by S. E. Smith
Chapter 9
Kelan looked down on the sleeping form of his mate. One of Trisha’s arms was thrown up above her head and the other laid across her stomach. Her long curly hair was all over the place, spread out in abandon across the pillows of his bed. Kelan felt a shaft of desire rock him making him hard again. Shaking his head, he wondered if it would always be like this when he looked at his mate. They made love on and off until the pale light of dawn began to lighten the sky. Kelan gave an order to his symbiosis to check Trisha over again and protect her while he was gone.
He couldn’t suppress the grin at the memory of her squeals last night when he commanded his symbiosis to check her the first time. Kelan carried Trisha into the cleansing room to bathe her. She was so exhausted that she was barely awake when he lowered her into the bathing pool. Kelan was concerned about all the changes that were occurring inside her, especially after knowing the damage she had sustained previously. When his symbiosis moved over her body, especially between her legs, she woke up with a squeal and started fighting him. That led to another round of loving making in the bathing pool. Kelan made a note to do that more often. It was the first time he ever made love in one but it would definitely not be the last, he thought with a satisfied grin.
As Kelan thought back to his symbiosis care of Trisha he let out a curse. He still did not know what happened to her. It would be the first thing he found out when he returned. He was already doing a poor job of caring for his mate, he thought in disgust. Shaking his head, he forced himself to leave their sleeping area. He needed to check in with his brothers. The report of Trelon’s mate being harmed at the dinner he and Trisha missed last night needed to be dealt with. If whoever took Zoran was now targeting their mates, he needed to know everything. He would do whatever was necessary to protect his mate. Kelan’s dragon snarled in agreement. Our mate, protect our mate always. It growled fiercely.
Kelan nodded to the guards stationed outside of his rooms. Between them and his symbiosis, Trisha would be safe. He moved quickly through the corridors to the conference room. Opening the door, he saw Creon, Zoran, and Mandra already there. He nodded to them as he walked over to a small table set up with beverages and food.
“Do you know anything about what happened last night?” Kelan asked as he filled up a plate of food and poured himself a drink. Mating was hard work, he thought with a hidden grin, he would need to keep his energy up if he was to satisfy his mate.
Mandra looked at Kelan with a raised eyebrow. “Talking about last night, where were you? I did not see you or the female named Trisha there.”
Kelan grinned as he moved to sit down in a chair near the windows. “We were detained.”
Creon looked at Kelan with a scowl. “I’m glad someone was entertained.”
Kelan laughed as he took a bite out of a piece of fruit before responding. “I take it the female named Carmen did not attend either? If she had, most of our male guests would have ended up in medical. I would have returned her and the one named Ariel to their planet if I could have.”
Both Mandra and Creon surged to their feet in aggravation. Zoran, realizing Kelan was about to get his ass kicked by not one but two of his older brothers decided it was time to get back to business. He was just about to begin when Trelon slammed into the conference room.
“How is she?” Zoran asked quietly, looking with concern at Trelon’s haggard face.
Trelon ran his hands through his hair in aggravation. “She is still sleeping. The healer has said she should heal completely. I can feel her dragon, but she is very weak. There was enough poison in Cara to kill a full grown warrior. Cara is less than half our size. Why? Why would anyone want to harm someone so beautiful?” Trelon asked sinking down into a chair next to Mandra. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at the floor.
Kelan felt for his brother. He shuddered at the thought of anything happening to Trisha. As his true mate, he would do anything to protect and care for her. He would not stop until the person who harmed her was dead and no longer a threat.
“Do we know for sure she was the target? Could it be related to the Curizans’ attack?” Zoran asked impatiently as he moved back around the table to sit down.
Trelon shook his head, responding in a tired voice. “She is the only one who was poisoned. We cannot even be sure how she was poisoned until she wakes so we can ask her what happened. Why was she so far away from the dining area? What did she eat or drink? Could she have been poisoned some other way?”
“Creon, what have you found out so far?” Zoran asked.
Kelan knew Creon was upset that the mate of one of his brothers was harmed. He knew Creon enough to know he would take an attack on one of their females personal since it happened in the sanctuary of their home. Creon was the darkest out of all five brothers having seen and done things during the three wars none of the others knew about until it was over. He risked his life over and over on many occasions for the Valdier people. It was because of those risks the wars had finally ended. Still, if there was information out there, Creon would know about anything and everything that went on around the palace since last night. He probably even knew about Kelan’s claim on Trisha as it was happening. That thought brought up his mate. He wanted to know if she could be in danger.
Creon responded in a tightly controlled voice. “There appears to be more behind your capture than we suspected. I don’t have enough information yet to give you the answers you are seeking. I am looking into some new Intel I’ve received from some of my sources. Once I have confirmed they are valid, I can give you more information.”
“Well, that was a great way to tell us absolutely nothing. Thanks, Creon.” Kelan growled out sarcastically as his own frustration came to a head. Creon could be a tight-lipped son-of-a-bitch when trying to get information out of him. He wanted to know if Trisha could be in the same danger as Trelon’s mate.
“Anytime, brother.” Creon said giving Kelan a rude flick of his middle finger.
Mandra chuckled. “Creative, brother. Where did you learn that symbol?”
Creon grinned in amusement. “The human female Carmen seems to have a passionate use for it around me. Abby explained what it meant.” Creon turned to Kelan with a twisted grin on his face. “It is not meant as a compliment.”
Kelan growled. “I know exactly what it means. Trisha has used it more than once on me.”
During the first few days on board the V’ager, Trisha would use the symbol whenever he refused to take her back to her home planet and then tried to order her to let him into his living quarters. He finally asked Trisha what the gesture meant. He was livid at first but soon began to see the humor of it. He began to think of creative ways she could ‘fuck him’. Kelan bit back a curse as a wave of desire flooded through him causing his cock to harden again. Just the thought of her was enough to fill him with need.
Kelan forced his mind back on what his brothers were discussing. Zoran went over areas of concern, plans for tightening security in the palace, and some of the day-to-day running that fell on the shoulders of the royal house before calling the meeting to an end.
Trisha came awake slowly, her body relaxed from a sound sleep. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes before rolling over onto her side and looking out the windows. The sun was high in the sky telling her it was late morning. She curled an arm under her head and just laid there looking at the clouds as they danced across the bright sky. She shivered as she thought back to last night. What was she thinking? Trisha grimaced. Obviously, I wasn’t, she thought in disgust. Tremors rocked her as she thought of all the ways and all the number of times they had made love. Trisha rolled onto her back and closed her eyes as a sweet ripple of desire went through her at the memories. Damn! She was getting wet again just thinking about it.
Trisha groaned out loud as she forced herself to get up. She needed a shower, some food, and a new strategy for getting home because the saying ‘Resistance is futile’ was definitely in f
ull force whenever she was around Kelan. She had absolutely no will-power around him, she thought in disgust.
Trisha glanced at the end of the bed where Bio was lounging in a shaft of sunlight. “You were absolutely no help last night, do you know that? What happened to helping keep him away from me?” Trisha asked sternly. Of course, she blew the effect when she bent over and gave the big, golden lump a hug and kiss on its snout.
Bio ran a silky, gold tongue over Trisha’s cheek in affection. “Oh, and by the way, I didn’t appreciate some of the moves you made on me last night! The thing between the legs…” Trisha wiggled her nose in distaste. “…Not happening again, is that clear?”
Bio just snickered and laid its huge golden head back down ignoring Trisha’s complaint. It would do anything to make sure she was cared for, whether she liked it or not. It was bound to her essence as much as it was to Kelan’s. Bio watched as Trisha walked into the cleansing room, a shimmer of color rippled over it as it sent warmth through the bands around Trisha’s arms and neck to let her know its feelings about her. Trisha peeked back out of the doorway and blew Bio a kiss.
Trisha smiled affectionately and whispered softly. “I love you too.”
Kelan returned to his living quarters as quickly as he could. He was concerned they did not know anything about what happened to Trelon’s mate except the type of poison used on her. It was a type commonly found on their planet so it was impossible to trace where it may have come from.
Kelan opened the door to his living quarters eager to see Trisha. He moved through the living area when he didn’t see her, striding towards their sleeping area concerned. Glancing around, he saw his symbiosis on the rumbled bed laying contently in the sunlight. Turning towards the cleansing area where he heard water, Kelan grinned and quickly began removing his clothing. Wicked thoughts of what they did in the bathing pool last night filled his mind. He wondered how creative they could get in the shower unit. By the time he reached the doorway, a long line of clothing laid on the floor.
Kelan paused at the door to the shower unit gazing with appreciation at his true mate. Her long, curly hair laid in heavy, wet strands down her back as she tilted her head back to raise it. Her eyes were closed and a tiny smile curved her luscious lips. Kelan shivered as he imagined what those lips would feel like wrapped around his hard length. He silently opened the door and stepped in.
“I know you’re there.” Trisha said softly without opening her eyes.
Kelan reached out and pulled Trisha’s wet body against his, lowering his head to brush a kiss against the dragon’s mark. He loved how responsive her body was to his. He let his lips trail up her jaw while his hands trailed down over her hips to the rounded curve of her ass. Her moan filled the cleansing unit.
“Kelan…” Trisha breathed out on another moan.
“You are well rested?” Kelan asked between the light kisses he was peppering along her jaw and throat.
Trisha answered him but reaching out and grabbing his throbbing cock in her hand and stroking it from the base to the tip and back again. She opened her eyes and smiled as she felt his surprised jerk and answering groan. She cupped his balls with her other hand massaging them gently while she let one finger stroke the underside of them behind his legs.
“What do you think?” She whispered gazing into his blazing eyes.
Kelan sealed his lips over hers in a hungry kiss. He pushed her up against the wall of the cleansing unit, lifting her so she was forced to wrap her long legs around his waist. He kissed her with a hunger that shook both of them. Trisha curled her arms around his neck tangling her fingers in his hair as she lifted up high enough to align his cock with her hot core. She locked her ankles tightly together forcing Kelan’s ass forward. When they were aligned, she slowly lowered herself down onto his hard shaft.
“Oh, God!” Trisha groaned out loud as Kelan stretched her. “That feels so good.”
Kelan’s answering groan filled the cleansing unit as he began moving his hips back and forth. This position forced Trisha to open wide for him and gave him the advantage of impaling her deeply with each thrust. Kelan gasped as he felt her silky canal stroking the length of his cock. Burying his head in her shoulder, he tightened his arms and thrust upward faster and faster as the intense need to feel her come around him grew.
“Trisha, mine.” Kelan muttered over and over as he thrust as deeply as he could go. Suddenly, he froze as his climax hit him. A groan left him as he began to shake as his hot seed poured out of him in intense waves.
The feel of Kelan’s cock pulsing, combined with the stimulation against her clit from where his cock stroked her again and again with each thrust, was enough to throw Trisha into her own orgasm. She gasped out Kelan’s name as she felt her pussy answer his claim on her. As she started to come down from the explosive feelings rippling through her, she let her arms lay loosely around Kelan’s neck while she rested her head against his shoulder.
“I think I love you.” Trisha whispered against his skin.
A shaft of fear went through her as soon as the words escaped her lips. She wanted to withdraw them but it was too late. She could tell from Kelan’s sudden stiffening that he heard her husky whisper. It terrified her because the last man she said that to didn’t return it. Trisha turned her head further into Kelan’s throat, pressing her burning eyes against him in an effort to hold back her tears.
Kelan closed his eyes as he absorbed Trisha’s softly spoken words. He could sense the fear behind them, as if she was afraid he would throw her declaration back in her face. He did not know what happened to her before on her planet but he was going to find out. He would not let her fear telling him how she felt. He loved her with every fiber of him being. We love her. Our mate. Our beautiful mate. Love our mate. Protect her. His dragon growled out softly.
Kelan leaned back and waved his hand to stop the cleansing unit. He kept his arms around Trisha, even when she tried to slide down him. He simply curled one arm around her waist tightly and the other one under her luscious ass preventing her from moving away from him. He stepped out of the shower and reached for two towels stacked neatly on the counter. He gently set Trisha down on the counter, stepping just far enough away so he could tilt her chin up until she was forced to look at him.
Kelan smiled tenderly as he looked into Trisha’s dark, chocolate eyes. “I love you too, mi elila. You are my heart, my life, the true mate of my dragon and myself.” Kelan said each word slowly, carefully, tenderly as he gently used one of the towels to dry the water from her hair and face. “Never doubt you mean everything to me.”
Trisha gazed into Kelan’s eyes. What she saw took her breath away. The depth of love, of longing in his eyes was clearly on display. Unlike Peter who swore he loved her but never really did, Kelan spoke words that she knew came from his heart. He was a warrior who was strong enough to admit how he felt.
“Tell me why you fear your love for me. Tell me who hurt you so badly.” Kelan asked quietly as he continued to dry Trisha’s soft skin.
Trisha nodded, biting her lower lip. Kelan’s mom, Morian, told her she should tell Kelan everything. Trisha looked down as she thought of everything that had happened in her life. Perhaps, this was fate’s way of preparing her for the odd twist it had taken. Trisha slid off the counter and looked up at Kelan before responding.
“Let’s get dressed and I’ll tell you everything.” Trisha said in a calm, quiet voice.
Chapter 10
Kelan watched Trisha as she dressed into a pair of loose fitting black trousers and a silky white blouse that tied in the front. She quickly braided her hair, tying it off with a black ribbon on the end. She didn’t bother with putting shoes on. He could tell she was lost in thought as he dressed just as quickly. He picked up his discarded clothes tossing them into the cleansing unit in the wall before following Trisha out into the living area. Trisha poured herself a cup of tea ignoring the food one of the servants had laid out on the buffet along the wall. He waited
until she was seated in the chair near the window before he poured himself a hot drink and came to sit down in the chair across from her.
“I told you about my mom and dad.” Trisha began softly looking out the window instead of at him. She seemed to have sensed Kelan’s nod because she continued. “My dad is the coolest guy I’ve ever met. He has this quiet strength about him that is just awesome.” Trisha said with a small smile curving her lips as she spoke of the man who meant so much to her. “By the time I was three or four he had me out in the woods with him. He was really patient showing me how to look for tracks, what plants were good to eat and which ones to avoid. He showed me all kinds of really cool things most people never learn about. He started his own business, Grove Wilderness Guides, so he could stay home with me.” Trisha paused to look at Kelan. She wanted him to understand how much her dad meant to her. She wanted him to understand why she needed to go home.
“I met Ariel when I was in kindergarten. That is the first year we start school. We became really close friends. Carmen started the next year and she just kind of got stuck with having two older sisters.” Trisha laughed softly as she thought of all the time and fun the three of them had over the years. “Mr. and Mrs. Hamm, Ariel and Carmen’s parents, became my home-away-from-home parents. Mrs. Hamm tried to teach me how to be a lady which wasn’t an easy task. They were killed in an automobile accident when Carmen was a senior in high school. Ariel and I were in college at the time and had decided to go into the Air Force after graduation in the hopes of making it into the Space program. Ariel didn’t make the cut but I did. I was always more physically active than Ariel and a little more on the adventuresome side. Ariel is the homebody of us three girls.” Trisha added before taking a drink of her cooling tea.