by Jaylee Davis
“It’s done.” The voice was Salla’s, speaking to her in clear and understandable words. Only she wasn’t actually speaking English. It was the strangest thing she’d ever heard.
Vren released her hand as she sat and turned to look at the alien female. “That was fast. I didn’t feel a thing.”
Salla smiled. “Painless.”
Bethany felt behind her ear. The skin was smooth, no soreness at all. “I don’t feel anything.”
“You had moderate head trauma and were unconscious when you arrived. We treated your injuries, and you healed while you slept. How do you feel?”
Bethany took a moment to do a swift assessment. Her head didn’t hurt at all. She touched her face. There was no pain where Caleb had struck her. In fact, she couldn’t find a single ache anywhere. Astonished, she looked at Salla and then Vren.
“I feel great, better than ever. How long was I out?”
Salla tilted her head in obvious confusion. “Out?”
Vren chuckled. “She means unconscious.”
The alien female laughed as she patted Bethany’s shoulder. “It will take a few days for the translator to learn all the nuances of your language. You were unconscious for two of your Earth hours, but you’ve been in stasis for three days while you healed. Vren was also ‘out’ during that time.”
“I woke not long ago,” he said.
“His wounds have healed, but he must rest another cycle before returning to active duty.”
Bethany’s mouth fell open as she stared at the woman in utter disbelief. “How is that even possible? He was shot, like three times!” She looked at him. “You weren’t moving or breathing. I couldn’t find a heartbeat. I thought you were dead.” Tears filled her eyes and threatened to spill down her cheeks at the awful memory of seeing him so lifeless.
He put his arms around her and tugged her close. Bethany leaned into his embrace and clung to him. He nuzzled her ear. “I’m fine. I told you I heal quickly.”
A disdainful-sounding snort from Salla disturbed their intimate hug. “Vren’s injuries would have killed him if his body hadn’t gone into hibernation. He was brought to the ship in time for me to operate. He was lucky.”
Bethany twisted in his arms to look at Salla. “Hibernation?”
“It’s a special metabolic state,” she answered. “Sometimes, if our males are severely injured, their bodily functions slow down and become dormant. In Vren’s case, it gave him enough time to reach medical help before he died.”
Salla walked around the bed to stand close to them. She draped her arm across his shoulders and gave him a quick hug before she strolled to the door. Her action shocked Bethany to the core, but Vren’s reaction filled her with jealous fury. He purred! Her catman actually purred for another woman, a member of his crew!
She stiffened, going rigid within his embrace. The rumbling sound instantly faded, but he tightened his arms around her. If Salla noticed the change, she didn’t give any indication when she paused and looked back.
“You’re both discharged.” She glared at Vren. “Brack waits in the corridor to escort you and your mate to your quarters. Remember our agreement. No strenuous activity. If your chest wound opens, I’ll confine you to a medical bed for the next five cycles.” She turned and left.
Uncomfortable silence filled the room after her departure. Without a word, Vren released her and stood. He offered his hand. Bethany jerked her chin up to stare at him, purposely avoiding any help.
“Are all the women in your crew so…affectionate?”
His eyes widened in apparent surprise, then narrowed as his lips curled into a warm smile. “You object to Salla touching me. Don’t worry. We hug each other often, especially during sleep.”
He reached for her, but Bethany scrambled off the opposite side of the bed to avoid him. In her haste, she almost forgot to check if she wore anything. Not much, just her bra and panties. She snatched the thin sheet off the bed and wrapped it around her before she turned to glare at him.
“Damn! I’m such an idiot,” she blurted. “You’re no different than a human man. At least they have the decency to lie about their other women.”
His smile instantly turned into a snarl and his ears swept back. There was no mistaking the expression—furious feline. Relieved that the bed was between them, Bethany took a couple cautious steps backward to widen the gap.
“Salla isn’t ‘other women.’ She’s my litter mate,” he explained with a deep growl. His intense gaze slowly raked up and down her. Thankfully, his ears perked up and he seemed to relax. “I think we’re having a communication problem. Tell me why you’re angry.”
Bethany tried to latch on to the most objectionable reason. Vren admitting that he hugged another woman while sleeping sounded like the most awful one until she suddenly recalled their earlier conversation at her ranch. D’Lyrian’s didn’t have sex in the place where they sleep! Okay. Maybe it’s not as bad as she was imagining. She really wanted to understand.
“What do you mean when you say she’s your littermate?”
He cocked his head as if surprised by the question. “She’s my birth sister.”
“Do you mean she’s your twin sister?”
“Yes, my littermate. We were born together.”
“Oh,” she said with a sigh. Well, that did put a different spin on things, but she still didn’t like the idea of him sleeping with his sister. It was too creepy. “You two don’t look anything alike.”
He laughed. “Of course not. I’m male.”
“I think you know what I mean.” Bethany inched closer to the bed and him.
“All D’Lyrians have a birth twin, and most of us have several pairs of siblings. None of them are identical. I have two brothers and two sisters besides my littermate. I’m the only warrior-born son my parents had since my birth twin is female. Opposite genders develop different than matching ones. You can tell by my size, and anyone who sees Salla knows she was born with a male.”
“How can they tell?”
“She’s a solid color.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“Female littermates are always either striped or spotted, but never a solid color. However, all males, no matter what size they are, can be any color, solid, striped or spotted. You’ll see many examples on my ship, Bethany. Please come with me. We’ll go to my quarters where we can talk in private.”
Since he’d brought up the subject of privacy, she had to agree. She heard voices and shuffling sounds just outside the small room. She hadn’t noticed them before. Now she felt even more vulnerable. Somehow, she’d lost her clothes, and all she had were her undies and a thin sheet for cover.
“I need clothes.”
She did a quick visual scan of the room. There were no cabinets or closets that she could see, only the bed and an assortment of medical-looking devices that were attached to the nearest wall.
“Wait.” He walked around the bed and then hurried to the far side of the room where a row of rectangular panels lined the wall. He stopped in front of one, tapped it and it slid aside to reveal several stacks of neatly folded white garments. He selected one of them and brought it to her. “You’re dressed appropriately for an off-duty crewmember of my ship, but this might help you feel more comfortable when we leave.” He held it out and gave a shake. The bundle unfolded into a thin robe-like garment. A pair of soft slippers were tucked into a side pocket.
“Thanks.” She accepted them with a grateful smile.
With his help, she quickly slipped into the robe and then pulled on the stretchy footwear. There was no way she’d walk around in her underwear, no matter what he said about it being appropriate. Vren tossed her used sheet onto the bed. Afterward, she followed him out of the room, and he escorted her to a set of double doors. They slid open, and she walked out into a wide corridor. A large D’Lyrian male dressed in a uniform waited in the center. She assumed he must be Brack, the one Salla had mentioned. He smiled as soon as he saw them.
“Captain! I’m glad you’ve recovered.” He took a deep breath and his feline grin grew wider the moment his gaze fell on her. “Welcome to Explorer.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond because his attention immediately shifted to Vren. “Congratulations. The crew is anxious to meet your mate.”
“I’m grateful,” Vren responded with a slight nod, then quickly ushered her down the corridor.
Bethany rushed to keep up with his longer strides. Brack easily caught up and took a position on her other side, which placed her between them. In one way, she felt overly protected, but in another, it was downright intimidating. She slowed just to see what they’d do. Vren’s stride faltered first. Both males slowed to match her pace.
As they walked at a more leisurely speed, she glanced up to catch Vren looking at her. Mate? She silently mouthed the word. He scowled, then looked straight ahead. He was ignoring her? She fumed. Just wait until we’re alone, catman. I want answers. That’s the second time someone has used the “mate” word around me. You’ll explain, and you’ll tell me why you still sleep with your sister. Dammit.
He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. No matter how hard she tried to hold on to her anger, it faded. How could she be angry at him when everything felt so right when she was with him? She was on a spaceship surrounded by aliens, yet she felt as if she belonged there.
They passed several crewmembers along the way. Each one seemed overjoyed to see their captain, and they all congratulated him. It was obvious how much they liked and respected him. Most of the females took the time to acknowledge her with their enthusiastic greetings. She made a mental note to ask him about Salla and the mate thing. It was important for them to clear the air and come to an understanding about all their differences. No more misunderstandings or miscommunications, she vowed. As soon as they were alone, they’d settle everything. There was one major problem. The strong arm around her waist was attached to a very wayward hand. It rested flat beneath her breast and occasionally wandered upward, then down to the curve of her hip. It spiked her desire with each stroke. Later.
She was so focused on controlling her attraction to him she hardly noticed the passing scenery. After an unexpectedly thrilling elevator ride that she thought should have included a warning sign, they arrived at Vren’s door. It opened once he tapped a few buttons on a side panel. She stepped across the threshold.
A whooshing noise came from behind her. It startled her until she realized it was the sound of the door closing. The room had been semi-dark, lit only from the lights in the corridor, and she hadn’t been able to see very much. Now it was even darker.
A familiar form pressed against her. She automatically leaned back and relaxed into the warm and welcoming presence. He gently gripped her upper arms and held on, keeping her in place.
“Lights!”
His authoritative order brought immediate results. The room brightened until she could easily see the interior and all it had to offer. It looked to be a small office, complete with desk furniture and computer-like hardware. Bethany was more than a little surprised. She’d expected something more apartment-like, not a small workspace.
“Your quarters?”
“This is my private office. The living quarters are just beyond.” He led her to a closed door on the far side of the room. It slid open at their approach. “This is the area we’ll share. I believe it’s similar to what you call a living room. I rarely use it.”
Bethany knew her mouth must have hung open at the sight. It wasn’t a super large room, by any means, but the furnishings came as a complete surprise. There were no cushiony loungers or couches with pillowed backs to snuggle into. Instead, the furniture seemed cold and unwelcoming. No wonder he doesn’t spend much time here.
She counted four extra-large chairs. All had thick padded seats. However, the backrests were attached to a single narrow support, which left a gap between the seat and back. The design suddenly made sense. D’Lyrians needed an opening for their tails, otherwise they’d be sitting on them. A few narrow side tables were placed strategically around the room. The overall style was impossible to categorize since the design and embellishments bore no resemblance to anything she’d ever seen. They were definitely alien. The walls were decorated to match.
She stepped inside, then turned to look at him. “The furniture doesn’t look very comfortable.”
He tilted his head and shrugged. “We’re only able to sit in the chairs your kind favor for a short time before we must stand.” He turned sideways and looked down, which brought her attention to his tail. It whipped back and forth, striking against his lower legs.
Okay, she could understand that, but on further exploration she came across something that looked entirely out of place. Tucked away into a spacious alcove near the back of the living area was a strange-looking piece. It reminded her of an antique fainting couch, except the seat was split in half, lengthwise. A gap, about two inches wide and several feet long separated the two halves. At one end a wooden framed leaning support swept upward into a large outward curve that went too high to be of any practical use that she could imagine. There was an overall utilitarian look about the object. She leaned over to touch one of the cushions. It felt ultra-soft beneath her palm. She stroked the surface before she looked at Vren for an explanation. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other in an uneasy manner. Bethany raised her brows in question.
He let out an impatient sounding growl. “It’s a coupling bench.”
Bethany gasped. “A what?”
A closer look at him made her wish she’d never asked. His eyes seemed to have changed to a darker shade of green and the tip of his tail twitched from side to side. His overall expression screamed sexual hunger and his stance had turned predatory. All of it was aimed at her.
“Come here, Bethany.” He growled.
The harsh tone sent an uneasy chill down her spine. She obeyed without question and quickly closed the distance between them, but stopped short of his reach.
“I didn’t mean to make you angry. I was just curious,” she said in apology.
“I’m not angry.” He bowed his head and drew in a couple deep breaths. Much to her relief, when he looked up he seemed much calmer and in control. “You touched it. Normally, if a female does that she’s inviting a male to couple. I want you, Bethany, more than anything else I’ve ever desired, but I think you need to know more about my kind before we use that.” He gestured for her to take a seat on one of the chairs.
Oh, crap.
Bethany chose one and sat. He took a seat directly opposite. She couldn’t help but wonder if the living room area was off-limits for sex too. If so, it’d be a shame, since the floor felt entirely different from anything she’d ever walked across on Earth. It was soft and comfortable beneath her feet. A few throw pillows, blankets and a bottle of wine… The rumbling purr that came from him put an instant halt to her thigh-clenching train of thought.
“Please, mate. The scent of your arousal destroys my ability to think straight.”
“Sorry,” she murmured and dropped her gaze to the floor. Near silence filled the room. The only sound came from the tip of his tail as it thumped against the floor behind his chair. Okay, she thought. He wanted to talk. She had questions. “Why do you and some of the others call me that?
“Call you what?”
“Mate. I heard some of your crewmembers say it too.” She lifted her chin to look at him.
He leaned over and took one of her hands. He gave it a slight squeeze and held on as if he never wanted to let it go.
“We’re mates, Bethany. You and I. My people know because they detect the change in my scent, and they smell how yours has mingled with mine.”
“We stink?” Astonished and more than a little disgusted, she tried to pull away, but his grip tightened. He smiled and shook his head.
“Of course not,” he said with an indulgent-sounding laugh. “We search our whole lives to find our mates. My people
are very happy for me and you. They expect us to celebrate.”
“Is that why you said I was yours?”
He seemed perplexed for a moment, but then slowly nodded as if remembering. “Yes. When I came back for you, I told you that you were mine.” His expression changed. His eyes narrowed, not in anger, but in worry. “Please forgive me, Bethany.” His gruff voice came out clearly laced with panic as he searched her face.
“For what?” Bethany didn’t have a clue about why he might be upset.
“I shouldn’t have left with Morshant. I should’ve stayed and protected you. The human males—”
“Stop!” She clasped the large hand that held her other one and dug her nails into his skin. “If you’d stayed, you’d be dead for sure. Caleb and his men would’ve only shot you sooner. He wanted to kill you. I know you left because you had to. I understand. There’s nothing to forgive. You came back for me and then took three bullets to protect me. I should be the one asking you for forgiveness.”
He snarled. “Never! I’ll always protect you, Bethany. You’re the one I’ve been searching for. I’ll gladly give my life to save yours.” He pulled her toward him.
Suddenly, Bethany found herself straddling his lap. He crushed her to his chest, and their lips met in a frantic kiss. As far as she was concerned, it was long overdue. She arched her back to press closer. To her dismay, he slid his mouth from hers and leaned away, putting some distance between them. He groaned and shook his head.
“We should talk first. If not, I’ll take you to the coupling bench.”
Bethany grabbed his face and threaded her fingers into his hair. “Why can’t we talk after?” She ached for him to take her there. Anywhere he wanted would’ve been fine with her at that moment.
He shot to his feet, easily lifting her. He kissed her as he carried her to the alcove. She clung to him as their tongues entwined. Pleasure and yearning collided within her. They were together, and it was all that mattered. She moaned in protest as he broke contact to lower her feet to the floor. He reached for the waist closure of her alien robe and gave it a tug. It opened. He grabbed the collar and parted it completely. A soft growl came from him as he paused to stare at her. She caught a brief flicker of raw animalistic desire in his expression, so much so it was almost frightening.