I inhaled deeply to stay calm. I responded in what I hoped was a mature way, “I had a mission, mom. I had to get it done. I promise you I didn’t recklessly jump in, I planned my actions carefully. Took every precaution.”
“Except you didn’t take the most important precaution of all, Del,” my mate rumbled behind me. “You should have told me what you were planning. I would have sent someone else.”
“I had no time,” I explained. “The Riders would have been suspicious if I left and someone else came down.”
“As it stands, my first officer, I have to somehow repair our relations with the Riders,” Quinn said.
“You see, Delbert. You have got to stop jumping first! You have to trust the crew to help you. They would if you’d just let them. Stop making them have to rescue you!” my mother said poking me hard in the chest.
I backed away, rubbing it. “I haven’t had to be rescued in a long time.”
“I think Quinn should forbid you from going on any more missions until you’ve learned you can’t always do things your way!”
Quinn came to my rescue before my mother started in again, “Let’s continue this in private. Thank you, Mila. I’ve got this.”
“I’d whack his bottom clean off!” My mother announced as Quinn guided me away from her.
Once we were in the hallway and out of her earshot Quinn stated, “I think you’re going to need to talk with her, Del. She seems very upset. We all were, of course but she’s your mother. She felt the worry just a little more keenly. You’ll understand when you are a father.”
----------
I waited nervously for Quinn to raise his voice, drag me over his knees. I knew it was what I deserved. I shifted onto the balls of my feet, bouncing and wondering when he’d do something. He sat on the edge of the bed, silently and just watching me squirm. Damn him.
“You’re angry,” I said finally, hating the quiet of the room.
“Mmm,” he replied. “Not really. Relieved you are alive, yes. It was a close call that time, my mate.”
I sat down on the bed next to Quinn, returning his gaze. Some grey hairs had taken residence at his temples, dark shadows had crept in under his eyes and he looked more tired and worn than ever before. Had I really been the primary cause of this change in my mate? I felt as big as an amoeba.
“Quinn, it was dangerous and I’m truly meaning this when I say I’m sorry. It must have frightened you. I remember what it was like almost losing you to the Nurrin. I never intended to make you feel that way.”
“I would be devastated if something were to happen to you and the babies,” Quinn said quietly. He caressed my face gently, smoothing my cheek with his rough thumb.
“I was doing so well,” I remarked, reflecting. “I was serious about what I said to my mom. I thought I was doing the right thing. Meeting the mission requirements.”
“Meeting the mission requirements is well and good, Del but not at the expense of your life. You’ve grown so much. That’s why I entrusted you with this mission and why your rash actions were such a shock for all of us. I must say, I’m disappointed, Del. I thought we were past this type of behavior,” Quinn said patiently.
He was disappointed with me, and that hurt far more than any spanking. As I fought to reconnect to our bond I ran a finger over his Captain’s insignia at the neckline of his uniform, a crescent underneath the usual three stars.
“It really hurts when you say you’re disappointed,” I whispered. “I don’t know what else to say but I’m sorry. I don’t want you to feel that you can’t trust me. I assure you, you can.”
“Tell me about the mission, Del. Tell me why you went off script.”
“You want a mission report?” I asked him. “Right now?”
“No, like a story. Not as my first officer but as Del Foster, my mate. If that makes sense,” He told me. He rested his head on top mine and for a moment we just breathed together as he held me. It helped me focus.
“The mission was to obtain DNA samples from the Q’ Deshian dragons so we could find a cure for the disease obliterating the New Earth species. The Riders though are stubborn and they wouldn’t listen to me,” I said. “I told them how important it was to get the DNA but they refused.”
“They are not stubborn, Del. They have their reasons I suspect. Go on.”
“They said no, so I had to do something. I didn’t want to fail at such an easy task, Quinn. I went for it.”
“Ah, that right there,” Quinn rumbled. “That is where you should have done what?”
“Verify a course of action with my captain,” I remarked automatically. Hindsight is 20/20.
“Yes,” he said. “You didn’t want to fail. You jumped to a course of action that left the rest of us out.”
“I wasn’t showing off,” I promised him.
He answered quickly, “I know you were not. You were saving the mission but didn’t include us in the equation. Had you told me your plans, I would have said no.”
“Yeah, I figured,” I said. “That’s why I didn’t ask.”
“But from now on, you will?” Quinn inquired.
I wiggled beneath him. This was the tricky part. Agreeing and meaning it were two different things. I owned up, “I’ll try. I don’t always remember to ask and if I don’t like the expected answer, I try to change your mind.”
Quinn chuckled lightly. “I know you hate no as an answer. But at least try, for me.”
I nodded.
He pushed me back softly, staring into my eyes. He said, “Not going to spank you for this. Don’t look so damn happy about it. I can change my mind. I think you tried hard to make a mature decision. It just backfired. I have another idea to help you remember to talk to me.”
I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. If not a spanking, then what? I hoped he hadn’t bought the paddle he had always threatened to acquire. When he snatched up my wrist and tied a bit of string to it I barked a laugh thinking he was joking. “My grandmother did this. It’s supposed to remind me of stuff, right?”
“Mmmm, parents think alike, I guess. First father tied a string around my wrist and my brother’s when we were supposed to remember to mind him,” Quinn announced with a light chuckle. “It helped me but had no impact what so ever on Braxx.”
“Learned my lesson,” I said reassuringly. “No more collecting dragon DNA for me!”
Quinn sighed and reminded me, “That wasn’t the lesson, Del.”
Before he decided to refresh my memory over the true lesson to be learned with a spanking, I said, “I know, I was joking. I won’t risk my life and I will talk my plans over with you first.”
“Then we can move on, little mate? I’m exhausted.”
I snorted. “Yes, bossy Charon, please.”
“Good,” Quinn said as he grasped me around the hips, lifted me and carried me to the bed. He laid me carefully onto it and I pushed the pillows aside, beckoning him to join me. He maneuvered under the sheets and cuddled around my swollen stomach. He continued, “I can’t help myself but to worry for you, my mate. I have longed to be a father so long that it takes every fiber of my being not to forbid you from going on any missions.”
We lay quietly side-by-side, each lost in our thoughts for a moment. He started rubbing a hand lightly over my belly.
I sighed. I knew what he really desired but was resisting. “Go ahead. Do it,” I said quietly to him.
“Do what?” He asked. His green eyes glowed with curiosity. Quinn had something else in mind apparently and it was far from what I meant.
I cleared my throat and told him, “Down, boy. I meant you could kiss my stomach. Talk to the babies. I know you are dying to.”
He arched a dark brow. “Do humans become capable of telepathy during pregnancy?”
Smirking I snatched his hair and pulled his head closer. He resisted only a moment then lifting my shirt up he planted loving kisses to either side of my naval. Laughing with me, he ended with a swirl of his tongue inside of it, which cau
sed me to wriggle beneath him.
Quinn spoke to our babies in a firm, commanding voice, “Hello, babies. This is First Father. Are you listening? I love you and Second Father very much. I can’t wait to meet you.”
I replied, “That tickles. You do know they are little blobs with big eyes at the moment? Like little, fat fish.”
He caressed my belly again. “My little, fat fish,” He told the babies and me possessively. “Can you feel them move?”
I shook my head telling him, “Just little bubbles deep inside. Not sure it’s them or gas. I’ll tell you the moment I know for sure.”
“Looking forward to a peaceful night of sleep after the day you treated me too,” Quinn said with a yawn.
“Are you tempting fate?” I asked.
I watched as Quinn stretched out his arms, flexing his fingers with claws extending. He replied lazily, “You said you didn’t believe in that stuff, Del.”
I reminded my mate, “But Xolians believe and every time you do that something unexpected happens.”
Quinn turned over and pressed his back to me. He reached behind until he found my hand. Patting it he reassured me, “Nothing will happen.”
The comlink on the bedside table promptly buzzed for his attention.
“See!” I exclaimed hotly, sitting up. “You need to stop doing that!”
Quinn grumbled and hesitantly he answered with a swat to turn the device on, “This is the Captain.”
Duron sounded apologetic as he explained the interruption, “Captain Quinn, I’m sorry to disturb you but there was a recorded message from the King. Do you want to come to the bridge or shall I patch it through?”
“Just play the damn thing, Duron. I’m in bed already.”
There was a slight pause before King Grymm’s voice announced, “Quinn, your Second Father and I need you to go to Setari to fetch your brother. He was supposed to report to Rathia over four months ago but has been ignoring our communiqués. Talk to him, Quinn. He listens to you. Offer to take him to Rathia personally and introduce him to Hastor. I’m sure you understand the need for this alliance. If he won’t listen to reason, take him there anyway. The Rathian Raidership ensures me that Hastor is cooperating fully with this mating. Maybe meeting Hastor will convince your brother Braxx that it’s the best situation for him. Ending message, King Grymm.”
“Your fathers are still going through with this idea of mating your younger brother to that Rathian asshole?” I questioned, only somewhat surprised.
Quinn sighed. “It builds a strong allegiance and strengthens our commercial interests in that region, yes.”
I tried to support my mate by rubbing his shoulder and slowly he began to relax again. I murmured to him, “But Braxx is reluctant? Why?”
Quinn shrugged. “He’s being his usual stubborn self. Eventually he will cave to our fathers’ will. It’s the Xolian way for fathers to arrange marriages of convenience.”
I thought a few minutes then added, “You got to choose your mate.”
Quinn turned over to stare into my face. “Before my fathers chose for me, yes. They are more lenient with me probably than they should be. Oldest son and all that. I am the King’s heir.”
“Ah and Braxx is pretty much the spare,” I stated.
Quinn answered, “Plenty of societies function that way, Del. Including some human ones in the past.”
“Yes, I know,” I responded. “But arranged marriage? Doesn’t seem fair to Braxx.”
“In some ways, you are in a similar situation. You are in a mating not of your choosing,” Quinn reminded me.
“Well, yeah.”
He added, “And you are doing alright.”
I laughed softly. “But I’m not mated to a Rathian.”
“Hmmm, good point,” Quinn replied. He pulled me closer to hold me. “Better be thankful for that, little human. Rathians are pretty heavily into rather aggressive sexual play. Braxx is too. I think he’ll be a good match.”
I poked him for the using his old endearment again. “You can get a bit aggressive there, Captain,” I teased.
“Hmmm, never tied you to take you by force or bit you so hard you bled.”
“Oh, that kind of aggressive,” I remarked. “No, you haven’t.”
After a few moments of silence, I asked, “Do you think you can convince him to come along peacefully?”
Quinn reflected, remarking, “Doubt it, he rather enjoys his freedom. He’s spoiled rotten. Get’s a big allowance to attend the prestigious Medical University on Setari but I don’t think he’s actually gone to many classes. Braxx likes to do anything that might be exciting. Besides challenging authority at every turn, he gambles away his money and he recklessly speeds around on that damn airbike of his. I’ll take him kicking and screaming if I have too. I’ll be prepared for that eventuality.”
I brought my knees up as far as I could and locked my arms around them. I had never met Quinn’s brother but I had heard a few wild stories. I redirected my mate from thinking about my own risk taking behavior by asking, “Once he’s on Rathia what’s going to keep him there?”
Quinn answered, “That’s up to Hastor at that point. I don’t quite believe the King Raider when he says Hastor’s cooperating in this. I bet that Rathian Captain just loves the idea of being mated to a Xolian.”
“Hmmm, Hastor and Braxx sound like they are both very dominant in nature,” I pointed out the obvious. I couldn’t imagine such a pair working out although our Security Officer Brync and his fuck buddy, Kai, had managed some sort of arrangement.
“Yes,” Quinn confirmed.
“That should be interesting,” I said.
Quinn remarked, “Quite interesting. Maybe even deadly for one or both.”
My mate nudged the comlink button and ordered, “Set a course for Setari, top speed.”
“Yes, Captain,” Duron said. We heard him relay the message to the Navigators on duty.
“He rides an airbike? He must be brave… or insane,” I said as I scooted back down into the bed, cuddling with my mate. “Or just another thing to annoy his fathers?”
“He knows our fathers disapprove of his carefree lifestyle, Del.”
“Ah,” I murmured. “And that’s the whole point?”
“Yes. My brother Braxx is a rebel at heart, the idiot. I love him but I’m tired of his shit.”
CHAPTER TWO
Braxx (Xolian Second Prince):
Testing out another Dom and I already wished the asshole would stop treating me like freaking dainty royalty. I was no shirking princess, afraid of a little pain. I should never have told him about my fathers being the rulers of Xolia. Not when all I wanted was to finally find someone to break me, just a little at least and reshape me. I swore under my breath while he was busy slapping my ass… gingerly, at least in my opinion, like I would crumble and cry if he struck me any harder. I’m sure he was used to working with other humans. Young men probably responded well to this sort of treatment. It just wasn’t for me.
I reared back, snarling and ended up startling him, my ‘master’ for the night. What a damn joke. If only he’d take control and bend me to his will. I told him flatly, “I’m a Xolian. Surely you understand that I can easily break this flimsy chair and rip your arms off!”
“Oh, being mouthy again, boy. That will be another ten!”
I groaned. Not from fear of the punishment but for having to endure the wait for him to start again. He apparently liked to hear himself talk.
“You’ve been quite a naughty one, Braxxton.”
Yes, yes. Hit me.
“I’m afraid you’ll need much more than my hand!”
Yes, yes. Get on with it. A caning might have helped my current attitude and mood.
I heard the belt pull free from the loops in his pants with a long, delicious swish. Finally, he was getting somewhere. Maybe this night could be saved after all.
The smack was hot and wonderful. I bucked my hips forward then back towards him, inviting more.
Panting, I licked my lips, bracing my hands on the chair as he required. He whipped the belt down hard several more times. The pain was delicious, freeing.
“You’re so beautiful like that, when you submit.”
Crap he was talking again. His platitudes were wearing me down like a real punishment. Shaking my head, I turned and grabbed the belt from him just as he swung it.
I replied, “Yes, I am beautiful in real submission which you have not seen tonight. I’m sorry, human. This isn’t working for me.”
At first his look was one of annoyance, then being the total asshole he was, instead of shrugging and walking away, he smirked. “Figures you are into that heavy pain shit, you freak. The others at the club told me, warned me. No wonder you don’t have a Dom. No master wants all that shit backtalk, boy. You need to find yourself a real sadist. Get out of here.”
Silently I grabbed my jacket and stormed out. His words seemed to follow me into the dusk and clung to me. Angrily, I shook my head to free my thoughts. Thankfully I had a long ride home.
----------
I leaned forward on the airbike, opening up the throttle, really enjoying the rumble of his engines between my legs. The Setarian scenery sped by, becoming nothing but a blur as the rocket kicked in. As I neared the city I would need to slow down for the speed traps. Here though I could really open her up and fly.
Tilting into a curve, the adrenaline pumped through my veins. The rush made me grin, forget the sting of his words and push myself even harder, faster. Risking a deadly crash, I lifted a hand off of the controls just for a moment to readjust the placement of the riding goggles. When a bug splatted right in the center of the dark lens I slowed enough to wipe the gross mess away with a gloved hand. “Damn it,” I grumbled. “You’ve messed up my timing.” I kicked the airbike into gear and sped up again.
It hovered a steady distance above the ground so that the ride was smooth as glass. None of the rocks or gravel beneath us that comprised the road made for wheeled vehicles had any effect on the airbike. He was the best my fathers’ money could buy and he was my baby. True, they had assumed I had paid for a medical class instead of a sweet ride but what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt me.
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