The Beast's Chosen (Astral Heat Book 3)

by Hunter, Ashley

  Branton shook his head, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. What he was thinking was nonsense. Rahseal aliens only mated with their own kind. There had never been a report of Rahseals mating with anything other than their kind.

  It was impossible.

  He tried to chalk it up to eating something that sat wrong with him, but when the human walked out in the medic clothes, he knew it wasn’t the case—but still refused to believe it had been the mating burn.

  “Whatever you’ve been giving me has really helped take away the pain. I’m not turning into an alien, am I?” she asked. There was actual concern in her eyes.

  Branton chuckled, then started walking. He didn’t wait for her or make sure she was following—the less he looked at her, the better. Compared to the humans, their traditions were a little…archaic.

  Women had all of the training in healing caring for the wounded. Men did the fighting. Women were valued above all else and never to be put in danger. Men ran headfirst into the fray to protect the women. That was just how it worked.

  And as a medic was only female, they preferred leggings that clung to their legs, with a form-fitting tunic that reached just passed their butts. It helped with their range of motion, and kept them cool for when they came under stress.

  Seeing the human in that definitely didn’t help his stomach issues. The sensation of a knife plunging into his gut was not as intense, but still there nonetheless. This did not bode well for him.

  “You cannot turn into an alien because of the shots. They simply speed the healing process up.”

  “Yeah, I can tell,” she said. She walked by his side, and from the side of his eyes, he could see her probing her stomach and chest. “I don’t feel any pain right now.”

  He nodded his head to her. “Good. Now silence, please. Anyone who hears you speak will know what you are. Both you and I will be in trouble if that happens. Do you understand?”

  She nodded quickly.

  They through the halls of the infirmary, and Branton thought all was well, and that the human could pull off acting casual.

  But that was not the case. Since she wasn’t talking, she was basically spinning in circles to make sure they either weren’t being followed or seen.

  Even when he gave her a pointed look, she did not settle down.

  “Do you have a camera?” she whispered. “I would love to get pictures of this.”

  “I do not know what that is. Please, human. You need to act casual.” They were coming upon the exit of the infirmary. She had two seconds to get her wits about her, or he was going to take care of it for her.

  “I’m the queen of casual,” she said. By the tone of her voice, it was obvious that she was distracted still. Before the door opened for him, he sighed. Would he really have to make a scene of this?

  “Human,” he said, the warning clear in his voice.

  “Fine, fine.” Like she was trying to prepare herself, she shook her head and breathed sharply. “I’m ready. Let’s do this.”

  He took a step forward and the door opened—she didn’t follow. Instead, she hung back, her hands wringing in front of her. “Are you sure I won’t be noticed?”

  Rather than replying, he simply did the easiest thing he could think of to get her to behave. He put his arm over her shoulder and dragged her against him, walking quicker so that she was forced to pick up the pace.

  Thankfully, she got the hint this time. Going by the stiffness in her shoulders, she was too uncomfortable to speak.

  If only he was uncomfortable as well.

  No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t force himself to not enjoy having her flush against him.

  What was going on with him?

  Chapter Five

  “This is where you stay?”

  “For now. When we dock, all commanders are required to stay on board for any complications. After everything is settled, I am allowed to leave and go to my own vessel.” Branton entered his quarters after the earthling and shed his jacket as she looked around.

  Her eyes were wide and filled with wonder, not a single ounce of fear.

  His quarters were nothing like the infirmary. This was the one place besides his own military vessel that he could retreat to when he was not on Asiria. While the infirmary was bright, white, and sterile, his own quarters were warm.

  The walls were painted with tan as a base, with darker brown splotches painted randomly. The light in the room was a soft white glow, but the color of the walls made it slightly orange. His furniture coordinated with the walls, and the couch and end tables were modeled after earthling houses.

  On Asiria, everything of his had been metal and brass. It was easier to clean, and suited his needs better. He had not been home often anyway to put effort into his home. The Rainar fleet and his military vessel were more of a home than the planet.

  “You have your own spaceship?” She walked around the lounge room, touching everything she could.

  “Vessel,” he corrected, kneeling to unlace his boots. Now that they were docked, he could spend the rest of his night in his quarters…with the human female. He didn’t know how to feel about that.

  “But is it in space?”

  “For now, yes. Until I tell my pilot that I am ready to board.” He kicked the boots towards the door. Later he would worry about cleaning up. For now, he was exhausted and only wanted to lay down.

  “Nice,” she said quietly, still looking around, yet this time slower. Her gaze kept going back to him, but he ignored it. His kind were not modest in the least. The women could dress as they pleased, and it was common for the men to stay fully covered if they were warriors or commanders. Otherwise, their kind craved the cold and went shirtless more often than not.

  When he pulled the shirt over his head, her eyes went wide. Blue, wide eyes that made his jaw clench. She was not beautiful by their races standards, but for a human, she was quite attractive. She had long dirty blonde hair, and pale white skin.

  She was the exact opposite of what he was used to. For a Rahseal to be blonde was a genetic defect. To see someone so pale and unique in front of him was strange. All he wanted to do was watch her, and that in turn made him do the exact opposite.

  “I am going to retire for the night. I suggest you do the same. The more rest you have, the quicker you will heal. The bed is through those doors and to the left. Across from that room is the bathing area. If you need to relieve yourself, go there.”

  “Oh,” she said, obviously having expected more. More of what, he didn’t know. All he knew was that he had to lay down and get his mind off of her. Even the smallest thoughts of her were becoming a nuisance, he thought angrily.

  He should not care if she was scared of him or not, should not care if she was happy here or not. He should only care that she got healthy, answered his questions about her kind, and that she made it to her new home safely.

  “Where will you be sleeping?” she asked. He wished that for once, this human would take the hint and go to the bedroom, away from him. At least for now. He needed time to gather his thoughts.

  “Right here,” he said, gesturing to the reclining couch that was in the lounge. “Rest, human.”

  She seemed to hesitate, and then did something he didn’t expect. She sat on the couch. He crossed his arms over his chest, and sighed.

  “Human, I said for you to rest—in the other room.”

  “Oh, I know. But I just can’t see you fitting on this couch. And you saved me from getting killed,” she said, then added on with a mutter, “by your own people—but that’s beside the point. I owe you, and I wasn’t as appreciative as I should have been earlier. So you take the bed, and I can sleep on the couch. I’ll fit a lot better than you.”

  While he admired her sentiment, it also made him grunt. “Human. Bed. Now.”

  She shook her head.

  “You know I will make you.”

  The earthling shrugged. Was she testing him? Because Branton did not like to be tes
ted. Especially by a human, no matter how kind she appeared to be.

  “Human…”

  “You know,” she said, tapping her chin. “I am just realizing that you don’t know my name. Or I, yours.”

  “If I tell you mine, will you go to the bed?” he asked, hiding his exasperation. How did she find it in her to have so much attitude when he was not playing around? Were all humans like this? If so, he could understand why the LC wanted them all dead!

  “Maybe,” she said, shrugging again. He narrowed his eyes on her. He knew there was a chance she was bluffing, but he took it anyway.

  “I am called Branton. Now you retire. Go, human.”

  “You don’t want to know mine?” she asked, crossing her legs. The earthling was making herself comfortable! He growled, trying not to notice how nice her legs were. They were nice and thick, something a warrior would gladly grab… Branton growled again.

  “I do not want to play these games, human. Either you go to the damn bed, or I will make you.”

  The foolish human had the audacity to smile at him. Smile!

  “I’ve had enough of this.” He didn’t give her any more chances to listen. Instead, he bent down, slid an arm under her knees and one behind her back, and then carried her to the bed. She made a sound of frustration.

  “I was going to move eventually,” she said, pushing at his chest. Her hands were incredibly hot—almost as hot as the burning in his gut. He wanted to curse. She just had to push him!

  “Just be quiet,” he growled, wishing he could slap a hand over her mouth. He walked even quicker to the bedroom, storming through the open doors.

  “You know, I was down in that rubble for weeks. Without anyone to talk to. Can you really blame me?”

  “Yes. Now quiet.” Lord, she talked too much. He missed when she was terrified of him—at least then, she wasn’t so talkative and annoying! Although, he didn’t know if it was the talking that had him so annoyed, or the burning in his gut. Either way, he was frustrated, and she was not helping at all.

  “But I don’t want to be-”

  He dropped her on the bed—or tried to. She managed to wrap her arms around his neck before he dumped her, and he ended up going down with her.

  Something was not right with this, he thought, freezing above her. He had caught himself above her, and she was staring up at him with equal shock.

  “I didn’t mean for-”

  He covered her mouth with his hand.

  “Human, please be quiet. For just a second.” If he heard one more word out of her mouth, he couldn’t guarantee that it would be his hand stopping her from talking next.

  Maybe it was the fact that he hadn’t had a female underneath him in years. Maybe it was the fact that she had ample hips to grab. Or maybe it was the fact that her blonde hair, so long and golden, was there to be touched and ran through his fingers...

  “You are letting me go as soon as I’m better, right?” the human asked, her voice dropping an octave. He could literally smell the change in her body.

  Branton nodded. That’s all he could do. For whatever reason, he couldn’t speak.

  “You promise I won’t be killed here?”

  In answer to that, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. They were soft and warm, just like the rest of her body. Branton tangled one of his hands in her hair and held her firmly as he ravished her mouth, sliding his other hand under her hip.

  She willingly spread her legs for him, and he settled right above her. Like a fire had started between them, he stroked the flames. His hips gyrated against hers, his hand controlling her head. She moaned softly against his mouth, her arms twining around his neck.

  The burning in his gut slid down, lower. Almost instantly, he was ready for her—and he wanted her now. With a growl, he pulled back from their kiss and grabbed the collar of her shirt with both hands.

  “What are you—oh.” She moaned when he ripped it down the center, exposing her breasts. Desire shot through him at the site of her nearly bare body. With a groan, he did the same to her leggings. Her clothes had been so destroyed from the attack that he hadn’t bothered to keep anything.

  That meant she wore no underwear. Underneath that medic outfit, she had been naked—and now she was, all for him to view. He reached between them and adjusted himself, cursing mentally. He couldn’t take advantage of her like this. Not even twenty-four hours ago she had been attacked by his own kind. What made her want him now?

  He didn’t want to ask, but something compelled him to.

  “Human, I—“

  “Amber,” she interrupted, dragging her hands over his shoulders and down his chest, to the waist of his pants. “My name is Amber. Take these off.”

  “I need to-”

  “Take them off,” she growled. It was entirely too seductive. The female—Amber—leaned up to nip his jaw. “Now.”

  “Once I start,” he warned, “I will not stop. You will enjoy this,” he said, a promise. Yes, they would both enjoy this. He had a feeling she hadn’t done this with anyone in just as long a time as he.

  She nodded her head in agreement, then greedily reached for his jaw, pulling him down for another kiss. He enjoyed a woman who knew what she wanted, but at the same time, he wanted to be in charge of this.

  Using one hand to grab both of her wrists, he held them above her head and roughly kissed his way down her jaw, to her neck, clavical, and then the mound of her breast.

  When she sighed, arching her back and inviting him to take more, he took the invitation and covered her breast with his lips, flicking her nipple with his tongue. Amber wrapped her bare legs around his waist, trying to grind her hips against his.

  He groaned. He could feel the heat coming from her core—and he was foolish enough to have his pants still on. Branton hated to do it, but he pulled back, quickly shucking the pants.

  This time when she reached between them, she took him in her hand. Her eyes went wide and the flush that was already present on her chest and face grew even darker. As her hand stroked him, it was

  “Beautiful earthling, I want you. Now,” he said, groaning against her neck.

  “Then take me,” she said, her voice nothing but a gasp in his ear. He took her by the hips, holding her still even when she tried to push against him.

  He tried to hold the need off. Tried to make this last just a little longer. Branton traced his eyes over Amber’s face, enjoying how flushed her cheeks were, how her hair spread over the pillow in a tangled mess, and how her curvaceous body desperately tried to move against his, even though he held her still.

  It was entrancing. She was nothing he had ever seen before, and she enjoyed herself so freely with him. Most of the females of his kind were reserved in their passions. To have someone so free beneath him was intoxicating.

  And when she met his eyes, the silent begging apparent in her eyes, he couldn’t deny either of them. Holding her hips in place, he slammed home. He groaned, and she cried out.

  Just as quickly as he’d entered her, he started to pull back. “Did I hurt you?”

  “Oh, god, no. Don’t stop—don’t you dare stop,” she said, more than a plea than demand. He hid his grin against her neck, and slowly pushed back into her heat. The desire wound around the two of them even stronger than before. Moments ago, it had all been about connecting, about getting inside of her. Now that he was, he wanted to slow down, to ravish her as any male would for his woman.

  His woman.

  No, not his woman. But for now…he would not let that bother him. He slowly pumped inside of her, her cries of pleasure making it all the better. She matched his pace, wrapping her legs around his waist and holding him there.

  “This feels…so good. You feel so good,” she sighed, head falling back into the bed.

  He kissed along her jaw, leisurely letting their bodies dance together. “Not as good as you.”

  Amber wiggled under him, and their rhythm was disrupted. “I want to ride you. You’re going too slo
w!”

  “I’m going too slow?” He pulled back, only to slam back inside of her. He watched her eyes roll back in her head and he couldn’t stop his grin. Branton waited to do it again until she was smacking at his arm. When he slammed inside of her a second time, a deep moan came from her.

  “Yes… Too slow. Way too slow. Need it faster—oh, god, just like that.” He picked up the pace, just for her. He wanted to keep going slow, to make the pleasure last as long as possible—because he was sure after this, she would hate him for taking advantage of her, regardless of what she thought now.

  Amber clung to him, pushing her hips against his. The quicker he moved, the louder her cries became. The room was soundproof, so he wasn’t worried about anyone hearing them. Their mating was hard and quick, the exact opposite of what he wanted—but she was enjoying it, and that was all that mattered.

  He could feel her core start to tighten and convulse around him. His body started to react, a primal part of him that he’d never sensed coming to the forefront. Branton didn’t know what was happening, but he knew why—and the pleasure of it was too amazing for him to be concerned with.

  He’d never lost control of his arms before, but there was a first for everything. Before he could do anything to keep them hidden, they became visible and twined around his female, locking her against him. He buried his face in her neck and grazed his teeth over the delicate, pale flesh. Then, right when he felt his own release pique, he bit down.

  They clashed together, Branton grinding his hips down into hers until she was shaking underneath him, her body arched and still tense from the climax. He let go of her neck, quickly hiding his arms.

  He had never lost control of them during sex, and to do that with a human? Who didn’t understand his kind? Branton rolled away from her, onto his back, and let out all the pent-up air.

  “Your…your arms came out,” she said, still out of breath. She turned on her side to stare at him, wariness etched into her face. That wasn’t exactly what he wanted to see…