Klingon Hearts 08 Timeless - I Will Find You Page 2

  *****

  Two more hours... Lucas thought he was going to go insane. He couldn't reach her anymore. All he felt now was her pain.

  *****

  He heard her angry shriek and followed it. Finding her had not been as difficult as he thought it would be. Probably because the Breen thought they were keeping her in the last place anybody would look. She wasn't even being guarded heavily. His team took down the outer perimeter in minutes. Lucas had free run of the small building after dealing with the guard at the door.

  Another pained cry cut right through him like a laser torch. He unlocked the cell door and burst in. The guard had K'Leena by the arm, forced down on her knees with his hand was raised to strike her. Lucas dove at him, rolled him to the ground away from her. He rendered him unconscious in a matter of moments.

  K'Leena scrambled up and went for the dropped weapon. Pain shot through her arm when she picked it up. A Starfleet phaser rifle?

  Lucas stood over her attacker fighting the urge to finish the job and kill him.

  "Who the hell are you?" K'Leena asked as she forced the fear and exhaustion from her voice and pressed the weapon into his back. Darkness closed in around her, she pushed it back and shook her head to clear it. Pain exploded behind her eyes.

  "Captain Proton... who else would be saving your ass?" Came the irritated reply. He pulled the mask from his head.

  "Lucas!" K'Leena breathed in relief and lowered the gun. She had never been so happy to see him in her life, sarcasm and all.

  He turned around and hid his shock at her appearance. The anger in him ignited into full-blown fury as he took inventory of her injuries. There was a large gash on her forehead that had turned the surrounding tissue an ugly purple. Her lip was split from what had been a vicious blow to her face and she was holding her left arm close to her chest at an awkward angle. It must be broken. All in all, she looked like hell, and Lucas didn't think he had ever seen a more beautiful thing.

  "Come on... let's get you out of here." He reached forward and gently pulled her to him, wrapping his arm around her waist to support her weight, surprised and worried at the same time when she let him do it. He led her down the corridor, moving as quickly as she was able. For the first time since they were children, K'Leena didn't argue with him. That worried him even more.

  By the time they reached the beam out point, she was barely able to stand. With a curse he swung her into his arms and signaled his ship for transport. He felt her slip into unconsciousness as the beam grabbed them.

  *****

  "I've got her. Beam the rest of the team up and get us out of here." Lucas told his second in command while he carried K'Leena to the medical bay. She felt far too small and fragile in his arms. Once there he placed her on the bed and activated the holodoctor.

  "Please state the nature of the medical emergency."

  "Got a patient for you, Doc."

  "Ah, Ms. Paris. There's a surprise," the Doctor said in a tone that made it clear it was anything but. "What have you done to yourself now?" He mumbled in exasperation.

  "They beat her." Lucas said with quiet rage. His hand gently brushed the flame colored hair from her face. He grimaced at the damage done to her delicate features.

  "Yes, I can see that, Captain. Now if you don't mind I have some work to do. I believe you're needed on the bridge?" Subtly was not one of the Doctor's strong points. Lucas got the hint.

  "I'll be back later."

  "I'm sure you will."

  *****

  K'Leena opened her eyes to see the Doctor standing over her.

  "Hey, Doc. What are you doing here?"

  "Doing your father a favor. One that could get a lot of people in trouble, so as far as anyone knows: I was never here. Okay?"

  "Okay. Where is 'here', by the way?"

  "On board a Special Forces ship, they sent in the Alpha Team to rescue you."

  "No they didn't. Lucas got me out of there."

  "Yes. Captain Riker led the team."

  "Captain Riker?" K'Leena snorted. "I don't think so. Lucas is a Lieutenant."

  "Lucas is a Starfleet Lieutenant, but he is Captain of the Alpha Team, K'Leena. He ran the rescue mission. This is his ship."

  Lucas had his own command? Special Forces, no less. K'Leena was impressed, not that she'd ever let him know it though.

  "How long have I been out?" She asked.

  "About four hours. I had a great deal of damage to repair. Broken ribs, concussion, fractured skull, internal injuries..."

  "Four hours. Are we still in orbit?" K'Leena didn't need a laundry list of what they did to her. She had been there for every single blow.

  "No. We left once everyone was back on board. The mission was completed. There was no reason to stay any longer."

  "I have to get to the bridge, it's not too late." She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

  "You're not going anywhere except back to quarters for a hot shower and a good nights sleep." The Doctor told her sternly.

  "But..."

  "Not another word. Doctor's orders: you need to rest. There's a guard right outside the door with instructions to show you to your quarters when you're ready. You will need to deactivate me and take the mobile emitter with you."

  "All right, give me your arm."

  After pocketing the Doc's emitter she left the medical bay. The guard walked her to her quarters and told her he would be right outside if she needed anything. Getting to the bridge was going to be a problem.

  *****

  It took her about a microsecond to realize whose quarters she was in. His scent was everywhere. She walked over to the desk and picked up the PADD that was sitting on it.

  K,

  You can stay in my room until we reach

  the Enterprise. It's the only private

  one on board. I'll stay in the crew

  quarters. Feel free to use the

  replicator for a new set of clothes,

  and I'm sure you're hungry. I only

  have a sonic shower, sorry, I know

  you like real water. I'll be by to

  check up on you a little later. Try

  to get some rest.

  L

  She did need a bath. Walking over to the replicater she ordered up a new uniform and some personal items. She certainly didn't want to go to the bridge looking like she did.

  A half hour later she felt a little more like herself and very hungry. She replicated some tomato soup and sat at Lucas' desk to eat it. The spoon stopped half way to her mouth when she saw it. Why would he keep that on his desk?

  She put the spoon back in the bowl and picked up the picture. Lucas' mother had taken it about six months ago, at the last Voyager reunion. Deanna sent her a copy of it. K'Leena wasn't fond of the likeness. It really was a nice picture. It just made her so uncomfortable when she looked at it. The reunion had been held at Grandpa Paris' estate. They were on the beach for the party. It had gone on all day and late into the night. Everybody ended up around a huge open fire, sharing stories of their days on Voyager. K'Leena loved to listen to those stories.

  The picture had been taken then. Lucas was sitting behind her and she was leaning back against him. His chin rested on her shoulder and his arms were around her waist. It was so intimate. And that was why it bothered her, if she was completely honest. When this picture was taken she hadn't been thinking about the stories that were being told. She had been thinking about how much she wanted to stay in those arms for the rest of the night...and maybe even longer. Something happened between them that weekend, something she didn't really want to acknowledge.........yet.

  His mother must have sent a copy of the picture to Lucas as well as her. She placed it back on the desk and went back to her dinner, still wondering why he kept it out in the open.

  *****

  "Burns, you have the bridge. I'm going to check on our passenger. Then get some sleep." Lucas nodded to his second in command then headed to the turbo-lift. They were on schedule to rendezvous with the Enterprise in eighteen hours. He wouldn't be needed on the bridge.

  "Aye, sir."

  *****

  K'Leena sat on the edge of the desk. She wondered if the guard outside the door would take her to Lucas if she asked him to. It couldn't hurt to try the direct approach. The door chime sounded just as she stood up.

  "Come in."

  Lucas strode through the door a moment later. He was wearing a Special Forces uniform. The midnight blue jumpsuit looked good on him. So did the silver Captain's bars.

  "How are you feeling?" He asked her, concerned. She was still a little pale. Her red hair seemed almost too bright against the ashen skin. She had lost weight, too. Something she really couldn't afford to do. She was too thin to begin with, in his opinion.

  "Better, I still have a headache, but it's not too bad." K'Leena ran an unconscious hand over her cranial ridges.

  "They were pretty rough on you. What did they want?"

  "The name of the contact I was picking up." K'Leena grimaced. "The drugs they had didn't work with my hybrid physiology, so they resorted to violence."

  She spoke lightly, but Lucas wasn't fooled. The Doctor sent him a report. He knew just how much violence they resorted to. He should have killed the bastard.

  "Lucas, we need to go back."

  "No." Absolutely not.

  "Excuse me?"

  "I said no."

  "My contact. I still need to get him out, I need to complete my mission."

  "No way," his voice was hard. "Your mission ended the minute they captured you. You are officially relieved of duty until we return to Command."

  "By whose authority?" She pulled out the Paris arrogance in full force.

  "By -my- authority."

  "Who do you think you are?" K'Leena threw a PADD at him, annoyed when he ducked effortlessly and avoided being struck in the head with it.

  "Right now, your commanding officer." That felt so good to say, too good. He wasn't sure he wanted to analyze why, however.

  "Like hell! I outrank you -Lieutenant- and I say we go back." She advanced on him in anger.

  "I don't care if you're a God-damned Admiral." He grabbed both her upper arms and lowered his voice. It was like velvet clad steel when he continued. "I'm in command on this ship. You take your orders from me. Understand?"

  Something changed the instant he touched her. The air around them charged with electricity. K'Leena became aware of his closeness. She could feel the tension in him. She could -smell- him. Kahless, she could almost taste him.

  "You don't own me," she growled slightly and bared her teeth.

  Lucas' eyes became impenetrable obsidian chips. He moved with such swiftness, she didn't have time to react. Before she knew it, her back was up against the wall and he was pressed full length against her. A hand came up and roughly grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head to the side in a sharp tug. She cried out in surprise and pain when his teeth sank into her jaw. He drew blood. His head came up to take in her gaze and K'Leena saw in him something she had never seen before. Possessiveness.

  "I do now."

  Her silver-blue eyes widened in shock. Lucas had claimed her, as a Klingon would do. He couldn't know that. He didn't understand what he had just done. He wasn't Klingon. There was no way for him to know the significance of a mating bite.

  She drew in a deep breath, inhaling his scent. Suddenly, it didn't matter. She didn't care if he understood what he was doing or not. She wanted him, and he wanted her. Right now, that was enough.

  She reached up and touched the smear of blood on his lip with her fingertip. His eyes closed at the contact. She thought she heard a small groan deep within him. Her hand went to the back of his head and pulled him down to her. Blue eyes melted into black eyes. She turned with a growl and bit him; duplicating the wound he'd given her.

  That was all the encouragement Lucas needed. With a soft growl of his own he hiked her further up the wall. Bringing his knee to part her legs so he could press himself closer to her. Then his mouth found hers. She could taste her blood as it mingled with his; disconcerted at the hunger it brought in her. She hadn't expected the frightening intensity of it. He parted her lips with his tongue to deepen the kiss. She returned it, tentatively at first, then grew bolder. He let her take the lead, find her own way.

  It felt so right it was almost familiar. Like everything in the universe was finally where it was supposed to be. She relaxed against him in complete surrender. There was no going back. K'Leena needed to be close to him. The horror of the past six days dissolved any lingering resistance. She loved him and right now was the only thing that mattered.

  Lucas picked her up and carried her to his bed when he felt her yield. After instructing the computer to dim the lights, he joined her. Lucas pulled the pins from her hair and let it fall past her shoulders. With gentle slowness he removed her clothes. Never taking his eyes from hers. Then she undressed him. Lucas watched as she explored each new exposed part of his body. When her hand closed around him he knew he wouldn't last unless he slowed things down. His lips found hers again.

  "Lay back, K'Leena," he whispered huskily against her mouth. She leaned back on his arm and he laid her down with extreme care.

  His lips and hands were everywhere all at once. Stroking, teasing, caressing. When he moved lower and brought his mouth to her most sensitive spot, she thought she would die from the pleasure of it. He groaned at what she offered him there, savoring the taste of her. New waves of ecstasy coursed through her with each stroke of his tongue. It went on forever, driving her to distraction and yet it still wasn't enough.

  He kissed his way back up her body until he was covering her. Looking down into her wide-open eyes he saw a flash of something. A brief moment of trapped panic. She pushed it down, but he felt it with her.

  With a gentle smile Lucas pulled back to his knees and brought her with him, upright on the bed.

  "Better?" he asked softly. She nodded, all of a sudden, very shy.

  Kneeling on the bed, face to face, he looked at her. Hair in total disarray, lip parted, and skin flushed, eyes dark with passion--for him. Beautiful. She reached out, brought his head down to hers again and bit his lip hard when their mouths met. The taste of herself on him drove her wild. Lucas groaned and drew his fingers through her silky hair to cradle her head as he deepened the kiss. His other arm went around her waist and pulled her onto him. He guided her legs over his thighs so she came to rest against him completely. Their most intimate parts were pressed together, fanning the flames higher.

  The feel of him, so hard against her, sent shivers down her spine. She rocked her hips in an unconscious effort to bring them even closer. Lucas groaned. It felt so good it hurt.

  He cupped her breast. Brushed against the nipple with his mouth. Drew it in between his lips when she arched her back to offer him more. First one then the other.

  His hand slipped between her legs. Light touches. Soft strokes. Then more. A gasp when he circled her center once with the tip of his finger. Then again. Fingernails cut into his shoulders, head thrown back as she moved against him. Lips trailed down her neck. A bite to the hollow of her throat. Shiver of pleasure. Hesitation.

  Don't fight it.

  More intense caresses. He urged her higher. Startling her when he slipped a finger deep inside. A gentle stoke, bringing new delight. An unfamiliar tightness forming. Another stroke, deeper. Muscles clenched, unsure, afraid of the unknown

  Let it come.

  A pull back from the edge. A push closer to it. Resistance...insistence... higher still....

  Trust me.

  ...surrender. A surge of wetness. Spiral out of control. His mouth on hers to take in her cry. More pressure, deeper strokes to keep her at the peak. The quaking began anew. Another scream...

  She fell into him. Arms around his neck. Forehead on his collarbone, as she rode out the aftershocks. The stroke of strong fingers, slow to let her down. Whispered words that she couldn't make out.

  He guided her over him. Hands firm on her waist. Thumbs stroked the hollows of her hips as he drew her down. Lucas stopped when he felt the barrier.

  Eyes met.

  Souls collided.

  Minds swirled into each other. Thought and action became one.

  Imzadi.

  He pulled her down with steady pressure. There was a flash of quicksilver pain and her cry split the air as she took him in. The feel of him, stretching her, filling her. It was too much. Sensation shattered awareness into a billion points of light.

  She was all heat and wetness--so tight it took his breath away. His arms came up to hold her close while she trembled with emotion. Face buried in her neck, Lucas waited motionless for her to relax around him. After an endless moment--her arms loosened around his neck and she drew in a shaken breath. His head came up slowly.