Barbarian's Heart: A SciFi Alien Romance (Ice Planet Barbarians Book 10)

by Ruby Dixon

  Stay-see sleeps late, and when Pacy begins to stir, I take him out of his basket and let him play in the main chamber while she dozes. She gives me a grateful smile when she wakes up, stretching with a sensual motion that makes me itch to touch her again.

  I set up the meat to smoke for a second day, and she sews by the fire, and we spend the day talking. I ask her to tell me as many memories as she can, and she does. She tells me of the hawl-ee-deh with gifts and games. She tells me of the time that I played a joke on her, replacing all of her sweet hraku seeds with the peppery seeds my people love so much, and how mad she was. She tells me how she sewed all the cuffs in my leggings shut in revenge, and how I ripped two pairs before I figured it out. She tells me of lazy days spent by the fire, and of the sleepless nights after the kit was born. She tells me of Pacy’s birth and how he came out squalling at the top of his lungs and I dashed around the cave and shoved him under the noses of everyone in the tribe, so very proud of my son. They are all good memories, and I soak them up, eager for more.

  The day passes quickly, and all too soon, the meat is dried and ready to be put away. The leggings Stay-see works on are completed, and Pacy finishes nursing for the last time before sleep and begins to yawn against his mother’s teats. Stay-see looks content but not overly tired, and I hope she will continue to talk after Pacy is put in his bed. I am hungry for her company, and even a day of idle chatter and shared memories is not enough. It will never be enough. With Stay-see, I am always thirsty for more of her time, her sweetness, her smiles.

  She gets up to put Pacy to sleep, and I watch her eagerly, the sway of her hips, the swing of her brown braid as she leans over, the curve of her tailless bottom. She straightens and returns to my side at the fire, and I feel a surge of joy that she will choose to spend more time with me. I cast about, trying to think of something new to speak of, something that will make her bright smile light up her face. Perhaps food. “Are you still hungry?”

  Stay-see raises a hand in the air and shakes her head. “I’ve had all the smoked meat I can stomach for now, thank you.”

  I know how she feels. While smoked meat is not my favorite, fresh meat is harder to come by in the brutal season. We will be eating smoked meat for many, many days on end while the snows whip through the land. “I wish I had something else to offer you.”

  She sits down next to me and pats my knee. “It’s fine. I’m just glad we have plenty of food to eat. We don’t have the luxury of being picky.”

  Even so, I am already mentally planning to dig up a few more of the not-potato for her tomorrow. “What did you eat back in your human land?”

  Her eyes widen. “Oh, wow. Gosh, a little bit of everything, I suppose. Noodles, rice, burgers, pizza. All kinds of stuff. So many different types of food.” She gives me a little smile. “You know what I miss the most, though? Breakfast.”

  “Break-fast?” This sounds familiar, and then I realize what she speaks of. “Ah, the morning meal?”

  “Yes! I would kill right now for a big batch of scrambled eggs.” She clasps her hands in front of her heart. “Maybe some pancakes and toast with butter, but definitely eggs.”

  “Eggs?” The thought makes me queasy. “You eat eggs?”

  “God, yes.” Stay-see closes her eyes in bliss at the thought. “A big, steaming pile of scrambled eggs was my favorite.”

  And humans think we are strange. “Did you eat the shell?”

  “What? No.” She opens her eyes and laughs, giving me a puzzled look. “With all the weird stuff you guys eat, don’t tell me you don’t eat eggs?” Her brows go down. “Though, come to think of it, I haven’t seen you eat many eggs. What’s up with that?”

  “They are unborn young.”

  “You sound so shocked. I’m pretty sure we’ve eaten young dvisti before.”

  “Hunters try to take the kills that will not affect the herd overall. I would not rob a mother of nursing young, nor would I steal an egg. What if there are less animals to hunt in the next year if I do so?”

  She laughs again, clearly amused by my reluctance. “That’s kind of sweet, I suppose. But no, we have animals—chickens, mostly—that are kept just to lay eggs. They lay an egg every day and people go and gather them.”

  I am shocked. “You keep the animal captive and steal its young every day?”

  “It’s not as bad as it sounds, truly.” Stay-see giggles again and reaches over and pinches my cheek as if I am a kit. “It’s cute that this is your line in the sand. You eat your meat raw and you eat everything on the animal. Why is an egg different?”

  “Because it is,” I say stubbornly. It just feels…wrong. Especially now that I have a kit of my own.

  “Well, I am going to find an egg-layer or two on this planet at some point and then we are going to have scrambled eggs out the wazoo.” She tucks her head against my shoulder and puts her arms around my waist, snuggling close. I am so surprised by this that I do not move for fear that she will get up and leave. “There are creatures that lay eggs here, aren’t there?”

  “Sky-claw,” I say, gently placing my hand on her shoulder. “And scythe-beaks. And some of the creatures that live in the great salt lake.”

  “Well, shoot. I don’t want to see any sky-claw. And we’re not going near the ocean. What about scythe-beak nests? Where do they make their homes?”

  “On the sides of cliffs.” She’s so warm as she curls against me. Her hand rests on my belly, and I want it to go lower. Now I am thinking of what she did last night when she pulled off my loincloth and caressed me with her hands and mouth.

  “Mmm. I guess it’s too much to hope for a few eggs, then.” She sighs. “It was nice to think about, though.”

  “I will get you eggs the next time I go hunting,” I vow. “Once you and Pacy are settled in the new cave-home.”

  “No.” Stay-see pats my stomach. “I don’t want you to do that. If they’re up on cliffs it could be dangerous. We’ll just skip it.”

  “Shall I get you other kits to eat for your early meal?”

  She giggles. “You make it sound like I’m a monster devouring the young.” She raises her hand and makes a mock-claw. “Rawr. Though I don’t know why I’m the fearsome one. You’re the one with fangs.” She reaches up and pokes one of them with a fingertip.

  I do not move. I do not breathe. Her hand is too close to my mouth, and she feels warm and soft and lovely against me. I want to stay like this forever.

  She studies me, and her fingers move from my teeth to my lips. She traces them gently, and then licks her own lips. “You don’t remember kissing, do you?”

  I shake my head. “What is it?”

  “Mouth on mouth?”

  Ah. I have seen the others push their mouths against their human mates and thought it was a strange gesture. “Do you want to do that?”

  “You don’t sound all that interested.” She seems amused.

  “I would rather put my mouth on your cunt and—”

  Her fingers press over my lips, and her expression is shy. “You go from zero to a hundred, don’t you? There’s no ramp up for you.”

  Ramp up? “If we are talking about places to put our mouths, I am telling you my favorite.”

  “But you might like kissing, too.”

  I shrug. “I will kiss if you wish to. I will do anything you wish to do, Stay-see. My greatest desire is to please you.”

  “Then we start with kissing,” she says, stroking my cheek with her soft fingers. “And we move on to the other stuff when I’m ready again.”

  I nod. “Then let us do kissing.” We can start there. I want her to be comfortable with me. I want her to crave my touch like I crave hers.

  She shifts and sits up, watching me. “Why don’t I take the lead?”

  Is she worried I will do it wrong? “Did I do kissing before?”

  “Oh yes.” Stay-see gives a dreamy sigh. “You were a great kisser.”

  “Tell me more about that.”

  Her mouth curv
es in a smile. “I’m not sure there’s a lot to tell. I just liked kissing you. You didn’t know how to do it at first, of course. It’s not a sa-khui thing…much like eating eggs.” Her lips twitch as she gets on her knees and slides one leg over my thighs. A moment later, she settles onto my lap and puts her arms around my neck. “But you learned it really fast, and then you got really, really good at it.” The look on her face is dreamy as she scoots closer.

  My hands go to her hips, and I fight the urge to push her down on my cock, already hard and aching in response to her nearness. But I want her to stay where she is—I love the feel of her straddling me. “Then I will learn to be good at it again.”

  “You will,” she says softly. Her fingers play with my mane, and she strokes my jaw again. “Or you’ll remember.”

  “I want to remember,” I say, and my voice is thick with need. “I want it more than anything.”

  “I know. Maybe this will jog your memory, then.” She leans in and presses her mouth to mine.

  Her lips brush over mine, and the feeling I get is one of overwhelming sweetness. My Stay-see is all that is kind, and soft, and sweet in this world. I feel a possessive surge as I hold her close, letting her press her small lips against mine. If this is what she wants to do, then I will gladly go along with it.

  Then she licks me.

  I am so startled by this that I jerk back, staring at her.

  “What? What is it?” Her mouth is wet and shiny, and fascinating.

  “Are you supposed to do that?”

  She smiles at me. “We can do anything we want to each other, silly, as long as it feels good. Did you not like it?” Stay-see looks concerned.

  “I was just…surprised. Let us do it again.” I want to taste her little tongue once more.

  She slides a little closer to me, her cunt resting directly atop my rock-hard cock, and there’s a smile curving her mouth. “Still want me to lead?”

  I nod. I am too fascinated by how she is acting to protest. I like it when she takes control. It is such a different side of her…and it is exciting. I put my hands on her hips, determined not to disturb her.

  Stay-see leans in again and brushes her lips over mine, like she did before. I can feel her excitement, the hot scent of her arousal perfuming the air. Her khui hums a low song, and mine responds in kind. As she leans forward, her teats brush against my chest, and her little nipples are hard. It makes my cock jerk in response because I want nothing more than to throw her down on the floor and bury my face in her cunt, devouring her until she’s crying out my name. My hands clench into fists, and I close my eyes, determined to remain in control. I do not want to frighten her with the intensity of my need.

  But last night, when she put her mouth on my cock? She has only made my need worse. Now I cannot think of anything but her.

  Her tongue flicks against the seam of my mouth again, and I part my lips, curious to see where this goes. Her little shiver of response fascinates me, as does the sensation of her tongue sliding against mine. She is licking me again…and it feels indescribable. I groan as she begins to tease me, her tongue traveling lightly against mine, coaxing me to participate. Then she thrusts into my mouth, and I gasp because it reminds me of…mating with her. Is that what this is? Mating with mouths?

  I think I am going to like kissing. A lot.

  I brush my tongue against hers, and she makes a breathless little moan when I do. Her response rocks through me, and I can no longer sit back and concentrate. I must participate, and I hold her tightly as my tongue battles with hers, slicking and stroking against one another. Her mouth is wet and hot, like her cunt must be right now, and when I thrust my tongue into her mouth, it is like I am promising her a mating, teasing her with what my cock will do to her.

  And she clings to me and pants, excited by my kisses.

  Over and over, our mouths mate and come together, tongues melding. My hands roam over her back, pressing her smaller form against me. She is perfection, my mate, all curves and soft skin, and I grip her backside, fascinated by how round and plush it is. Sa-khui women are lean and muscular, but my Stay-see is nothing like that, and I love her body.

  She moans against my mouth and her hips rock against my cock, eliciting another groan from me. I think of last night, when she knelt before me and pleasured me with her mouth. She did not cry out her pleasure like she did when we mated. She has had no release—and I want to give her one. I slide a hand up her front, cupping her full teats. “Stay-see,” I rasp between kisses. “Let me kiss your cunt. I want to lick it like you lick my mouth.”

  My mate shudders against me, her breathing harsh. “You don’t have to—it’s not about being reciprocal—”

  “I want to.” I tug at her tunic. “I want nothing more than this.”

  She pulls back and gazes at me with eyes full of need. “Are you sure?”

  I growl at her. “Female. Your scent has been tempting me all day. I am hungry for it. Let me taste you.”

  Stay-see shivers again, and she licks her lips. “Pashov—”

  I kiss her to silence her excuses. I do not know how I was in the furs before my memory loss, but I do not think it is something I disliked in the past. Even now, the scent of her makes my mouth water, and I think of our brief mating from before. I only got to taste her for a moment.

  I want more. Always more.

  I lift her off my lap, still kissing her, and roll our bodies onto the floor until she is underneath me. My furs are nearby, and I tug them forward so she can have something soft to lie upon. She clings to me, her nails digging into my skin in a way that is exciting and oddly fierce.

  “Tell me if you want me to stop,” I murmur to her as I begin to press my mouth down the fragile column of her throat.

  She laughs breathlessly. “I don’t think that is going to be a problem.”

  “Did I do this for you in the past?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  I am glad to hear it. “And was I good at it? Did I make you cry out?”

  She shivers again on the furs. “Oh, yes.”

  This pleases me. I find the tie to the front of her tunic and pull it loose, and the leather falls away. Her teats are plump and heavy, the nipples hard and beaded with a drop of milk. I am fascinated by the sight of my mate, her body lush from feeding our kit. I lean down and kiss each droplet of milk off of her skin, and she whimpers in response. More milk rises to take the place of the other drops, and I lap them up as well.

  Stay-see gives a little sigh. “As much as I like your mouth on my breasts, you’re going to be there forever if you wait for them to stop leaking.” Her smile is shy. “And we should probably save the milk for Pacy.”

  I nod, kissing lower. “I will put my mouth on other things, then.”

  “I’m not objecting to that.” She chuckles.

  Her laughter makes me feel warm. The only thing better than tasting Stay-see’s skin is making her smile, and I am pleased to do both. I put my mouth on her soft stomach and then tug on her leggings. They are tied at the sides, and I want nothing more than to rip at the cords and yank the clothing off of her, but I think of the long hours she spends sewing. I do not wish to create more work for her. She already has much to do. So I carefully pry the knots apart and pull the leggings down. Patient. I am being patient.

  The sight of her is a gift. Her little thatch of fur between her thighs calls to me, her scent more powerful than before. “I love this,” I tell her, brushing my fingers over the bit of fur. “Are all humans like this, or am I the luckiest male?”

  Her laugh is breathless. “All humans have hair there to an extent. But you can still think of yourself as lucky.”

  “I do,” I tell her, and press a kiss there. “Because this is mine.”

  “It’s attached to me,” she says, amused.

  “Yes, and you are mine, too. But this is especially mine,” I say, and cup her cunt with my hand. Even here she is small, but her skin is scorching hot. I can feel the thrum of her khui thr
ough her body, responding to my touch. “It is wet and hot and delicious and all mine.”

  She laughs again, shivering slightly. “I don’t know if this is dirty talk or I’m just really turned on at the moment.”

  “Are you nervous?” To me, she seems nervous.

  Her nod is silent.

  “But why?” I press a kiss to her mound again. “I have done this before. I have kissed all of your body. You have borne my kit. Why are you nervous now?”

  “Because it’s important.” Her voice is a mere whisper. “Because I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I am here,” I tell her. I take her hand in mine, and she squeezes my fingers tightly. “Let me pleasure you, my mate.” When she gives me a tight nod, I bend my head and kiss her mound again. I will lick her until she screams…but I will never let go of her.

  I settle between her legs and place my free hand on the inside of one creamy thigh. I cannot stop a groan of need from escaping my throat at the sight of her pink folds, gleaming wet. I have been waiting days to taste her again. Her fingers squeeze mine again, as if letting me know that she wants this, too. I waste no more time; I lean in and give her a long, slow lick.

  Her breath shudders.

  The taste of Stay-see on my tongue is delicious. I lap at her again, so juicy and sweet here. She tastes better than I remembered, and I cannot help but lick her over and over, fascinated at the softness against my tongue and the taste of her musk. She moans, and her hips rock in time with my tongue, pushing up against me. She is enjoying this, but I want to make her insane with need, like she did to me.

  So I begin to explore her with my mouth, learning every fold and curve. I slick my tongue over the bump at the top of her cunt that resembles a nipple. I drag my mouth down to the entrance of her core, where she is hottest and slickest. I want to lick her even lower, but when she arches her hips so sweetly as I tongue her core, I decide to focus my attention there. I push the tip of my tongue inside her, and she moans, her grip tight on my hand. I use my tongue like my cock, pushing in and out of her. My own need is raging through me, but I ignore it. This is all about Stay-see and her need, not mine.