“It could work,” Miram said. “Having a distribution point would make such information more accessible than it otherwise would be. I am concerned, though. Wouldn’t it be dangerous?”
Faltz stiffened. There was no chance he would let Beni endanger herself. Not when he was working so hard to get her home. What use was it to return her to the humans if she did something reckless?
“There is risk, but it’s not terribly dangerous,” Beni said. “The location of the library is secret, and will only be known to a few trusted women—my friend and confidant Tabby being one. We’re still working on a system of distributing the books that won’t put the library at risk, but falling in the river delayed that a bit.”
Miram pinched her lips together, her brow furrowing. “Make a list and I will see if I can find some supplies around the village to help you get started. There is no reason why you can’t work on it while you are here among us. It will be a good way for you to keep yourself occupied and write it down while it is still fresh in your mind.”
“I will get parchment and ink from the priest, and deliver it to your dome,” Praxlor offered. “I needed to speak with him anyway, so it would be a small thing to bring them by.”
Beni’s smile widened as she thanked the older male, but Faltz felt increasingly wary of the idea. Something didn’t seem right. It did not make sense for such an endeavor to be started in the village. He felt like he was missing something that was right in front of him, and he did not care for that feeling.
“Perhaps it should wait until Beni is home and can access her own supplies,” he suggested.
Miram’s eyebrows shot up, and she glanced at her mate. “That may be true. She could wait, but it takes several days to get to the nearest human village. She could easily forget something by the time she arrives back at the Citadel.”
“She is right,” Beni agreed with an apologetic smile. “It really would be best for me to start on it as soon as possible—first thing in the morning, ideally, so I can get the crucial information notated. We aren’t talking about a huge undertaking like one of your scrolls. If I can get something like a small satchel to carry my work back in, it won’t be any bother to transport it. In fact, I am quite certain I can complete at least one booklet before we leave.”
Sighing, he rubbed the back of one horn, disliking that her attention would be drawn elsewhere… but if she thought it was important… “Very well. I suppose it would be useful for you to have something to work on while we are in seclusion.” He frowned at Miram and Praxlor. “Try to not bring too much. Beni will not be here long enough to make use of the supplies, and we will just have to haul them back out again.”
“Of course, dear,” Miram assured him.
Faltz narrowed his eyes at the beaming female, but shook his head. He knew he was being suspicious once again. Regardless, he made a decision. Beni would be his for as long as he had her. In all likelihood, he would be clinging to the scraps she left behind long after she was with the humans again. Laying his hand on Beni’s shoulder, he nudged her gently.
“The hour is getting late. We should return to my dome,” he said.
Chapter 17
Alone in his home once more, Beni fidgeted. Faltz stood at the opposite side of the room, watching her. He had been quiet during their walk back. She wasn’t sure how she should interpret it, or what she was expected to do now that they’d returned. Was this part where she should throw herself onto him and climb? Although her body was all for the idea, she wasn’t so sure about him. Nothing about his posture or expression seemed to be a particularly “happy” mood. Nor was she certain about what exactly the protocol would be for fake mates. How often would they need to do the deed to fool his clan?
Would it even matter to keep up pretense if there was any chance of this Eloio winning? Maybe that was why Faltz kept his distance—because it wasn’t necessary, and he didn’t see a reason to touch her.
She scowled at the wall. That stung.
Beni didn’t want to think about another male having any sort of rights toward her. Faltz may have considered her a bit easy for the way she clung to him like a leech. For that matter, the entire clan may have viewed it that way, for all she knew. It wasn’t like that, though. She had trusted him from the start when she noted how honorable he was, despite his attempts to scare her away. She doubted that she would feel that comfortable with anyone else, certainly not enough to be courted by another male.
No, it just wouldn’t do. There was only one Mintar she wanted the attention of, and his focus was wrapped up in oiling a long wooden staff. Beni watched his strong hands smooth up and down the thick length, her cheeks heating as she recalled the strength in his fingers as he stroked her body.
Okay, that wasn’t helping either.
She wondered if he was preparing for the fight tomorrow. If so, it was probably best not to distract him. Wasn’t there a superstition about no sex before a competition or some nonsense like that?
She chewed her lip as she tried to remember.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” Faltz’s smooth voice filled the air.
“Uh, tomorrow and tonight,” she said.
The Mintar looked up from his work and raised an eyebrow at her. “There is nothing to worry about for tomorrow. We will attend the festivities, speak with the queen, and then you will stand witness as I face my challenger.”
“Ah, nothing to worry about then.”
To her surprise, one corner of his mouth angled up as he set down the staff. “I would not say that.”
Her brow pinched with confusion as she stared at him. “Wait, didn’t you just say…”
“Yes,” he interrupted with a deep chuckle. “I did say that. But I made no promises for tonight. I do not know what Miram is up to, but I find that I am too distracted right now to care. I have thought on it and decided that it would be foolish to not enjoy what time I can with you. You are a fascinating and admirable female. I want you, and I know that you desire me. I will not resist it any longer. For tonight and every night until you are among your people, you are mine.”
A long, excited breath rushed out of Beni as she watched him draw closer, and her belly tightened with nerves. His gaze was hot and possessive as it raked over her. Lifting one claw, he traced the line of her throat as he hummed in the back of his throat.
“I cannot keep you, but I will be damned if I allow Eloio, Isnah, or any other male in the clan to touch you. I will capture and hoard every spare moment from you and make it mine.”
“What brought this about?” she whispered.
Faltz stared into her eyes and shook his head. “Many things that came together in my mind during our short walk back.”
“Such as?”
“For one, I do not like the other males who wish for the right to court you, or even to look in your direction with interest in their eyes. I am jealous of the time you will be giving to your booklets, knowing that it would take from what we have together—but I do understand your point and yield to it. It simply made me realize how much I covet your attention.” He hesitated, his eyes running over her appreciatively. “I admire you, and want to be the only male that you lean on and seek comfort from while you are here.”
Her breath squeaked out in a whisper, and she felt her cheeks round out with the smile stretching wide across her face. For a male who rarely spoke, his words seemed to tumble out of him, though as gruff as ever.
“Is that all you have to say?” she teased. “Or are you finished?”
His brow knitted briefly, but he nodded as he advanced on her with a look in his eye that had her practically wiggling in excitement.
Stopping within a foot of her, he reached down and caressed her cheek. “Tell me that you want this as much as I do,” he whispered in a husky voice.
“Yes. To all of it.”
His lips quirked. “All of it?”
Beni nodded decisively. “I’m in complete agreement. This has moved beyond necessity. I want
to spend this time with you as well. I want to remember this.”
The purple depths of his eyes warmed as a lascivious smile spread on his face. She wanted to lick those full lips. Leaning down, his fingers curled around her jaw, tipping her face to his. Although she had been exhausted the night before, this felt different and new. Her breath caught in her throat as his lips lowered and captured hers, slow and lingering this time. She noticed that the skin on his lips was strangely without scales, the fine scales terminating above. He nibbled and sucked at her lips until she was melting against him, making demanding noises in appreciation.
His tongue swiped only once against the seam of her lips. She began to part them when he plunged into her mouth with abandon, his tongue tangling with hers in a heated, erotic dance. He tasted wild and sweet. Running her hands through his hair, Beni arched into him, a shiver racing through her as his other hand dragged down her ribcage, brushing at the side of her breast.
She shivered in pleasure, and when his hand swept under her ass, she swung her leg around his hip as he lifted her high in his arms.
Tomorrow he had to battle, but for tonight he was hers to conquer.
Leaning up into him, Beni slipped her hands down over his chest, exploring every ridge of his defined muscles beneath the silky scrape of his scales. She traced the line of his pectorals and followed the path of his abs. She felt his thick length extrude hot and slick between their bellies seconds before her fingers met it. She prodded at the folds of skin pulled taut around the rigid purple length of his cock. She traced every bump and node until he growled, his phallus moving in and out of its sheath in its impatient thrusting motion.
“Beni,” he groaned.
She squirmed at the desire deep in his voice. She instinctively dug her fingernails into his scales, drawing a low, rattling moan from him as she hissed her demand.
“Now, Faltz…!”
His hands bit into her hips and his cock pulled back as he slipped her to the right position, pressing the thick tip against her. With a thrust and the forward push of his cock, it slammed through her, forcing a shout of pleasure from her as it hit every erogenous spot inside of her. Her arms clamped around his shoulders, one hand sinking deep into his mane as she added her own frantic twitch of her hips to his driving rut.
His nose dropped down her neck, nuzzling her. A shiver ran over her as she turned her face, capturing his mouth with hers. His tongue plunged between her lips again, claiming her mouth as he imprinted himself deep within her sex. Beni felt like he was truly sinking his brand deep into every inch of her with each thrust. No one would ever be able to remove his invisible mark on her. Her pussy clenched around him as a fresh wave of pleasure swept through her.
A growl started in his throat as his cock swelled. Like before, it could barely move within her tight channel, lewd sucking sounds accompanying every pull. It didn’t stop surging as he walked them over to their bed and carefully dropped onto it with her in his arms. The moment that he settled, his forepaws came up behind her, his talons supporting her ass and curling around her legs, pinning her to him as his cock picked up its driving pace and he ground against her. Their bellies and chests slid together, creating a friction that sparked through her, striking in time to the friction of the fine scales of his sheath rubbing against her clit. The pressure coiling deep within her built with every frantic movement between them until, like a spring too tightly coiled, it burst through her.
Throwing her head back, Beni screamed out her pleasure under the explosive release of her orgasm. At the height of her pleasure, with her pussy locking down around him, she was aware of his cock jerking within her, releasing a hot wash of cum as his roar joined her vocalization. After one last deep thrust, he held her to him as his cock unloaded the last jettison of seed deep within her.
Faltz held her there for a time, their bodies plastered together, breathing together, their hearts beating together as they came down from their climax. Faltz seemed reluctant as he disentangled their bodies and lowered her to the bed at his side. Curling around her, he let out a long, content sigh, and Beni felt her heart melt—just a little. Threading her fingers through the forelocks of his mane, she couldn’t imagine anywhere else she would rather be at that moment.
Chapter 18
Beni stared with interest at the festive atmosphere. She’d spent much of the day writing at the small table that had been brought in along with her parchment and quill pens the night before. She walked at Faltz’s side through the crowded village center. If Praxlor had arrived a handful of minutes earlier, he would have caught quite an eyeful when he unexpectedly ducked inside.
Faltz had been just as surprised as she was at the intrusion. Clearly the older male was accustomed to entering without invitation, because he didn’t wait outside and request to be admitted. He’d called out a greeting as he entered with a table balanced over one shoulder and a pouch full of supplies slung over one arm. Faltz had dumped Beni on the bed and threw the bedding over her before leaping to his feet to take a defensive position in front of the bed. Once Praxlor had finally noticed them, he came to an immediate stop.
It had been an extremely uncomfortable moment, but well worth the gifts that Praxlor brought, as far as Beni was concerned. She had been delighted, and somewhat surprised, with the variety of supplies. She would have started on the booklet right away except that, as soon as Praxlor was escorted out, Faltz had been highly persuasive at convincing her to go to bed.
A smile broke over her face as she remembered just how persuasive he had been. Not that she had gotten much sleep right away.
“You seem pleased this morning.” Faltz observed. “Are you that eager to see bloodshed from my rival?”
She let out a snort. “Sorry to disappoint you, but no, not really.” She stifled a laugh at his surprised look.
Beni learned that many females among the Mintars prized males who fought on their behalf. Some had even arranged for males they knew to challenge their mating so that their mate would have an opportunity to show off his strength before the entire clan. But she wasn’t so much into watching people bleed.
“Although I have no doubt that you can send any opponent crying home to his mother… err, dam…” She smiled as she was rewarded with one of his rare chuckles. “I’m actually more interested in the food,” she said. “Festivals always bring out the best in people—and food! I’m telling you right now I will probably eat enough for three people and need to be carried out of here, because I’ll want to sample everything!”
The air was already heady with the aroma of cooking food and hints of sweetness that positively made her mouth water in expectation. What was more, the smell of fire-roasted meat and pungent herbs made her stomach growl.
“When do we eat, anyway? Is the food ready now? Please say it is ready now,” she said.
“It is still early yet,” he replied, his lips twisting with mounting amusement. “The challenges occur early in the day to be overseen by the queen. Afterward will be the ceremonies, and then the feast will begin.”
“So much waiting,” she said with a sigh as they merged with the crowd. There was the whine of a stringed instrument accompanying a sort of flute made from a long reed that the male holding it blew into that captured her interest.
“It serves a purpose,” Faltz murmured. “Until the challenges, you will see artists performing as our people trickle in. It is an opportunity for them to practice for tonight. Although not everyone comes to see if there are any challenges, the entire clan will be present for the ceremony once the queen concludes all of her oversights.”
“So—what—she’s only here once a month?” she asked, as she stared at a brightly adorned male practicing a sort of dance, long strips of fabric billowing off of him as he shifted, and in some places belts of bells jangling with his movements. A female adorned similarly answered his steps with those of her own in a back and forth exchange.
“No, the queen lives among us as one of us, tending to the c
are of our clan. It is only every fifth day and on the full moon that she oversees disagreements and holds an official court,” he explained. “You can see her there, on the podium.”
Straining to see over the crowd, Beni took note of a wooden platform in the center of the square where a female with azure scales and an incredible headdress of cascading jewels rested upon a beautiful crimson rug decorated with embroidered flowers. Her front paws were crossed in front of her, the talons draped elegantly. Rather than looking cross or stern, the queen possessed a kind expression, a gentle smile on her face as she spoke to the members of her clan.
“That is Mahini, Queen of the Mintar,” Faltz whispered.
“She’s beautiful.”
He nodded. “She is much loved. She takes much after her mother as a fair and kind leader. She has yet to produce young with her mate, but our people are hopeful.” His face twisted in a grimace. “It appears that Calth has already arrived.”
The older male, who had been bowing before the queen, straightened. Although he wasn’t as large as Faltz, he was clearly a seasoned warrior, his body laced with scars and thick with muscle. He lifted his arms wide as he spoke. Although they were too far away to hear what he was saying, from the hard look on his face, it was not something pleasant. A familiar young male stood at his side; his chest thrust out with pride, though he stood back a little in obvious deference to the male who was speaking on his behalf.
Beni held back a chuckle. “That is his son? I remember him. Isn’t he a bit young?”
Librarian and the Beast: A Mintar Romance Page 11
