by Ruby Dixon
Then, with a little scream of pleasure, my mate comes. Her body shudders against my face, and I taste a rush of wet warmth against my tongue. Her cunt clamps down against my fingers and I keep stroking her, determined to wring out every bit of pleasure possible. She moans and rubs up against me, rocking even as she shudders, until she is spent and panting, her pale skin glazed with a light sheen of sweat.
My Ell-ee is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen like this, sprawled and content underneath me. I press a kiss to the inside of her thigh, well pleased at her response. "I have missed that, my mate."
She gives a long, trembling sigh. "Oh, Bek."
I love the contented sound of her sigh. "I am here, my Ell-ee."
"Good." She curls her toes and stretches her arms over her head, then slides them back down to caress my face. "I missed you far too much. Missed this. Missed everything."
I kiss her thigh again, then continue upward, pressing a brief kiss at her curls before moving to her belly, and then up to her teats. They are small but perfect. I toy with the sensitive nipples and drag my tongue over them as she murmurs my name. Did I miss her? Like breathing. Have I dreamed of this? Every night. But I am here now, and my cock is a brief span away from where it belongs. I move over her, letting my larger weight settle carefully against her body. I prop myself up with my elbows so I do not crush her, and when she slides her legs apart wide in welcome, it feels as if I am truly home.
I rub the head of my cock against her slick folds, and then sink deep. Her sigh of pleasure is almost as wonderful as the hot clasp of her cunt around my length. I groan and hold her tightly against me, kissing her face as I ease into her. My Ell-ee is always tight, and no matter how deep I push with my initial thrust, I must always work my way deeper with slow, careful motions so she can take all of me. I push shallowly into her, rocking my hips as I whisper her name, and she digs her nails into my shoulders, closing her eyes and giving herself over to me with such trust that it makes my spirit ache with how much I love her.
And then I am seated fully inside her, and it feels…perfect. She sucks in a shuddering breath and then squirms underneath me. "Your spur," she murmurs, shifting. I know that it rubs against her third nipple, and the very sensation makes her crazed with need. She is already sensitive there, and this will just add more to it. I know that my Ell-ee can come at least twice before I do, and I am determined to make sure that when I pump her full of my seed once more, she is right there with me, clenched tight in her own release. When she comes hard, she bites at my skin.
I love that. I want it again.
So I do everything I can to ensure that our joining is all about her pleasure. I take one of her hands and stretch it over her head, making her arch underneath me. She opens her eyes and watches me, her lips parted. With every thrust, she gives a little gasp, as if I am giving her brand new sensations every time and she does not know what to make of them. Her eyes locked to mine is intense, and every time I slide deep into the clasp of her body, it feels a little more intense with our gazes locked. As I thrust into her, I take my time, moving slow at first, and then speeding up. I flick my tail along her leg, teasing her because I know she is ticklish and more touches just add to her pleasure.
My Ell-ee does not keep her hand over her head for long. She pushes back against my grip and then whimpers when I thrust deep. Her hands come up and she clasps them against the sides of my face, as if she needs to anchor herself to me. "My Bek," she whispers, and there is such love and intense devotion in her eyes that it breaks my control. I want to go slow, but I cannot. Not when she looks at me as if I have placed the stars in the skies for her enjoyment alone. Fast and hard, I claim my mate, pumping into her slick heat with one forceful thrust after another, until we are moving across the furs with the clash of our bodies. She clings to me, utterly silent except for small sounds of pleasure that let me know she is here with me, riding this. Wild with my desire for her, I claim Ell-ee over and over with every stroke, as if I could paint into my soul the way she looks at me in this moment.
Her body clenches tight under my assault, and she arches under me, her mouth parting wide, her blue eyes seeming to grow darker with the force of her need. I hear her khui's thrumming song grow louder, and then my mate clutches at my neck, burying her face against my chest as she comes, her cunt tight and rippling around my length. With a shout of pleasure, I give in to my own release, emptying all of my desire for her into her welcoming body. When I have come so hard that it feels as if all of the seed has been wrung from my cock, I collapse on top of her, holding her close as our sweaty skin sticks together. She wraps her arms even tighter around me, pressing her mouth to my neck as she shivers with the aftershocks of her release.
It takes several long moments before she stops her trembling, and I roll over onto my side and tuck her body against me protectively. I cannot stop kissing her, though. Her eyes are closed and she looks tired and sated, but I kiss her brow and her nose over and over, fascinated by her delicate features and feeling as if I am the luckiest male alive because such a perfect female is mine. It is incredible to think how much my life has changed since she came into it.
To think that I once wanted a mate—any mate. Now I feel foolish that I would have settled for anyone less than her. Of course my khui waited many long turns of the seasons for her. It is far wiser than I am.
6
AEHAKO
My Kira looks well. I am relieved to see her standing tall and proud, and I grab her and swing her around in my arms at the sight of her. She laughs and bats at me playfully, encouraging me to put her down. I do not, and pull her close to me instead, holding her tight, my hand cupping her head. I have not slept at all since Rokan insisted that I return with Bek and Vektal. My mind has gone through all kinds of terrible scenarios, wondering what could possibly be wrong. Is my Kira unwell? Has something happened to my solemn little Kae? Or is it the village itself? Is that why I am needed at home? But now that I have my mate—whole and smiling—in my arms, the knot of worry that seems to have lodged permanently between my shoulders eases a little.
And yet…Rokan is never wrong.
I set my mate down on the ground and then give her a fierce kiss. Her mouth is soft under mine, but I can sense her surprise. She is a shy one, my Kira, and constantly surprised at my kisses, as if she is somehow not worth affection. Humans must be strange indeed if they think she is worth overlooking. “My lovely mate,” I tell her between smacking kisses as I cup her face. “How I have missed you.”
“Aehako,” she murmurs, her hands caressing mine. “You’re making a scene, love.” Her cheeks are pink—either with embarrassment or pleasure.
“Let them stare at me.” I lean in closer to her, as if sharing a secret. “I have not seen my mate in many, many nights, and my cock is the worse for it—”
Her hand covers my mouth, her cheeks even redder. Ah, that is my sweet Kira. I grin and look around. “Now where is my little Kae?”
My daughter rushes forward, arms in the air, and jumps in place in front of me, wanting to be picked up. I mock-groan as I heft her into the air. “So big now! How did you get so large while I was gone, Kae? Are you as big as Sessah now?”
She giggles, her small arms going around my neck. “No, Papa.”
“Then as big as Esha, surely,” I tease, tickling her. Even as I do, I cannot help but run my gaze over her, memorizing every bit of her appearance, looking for problems. Her soft, flat mane is the same as it ever was, her eyes bright. She looks well. I glance back at her mother, and Kira is watching us with loving exasperation. She looks well, too, though I worry that perhaps she has lost some weight. Is she pale? Does she suffer from an invisible sickness as the human Har-loh did? My heart thunders in my chest with sudden terror and I put an arm to her shoulders and pull her tight against me, holding her close and pressing a kiss to her mane. The scent of her fills my nose as I hold her close.
“Aehako? Are you all right?” Kira rubs my back lightly
, then reaches down to give my tail a gentle, private stroke that makes me feel as if I am the one with pink cheeks. So bold of her. I am pleased and surprised all at once.
“I am fine,” I say, and press another kiss to her mane. “You? No sickness? You are not tired?”
“That’s a weird question to ask,” she tells me, her hand going around my waist as we head away from the group and toward our cozy hut. “Why would you think I’m sick?’
Do I say what Rokan hinted at? Or will it cause her to worry unnecessarily? I do not know what to tell her. “It is nothing,” I say after a moment’s hesitation. “Merely a hunter worrying over his mate.”
She gives me an odd look but does not question me further.
Our hut looks cozy inside, with our piles of furs stacked across from each other. I notice that while I've been gone, she's moved Kae's furs closer to our bed. When I am here, normally they are as far apart as possible to give us some privacy for matings. I wonder if there is another reason that she has moved the furs, and then chide myself for seeing problems when there are none. Still, I cannot help but move about the hut, checking the roof to ensure it is solid and that the stones surrounding the firepit are in place so no coals can escape.
"Aehako?" Kira asks again, a curious expression on her mobile human face. "What is it?"
I smile broadly at her. "It is nothing."
"Mmmhmm." She crosses her arms over her chest. "Kae, honey, why don't you give Papa a hug and then go ask Miss Stacy when the feast will be ready?"
"Feast?" I ask, curious.
"For No-Poison Day. You're back just in time."
I rub my chin, wondering if Rokan's warning was because of the human holiday. Will something bad happen during the celebration? "Eat nothing while we are not there," I caution my little daughter, tousling her mane. "Just in case."
"Just in case of what?" Kira asks.
"In case the food is bad and she catches a sickness?" I grin to take the sting out of my words, but my mate does not look amused. Even Kae looks up at me with a tiny frown on her face. She looks just like her mother when she does that. I pat my daughter's cheek. "Do as your mother says, little one. We will be along shortly."
"All right, Papa." She pauses, and hugs my leg tightly, squeezing my thigh. "I'm glad you're home."
My heart feels as if it will burst with love for this small kit. I kneel down to her height and brush her soft mane back from her little face. "You were a good girl for your mama while I was gone, were you not?"
"Always," she says happily, basking under my attention.
I nod as if this pleases me greatly. "Then you will have a good No-Poison Day. I have brought you back a special gift from the great salt lake. You can have it later."
My daughter gives me another smile and then skips out of the hut, heading toward the main part of the village.
I get to my feet again and Kira gives me a patient look, waiting. "Well?"
"I am very well," I tell her, teasing. I move forward and put my hands to her hips, pulling her body against mine. She is slimmer than a sa-khui female, my Kira, but I love the feel of her in my arms. I do not even mind that she is frowning at me. I live to turn that frown into a soft smile or a gasp of yearning. Ah, but bringing my mate to the heights of pleasure is such a delight. It has already been far too long since I have touched her, and I lean down to give her a light kiss.
My lips brush against hers and I feel a bolt of pure need surge through my body, startling in its intensity. Far too long indeed since I have touched my mate. Her mouth is soft and willing against mine, and when I intensify the kiss, she wraps her arms around my neck, pressing the length of her body against mine. "Aehako," she gasps between kisses. "Don't think you can distract me like this."
"Why not? I find it a very good distraction." I kiss her again, slicking my tongue against her smooth one, and reach through the neckline of her tunic to clasp one of her teats in my hand. The nipple is hard, thrusting against my fingers, and I groan at how fierce my need is. "I have missed you far too much, my sweet Kira."
"I missed you, too," she tells me, and then slaps a hand against my shoulder. "Wait. No distractions. What is it that's troubling you?"
I shake my head, my khui beginning a deep, steady song as I touch her. "It can wait until after I have claimed my mate."
"No," she protests, even as she lets me haul her up into my arms and carry her across our hut into our furs. "Aehako, that isn't fair—"
"Shall I show you just how unfair I can be?" I tease, pulling the laces of her tunic free until her teats are exposed to my gaze. "I made you another courting gift."
Her face flames bright pink. "You didn't."
"Oh, I did. I thought of nothing but you and Kae while I was gone. Mostly you, and your sweet, giving body. The heat of your cunt as it milks my cock. The tease of your teats as they scrape against my skin when I mount you…" I slide my hand down into her leggings, seeking her warmth. "I have had to tug my own cock far too many times during this last moon. Seems a shame when I have such a pretty mate."
She moans, arching up in the furs. "God, you are making my cootie go crazy with all that dirty talk."
"Mine is wild with need as well," I admit, a little surprised at how fierce it is this day. I have been parted from my Kira before, but never has our homecoming been so…thick with arousal. I lean in and as I do, her khui's song grows even louder. Mine changes tone, resonating harder, and then we are in perfect harmony together, our khuis loud and insistent.
And I feel it in my cock. The need in my body intensifies, so much so that it takes all the breath from my lungs.
Kira gasps, her hand pressing to her chest. "Aehako," she whispers, and her voice is so husky and lovely with need that I nearly spend as she says my name. "Is this…"
I nod slowly. "Resonance. Again."
"Oh." Her hand goes to her mouth and her eyes shimmer with tears. "I…I thought Kae would be the only one. She's such a gift, but I thought maybe that I wouldn't be able to bear more, and that I was fine with that, but…this is wonderful."
Her joy is as great as mine. I cannot smile, though. Not when Rokan's warning is still ringing in my ears…
And then I groan with the realization that I am a fool. "Rokan. That idiot."
My mate sits up, frowning at me. "Why are you talking about Rokan when we're resonating?" She grabs the front of my tunic and hauls me down against her, panting. "Shouldn't you be claiming your mate?"
Oh, I want nothing more than to sink deep inside her. I chuckle and lean in close, nuzzling her chin before claiming her lips once more. "That is what I plan on doing. I am merely laughing because Rokan insisted I be among the first to return, but he would not say why. I thought something was wrong, and have not been able to stop worrying." I shake my head. "He should have told me it was resonance."
"You know he doesn't like to point that out," she tells me, caressing my shoulder and giving me a sleepy-eyed look that makes my cock stir with excitement. "But he also shouldn't have scared you like that."
"He told me it was nothing to worry over," I admit. "But when your mate is as perfect as mine is, and your kit as clever and smart, you cannot possibly think things will get better."
"And yet," Kira says, smiling. She pauses, her smile fading away. "And yet…is this better? For you? It's going to mean changes for us. Are you happy with this?"
Happy? I am overjoyed. I touch her flat stomach. "To see you rounded with my kit? It is the best No-Poison gift ever." She flings her arms around my neck, and it takes me a moment to realize she is weeping. "Why do you cry, my mate?"
"Because you're right. This is the best No-Poison ever," she says between sobs. "And these are tears of joy."
"If you say so." I pull at her leggings. "Enough about Rokan. I will stomp on his head later for scaring me so. Now, let me see if I am making other parts of you wet with joy."
I am pleased that my mate's laughter fills our hut just moments before her cries of joy do.
ROKAN
My mate is not with the cluster of tribesmates who come out to greet us. I am not surprised at this. I knew that she would be in our hut when I arrived. Nor is the healer in the happy, chattering group. I smile and clasp the arms of those who crowd in, wanting to know about loved ones. I will let Vektal answer those questions, because I must be somewhere else. My Li-lah needs me.
I detangle myself from the welcomers, squeezing Vaza’s shoulder in greeting as I head past him, moving toward my home. The privacy screen is up, but I can hear voices inside.
“You’re home,” a familiar voice exclaims before I can enter, and I see Mah-dee rushing up, her round cheeks flushed. “That’s terrific, and you’re just in time. I have Rollan at my house today. You can come and get him when everything’s all done.” At my nod, she continues. “I don’t suppose Hassen came with you guys…?” There’s a pleading question in her gaze.
“Not this trip,” I say gently, knowing my answer will bring disappointment to my mate’s sister. “We could not bring many. But there will be more trips. Your mate is well and healthy, though, and he has sent gifts for you and Masan since he could not be here.”