“See, you won’t hurt me. We just got ahead of ourselves last time,” I said. I wasn’t sure if I was calming myself or him.
My heart thudded against my chest. I was skating on thin ice, and I knew it. Still, I needed to touch him. I needed to know that even the parts of him that scared me were still intact. I ran my hands all over his body, letting my fingers skim across the warm skin beneath his uniform. I delighted in the soft fuzz that covered his body. The purring in his chest intensified, hypnotizing me with the constant rumble.
His tugged at my tunic with his teeth, frustrated by the obstruction.
“Take me to bed, then we can get rid of these useless clothes,” I said.
Without a second thought, he gained his feet in one smooth motion and carried me the few steps into my bedroom.
“Put me down,” I said.
As soon as my feet touched the ground, I wriggled out of my clothes, tossing the pants and tunic into the corner and leaving my undergarments on. I’d taken to wearing Troiken undergarments for females, a crude kind of panty and a wide band of material used to bind the breasts.
Rakesh snatched at his clothes, nearly ripping them free of his body. Unlike the females, Troitek males didn’t bother with undergarments. He moaned softly as his skin was exposed to the air, his member becoming erect before my eyes. I couldn’t help but stare as each cartlidge ring slid into place on its own, erecting a long, hard phallus. I held my hands out to him, inviting him to touch me. He wasted no time ripping the last shreds of clothing from my body.
His tongue was already longer and rougher than it had been, another sign that his dragon was close to the surface. It flicked across my skin and over my breasts, coaxing my nipples in to hard nubs and lighting a fire between my thighs. His hands clenched the mattress beneath us, ripping the blankets like paper.
I could barely tell which way is up as his devious tongue slithered down my body. His tongue caressed the striations of my abdomen, exhaling hot puffs of air as he tasted, sucked and licked my body. He buried his face in the crevice of my thigh, taking special care of the nooks and crannies of my body. Pleasure mounted until I thought I would shatter from the joy of his touch. I nearly screamed out loud as his tongue flirted with the damp slit between my thighs. His tongue’s newfound dexterity allowed him to tease and entice my clitoris until it felt like a raw nerve. Even his breath sent shockwaves of pleasure from that engorged nub to every nerve ending in my body.
In a desperate bid to save my sanity, I pushed at his head and shoulders, trying to escape his sweet torture. He looked up at me, annoyed by my resistance. His tongue flicked out at me menacingly, a warning against further intrusion.
“Wait, let me show you something,” I said, hoping that he wasn’t so far gone that my words no longer made sense to him.
The warrior and the beast in him warred for dominance for a moment, and I wasted no time taking advantage of his hesitance. I slithered from beneath his body and pushed him onto his back. He went down easy but looked up at me with confusion. It was clear that the dragon in him was uneasy being on its back.
“I promise you’ll like this,” I said.
He snorted again, laying back completely and letting his eyes focus on the patterns on the ceiling. I licked my palm and grabbed his massive cock, stroking it roughly. Rakesh moaned deep in his throat, the muscles in his thighs tensing as I ran my hand down the hard length and squeezed at the base.
In my weeks on board, I’d learned that Troiken warriors had a bundle of nerves at the base of their genitals, not the tip. According to ancient texts, some females were experts in stimulating males to full sexual satisfaction. It took me three cycles to convince P’tah to give me all of the available research on the subject. The details were sketchy, but I was pretty sure I could fill in the blanks.
Judging by the cooing sounds emanating from Rakesh and his clenched fists, I was on the right track. I bent at the waist and ran my tongue up and down the length of his shaft. I was sure to use my teeth to tease the rigid rings of cartilage that maintained his erection. He shivered. I was careful to stay clear of the barbs along his inner thighs. One prick from those venomous quills and I’d lose control.
I watched with delight as he melted into a panting, sweaty mess, I would need a new bed after this, but it was worth it to see Rakesh lose control and let his guard down. For the first time, I saw the dragon and the warrior merge into one unified being. Both caught in my thrall, unable to find release and unwilling to escape. It was a heady sense of satisfaction.
“And now for the grand finale,” I said.
Dipping lower, I cupped his testicles in my hand and began rolling them in my palm. Rakesh kicked out violently, roaring. I sucked one of the sensitive balls into my mouth and bit down.
He rocketed off of the mattress, his back bent so far that I was sure he would snap his spine. The warrior and the beast roared together, culminating in an explosive release that gushed from his body like a geyser. We both were genuinely shocked by his body’s response. I scampered off of the bed and watched as he came and then collapsed, spent, chest heaving. A low growl replaced the loud purr that I was accustomed to hearing.
“That was...unexpected,” he said.
“I think I overdid it,” I said, chuckling at the scene in front of me.
“I... we thank you, Diem. We needed that more than you know,” he said.
“And I needed to give it to you.”
My room smelled sweet and sweaty. The bed was ruined and covered in bodily fluids. But, I was happy for the first time in days.
“Come let me help you clean up and prepare for duty,” I said.
“Ah, one thing. Puva!” he called.
“Yes, Commander,” she answered, her voice streaming through the comm panel.
“Have Sava’s sleeping pod moved to her quarters as well as a new bed delivered. Get one of the deluxe sized ones from the space station.”
“Yes, Commander,” she replied before disconnecting.
“She’s been listening to us the whole time?”
I suddenly felt shy. I should be used to it by now. I’d known since the beginning that all of my movements were tracked and recorded. I’d never considered the idea that anybody was listening to us as we made love.
“Of course. She is keeping a close watch on you and me,” Rakesh answered, confused about why I was distressed.
“Yes but not during those moments, I thought those moments were private,” I argued, turning red all over.
“I like you better this color,” he observed lazily.
“Rakesh!”
“Diem, these things we do are not secrets. They are things that have not been seen or heard of on my planet for centuries. Anybody would be interested to see and know how these mating rituals and techniques are carried out. Is it so wrong to allow others to observe us?”
“She didn’t ask first. Nobody asks me anything. They do things and expect me to put up with it,” I whined, letting a tear fall.
I wasn’t a whiner. I wasn’t overly sensitive. But I was tired of being a bug in a jar. I remember once, in the third grade, a boy in my class brought his ant farm to school as a science fair exhibit. I felt sorry for the ants having their whole lives observed by strangers without any recourse. I never liked zoos either for the same reason. And now, whether I liked it or not, I was one of the performing animals in an alien circus. I was the main attraction.
“Diem,” he cooed, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close. “I didn’t know you felt this way. We have no taboos about such things. We have no rituals or ceremonies. What I have with you is new and unheard of on my planet. Even now there is a debate about whether or not you pose a threat to our way of life. Please forgive me. I will give orders that you are not to be observed while in your quarters. I can do nothing about the biodata that is collected, but I can protect you from prying eyes and listening ears.”
It wasn’t perfect, but it was a damned good start. I nodded and
burrowed into Rakesh’s wide chest.
“Since you don’t have any ceremonies or rituals, I want us to practice one of my earth customs.”
“What is it?”
“Dating.”
“Dating?”
“Yup,” I nodded. “We live separately but we make arrangements to be together. We can plan to do activities together. We appear in public we are a couple.”
“A couple of what?”
I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I was using his language.
“No, a couple, a mated pair.”
“Everybody knows that.”
I was beginning to feel hopeless, talking to this male.
“Yes, but we have to show them what that means.”
“Will that make you happy, Diem?”
“Yes, I can’t help but feel like being with you was inevitable. I would like you to court me, and make it seem like I had some choice in the matter.”
“I also had no choice in this matter. But if this will help you feel better about your fate, I will do this for you.”
I looked up into those red eyes, still too wild and possessive to ignore, and smiled.
“Good, then dating it is.”
Chapter Nine
On the day before the Chronos was due to depart the station, I was finally allowed to leave the ship.
“Consider it a date,” Rakesh said, grinning from ear to ear.
It would be the first time that anybody other than the crew of the Chronos would get a good look at the bonded mate of the Red Dragon.
“I will accompany you both,” Nedan insisted. I smiled and thanked him for his service. His tail swished uncomfortably, and he mumbled something about carrying out his duty.
“What should I wear?” I turned to Rakesh who looked genuinely puzzled by the question.
“Wear the clothes you have been provided,” he said grufflly.
I rolled my eyes.
“Are you afraid I’ll show up naked?”
He pursed his lips together and I rolled my eyes again. The big oaf was actually afraid I’d forego clothes altogether.
“Don’t your females dress for special occasions?” I asked.
“This is not an occasion. It is an inspection.”
“If we are leaving the ship together, it is an occasion.”
“Wear your uniform and insignia. You are the Alien Attachment from Earth. Let them see that.”
He stuck his chin out with pride. He looked too cute for me to remind him that it was a title that he bestowed upon me himself.
“Yes, Commander,” I said, bringing my clasped fist to my chest in an awkward imitation of Nedan.
“Oh, she did it well,” Detack guffawed, slapping his thigh as he laughed.
Nedan looked around, confused for a moment.
“Is she mocking me?” he asked rather innocently.
Even Rakesh couldn’t contain his laughter at that point.
I stood still and waited until our eyes met, and then wiggled my eyebrows at him. It seemed as though he wasn’t sure how to handle being the butt of my joke.
“Oh, relax, Nedan. You got my stem cells but none of my humor,” I shook my head.
It was only at that moment that he smiled.
“He can’t help it. He thinks that you’re a divine being. It’s pretty hard to take a joke from a living goddess,” Detack grunted, clapping Nedan on the shoulder as he passed.
“A goddess?”
“Yes, the mate of the Red Dragon is –”
“It’s all just a myth,” Rakesh interrupted. “A dangerous myth that could get our Sava killed.”
It was a warning, but I wasn’t easily deterred.
“Do others believe in this myth?” I turned my attention back to Rakesh who was still reclining on the padded bench that passed as a sofa in my quarters.
“They do.”
“Is that why some are saying I’m a danger to the Troitek way of life?”
“It is part of it. I am the real reason, but those in power want to use me, so it’s easier to shift the blame onto you,” Rakesh admitted with a sigh.
“And you believe this myth?” I asked Nedan.
He lifted his chin and nodded.
“Of course he does. He’s a half-breed and a low-born. What else do they have to hang on to except their myths and legends!” Detack barked.
I saw the shame creep into Nedan’s brown eyes. Despite Detack’s words, he didn’t waver, and his didn’t let his chin drop.
“On my planet, the people who have the least to hold on to are the keepers of our most cherished traditions. The most amazing things come from people who have nothing but their honor and their name. They are the ones who most often changed the world or the better.”
I said it to Detack, but I was pretty sure that my words would be transmitted several times before the next cycle. Maybe that was my wishful thinking, but I could only hope that it was true. If nothing else, I wanted Nedan to know what I thought of him and all of the low-born half-breeds like him.
I got dressed and accompanied Rakesh to the dock. Riding the lift out of the ship was disorienting. The artificial gravity inside the ship kept me oriented right side up, but the transition to the station meant that I always felt like I was walking up a wall. From outside the ship, I could see that it was docked vertically, so that several other ships could also fill in the slips beside it, lined up like dominos.
“You look unwell. Are you not able to withstand the atmosphere here?” Rakesh grabbed my elbow tightly.
“I’m fine. I’m just getting my sea-legs,” I said.
“Sea-legs?”
“I’m trying to figure out which way is up,” I explained.
“Do not worry, Sava. We have all had that experience the first time we disembark after a long mission. You will adjust quickly,” Nedan assured me.
I took Rakesh’s hand and followed his lead as he navigated through the station. He stopped at a cargo-bay and inspected the supplies that were to be loaded onto the ship. The loaders working there stared openly at my yellow hair and pink skin. Nobody dared to ask who I was or to speak to me directly, but it was clear that word of my existence had reached them.
Rakesh pretended not to notice as he issued commands and took reports from the requisition team. He didn’t bother introducing me or Nedan, which was annoying, but perhaps for my benefit. I still wasn’t sure how powerful the myth of the Dragon's mate was, or what it would inspire others to attempt. We needed to manage it very carefully.
As we moved through the throughways of the station, I began to notice that I was less conspicuous. There were many Troitek here, but also other species. Some of them were as alien as could be, not resembling anything I’d ever seen on earth. Others were humanoid, in varying shades, sizes, and shapes, with an array of limbs and sensory organs in multiples of two and three. I was the only human I saw, but not the strangest creature on board.
Still, everywhere we went, I could feel eyes on my skin. I could feel their curiosity pressing down on me, especially among the Troitek whose ranks were not high enough to be able to ask a direct question. Rakesh walked two steps ahead of me and to my right, while Nedan followed me on the left. I wore my blades strapped to my back on top of a beautiful blue tunic and aqua green pants. I braided my hair in one, long, thick braid with shiny metallic barbs woven down the length. I struggled to keep pace with Rakesh, lengthening my strides so that we could walk lock-step. I wanted to give the right impression. First impressions were everything, and I didn’t want to seem like a frail little doll that Rakesh dragged around. I displayed my insignia on my chest and tried my best not to stare at any of the other residents of the station.
“The crew assembled on the sixteenth deck,” Nedan informed us.
Rakesh nodded and made a sharp right turn towards a bank of lifts. I struggled not to fidget. Most of the crew had already seen us together. P’tah made it a point to make sure that I had interactions with the crew, attending dinner a
nd accompanying Rakesh. Still, this was different. This was a public declaration of our relationship. It was a direct answer to the rumors and speculation.
When we arrived on the sixteenth level, the crew was already assembled in straight rows. It was an intimidating sight. Dozens of large, brawny, furry warriors, tails looming above their heads, at the ready. They stood perfectly still, with unblinking eyes. I was in a room full of wild jungle cats, all stalking their prey.
Rakesh climbed the steps to the makeshift stage set up and stared out into the crowd. A full minute passed in silence. I was out of my depth. The tension between him and his crew was palpable.
“Is this a staring contest?” I whispered to Nedan, half joking.
“It is Kang Mah. If anybody wants to challenge him for the leadership, he must do it now. If not, then they all agree to follow him, even unto death,” he answered. I sighed. Was there any aspect of Troiken life that didn’t involve the potential for violence?
“Is that normal?” I asked. “I mean, do they do this all the time?”
“No.”
I took another deep breath and tried not to fidget. This was an important moment. The longer we stood, the more I realized how beautiful this ritual truly was. Kang Mah wasn’t about violence; it was a way for the crew to affirm their loyalty to their leader.
Time dragged on, but nobody moved. Even I found myself feeling affected by the silence. He was not their commander; he was MY commander as well. Would I follow him into death? Willingly? I had no choice; my fate was tied to his. But if it weren’t? Would I still choose to follow him?
I don’t know why I did it. I just couldn’t stand still any longer. I couldn’t stand the sight of Rakesh standing alone in front of a sea of unblinking eyes. I took a step forward and stood beside him, drawing one of my blades and holding it at the ready. A soft murmur passed through the room, but nobody moved.
“I am for you, Red Dragon, and Diem Sava!”
The cry came from somewhere in the back. Rakesh’s whole body seemed to tense as another voice, and another, joined together, chanting the same words over and over.
A Pet For The Commander: The Complete Series Page 15