The Warrior's Proposal (Celestial Mates Book 7)

by Marla Therron

  It didn't help that this planet's story telling methods seemed incredibly nonsensical to her. She had thought Earth plays were hard to follow. These were impossible. Why did the hero (she thought it was the hero anyway) keep trading masks with the chorus?

  And she was pretty sure one of the actors had just swapped places with an audience member. At least the music was interesting, if a bit too high pitched.

  Lying in the bed, she looked up as the door to the bathroom slid away and Shang returned, trying not to stare too hard. He was still topless, rubbing at his hair with a towel. She could still see moisture running down his chest and it made her throat feel oddly dry.

  "You took a liquid shower?" she asked, "I thought that was weird."

  Shang shrugged, looking away as though embarrassed.

  "They're not so bad," he said, "Sonic is still more thorough."

  She smiled, patting the bed to invite him to sit beside her.

  "I'm sure you were very thorough," she joked, "Now come explain to me what the heck this movie is about."

  "I'm not sure the natives even know," he finished drying off quickly and, still wearing only loose pants, flopped down beside her, "Diamantine dramas are notoriously weird."

  "I'm glad it's not just me," she leaned against his side, wondering if he was still willing to do more of what they'd done on the ship, or if he'd decided to pretend that hadn't happened.

  He put an arm around her, trailing fingers absentmindedly up and down her side as he watched the strange play progress.

  "I think it's about the hero's search for his third progenitor," Shang mused, "But he keeps trading costumes with that other actor."

  "I noticed that," Erena eyed him, wondering if it would be too bold of her to go in for a kiss, "I think when he's the actor with the yellow skin, he can only speak the truth, and when he has teal skin he can only lie."

  "But he confessed his love to his mates while teal?"

  "Only one of them."

  "How dramatic."

  He was still paying more attention to the screen than her, caught up in what Erena was increasingly certain was the alien equivalent of a soap opera.

  "Hey, Shang," she called, finally making him turn to look at her. But she found her words drying up at the thought of just asking him for what she wanted. She changed the subject instead.

  "Thank you, for bringing me here," she smiled at him gratefully, "You could have just sold me, or let that insect guy eat me. That you're going to such lengths to help me-It means a lot."

  He looked briefly flustered, and glanced away.

  "It's not like I'm getting nothing out of it," he muttered, "I told you how valuable you are. It's natural I'd want to hang on to something worth that much."

  Erena scoffed.

  "Well, in that case," she suggested, pushing on his shoulder to roll him onto his back, "I should probably make sure you get your money’s worth."

  He let her roll him over, watching as she climbed over him.

  "Well, I'm not going to say no," he chuckled, taking her hips, "But you know you don't have to, right? I don't expect this from you."

  "I want to," Erena insisted, rocking her hips against him, "You may have noticed, but I actually kind of like you."

  He laughed, a low rumbling chuckle that Erena could feel where her hands touched his chest.

  "I kind of like you too, Fluffy."

  She bent to kiss him passionately, her blonde hair forming a curtain around them as her tongue slid into the warmth of his mouth, tasting the sharpness of his teeth. His hands tangled in her hair, but a moment later she was pulling away, wriggling down his body between his legs.

  "Let me show you something we do on earth," she said with a grin, pulling his pants down his hips.

  "I'm pretty sure we do it here too," he said with a smirk, "But go ahead, surprise me."

  He wasn't fully hard yet, but she would make sure he would be soon. She ran her fingers along his shaft delicately, just enough to raise him and make it easier to run her tongue along the underside of his shaft.

  He tasted clean, like the water he'd just showered in, and that made her all the more eager to engulf him. She forced herself not to anyway, taking her time to tease him and watch his expressions.

  He was trying not to show his excitement, keeping his expression cool, but Erena didn't intend to make it easy for him. She could already see the flush on his cheeks that he couldn't hide and she wanted to see more. She took just the tip of his head into her mouth and felt his hips twitch under her hand, fighting the instinct to thrust in. He bit his cheek, his eyes intense as

  Erena met his piercing gaze with her own while she pulled back to flick at the underside of his crown again. Still, she couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed herself when he watched her with those dark, focused eyes. She decided the best way to win this fight was to make him feel so good he couldn't focus on anything.

  She dove without warning, engulfing more than half his length in a single motion. She heard him swear, looking up to see him tossing his head back, his hair catching the light as he shook in unexpected pleasure. She grinned and returned to her efforts, knowing she had won.

  She bobbed her head along his shaft, tongue teasing his tip on the off stroke, squeezing the base with his other hand. Her eyes stung as he grew to full hardness and she had to push herself harder to take him all, feeling him bump against the back of her throat.

  She watched him as she worked, loving the way his stomach muscles clenched and his lips parted, wet and panting with need. His eyes were hazy and half lidded with desire and she hummed around him with delight, tongue flicking at the head. Suddenly he reached out with a gasp to grab her by the hair.

  "That's enough," he panted.

  "It's alright," she said with a grin, "I don't mind."

  "I mind," he said with a low, lustful growl, "I'm not done with you yet."

  He sat up, turning her onto her stomach so that he could pepper the back of her neck with kisses, his teeth grazing her skin. Bent over her, she could feel his chest against her back, hot and heavy and close, weighing her down while his hands kept her hips raised.

  His lips and hands made their way down her back with religious patience, worshipping every inch of her skin, leaving little red kiss marks behind like flags to identify the territory he had claimed.

  She was already wet, but he didn't hesitate as he reached that part of her to let his tongue delve between her folds, spreading her open and working his way into her.

  Erena moaned, clutching the sheets and struggling to hold still as he teased her, getting back at her for playing with him so long. She'd won the battle, but she had a feeling she was about to lose the war.

  Then he pulled away, leaving her trembling and gasping on the edge of orgasm, and leaned over her again. She felt the heat of him against her entrance and she whimpered his name as he squeezed her hips and slowly slid into her.

  She buried her face in the sheets, fighting to control her voice as he filled her. It didn't sting this time, but rather felt like she'd been made to fit him, squeezing around him perfectly. She shuddered, feeling bolts of pleasure running up her spine every time they shifted even a little.

  Then he began to move, rocking into her slowly but picking up speed, clearly in no mood to take it easy tonight. It was soon impossible for Erena to hold in her voice as he drove into her, hard and fast, leaving her crying out with every strike, shaking as he reached around to rub her clit at the same time.

  With the dual stimulation she felt herself tightening around him in orgasm in no time, her vision blurring as a wave of pleasure crashed over her.

  But Shang didn't stop, breeding her like an animal as he rode her towards another orgasm, and another. He reached down to grab her hair, the tug as he used it to pull her back into his thrusts only adding a sharp edge to the pleasure she was feeling.

  His punishing thrusts filled the hotel room with the sound of skin hitting skin and Erena's needy, whimpering crie
s, moaning his name among a string of curses every time she reached another dizzying, overwhelming orgasm, over sensitized and weak with pleasure.

  At last he grabbed her and turned her onto her back. She could feel him throbbing inside her as he dragged her closer, and she gave a surprised yelp as she felt his teeth at her throat, biting down harder than she'd anticipated.

  The sudden, frightened thrill pushed her over the edge again, and as she tightened around him in a final fireworks display of ecstasy, she felt him bury himself as deeply within her as he could, finishing within her. She felt warmth spreading within her, leaving her dizzy and lightheaded with delight. He released her throat, that rumbling purr leaving him again as he nuzzled her chin, then kissed her deeply.

  Something about that kiss was different, Erena thought, struggling to hold on with how scattered she felt. There was something almost longing in it. It made her heart ache somehow, and also made her certain she didn't want this to be the only time he took her tonight.

  Chapter Ten

  A few rounds later, Erena stumbled to the bathroom to take a second shower. Glimpsing herself in the mirror, she paused in surprise. She was covered in kiss marks. He'd left them everywhere. And an obvious bite mark on her throat. That was going to take a few days to fade.

  She blushed in embarrassment, covering it with her hand. But somehow, the sight of it stirred warmth in her belly again. The idea of being marked by him, of being claimed by him so entirely, made her skin tingle with desire.

  She liked it, the thought of belonging to him. Thinking of it so frankly made her blush darken and she hurried to shake those thoughts off.

  It wasn't like that. They had fun together, that was all. He wasn't even human. But she had to wonder as she climbed into the shower about her future out here. She might be traveling with him for a long time. She didn't have anyone else, or any money or even an ID that would work in this star system.

  If they even used IDs. She would have to depend on him for a while at least. Ultimately, she still wanted to get back to Earth. But she didn't have the resources to do that from here. She didn't even know where she was in relation to earth. The ship that picked them up could have taken them light years off course.

  What if getting back just proved to be impossible? Would he want to stay with her, or would he leave her alone once she could manage by herself? And which option sounded better to her? She couldn't decide.

  As she came out of the bathroom, she saw Shang standing outside on the balcony, something like a cigarette between his fingers, looking out over the city. He'd left clothes out for her on the bed. More of the black material. She'd seen aliens wearing other colors and fabrics.

  Did he just get this because it was cheap and easy? She suddenly had a feeling it was probably the kind of thing sold in vending machines around here.

  She pulled it on anyway, turning it into a loose, comfortable dress for sleeping in. She went to join him on the balcony, the night breeze chilly and slightly misty, sweeping in moisture from the sea.

  "What are you thinking about?" she asked, curious.

  "Future," he muttered tersely.

  "What about it?" she pushed, not ashamed to pester him when he was being short like this. He sighed, knowing she wouldn't stop asking questions till she had learned what she was after.

  "Just wondering how long we could hide out here," he replied, "It might be worth it to get a place more permanent than a hotel room. There are some houses for sale, over there. View of the ocean and everything."

  "You want to buy a house with me?" Erena asked, surprised, "Like, to live in together?"

  "Well I couldn't just leave you on your own," Shang sounded annoyed, either because that was obvious, or because he didn't like her pointing out that he was being unexpectedly kind, "A fluffy headed thing like you? You'd get eaten alive."

  Erena laughed and looked back out at the view, her eyes wandering to the houses he'd pointed out. They were small, colorful little places. Ideal little romantic vacation spots. But not somewhere you could raise a family. Erena wondered why she was thinking of such a thing and shook it off.

  "It would be nice, living with you," she confessed, "but I can't. I have to get back to earth. I don't belong out here."

  Shang was quiet for a long moment, considering it.

  "Then I'll take you back," he said after a moment, unable to meet her eyes.

  "Really?" her eyes widened in surprise, "You would do that?"

  "You're only trouble to me anyway," he griped, "Without you, I can go back to my regular life."

  Erena was surprised by how much that stung. But she supposed it made sense. They were only in danger because his enemy wanted her.

  "Thank you," she said softly, reaching out to touch his hand, "I know I've caused you a lot of trouble. You could have just sold me or got rid of me. That you're willing to take me home instead..."

  She laced her fingers with his, smiling at him tenderly.

  "You're a good person, Shang."

  Shang didn't answer, looking away down towards the street below them. A second later he tensed, dropping his cigarette thing and pushing her away from the balcony.

  "Get down," he hissed.

  Erena, confused, did as she was told, looking through the bars of the balcony down at a car pulling up in front of the hotel. With horror and confusion, Erena realized the man getting out was Rin'rokir. Shang cursed, hurrying Erena inside.

  "I knew he wasn't dead," he hissed, "Damnit, I hate bugs. We have to get to the ship, now."

  Erena was grateful they didn't have any luggage as he rushed to pull on his clothes and grabbed her hand. They hurried out of the room, skipping the weird, hovering elevators that had brought them up here to the more traditional stairwell. Erena frowned as she realized they were going up.

  "Why are we going to the roof?" she asked, worried.

  "He'll have people watching the elevators and the front of the hotel," Shang explained, "but he might not have thought of the fire escape yet. We can get to it from the roof and be out of here before he realizes we're not in our room."

  Almost as if on cue, shouting started in the stairwell below them. Shang let out a string of colorful curses that Erena's translator could only pick out half of. He pulled her faster.

  They sprinted up the stairs towards the roof. Erena looked down once and glimpsed them men following them. They all appeared to be of the same or similar species as Rin'rokir, but she didn't see the bug himself among them. Somehow she thought that didn't bode well.

  Shang broke the delicate electronic lock on the door to the roof with a kick and they burst out into the chill night air. Shang looked frantically for the fire escape, his gaze landing at last on a round, silver disc like a sheet pan in a fixture on the side of the wind wall.

  "That's the fire escape?" Erena wrinkled her nose in confusion as he pulled her towards it, "I was expecting stairs."

  "What?" Shang looked equally confused, "No. Lay down."

  He had pulled the fixture the sheet pan was attached to up and now it lay horizontally over the edge of the roof. Shang had opened a holographic screen over it and was working at something quickly.

  "What is it?" Erena asked, climbing on anyway, "What are you doing?"

  "No time," Shang snapped, closing the screen. Erena jumped as she heard the thud of someone slamming into the roof door. Shang had blocked the handle with a loose piece of metal, but it wouldn't hold for long.

  Shang turned to a second of the silver dishes, which Erena now realized lined the roof every few feet like life boats. He pulled his into the same position as hers and began working on it with the holo screen.

  "These are programmed to take the user to the nearest emergency station," he explained, "But any teenager can reprogram them to go almost anywhere within the same distance. These will take us to the hanger where my ship is at. Press that button when I hit mine. Just don't let go of my hand, I don't want us separated."

  "Got it," Erena agreed,
wide eyed and certain she didn't get it.

  He closed the screen and reached for her hand. She took it just as the stairwell door burst open. Shang didn't hesitate, slamming a button on the side of the disc's frame.

  Erena hit hers a second later, then shrieked as the two discs suddenly shot out of their frames, rocketing away in the same direction and leaving their pursuers behind.

  "Stop screaming!" Shang yelled over the wind, squeezing her hand, "You won't fall, look!"

  Erena forced her eyes open, only to see Shang let go of his disc entirely, but remained in place, held there by some magnetic force.

  "That's amazing!" Erena stared, wide eyed, her fear shifting into curiosity, "How does that work?"

  "You can take it apart and figure it out when we get to the ship if you want," Shang offered, "For now, just hold on to my hand. We're not far away."

  The wind whipped Erena's hair behind her, stinging her eyes, and she stared down at the city zipping by below them, the crystal beaches glittering in the light of the planet's cluster of small moons. It was an incredible sight, and laying on nothing but the silver disc felt like flying, more so than anything Erena had ever experienced.

  "This is so great!" she shouted grinning at him, "I've never done anything this incredible!"

  "You sure got over being scared fast," Shang laughed.

  "I use to have dreams about this!" Erena giggled.

  Shang glanced down, frowning.

  "We're not home free yet," he scowled and Erena looked down as well, seeing the same vehicle that had pulled up in front of the hotel zipping under them, moving over other vehicles in the rode on magnetic lifts like the landing gear of Shang's ship.

  "Can we make these things go faster?" Erena asked, worried.

  "No, we can't even steer them," Shang answered anxiously, "They're just programmed to go to one location."

  Erena hummed nervously and squeezed his hand tighter as they zipped down towards the parking garage. They discs zipped into the hanger doors, then skidded abruptly to a stop, leaving them lying on the floor. Shang scrambled to his feet and pulled Erena up after him, rushing up the ramp to the higher level where his ship was stored.