Varan brushed the hair back from Adelina’s face and kissed her cheek before he slipped out of the bed. He didn’t want to wake her just yet.

Adelina had asked the newly minted privateer and her crew onboard The Jasmine for breakfast and surprisingly Delphine had agreed. The Ravager was well known for its ruthless crew, merciless captain, the propensity for no quarter, and no prisoners. Though the captain was never specifically described, which made Varan think the legend was passed from one generation to the next.

He’d read every story about the Ravager he’d been able to get his hands on as a boy. So it was a bit surreal to have her accompanying them to the Hai Galaxy. Varan absently wondered who the captain had been before Delphine, if it was the male he’d always aspired to be.

He slipped on his leather pants and then sat down to buckle up his boots in the dark room. The floating clock said it was nearly nine in the morning on Draga Terra. Adelina hadn’t slept like this for a while from what he could remember. The spy he’d had on her over the cycles had informed him she was up at six most mornings.

It was strange still to think he was a married male. Whenever the diamonds caught the light he found himself staring at it. The ring on his finger was heavy, and felt a bit odd. Varan was still unused to the weight of it. But just like the cuff on his wrist and the rings on his other hand he would get used to it.

Their union was still so new, so dreamlike, and Varan wondered sometimes if he would wake up one day and find out it had never been real. Because it felt as though he could hardly remember what life had been like before Adelina. She permeated every memory and thought. The last five cycles were a blur – but she stood out like a star in the night’s sky, guiding him to safety.

Varan shook his head and strapped on his second boot. He’d only taught her a few things over the cycles when he’d known her only as one of his skilled jewel thieves, but the last few days they’d traveled to the border she’d taken to his fighting style like a fish to water. All those dance lessons, she’d said.

There was some truth to it. She was the most graceful fighter he’d ever seen. Every move was fluid, every motion perfect and precise; every move flowed from one to the next in the blink of an eye. It was art when she moved – a strange masterpiece of death.

Small hands wrapped around his bare waist and he leaned back into Adelina’s naked body. She smelled divine. Her jasmine scent was mixed with his own spice and it was intoxicating on her. Varan turned and pressed his forehead to her stomach and just breathed her in.

“You let me sleep in,” she murmured, running her fingers through his hair and tugging gently on the gold hoop in his ear.

Varan sighed and closed his eyes. He pulled her in tight. His cock stirred at her scent, her bare skin, and the raging desire that was always there, but he simply wanted to enjoy her for a little while longer before they had to join the others.

“You need the sleep,” Varan told her. “I doubt we’ll have the opportunity once we’ve done what we came all this way to do.”

Her sharp nails were so gentle on his scalp he practically rumbled with the pleasure of it. “You take such wonderful care of me,” she whispered.

The silence in her room was strange – nearly holy. Neither of them wanted to break it, to break the spell they could both feel between them.

“I love you, Adelina. You are my sun – you are every star in the sky, and I will love you until every single one of those stars is dead and nothing more than dust.” She was brighter and warmer than all those stars and he needed her to know that.

A drop of wetness fell on his cheek and he looked up to see her smiling down at him with tears in her eyes.

“I love you, too, Varan. You are everything I could have dreamed of and more.” Then she kissed him gently on the lips and slid off the bed toward the closet.

It was difficult to watch her ass sway, so tight and round, and not do anything about it. Varan wanted her more than he wanted breath in his body, but they couldn’t afford to be late to their meeting with Delphine. So he grumbled and adjusted his cock before finding a clean shirt to wear.

No more fancy tunics for him. The white button-down silk shirt was comfortable. Varan rolled up the sleeves and tucked his shirt in and then grabbed his normal belt with his actual knife and pistol. The other blades he tucked away here and there, they would never be seen unless required.

The knee-length black coat had even more tucked away and Varan felt settled under the familiar weight.

“Did I tell you I put a spycast on Giselle’s shreve before we left?” Adelina asked from the massive closet. It was similar to the one she had in the palace, but this was far more modern. The décor was more high-tech than desert riches.

Varan perked up at the mention of juicy intel. “You did not, though I am pleased you’re so thoughtful.” He lounged across the bed to watch her dress. Adelina was a female with rare grace. Every action was intentional, every move of her body rhythmic and hypnotic. Varan propped one elbow up and kept his boots off the actual bed. “Tell me, cunning wife. What did you find?”

She glanced over her shoulder at him and those twinkling eyes nearly took his breath away. “Other than the mundane and a few things we should probably look over together – I found out who her secret lover is.”

Varan couldn’t look away as she slipped on leather pants similar to his own, but lined with fur for the warmth. The waistband strained against her ass as she pulled them up and he felt his eyelids dip down as he enjoyed the view. “Oh? And who pray tell can stand her?”

“General Tamika of all people. They’ve been together for over a cycle now from what I can gather.” Adelina slipped on a long sleeve black lace shirt.

The design was see-through and Varan’s mouth watered. “That’s not all you’re going to wear today is it? If it is we might have some problems.” He was on his feet and in the closet and cupping a breast before he even realized what he was doing.

The temptress didn’t even have a breast band on. Varan bent his head to take her nipple in his mouth, lace and all.

“Varan,” she gasped. “We don’t have the time for your attentions.”

His cock was so hard it was physically painful. “I can stop,” he murmured, kneading her other breast gently. “But I believe we can afford to be a few minutes late.”

Her hands went to his belt and the frenzy that hit them both made him laugh as both tried to strip the other. Varan yanked her pants all the way down and took a step back to unbuckle his belt. Adelina watched him with such hunger in her eyes as she stepped out of her leather pants.

“Make it quick, Varan,” she said.

The moment she was free and naked from her waist down he grabbed her by the thighs, lifted her up, and slammed her against the closet wall. Adelina gasped when he pushed inside of her. Varan thrust. He controlled her with his hands on her ass, moving her against him as he lifted and then released her ever so slightly, driving his cock as deep into her as he could.

“This is exactly what I needed,” he growled, pressing her against the wall as Adelina moaned, clutching on to him. Everything felt tight and glorious. Varan reveled in the sounds his wife made, the way her insides clutched onto him, milking him with each ripple until he felt her release.

The pulsing vibration of her on his cock sent him over the edge and Varan panted as he spurt into her, coating Adelina’s insides with his seed, so much of it he felt it slide out.

“Varan,” she murmured, stroking his hair as they rode it out. “Varan, my love. How am I ever going to get anything done ever again?”

He chuckled and carried her into the attached washroom. “Get cleaned up and I’ll grab your clothes.”

Varan wiped down and buckled his pants back up. A nila would fix the wrinkles in a second. He went back into the closet, breathing in their combined scents and sighed with happiness. The last few days had been a blur and he could hardly believe his good luck.

Somehow they’d been able to have a small honeymoon and when he wasn’t training he had Adelina in the bedroom. If he died that day, Varan would go happily.

He studied her clothes for a moment and grabbed a black and gold jacket with a high, stiff neck. The embroidery was exquisite. Jasmine vines were done in black thread while the wolf of the Draga seal was done in gold. The slits on the shoulders would show the black lace she currently wore underneath, but otherwise it would make his new wife look fierce and royal.

Varan grabbed a few other pieces and then went back into the washroom to see her bending over the sink to check the fresh, thick black eyeliner. He set the items on the counter and pressed against her, caressing her naked ass, her soft back, all the way until he held her neck gently, just admiring her.

Adelina was his wife.

He grinned and pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. “I hope you like what I picked out for you.”

Then he ran a nila over his hair and clothes and made sure everything was pristine down to his well-worn boots.

She smirked at him through the mirror. “Are you going to wear makeup today?” Adelina selected a hairstyle from the larger nila and it took a few moments but then her long hair was curled, cascading down her back, and slightly pulled back from her face.

Varan rolled his eyes and selected the jewelry he’d picked out and wound the gold and diamond chain through the small braid holding the hair out of her face, like a crown. “I’m never going to live that down. Put some bloody pants on, will you?”

Adelina laughed and he grinned as she slipped her pants back on with minimal bouncing this time, thank all that was holy. “You have such fine taste Varan, why the old boots?”

He shrugged and sat down on the armchair to watch her dress. His arms rested along the top of the chair and he slunk down with that smile he couldn’t seem to wipe off his face. “They’re broken in; comfortable, quiet…new boots are usually too loud for my liking.”

Adelina slipped on the jacket he picked out and the diamond he gave her glittered in the light as she buttoned it up. “I was eyeing this piece. Am I really that obvious?” she asked, tugging at the hem so it lay perfectly.

“Darling, I’ve spent the last five cycles watching you as Lina and Adelina. I’d be disappointed in myself if I couldn’t at least pick out something I knew you’d like to wear.”

As she put the earrings on that he’d selected, Varan wondered if they would run into Nash. He’d spent as much time as he could justify training. He’d already managed to gain weight in muscle with his new diet and regimen. Varan had also run the simulator ragged after Adelina had gone to sleep.

All in anticipation of Nash.

Varan knew there was a high likelihood they’d run into the brute. There was no word the usurped prince had returned to the Khara Galaxy which meant he was in the Hai Galaxy no doubt. They’d parted as friends, but Varan wasn’t dense. He knew the Corinthian warrior would see the wedding to Adelina as a betrayal.

And Adelina wanted Nash as her second husband which meant Varan had to help convince a Corinthian to share. He shook his head. They were notoriously selfish. A mistress was considered taboo as was paid sex. Bunch of prudes if anyone asked him.

“Everything all right, my love?” Adelina asked as she adjusted the bracelet he’d given her. “You’re frowning.”

Seeing the bracelet calmed him. She hadn’t once taken it off and they would reach Drakesthai territory in a matter of hours. But Varan would know where she was no matter what. He would be able to protect her thanks to his skill and extra training.

“Everything is fine, darling. I just worry.”

“About Roxy or Nash?” she asked, crossing the washroom to sit on his lap as she had a thousand times before when she’d been no more than one of his attractive jewel thieves.

Varan tugged her closer and nuzzled her neck, breathing in her exotic scent. “I keep forgetting how perceptive you are,” he muttered. With a sigh he leaned back and looked up into her amethyst eyes. “Both, but mostly Nash. I don’t want to fail you.”

“You couldn’t possibly fail me,” she said, placing a soft, gentle hand on his face.

He leaned into the touch but didn’t smile. “I’ve fought him once before, love. I don’t look forward to doing it again. Nash won the last fight and it was all I could do to keep him from killing me. Now we parted as mates, but I believe if he truly wanted me dead it wouldn’t be all that hard for him.”

Adelina stroked his hair back the way he liked it rather than to the side. Her face grew serious and contemplative and he watched her with silent awe. Whenever she looked so serious he knew something he couldn’t even fathom was happening in that head of hers.

“Well, Nash won’t have the same advantage he did on Draga. The gravity on most of the Hai planets is heavier than ours from what I’ve read, but Nash won’t have such an intense advantage after spending so much time in space. And as the gravity there is denser it will take some adjustment for him.”

“Unless he kept up his training,” Varan stated.

Adelina sighed. “Yes, unless he uses the simulator, but I know you’ve set ours to a gravity denser than that on any of the Hai planets and I also know how hard you’ve been training. I’ve seen the programs you’ve been running.”

Varan eyed her with apprehension. “You know I’ve been training at night?”

She smacked his shoulder. “Of course I do, husband. I’m not that out of it after our lovemaking.”

That got him to chuckle and he hugged her tight.

There was a chime from his pocket and Varan pulled out his simulcast. “Looks like we’re wanted in the hangar to greet the captain and her two shipmates.”

Adelina stood from his lap and pulled him to his feet. “Remind me to do a download for the latest news and messages before we cross the border? I don’t know what kind of tech the Drakesthai have to keep information from crossing the border and how effective it will be.”

He nodded and offered her his arm. “Of course, darling. Now let’s go meet the captain of the Ravager.”

“Have a bit of a crush do we?” Adelina asked as she followed him out into the main living space where Nadyah and Roxy both waited.

“I’ll never tell,” he teased.

Varan glanced at his adopted sister and the courtesan and the way they didn’t look at each other. He decided he didn’t want to know. If they were happy he was happy. It wasn’t his business to poke his nose into. “Ladies, shall we?”

Roxy and Nadyah followed close behind as he led them all to the lift. It was too bad he wouldn’t be able to get a tour of the Ravager. But who knew, perhaps he would after they’d made friends with each other and the pirates weren’t wondering if they were going to turn on them and vice versa every few minutes.

The lift doors opened out onto the massive hangar and Adelina straightened, threw her shoulders back and then clasped her hands in front of her, releasing him. When she walked out in front of him, Varan grinned. He was pleased as all hells she was finally feeling confident in her rank and dominance. Not only was she of age, she was married. On a ship where she was the highest ranking person around, Adelina didn’t need to be escorted unless she wanted to be.

Varan couldn’t wipe the grin from his face. He slipped his hands into his coat pockets and stayed close enough to Adelina that he could protect her if need be, but far enough away it was clear who held the dominance in the room.

Roxy and Nadyah took his lead, flanking him and tending to his blind spots.

A small craft landed, flying through the hangar shields that kept the air in and pressurized. It looked used but well-tended. The ramp extended out and then a pair of truly beautiful boots stepped out. Delphine and her glorious purple hair walked down like she owned the place.

But Varan wasn’t interested in what she looked like. He watched the way her eyes darted around the hangar, noting their weapons and equipment as well as their numbers. The two behind her looked rough and skittish. One had to be her first mate, the other Varan would bet his eye collection that he did the unsavory jobs like making the bodies disappear.

When they set eyes on his wife and princess Varan’s grin turned feral, showing teeth. He slid a step closer and stopped a breath behind Adelina.

Delphine barely looked at him, but when she did it was wary appraisal. She recognized he wasn’t true royalty. His life had been a constant battle to the top, and then a battle to keep it all.

“Princess Adelina,” the captain said in that husky voice of hers. She stopped a few steps away from Adelina with a nod, knowing she wasn’t welcome any closer yet. “Thank you for this opportunity and your willingness to meet with me in person.”

His wife took another step forward away from him and the others, showing her trust. “I appreciate that you turned privateer to fight with us in this war, Captain. Now if you don’t mind, Varan?”

Without hesitation he crossed the paltry distance and tapped the cuff on his wrist, the one he never took off. A quick wave and he knew they were clean. “No weapons, Princess. This one has a knife tucked away but it doesn’t have plasma capabilities.” With that he waited, head cocked to the side as he smiled pleasantly at the one who looked like he cut bodies up into tiny pieces before melting them down for the stem cells.

“Cula, I told you no weapons!” the captain snapped. Delphine smacked the male so hard and so fast Varan had barely registered the movement. He filed that bit of information away and waited.

“He can keep it,” Adelina said, coming up to Varan’s side. “I appreciate the effort, though we both know some think they know better than us.” She gave Varan a sideways look. “If it helps you feel more comfortable here I will allow it.”

“I appreciate that, Princess.” Delphine glared at her shipmates again and Varan decided they were safe enough for the moment.

“Let us escort you to the dining area,” Adelina said, stepping aside to give them access to her ship.

A crewmember ran towards them and Varan tensed. The male looked harried and sweaty, as though he’d run all the way from Command.

“Princess, Prince,” he said, panting and out of breath. The male bowed quickly then straightened with his eyes on the floor. “We reached the border ahead of schedule and just crossed. A Drakesthai ship is hailing us. The captain wants to know your orders.”

Instantly that sweet jasmine turned dark and Varan winced as he felt Adelina’s fury for barely a moment before she reined it in. The effect on everyone was clear as they flinched. Some bared their throats and others dropped to their knees depending on where they fell on the dominance spectrum.

“Pease tell the captain we are on our way presently. Delphine, you and your crewmates will join us.”

There was no room in her tone for defiance. No one dared question her, not even the shifty one. Varan offered his arm in the submissive position. Perhaps he could help ground her anger before they reached Command. But honestly Varan thought the world should see her anger more often.

She was so cunning and vicious when she was angry. Varan smiled in anticipation.

Her amethyst eyes blazed and when she settled her hand delicately on his, her claws glittered in the light with that black lacquer she liked to wear. All three pirates balked when they noticed how sharp they were.

“Pray it’s not an enemy,” he whispered to the captain, knowing full well Adelina could hear them as they walked back to the lift. “She might just board their ship so she can tear them to shreds herself.” Varan winked and tapped the lift panel.

His princess would have a reputation by the time they returned to Draga Terra if he had anything to say about it – and give the pirates turned privateers something to think about before going back on their word.