“Oh!” Her eyes widened and her body froze.
“What’s wrong? Am I hurting you?” Horrified, he started to pull out, but she put her hand over his.
“It’s not pain. It’s hot and exciting and I want more.”
“Then that is what you will have, my aria.”
Despite her eagerness, he took his time, pumping a single digit in and out until she softened, then coating a second finger and stretching her further. She still felt impossibly tight, but when she tugged impatiently at his shoulders, he could resist no longer.
His mate needed him.
He knelt over her, lifting her hips so that his kotra aligned with her entrance. The dark purple shaft looked far too large for her small body, but as he slowly pressed forward, her soft pink folds flowered open around him. The lingering warmth of the healing lotion mixed with her own natural sweetness, helping to ease his path, but he still had to work his way inside an inch at a time. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from where their bodies came together, where his thick shaft gradually penetrated her perfect body, until at last she had taken all of him.
His ring already throbbed eagerly, and when he looked up and saw her watching him, he lost his last shred of self-control. He growled and began to thrust, no longer slow, no longer patient, but she met each stroke, her soft cries urging him on. Her channel tightened even further and an electric spark raced down his spine as his seed erupted in hot, shuddering pulses. His ring expanded, locking them together as he collapsed, barely remembering to keep his weight off of her small body.
As soon as he regained his breath, he carefully rolled them over so he could cradle her in his arms. Her soft breasts pressed against his chest as he stroked her back, the bare skin impossibly smooth beneath his touch.
“Are you all right, my aria? I was not too rough?”
She raised her head and smiled at him, the movement sending a shock of pleasure through their still joined bodies.
“You were perfect.” A shadow briefly crossed her face, but then she pressed a quick kiss to his chest. “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
“Or I you.”
His hand drifted lower, first cupping the lush swell of her ass, then teasing the small crevice between her cheeks. She wiggled into his touch.
“Are you ready for more?” she asked, her voice low and sultry.
“Your body is fragile.” The words were for his benefit as much as hers. He had to remember how delicate she was.
“And your healing lotion is remarkably effective. You should buy stock in that stuff.”
“Buy stock?”
“I mean invest in it.” She grinned at him. “I suspect we’ll be using a lot of it in the future.”
His heart soared. His female was happy and smiling in his arms and she was talking about their future.
“I shall purchase it by the case,” he promised her, already searching for the small pearl that triggered her desire.
When satisfaction—and exhaustion—finally brought their lovemaking to a conclusion, they curled together in the small bunk and watched the stars trickle past outside their window.
“It was fascinating to hear about all the different planets,” Isabel said softly. “I never realized how varied life could be. We’re so used to thinking of Earth as the center of the universe.”
“I’m sorry that you cannot show me your planet,” he said truthfully. If she had wished to return, he would have accompanied her, no matter how primitive life there would have been. “I would have liked to have met your family. I know they will miss you.”
Her body stiffened and she looked away from him. “No, they won’t. It was only me and my father and he couldn’t have cared less.”
“I do not understand. Did something happen which caused an estrangement between the two of you?”
“The fact that I was born?” she asked, bitterness filling her voice. “My mother died giving birth to me, and my father never cared for me. Maybe it was because he blamed me.”
“But that wasn’t your fault.”
“I know,” she said, but she didn’t seem to believe her own words. She shrugged, but it was not a casual gesture. “It might not have been because of her death. Maybe he just never wanted to be a father.”
Not want to be a father? He could not conceive of such a thing. Hothians valued children as the precious gift they were. Even when his father had been devastated by the loss of his first mate and chose to hide away inside their cave, he had always had time for Baralt and his brother. Although, he remembered, after his father’s second mate had died, his father had just seemed to give up, and Baralt’s half-sister had spent her time with her mother’s family. But Isabel hadn’t had anyone.
“Did he mistreat you?” he growled.
“Not exactly. It was more that he was… indifferent. When I was little it was small things, like not showing up for school events or forgetting to pick me up for hours at a time. Then once he’d decided I could take care of myself, he was literally never there. I would go two or three days without seeing him.”
Her voice was flat, but he could hear the echo of a frightened child. If they ever found the location of her home planet, he would be tempted to teach her pathetic excuse for a father a painful lesson.
“I will never leave you, my aria,” he promised.
“You couldn’t go far on this ship anyway,” she said lightly, but her dark eyes still looked haunted.
He suspected that it would take more than his words before she believed him, so he let the matter drop for now and smiled at her. “Tell me more about your planet and these mysterious yetis of yours.”
Chapter Eighteen
“This is Hothrest?” Isabel asked doubtfully as she stared out of their window at the frozen expanse extending from the far side of the small spaceport.
“It is,” he said, following her gaze. He had never thought to return—had never thought he would want to return—but the familiar sight caused an unexpected ache in his chest. He knew every inch of his surroundings, of the tundra stretching to the base of the first ridge of mountains, of the mountains themselves, rising tall and craggy against the pale sky.
They had landed just after dawn, which would allow sufficient time to reach the caves of his tribe before nightfall. A few snowflakes drifted down in front of the window, but he didn’t detect the signs of an approaching storm.
“I’m going to need some more clothes. Kamat’s hand-me-downs aren’t going to keep me warm.”
The worry in her voice caught his attention. “Are you sorry that we came here? I can try and find an alternative, but I think this is the best place to avoid anyone that Relkhei may send after us.”
She immediately shook her head and smiled up at him. “No, it’s fine. Really. It’s just that where I lived never had much in the way of winter weather, and this is all a little overwhelming. But beautiful,” she added hastily.
Beautiful? He considered the landscape again. It had always just been home to him, but after his time away, he could recognize the stark beauty of the icy landscape.
“I’m glad you do not find it unappealing. I think it would be best if you wait here while I go into the port and procure additional clothing for you.”
“What port?” She gestured out at the emptiness surrounding them, and he laughed.
“It’s on the other side of the ship. Come. I will show you.”
He held out his hand, but to his surprise, she hesitated. His heart rate increased. Was she already regretting her decision, despite her reassuring words? “What is wrong, my aria?”
“Nothing. It’s just that I feel as if once we leave this cabin, things are going to change. And I—I have enjoyed the trip.”
The tinge of pink that indicated embarrassment rose to her cheeks. Abandoning his timeline, he lifted her into his arms so that they were face-to-face.
“I, too, have enjoyed this trip and our time together.” Should he say more? Should he tell her how much it had m
eant to him? Perhaps even ask her to stay with him always? She had said nothing to indicate that she felt the same way even though she came eagerly into his arms every night. In the end, he settled for the simple truth. “We will still be together.”
The small crease between her brows disappeared, and she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. He was unable to resist returning the kiss, parting her lips to explore the delicious, tantalizing warmth of her mouth. His kotra inevitably responded to the taste and feel of her, and it wasn’t until he realized that his erection was nuzzling at her entrance that he thought to hold back.
“I’m sorry, my aria. I did not mean to get carried away.”
She wiggled teasingly across the head of his kotra. “I don’t mind.”
He knew he should get going, but with his female warm and fragrant in his arms, his desire threatened to overrule his discipline. Just as he felt the first kiss of her deliciously wet cunt, the door alarm sounded.
“Time to get going. I don’t want to be stuck in this hellhole any longer than necessary.” Despite Captain Glasach’s jovial tone, he heard the underlying note of concern. It was certainly possible that Relkhei already had someone on their trail, and it would be better for the ship if it had already departed. With a reluctant groan, he gently lowered Isabel to the ground and forced his unwilling shaft back into his sheath.
“I apologize again,” he said softly.
“Don’t apologize. Captain Glasach is right—we should get going.”
He hated that the worried look had returned to her beautiful face, but all he could do was proceed with the plan as quickly as possible.
“Have Kamat show you Port Eyeja from the lounge. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
She nodded, and he brushed one last quick kiss across her lips as he headed for the door.
“I’m going to get suitable clothing for Isabel,” he told Captain Glasach, who was still standing outside the door, looking amused. “I’ll be back as quickly as possible.”
“Good. Time the two of you were off my ship.” She grinned, then said softly, “Don’t worry. She’ll be safe with me until you return.”
“I know. Thank you.” He clasped her shoulder briefly before heading for the landing ramp.
If the view from the window had brought back memories, stepping outside into the frigid air had an even stronger impact. He caught the scent of snow, a storm far off in the distance, and the heavy tang of the sarlag dung smoke that hung over the small town. More alien scents also filled the air, those bringing back a rush of unpleasant memories from his last visit. He longed to turn away from the port and head straight into the icy hills, but Isabel needed assistance to face the frigid temperatures. A brief gust of wind swirled around his shoulders, surprisingly cold, and he realized that even his natural adaptation to the environment had been weakened by his time away. Perhaps he too would require additional supplies.
Walking briskly away from the ship, he headed into the warren of narrow streets that surrounded the landing field. He avoided the places with which he was familiar and chose the first open merchant.
“I require suitable clothing,” he announced as a small Oolong came scurrying over, rubbing his hands together anxiously.
“Clothing? I thought Hothians did not believe in external protection.”
The words brought home to him how much he had changed, and he immediately abandoned the idea of supplies for himself. A warrior did not show weakness. He would adapt soon enough.
“It is for another,” he said quickly. “A young…male of a different species.”
“Ah, I see.” The merchant shot him a speculative look but didn’t ask any additional questions as he led Baralt over to a display of outerwear. There wasn’t a huge selection, but he chose a heavy cloak woven from sarlag fur and matching boots lined with their wool. The selection of inner garments was even more limited, but he picked out two sets of clothing in a dark synthetic fabric, then bought an additional set in a deep-red pattern that would accent Isabel’s golden complexion. The merchant looked startled but didn’t comment as he wrapped up the items.
“It’s nice to see one of you in town again,” the male said as he rang up the purchase.
“Again?” Had the tribe relaxed their stance on interaction with the port, even after his disastrous previous attempt?
The shopkeeper shook his head. “After that business at Chotgor’s, I didn’t think that any of you Hothians would return.”
What business at Chotgor’s? The name sounded vaguely familiar, and he finally identified it as belonging to a well-known fight master who dealt mainly in slaves. What had he been doing on Hothrest? He longed to ask more questions, but he didn’t want to reveal his ignorance and give the merchant more reason to question him.
He shrugged. “Things change.”
“Well, I’m glad they do. Port Eyeja isn’t the same without you. And of course, I always hoped you would open up more of the planet.”
“Why?”
The male looked a little startled. “It’s a beautiful place if you don’t mind the cold.” He gestured down at his own fur with a grin. “And obviously, I don’t mind. Plus, I’ve heard rumors about some of the wonders of the planet—the great water cave and the crystal springs.”
Baralt kept his face impassive, although it took considerable effort. Before he’d left, no one would ever have considered mentioning those places to an outsider. Had things changed after all? But then again, if no Hothians were currently in Port Eyeja, it couldn’t have changed very much.
“Thank you,” he said noncommittally as he picked up a package.
“You’re welcome. I hope to see you again.” The male gave him a friendly grin, then reached over to a display of scarves behind the counter. He picked out one in an intricate floral pattern of red and gray. “Here. For your…friend. No charge.”
Baralt almost refused, but there was no guile in the merchant’s face, and he could already envision Isabel wearing the scarf. He dipped his head.
“Thank you. I am sure that he will be most appreciative.”
He suspected that the other male was not remotely fooled by the pronoun, but they kept up the pretense.
Even though he was in a hurry to return to the ship, he chose a different path back, inspecting his surroundings curiously. Port Eyeja had grown considerably since he’d left, and just as in his time, he did not see any other Hothians on the street. But the shopkeeper’s words had indicated that was unusual. Had there been another tragedy?
The familiar feeling of guilt accompanied him back to the ship, but it was forgotten as soon as he saw Isabel waiting for him.
Chapter Nineteen
Izzie shivered as she followed in Baralt’s footsteps. It was not so much because she was cold—the clothing he had provided kept her toasty warm—but the utter silence of the frozen landscape. The only sound was the endless wind sweeping across the snow. She threw a quick look back over her shoulder, but the port was already out of sight, and no doubt Captain Glasach was long gone. There was no place she wanted to be other than with Baralt, but it was still disconcerting to realize she was stranded on this hostile-looking planet.
Well, not entirely hostile. It really did have a strange beauty all its own, but it was a very different one than she was used to seeing. They were crossing the frozen tundra, heading for a distant mountain range that Baralt had pointed out. The mountains did not seem to be getting any closer, and she wondered how long the journey would take. Baralt was in the lead, tramping down the snow to make it easier for her to walk, but it was still hard going. Running back and forth between the diner and her classes had not prepared her for this level of exercise, she thought ruefully.
She was too busy watching her feet and contemplating her lost life to avoid running into Baralt’s back when he came to a sudden halt in front of her.
“What’s the matter?” she whispered. With the emptiness surrounding them, she found herself hesitant to raise her voice
and disturb the vast quiet.
“Sarlags,” he replied, equally quietly. “If I can capture one, we can ride the rest of the way.”
Riding sounded awfully appealing, but what did he mean by “sarlag”?
“What’s a sarlag?”
“They are.”
He pointed a finger, but it took Izzie several minutes to realize that the white lumps of snow he was pointing to were actually animals. They bore a startling resemblance to white buffalo with their heavy, shaggy heads, but they had four enormous horns, and they were massive.
“You’re going to capture one of those?” she asked warily. “Are they domesticated?”
He flashed her that fierce grin. “Not exactly.”
He led her over to a mound of snow-covered boulders that looked remarkably similar to the animals he was about to hunt. “You wait here. Just in case they decide to stampede.”
“Stampede?”
But he was already gone.
After a brief hesitation, she peeked cautiously around the edge of the boulders, but even in that short amount of time, Baralt was almost halfway to the herd. His white fur blended in with the snowy surroundings to the point where he was almost invisible. Rather than making a direct approach, he was headed to the far side of the herd. She wondered why until she realized the wind was coming from the other direction. He was making sure that they didn’t detect his scent.
He prowled along the edge of the herd, still a reasonable distance away, then sprang into action, moving with incredible speed. If he had grown up here, no wonder he was so fast in the arena. She didn’t even have a chance to blink before he leaped up on one of the larger animals. It immediately bellowed, throwing its head back and swinging its horns wildly. The surrounding herd echoed the animal’s cries, moving restlessly as the beast under Baralt bucked furiously. But his hands were buried in its mane, and he stayed seated. She wasn’t sure from this distance, but he looked like he was grinning.
Izzie and the Icebeast: A Scifi Alien Romance (Alien Abduction Book 9) Page 11