of their sight long enough?”

  Jordan studied her mom for a minute, realizing ther
e was something serious weighing her mother down, so she nodded. Turning her head, she said to Damon, “Why don’t you all step into the hallway? I’ll be safe enough here in the Oval Office.”

  There was little doubt about that, since Dazon defector Karsh Taub had fortified the Oval Office shortly after his arrival on Earth, when he defected along with the others from the main armada. He had previously been the old emperor’s head of electronic and communications security, so he had been happy to assist the president in ensuring her communications remained secure, and that no Dazon could pop into her office and fold away with her. He had been friends with Emperor Talek, whom Aryk had murdered, and Karsh had taken obvious pleasure in thwarting Aryk whenever he could.

  In spite of that, Damon looked hesitant, but he nodded, and as soon as he did, the other guards departed the room, followed by the human bodyguard, who closed the door behind himself.

  “I don’t understand why they tried to steal you yesterday. Perhaps he was certain I wouldn’t be able to convince you about the terms of our ceasefire.”

  Her teacup trembled in her hand, and Jordan steadied it before it could splash hot liquid on her. “What ceasefire, Mother?”

  “I should tell you that I wanted to let you know sooner, but it wasn’t prudent. I’ve been in talks with Emperor Aryk for more than a week, trying to find a solution that will satisfy the Dazons and not decimate Earth’s population.”

  She grimaced at the idea of her mother sitting down and trying to find a reasonable solution with the bloodthirsty emperor and his right-hand man, mad scientist Dr. Jorvak Ha. “I wish you had told me, but I guess I see why you didn’t. You must have known I wouldn’t approve.”

  Evelyn gave her a thin smile. “Darling, no one approves of trying to find peace with his people, because no one believes it’s possible. However, he left me little choice in the matter.”

  She set aside her teacup, not eager to spill it on herself in case of further revelations. “How did he do that?”

  “He relayed a message through official channels that if I didn’t agree to meet with him, he would deploy a new virus Dr. Ha has created.” Her expression clouded, and Evelyn reached for remote hidden discreetly in a flap on the table that opened to reveal several modern conveniences that wouldn’t have matched the antique decor her mother had in the Oval Office.

  After lifting out the device, she closed the flap and pressed some buttons. The lights dimmed in the office, and a projection screen dropped down from the wall. With another press of a button, her mother started a video that was paused. “This is the footage he sent me, which compelled me to agree to the summit.”

  Jordan was at first confused when she saw a human male standing in the middle of a room, wearing a simple white jumpsuit. The human looked confused too, but then his expression changed, reflecting pure agony as he began to scream. He writhed and twitched before falling to the floor, blood streaming from his eyes, ears, nose, and other visible orifices. In seconds, the white jumpsuit had turned crimson, and in less than a minute, the man had fallen silent. He lay un-moving. She gasped as she looked at her mom. “What was that?”

  “That was a small sample of what he and Dr. Ha have been up to. There are one hundred test subjects in all on the video, and I’ll spare you the rest. Believe it or not, this was the least gruesome.” Her expression clouded, and the president was visibly upset.

  Her stomach rolled with nausea. “How can they do that? If it’s really some sort of retrovirus created by Ha, shouldn’t the nanotechnology that most humans have received by now counter it?”

  Evelyn shrugged. “Dr. Wy has evaluated the data, though of course Aryk’s people didn’t send enough for him to reverse engineer a solution or an antidote, and he reluctantly agrees that the hemorrhagic virus, or HV as they’re calling it, does what Aryk claims. Ha’s found a way to manipulate the nanotechnology so it doesn’t recognize HV as a threat or an invader until it’s too late, and the body is overwhelmed. Ha claims he’s linked it to the Y chromosomes in humans, so only men will be affected. After all, they don’t want to kill the human females. They simply want to place us in a position where they’re our only chance of propagating the species.”

  Bile burned up her esophagus, necessitating she swallow a few times before she managed to speak. “That just seems unbelievable, and not really in line with what we know of Aryk.”

  Her mother frowned. “I think it seems perfectly in line with those two, since they clearly have no qualms about releasing biological weapons.”

  She shook her head. “I meant it makes no sense that he would offer to negotiate when he had such a weapon at his disposal. From what we know of him, and his previous actions, he should have already unleashed that on Earth, and then swooped in afterward to steal as many human women as possible.”

  Her mother nodded. “That does sound far more like the emperor, but we have something he wants…something he’s certain will be guarded and protected to the last loyal human or Dazon.”

  There was a sinking sensation in her stomach as she stared at her mother, silently willing her mom not to say the words she knew she was going to utter.

  “He wants you, Jordan. He’s willing to compromise to get you.”

  Her mouth dropped open as she sank back against her chair, glad she had gotten rid of the teacup, or it would no doubt be spilled all over her uniform, a sunny yellow today that was no longer making her feel cheerful. “What exactly is he offering to trade for me, besides not unleashing his virus on the male population?”

  “He claims any attempts at abduction will stop as long as all Earth women make themselves available for a meeting with their ideal genetic mate, and a further stipulation requires all Earth women have their DNA entered into Dr. Ha’s matching program. The women simply have to meet the Dazon males, and there’s supposedly no obligation to accept their mate, but…”

  “But?” she prompted when the silence lengthened.

  Evelyn cleared her throat. “But he also stipulates that if there aren’t at least two hundred thousand matings each year, he’ll have to withdraw the voluntary clause. Meaning we’ll have to pressure our women to accept their men and likely give up their entire lives on Earth, because I can’t see very many of those rigid Dazons agreeing to settle here.”

  She frowned at her mother. “They’re not all rigid, and quite a few seemed to have integrated well enough with the population of Earth.”

  Her mother nodded. “I wasn’t trying to be derogatory toward all Dazons. I was referring to the ones who have aligned with Aryk and support his agenda. They’re the ones who have full contempt for humanity and view us as nothing important. I’m sure to the majority of them, we’re nothing more than breeding facilities.”

  Jordan let out a long sigh, knowing her mother was right in her assessment. “What else does he want or offer?”

  “That’s all he offers, and I’m certain that’s all he’s going to offer. In return, you agree to marry him, and he claims that will foster peace between our peoples.” Her mother snorted. “He’s a liar, and I don’t believe him, but he has us backed into a corner.”

  Jordan’s hands tightened on the chair cushions on either side of her as she stared at her mother. “You aren’t trying to tell me you agreed to this, are you?”

  Evelyn looked troubled, but she nodded. “I did. For now, there’s a cease-fire between us, and he claims he will sign a full treaty after your marriage.”

  She stiffened, outrage flowing through her. “Mother, you can’t really mean for me to marry the emperor, especially when we both know he won’t follow through with any of his terms? This is simply a way to get his hands on me. There’s nothing to stop him from unleashing that virus as soon as I’m on Dazonia Major, and there’s no other reason for him to keep his word.”

  Her mother looked serene when she nodded her agreement. “I know, darling.”

  She stared at her mother, shocked at her equanimity. Of course, her mother wasn’t the one facing a marr
iage to the Dazonian emperor. “I won’t marry him.”

  “I’m afraid you must. It’s critical, and our plan can’t proceed without your willingness to do so.”

  “I’d never be willing to marry that—” She broke off as the rest of her mother’s words filtered through her brain. Her eyes narrowed. “What plan?”

  Evelyn reached into the flap of her table again, this time withdrawing a large velvet box. When she opened it, she revealed a sparkling hair comb, inlaid with diamonds and jade, along with a sparkling orange stone she couldn’t identify. She looked at it skeptically before glancing at her mother again. “What’s this?”

  “This is a hair comb presented from the emperor as a gift to you. It’s something like an engagement ring, I suppose. Prince Ysaak told me it’s traditional for royalty to present a gift to their intended mate before a ceremony. He recognized this from the palace vault on Dazonia Major.”

  Jordan wrinkled her nose at it. “No, thank you. I’m not marrying him, and I’m not wearing that.”

  Evelyn let out a small sigh. “Try to keep an open mind, Jordan. I know I’m not always there for you as much as I’d like to be, but I’m sure you know I love you.”

  Jordan didn’t have to hesitate when she nodded. “That’s why it’s so unbelievable to me that you’re willing to sell me out to this creep with no guarantee that anyone will be any better off after I’ve married him.” She shuddered at the idea of subjecting herself to Aryk’s touch. She had seen his pictures, and while he was a handsome man, knowing what she did about him killed any sort of attraction she would have felt, if she had felt any.

  She hadn’t been attracted to anyone since she’d met Sash. That sent another curl of dread through her, and she couldn’t even begin to imagine his reaction if she ever had to tell him she was marrying Emperor Aryk. He would take it badly.

  Or maybe not. He wasn’t easy to read, and there was a distance between them, so maybe he would take the news with a shrug and soon find another bed partner as he waited for his mate. She didn’t like either idea.