When She Purrs: A Risdaverse Romance

by Dixon, Ruby

  Sophie sighs. "It sounds like paradise."

  "It is." A sad, lonely, Nassakth-less paradise. My plan has been to let Sophie rent my farm from me, to give her a quiet place to stay since I can't live there. But now that I'm losing Nassakth…I don't think I can bear to stay in his big house without him. Everything there will remind me of his presence…and it'll be sheer torture on my soul.

  Sophie and I can just be roommates, sharing my tiny farm. Two lonely, abandoned human souls on the edge of the universe.

  Sounds…depressing.

  71

  NASSAKTH

  Kim is giving me space to figure out what I want to do.

  I am just…not entirely sure I need it. My first instinct is to say no. That I do not wish to return to Praxii Minor, no matter the wealth or prestige, because I am no longer the Nassakth that craves the approval of my people. I am no longer a gladiator who lives for the entertainment of others. I am Nassakth, a farmer on a remote planet with a delightful human wife and who entertains thoughts of cubs in the future.

  That Nassakth makes me happy.

  But Kim wants me to think upon my future, to be certain that it is the one that I want. So I lie on my back in the small bed and stare up at the ceiling of the ship, thinking.

  I try to think about my family, but thinking about them for too long irritates me. They have turned into snobbish elites, far more concerned with the jewels on one's tail than one's deeds. Or have they always been this way and I was too young to realize it? I try to think about my brothers, both of them now dead, but they are—and always will be—strangers to me. I have very few memories of them and it makes me realize how lonely my childhood was.

  Fortune and power might be appealing to some, but I find my thoughts keep turning to my mate, Kim.

  To our future together.

  I want to wake up with her next to me every day. I want to see her belly swell with our cubs. I want to have half-human, half-praxiian cubs with her that get underfoot, play in our fields (perhaps not the one where the mesakkah was buried, though) and have a good life. I want our cubs to be children, not objects brokered for money.

  I try to imagine a different mate at my side, a proud, strong, elite praxiian female from a good house—and the thought makes me angry. No one belongs at my side but Kim. No one but scrappy Kim and her human tenacity. I want the female that cuffed me even as I was sick with noli fever. I want the female that is brave enough to steal a stranger's human from under his nose…and gentle enough to cover her eyes when watching an arena match on the vid-screen.

  I do not want to be the heir. I do not want any of this. I let my curiosity get the better of me, and now that I know what my parents wanted, I find I am not interested in the slightest.

  After a few hours of contemplating choices, I get to my feet and leave the cabin. I look for my Kim, but see her nowhere. Mathiras and Adiron are on the bridge, and I nod at them. "Have you seen my mate?"

  "They're both hiding in the secret compartment in the cargo bay," Mathiras says, getting to his feet. "There's a rumor that the port authorities are doing random searches, so she's keeping Sophie safe. My brother Kaspar's out looking for palms to grease." He crosses his arms over his chest. "And while we're on the subject, should I demand payment now?"

  "Payment?"

  "For the travel, since you won't be returning with us."

  Adiron glances over. "Kim said you were going back to your home planet and we should take her back to Risda."

  "She is wrong. My place is with her and not on Praxii Minor."

  Mathiras rubs his hands together. "So when do you want to leave? The sooner the better, in case we get hit with one of the surprise inspections."

  I gesture at the bridge. "How soon can we leave?"

  "Now?" Adiron asks hopefully.

  "Kaspar will return soon," Mathiras adds, giving me a narrow-eyed look. "Don't you need to be here until morning? Kim said you had a second meeting with them at dawn."

  My jealous, possessive side does not like how friendly these smooth strangers are with my pretty mate. "If I were a thoughtful, kind man, I would indeed meet with my parents in the morning and tell them of my decision, face to face. But I am a shifty, bitter type, and I do not owe them anything." I bare my fangs in a menacing smile. "We can leave as soon as possible."

  Adiron whoops and turns back to the nav station. "I like the way you think, my friend."

  Mathiras moves to his captain's chair. "I'll message Kaspar and let him know we're ready to go. Buckle in to the nearest seat." He gestures at an empty station on the bridge. "Once we're safely out of the station's territory I'll let the humans know it's safe to come out."

  I strap in, thinking of my Kim. She told them I would be leaving with my parents? Does she truly think I would abandon her—and our life together—simply because someone flashed jewels in front of my eyes? That I would forgive a lifetime of pain because I am promised that things will be different? I know if I return with them, I will never see Kim again. I will be given an appropriate mate, I will be garbed in appropriate attire, and I will spend my days in rich boredom unless I am lucky enough for Praxii Minor to go to war.

  It stings that Kim has already given me up in her mind. How quickly she rids herself of me. I know it is because she has been hurt in the past, but it still wounds me…and reminds me that even though she speaks of love and trust, she is not there yet.

  She has not reached for me of her own accord. Maybe she never will. Maybe I am hoping for too much from her. She has been damaged from her time in captivity, as have I. These things take time, and I must be patient with her.

  After all, once I walk away from my parents and their offer, I can disappear into the universe once more. I will be Nassakth of nowhere in particular, who happens to share a name with a once-famous gladiator. I will be a homesteader and farmer, no more than that.

  I will have all the time in the world to woo my human.

  72

  KIM

  The hidden compartment in the Little Sister isn't my favorite spot to spend a few hours. It's cramped, and even though there's a few human books in here—including a copy of Outlander—it's a little claustrophobic. I know as a human, I shouldn't complain about the safety measures that the crew has taken. They're genuinely looking out for me, and I mentally picture the three guys stuffing their poor sister in here on the regular. It's just that…I'm so tired of all this shit. Not just this ship, not just Bethiah and her money-grubbing smart mouth. It's everything. I just want to go home where I'm safe and happy and never leave again. At my side, Sophie shivers. There's one air vent above us, but it keeps blowing so fiercely that the air coming through is ice cold and smells of dust. I feel bad for my friend, because this has to be terrifying for her.

  I mean, I feel bad for me, too, but I'm determined not to think too hard about Nassakth until I get home and I can process my feelings alone and in private…and with a lot of wine.

  But then the Little Sister lurches, and I panic. I fumble at the straps of the jump seat I'm parked in, trying to free myself. "Why are we moving?"

  At my side, Sophie tilts her head, listening, and puts her hand on the wall of the small hidden compartment. "The ship's vibrating. Are we moving?"

  "No!" I yelp. "We can't move."

  Because if we're moving, that means we're leaving the space station.

  If we're leaving the space station, that means Nassakth must have decided to go stay with his family…and I asked the brothers to take me back home.

  I didn't mean so quickly, though. I thought I'd have time to say goodbye.

  The thought of never seeing Nassakth again makes me whimper with distress and I claw at the straps. A light flashes on the panel in front of us, probably saying something about the ship taking off and blah blah blah remain seated, but I can't. I have to stop them before we get too far away. I need to talk to Nassakth.

  Because I've suddenly realized that I don't want to be without him. I don't want to go hom
e to Risda and live by myself. I want to stay with him, and if that means hiding in his house while he swans around being someone important, I'll do it. Maybe instead of a new wife, he can just adopt someone else's kid to be his heir.

  The point is, I want to be with him. He's the only happiness I've had in the last few years and I'll be damned if I let it go.

  "The belts won't come loose until the ship stops," Sophie protests as I claw at the buckles. "Calm down, Kim."

  "No! I have to get out of here!"

  "You're going to give away our location," Sophie hisses, reaching for my arm. "What if someone's looking for me right now?"

  She's right, I tell myself frantically. She's right. If I get out of here, I could give away her hiding spot and lead to her recapture. But if I don't…Nassakth might be gone from me forever. I might lose my last chance to say goodbye to him.

  I look over at Sophie's worried face.

  "I'm sorry," I say, and slide out from under the belts.

  Or at least, I try to. My chin gets caught and I squawk like a trapped chicken as I try to wriggle free, but luckily the straps are made with the larger alien beings in mind and I'm able to worm my way out of the seat. Sophie whimpers as I push against the panel, trying to force it open, and when that doesn't work, I start hammering on buttons and kicking against the door. It makes a fierce, thunderous noise, echoing through the cargo bay, and every panel on the wall is lit up in an ugly red. I keep hitting buttons, trying to find a way out—

  The door hisses and slides open.

  I fling myself out of it, and into Adiron's arms.

  "Kim? What's wrong?" He catches me before I can splat on the ground.

  I immediately wriggle out of his grip and straighten. "You have to stop this ship! I haven't finished talking to Nassakth!" I clench my fists, wanting to hit something in frustration. "You have to turn us around right now! I'm not letting him leave me behind!"

  Adiron rubs his chin, smirking. "Really? Because you told us you were ready to leave the moment he was gone—"

  "No!" I cry, anguished. "I have to talk to him first, you idiot! Where are your brothers? Tell them to stop this damn ship!" I storm past him, heading for the bridge. I'm a woman with a mission now, and if it takes me screaming (or crying, whichever is more effective) at every alien on this ship, I'm going to get them to turn around so I can talk to Nassakth, to tell him that I don't want him to leave me behind.

  Adiron runs behind me, reaching for me. "You need to strap in—"

  "No!" I race forward, determined to get to the bridge before he does. "We can't leave! We can't—"

  The ship lurches, and I'm suddenly plastered to the ground. It's like an elevator when there's a gentle lift as it gets to the right floor—except there's the force of ten G's behind it. My face presses to the metal grate underneath me and I groan. That must be the takeoff, where we're surging up to move away from the dock itself. That's fine, I tell myself quickly. As long as I can get to the bridge before we shift drives—

  There's a curious moment of zero gravity, and I lift off the floor, only to be launched into the air once more as the ship accelerates. I fly through the air, tumbling down the metal hallway, like a leaf on the wind—

  Only to be caught in strong arms.

  I look up at Nassakth, at his gorgeous face, utterly feline and alien and perfect and familiar at the same time.

  "Kim," he says sternly. "You should be strapped in. It's dangerous to roam while the ship is accelerating."

  I fling my arms around his neck and burst into happy tears.

  73

  NASSAKTH

  Kim is frantic as she kisses me and clings to me, weeping openly. I have never seen her this distressed, and it's heartbreaking.

  "Kim," I murmur, trying to calm her down. "Kim, please don't cry."

  "You're not leaving me behind," she sobs, clenching her fists in the front of my tunic. "I don't care if you have to be the big cheese on your planet. We have to stay together. You promised me that we were forever and I'm not going to let you go back on that."

  She thinks I would leave her? I pat her back and head toward our quarters, since it is clear that my mate needs some privacy to compose herself—and so we can talk. I nod at Mathiras and Adiron as I pass them, lurching as the ship surges once more. I keep my grip on my mate, though, determined to protect her at all times.

  Kim continues on, babbling at a frantic pace. "You can do your thing if you have to, and I'm willing to move to Praxii Minor with you, but you can't take another wife. I won't allow it. The only door you're jizzing on is mine, do you hear me?" Her hands move all over my chest, my neck, my jaw. "I'm not good at sharing. And while I have to share you with your family, I don't want to share you with another woman. That's my compromise. We can go to your home but you're not allowed to stick your dick into anyone else." Her hands clutch tightly at me again. "Just don't leave me behind, Nassakth."

  "Kim, my sweet mate," I tell her as I enter our room and shut the door behind us. The ship lurches once more, bouncing us for a moment, and then a gentle ping fills the air, an alert letting us know it is safe to move about, that we have hit optimal speed and are now cruising along a charted path. "You are panicking over nothing."

  "But we're leaving—"

  "Yes, yes we are. I had nothing worth staying for." I stroke her back as I move toward our narrow bed, and set her down on the edge. Even then, she refuses to let go of me, her fingers twisting in my tunic as she tries to crawl back into my arms.

  "But…your parents? Weren't you supposed to meet them in the morning?" She looks up at me with confusion.

  "That was their suggestion, yes." I shrug. "I considered it and realized I owed them nothing. Why should I be courteous and understanding to them when they have never been so to me? They will eventually figure out I am gone, and that is all the answer I owe them."

  Kim gapes up at me. "But…they were offering you money—"

  "I have wealth."

  "—and you'd be a big deal—"

  "I have been a 'big deal' before. It did not make me happy. My mate makes me happy, and moving to Praxii Minor would be unfair to her." I undo her belt. Since she will not let go of my tunic, I must rid her of hers, then. "Did you really think I would leave you behind?"

  "I wasn't sure," she stammers, holding on to me. Her gaze searches my face, worried. "I thought maybe I pushed you into it, because I love you and I want what's best for you, but when the ship started to take off, I realized I'm selfish." She tugs hard on my tunic, pulling me down a little more until our noses are practically touching. "I want to keep you. You're mine."

  And she kisses me, hard.

  Heated pleasure—and triumph—surges through me. This is what I have waited for. This is what I needed from her. I wanted more than just acknowledgement that I give her pleasure, or that she is content. I want her to take me for my own, to be as fiercely possessive of me as I am of her. In this moment, I know I am not just “safe” for her, or comfortable. She loves me truly. "My Kim, does this mean you are purring for me?"

  She looks confused for a moment, and then it dawns on her. She gets to her knees on the bed and jerks at my tunic, fisting the material as if she wants to rip it from my chest. "I'm absolutely purring for you," Kim breathes, her gaze heavy with arousal. "I'm purring and we're going to fuck and I don't care if the entire ship hears it. Do you understand me? We're going to fuck, and you're going to fill me with your cum and give me a baby, and then we're going to raise a dozen of them together on our farm." She kisses me fiercely again, so enthusiastic that our teeth clash together. She pulls back quickly once more and gives me another determined look. "Together. Understand?"

  I love this. "Tell me how and where you want me, pretty one. I am all yours."

  She slides a hand to my belt, and then lower, boldly caressing my cock through my trou. Her mouth lightly plays against mine, and then she nips at my lower lip. "I want you naked." She bites down on my lower lip. "I meant it when I sai
d we're going to fuck."

  I hold back a groan. "Good."

  "And I'm going to suck your cock, but just a little. Just enough to get you all needy and achy, and then you're going to stuff me full of it, aren't you?" Her words are still edged with a hint of frantic-ness, as if she half-expects me to leave her again, and I realize that she needs this joining between us on so many levels—just as I need to claim her, she needs to claim me, too.

  "You're going to suck on my cock?" I grit, fascinated at the filthy words coming from her lovely mouth. "Because you want to or because you think I need it?"

  "Because I want to." She rubs me through my trou, her fingers as greedy as her words. "Because I need it. I need you."

  I groan, loving this aggressive side of my mate. Did I think she was perfect before? She proves herself more and more perfect by the moment. "What if I want to touch you first? What if I want that pretty cunt in my face, on my mouth?"

  "You're just going to have to wait," she tells me boldly, and pulls my belt free, shucking it aside.

  I am utterly delighted at this. I have dreamed of Kim being eager for my touch, for her to reach for me instead of me always reaching for her, and this is fulfilling all of my wildest fantasies. "Then I am yours. Do with me as you like."

  She tugs at my trou, working the auto-fastener with a touch, and when the material loosens, she tears it down my legs, as eager to free me as my cock is. When the clothing pools around my feet, she ignores it entirely, turning her gaze back to my cock, and a soft little hum of pleasure escapes her when she sees how hard I am already.

  "God, you're so big," she sighs, as if my very size brings her an incredible amount of pleasure. "I keep imagining how this is going to feel inside me, but I bet that it feels better than anything I can think up." Her hands skim up the outsides of my thighs and rest on my hips for a moment before she leans in to brush her lips against the tip of my cock.