Free Oath of Challenge Conquering Kate by Marly Chance Page B

voice, he said, “Go to sleep, Kate.”
    Kate gave a weary sigh, feeling too tired to fight him and her own body’s need for sleep. She would win tomorrow, no doubt about it. She gave in and drifted off to sleep.
    Tair lay there in the darkness, feeling restless and aroused at the weight of her soft body against his own. This pact business was getting complicated. It should have been simple--claim his pactmate, play an enjoyable sexual game to win her, and then settle into a comfortable, affectionate existence. Challenge her, seduce her, pledge her, and keep her. A neat, orderly, plan without strong, messy emotions clouding the issue. However, Kate was making things difficult.
    She would not be pleased to learn he could read her mind at any time. She would be even less pleased with some of the other things awaiting her. His last thought before he drifted off to sleep was the image of Kate climaxing against his mouth. She was going to fight him every step of the way. But he would win in the end.

Chapter 7
     
    Tair came awake slowly, aware suddenly of an absence in the bed. Kate was nowhere to be seen. He felt an immediate desire to find her and enact a passionate repeat of last night. His mind filled with images of how she’d looked, arching upward against his mouth, lost completely in pleasure.
    As his cock, already hard, throbbed in response, Tair reached out telepathically to read Kate. The answering response he received was so mentally loud, his hands went to his head instinctively and he winced.
    “I know you are awake in there, thanks to this wretched merging! Come and face me you horny, low-life, despicable, morally-bankrupt louse of an alien!” Her words were shouted mentally and the anger behind them gave them real telepathic strength.
    Tair sighed. Throwing up a mental block to shut her out, he pondered the best course of action. Kate was awake and ready and he was still cloudy with sleep. He had barely slept last eve, restlessly waking and wanting her.
    She had felt so warm and sweetly desirable, sleepily cuddling in his arms. Grimacing, he wondered if she would ever be that defenselessly sweet while actually conscious. Determined to let her rest, he had been careful not to wake her or make any demands.
    Thinking about it now, he wondered if the restraint had been a good idea. She was refreshed and determined and he was barely functioning. Getting out of bed, he headed to the bathroom. He would face her when he was awake and showered.
    No male could be expected to deal well with a female in full fury – especially an unpredictable Earth female -- without some preparation. With Kate, being less than awake would be a major mistake. Feeling misused and grumpy, he wondered what had led to her mood. Earth females were entirely too emotional. He stood under the shower and leaned blearily into the vara .
    Kate needed to understand that she was not the one in control. Whatever it was that had led to her fury, he decided he would learn soon enough. And deal with it…when he was awake…in just another moment…or two…or ten...
    * * * * *
    Kate felt his mental withdrawal with profound relief. Concentrating and mentally screaming at him had been a calculated risk. As she heard the shower running, her shoulders relaxed. She had a little more time to plan. Looking at the screen in front of her, she continued to jot down notes.
    Twenty minutes later, refreshed, grimly ready for battle, and fully alert, Tair stood in the archway and peered cautiously in the kitchen. Kate had her hair tied back in an Earth-style knot and was wearing some of the Shimerian garments from the sleeping chamber closet. There was a flush on her cheekbones, but her face was otherwise pale. Her lips, in major contrast, were painted a deep, dramatic red.
    She looked beautiful and passionately intense. She was sitting at the table using her personal tech unit. As she scribbled with the stylus on the small screen in front of her, he wondered if he