by S. E. Smith
Jesse watched as Taylor did a simple floor routine. Several warriors stopped to stare in wonder as she did a set of flips and tumbles before turning at the far corner. Life was definitely going to be different from what they were expecting but hadn’t it been already?
“Things had already changed,” Jesse commented. “Life on Earth is much more unpredictable, I think. I’m sure they have schools where we are going. I can ask Hunter about it. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the first graphic artist-slash-animator.”
Instead of smiling, Jordan looked down at her hands. “What about finding a husband and having a family?” Jordan asked softly. “I know Hunter has claimed you as his Amate. Bree says that is the same as being husband and wife. Have you…” A slight blush rose in Jordan’s face and she refused to look at Jesse. “Have you and Hunter… you know?”
“No!” Jesse said sharply, turning bright red when two warriors walking by glanced at her. “No, we haven’t… you know,” she whispered.
Jordan looked at Jesse in confusion. “Why not? Is there something wrong with him? Can’t they…?” She stopped when she saw Jesse’s face turn a vivid red. “You’ve seen him naked?” Jordan asked with a curious smile.
“I… yes… he is…,” Jesse groaned and covered her face with her hands. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with them. He is built like a sex god!” Jesse looked at her sister and scowled. “Don’t you dare say a word to anyone about this!” She hissed under her breath. “He is giving us time to get to know one another.”
“Don’t you find him attractive? I mean I think he and… some of the other guys are pretty cute,” Jordan said turning her face away and biting her lower lip.
Jesse’s eyes narrowed on Jordan. “Jordan, has one of the warriors come on to you? If one of them are bothering you, you know you don’t have to put up with it. Tell me and either I or Hunter will take care of it,” Jesse said reaching for Jordan’s hand. “I mean it. You don’t have to be pressured or harassed.”
“No one is pressuring or harassing me,” Jordan whispered, paling as Dagger turned to glare in her direction. She hadn’t noticed that he was in the training room. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
Jesse turned her head and scanned the area to see what had shaken Jordan. Her eyes paused on Dagger who was standing across the room. He was holding a large set of dumbbells in each hand. His eyes were glued to Jordan who had withdrawn again.
“Jesse!” Taylor called out. “Watch this!”
Jesse turned to watch as Taylor started to run across the mat, breaking into a tumbling routine that was more difficult than the ones she had been doing. Jesse’s breath caught in her chest when Taylor did a double flip barely landing on her feet. Jesse had been sure her little sister was about to break her neck.
“Yes!” Taylor crowed out in delight before letting loose a loud squeal as she was turned around and shaken. “What the fuck!”
“Taylor!” Jesse called out sharply before she glared at Saber. “Let her go!”
“She almost broke her neck with that little stunt!” Saber snapped out. “What the hell do you think you were doing?”
“You aren’t the boss of me!” Taylor bit out, pulling back and stepping behind Jesse. “Jesse, tell him!”
“Saber,” Jesse began.
Saber glared over Jesse’s head at Taylor. “You are an immature child who needs to have her ass spanked for being so reckless.”
“Saber!” Jesse said sharply. “Taylor is very skilled in gymnastics. She has trained since she was a toddler.”
Saber glared at Jesse before muttering a dark curse under his breath. He sent one last angry look at Taylor before he turned sharply on his heel and stormed out of the training room. All three girls watched as he left.
Jesse swiveled to admonish Taylor for her bad language. Jordan had wrapped her arms around Taylor who was shaking. Angry tears glittered in Taylor’s eyes as she stared at the door.
“I am not an immature child,” Taylor whispered stubbornly before she looked back at Jesse. “I want to go home, Jesse. I don’t want to go to this new world. I want to go back to Earth.”
“Taylor,” Jesse said, reaching out to comfort her sister. “It might not be that easy.”
“It’s not fair, Jesse,” Taylor said, with a hiccup. “Why did we have to leave? Why did all this have to happen? I wish dad was still alive. He would never have let this happen. He would have taken us to the cabin and we would still be back home.”
“Taylor,” Jesse said again in frustration. “Dad isn’t here. There is no use wishing for things we can’t change.”
She groaned when Taylor pulled away with a shake of her head and ran out of the training room in tears. Jesse glanced at Jordan who murmured a quick word of support before she went after Taylor. Jesse felt like the weight of the world had once again settled on her shoulders.
“She is young. Give her time,” Dagger said coming up behind her.
Jesse turned and looked at the tall warrior who was good friends with Hunter. He was slightly darker than Hunter and his eyes were the color of mocha. He was as tall as Hunter but there was an air of barely controlled violence that clung to him that she didn’t feel with Hunter or with Saber.
“I’m not sure she is the only one who is having a hard time with us being taken away from our world,” Jesse admitted. “I wish…”
Dagger looked intently at Jesse as her voice faded. “You were wise when you said there is no use wishing for things that you cannot change. It will only fester like an unhealed wound inside if you do.”
“It isn’t easy,” Jesse said softly. “Humans weren’t ready to find out they weren’t the only ones in the universe.”
Dagger reached out and ran his fingers down Jesse’s cheek before letting his hand drop to his side. He could smell her pain just as he could hear the fear and confusion in Jordan’s voice when she asked about finding a mate. His eyes moved to the door and he nodded as Hunter came through the entrance.
“No world is ever ready to find out they are not the only ones,” Dagger replied. “But they always wonder if there are others out among the stars. That is why there is always a touch of amusement to the Alliance when they rebel when we answer the calls they send out.”
Jesse frowned as Dagger nodded briefly before turning and walking back over to the weight bench. She started when she felt warm hands wrap around her waist. She glanced over her shoulder at Hunter before sighing and leaning back against him.
“What happened?” Hunter asked. “I was informed that Taylor was crying.”
Jesse turned in his arms and wrapped hers around his waist. She needed the comfort he was giving her. She buried her face in his chest and breathed in deeply. She finally released a sigh and leaned back to give him a rueful smile.
“I never realized how difficult it was to be a parent,” Jesse admitted. “Saber got mad at Taylor and she wants to go home. So does Jordan.”
Hunter stiffened and his hold on her tightened. “What about you, Jesse? What do you want?”
“I’m not sure,” she admitted reluctantly. “I’m not ready to call it quits. I know what our life would be like back on Earth. I think it might be nice to see where this takes us.”
Hunter stared intently down at her before he bent and rubbed his nose along her cheek. She smelled so damn good. When he was told that Taylor was crying, he had panicked. He had been afraid that Jesse and her sisters would want to return to their world. It was to be expected. He just needed time to convince them that his world could be a good place for them. Jesse was giving him that time.
“Hunter,” Jesse murmured as he continued to rub her cheek with his nose.
“Yes, Jesse?” Hunter whispered.
“Why haven’t you kissed me yet?” She asked, threading her fingers through his hair. “Don’t you want to?”
Hunter pulled back just far enough so he could look down at her in confusion. That was what he was doing. It was a male’s way of kissing a female by rubbing his
nose along the female’s cheek. It left scent markers to the other male’s that she belonged to him.
“I… how do humans kiss?” He asked instead.
Jesse looked up at him with a raised eyebrow before her eyes dropped to his lips. She began massaging her fingers along his scalp. A low rumble escaped him as her fingernails heightened his desire to fever pitch.
“Like this,” she whispered before sealing her lips over his.
Chapter 11
Hunter’s fingers curled in surprise when Jesse covered his lips with hers. He had wondered what her lips would taste like and it was beyond anything he had dreamed. They were soft and full against his own.
He sucked in a quick breath when she shyly caressed his lips with her tongue. She took advantage when his lips parted to slide her tongue into his mouth. A loud groan echoed around the training room as she ran her tongue carefully along his sharp teeth. A shudder ran down his length and his arms tightened, lifting her up so that she was forced to wrap her legs around his waist.
He took over the kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue. He ran the tip of it over her smooth front teeth before tangling with her as they danced back and forth. He almost snarled when she pulled back and pressed light kisses along his lips and jaw.
“That is how humans kiss,” she panted out breathlessly.
“Jesse,” Hunter started to say before a low growl broke from him as several males came to stand closer to them. “Back!” He snarled, showing his teeth.
“Hunter,” Dagger said hoarsely. “I think you should take this to your quarters. You can’t expect us not to be affected by what we are seeing and….” Dagger glanced at Jesse with an apologetic look. “… smelling. It has been a long time for many of us.”
Hunter pulled in a deep breath and Jesse’s sweet arousal washed through him like a huge wave crashing to shore. A rumble of answering desire was yanked from deep inside him. He swelled to the point he felt like he was about to expend himself right there in his pants.
“Done,” Hunter muttered, wrapping his arms tightly around Jesse. “My apologies.”
“You are forgiven as long as you get her the hell out of here while you still can,” Dagger grounded out.
Hunter nodded and turned sharply on his heel. It was time to court Jesse in a much more personal and private way. He was ready for his Amate. He just hoped she realized what she had started with her ‘kiss’.
*.*.*
Jesse kept her face buried in Hunter’s neck as he carried her through the corridors. She didn’t complain about him carrying her because she seriously doubted her legs would support her. The kiss had literally knocked them out from under her.
She was also very, very embarrassed. She had never been into public displays of affection. She had totally forgotten where she was when Hunter asked her to show him how humans kissed. She had been lost the moment their lips touched. It sounded like something out of a romance novel or a movie but it was true. The world ceased to exist the moment they kissed.
She pulled back when she felt herself being lowered onto the soft surface of their bed. She gazed up at him before her eyes dropped to his lips again. Her hands moved up on their own violation until she had buried them in his hair again.
“Do you have to go back to work?” She asked huskily.
“No,” he said hoarsely. “I switched with another.”
“Good,” Jessed breathed out before she captured his lips again.
Hunter groaned loudly and pressed his throbbing cock against her. The brush of material along his swollen length pulled a shudder from him. His hands moved to the neckline of Jesse’s tunic. He gripped the material between his hands and ripped it.
“Hunter!” Jesse cried out in surprise as he leaned over her.
“I need you, Jesse,” Hunter grounded out. “Please, please do not turn me away. I…” He paused to look down at her with blazing yellow eyes. “I hurt, Jesse. I have never hurt like this before. Being near you, holding you every night, touching you… it is killing me.”
Jesse’s eyes softened as his words sunk in. She saw something more in his eyes than just desire. She saw confusion and a vulnerability that he wasn’t even aware he was sharing with her. Her fingers trembled as she tenderly outlined his face.
Her eyes caught on the tattoos around her wrists. She had been upset about them when she had originally discovered that they would not wash off. After a few days, she had forgotten all about them.
“What does it say?” She asked, looking at the strange marks.
“I am Jesse. I belong to Hunter as he belongs to me. Forever will I tie my life to his. I will care for, protect and cherish him as he cherishes me. He is my Amate. He is my life,” Hunter’s deep, husky voice said.
Jesse noticed he didn’t even look at the tattoos. He had memorized what it said. She cupped his face so he could see that she had understood what he was saying.
“I am Jesse,” she whispered. “I belong to Hunter as he belongs to me. Forever,” she stumbled for a moment as doubt filled her. A shaky smile curved her lips as she continued. “Forever will I tie my life to his. I will care for, protect and cherish him as he cherishes me. He is my Amate. He… he is my life,” she finished with a shy smile. “Forever,” she added again before pressing her lips to his.
Hunter’s heavy breaths echoed in the room as his trembling hand reached up to cup her right breast. His thumb flicked the tip causing Jesse to jerk under him. Her own pants filled the air and her eyes dilated as he tenderly pinched her nipple.
The explosive fragrance of her arousal scented the air like the wild perfumes from the flowers of the forests near his home. Hunter rolled away from Jesse. His hand gripped the top of her leggings as he sank down on the floor next to the bed. He pulled them and her shoes off then tossed them to the side.
His mouth watered as he buried his face in the soft curls that covered her mound. He wanted to drink from her. He felt like a man who had lived a lifetime denied a drink from the nectar of life.
Her wild cries drove what little control he had beyond his reach. He gripped her thighs between his palms, forcing her open. He purred when she wrapped them over his shoulders and pulled him forward.
The first taste of her damn near made him come in his pants. The only thing that prevented him was a lifetime of training and discipline that told that once he had an Amate, she was in control of his seed. He could only come when she allowed it.
“Hunter,” Jesse cried out again as he ran his tongue along her swollen folds. “Please! That feels like nothing I’ve… ever… Oh, God!”
Hunter pushed his fingers deeply into her as she shuddered. Her sweet taste wrapped around him as she climaxed. He pushed deeper, wanting to stretch her as much as he could while she was locked in her pleasure. The sweet crème of her left him shaking but her pleasure came first. It would always come first.
He drove his tongue into her, pressing down with his sharp teeth just enough to hold her still while he drank deeply from her. Her loud cries and thrashing back and forth told him she was still locked in her orgasm. He reluctantly released her so he could rise.
He quickly kicked off his boots and shed his pants. He pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the floor to join the pile of clothes scattered across the room. Leaning over Jesse, he gripped his throbbing cock in his hand and aligned it with her slick entrance. The muscles in his shoulders were straining as he held himself still.
“Jesse,” Hunter bit out in a dark voice. “Jesse, say yes. Give me permission to give you my seed. Give me permission, little one, before I explode.”
Jesse looked up into the blazing yellow eyes looking down at her with such a stark possessive gaze that she knew he would never leave her if he could help it. He would do everything he could to protect her and her sisters and care for them. She forced her body to respond to her demands. She felt like she was boneless but she forced her legs up until she hooked her ankles around the back of his thighs so she could pull him forward.
She continued the pressure, pushing his cock further into her. She ignored the slight discomfort. Instead, she embraced the feeling of fullness. She moaned as he stretched her. Her eyes began to droop as he pressed deeper. She felt his hands reach for hers, pulling them upward until she was stretched out under him.
“Say yes, Jesse,” Hunter demanded in a voice that was almost unrecognizable. “Say it, Jesse.”
“Yesssss,” she groaned out a he pressed a little deeper. “Yes, Hunter.”
Hunter covered her mouth with his as he sheathed his cock as far as it would go inside her. The tightness of her vaginal channel surrounding his thick, long hard length drew sweat to his brow. He forced himself to remain still as he gave her a chance to adjust to him. He felt the shudder that ran through her body before her hips began to move.
He jerked back with a cry as she pulled back along his long length before burying him back inside her. His head bowed and he locked his knees to keep from collapsing on her. That was a mistake when he looked down and saw how their bodies were connected.
“Jesse,” Hunter whispered in a strangled voice as he watched her pull back before rocking her hips upward. “Jesse, little one. I don’t… I don’t… think… this is such… a… good… idea,” he hissed out in a tortured voice.
“It feels so good,” Jesse said, rotating her hips as she continued to rock back and forth slowly along his cock. “Oh Hunter. This feels so very, very good.”
“Oh Gods, Jesse,” Hunter whispered.
He was mesmerized by the sight of their joining. His eyes moved upward where the soft swells of Jesse’s breasts moved up and down with her movement. Her nipples were hard beacons, begging for his mouth.
Hunter leaned down, driving his shaft into her as he gripped her left nipple between his sharp teeth. He made sure he didn’t apply too much pressure, just enough to sting and make her aware of his assault.
She bowed into him. He braced his legs and began driving his hips harder and faster into her while sucking on her nipple. His hands tightened around her wrists, keeping them high above her head while he continued devouring her.