I bet after forty some-odd years of abstinence serving his mother. That had to suck. But a little sex with me seemed to make things better. And that's what I could make him feel. All better.
"You're grinning, Theo,” he whispered warm words against my cheek.
"Would you rather I cry?” I kissed his temple.
"No more tears. We are together. And our youngling grows more each day.” He planted a sizzling kiss on my lips, tongue thrusting into my mouth.
Damn. Why wasn't he inside me? I fumbled for his thick rod behind my ass, locked onto the throbbing erection, and aimed the head home. With the water working in our favor, he worked his fullness all the way to my soul. Then withdrew ever so slowly. But thank the stars he didn't waste time. He lunged, pressing the rounded head inside the mouth of my sex a few inches. Just enough to have me gasp on his breath where my legs held me, wrapped around his waist.
He chuckled into my mouth and pulled the cheeks of my ass apart.
Stretching my skin tighter around his engorged cock. So supple. I just wanted to shove him back, savor his delicious presence, and ride him until he couldn't stand up for a week.
Apparently, he had the same idea.
Withdrawing, lunging, and pumping. He rejuvenated my need to the point of explosion. Holding my ass with a death grip. Rocking his hips like he'd dirty danced his entire life. Spilling his singeing seed into my womb. And we both cried out, deliriously in the pool's muted glow.
We shuddered in one harmonious ballet of bucking hips, rocking and tilting in a grand finale of dying enthusiasm until neither of us could do anything but gulp for breath where the pool's waves yapped against us.
"You are perfect,” he muttered against my ear. “My perfect mate."
I could only hope to live up to his image.
When I saw my mates in the morning standing in the warm sunlight near The Savior's squatty top-shaped hull, I knew things were going to be alright. Albeit, Sol had misgivings about Flonn. But my job oddly appeared to be that of peacekeeper among the men. So, I'd side with peace. And rely on Wrank to back me if things got out of hand. After all, were-assassins were chosen to serve as Marshals because of the strength they had when in were-wolf form. Maybe the whole point of my mating with both !Dakos and Prall warriors was to bring them together to learn to get along. And to reveal the true problems between the two cultures. And with all the lunacy, I wound up with a Marshal blood mate completely separate from the two conflicting cultures. If that sweet picture isn't the poster child for Destiny, nothing is. I walked right up to Sol and smashed a kiss on his cleanly-shaven cheek.
He chuckled with rumbling laughter and hugged me.
Thank goodness. No reason to curse yet!
M'yote grinned and began talking to Wrank about war beasts—a nice mangy looking animal the size of a Kodiak bear that could carry a six-foot-something Tiger warrior anywhere on Luvk.
So, I snuggled up against my warm solid loaded-baked-potato chest. Flonn. Oh Flonn was extra cuddly today. Or it was all in my mind. Maybe I felt a little guilty for leaving him with Sol all night. I stared into his emerald eyes. “Was Solvun nice to you while I was gone?"
He nodded. “M'yote stayed up with me last night discussing the crises on our planets. Sol had no ear for the topics."
Well, Solvun would have to deal with the byproduct of his little conquest soon enough.
"Why are you smiling at me, Theo?” Sol boomed.
Hell, I was smiling at him. I rubbed my cheek against the lower bulge of Flonn's breast. The truth wouldn't set well with my King. So, I'll lie. “Just wondering how much you like my new outfit?” The standard black Marshal-issue leather pants, leather sleeveless v-neck top, knee-high boots, and all the weapons I can stuff into it minus the curves nature gifted me at birth.
Sol smacked his tanned lips and crossed his arms. “Since I'm the one who got you the chains you can't seem to keep from insulting at every turn, I guess I'll have to adopt the opinion that nobody needs to see my D'ena's treasures."
All my mates broke into laughter.
Oafs. But I'd packed enough clothing in my backpack to keep Sol's choice of wifely attire tucked away in the rear of a closet under the category of last-resort outfits.
"Blessed sunrise!” Commander Goro called out from behind me.
Okay, let's get this show on the road. I turned to him, stepping out of Flonn's warm embrace. “So, you're sending us away so soon?” I prodded.
Goro's long leather overcoat snapped around his knees. “We're heading to Prall. Now. The Savior was stocked with supplies last night. It's time to see King Solvun back to his throne."
I stared at Cassie where she sat all neatly put together in The Savior's cargo hold atop a metal crate, eyeballing me.
"You really thought I had the hots for Wrank?” she snorted, even her brown ponytail shaking in shock.
"Well, you were acting so strangely.” No lie.
"Every cadet who'd seen you two together knew you two were terminal. Hell, I can't believe Goro didn't step in if his plan was to send you elsewhere for a blood mate. He knew! And, well,” she blinked conspiratorially, “after all, I've spent the better part of last year with M'yote. He's a dreamy catch. Lucky you!"
Healer? Taught to use Handler powers. Things suddenly crashed together. “You're a Handler, aren't you?"
A little smile curled one corner of Cassie's mouth. “It's more of a sentence. I suppose.” She rubbed a hand along the boot's shaft encasing one of her ankles as if her leg hurt. “Kind of the last final joke after I'd been such a spokesperson for endangered species and a voice against scientists misusing genetics."
My gut slammed me with a sucker punch.
Oh. My. God. What in the hell was Cassie doing on The Savior heading to Prall with a !Dakos warrior aboard? And Goro sat at the helm? She's against everything that caused the cyborg war. And I'm not supposed to curse anymore.
"You're face drained of color. Mind you, I'm loving the silver sparklies and all. But that ghostly look just gives me the shivers. Wish I was intuitive."
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Twenty
The Savior shuddered and creaked as I pondered Cassie's revelations.
"Captain Kemble, Commander Goro requests your assistance at the helm,” The Savior said.
Cassie's brown gaze widened. “Goro's flying the ship. Since you're his sidekick co-pilot, told you something's not right about all of this. What do you think is his goddamned plan?"
"Let's find out.” I bolted through the door back into the main operations area. My mates were all strapped into passenger seats lined up a few feet behind the pilot and empty navigational chairs. “Buckle in, Cassie.” I pointed toward the back wall where the Crellon slaves used to be quartered. Goro had removed the bars to the containment cell but left the pop down seats along the wall.
A planet jeweled with blue and green hung outside the view port. But a wink of The Savior shut out the image altogether.
Goro obviously shut the view port for safety's sake.
Great. We're in deep shit. I dashed away from the hustling brunette Handler and dove into my chair.
The ship began trembling.
Every cell in my body vibrated. “What's wrong?” Surely Goro would cough up anything to end this crap.
"I don't know. This technology is so foreign to us. We can't risk you investigating—"
"Like Hell!” I yanked out of the safety harness and rooted my boots beneath me.
Every man in the circular space shouted in unison, “No."
Hands grabbed me by the shoulders, swung me around, slammed my ass back into the hard chair.
Goro's eyes flickered with an even more fiery orange. “Do not leave this seat. You will not die, captain."
"Holy fuck. I should never have left Earth,” Cassie groaned.
Goro fell back into the pilot's chair and locked into his seat. “We're off Prall now. Heading into the atmosphere. I need you to think for me, cap
tain."
The ship's jarring tremors could break my clattering teeth. And he wanted me to think? “Impossible not to think, sir."
Goro studied the console. “Forget about death. Think about something useful."
So much for deep contemplative points from the boss. “Uh, just where would you like my thoughts to go, commander? I should be monkeying with the wiring to be useful. And shouldn't you know more about this Crellon ship?"
Goro's chest expanded as he slid a patronizing gaze my direction. “That's why I chose to train you."
The moron. At least I'd get in the last word. “We're going to die, sir.” I panned my gaze to take in the stoic masks of all the foolish men Goro had trapped with his little plan to right the universe.
No. Not today. Stupid plan or not. I was going to try to survive. I glared at Goro. “Did anyone check the electrical system before we departed?” Because this is probably the same damned problem I set off to gain access into the Treusch prison.
"Whatever the cause, you're staying in your seat,” Goro snapped, a bit out of character.
"No, I'm not.” My huv'ria yanked out of her safety harness.
Her commander glared at her. “What did I tell you?"
"I can fix this, Goro. Just shut up before you get us all killed.” She crawled beneath the console, black boots shaking where she laid on her back. “All you Gods-damned stupid men think you can run the fucking universe when it's us women who have to clean up all the shit you leave behind. Like right fucking now. And I can't believe you've made me cuss again!"
"Please, Theone. Save your analysis for later,” Goro droned.
"Prepare for impact,” the computer suddenly warned as if Theone had repaired its voice circuitry.
The Savior continued to quiver.
Theone managed to crawl out from under the console until I could look into her pale-blue eyes.
"Impact in ten seconds. Nine seconds."
My huv'ria's eyes widened as she tried to shove off the thrashing floor.
All of this, every microsecond, every thought, nothing could make me fear more than this moment.
My huv'ria was going to die.
Not if I could save her.
The ship heaved and jolted.
The lights blinked out.
I switched to night vision.
Theone's body sailed toward me.
I couldn't lose my soul.
Not to my father or my people.
Nor to the spacecraft.
"Everyone talk. Say something. Am I the only idiot left alive in this crash? Probably so. Talk about icing on the cake. Some promise about saving the universe. Your recruiting slogan is all hype, commander.” The earthling Handler muttered in the back of the ship.
Just like when I trained her to use her Handler powers. I need to help her. Calm her down. “It's alright, Cassie. You're not alone.” She had to trust me. But what about my mate? I couldn't see anything in the darkness. “Theone?"
"I've got her,” Flonn said, voice void of emotion. “Her heart is beating. But I can't ascertain her condition. She is alive though and sufficiently cared for by nanites from three different males.” On Prall! The microbes. “We've got to get her into a spacesuit. Cassie, you too. Is there a light aboard this vessel we can use?"
"There,” Goro blurted.
Low-level orange lighting flipped into a soft glow.
"Follow me.” Goro shoved onto his feet.
Blood trickled down his cheek.
A minor cut from what I could see. And the other warriors showed nothing more than minor cuts for injuries.
Cassie was on her feet. “Where are the suits, commander?"
"This way.” Goro led her through the hatch into the cargo hold.
Flonn rose with Theone in his arms.
"We have to hurry. Before the females are infected with the micro-organism."
Sol jumped in front of me, glaring. “Alright, little brother. You think you're going to stand around giving orders when you can fix this Gods-be-damned situation. If my D'ena dies, you die too."
How could he think I'd allow Theone to die? “Get out of my way, Solvun."
"You fucking cleanse this planet, and I'll get out of your way."
Would the answer lie in the touch of my hand? Why did we always return to that point? Maybe the solution just made his chores easier.
Solvun grabbed my shoulders, dropping down until his nose brushed mine. “If anything happens to her, you'll never find a safe place in the universe, M'yote,” he ground out through grated teeth. “And forever is an extremely long time to an immortal."
He didn't have to worry. I wouldn't lose Theone. Couldn't live with myself if I did. I have to save her.
With Solvun's help, Flonn rammed Theone's booted feet into the legs of a hanging spacesuit, then sealed the seam of the top, and engaged her sphere-shaped helmet. All the while, Cassie struggled into a second suit with Goro's assistance.
Females sealed and locked away, I turned to the hatch. “Stay with the females.” I didn't turn to see if I received any glares. But they wanted me to do this. And the Gods-damned jest of the universe, I had to. Or Theone could die.
Might be dying right now. There wasn't any time. I had to cleanse the planet now or hope we could find another spacecraft to take her to the moon so I could heal her there. And what would witnessing my saving my mate do for the rest of Prall? I'd be a self-serving vermin. Lower than shit on a boot. I'd have to cleanse the entire world to save my own mate.
Like I'd have been able to postpone the inevitable much longer.
Solvun would have his way. Would have demanded the honor of his mate living in his palace. And I would have eventually buckled to my overbearing sibling. This was just fate bearing down on me. Reality. Who could escape reality?
Not now. Not with Theone facing death. I stepped down the gangplank into warm sunshine.
Prall greeting me with familiarity. Sacred soil. Rejuvenating sunlight. Life-giving air. And the microbes. Not of this world. Foreign.
"It is time, little brother."
I should have known I'd have an audience. “I'm going to do this. I'd prefer without your supervisory chatter."
"Let us bring back the natural order of things,” Solvun said softly. “At least, what we can. With this one change, our families can be whole. That is not so much to ask, is it, M'yote?"
No. “Nor is silence.” I conjured up the tingling force in my arm and focused it down into my fingertips.
For the people. I bent my knees and touched moist dirt between slender green shoots.
A barely audible buzz toyed with my hearing. Or reverberated through my cells of my arm. Of my body. Sounds seemed to fade into nothing as the buzz grew. An annoying drone. Niggling. The irritating resonance. Perhaps the glitch in the planet's ecology? I concentrated my energy into leveling the caustic noise.
Into silence.
Absolute white brightness.
Something had to change. The planet had to sing.
And then the faintest melody whispered.
Harmony, lacking discordance.
"Little brother?” the song sang. “M'yote?"
No. That was Solvun. I tried to open my eyes. Tried to see through the white light.
"Your eyes are open. But I don't think you see me, little brother."
I blinked and blinked. But I couldn't shake the light from my eyes.
"M'yote?” Solvun demanded.
He seemed right before me. And my knees pressed into Prall's hard ground. Why the blinding light.
Someone grabbed my face. “Little brother!"
"I hear you,” I growled.
"Can you see me?"
Must I answer?
"M'yote, are you blind?"
"Yes."
The powerful arms that hugged me almost squeezed the last breath from my body.
Blessed elements, my nanites could deal with that problem. And maybe my vision. “Give me room. Without all my nanites moving to my
eyes, I have no chance of recovering my vision, Solvun."
"You fool! How could you listen to me?” Solvun snarled and yanked me up with a grip beneath my armpits.
The question in itself was enough to make the cleansing worth every moment life had to offer. “I ask myself that often enough. Why not now?"
Solvun growled and nudged me toward the gangplank. “Prall is cleansed. You shall live the life of a king when the clans hear of your sacrifice."
"Do you think me permanently damaged?"
"Stop thinking, little brother. You're my responsibility."
"Save your responsibility for keeping Theone safe."
"I've done more than my part."
Between her thighs. I snorted.
"I have,” Solvun insisted, guiding me up the solid gangplank.
"As Flonn who affected our escape from the prison to save Theone. Mind you, we would never have accomplished that without Theone mating with Flonn."
"I have not lost my vision, M'yote. And even if I did, I could hear your words. I know what has transpired and will make the effort to accept the !Dakos."
For Solvun, his announcement was a beginning toward peace among his D'ena's mates. Even if we could only have partial peace.
Time passed as Theone slept off her injuries from the crash while Wrank struggled to be patient, leaning against the biting stone edge of Solvun's castle wall in warm sunlight. Standing atop the thick monstrosity gave a wide view of the rolling forest and underlying ground. Pristine. Pure. But all seemed unjust. How could I get Theo back to only lose her again? I had one night with her when she returned to me. We bonded. Shared blood. Filled the syringes Marshals kept on them for emergencies. Syringes filled with mate's blood. Just in case blood mates were separated so they could inject themselves with a mate's blood. Self-medicate to deal with the increasing sexual need indicating the period between transmutation was ending when our bodies would suddenly shape shift into were-form. Unless we blood mates exchanged blood, that is. The blood was key to stopping a transmutation. Or sex curbed our blood hunger.
But Theo wasn't up to sex.
Time to wait for the moment to use the syringe. To stretch out my blood rations until I'd be forced to take more from her sleeping form. Draining her for my medicinal draughts to keep from chasing anything that moved for blood to satiate my blood hunger was my only option if I didn't turn to her for my measure. At least I hadn't experienced horrible blood lust symptoms. Yet. Although, Marshals from some species had a difficult time during the two-day shift interval. My lightheadedness and arousal weren't significant enough yet to force me to seek comfort from the syringe.
Feral Series IV: Feral Fallout Page 22