Of course when you dressed like that back home you weren’t planning on getting into bed with a huge, muscular man, whispered a little voice in her head.
Shut up, Ari told it. I’m getting into bed to die. It doesn’t matter that he’s big and warm and muscular—I’m going to ask him to kill me. So it really doesn’t matter how I’m dressed, now does it?
“You know, your modesty is commendable but you don’t always have to change in the fresher,” Lathe remarked when she finally came out, her neatly folded jumpsuit in her arms. “I won’t watch you change if you promise not to watch me.”
Don’t know if you can make that promise, Ari, whispered the teasing little voice in her head. Ari did her best to ignore it.
“Oh, I…we’re very modest on Phobos,” she said weakly. Looking down at herself she motioned to her bare legs. “Won’t I be cold? Didn’t you say they drop the temperature every night for the lashers?”
“They do.” He nodded. “But you’ll be in the bunk with me, remember? And I put out enough heat for both of us—as a Blood Kindred, I have a self-regulating body temperature.”
“Oh, right… Okay, then. Do…” She cleared her throat. “Do you mind if I take the outside of the bunk this time? I’m claustrophobic and when I woke up this morning I felt kind of…trapped.”
“Oh of course—I’m sorry.” Lathe looked remorseful. “I didn’t think about that last night when I brought you to bed. I just wanted to get you warm.”
“That’s very kind of you.” Ari took another hesitant step towards the bed. “So should we—” Just then the lights flickered in warning and then the entire cell went dark except for the soft, barely-there glow in the corner. There was a shushing sound through the overhead vents and suddenly a gust of freezing air swept through the room.
“Oh my G-goddess that’s c-cold!” Ari exclaimed through chattering teeth.
“Time for bed.” Lathe’s deep voice rumbled in the darkness. She could hear a rustling sound as he got under the thin blanket. “Come on, little one. Another long day tomorrow.”
Not for me, Ari thought.
Feeling a strange mixture of desire, fear, and fatalism, she climbed into the clear space beside his big body.
I can’t believe I’m doing this on purpose of my own free will when I was so scared of him earlier, she thought as she snuggled under the cover. But now that she had decided to die, she no longer feared his fangs. In fact, she needed to get the big Kindred to use them on her soon, before she lost her nerve.
Lathe was already lying on his side, turned considerately away from her so that his back was to her. Ari supposed he was doing his best not to crowd her and also trying to be comfortable sleeping with what he thought was another male in his bed by putting a little space between them.
Although he didn’t seem to have trouble getting close when he held you out in the Rec Yard, whispered a voice in her head.
Ari pushed it away and reached up hesitantly to tap Lathe on his broad, bare shoulder.
“Yes, little one?” His deep voice seemed to shake the entire bed as he turned his head in her direction.
“Lathe…” She took a deep breath. “Lathe, I still want you to bite me.”
“You do, do you?”
He turned over completely so that he was lying on his other side and facing her. In the semi-gloom of the one lonely glow he seemed to loom over her and for a moment Ari felt her heart quail. Then she took a deep breath and told herself to be brave.
This is the only way out other than being horribly raped to death so I’m taking it, she reminded herself. She made her voice firm when she answered.
“Yes—I do.”
She expected him to protest as he had in the Rec Yard but to her surprise he rumbled, “All right then.”
“What…just like that?” Ari blurted.
“Yes, just like that. If you want my fangs in you, who am I to say no?” His voice was a soft, sensual growl that seemed to do strange things to her insides. But Ari tried to ignore the butterflies taking off in her stomach and hold firm to her purpose.
“All right.” She thrust out an arm. “Do it.”
“Not like that.” He lowered her arm gently, his large, warm hand lingering on her elbow and sending a shiver through her. “For it to be quick and effective, I need to bite closer to an artery.”
Ari felt her breath catch in her throat but she forced herself to ignore the way her heart was pounding. If this was how it had to be, then she could deal with it, she thought.
“All right,” she said, and her voice only wavered a little bit. “Then where?”
“Your throat would be best.” Lathe’s voice was deceptively mild. “My essence would travel through your carotid artery straight to your heart.”
“And…” Ari swallowed hard. “And it’ll be…faster that way? Maybe…maybe less painful?” Her voice felt squeezed and tight in her throat but she forced the words out anyway.
“Unfortunately, I can’t make it pleasurable for you,” Lathe murmured. “I told you, I can only do that for a female. But yes, it will be faster this way. And hopefully less painful.”
“All right, then do it.” Ari sat up in bed and tilted her head to one side. “Go ahead—I want you to,” she added defiantly.
“Not like that, little one.” Lathe urged her back down and she found herself suddenly cradled in one of his large, muscular arms. “Here,” he murmured, getting her into position. “Like this.”
Ari found herself held against him with her head pillowed on his muscular bicep and her back to his front. The new position made her feel completely surrounded by the big Kindred…his breath…his warmth…his big body cupping and cradling hers…
Ought to feel claustrophobic, she thought, but somehow she didn’t, even though she could feel the hard wall of his chest radiating heat against her entire back.
“What…what now?” she asked, wishing her voice wouldn’t come out sounding so breathless.
“Now, this…” Lathe leaned over her, his breath warm against the left side of her throat, which was exposed for him. It tickled and Ari had to bite back a nervous giggle.
You’re about to die, she reminded herself, there’s nothing funny about this. But her nerves were suddenly so on edge it was all she could do to hold still in the big Kindred’s arms.
“Hey, it’s all right, little one,” he murmured, one big, warm hand running lightly over her shivering arm and side. “Just try to relax, okay?”
“T-trying,” Ari stammered.
“Good. Now I need to prepare the place I’m going to bite,” he told her. Without any further warning, Ari felt his warm, wet tongue caressing the side of her neck from her collar bone all the way up to the sensitive place right behind her ear.
“Oh…” she moaned, unable to help herself. The side of her neck had always been an especially sensitive place for her. During her second sexual encounter—the one she’d enjoyed the most of the two she’d had—her lover had spent a long time licking and kissing the side of her throat. Ari had enjoyed that part much more than the actual sex, which had been a big letdown, to be honest.
“Oh…” she sighed again as the big Kindred’s hot, wet tongue continued to caress her vulnerable flesh. For some reason her nipples felt like hard little points at the tips of her breasts and her pussy was throbbing between her thighs—which was hardly the proper response to what was about to happen. But she couldn’t seem to help it.
“All right, little one?” Lathe murmured softly, his breath hot against her ear. “Think you’re ready?”
“Y…yes,” Ari somehow managed to get out. God, why was her heart pounding so hard? Was it because she was about to die? But that didn’t seem like the reason why her whole body felt flushed and she could scarcely get a deep enough breath. It felt like…something else. Something Ari couldn’t name, even to herself.
“Gently now. I’ll try not to hurt you.” Lathe’s deep voice was soothing and seductive at the same time. His right a
rm came up, cradling her close to him and he bent his mouth to her throat once more. His breath smelled like some exotic, delicious spice Ari couldn’t name.
Goddess, what a strange idea to have as my last thought, she said to herself as she felt the sharp edges of his fangs skate gently along her vulnerable throat.
“Gods, little one—you taste so sweet,” she heard him say hoarsely and then the sharp prick of his fangs sinking into the side of her neck stole her breath away.
Ari tensed herself, waiting for the terrible pain which was now surely coming. She had seen the way Hexer reacted when Lathe had bit him—she well remembered the grimace of agony on his ugly face and the way his back had bowed outward as though his body could scarcely contain the awful anguish of the big Kindred’s fatal bite.
Instead, she felt a completely different sensation flooding through her—pleasure. Pleasure so intense she could scarcely hold still.
“Ah!” she gasped, arching her back as warm tendrils of sensation rushed through her body, teasing her nipples to even greater tightness and making her pussy so hot and wet she clamped her thighs together, trying to control it.
But there was no controlling this pleasure—not with the big Kindred’s fangs in her throat, presumably still injecting her with his essence.
Before she could even think of trying to stop herself, Ari found she was coming—coming so hard and fast that she saw stars flashing in the darkness before her eyes. Her pussy throbbed, suddenly so wet and could feel her juices sliding down between her thighs and her body ached to be filled.
“Oh,” she moaned, her body writhing against the big male form that was holding it. “Oh, Lathe…what…what are you doing to me?”
For a long moment he crushed her to him, his big body surrounding and enveloping hers and Ari felt something hot and hard throbbing through the thin material of his sleep trousers against her bare ass.
Then, finally, he withdrew.
“Healing you,” he said, answering her question in a low, growling voice. “I’m sorry—did it hurt too much?”
“I’m not…you didn’t hur—” Ari started to say, then clamped her lips shut. She remembered the big Kindred saying he could only bring pleasure with his bite to a female. Therefore admitting what had just happened—how she had come when he bit her—would be tantamount to telling her secret. She couldn’t do that.
“No, it…it didn’t hurt too much,” she answered breathlessly. Now that he was no longer biting her, the incredible pleasure had stopped. But she could sense it out there, just beyond the horizon, hovering like a wave of warm water ready to rush forward and crash over her again at the least provocation.
Then his words finally registered with her.
“Wait a minute—did you say you were healing me? What are you doing healing me when I asked you to kill me?” she demanded, turning in his arms to face him.
“You didn’t say that—you just said you wanted me to bite you,” he pointed out. There was a lazy amusement in his deep voice that both irritated Ari and somehow drew her to him.
“I told you out on the Rec Yard,” she pointed out.
“You were upset in the Rec Yard,” he said softly. Reaching down, he brushed the back of his hand gently over her left cheek and Ari realized it didn’t hurt at all now—it didn’t even feel swollen. “I didn’t want you to do anything you couldn’t take back until you talked it out some.”
“Talked what out?” Ari demanded, being deliberately obtuse, mostly to cover the way her heart was still pounding and her knees felt so weak.
“The reason you were upset enough to ask me to kill you,” Lathe said patiently. “What happened on the yard that made you so hopeless you wanted to die?” In the darkness his turquoise eyes seemed to glow as he looked down at her.
“I…” Ari bit her lip. “I can’t talk about it,” she murmured in a low voice.
“How about this then—who’s Jak?” he asked.
Ari felt a surge of fear and twisted in his arms.
“I told you, I can’t talk about it!”
“Is he someone dear to you?” Lathe murmured. “Someone you care for greatly? A lover?”
“He’s my brother—all right? My older brother,” Ari exclaimed, finally goaded into telling at least part of the truth. “And I…I’ll never see him again.”
“I lost my brother too.” His voice was unexpectedly sympathetic. “Thonolan. He was sent to this hellhole and he died here. I still mourn for him every day.”
“Oh, Lathe…” Ari didn’t know what to say. At least her brother wasn’t dead, although he might as well be, stuck in the hole as he was.
“I understand your pain, Ari.” His warm hand brushed her newly healed cheek again. “I know how difficult it is to be separated from those you love. But death isn’t the answer.” Leaning down, he placed a feather-light kiss on her forehead. “Never give up,” he murmured.
The press of his warm lips against her skin and the feeling of his big body surrounding hers seemed to short-circuit Ari’s brain somehow.
“I…I…” She couldn’t make any intelligent words come out, no matter how hard she tried.
“You’re too young to die,” Lathe continued still in that low, sensual voice that seemed to shake her entire body. “Too inexperienced.”
“I’ve had experience,” Ari protested breathlessly.
“Oh? Have you bedded a female, then?” His deep voice rumbled with amusement.
“Well…no,” Ari admitted. She started to add—“I’ve been with two men though”—but decided that would definitely send the wrong message. “No,” she said again, lamely. “And I suppose you have?”
“I’ve never had bonding sex with a female—never found one I cared to tie to me for life,” Lathe said. “But we Kindred are great lovers of females. Holding a beautiful female in my arms…pleasuring her…hearing her call my name—there’s nothing better in the entire universe.”
“Really?” Ari breathed. For some reason she wanted to hear more. “So…you have a special technique you use to, uh, pleasure her?”
“In a way, I suppose. Why—do you want some pointers?” Lathe’s deep voice sounded half amused, half aroused. “Maybe I should tell you so you have something to live for in the future?”
“Maybe,” Ari breathed. Her body was still throbbing from the intense orgasm he’d given her when he bit her and being cradled in the big Kindred’s arms made her feel hot and shaky and needy all over. “Tell me,” she whispered.
“Well first of all, contrary to what you’d hear in a place like this, you must never force her.” Lathe’s tone was unexpectedly serious. “Her mood must be as yours—seduce her. And be patient—females take a little warming up sometimes. If you build the fire slowly and put her needs first, she’ll reward you by giving herself completely. There’s no greater pleasure than that.”
“But I want details,” Ari insisted. She knew she was pushing into dangerous territory but she didn’t want to stop. “What’s the first thing you do when you’re with a woman?” she asked.
“Talk to her,” Lathe said promptly. “There can be no passion without communication.”
“Really, you talk to her?” Ari scoffed. “That’s your big sexy secret?”
“Talking can be very sensual,” Lathe argued softly. “Especially in an intimate situation. Say…if you’re lying together, skin-to-skin in the dark.”
Ari bit her lip. Just like we are now, she thought but didn’t say aloud.
“And…and what do you say to her?” she asked feeling breathless again.
“I might ask her what she likes…where she likes to be touched…tasted,” Lathe murmured. “Or if she’s shy, I might ask her to show me. I might tell her to take my hand and guide it to where she wants to be caressed and stroked. Her neck…her breasts…her soft little pussy…”
Ari felt her breath catch in her throat. She could imagine taking the big hand she felt on her arm right now…taking it and guiding it over the sensitive tips
of her breasts…and then lower, pushing his hand between her thighs and feeling his long fingers slip deep into her pussy… Goddess of Mercy, she had to stop thinking like this!
“Really?” she managed to get out at last. “That’s…that’s how you talk to her?”
“Yes, really,” Lathe rumbled. “Or I might tell her exactly what I want to do to her.”
“Tell me…give me an example of what you might say,” Ari said, her heart pounding. She could feel the pleasure hovering again, like a wave waiting to rush back in with the tide. Just lying here half naked in the darkness, hearing the big Kindred growl in such a soft, sensual voice in her ear was doing all kinds of things to her body. Things she didn’t want to admit but certainly didn’t want to stop either.
“I might tell her, ‘I want to kiss your neck,’” Lathe murmured. “Or, ‘I want to suck your nipples and hear you moan for me.’”
“Tell me more,” Ari breathed.
“Or I might tell her,” Lathe continued in a low voice, “’Spread your legs for me, baby—I want to lick your soft little pussy and taste how wet you are.’”
“Oh…” Ari half moaned. Without quite knowing how it was happening, one of her hands somehow found its way down between her legs. The fake holo projection of male genitalia was absent, since Ari had turned down the projection bead’s power to try and conserve energy. As she listened to the big Kindred speak, it was easy to let her fingertips part the swollen lips of her pussy and begin to stroke her slippery inner folds.
“Do you want me to go on?” Lathe breathed in her ear.
“Yes…yes, please,” Ari managed to get out. “Once you’re done, uh, talking…then what do you do?”
“Mmm,” Lathe hummed thoughtfully. “Suit actions to words, I suppose. The first thing I like to kiss is her mouth…and then her neck. Blood Kindred love to lick and kiss and suck a female’s neck because that leads to biting and biting is part of bonding sex for us.”
“Oh…r-right,” Ari stammered. She couldn’t help thinking of the long, slow, leisurely licks Lathe had given her throat as he had been preparing to bite her. God, she wished he would bite her again! But she didn’t have any excuse to ask him to do it since she was healed now. “And then what?” she asked, her fingers still stroking slowly inside her slippery folds.
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