by Sadie Carter
She winced, looking guilty. “Ah, yeah, I might have said that. Whoops. What happened?”
“Annabel was close by and heard the alarm go off. Racar has the alarm connected to his personal communicator, so it sent an alert to him. They managed to subdue Axel with Tane’s and Jack’s help, but not before he destroyed the bakery and slashed open Annabel’s arm.”
“But Annabel is all right?” she asked worriedly.
“I have just spoken to Macon. He was waiting for her to come out of the regen chamber, but she will be fine.”
“Has anyone else been injured?”
“Other than Boris, just a few other warriors who helped to subdue the warriors who are affected by mating fever.”
“How do you know that’s what it is?”
“Racar ran test after test on the warriors while they were in stasis. There were no signs of any other illness and it is not unheard of for mating fever to cause a warrior to act like this. It is unusual to have so many of them fall victim to it in such a short space of time.”
“What are we going to do? Why have they become so aggressive? Why so many of them?”
“I do not know.”
That worried her more than anything. Dex was never uncertain of anything. “Even if we could find their mates, would it help at this stage?”
“Possibly, but finding their mates is impossible. Not unless we keep them in stasis indefinitely.”
Zoey went quiet for a moment. All they could hear was the baby suckling.
“There is one hope,” he told her. “There is a researcher who was looking into a cure for mating fever. I thought his endeavor a false one, but when he was contacted by Koran, he claimed to have a cure, but it has not had the appropriate level of testing.”
“So what will you do? Are you going to use it?”
He sighed. “We already have.”
“Oh God.” She reached over and grasped hold of his hand. “That must have been a tough decision to make.”
“I only hope it was the right one and I do not put my warriors more at risk.”
“You had no choice, baby,” she told him.
For once, he did not chastise her for calling him a child. Cadman let her nipple slide from his mouth. With a smile, Dex reached over and picked the baby up, holding him against his shoulder to burp him. He gently bounced up and down.
When the baby let out a massive burp, Zoey giggled. “Definitely your son.”
He grinned back. “That was a warrior burp, wasn’t it, Cadman?” He placed him down in the small masic by the one Zoey rested on and set the invisible screen that would stop him from rolling out. Not that he could roll yet, but he knew it would give his mate peace of mind.
Then he picked up his mate carefully and shifted her over so he could lie on the masic next to her. He pulled her in against him, holding her tight. “Thank you for giving me a son, my own.”
“I’d say it was my pleasure, but it was pretty tough going.” She sighed, settling in against him. “He’s worth it, though.”
Dex just held her, reveling in a moment’s peace.
“How long until you find out if it’s worked?” Zoey asked.
“The healer said probably a full moon cycle.”
“You trust him?”
“I am not sure. Koran and Macon do not.”
“Koran and Macon don’t trust anyone,” she joked. She let out a yawn. “Can you smell chocolate?”
Dex sniffed. “It does smell like chocolate in here.” He gave Giz a suspicious look. He had a feeling he knew what the sticky substance in his fur was. Seemed someone needed a bath.
“Do you think Ellie was getting close to perfecting a chocolate recipe?”
“I do not know, my own.”
She sighed sadly. “I don’t think we’re getting chocolate eggs by Easter.”
“We can move Easter.”
“I don’t think you can move Easter, Dex.”
“Why not? I am Emperor. There have to be some perks, yes?”
She giggled and, settling into her mate, fell asleep once more.
12
Saffron and Moroco
Exhaustion slowed his steps, making them drag.
Moroco stepped into the house. Already it was close to morning. Between the Empress’s emergency birth and the crisis with the mating fever cases, he had been busy all night. He could not wait to climb onto his masic and sleep.
But as he walked into the bedroom he shared with his mate, his gaze was immediately drawn to her. Saffron was lying on the masic, legs tangled in the sheet. She had on another negligee. This one was deep red and had black lace over her breasts and around the hem. It had ridden up to the top of her thighs, barely covering her bottom.
She mumbled and moved her legs, and he caught a glimpse of the creamy flesh of her buttocks. Was she not wearing underwear? His body stirred to life as he remembered the spanking he had promised her.
And suddenly, he didn’t feel so tired anymore.
He stripped off his clothing, throwing them to the floor. Then he tugged the sheet away from her body gently, not wishing to wake her. He crawled carefully onto the masic and spread her legs. No underwear.
Thank the stars.
He couldn’t understand the humans’ need for underwear anyway. It just meant another layer that he had to strip off to get to her body. How could he have gone two months without touching her?
Never again.
He could not believe he had been so involved in his work he had not sensed her growing sadness. She had learned how to lock down her emotions, to keep them from him.
He did not like that. He did not ever wish to hurt her. Inadvertently or not. His guilt breathed and fed inside him.
He was going to speak to the Emperor once this crisis died down about reducing his hours. Racar was ready for more responsibility and there were unmated healers would could also take more on. It was time that Moroco concentrated on his mate.
He leaned over her and licked his way up her thigh then carefully parted the lips of her pussy, to take in her pink, puffy folds. Slowly, he ran his tongue along her silken lips, covering every inch of her. Her thighs tightened, she shifted her hips, and he knew she was waking up.
A low moan of pleasure escaped her and she started to shift restlessly on the bed. He clamped down on her thighs.
“Lie still, my mate.”
“Oh, it’s you, Moroco. That’s good,” she said sleepily.
He froze. Then he raised his head up, giving her an incredulous look. “You were expecting someone else?” he roared.
She gave him a cheeky grin. “No.”
His gaze narrowed. “You tease me.”
“Yep.” Her grin widened further.
“Mate, you are in such trouble,” he growled. He flipped her over onto her stomach, making her cry out in shock. Then he dragged her over his lap, arranging her just how he wanted her.
“I like this.” He ran his hand over the smooth negligee where it lay over her pert, rounded bottom.
“Want me to buy more?” she asked.
“Yes. But only I see them on you.”
“I suppose that can be arranged. If you plan to wake me up that way more often.”
He heard the hint of a question in her voice. He raised the negligee over her buttocks, baring her creamy skin to his gaze.
“I plan to wake you that way often, mate. I have much catching up to do. Two months is far too long for me not to have touched your body, to have kissed you, tasted you, taken you. Spanked you.”
He landed a sharp smack on her ass, making her cry out.
“Moroco!” She glared at him over her shoulder. “I do not need a spanking.”
“Oh, but you do.” He rubbed her bottom. Then he smacked the other cheek. His cock pressed against her soft stomach. Stars, she smelled so good. Felt so right. His hunger grew until it was almost uncontrollable. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself. He would never do anything that might risk her. She was his to care f
or, to protect. “Spread your legs, my mate.”
She let out a small whimper and he gave her two more heavy, sharp spanks.
“Oh hell!”
“Good,” he praised as she pushed her thighs apart. He gave her another two smacks then rubbed in the heat. Her ass was turning a nice shade of pink. “You are so beautiful.”
“What? With a pink ass?” she sniped.
“Yes.”
She snorted. “There’s something wrong with you.”
“There is not. As a healer, I regularly check myself. I am completely healthy.”
“Good Lord help me,” she muttered.
He ignored her, running his hand between her legs to cup her mound. He could feel her heat searing him, could feel how wet she was. She enjoyed the spanking as much as he did, she just liked to protest for some reason.
He gave her several more smacks on the ass. “I shall try my best to never neglect you again, mate. But if that happens, you shall tell me immediately rather than waiting.”
She did not reply. Very naughty.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
“Holy crap!” she yelped.
“Mate,” he said warningly, “promise me.”
“Okay, okay, I promise,” she said hastily. “I’ll tell you next time.”
“And if the autocooker ever malfunctions again, you will immediately leave the house.” He kept his hand above her bottom, paused as he waited for her answer.
“Yes, well, not keen to use that ridiculous machine again, so you don’t have to worry there. It’s got it in for me.”
He refrained from rolling his eyes, a habit he seemed to have picked up from her. The autocooker was not a sentient being.
“And you will go to the market and purchase several more of these negligees in all different colors.”
“I can do that,” she said almost breathlessly.
“And you will not joke about another male touching what belongs to me.” He almost saw red at just the thought.
Mine!
“You know you’re only a step up from a knuckle-dragging Neanderthal, right?” she griped.
“Wrong answer, mate.”
He gave her a series of sharp spanks. The pink started to grow into a deeper red. And his shaft hardened even further.
“All right, all right,” she cried, kicking her legs against the masic. “I promise! I promise!”
He ran his finger down between her legs, through her soft, wet folds to lightly circle her swollen clit. She let out a low groan of pleasure.
“Good, my mate.” He moved his hand away to rub her ass, ignoring her protesting hiss.
“Now, I wish to return to what I was doing. I want you to get two pillows and pile them on the masic one on top of the other. Then lie with your lower back on the pillows and your legs spread.”
He helped her move off him then he climbed off the masic to watch as she moved into position. The flashes of her red ass only increased his arousal, his need for her.
Finally, she moved into position, lying with her legs spread, her hips slightly elevated. From where he stood at her feet, he could see how pink and wet her folds were. He could stand here all day and stare at her.
“Very good.” His voice was low, almost a purr. “Now I wish you to show me how you give yourself pleasure.”
She let out a loud groan and attempted to sit up.
“Stay still,” he warned. “I did not give you permission to rise.”
“Moroco!”
“Yes, mate?”
“I can’t. . .I can’t do that!”
He studied her, then moved slightly to the side so he could see her face more clearly. “This is not a good position to bring yourself to pleasure?”
“No, it’s not that. I just can’t. . .I can’t do it in front of you!” Her cheeks were flushed.
“Why not?”
“Because. . .because it’s embarrassing!”
“Why?” He was confused. “I have seen you reach pleasure many, many times. When I have touched you with my hands, my fingers, my shaft.”
“Yes, I know, but this time, you won’t be touching me!”
“And that makes it embarrassing?”
“Well, yes.”
“I do not understand. I am very aroused over the idea of watching you find your release.” So aroused, it was all he could think of. He knew his eyes must be glowing amber as he stared down at her.
“You are?” she asked hesitantly. His mate was almost never hesitant.
“Yes, mate. Can you not see the evidence of my arousal?” He grabbed hold of his shaft, squeezing the base of it. His need was burning inside him, his balls tight and painful.
“It’s hard to miss it. But I thought that was from spanking me.”
He grinned. “That too.”
She rolled her eyes. “You. . .you really think it’s hot watching me do that?”
“Yes, my mate. You do not? You would not like to see me do the same?”
He saw heat flare in her beautiful, brown eyes. “Yeah, I’d like to see that.” She watched avidly as he moved his hand up and down his rod.
“How do you start pleasuring yourself, my mate?” he asked while she was distracted, trying to keep her from feeling self-conscious.
“Um, I guess I start by playing with my nipple.”
“Show me,” he encouraged. Stars, he would not last long like this. Watching her as she gently twisted her nipple between her thumb and forefinger, the way her breathing hitched, her eyes filling with desire, it was nearly more than he could take.
Pre-cum leaked from the tip of his rod and he used it as lubricant as he continued to rub his shaft.
“What next, my mate?” he asked her breathlessly.
“Then I’d. . .I’d move my hand down my stomach to my pussy.”
“Do it, mate. There is no shame here between us. Nothing you cannot show me or tell me that you should ever be embarrassed of.”
She moved her hand down her flat stomach to her bare pussy. He watched as her eyelids half-closed while a quiet whimper crossed her lips as she played with her clit then ran her finger down her slit.
“Push your finger deep inside you,” he commanded. She pressed a finger inside her pussy. With her other hand, she played with her left nipple.
Her breathing grew faster and he could feel his need to find release growing bigger. He took a moment to calm down as she thrust two fingers in and out of her passage.
Stars. This might just be the most erotic thing he had ever seen.
“Taste yourself. Put your fingers which are wet with your need in your mouth and suck them.”
“Oh fuck,” she cried. But she did as he told her to and withdrew her fingers from her passage, raising them to her mouth to suck them clean.
He nearly reached release then and there.
Watching her do this was a most delicious sort of torture.
“Bring yourself pleasure, Saffron,” he ordered. “Show me how beautiful you are when you reach orgasm.”
“Will you do the same?” she asked, staring at where he stroked himself.
“Yes,” he groaned.
She moved her hand back down to her clit, circling it before she started flicking it firmly. Her other hand continued to play with her nipple. Their breaths filled the room as they brought themselves closer and closer to release.
“Mate, I am nearly there. Find your pleasure with me. Now!” he yelled.
Saffron let out a low cry and he saw her hips thrust up as bliss filled her face. Beautiful. He groaned loudly as his rod spurted his release against his stomach as he quickly followed her over. The sight of her pleasuring herself was not one he would soon forget.
His chest heaved as he watched her. Her cheeks were flushed and she stared at him shyly. His Saffron was not shy. She must be feeling self-conscious over what they had just done. He did not know why.
“Mate, watching you give yourself pleasure was so enjoyable, that I found my own release far quicker than usual.�
�� He picked up a piece of clothing he’d discarded and cleaned himself up. “You were beautiful.” He was unused to handing out compliments. He knew he was probably messing this up.
But a pleased look filled her face. “You liked it.”
“Like is not the word I would use.” He studied her. “What is it you humans like to say, sexy as hell?”
“Oh. Well, so was watching you do that.” She gestured at where his cock was already at half-mast. Zerconian males recovered far quicker than human males. Thank the stars.
“Was it just? How much did you enjoy it? Shall I check?” He crawled up between her legs to lick the moisture there.
She groaned as he thrust his tongue inside her.
“Moroco!” she cried out.
“You are so wet. I must clean you up.” He looked up at her, noting the glazed look in her eyes.
“I just came, though.”
“And now you will find your release again. And again, if that is what I wish, will you not?” He waited for her answer, impatient to return his tongue to her delicious folds.
She nodded.
He tapped her clit several times then drove his tongue deep inside her. Her passage pulsed around him as he drove his tongue in and out. The taste of her burst through his mouth, pleasing his taste buds.
“Moroco! Moroco!”
She tangled her hands in his hair, tugging at the strands, urging him on. He moved his thumb up to her clit, tapping it. Gently at first then firmer. Harder. She writhed, her pants growing faster.
“I can’t!” she cried.
She could. She would. Already he felt himself harden again. He did not need the downtime he knew that human male bodies required.
He drew back, and grabbing hold of her hips, flipped her over so her stomach rested against the pillows. He pushed her legs apart then thrust his shaft deep inside her. Saffron cried out and he froze, worried he had been too rough.
“Saffron? Mate, are you well?”
“No! You’re killing me! I need you to move!”
He shook his head. Humans were so overly dramatic.
But still, he moved. He pulled back and drove forward. He moved faster and hard. Then slow and soft. Her whimpers grew, his desire for her was a raging beast inside him. She was all. Everything.