“I would never permit such storms to damage her,” he protested, then sighed. “Do you truly think that she is worried about her future?”
Simea turned back to her dough. “The only way to know is to talk to her.”
“She says everything is fine.”
“Well, there you are.”
“But I don’t think it is.”
She sighed. “A’tai, you are a grown male. Talk to your female and leave me out of it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said meekly, and headed back to his study, still turning over her words.
He found it hard to believe that Kate had so little faith in him that she was worried about the future, but what if Simea was right? He picked up his scroll, but he couldn’t concentrate. At last he sighed and put it down, then called his senior steward.
Once he set things in motion—over his steward’s protests—he was finally able to relax and concentrate on his work.
The documents arrived a week later, along with a message from his mother demanding he return to the palace. She had been growing increasingly impatient, and he knew that at some point he would have to go back. Would Kate enjoy Kapenta, he wondered. Perhaps it would distract her from whatever was worrying her.
Although most of the time she was her usual fascinating self, he still caught those odd moments of unhappiness. He had decided that Simea must be right, and he could hardly wait until tonight to relieve her mind. He arranged for dinner on the patio outside their room. When she came out to join him, she was wearing the sheer pink gown Simea had given him that first day.
The lamplight shimmered on the fabric, turning it even more transparent as the evening breeze lifted it around her body in a cloud of silk. Her dark locks floated in the same breeze. His moa threatened to emerge as she came towards him, her nipples rosy little points beneath the fabric. He was tempted to forget about dinner and documents and take her straight to bed, but he wanted to make sure she was happy.
“Do you like this? I found it in the dressing room.”
Her tone was demure but he could see the mischief sparkling in her sea green eyes and had no doubt that she noticed the flare of his arousal.
“You are a vision of loveliness.”
“I must admit, I feel pretty.” She shook her head. “I never thought I was the type of woman to enjoy getting dressed up.”
“You could always remain undressed,” he suggested helpfully, and she laughed.
“If I did, you would never let me leave our rooms.”
She wasn’t wrong.
“Come and sit down. I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh? I’m not a big fan of surprises.”
“You’ll like this one,” he assured her.
She gave him a suspicious look, but followed him to the table. He had intended to wait until after they had finished their meal, but he was too excited.
“Here!” He handed her the two silk-tied scrolls.
“What are these?”
“Open them.”
She obeyed, then sighed. “I’ve only been studying Mafanan for two weeks. The learning program is very helpful, but this writing is so ornate. Does this one say something about a house? I don’t understand the other one at all.”
“This one is the deed to this house. I have placed it in your name.”
“I don’t understand.”
“And this is an account that I have opened in your name. So that you have funds of your own.”
Her mouth trembled. “Why would I need that?”
“In case I am not around.”
Her face turned pale. “You’re leaving me?”
“No, of course not. I just wanted you to feel secure. To know that you would be provided for.”
“When you leave me.”
“Why do you keep saying that?” he roared. “I’m not leaving you, and you’re not leaving me.”
She didn’t seem to hear him. “It’s all right. I already figured it out. I know it can’t last.”
“My amali, I have no idea what you are talking about.”
To his horror, her eyes filled with tears. “You were right. I am deadly.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
He snatched her out of her chair and carried her through into the bedroom. He clasped her arms and legs, spreading her out beneath him, waiting for her body to relax into his grip. Tears still filled her eyes, but he saw her nipples bead.
“Now, my Kate, explain to me why you are distressed.”
She licked her lips, but didn’t answer him. He inserted another limb between her legs, circling her eager little clit, but not touching it. She tried to lift her hips but he held her tighter. Her sweetness flooded his suckers and he had to remind himself why they were in this position.
“Why do you think we will not last?”
When she still hesitated, he brushed lightly across her swollen clit.
“A’tai! Please.”
“Tell me.”
“You want children,” she burst out.
“Of course.” He frowned down at her. “And you do not?”
“I would love to have children with you.” A tear crept down her cheek.
“Then what is the problem?”
“I don’t think it’s possible. We are completely different species.”
“I had not considered that,” he said slowly. “We are so compatible in every way.”
“Except that one.” Another tear fell, and one of his limbs gently caressed her cheek, drinking in the sweetness of her sorrow.
“Then it is not to be.” He felt a fleeting pang of regret that they would not share that experience, then smiled at her. “As long as I have you, I am content.”
“But you have to have an heir.”
“There are any number of people in my family who would be happy to be named heir,” he said dryly. “Or perhaps we could adopt.”
“You really don’t mind?”
“No.”
“And you’re not going to put me aside so you can have a family with a Mafanan female?”
“That’s what you thought?” He suppressed a groan as he realized how she had interpreted the documents, then leaned down until their faces were only inches apart and looked directly into her eyes. “Listen very closely. I love you, Kate. I will never put you aside. Not for a Mafanan or any other female in the galaxy.”
“You really love me?”
“More than life itself.”
A tremulous smile quivered on her lips. “I love you too.”
Triumph roared through him as his moa prepared to emerge, but a sudden thought interrupted. He scooped her up in his arms, ignoring her faint murmur of protest, and headed for the door.
“What are you doing?” She stared up at him as he glided rapidly towards the water.
“A traditional Mafanan bonding ceremony is always consummated in the water.”
“You mean have sex in the water?”
The sweetness of her arousal perfumed the air.
“Beneath the water,” he corrected. “I will breathe for you.”
The waves curled around his feet as they reached the ocean, but he curbed his impatience long enough to repeat the words he had uttered to her that first day in the cave.
“I will provide for you in all things and protect you against all others. I will treat you with the utmost respect. You will belong only to me. And I will belong only to you.”
“I will belong only to you, and you will belong only to me.” Her smile lit up her face. “I love you, A’tai.”
“I love you, my Kate. Are you ready?”
“And very willing.”
His mouth closed over hers as soon as she finished talking, and he sprang forward into the water. Her arms and legs wrapped around him, clinging as tightly as his limbs, and her soft little tongue stroked his. He propelled them through the water, already knowing the perfect place to take her. He just hoped he could last until then as she writhed eagerly in his arms.
A cluster o
f rocks formed an underwater grotto at the far end of the beach. The moon shone down into the water, turning it into green crystal. More of the susulu clung to the rocks, adding their own soft pink glow. He came to a halt in the center of the grotto, moving just enough to maintain their position as he committed every moment to memory—the soft warmth of her body, her sweetness perfuming the water, the way she clung to him and her tongue entwined with his.
Her arms tightened around his neck, and she moved restlessly against his stomach, trying to stimulate her pleasure button. He was only too happy to assist, sliding a limb between their bodies and closing firmly around the heated nub. She cried out into his mouth and more of her sweetness flooded the water. His engorged moa eagerly sipped at her essence, but he was determined not to rush this moment. He let the tip of a limb slip inside her channel instead, the exquisitely tight heat causing him to groan.
She wiggled impatiently and even though he knew it was only a sign of her impatience, his body responded instinctively, locking her into the mating position and holding her open for his penetration. He wanted to experience every part of her body from her luscious breasts to her delicious cunt. He wrapped his limbs around her, his suckers tasting every inch of her skin. As he withdrew his limb from her channel, he let the slick tip probe at the delicate pucker of her anus. She jerked, but then he felt the heat of her nectar swirling between them. Triumph filled him. He would have all of her.
And then, when they were as entwined as it was possible to be, he finally let his moa enter her. She climaxed as soon as he entered, and her hot little channel never stopped pulsing as he filled her over and over again, until his seed finally roared through his moa and exploded into her, a rush of heated ecstasy.
She continued to quiver around him as they floated in the clear green depths, still locked together. He could taste her tears, sweeter than the ocean water, even as she clung to him. He rose to the surface so that they could speak. Their lips finally parted, and she took a deep breath. Her cheeks were wet, her eyes shining, and her smile radiant.
“I love you, A’tai.”
“I love you too, my Kate.”
He swam slowly back to their home, completely happy as she nestled against him.
The next day, she discovered the cause of the damaged algae.
Chapter Seventeen
Kate stared at the results of her experiment, her pulse racing. Could it be that simple?
She forced herself to go through the results again, then grinned and hurried back to the main house. A’tai was in his study as usual, but from the frown on his face, he was dealing with House matters rather than research for his paper.
“You don’t look happy,” she said as she entered the room.
“I’m happier now that you’re here.”
His smile sent a pleasant little ripple of warmth through her body.
“I have something to tell you.”
“Then come here and tell me.”
She went to him, but perched on the desk in front of him instead of sitting on his lap.
“It’s about the algae damage. I think I know the answer,” she said slowly. “Or at least I have a very strong theory.”
“What is it?”
“My understanding is that you recently started using powdered tigi shells in the nutrients used to feed the algae.”
“Yes, but I don’t see how it could be a factor. We started using them five years ago, and the algae damage didn’t begin until this year. And it’s a common practice. Most of the Houses have started doing the same because it’s an efficient use of resources.”
“It is, but the problem is that the tigi shells contain trace amounts of a bacteria which can harm the algae. It takes time—a long time—before it builds up in sufficient quantities to cause damage, but eventually it reaches the point where it overwhelms the algae’s natural immunity.”
He frowned thoughtfully. “Are you sure about this?”
“As sure as I can be under the circumstances.”
“Why has it not affected the other Houses?”
“Would they tell you if it had?” she asked dryly. She had gathered enough over the past few weeks to recognize the competition that existed between the Houses.
He shrugged. “Perhaps not directly, but only a few of them have shown any decrease in what they are offering for sale.”
“I would guess that the ones with less to offer are also southern Houses.”
He considered the matter, then nodded. “You’re correct. Why does that matter?”
“Because the warmer the temperatures, the faster the bacteria grow. It will affect all of them eventually, but it will take longer. You can see it on a smaller scale on your own farms. Remember how the beds on the sunny side of the bay have a higher occurrence of the damage?”
“Is the damage irreversible?”
“I don’t think so. In fact, I don’t even think that you will need to stop using the tigi shells completely. However, you won’t be able to apply them every year. It will take some experimentation to discover the appropriate frequency.”
A startled look suddenly crossed his face, and she raised her eyebrows. “What is it?”
“As you were talking, I thought it sounded familiar. I just realized why. Our people have farmed algae for many, many generations, and the process is described in some of the older scrolls. They always let a bed lie fallow every third year. We abandoned that process once we discovered more powerful nutrients, but perhaps they were right all along.”
“We have a saying back on Earth—those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” She smiled triumphantly at him.
He laughed and tugged her into his arms. “Unless they also have a very clever mate. Have you told Pulata?”
She shook her head, well aware that despite his concessions, he wasn’t happy with her working so closely with the other male. “I wanted to talk to you first. We’ll need to test the bacteria levels in the remaining beds. The ones with the highest counts will need to be harvested immediately and then left fallow.”
“Can they be cleansed?”
“Possibly. Although we would need to be careful to make sure we aren’t simply spreading the problem elsewhere.”
She tapped her finger against her lips, already considering possible solutions. He brought her attention back to him by removing her finger and replacing it with his mouth. He kissed her until she was clinging to him, then raised his head.
“I’m afraid this means we will have to return to the capital.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Even though he had assured her that he was doing everything he could to find her friends, she kept wondering if there were additional possibilities in a more populous environment. On the other hand, she was happier here on the island than she had ever been. And she knew he was happy as well. Would that change once he was back in the city and had to assume a more active role in House affairs? She strongly suspected he had come to the island in order to avoid just that.
“Why do we need to go?” she asked.
“I think it is a message best served in person,” he said slowly. “The other Houses will be suspicious, especially since this will impact their yield.”
“If they don’t monitor it, that will happen anyway,” she pointed out.
“I know. And I’m almost tempted to let them discover it for themselves, but it would not be fair to their people. Algae products form a large part of the diet for many of the poorer families.”
“Then I guess we’re going to Kapenta.”
“Yes.” He hesitated. “This means you will have to meet my mother.”
Oh, joy. Nothing she had heard from him, or Simea, had encouraged her to look forward to the prospect.
“What are you going to tell her? About us?”
“The truth, of course.”
“How do you think she’s going to react?” Based on everything he had said—and not said, she didn’t think it would be a positive reaction.
�
��I don’t know,” he admitted. “But she will have to accept the truth sooner or later.”
“Then I suppose it might as well be sooner.”
“I will arrange for some gowns for you.” He held up a hand before she could speak. “I’m sure you’re about to tell me to make them practical, but it will be necessary to wear more decorative clothes while we’re there.”
She sighed and nodded. “I understand.”
“And of course, you’re still welcome to go without clothing when we’re alone.”
The warmth in his eyes sent a resulting quiver through her system. “I’ll consider that option.”
Less than two days later, they stood together on the bow of his boat as they approached Kapenta. She gave a sigh of relief at the sight. Her stomach had not responded well to the trip, and she was looking forward to solid ground beneath her feet again.
She leaned forward eagerly to inspect the city. She wasn’t quite sure what she had expected, but it wasn’t these ornate and vaguely Mediterranean buildings. It reminded her somewhat of Venice, she decided, with the low-slung brightly colored buildings and the elaborate stonework. The city was strung out over a series of islands, connected by decorative bridges. Small colorful boats darted back and forth between the islands. Nothing about it would have made her think it was an interstellar port.
But even if she thought that, she saw a spaceship descend from the sky and land somewhere in the interior of one of the islands. Her heart skipped a beat. Despite A’tai’s assurances, she couldn’t help worrying that the slavers would come looking for her, or that the mysterious Royal Fleet would take her away from him.
A’tai put a reassuring arm around her waist, and she looked up to see him smiling down at her. “You’re safe with me, amali.”
“My heart knows that, but my brain can conjure up a lot of possibilities.”
“You know I have a remedy for that busy brain of yours.”
“Yes, but I don’t think this is exactly the place.”
“Perhaps not,” he conceded. “Although I could order everyone below.”
“Can you order everyone off the docks as well?” They were approaching a busy landing teeming with people.
Kate and the Kraken: A SciFi Alien Romance (Alien Abduction Book 11) Page 11