by Kate Rudolph
“What we need,” Sierra spoke over them loud enough to cut everyone off, “is more information. I want to get Laurel back,” she nodded at Quinn. “And you know I don’t want my planet to be destroyed,” she said to Dryce. “But we still don’t know enough to take action.”
“So what do you suggest?” Toran might have been in charge of the Detyens, but this was Sierra’s planet and she seemed to already have a plan.
“We need to bring my dad all the way in.” She grimaced as she said it, and Toran was reminded that their relationship was not the closest or the friendliest between father and daughter. “Not only is he high-ranking, he holds enough social sway to ensure that he’ll be listened to. If we can get him to believe us, that’s half the battle.”
There was chatter and discussion, but after only a few minutes the group agreed. General Alvarez was their best bet to warn the planet and to get more information about Yormas of Wreet and Varrow the Oscavian.
Beside him, Iris yawned and laid her head against his shoulder. “Are we done yet?” she muttered.
Toran kissed her cheek. “Almost,” he promised.
It took a few more minutes of talking, but then the group broke up and agreed to meet again later after Sierra had spoken to her father. Though Toran had a room that was relatively private in the suite, he guided Iris out of the room and further out of the building, calling a taxi and punching in the directions for her house when they climbed in. The suite was too crowded, and never completely silent. His mate deserved an undisturbed sleep in her own bed, and he would lay by her side to make sure that was what she got.
Chapter Seventeen
THERE WAS A FURNACE lying against her back, and an iron bar draped over her waist. Given that, Iris shouldn’t have been comfortable. But after a long night of sleep in her soft bed with no threats from evil ambassadors, security guards, or shitty ex-boyfriends, she found it easy to bear the weight. Especially when the furnace behind her shifted and she remembered that it was Toran lying next to her, holding her close. She didn’t remember coming back to the apartment last night; the end of the meeting had gone by in an exhausted blur. She remembered Sierra promising to speak to General Alvarez, and then everything went hazy. Hopefully nothing important happened after that.
Iris tried to glance at the clock on her bedside table, but it was behind her, blocked by the huge pile of Detyen male sleeping in her bed. The room was bright, sunlight streaking in through the windows. And it wasn’t the gentle light of early morning. No, if she had to guess they were getting close to noon. It wasn’t just the light that told her; now that she was paying attention she could hear the sounds of the city alive around them, vehicles moving, horns honking, people yelling, everything come to life.
That was the best part of the city, the sound. Even when she was lonely, she was never alone. Though now that she had Toran, she didn’t need to worry about the loneliness anymore.
She’d called herself his mate in front of everyone. She’d been speaking about it to him for days, but never when others were around. She might have expected it to be more difficult, but nothing had felt more natural. Technically they weren’t completely mated, but her mind had been made up for a while. Any doubts she had had dissolved when she confronted Dan. Strange thought, that. She wouldn’t thank her ex, but she was glad his unexpected reappearance had clarified some things. He and Toran couldn’t be more different, and Toran would never try to use her in the ways that Dan had. Toran actually respected her and she deserved his respect.
She snuggled back against him and her eyes drifted shut once more. The next time she woke Toran was tracing a path down her arm with his finger. When she tilted her head towards him, she saw that he was connecting the small moles on her arm like they were a kind of puzzle.
“I like your clan markings,” he said, leaning down and kissing one at the top of her shoulder.
Iris shivered. “Humans don’t have clan markings.”
He kissed another one further down her arm and raised goosebumps along her flesh. “I like them anyway.”
“What else do you like?”
His fingers tangled in her hair. “I like the way your hair spreads out over your pillow, fanning out to frame you.” He gently pulled on her shoulders until she rolled under him. He kissed her, tugging on her bottom lip until she opened for him. But just when it was getting good, he pulled back. “I like how soft your lips are and the way they taste against mine.” He placed featherlight kisses over her eyes and then one on her nose, which made her grin. “I like the way you see beyond the surface and take your time to study what matters. I like the way you look at me when you think I’m not watching.” Her cheeks flamed, but she couldn’t look away, trapped in his gaze. “And when you look like that, your eyes go soft and hungry, and they don’t need to glint red for me to know exactly what you want.”
“And what’s that?” she asked, breathless.
Toran grinned and all the trouble of the last few days dissolved. It was just the two of them in this moment, and they had all the time in the world. “Me.”
He said it so confidently Iris tipped back her head and laughed.
“Is it not true?” He smiled as he asked and feathered kisses across her face and down her neck. “Let me convince you.”
Her body wanted to arch against him, but Iris made herself push away. “What about me?”
He was a heavy weight where he laid against her, but not enough to crush. He rolled his eyes up towards her until their gazes locked. “What about you?”
“Don’t I get to tell you what I like about you?” She’d expected a tidal wave of passion, a hurricane that picked them both up until they crashed together, unable to control themselves. Not this romantic morning, or possibly afternoon, of gentle kisses and exchanged vows. Because that was what they were, that was what this was. A wedding by Detyen terms, if not human. Two weeks ago Iris would have been terrified by that thought, but now there was no other place she wished to be. She would stand by Toran’s side forever.
“Don’t let me stop you,” he said before returning to his onslaught of kisses, painting a track with his lips down her neck.
It made it hard to concentrate, but Iris was determined. He needed to know this, needed to know that she was here with him 100%. Fate had brought them together, but she was choosing to stay. When it came to him, she always would. “Let’s start with these.” She laid a hand against his naked arm, outlining one of his dark marks. “I like your clan markings,” she said. “They make you look a little bit like a cheetah.”
“A cheetah?”
“It’s a kind of cat, a big one. They’re very fast, and they’re spotted like you. Or maybe you’re like a leopard, another cat. They’re very strong, dangerous predators. That’s what I knew from the moment I saw you, that you would be ruthless whenever you were opposed. And in your pursuit of something that you wanted. Me. I never thought I would want that, but you’ve shown me things about myself that I didn’t know.” She ran her fingers through his hair, tugging on it a bit when he tried to move further down her body. “There will be time for that later,” she promised. “Let me talk.”
He placed a kiss at the base of her neck before crawling back up her body until they were face-to-face. “You have my full attention,” he said. She could feel his full attention pressing hard at the juncture of her thighs, and that was making it even more difficult to concentrate.
“You play dirty,” she accused.
“Ruthless, just like you like.” They kissed again and it was several minutes before Iris could make herself pull away.
“I like your dedication to your people, and the way you would do anything to protect them. I like that you’re smart, and quick, and you don’t let yourself get blinded by your pride. I love that you respect me, and that you’ve accepted my help when I could give it. And that you’ve saved me when I needed it.” Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she thought of everything Toran had done for her, everything they’d
done together. But now was not the time for tears, she didn’t want to cry. She placed her hand against his chest and squeezed. “And your muscles aren’t bad either,” she told him with a grin. “I really don’t mind looking at you.”
Toran laughed. “I really don’t mind looking at you,” he promised.
“I’m glad that I’m your denya, that out of all of the billions of people in the galaxy it was me. And I’m glad we found each other, even though it seems impossible. You make me believe that anything is within my reach.”
His face grew serious and he echoed her vow. “I am glad that you are my denya. You have given me hope and I could ask for nothing more.”
Iris cradled her palm against Toran’s face and brought his head down until their lips met. She sought him out with her tongue and he opened for her, their breath mingling between them as they devoured one another. Her clothes felt heavy where they pressed against her skin, but when she hooked one leg around Toran’s hip she realized she wasn’t wearing any pants. He must’ve removed them, or she had, before they fell asleep. At the moment she didn’t care. In fact, she was grateful. One less layer to stand between them.
It was a dance of passion, twisting and tasting and moving together in a rhythm as old as the universe. They came from different species, different planets, but in this moment they were communicating in the most ancient and universal of languages.
Perhaps out of a misplaced sense of chivalry, Toran had worn pants to bed. Iris tried to hook the heel of her foot in the waistband and pull them down, but she wasn’t quite flexible or dexterous enough to pull it off.
Toran smiled against her lips and spoke while barely pulling away. “What are you doing?”
“I need you naked. Now.”
ANYTHING HIS DENYA wished, Toran would give to her. And what she asked now was no sacrifice. He shimmied out of his pants and tossed them somewhere across the room, not caring where they landed. That was a problem for later; for now his denya deserved his full attention. She lay on the bed in her shirt and underwear, staring at him while biting her swollen lower lip. Her hair was fanned out against the pillow, just the way he told her that he liked it earlier. She was a picture of seductive beauty, a goddess whose altar he would worship at forever.
He knelt on the bed, the soft mattress sinking under his knees, and stalked forward until his hands found the hem of her shirt. “Up,” he demanded, tugging on the fabric. Iris came with no resistance and in a moment, she was naked before him except for the flimsy scrap of her panties. Toran freed his claws and grinned at her. “I promised I would do this,” he said. He held up his hand and waited for her nod of consent. When she gave it, his chest heated with the fire of the sun and the surety that this woman was right for him. He moved carefully, and in two flicks of his wrists her panties fell away, leaving her exposed to the warm air of the room.
“That’ll be expensive if it becomes a habit,” she teased, linking her arm around his neck, heedless of his claws, trusting him not to harm her.
Toran felt more powerful than he did behind the las cannon on a battlefield. The trust his mate placed in him could bring him to his knees, and raise him higher than he’d ever flown before. He’d never known that a person could have such power over him, that he would want someone to have that power. But she held his heart in her hands, and he gladly gave it to her. “I don’t worry about cost when it comes to your pleasure,” he said. “But I will never do anything that you don’t like.”
“I don’t know how you’re real,” she said. She pressed against him, her soft breasts pillows against his hard muscles. There was no room for modesty or shame with them, this joining was natural and a long time coming. And while he knew that one day he would ask his mate to sit around naked in their quarters just so he could look at her, today was not that day.
“It doesn’t matter how. All that matters is that I’m yours, and you’re mine.” Fate had smiled on them and the last thing Toran wanted to do was question the blessing. He dipped his head down to capture his mate’s lips and after that, no words were needed.
His hands explored her, teasing her soft places until Iris moaned and writhed beneath him, arching closer as if any air between them was an affront to their union. Desire pulsed hard in Toran’s veins and he bit back an animalistic growl when Iris shivered. Her hand found his cock and Toran let out a curse as she stroked him. He could feel his eyes flaring red as he was consumed by emotion, by the need to claim his mate in the most primal of ways.
Every second since their first meeting had been leading to this moment, and they had already denied themselves for so long.
His fingers found her hot and wet and when he pressed inside of her, Iris gasped. The sound pulled a smile from Toran’s mouth and he captured her mouth in another kiss, stealing the noises she was making and making them his own. He added another finger and saw Iris squeeze her eyes shut from the sensual invasion. She rode his hand, moving in time with him.
After several moments, her eyes snapped open and she gripped his bicep hard enough to bruise. “Now,” she demanded.
“Anything for you, denya.” It came out guttural, barely understandable, but they were beyond the need for words.
Toran pulled his fingers out and stroked his cock once, lining himself up with her entrance. He sank in deep, his eyes falling closed as he groaned out. She was tight and hot and perfect. He held himself over her, covering her body with his own, shielding her from the rest of the world in their own little paradise of home.
And then they moved.
As she adjusted around him, her hips arched and Toran sank deeper, gnashing his teeth to keep from yelling out. He wanted her now, he wanted her forever, he was hers completely as the bond circled around them and tied them together from heart to heart.
But it wasn’t enough, not yet.
They moved together in an ancient and universal ritual, taking their pleasure from one another and giving it back tenfold. Sweat poured off of Toran and it was sensual torture to keep himself from spilling. But not before his mate, not until she found her peak.
And then she was gasping under him, rippling around him and calling out his name as she sank into the grasp of her orgasm. Toran plunged deep, emptying himself with a growl and letting his body cover her. Without thought, his lips landed over her shoulder and he opened his mouth, biting down and marking her in the way of the ancients, claiming her primally as his own as the bond shot out from his body and latched onto her soul, tethering them together for all eternity.
Several minutes passed as their breathing evened out and they separated, but didn’t fall far from one another. Iris burrowed into his side and Toran slung an arm over her shoulders.
“Holy... wow,” Iris finally breathed out, sounding dazed.
“Wow,” Toran echoed. What else was there to say?
Chapter Eighteen
SIERRA WISHED THAT Raze was beside her as she parked her car in the garage under her father’s building. But the relationship between the two men was still a bit rocky. If she had thought that her father took issue with her career as a spy, it was nothing compared to showing up on his doorstep with an alien warrior for a mate. Especially since she and Raze had only known each other for two weeks. But only time could mend that relationship, and she was strangely confident that things would turn out all right. Maybe it was that she had someone a hundred percent in her corner, or maybe she’d learned something from the last mission. She would give her father time to come around on Raze, and she hoped that what she was about to do wasn’t a giant mistake.
The walk from the garage to his apartment went by far too quickly. A part of Sierra wanted to linger in the hall, but she didn’t want to be seen by any potential enemy. Not that it was likely. She doubted Yormas or his Oscavian allies were tapped into the security feed to the hallway of her father’s building, but years of spy work had made her paranoid and she was knocking on her dad’s door before she could think of an excuse to leave.
It wa
s late afternoon, and many people were still at work, but her father often left the office early on Thursdays. When he opened the door to her it was clear this one was no different. Her father gave her a questioning look but stepped back to let her inside and closed the door behind her silently. He led her further into the apartment and Sierra glanced around. Nothing had changed since the dinner a few weeks ago, before she left on her mission to rescue the twelve women abducted by a group of pirates and slavers working for a mysterious Oscavian. And yet since that night her entire life had been turned upside down.
“Would you like something to drink? A snack?” her dad asked. He entered his kitchen and grabbed two glasses from one of his cabinets.
Sierra slid onto one of the stools tucked into his counter and crossed her arms on the cool slab. “I’ll take a water,” she said.
He slid a glass over and she took a sip. They remained there silently for several more moments, drinking quietly, tension thick in the air. Her father broke first. “I had to call in quite a few favors to get your friend out of lockup,” he said evenly. “I can’t do much more if you refuse to give me any information.” He chose his words carefully, as if he didn’t trust her not to lie. It hurt a little, but Sierra supposed that she deserved it. She’d been keeping many secrets.
“There’s a lot more going on than you know,” she began. “And we need your help.” And so Sierra explained everything, heedless of the fact that her mission to Fenryr 1 was highly classified. As a general, her father had the level of classification needed to hear the details, but she didn’t have the permission to share them. With the fate of Earth in the balance, that didn’t matter to her.
His expression barely changed as she told him the conditions they’d encountered on Fenryr 1, the state of the women, the battle with the Oscavians, the history of the Detyens, all of it. When she got to the part about breaking into Ambassador Yormas’s quarters, he put his head in his hand and sighed, but let her continue speaking. And when she was done, her father looked at her for a long minute before draining his water like it was something much stronger.