Chapter Nineteen
Thrasher had never been more annoyed or turned on in all his life. One minute he wanted to snatch up the infuriating princess and tan her hide, and the next, he wanted nothing more than to taste her sweet lips. And taste them he did.
She stiffened in his arms, a sound of outrage echoing in the back of her throat. Her hands came up to push against his chest, only to end up caressing him instead.
Her body suddenly relaxed, and she opened for him, her tongue greedily seeking his.
Thrasher felt his shaft throbbing behind the zipper of his pants, straining to be freed. He wanted Kaspyn, wanted her with every fiber of his being.
He backed her toward her bedroom, following her down as her legs came up against the bed.
The moan that escaped her mouth washed through him like warm, sweet honey.
Thrasher couldn’t seem to get enough of her taste. He kissed her like a man starved.
He gripped a handful of her hair, holding her still for the onslaught of his tongue. He couldn’t seem to get deep enough. He wanted to taste every aspect of her, her tongue, her lips, the depths of her throat.
Her legs parted and Thrasher slid up higher, pressing his aching erection against the juncture of her thighs. Both of them moaned with the contact.
He rolled his hips forward again, basking in the feel of being nestled against her warm woman’s center.
“Kaspyn,” he rasped, breaking off the suction he had on her lips, “I want inside you. God, I need inside you.”
She stared up at him with a look of hunger…and something else he couldn’t name. “I want you inside me, too, and that scares me more than death.”
Thrasher lifted his head a little more, his hand going lax in her beautiful hair. “What are you afraid of? Is it because I’m not a Bracadyte?” He hoped like hell she didn’t say yes.
“I am untouched.”
He couldn’t have heard her right. “You’re a virgin?”
“All Bracadyte females remain untouched until they are mated.”
Ah hell, Thrasher thought, his painful erection still pulsing against her incredible heat. She’s a virgin.
Thrasher eased off her and got to his feet. “I’m sorry, Kaspyn. I didn’t know.” He left the room before he ended up falling on top of her and taking her anyway.
Everyone was gathered beneath a shade tree near the front porch when Thrasher stepped outside.
“I thought you were getting your arm stitched up,” Oz remarked, a humorous light in his eyes.
Thrasher swallowed a retort, his gaze seeking out Carmen. “Would you mind grabbing the first aid kit off the coffee table and sewing this up?”
“Not at all.” Carmen hurried around to the porch and disappeared inside. She returned a moment later with the little white box and motioned for Thrasher to have a seat on the edge of the porch.
Easing down to a sitting position, Thrasher pulled his Ray-Bans down to cover his eyes and attempted to block out Kaspyn’s presence as she stepped out to join them.
Kaspyn didn’t look at him either, Thrasher noticed, glancing at her from behind the mirrored lenses of his sunglasses.
“Kerik is most assuredly aware of our presence in Playa Pilar.” Kaspyn’s voice rang out over the crowd. “The human male was sent to get an accurate count of how many Bracadytes arrived yesterday, and also to be sure that Anthony Vaughn was among them.”
Except for a muscle ticking along Tony’s jaw, he gave no outward sign that Kaspyn’s announcement affected him.
She continued. “The human male was also ordered to locate his contact here and learn of the status of the other Bracadytes that are due to arrive any day now.”
That brought Thrasher’s gaze around. “What other Bracadytes?”
Oz lifted a hand to gain the crowd’s attention. “I specifically told two of my men that I was waiting on more Bracadytes to arrive. It was a ploy to see if Kerik would get the information. Now I know which two men to interrogate first. I will find the spy in my midst.”
“Smart move,” Thrasher murmured. “As long as Kerik is expecting more Bracadytes, he won’t make a move on us. At least not until he realizes we’re leaving.”
Oz nodded. “That was my plan. I’ll drop another crumb as the time draws near. For now, we have six days to prepare for what’s coming. I’ll keep my scouts in the trees, but as far as preparation for the attack, that will have to stay between the nine of us.”
“We need not wait on them to come to us.” Kaspyn’s voice, though soft, held a note of deadliness. “I have seen inside their camp.”
Thrasher swiveled his head in her direction. “It’s a bad idea. We stick to the original plan.”
“But we can catch them unaware,” Kaspyn persisted.
Shaking his head, Thrasher held her gaze, grateful that she couldn’t see the desire still lingering in his eyes from behind his Ray-Bans. “I know Kerik. He is more than aware that we have a spy in our midst, and he’ll also take into account that he could very well have one amongst his group as well. His men will only know what he wants them to know, nothing more. It’s too risky.”
“Thrasher’s right,” Tony pointed out. “Kerik is a crafty one. I think we should stick with the original plan also.”
Kaspyn nodded, though her jaw remained tense.
Zyen spoke up. “As much as it pains me to say this, I agree with the land walkers. Though I do not know this Kerik, I am aware that he lacks honor and therefore will use trickery to his advantage.”
Thrasher was liking the massive Arkadian more and more.
Pain sliced through Thrasher’s arm as Carmen set about cleansing his wound. He held completely still while she poured another dose of alcohol over it and picked up her needle.
Zyen’s gaze flicked in Carmen’s direction more than once as she began to stitch Thrasher’s flesh closed. Thrasher wasn’t sure if the Arkadian was merely curious about her method or curious about her in general.
Just then, Carmen lifted her head and glanced in Zyen’s direction before returning to her task of stitching.
Interesting, Thrasher thought, clenching his teeth as the needle entered his burning flesh. The biggest Bracadyte I’ve ever seen and the smallest human. Good luck with that.