by E J Darling
He rose from the soft bedding and showered, knowing Maeve would be showing up soon. Maybe he hadn’t timed it right, or maybe he’d timed it just right, but he hadn’t heard her enter the room. She’d been silent, probably trying not to spook his fragile mental state, and was on the balcony watching the Light Star give the moons the sky. It hadn’t fallen out just yet, but the blue light reflecting off the largest moon could be seen enough to know it would be soon.
When the door to the cleansing unit clicked shut, she’d spun on her heel and the soft smile she’d plastered on her face fell instantly. Maybe it was fate that timed it all just right.
Nineteen
Maeve’s jaw felt like it hit the floor and shattered into a million tiny pieces. Teak looked as surprised as she did but seemed to recover quickly. A small white towel slunk low on his narrow hips, the contrast to his deep skin tone was mouthwatering. His hair dripped water onto his shoulders and torso and the beads rippled down as her eyes followed. He had that vee that bracketed his…
Holy shit she was staring. Maeve cleared her throat, and then did it again when no words came out. She closed her eyes and tried to think of something. He’s broken, Maeve. Stop looking at him like he’s some machine hell bent on pleasing you. You’re supposed to be patient and kind. Don’t make him feel threatened.
“Teak.” She opened her eyes finally, but when she did, she was met with a solid warm chest instead of the male that had been across the room.
“Yes, Maeve.” His voice sounded husky and she could feel his chest vibrate he was so near.
Her mind was going too fast for her to catch up. Her body was frozen, and she didn’t want to make him flinch by moving, so she stayed silent and still. Damn him. Damn him for being so far away from her but standing so closely, tempting her to touch what she couldn’t… or shouldn’t. His hot breath fanned the roots of her hair, and he seemed to be moving closer, slowly and silently, until her mind couldn’t think, and her body felt like it was set ablaze just by him being so close. Wetness began from a place only he’d ever made her drip and pulsing in ways only he could make her do.
Her body responded to him without thought, without touch, without everything she thought she needed to feel that way. She may own his life, hold his freedom in her hands, but Teakin Kade owned her body and there was nothing she could do about it, even if she wanted to.
But she didn’t.
Twenty
Something in the way Maeve reacted to him when she’d seen his body stirred that wild beast within him again, made his mind spin so quickly he lost all thought to anything else. For a moment, he didn’t know how long because time was an illusion when he was this close to her, he felt like himself again. The power pulsing inside him was incredible, like he hadn’t just been in Vint’s office outmatched in every way. That shocked silent reaction on her face, the way he could hear her heart pumping violently in her chest, drove him mad with lust.
If she could still see him as he was before, not as he was now, then he could too… for a moment. It was hard to think about anything but Maeve when she was near, impossible for the wicked thoughts to permeate his mind. Having her near was his cure, and he’d take every dose he could get until he was healed. That moment would be his first.
That moment is where he decided she would be his, and to hell with either of their lives.
Selfish.
Teak’s fingers itched to touch that soft flesh he’d been denying himself. Her body didn’t move even the slightest, her nerves getting the best of her. He could smell her excitement, yet she held herself reserved before him. Even this close, when a shallow breath would press her breasts against his exposed skin, she didn’t dare touch him. How much of that was his fault? How much of this reaction was because he’d pushed her away? Would she have ever made the first move, or would they have always ended up right there?
The latter.
Maeve wasn’t someone who made the first move. She held herself together and pushed others away. Not in a malicious way, in a way that preserved herself from hurt and rejection. Like he’d rejected her on the ship. Like he would still reject her when the memories came flooding back and she wasn’t looking at him like that. But there wasn’t any room for that right now. There was only enough room in his mind and in his body to give Maeve something he hoped she wanted. Because he did.
Selfish. He shook his head and shoved down the dark thoughts. Even if it was selfish she held the power to stop it with one word. He wouldn’t push her, it could be her choice, but he wanted her, always had.
The way she’d immediately responded to his body when she walked in, before her mind had time to catch up to the reality of their situation, was enough for him to know exactly what she wanted.
He leaned in the slightest bit and whispered his words. “What are you thinking about?” He looked down at her, to the sliver of space left between them.
She let out a breath and he could feel the warmth on it on his damp skin. “I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
“That you’ll run again.” Her face rose and she locked those watery blue eyes with his. The face of trepidation looking back at him told him too much of her emotions. “That you’ll go so far away I can’t reach you. That you’ll go somewhere I can’t follow.”
“I’m yours, Maevelin. I vowed my life and my body to you.” He smiled, trying to play off the worried look in her eye like it wasn’t affecting him. “Where would I possibly go that you couldn’t?
Even then, even as he’d said those words, he knew he was lying. He had plans. Plans Maeve could never know about, ones that would take him exactly to a place she couldn’t follow.
Maeve lifted her hand slowly, just like she would a wild beast on the edge of control, and placed her index finger on his temple. His eyes fluttered trying to understand, but it didn’t take him long to work it out. Teak grabbed her hand in his and kissed her knuckles, never wavering his eyes from hers. His mind was a battleground. Maeve was a temporary ceasefire. She was right. He would go to a place she couldn’t follow, retreat to a place no one was allowed but his own demons, ones that would only let up for the moments she allowed his touch.
Slowly, so he wouldn’t set off any of the alarms that would tell her to put up a wall, Teak searched and found her clenched hand at her side. His fingers delicately raked her tiny palm until she abandoned her grip and allowed him access. He entwined them, still so slowly, bringing the back of it to his lips. Teak flipped it over and continued the intimacy to her palm, up her wrist, taking his time and making sure the moment didn’t end. Her body was coming around and she was almost pliable under his touch.
Breathing so lightly, little gasps escaped her lips, betraying that fragile façade she’d put up. A façade as thin as the black dress she wore. It was long on her short frame, feathering out to the floor like something a goddess would wear as she lounged around her palace. Maeve was a goddess, and he her humble servant.
Teak lowered his head and whispered into her ear. “Follow me.” He turned his back to her, never letting go of her hand in fear that, if he did, his mind would turn dark once again and he would lose this moment forever.
He led her to the balcony, to the spot that made her glow, the spot that took her breath away each time she stepped out there. Her favorite place in the galaxy. He’d been right about it all though, it didn’t rival her beauty, her glow, her intelligence, everything about her that made her unique in this world. Everything that made him fall and fall harder each time she let him in a little bit more.
Now it was his turn to shut her out. Teak shook his head, trying to push the evil away for just a little bit longer. Just a little longer. I just want this moment.
When he reached the stone railing, Teak slid his hand from hers and placed it on the warm surface. He stood at her side, his hand on top of hers, and used his free hand to tuck her hair behind her ear as it blew around in the soft breeze. She exhaled and looked out to the distant horizon, a smile pullin
g her lips. Teak stepped behind her and placed his other hand on hers, caging her in against the railing.
“This place? The way it makes you feel inside. The way you miss it when you’re gone. The way you close your eyes and imagine the soft breeze beckoning you home.” He inhaled the smell of her hair as it wafted into his senses, like flowers and her natural feminine scent, and closed his eyes. “The way it makes you feel safe when things get too much. That’s how I feel about you, Maevelin Roan. You make me feel that way inside. I miss you like crazy when my eyes aren’t watching your every move. Your voice calls to my soul, and to my body. You make me feel safe. You make me feel like I have a home again.”
“How do you always seem to say the right things?” Her voice came out softly on the breeze. He leaned in closer, nuzzling her neck as she tipped her head to the side and allowed him more access. His long canines raked the delicate flesh of her throat and she gasped.
His body reacted to her so intensely. The pleading sounds under her breath made him want to take more, draw them out of her slowly. All he wanted was her touch, her scent on his skin, her nails raking his back as he imagined taking her right here in her favorite spot.
“I need to tell you something. Maybe you already know, maybe you don’t read into certain things about alien races.” He took a breath and blew it out, his nerves getting to him. “The males of my species crave certain things only a female could ever give them.” She was so smart, so intelligent, and her knowledge of alien races was beyond any he’d ever known, but she had those pieces of her that kept her innocent. Those pieces that could make her deny him everything he needed to live after this, after his admission. “If I take you, if you allow me to take you, I will never be able to stop. You will be the only thing I can taste, touch, but it will come with a price.”
She kept her eyes on the horizon since the position of his body kept her from turning around. He didn’t think he could do this part if he looked into her eyes, so it was best she kept them on the sea. He nuzzled into her neck more, taking more of her for his own pleasure. Just the feel and smell of her skin was enough to make his dick throb and the towel wrapped around his waist was all but falling away. Soon, he’d have nothing keeping him from her but her own clothing, and his own conviction, both dangerous games to play with someone like her, someone who hadn’t had the intimate touch of a man upon her skin.
She was perfect. She was untouched. He wanted nothing in the world but to rob her of that last bit of innocence she carried with her. To do what the universe did to so many of its victims. Take. Take it all without thought and without hesitation.
Selfish.
No. Not without her knowing it all. Not until she made the choice herself. He wouldn’t ruin her like he was ruined. He would be patient, take his time no matter how painful the parts were in between when his mind became too dark, and he would let her choose the path she took. There weren’t many things in this world a slave could choose in their life, a fact he was fast learning, but this was something he could give her until he gave her the freedom she deserved. The freedom that he robbed from her already. But he had a plan.
She leaned her head into him, not pushing him away, bringing him in closer, building the tension in his already tight body. “What could the price be for such a gift?” Her cheek brushed his, and they both made a soft noise as the sensation built.
“Everything,” he whispered.
She spun in his arms and pressed herself against him, taking possession of his lips. Her hands reaching around, nails clinging to him, pulling him closer. He obliged her, wanting nothing more than the sweet taste of her in his mouth once again. She was everything, consumed everything in him, and he allowed her it all.
Let her have it and be free of this burden. Let her take the darkness and burn it away with her light. At least for now.
Mindlessly, he grabbed at her clothing, wishing he could tear it to shreds. His hands gripped her ass and he easily lifted her onto the wide stone railing as she gasped and looked down at the water. “I won’t let you fall,” he promised. And he wouldn’t, ever. Her thighs parted, giving him room to move in and she pulled their bodies closer together. Here in this spot, her favorite spot in all the galaxy, he’d give her what he’d dreamed of since the moment he first laid eyes on her.
Everything.
He’d given her his life, his body as a shield to protect her for as long as he drew breath. He’d given her promises he would fulfill in time. Now, there was only one thing left to give her, his heart. His love. His devotion. His everything.
The passion between them felt so unnaturally real, tangible to the touch. Maeve took from him all the bad and left only the taste of her in its wake. Her clawing became feral, her kisses frantic. She was losing herself and that was more than enough for him.
Teak broke the kiss, and they panted together, their breaths becoming one. “Why did you stop?” She caught her breath with that hint of a smile playing on her swollen lips. “Don’t stop it now, please.”
He didn’t need words at the moment, his actions would speak louder than his words ever could. His mouth was better at showing her his true intention than it would be telling. All the words in the world would never be enough to say what he needed to her right now.
He kissed her forehead, her cheek, the tip of her nose which made her giggle and his heart wanted to explode at the adorable sound, because this was the way it was supposed to be. Playful, fun, loving, and easy. He would never allow her to experience the darkness he’d endured… never. Her lips, where he lingered a little longer, drawing the bottom one into his mouth before he moved to her chin, her jaw, then followed the shape of her body with his hands, feeling every curve. Down her neck as she lolled her head back and her nails lightly raked his scalp, drawing shivers up his spine. His body instinctively reacted to her every touch, subconsciously noticing her every move, every panting breath. Her breasts pressed up and down each time she drew in the warm air and he raked his fangs over each mound, kissing and licking as he went.
His fangs. They were more than something to look at, more than a distinction of his race and a warning to his enemies. They were meant for loving, meant to be used to seduce and bond him to the one that he chose, that chose him. He wouldn’t use them now, not when she wasn’t truly ready for him. She may think she knew what she wanted, but when they bonded, when there was no option for him to turn back, she wouldn’t be able to change her mind.
Everything meant forever, and forever was a long time.
If she backed out, if she changed her mind once it was done, he wouldn’t survive. So, for that moment, he would draw her in, test her and see where he could take her. He belonged to her forever and he had all the time in the world.
Teak lowered himself before her, resting his thighs on the back of his calves. His dick hung heavy between his parted legs, but the towel slipped, falling around him. Maeve made a breathless noise and he smiled in secret.
Patience. It’s all yours.
He continued his attention to her thigh, slowly pulling up the thin material and exposing the creamy skin to the air. He kissed her soft flesh while his other hand exposed her opposite thigh and she was nearly bare before him. He moved up her leg, taking his time and drawing out the moment. He wanted to savor it, savor her, for as long as he could.
When her dress was fully away from everything he wanted access to, he drew in a sharp breath. She was truly bare under her clothing, bare before him, nothing left to stop him from taking what he wanted, what she was offering to him.
She was an offering, truly and wholly, the goddess of beauty if there ever was one. He would accept such a monumental gift and take care of the fragility of it for all time. Her innocence, much like her heart, were both woven with such a fine fiber that it would break if not handled with delicate and deliberate intention.
“You’re the most beautiful creature I have ever laid my eyes on.” His gaze roamed up her body, over the soft mounds of her breasts, and
into her bright blue eyes filled with so much emotion. Emotion for him. “I don’t dare to touch you in fear you’ll shatter into a million pieces.” Like me.
Maeve shook her head. “I’m not fragile, Teak.” She said it with such conviction, such reverence.
“My sweet flower, you are the most fragile thing I have ever laid my hands upon.” He peered up at her through the vee of her thighs. “And will ever again.”
Hands slid into his hair again, lightly raking the scalp. “This feels big. Bigger than myself. Bigger than I can wrap my head around at the moment.” She closed her eyes and he slid his hands up her smooth legs, over her shapely calves and to the outside of her thighs. She’d rested her feet on his thighs, but he didn’t know when she’d done it. It spread her legs open wider for him, inviting him in. “I’m going to fall.”
He looked through the spaces of the short pillars holding up the railing, and out to the deep waters. “You won’t fall, Maeve. I won’t let you. I’ll keep you safe.”
“No.” She smiled and looked back down to him. “I’m going to fall hard, but I’m ready.”
In that moment, he knew what she meant, and his heart swelled with emotion. He was thankful for that moment of clarity because he didn’t know when he’d get a next time. The future was unknown, and there were going to be some hard times ahead for him, for her, but their moment was perfect, and it was enough.
Without any more hesitation, he buried his face in her sex and her head flew back as she gasped. He wouldn’t claim her… yet, but he would give her so much pleasure that she would beg him to, one day. He focused on that perfect spot that would build up quickly, lapping at her clit as she tightened the hold in his hair. It only urged him on. When she tightened her thighs around him, he let up and slowly slid his tongue up and down her slick folds, drinking in all that she had to offer.
