Broken

by Presley Hall

  “Brele…”

  She whispers my name like it’s the sweetest thing she’s ever tasted, like she wants to feel it on her lips forever. She runs her hands through my hair, up to my horns, stroking her fingers along them as she bends down and kisses me, pressing her lips to mine so gently that I feel as if my heart might break all over again from the sweetness of it.

  Her hands slide down to caress my face as her lips press harder against mine, her tongue sliding into my mouth. I can taste the salt of her tears and mine as she presses her forehead against me and lets the cloth fall away from her body for the second time this evening. Her breasts brush against my chest as she kisses me deeply.

  When she pulls away, her eyes shine as she looks down at me.

  “I want you, Brele,” she murmurs. “Prince or not, mate or not, whatever you’ve done. I want you.”

  “I’m a traitor,” I whisper, my jaw clenching as I look up at her. “A monster. Jade, you can’t…”

  She presses a finger against my lips. “Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do,” she says with a small smile. “You know how stubborn I am. And you’re a good man, Brele, better than any I’ve ever met. You’ve behaved with honor and kept your word. I trust you. Whatever you did in the past… you were forced to do it. You said so yourself. And here, now…” She shakes her head, caressing my cheek. “None of that matters to me. I…”

  She bites her lip, as if stopping herself from saying too much.

  “Please,” she whispers, her nose brushing against mine as she kisses me again. “Please take me to bed.”

  I can’t tell her no again. Desire rushes through me again like a flood, a fire in my very bones that I can’t deny. My cock swells between us, achingly hard as it brushes against the soft skin of her belly. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I pull her tightly against me and bury my other hand in her hair, marveling at the softness of it as I wind it around my fingers.

  I feel the moment that she gives herself over to me entirely, hear the moan that slips from her mouth and vibrates against mine, and I lose myself to her as well. The mating lust rises up in me, hot and demanding, and all protests slip away.

  My Irisa has accepted me, and there’s only one thing left for me to do.

  Claim her.

  Possess her.

  Make her mine.

  With a growl, I shift our positions, settling her down on the bed on her back. My body stretches over the length of hers, every muscle as tense and rigid as my cock, which throbs against her skin as I move a little, brushing the sensitive tip against the crease of her inner thigh. I bend to kiss her, and she leans up at the same time, eager for my mouth.

  “I want to taste you,” I rasp against her lips. “But I need…”

  “I know.” Her hands tighten in my hair. “I need it too.”

  I hang on to my self-control with the barest of threads, determined to make her come before I slide myself inside of her and take my own pleasure. I run my hand over her breast, moaning at the soft, small curve of it in my hand, the way her nipple stiffens against my fingers as I toy with it.

  She squirms under me, panting as I slide my hand down the curve of her waist, but I want more. I want her soaking wet with arousal and desperate for me before I give her my cock.

  I squeeze her hip as I move my hand further down, still kissing her as I slip my hand between us and over the smooth skin between her legs. I can feel the heat coming off her, and I breathe in, reveling in the scent of her skin and sweat and arousal.

  A small squeak comes from her as I trail a finger down the seam of her core, parting her folds. I press against her clit gently, rubbing in small circles as she begins to gasp and moan, her hips arching up for more.

  “Do you like that?” I whisper softly, knowing the answer already but wanting to hear her say it.

  “Yes.” She whimpers, her eyes flying open. “Please…”

  “Do you want more?” I slide my finger lower, almost entering her but not quite.

  “Yes!” She cries out, arching up to try to make me slip inside of her. “Oh god, Brele, I need to come…”

  I smile as I bend to kiss her again, two of my fingers thrusting inside her as I massage her clit.

  “Then come for me.”

  With that command, I begin to move my hand in earnest, exactly as I did a few nights ago when I last had her in bed with me.

  It doesn’t take long. Her entire body stiffens, her hips lifting off the mattress as if greedy for my touch. Her eyes roll back as a loud cry pours from her lips.

  “Fuck! Brele!”

  Slowly, I withdraw my fingers, her core still fluttering around me. It’s enough to make me dizzy thinking about her clenched around my cock. As I position myself over her again, the tip of my hard length nudging between her legs, it’s all I can do to ask her once more, “Is this what you want, Jade?”

  “Yes,” she moans, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Yes, I want you.”

  After fifteen years of nothing but my own hand for pleasure, the sensation of my tip piercing her is almost enough to make me come on the spot, so overwhelming that I have to stop for a few breaths.

  With agonizing slowness, I slide into her. I hold myself still for a long moment once I’m fully sheathed inside her channel, trying to regain control. The feeling of her velvety wet heat enveloping me is almost too much to bear.

  And then, with long, deep strokes so that she can feel every inch of me, I claim my Irisa at last.

  21

  Jade

  Holy shit.

  Those are the only two words that my dazed mind can come up with as Brele begins to thrust inside me.

  I didn’t know sex could feel like this.

  But as I wrap my arms around the powerful warrior’s neck, looking up into his eyes, I know this is about so much more than lust or sex.

  His gaze is fixed on me, full of an emotion that I can’t describe, but that I understand entirely. Because I feel the same thing. It spreads through my body like a second pulse, binding me to him as he slides into me inch by inch, until all of his thick, hard length is inside of me, filling me completely.

  For the first time, I truly think that he was telling the truth about the mate bond, that it isn’t just some silly fairytale he grew up with. There’s something else happening between us right now that goes far beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.

  It should scare me.

  But it doesn’t.

  It’s a relief to give in to what I’ve been feeling at last, to trust the instinct inside me that’s always told me Brele is right. He’s meant for me, and I’m meant for him. I don’t know what that means for our future, or how the logistics of it will all shake out, but I know that this is where I’m supposed to be—here, on this planet, in this house, in this bed, with this man.

  Alien or not, prince or not, traitor or not, I don’t care.

  He’s mine, and I’m his.

  I wrap my legs around his waist, my hips arching up to meet his as his thrusts deepen. He slides in and out of me in long, slow strokes that end with him buried fully inside of me each time, leaving no doubt as to what he’s doing.

  He’s claiming me, making me his. And I love every second of it.

  It’s by far the best sex I’ve ever had. Nothing could ever compare to this. There’s nothing but Brele, nothing but his body over mine and his cock buried inside of me, the slow glide of him and the pressure of his lips on my own, the salt of tears and sweat on his skin, the scent of him surrounding me.

  I want to stay here forever with him as the pleasure builds inside of me to another crescendo, then fall over the edge with him and know I’ll be safe. I can trust this man with my body, with my heart, with everything. He will never betray me, never hurt me if he can help it. It doesn’t matter what he’s done before.

  It only matters who he is now.

  I feel tears filling my eyes as I kiss him hard, my hands in his hair, my legs wrapped around him, wanting him as close as po
ssible to me in every way that he can be.

  The sensations inside me are growing, rippling through me as I come closer and closer to another climax. I can feel the tension in his body that tells me he’s close too, that he’s desperately holding on to every last thread of control to make this last.

  “Come with me,” I beg him, whispering against his lips as I move in tandem with him, our rhythm matching perfectly. “Brele, I…”

  He groans, his lips hard against mine, and I feel his cock swell and throb inside me at the same moment that my own orgasm crashes over me. Stars swim behind my tightly closed eyelids as if an electric current is running through my body, pulsing endlessly.

  Brele grunts my name, his body surging against mine as his cock explodes within me, his seed filling me as I wrap myself around him and shudder with my own climax for what feels like an eternity.

  He slumps against me, panting, both of us soaked with sweat, his hair brushing against my cheeks as his face presses against mine.

  “Jade,” he breathes again, then slowly slides off me. His arm wraps around my waist to pull me close to him, and the curves of my body mold against his.

  I feel boneless, weightless, floating in a sea of happiness, all the tension completely gone from my body. I curl deeper into his embrace, enjoying the warmth of his naked body for a long time before either of us speaks.

  “You don’t regret it, do you?” His voice, low and deep, murmurs the words close to my ear, and I roll over to face him.

  “No,” I tell him firmly. “Not even a little bit. This felt…” I search for a more profound word, but the only one I can think of is, “…right.”

  “It’s the mate bond,” he says with a small smile. “I told you, Jade. You’re my match. We were brought together for a reason.”

  It’s so far beyond the rational logic I was taught to reason with—the idea that every event in my life was orchestrated to lead me here, to this moment in Brele’s arms. But why not? There’s a certain kind of peace that comes with believing I was meant to end up here, that my life hasn’t just been a series of hardships and mistakes and aimless wanderings, but had a purpose.

  And I haven’t forgotten that Brele might be able to help me find Emma. There might be more than one reason why I was drawn to that payday loan building where I was abducted.

  “I’m glad you don’t regret it.” His natural eye has gone a beautiful soft gray. “I was afraid… I was afraid the desire made you look past the things I’ve done… what I am. What I’ve been. But I couldn’t deny you or myself any longer either.”

  “Brele…” I frown a little, trying to find the right words to tell him what I’ve been thinking ever since he shared the story of his abduction and betrayal with me. “You can’t live the rest of your life like this—hidden away, lonely and alone.”

  His eyes darken, a glint of pain in them.

  “I was banished,” he says tightly, so quietly that I almost don’t hear it. “It’s this or death. Once, I wouldn’t have minded death so much, but now…”

  “You couldn’t tell them before,” I insist. “The chip kept you from telling them the truth—your father and brother. But you took the chip out! You can go back to Jocia, tell them what really happened now that you’re no longer under Orkun control.”

  “My father is dead.” He swallows, the muscles of his throat moving. “My brother would be king now. Prince still, actually, since it’s impossible for him to have found an Irisa. Princes on Kalix don’t take the title of king until they’ve found their mate. Their queen. And all the Kalixian women are gone. We had no idea… I never would have thought the mate bond could choose a Terran woman.”

  “You said your brother is fair and just.” I plunge ahead, not letting him change the subject with a history lesson. “You were punished for something that wasn’t your fault! None of it was. Even if you deserved some punishment for… I don’t know… going off without your guard, you’ve paid that penance a hundred times over by now.” I bite my lip, looking deeply into his eyes, trying to convince him that what I’m saying is true. “You’ve done enough, Brele.”

  He kisses me softly, his hand stroking the side of my face. I can tell he doesn’t quite believe me. Conflict still burns in his eyes. But there’s relief there too—relief that I don’t regret sleeping with him, that I didn’t run away again, that I don’t hate him or think badly of him.

  “Thank you for that,” he whispers, his fingers still touching my face as he draws back to look at me. “My beautiful, strong Irisa. Jade.”

  My name on his lips sounds like a prayer.

  22

  Brele

  Not long after our discussion, Jade falls asleep, but it’s quite a while before I can sleep as well. I watch her for a long time. Her naked body is wrapped in the sheet on the bed, the fabric tossed carelessly over her hips and stomach, leaving most of her chest and long legs bare.

  She’s everything I ever needed, and everything I reconciled myself to never having.

  It’s not only that she’s beautiful, although the sight of her body bare to my gaze is enough to make me want to wake her up and claim her all over again. She’s strong and resilient, brave and smart, a woman who is in every way a match for me. The happiness I’ve found with her is far beyond anything I ever dreamed—and a large part of me still feels that I don’t deserve it.

  If I were still heir to the throne of Kalix, she would have made a remarkable queen.

  And me? Would I have made a good king?

  I haven’t spent much time considering that question, since dwelling in the past is too painful. I like to believe I would have served my people well, but the truth is, I never truly wanted to be king. I never craved the power or the title.

  It might be for the best that the crown went to my brother and not to me. He was always studious and disciplined, more so than I ever was, the better diplomat by far. Loneliness aside, I like the peace of the woods, the quiet of it. I could do with a few more conveniences, but I’ve never missed the luxury of the palace or many of the trappings of the capital city. I would have been very happy making a life in the more rural parts of Kalix.

  What I do miss is the sense of belonging that came with being a Kalixian, and the responsibility to care for my people. I would have made a better military commander than a king, if I’d stayed in Jocia. I miss leading people, making decisions… and most of all, I miss my family. The knowledge that my father died believing I betrayed Kalix of my own free will has always been the wound that cut the deepest—that I could never tell him the truth.

  Jade’s words fill my mind again, and for the first time, I let myself really consider them, turning them over and over in my head. I know she meant it. She truly believes I’m not at fault, that I should be able to be forgiven for the part I played in the Orkun attack. But no matter how many times I turn over what she said in my mind, I can’t quite allow myself to hope that such a thing is possible.

  Whether or not I chose to help the Orkun, I was still used as a tool of destruction. I was a robotic monster, controlled and coerced to kill and hurt everyone I loved.

  If I can’t forgive myself for that, how could anyone else? Jade only knows me as I am now. She wasn’t there before.

  As I lie next to her, slowly allowing myself to drift off into sleep, I think that the only hope there is for me is to look ahead to the future—mine and Jade’s. If I look back, if I let myself believe I can return to what once was, I’ll only have my heart broken again, at best.

  At worst, I would be killed.

  Jade makes a small noise in her sleep, shifting closer to me, and I breathe in the scent of her hair, loving the feeling of her body against mine.

  I’ll do what I can to be worthy of you, I promise her silently, closing my eyes as I rest my chin on top of her head. I’ll never make those same mistakes again.

  For the next few days, we hardly get out of bed except to eat—and that’s comprised of me going to the cupboards and fishing out smok
ed meat, vegetables and bread for us to devour until we inevitably wind up in each other’s arms again, both of us ready and aching for the other.

  I’ve heard of the mating lust once a Kalixian finds their Irisa, the stories and tales about how all-encompassing it is, how it’s impossible to do anything except stay in bed with your mate, claiming her over and over until you’re both sore and exhausted. I thought it was overblown, more of a myth than anything else.

  But I was wrong.

  I’ve never known pleasure like I feel when Jade touches me, or lust like what drives me to couple with her over and over. For days, I feel like an animal, my cock hard and aching again only moments after I’ve come inside of her, my blood on fire just from the sight of her.

  After the first night, we tried to bathe together, only to wind up with her on her back on the tiles, my tongue between her legs until I coaxed her to two separate orgasms before pulling her back down into the water and impaling her on my throbbing cock.

  And although she’s human, the mate bond seems to have affected Jade in the same way it does Kalixian females, making her able to return my advances with equal fervor. Although she joked about being a little sore, she’s as ready as I am every time, drenched with arousal and desperate for the pleasure of my body buried inside of hers.

  Finally, on the fifth or so day—I’ve lost count—it’s clear that we’re running out of food. After lingering in the bath much longer than we mean to, I take her out and begin to show her how to forage in the woods. I explain which paths to take and the best spots to hunt, teaching her to use a spear for fishing and a bow for hunting small animals for food. She catches on quicker than I expected she would, although I shouldn’t be surprised. Her muscles are already lean and well-trained, and it’s only a matter of teaching her technique. She’s as strong as any Kalixian female I’ve ever known.