Zayne stepped into the room. “Everything is ready. If the women would like to see where they will be sleeping, I’ll be happy to show them the way.”
Cael stood and took the arm of one of the women. “I’ll take Lucie.”
Ghel frowned at him. “You think we would harm her in some way?”
Ariana decided to help, if she could. “Lucie is familiar with Cael. I’m sure she’ll be more at ease if he were to take her to her new quarters.”
Ghel glanced her way. “Well, I wouldn’t want her to feel ill at ease.”
As the women, and Cael, followed Ghel out of the room, Ariana snuggled close to Bane. They’d done it! They were off Keshpa, safe and sound. Of course, if anyone realized they’d all disappeared, they could search the skies and find the Lynten 12 easily enough. The sooner they were away from Keshpa’s orbit, the better. She didn’t know if she’d be able to completely relax until they reached Tarnan. A week felt like an eternity at the moment.
“Since you know where our room is, would you like to go lie down for a bit?” Bane asked. “We can put our things away and settle in.”
Ariana smiled. “You just want to get me alone, don’t you?”
Bane cupped her cheek and bent to kiss her gently on the lips. “Well, it has been several days since I’ve had the luxury of having you in my bed.”
“Our bed,” she corrected.
“Yes,” he agreed. “Our bed. I like the sound of that.”
He stood. Ariana picked up their bags and he lifted her into his arms. With her directions, he found their room and quickly closed the door. It seemed he was anxious to have her all to himself, and she couldn’t blame him. She felt the same way. She dropped their things on the floor as he walked across the room and settled her on the bed.
She watched as he quickly stripped out of his clothes, hastily tossing them to the floor. Ariana discarded her own clothes, adding them to the pile. She held her arms open, beckoning Bane to join her on the bed. His body slid against hers, the warmth of his skin seeping into her cool flesh. She slid her hands up his arms, her fingers curling around his biceps, feeling the firm skin and taut muscle. Her feet slid up his calves as her legs spread, her thighs opening on either side of his hips. Bane braced his weight on his hands as he leaned over her, his eyes staring into hers, leaving her drowning in his gaze. She swiped her tongue over her lower lip, and Bane groaned as his gaze dropped to track the motion.
His cock pulsed against her, as if begging for entry. She was certainly wet enough for him to slide right in and yet he didn’t. Why was he holding back? He had to know how desperately she wanted him, had to feel how ready she was for him. Did he need words? Should she tell him what she wanted?
“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?” he asked softly. “I don’t deserve a treasure like you, and yet you’re mine. How did I ever get so lucky?”
She smiled. “It wasn’t luck that brought us together, Bane. It was fate. I was destined to be with you from the very beginning. I’ve always been yours.”
“I need you, Ari. So very much.”
She tightened her legs around his hips. “Then take me.”
“You should be savored, not devoured whole.”
Her hand slid up his arm and into his hair, fisting it. “You can devour me anytime you want to, Bane. Kiss me. Take me. Show me that I’m yours. I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you.”
His mouth lowered to hers, his lips firm yet soft as they stroked, teased and nibbled. His tongue plunged into her mouth and she moaned, greedily kissing him back. Bane always tasted of cinnamon and other spices, like her favorite coffee on Earth. She felt his hips move as his cock slid up and down her pussy, gently bumping against her clit.
Wanting, no needing, to feel him fill her, she reached between their bodies and guided his cock inside of her. He pushed in slowly, and she felt herself stretch to accommodate him. He pulled his hips back and then inched forward again, easing his way inside of her.
“Gods, you’re so tight, Ari. I’m always afraid I’m going to hurt you.”
“You won’t,” she assured him. “Please, Bane. Take me!”
He fused his lips to hers again as he plunged inside of her, burying himself to the hilt. Ariana gripped his shoulders, her nails biting into his skin. She locked her ankles across his hard, sculpted ass, a part of him she’d have to explore later, and held on for the ride of her life. Bane released her lips and buried his face in the crook of her neck as he thrust in and out of her, each stroke longer, harder and deeper than the last. She felt his heart pounding against her and knew he couldn’t hang on for long. It had been too long since they’d been together. When it came to sex, days to a Keshpan felt more like months.
Bane pounded into her, driving her body into the soft mattress. She felt sweat slick his skin under her palms and her thighs as they slid against him with every push and pull. She felt her body tightening, her nipples so hard they were almost painful, and then he hit just the right spot and she shattered. Her pussy flooded as she cried out his name, holding onto him as wave after wave of pleasure rolled over her. Then she felt him coming inside of her and it triggered another orgasm, albeit a much smaller one. She lay beneath him, trembling and panting for breath.
Ariana eased the grip she had on his hips and placed her feet on the bed, leaving her thighs spread as his weight settled against her. Her fingers feathered through his hair, now soaked with sweat at the temples. He lifted his face to gaze into her eyes and what she saw there took her breath away. Love. It was so clear to see the love he felt for her.
“You’re my everything, Ari. I can’t imagine my life without you.”
She gave him a tender smile. “You’ll never have to. I want to be by your side for the rest of my life. I love you, Bane. So very much.”
“I love you, too.”
The COMM unit hummed. “I hate to interrupt, but the captain would like to see the two of you. Immediately.”
“We’ll be there in a few minutes,” Bane said.
Bane rose and helped Ariana to her feet. She reached for her clothes but he stopped her, instead tugging her toward the bathroom. It hadn’t grown any since her last time on board, and the space seemed even smaller with Bane in it.
He turned on the waterfall, the Tarnans’ version of a shower, and ushered her into the space. She wet her hair and quickly washed her body. When she was finished, Bane was holding out a towel for her. She wrapped her body in it while he got in to rinse off.
Once they were dried off and dressed, she led Bane through the corridors to the control room where she knew they would find the captain.
Sol turned when they entered and he smiled at them, his expression welcoming and friendly. “You’re probably wondering why I called you here,” Sol said. “I didn’t mean to disturb you, especially after Arko explained the two of you had been separated since you rescued Ariana from us.”
“So why did you call us?” Bane asked.
“Because there’s something you need to know. On Tarnan, the women are going to be coveted. That being said, if they aren’t mated to someone, the males on my planet are going to assume the women are… what’s that Earth term? Free game?”
“I don’t understand,” Ariana said. “What does that have to do with me and Bane?”
“Well, you might be together, but you aren’t mated,” Sol explained.
Bane stiffened at her side. “So you’re saying when we reach Tarnan the males will try to take Ariana from me?”
“Well… unless the two of you wish to be mated.” Sol looked at them expectantly.
“You can do that for us?” she asked in surprise.
Sol smiled. “Of course I can. I’m the captain. Now, understand, this isn’t going to be your Keshpan bonding ceremony. It will be a Tarnan mating ceremony, which is quite a bit different.”
Ariana looked up at Bane. “You said you loved me, that you wanted me by your side always. Did you mean it?”
�
�Of course I did, beloved. There’s nothing I want more than to make you mine in the eyes of the gods and everyone.”
She looked back at Sol. “We’ll do it.”
Sol motioned to someone behind them and Ariana looked over her shoulder, surprised to see Arko and Dar standing there.
“I called your brothers, thinking you would agree to the ceremony,” Sol explained. “Now that we have witnesses, we may begin.”
Sol walked over to a table along the wall and opened an ornate chest trimmed in what looked like gold. He withdrew a silver dagger encrusted with gems and rejoined them. “This,” he said, “is a ceremonial dagger from Tarnan. I hope the two of you aren’t squeamish when it comes to blood.”
“Blood?” Ariana questioned.
“The Tarnan mating ceremony is a blood bond. Are you ready to begin?”
She nodded.
“I apologize in advance if you can’t understand the words of the ceremony. It’s in our ancient language and your translator isn’t equipped to handle the dialect,” Sol said.
“Degi rama sorientay. Exi sisri amoria.”
He took Bane’s arm and made a cut over his wrist, then took Ariana’s and did the same.
“Kepa noste amoria. Leepri sarnum gretu orlea.”
He pressed their wrists together and bound them with a silken rope. Ariana had no idea where he’d gotten the rope as she hadn’t seen him pick it up.
“Initra gae raiy koro frietze.”
He smiled. “You may kiss your bride, Bane. You’re officially mated.”
Bane smiled down at her before softly pressing his lips to hers. She curled her free hand around the back of his neck and pressed her body close to his.
A throat cleared and they broke apart. “Maybe you should take this celebration back to your room?” Dar suggested with a raised brow.
Bane smiled. “I can’t think of anything I’d like more.”
“Don’t untie the rope until after your first time together as a mated couple,” Sol said. “After that, you may keep it if you wish.”
Arko stepped forward and kissed Ariana’s cheek. “Welcome to the family.”
She smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
Sol placed a hand on her shoulder. “May you find much happiness with your chosen mate, Ariana. You will be a welcome addition on Tarnan, both you and Bane.”
Ariana wasn’t sure how he managed it with their hands still tied together, but Bane somehow lifted her into his arms and began striding down the corridor toward their quarters. Once they were inside, he let her slide down his body until her feet touched the floor.
“It seems the mating ceremony isn’t complete until I take you again,” he told her. “But I don’t want to make you sore.”
“You won’t, Bane. Not if you go slow and easy. I’m a little tender, but I can handle it.”
He frowned down at their hands. “I can’t even undress us with this thing knotted around our hands.”
Ariana turned until her back was against the wall and began lifting the hem of her dress. “Then I guess we won’t take them off.”
A heated look entered his eyes as he unfastened his pants and shoved them down. His cock sprang free and she took it in her hand, folding her fingers around his steely length. His skin was velvety smooth.
“Wrap your legs around my waist,” he said, his voice deep and husky.
She did as he bade, bracing her free hand on his shoulder. Bane slid into her wet heat, taking his time. He pinned their joined hands to the wall as he began thrusting in and out of her. His body held her in place, her breasts crushed against the hard planes of his chest.
“Faster, Bane,” she whispered. “Harder.”
With a growl, he did as she asked, fucking her relentlessly. She knew she’d told him to be gentle, but she liked it when he was a little wild and reckless. The slide and retreat of his cock was pushing her closer and closer to the edge. She fisted his hair in her hand as she kissed him hungrily.
He plunged into her harder and deeper, and then they both were coming. Her thighs were wet from their combined climaxes, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was Bane and that he was now hers for eternity.
Bane pulled back and eased her to the floor. “Was I too rough?”
She shook her head. “I loved it. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He brushed a hand over her stomach. “And one day, I’ll love the child we create together.”
Ariana smiled up at him. “Maybe we created one today.”
Bane kissed her softly. “What’s that Earth saying you have? Practice makes perfect?”
She laughed. “I think I need a slight break and maybe some food before we ‘practice’ any more today.”
“Then I’ll just have to make sure I take good care of you.” He untied their hands and dropped the rope on top of their bags. “Come on, beloved. I think it’s time to see if we both fit in that shower.”
Ariana wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her into his embrace and carried her across the room. She’d never been happier in her life. She had the love of a wonderful man, and now she could claim him as her own. What would tomorrow bring? She couldn’t wait to find out. They were starting a new chapter in their lives, and anything was possible.
Jessica Coulter Smith
Jessica lives in a world where warlocks, shapeshifters and fairies exist, and everyone deserves a happy ending -- from tragic vampires finally finding love after centuries of being alone, to super hunky womanizing werewolves finding their destined mate -- it’s all in a day’s work.
Unable to find a werewolf of her very own, she decided to marry someone who thinks he’s one -- minus howling at the full moon, fleas, and a rousing game of chase-the-mailman. Okay, so he sometimes howls at the full moon.
When she isn’t writing, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, reading (mostly romance), or going to the beach. She’s especially fond of bookstores and Starbucks! Jessica loves to hear from her fans! You may email her at [email protected] or visit her at her website: http://www.jessicacoultersmith.com.
Visit changelingpress.com/author.php?uid=144 for more titles by Jessica!
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