She breathed a sigh of relief. Though she doubted Rietin would ask for it, it meant a lot to him, she knew.
“What do you intend, Jo? Do you intend to give Rietin the bio chains? By resuming a sexual relationship, you know that’s what he hopes you intend.”
She bit at her lower lip. “I think...I think I will. Not today or anything. Maybe... It would be nice to do it on Sakk. Just because my mother isn’t interested doesn’t mean his father should lose out on any ceremony that goes along with mating.”
Her cousin’s eyes narrowed. “From what I’ve heard, you may not like Rietin’s father.”
“He won’t approve of me, will he?”
“If you were carrying a boy, he would...care more. A female can’t carry on his family name. The old man... According to Sakkra, he’s bitter and mean.”
Jo’s heart ached at the idea of Rietin being raised by such a man. “I guess I have to meet him, though.”
Amy nodded. “Meet him. If he’s too overbearing...”
“What?”
“There will be quarters set up for the two of you at the palace. Guards will accompany you to Rietin’s ancestral home. I doubt you’ll need them, but you’ll have them.”
Jo took her hand and squeezed. “Thanks, Amy.”
Her cousin smiled widely. “Will you be having dinner with us?”
She knew ‘us’ meant Amy, Sakkra, and Amy’s parents. Thoughts of Rietin changed her answer from acceptance to refusal. “No, thanks. I think I have plans tonight.”
Amy laughed. “Have fun.”
“Oh, I will.”
****
Rietin launched for the door at the unmistakable sounds of Jo returning from lunch with three of Amy’s guard in tow. He composed himself for a moment before he opened the door and waved to her.
Her cheeks went an alluring shade of pink, and she waved in return. He started to step out into the corridor, and her words stopped him short.
“Give me ten minutes?” she requested.
Rietin tipped his head with a smile and retreated. As long as Jo was inviting him to her quarters—for sex or to spend time talking or learning to wrap the cazta—Rietin would gladly bend to nearly any request she made of him.
The time passed slowly, and Rietin glanced at the clock on the comm board no less than twice every minute. His jeans felt a size too tight, and he considered changing into the cu-wrap.
No. That would be presumptuous. Walking into her quarters in sleeping clothing speaks of intent to bed her.
His jeans and t-shirt would have to do.
Finally, the moment arrived. Rietin made his way to Jo’s door, nodded to the last remaining guard, and knocked. The guard’s sideward look said the cu-wrap nestled under the book he held hadn’t escaped the other male’s attention. Before Rietin had a chance to remind him of his place, Jo’s voice reached him through the closed door.
“Come in, Rietin.”
Her voice sent pleasant shivers up his cock. He let himself in and closed the door.
She wasn’t in the sitting or dining area. “Jo?” Though she’d invited him in, she hadn’t invited him into her sleeping area.
The curtains parted minutely, allowing him a brief glimpse of what he suspected was a bare breast.
“I thought I told you to come in,” she teased.
The curtain closed, and he stared at the swinging fabric for a moment. Rampant need sent him to the curtain and through it.
Jo lay on the bed, stark naked, her legs slightly parted. Rietin surveyed every millimeter of her luscious body, his cock complaining at the delay already. He licked his lips at the sight of the love bites he’d left the night before, darkening her nipples and portions of the areole. Perhaps the tales about their aphrodisiac effect weren’t exaggerated.
She didn’t move. She didn’t speak. Just as he was about to ask what she wanted from him, Jo tipped her hips in mute plea.
Rietin pulled his t-shirt off and dropped it to the floor. He knelt on the mattress, pushing her knees wide. He brought his head down, biting back a groan at the hand cupping his head down to her core.
She gasped at the first suckling motion against her clit, and her fingers closed into a fist around his hair feathers. Rietin moved from sucking to licking at her wet slit. When she started squirming against him, he thrust his tongue inside, mimicking the moves he intended to perform with his cock before the afternoon was through.
It didn’t take long to send her over. Jo came against his sensitized tongue, venting a shout of pleasure against the walls.
Rietin knelt up between her knees, stroking his fingertips up and down the length of his cock through his still-buttoned jeans. Jo came to sitting, spread around him. She nibbled at his throat, her hands working the jeans open.
I’ll be inside her in no time.
As if she agreed with that thought, Jo dragged his jeans down his thighs to his knees. Jo shifted, bringing her legs back and folding them to one side of her body. Before Rietin could question it, his cock was deep inside the heat of her mouth.
A half dozen Sakk curses escaped his lips.
She backed away. “I will assume that was complimentary?”
“Yes. Yes, it was.” Forming a sentence taxed his mind to its limits.
Jo sucked him in again, scattering his thinking mind. Their first night together teased at his memories. He’d forgotten how good at this she was. As much as he wanted to come inside her hot, little pussy, he wanted this more.
The combination of suction and depth propelled him toward bliss.
Still, it’s only fair to warn her. “I’m going to come, Jo.” Hard.
She doubled her efforts, and the pressure built in Rietin’s balls. A strangled curse escaped through gritted teeth, and he released up the length of his cock and into her mouth. Jo’s mouth muscles moving in a swallowing motion ripped a roar from his mouth.
He threw out a hand and lowered himself to his back on the mattress, his breathing fast and shallow. Jo snuggled to his side, her fingers making little designs on the underside of his cock. Aftershocks assaulted him, and a small amount of cum splashed onto his abs.
Jo moved, bathing him with that wicked little tongue. She sucked his length in, performing a few brutal little vacuum pulls that had him arcing up off the mattress in pleasure.
Then she released him and worked his jeans down his legs to his feet. When they slipped off, she pitched them toward the curtain.
“I think you need to move in here,” she breathed.
His heart stuttered at that pronouncement. “Are you offering to let me share your quarters?”
“Removing your jeans takes too long.” She trailed her hands up his legs, causing his cock to twitch in excitement. “I want you naked or in a cu-wrap unless we have to leave the room.”
She straddled him, bringing his half-erect cock to its full length and girth again.
“You like the cu-wrap?”
“Don’t you?”
Not particularly. Since he had a choice of wearing human clothing, Rietin found he preferred it. He only had cu-wraps for walking to and from the showers at the consulate and aboard ship. He’d only had one on the night before, because his shorts had been in the clothing sanitizer. But... “If you like it, I’ll wear it.” He would order more of them, wear wingless cuztas, if she wanted to see him in one.
She settled across his lap, rubbing his newly-recovered cock with her ready heat. “I like it. Next time, I’m not sure I want you to remove it.”
A vision of them entwined on the bed, wrapped in the tova sheets, his cock working her hard, had him imagining her in wingless cazta. “Do I get to make love to you in a sleeping cazta?” he teased.
Jo levered herself up off the bed and sauntered to the closet. She pulled down a nursing cazta and pressed it to her shoulders, as if showing it off. A sly little smile graced her lips.
Rietin put his hand out to her, plans unfolding. Jo came back to the bed and sank to his side.
“We may not come up for air until dinner,” he breathed.
“I did tell Amy I had other plans.”
“Did you?” Hope welled in his chest.
She nodded. “We have a lot to talk about over dinner.”
His smile felt brittle. Not what I’d hoped for. “Do we?”
Jo dropped the cazta in her lap and started counting off the subjects on her fingers. “We have to discuss our daughter. We have to discuss if you’re going to train with me to be a teacher.”
“I will.” There was little in life that held more appeal for him than that. Beyond Jo and our daughter.
She nodded. “And we have to talk about what happens when we reach Sakk.”
“I thought it was decided that we both wanted to return to Earth?” Jo didn’t want to leave Amy any more than Amy wanted to leave her parents and Jo.
“Yes, but...” She seemed troubled by something.
“But?” he prompted her gently.
“I want to...”
“Anything you want.” He’d promise her anything. Didn’t she know that?
“I think we should get married...mated, I mean, on Sakk.”
The answer to that stuck in his throat. “We can do that anytime you want to.” If you’re offering the bio bands, I’m not going to refuse you.
“Then...I want to do it on Sakk.”
Rietin leaned toward her and feathered a kiss across her lips. “Anywhere you want. Anytime you want.”
Jo launched into his lap, seemingly relieved that he’d agreed. She started laughing, tears pooling in her eyes.
He cupped her face in his hand, wiping away one that rolled down her cheek. “What is it?”
“I always wanted a destination wedding. This just wasn’t the way I envisioned it.”
Rietin’s chuckle turned into a laugh. “Sakk mating doesn’t usually include it, but I am certain Sakkra would be willing to officiate a human ceremony, if that would make you happy.”
Her gaze focused far away. “Pink.”
“What?” What did that mean?
“I’ve always wanted a light pink dress. Baby pink.”
Rietin considered that. “I will need to comm ahead, but that can be arranged.” In fact, he knew just the thing.
In the meantime... He lowered his head and sucked at her decorated nipple. Jo’s breathing degraded into harsh gasps.
“You are so using the trick with the dame’s down while you’re behind me again.”
He released the first nipple and moved to the other. “It will take me longer to teach you all of the ways it’s used,” he reminded her.
“I don’t care.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Seven weeks later
Jo had never felt more out of place in her life. She was hugely pregnant and wearing a slinky, ankle-length pink dress with matching gloves that extended to her upper arms and disappeared beneath the cap sleeves of the dress. Her shoes were a lovely pair of silver flats that matched the flowered band holding her dark curls in check.
“You look beautiful,” Rietin assured her.
He certainly looked handsome in dress pants, collared shirt and tie. His hair was loose around his face, falling in golden waves she wanted to bury her hands in.
Jo offered him a strained smile. Though she didn’t want to admit it to him, Sakkra’s warning about Rietin’s father—on top of the one Amy had given her—had put her nerves on edge.
A light knock at the door let them know it was time to disembark. Rietin took her arm and led Jo through the door.
Amy had told her they would have a few royal guards. In reality, they had eight of them. Jo swallowed hard.
They made their way out of the ship, warrior guards to the sides and back. Rietin panned his gaze around and escorted Jo toward a lone male standing at the far end of the shuttle bay.
There was no smile of welcome for them. The older male stood, his arms crossed over his chest, staring down at them from a height of almost a foot taller than Rietin stood. Something about his stance and expression put Jo’s nerves on high alert.
They came to a halt an arm’s length away from him. Neither father nor son reached out toward each other. There was a moment of tense silence.
“Gomen,” Rietin intoned. “It is my honor and pleasure to present my mate, Jolene.”
Gomen’s gaze flicked toward Jo’s hand. “Mate?” he challenged.
She spoke up. “I asked Rietin to wait until we reached Sakk. I wanted to have a marriage celebration. I thought...I thought you might wish to attend.”
He made an indeterminate sound. “Human traditions. She looks human.” Gomen raked a sneer up and down his son’s body. “As do you. It’s pathetic. You embarrass me.”
Rietin took her hand. “Has he impressed you enough with his courtesy, Jo?”
“Not quite,” she ground out. “I want to ask him something.”
Rietin waved her on.
She took a step toward Gomen. Jo rubbed a hand over the swell of her womb. “This is your granddaughter. Your only son’s child. She has wings, you know. Full, beautiful wings. She’s genetically superior, in all ways. She’s your flesh and blood and bone and feather. And you really intend to turn your back on that.” She didn’t question it.
“A daughter.” He snorted in seeming disgust, then glared at Rietin. “Not a son to carry on the family name, but a daughter. You have always been useless.”
Jo snapped. She reached out to smack Gomen across the face, grumbling curses in English.
His hands came up, and all hell broke loose. Rietin yanked Jo behind him, shouting a warning to Gomen to stand down. Six of the eight warriors shot past them and piled on Gomen; the other two hustled Jo and Rietin toward a waiting transport.
“In,” one of them ordered.
Rietin launched inside and lifted Jo in after him. The doors slammed shut. Outside, sounds of shouts and fighting ramped up.
“What will happen to him?” she asked, switching back to English now that she wasn’t addressing someone who spoke only Sakk.
Rietin pulled Jo onto his lap, then pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Prison, most likely.”
“Prison? He didn’t even touch me.”
“He raised a hand to a bearing woman. That’s all it takes on Sakk.”
“But...I was trying to hit him.”
Rietin smiled. “Bearing women are known to be emotional. Any Sakk male who crosses a bearing woman expects to taste her fury. But you never...never raise a hand to her.”
Jo’s protest died in her throat at the sound of Gomen arguing with the warriors.
“I would not have harmed her. You expect a man to let a little...”
“Sakku Amy’s cousin,” one of the warriors snapped over whatever insult Gomen started to make.
“What?”
“Before you insult Jolene, you should know she is close cousin to Sakkra’s mate. I suggest you choose your words carefully, Gomen.”
All struggle stopped. The stillness was deafening.
Gomen said something she didn’t catch. Footsteps moved away.
After a few moments, the doors opened, and two warriors tipped their heads. “Are you well, Jolene? Do you require a healer?”
She shook her head, at a loss for words. Jo sank to Rietin’s chest, needing his comfort.
He wrapped his arms around her. “Just take us to the palace.”
“As you wish, Rietin. We will inform Sakkra of the situation.”
“Please do.”
The doors closed them in again.
Jo snuggled to him, exhausted by the turn of events.
“Just rest,” Rietin soothed her. He started humming the tune he used when she had Kahdi.
Before he finished the song the first time, she was asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Amy smiled at Sakkra’s mother. She’d felt instantly at home with the emperor of Sakk and his mate, and the comfort foods and drinks provided for her had been plentiful and delicious.
/>
The business between them had been a simple matter of Sakkrel bestowing his confidence in whatever choices Amy and Sakkra made for Earth.
A warrior rushed into the room and bowed to Sakkrel. He went to Sakkra’s side and leaned to whisper something in his ear.
Sakkra shot a look Amy would qualify as horrified disbelief at the messenger. He rose and tipped his head to his father. “If you would excuse me.”
“Sakkra?” Amy called out. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
He hesitated, then held his hand down to her. “You should come.”
She pushed to her feet awkwardly. “What is it?”
“It seems Gomen raised a hand to Jo. She may need you.”
Her heart stuttered at the pronouncement. “Is she okay?” Amy forgot to use Sakk in her shock.
“She is well. Adding the extra guards was strategically sound.”
“Where is she?”
Amy turned toward Sakkrel and his mate, shocked that they had risen from their thrones and joined the conversation.
“They will arrive here at the palace in a few moments.”
“Order Dravil to their quarters,” Sakkrel instructed.
The messenger bolted away.
“Take us to them.”
Sakkra led the way to a door with a circular drive beyond. Two transports pulled in before Amy had a chance to ask for an ETA.
The first transport stopped past the doors. The transport’s doors opened and six warriors emerged, trotting toward the second transport. They opened the rear doors and reached hands in, aiding Rietin out of the back.
Amy left Sakkra’s side and bolted for them, her heart pounding at the sight of Jo cradled in Rietin’s arms.
Rietin didn’t wait for her to ask a question. “She is simply tired,” he assured her.
“Dravil is waiting to check her.”
The man in question loped from the palace and arrived at their sides. Instead of going to Jo’s side, he came to Amy’s. A dizzying rush of Sakk language left his lips.
Sakkra scooped her up in much the same way Rietin carried Jo. He started walking, leading the procession back into the palace.
Unexpected Mates (Sons of Heaven) Page 24