Taming an Angel Read online

  Taming an Angel

  Kathleen Lash

  Taming an Angel is the prequel to Taming a Raven , but can be read as a standalone.

  As a final installment in a military career wrought with horrid events, Jess is sent to rescue a Braugh warrior and his men from prison. All she wants is to be safely on her home planet to forget her throwback status and find a normal existence. The warrior’s intimidating size and raw strength contrast with his tender nature, skillful lips and gentle touch, awakening sexual urges she thought had been stripped away years prior.

  Shane knows the piercings adorning Jess’ body once created pain and taught her to suppress arousal and desire. And he knows what’s needed to take her beyond the torture. But providing a sexual release may prove easier than convincing her something stronger lies between them. All he needs to claim his angel, in every way, is her consent.

  An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

  www.ellorascave.com

  Taming an Angel

  ISBN 9781419927362

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Taming an Angel Copyright © 2010 Kathleen Lash

  Edited by Jaynie Ritchie

  Cover art by Syneca

  Electronic book publication June 2010

  The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  TAMING AN ANGEL

  Kathleen Lash

  Dedication

  To my husband, who bravely lives with agonizing pain, pushes himself daily to regain his health, while finding the strength to offer encouragement to me to pursue my passion for writing. Wherever we wind up will be fine by me. In sickness and in health ’til death do us part.

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you again Jenny S. for your support, availability, critiques, friendship and making my stomach hurt from laughing so much every time we talk. Thanks to Sharon, Lynn and Mike. A woman couldn’t have better siblings. To all my children—thank you for accepting me for who I am (you really don’t have a choice, you poor peeps). Also, a special thanks to Jaynie Ritchie for taking on another project from me and offering her expert editorial assistance.

  Kathleen Lash

  Chapter One

  Shane Tiernan hung by his wrists in a cell, beaten, stripped naked and on display.

  He never figured he’d die in a prison. In truth, he reckoned he and his brethren warriors would escape long before the situation got this far. They’d traded themselves to get back the most precious of their tribe. At least the gals and wee ones were safely home.

  Twenty-two warriors would die in the morn unless they swore service to the Doxyn bastards currently holding them. Obey and kneel before me. You’ll receive food, comfortable quarters and no further beatings. Ach, as if men from Braugh would kneel before anyone!

  Two desires came to mind as blood trickled from his wrists. He’d give a limb to smell the sweet fields of home one last time. The stench of the prison wasn’t something a man should carry with him into the afterlife. The other—he’d give much to have a taste of the lovely gal that appeared outside his cell. With ghostly, colorless hair, she had golden eyes and delicate pale skin. He appreciated the sight of the angel in the bowels of hell. To have her under his tongue for a time would be a rare treat indeed.

  He’d been privileged with a private cell, whilst his men had been crowded into those on either side. Like him, his battered brethren took in the sight and scent of the comely creature as a guard pressed her against the bars. Her long, slim fingers grasped the metal as the man forced her legs apart. The bastard pinched and pulled her breasts, causing her to grimace. When he pushed his hand between her legs, her eyes narrowed and her fingers whitened from squeezing the metal rods. The dumbass could pretend to feel for weapons without hurting her. Vicious bastard!

  “Tiernan!” the guard called as he groped her.

  “Aye, you piece of shat?” Shane forced his voice to be loud and tough. He’d not be weak whilst in view of his men. They deserved to see their leader strong and brave. His brethren laughed, probably relieved to hear menace in his voice.

  “You should be put down like the animal you are, but the director insists we hold with custom.”

  The last thing Shane expected was the Doxyns to abide the Galactic Prisoner Treaty.

  “You’re to die clean, full and sated. I’ve brought the woman to do that for you. Do you think you’ll make use of her, knowing what’ll happen in a few hours?”

  “Aye,” Shane said, staring at her. “I’ll make use of her time. And I’ll be sure to enjoy the feast too. I’ll make it hard for you to rip me guts out in the morn.”

  Braughmen cheered as Shane forced his expression to remain passive. The eve held some real promise with the gal to tend him, but thoughts of what would happen in the 6

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  morn made his stomach clench. With all the ways a man could die, disemboweling seemed about the worst way to go.

  The ruckus died down as the guard tore the gal’s dress, exposing a set of perfect breasts before stripping the garment from her. Bared to the chilled air, her budding nipples plumped and stood proud. She’d been pierced. He’d heard of gals placing the jewelry to expand arousal and pleasure—he’d just never seen it in the flesh. He hoped she’d enjoy what he’d likely do. If he had but one last time to rut, he’d take all she could give.

  Not a sound came from any of his men as they stared. They’d been held more than forty days without a single gal to ease what a man of his tribe frequently needed and got. Sex. It’d drive them crazy to watch him fock the waif, but they wouldn’t be tortured before execution. His brethren would die quickly and mercifully. The torture, bath, meal and gal were bestowed upon the leader.

  “She’s too fine a piece for the likes of you, Tiernan.”

  Aye, you too, bastard Doxyn! The guard leaned into her and rubbed against her back.

  Her eyes flared and her wee body grew stiff. Her eyelids closed and jaw set when he grabbed her again. In particular, she seemed not to like having her breasts touched.

  She turned quickly to face the guard and ran her hands over his chest. His groans and grunts revealed his want to keep her all to himself.

  “Please, Aaron,” she said in a soft, breathy voice. “Let me take care of you instead.”

  Shane’s command of Gov language needed some work because Braugh had only recently adopted the choppy vocabulary to expand their ability to negotiate with certain worlds. Despite his basic knowledge, he sure as hell knew what she said wasn’t really what she meant. The dumbass guard didn’t understand the difference. He took her at her word.

  “After. Earn your pay with him and then you’ll be mine.” Aa
ron stroked her face and she turned into his hand. He spoke quietly next to her ear. “See to him and make it good. You’ll be watched through the camera. They’ll record this to prove we upheld the Treaty. Now give me your boots so I can check them as well.”

  “If that’s the only way,” she whined, as if she’d been disappointed and wiggled against him whilst taking the boots from her feet. Again, what she said wasn’t really what she meant. Her outward actions conveyed one thing but the way her shoulders stiffened relayed her true feelings. With her wiggling, the guard didn’t bother with her boots. Oh but she played a game and Shane wondered what mischief she planned. He dearly loved games. Too bad he didn’t have much time to join in.

  The guard opened the cell door and stepped inside with the additional four men who’d stood waiting a distance away. Even battered, starved and nearly finished, Shane fought and forced them to earn their pay. His hands remained numb after being above his head, but he managed to get a few punches in before they all grabbed hold. On a good day, five-to-one odds would’ve been laughable. It hadn’t been the very best day.

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  Kathleen Lash

  They labored to get him settled on the small cot. The width of it barely held him.

  With a guard holding each arm, they managed to secure his wrists together beneath the bed. It took all five men to spread his legs and place manacles around each ankle to chain him to the metal framework. He’d be going nowhere. Not until they let him.

  The smell of food drifted in as they brought a tray close. A basket came too, which they set by the sink. The guard pushed the gal inside after shoving a cloth bag, her boots and dress into her hands. The metal door slammed once the guards left the cell.

  Aaron said to her, “Make it worth the Doxyn money you’ve been paid and they’ll bring you back to service others. If you’re good enough, you could earn payment for taking care of us instead of the vermin behind bars.”

  The guards left and his men uttered not a sound. Bastard Doxyn! They could’ve spared a meal for each of the men as well! They should all be fed.

  The waif drifted closer and glanced down. At a distance she’d been lovely. Up close, he couldn’t believe this amazing creature would be his for a time. The fragrance of a clean, warm gal grew strong and drifted into his head. His mouth watered a bit and it wasn’t only for the food a few feet away. He bet her taste would be much to his liking.

  “Do you want the food or a bath first?”

  Despite her words earlier, she didn’t seem the least put off having to tend him. As a matter of fact, she displayed no emotion whatsoever. “The food—it’s for me to do with what I want?” he asked.

  “That’s what they told me.”

  Such a fine, soft voice she spoke with.

  “Then I want you to feed me men. Each of them gets a bite. You follow?”

  She gazed at him for a time before she said, “Yes, I understand.”

  “They’ll be dead not long after me so they get what I get.”

  She scanned the men and looked ill at ease.

  “They’ll not handle you, gal. You’ll only be touched by me.” He thought about his bound wrists and laughed. He noticed the subtle flinch she tried to hide. Why would his laughter frighten her? “Well, in truth, maybe not. I seem unable to reach you at the moment.”

  As she took the tray and turned her back on him, he found himself unconsciously straining against the chains. He could hardly wait but would have to. He shrugged and unclenched his jaw. Maybe if he relaxed a few parts of his body, the rest of him would settle down too.

  The cloud of soft-looking hair stretching down her back made him think of the place he’d likely go on the morrow. He’d been a good man, done right by his tribe and his conscience. If the likes of her would see to him in heaven, death couldn’t be all bad.

  He wondered about her origin. A race to produce such a creature would have to be most grand. How the hell did she come to tend prisoners on Doxyn? Her circumstances must’ve been desperate to wind up in such a place. He sighed and flexed his arms, 8

  Taming an Angel

  trying to get the blood flowing again. After a few days with his wrists chained above his head, to have them restrained at a different angle brought needles to his arms and hands.

  She did well in taking the food and cutting it into portions. She walked first to one side of the cell and fed half his men before wandering over to do the same for the rest.

  Each of them got a bite of thick, red, steaming meat and a few greens for which they thanked her. Shane closed his eyes, thinking again how such a wee thing as a bit of food impressed them. They deserved high honor for valor in the field, not death in a stinking prison.

  The scrape of metal over the flat stone floor drew him from bad musings. She’d pulled a chair beside him and set the tray down in her lap. Her pale complexion looked natural against her light hair and eyebrows but he wondered if perhaps it didn’t also come from neglect. She appeared most fragile.

  He asked, “Have you eaten, gal?”

  She stared and studied him while he did the same to her. With her sitting so close, he knew with all his heart she wasn’t an ordinary waif who came to tend a prisoner. She didn’t have the look of a gal accustomed to trading sex for currency.

  “No, Sir, and I don’t intend to take the last bite of your meal. Can you comfortably raise your head so I can feed you?”

  “Aye.”

  He rose up as far as he could and she placed the last large bite into his mouth. He leaned back and chewed slowly, savoring the food as his men had done. It was enough.

  It would have to be.

  “Your bath now?” she asked.

  “Aye.”

  He closed his eyes, contemplating what the future held. With the meal done, only two things remained before execution—to be clean and sexually satisfied. The cleansing had been written into the Treaty to give a man closure. Most babes came into life hungry and needing bathed. They decided a man should meet his maker having those needs met. In his current state of filth, the bath would be just as much for the benefit of the gal.

  She surprised him by letting the water in the fetid sink heat prior to soaping the cloth. He expected a sloppy, hurried, half-assed cleaning. The scent pleased him and the warmth felt good against his skin. The sting of soap going into the opened wounds even felt good. She took care in washing every centimeter, even his feet. The rinsing took longer, her working the cloth over him to strip the sanitizer away. She took her sweet time, probably not in a hurry for what would follow.

  “Oh shat,” he said, really liking the last part of him she rinsed.

  The cloth slid away before she took his cock into both of her warm, soft hands. The gentle caressing had him hard in seconds.

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  Kathleen Lash

  “Aye, your hands feel fine against him. But you’re in nay hurry with this last chore.

  You don’t want him?”

  She leaned in and whispered against his lips, “You want this to take a while, don’t you?”

  “Aye,” he said, agreeing with her taking some time to hold and caress his sac.

  She’d fed them all slowly, letting each of his men get a good look. With the thorough bath, he figured she simply didn’t want to finish her tasks. The slow and steady caressing of his cock and balls relayed even if she didn’t particularly want to pleasure him, she’d make it good.

  “We need to go slow,” she said before kissing him with her thick, soft lips. “And you need to enjoy it.”

  “I’ll try,” he agreed, the thought of going slow to his liking.

  “The camera has sound, so those watching need to hear you. This has to be very real and dramatic. You’ll cooperate?”

  He knew the meaning of what she said but not why she’d say it. Maybe he wasn’t really interested in much beyond the needs of his cock. Damn her hands felt so good!

  “Aye, as long as you take care of what you play with, sweet.”

  S
he kissed him and it wasn’t a shy, wee sampling. The gal tongued his lips and pushed inside, moaning as she did. She tasted and smelled of clean, sweet menthe.

  When she withdrew, the tip of his tongue traced inside her lips. She opened so he could have his want. By God, he desired a slow seduction, bringing her to heat with more than some kissing. When her tongue brushed his, he groaned into her mouth. The taste of her made him ache. The need to know her from the inside out had him straining against chains. Purity surrounded her and he ventured she was special in many ways, not simply because she’d be his last gal.

  He’d not finished with her lips, but she’d finished with his. A warm, wet tongue trailed the stubble on his jaw before she licked and nibbled his neck. The chaste kisses relayed a certain degree of innocence, which forced his blood to run fast and hot. His urges raced between kissing her gently and focking her roughly. He couldn’t decide if she knew exactly what she did to him or used the wee kisses and licks because she didn’t know a man might need firmer touching.

  After a time with her hot breath, warm lips and wet tongue working him over, Shane forgot she’d asked him to be vocal. Sounds came from him automatically. He moaned and groaned for her, couldn’t help it. He’d give much to touch her and make her burn as he did.

  She avoided the slash marks covering his skin as she kissed a path down his body.

  The chair slid away and she dropped to her knees, intent on licking even lower than his belly. He’d abide that, having her pretty mouth go down for a taste. He yearned for much from her but didn’t want her to kneel on the cold floor. She wouldn’t be comfortable or clean when she finished.

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  Taming an Angel

  Obviously versed in the use of her mouth, she touched him like none before. Many of his questions were answered over her previous experience. He’d been kissed and licked by a gal but never consumed. Her first full pass onto his cock forced his hips from the cot as he strained. Once she’d taken him in, she did crazy things with her tongue. It swirled slowly before wiggling quickly back and forth. The tip of it traced the thick vein running his length before flattening out to rub and tease. She applied just enough pressure to keep him hard while withholding the strokes needed to get him off. As he’d initially sensed, she was up to a game and just then, it was playing with his cock.