by Alana Serra
She’d been fourteen.
“Still a youngling,” Rhavos observed, “even by Karuvar standards. I cannot…” He let out a breath. “I cannot imagine having the strength to do that.”
Ren met his gaze. “Is it really strength if you have no choice?”
“Yes,” he said simply.
That one word, that affirmation was enough to help her through the rest of the story; the part she’d spent so long blocking out of her mind.
“We were safe for a while. Happy. It was a small community, but everybody looked out for each other. Our supplies were only meant to last for a year, though, and we needed to send people out to get more.” Ren was quiet for a long moment. “Half of the people we sent out never came back. The militia shot them on sight. It got to a point where there was only one other family living in the bunker, and I drew straws with their son to see who would go out on the supply run. He lost.”
She could still remember the way Marcus smiled when he drew the short straw. It was the smile of someone who knew he wasn’t ever going to see his family or his home again. And he’d been right.
“I don’t know how it happened, but the militia found the bunker. I can still hear them banging on the door, trying to get it open. My mother was holding onto me, but as soon as the militia started to break through, she put herself in front of us and just lunged at one of them. She knocked one of their guns away, but they…”
The shot rang through her memory, followed shortly after by the sound of her mother’s body hitting the floor. Ren closed her eyes and let out a shuddering breath. Rhavos was watching her, and she could tell he wanted to do something. It was a sentiment she understood, and for several moments, she busied herself with dressing his wound.
“I knew what was going to happen if I just surrendered. I still had a lot of years of work left in me. They’d make me fulfill a contract that never had an end; keep me somewhere in the barracks so they could make sure I didn’t escape. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let my mother’s death accomplish nothing. It was the…” Ren let out a breath. “The one time she actually fought for me, and she paid with her life.”
Her hands were shaking as she tied off the bandage. Rhavos placed his over top and looked up at her.
“Come here,” he said softly.
She didn’t resist. Setting the salve and bandages aside, Ren moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Rhavos wasn’t content with that, though, and he scooped her into his arms. She let out a shuddering breath, feeling the tears come anew.
“I shot two of them myself. The father of the other family—the only person left besides us—tackled the last of them to the ground. He told me to run, so I did. I didn’t stop for two days.”
She hadn’t even been able to bury her mother. Eventually, she’d made a marker with a cross, but it wasn’t enough. Ren closed her eyes and buried her head against Rhavos’ chest, the tears falling freely. He stroked her hair and held her, so incredibly gentle that it almost made her cry even harder.
“Adi’sun said you studied in this town. How did you get here?”
“A family took me in. The dad was a teacher, and he tried his best to catch me up. When I was twenty-one, I caught a train to Everton and took the entrance exam for the university. I failed three times before they finally let me in.”
“What of the others? The humans that were with you?” he asked.
Pain washed over her, and she slid her arms around Rhavos’ waist, pressing her cheek to the place where she heard his heart beating. “Honestly? If they didn’t escape, I hope they were killed. Because if they weren’t, the militia made them pay for helping me.”
She still felt guilty over that. Her life wasn’t worth more than theirs. But they’d given her the opportunity, and she’d taken it. Only to end up brainwashed and mind controlled by another group of humans.
It was too much. She couldn’t think about how disappointed the people she’d left behind would be.
So instead, she looked up at Rhavos as he brushed away her tears.
“I don’t really want to think about that anymore,” she said softly. “I don’t want to think about any of it anymore.”
It was a plea, and one she made knowing she didn’t deserve his kindness. But she knew he would give it. She could see it in his eyes, could feel it in his touch as his hands cradled her face.
And when his mouth came down on hers, Ren knew she could have this—have him—and worry about the rest of the world later.
12
Rhavos could feel no pain.
His shoulder throbbed, but it was a distant sensation in the wake of everything else he was feeling. He wanted, more than anything, to comfort Rhin; to take away her pain. She'd been so strong for so long. How could he have thought her weak? He knew better now, and he wanted to show her that she did not have to shoulder the burden alone.
Many orbits ago, when Rhavos had allowed himself to think about his future mate, he'd imagined someone completely different from Rhin. But now he could see no one else. She was his ideal. She was the standard to which he would judge everyone else. She was the sun in his galaxy, radiant and life-giving, and he was blessed to orbit around her.
He kissed her deeply, his tongue teasing, tracing, tasting. She answered with her own, her soft sounds of pleasure telling him she was already moving away from those thoughts and memories that upset her.
Rhavos pulled her further onto his lap, ignoring the ache in his arm. She nestled against him, fitting to him perfectly. He'd been mad to think her too small once—she was just the right size, and even now her soft body cradled his cock, her hips lifting and falling in a slight rhythm as instinct began to drive her.
She was his mate, she was made for him, and so Rhavos knew she would lose herself to that instinct soon enough. Until then, he would move slowly and ensure his mate's pleasure so that when her implant demanded she mate, she was ready for him.
He kissed her thoroughly, his tongue dancing with hers before he drew back and painted a trail down to her jaw, continuing on to her throat. It was a vulnerable place for Karuvar—one of the few vital points not protected by scale plates—and to expose one's throat was the ultimate act of trust.
Perhaps it was not the same for humans, but Rhavos was pleased just the same when his mate tilted her head up to grant him access, his lips and tongue exploring the hollow of her throat. Her own hands explored his shoulders, wary of his wound but seemingly fascinated with his scales.
Eager to see more of her, Rhavos slid his hands over her thighs and rested them just below the hem of her shirt, looking up at her in question. She answered by grabbing the shirt herself, her arms crossed over one another as she pulled it over her head, exposing smooth, bronzed skin that Rhavos could not wait to explore.
Cloth bound her chest still, but she removed it quickly, freeing her full breasts, her nipples dark and inviting. Rhavos had never been with a human female, had never even seen one naked, but this one was his mate, and his implant-driven instincts encouraged him to try things she might like.
His hands moved up her sides and a soft rumble vibrated through him at the sound of her gasp and at the way she leaned into his touch. He continued upward, and the instant his fingers brushed her breasts, she arched toward him, a moan trapped between her lips.
He did not want her to be reserved, in this or any other endeavor. She liked this attention, and he wanted her to enjoy it unabashedly, so he kneaded the supple flesh and paid special attention to her hardening nipples, his thumbs brushing over the rough peaks.
Rhin squirmed in his lap, and Rhavos did not try to hide his own growl of pleasure as her body moved against his, her heat reaching him even through the fabric.
His willpower would not hold out forever. He needed to be inside of her, to make her his, but for right now, he wanted her to know that he was at her mercy—willing to do any and everything to please her.
Rhavos kissed a path from her throat to her breasts, caressing one with his lips
while his hand continued with the other. He glanced up at her, saw her focused intently on him. Her gaze locked with his, and she lifted up, moving so that his lips brushed her nipple.
A pleased growl rumbled in the back of Rhavos' throat. His mate knew what she wanted, and she was growing bolder in asking him for it.
"I am yours," he promised her. "Tell me what you want, show me what you need, and I will do it."
To demonstrate this, he drew the hardened peak into his mouth, pride flowing through him when she tilted her head back and moaned with far less inhibition.
Her hips continued to move, her body rubbing against his aching cock. Rhavos groaned, a shiver coursing through him as he fought back his own needs.
To his surprise, she reached down between them, her small hand held to the hard line of his erection. She gripped him through the cloth, caressed his aching flesh, and Rhavos let out a gasp of his own, momentarily releasing her nipple as he looked up at her in reverence.
Of course she knew what he needed. They were mates. She could sense his desires as easily as he could sense hers.
Adjusting herself on his lap, Rhin undid the ties of his pants and reached in to grasp him. Her fingers did not even begin to close around his girth, but she stroked him nonetheless. It was everything Rhavos could do not to thrust into her hand as his mouth returned to her breasts, seeking out her unattended nipple.
She was beginning to breathe more heavily, and he could almost feel that passion sparking inside of her. She would lose herself soon, lose that tight control she'd been forced to maintain, and Rhavos was eager to be the one she trusted enough to allow it.
For now, she was still willing to guide him, and he was more than willing to be led to what would please her most.
"Touch me," she said on a soft moan, her hand reaching for his.
She leaned back and shifted her hips, bringing his hand to rest between her thighs. Rhavos touched her, his fingers pressing against her hot, pliable flesh. She was responsive to his touch even through her clothing, her affirmations whispered as he started to rub in small, tight circles.
Rhavos groaned when she reached for his cock again, this time with both hands. Her mouth found his, and he kissed her greedily, letting go for a moment and giving into his own needs, his hips bucking beneath her.
She was panting now, and Rhavos could tolerate the clothing keeping them apart no longer. Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her and stood, laying her down on the bed.
As he pulled down his pants the rest of the way, Rhin tugged off her own, along with another, smaller piece of clothing. She was bared to him, and his cock twitched as need pulsed through him.
She would have allowed him to take her now, but Rhavos did not want her permission. He wanted her to desire it as badly as he did—so much that she begged him for it.
Kneeling at the edge of the bed, he nudged her thighs further apart, gratified when she spread them even further. He reached up to rub where she'd told him to and was rewarded with a loud moan, her hips lifting off the bed to meet him.
"Do you want my mouth where my hand is now? My tongue inside of you?"
"Yes," she gasped, lifting further off the bed. "Yes, please."
Rhavos moved both hands to her thighs and eased between her thighs, careful of his horns. He breathed in the scent of her arousal, a less restrained growl rumbling through him before he put his mouth to her, licking her slick folds, kissing her there as he had above, his lips caressing, his tongue delving inside of her.
She moaned, her nails digging into the scale plating that guarded his shoulder. But that was nothing compared to the moment his lips moved higher, brushing a tiny nub of flesh. She arched off the bed, moving even beneath his steady hold, and pressed her head back into the bed, her lips falling open with a breathless cry of pleasure.
Rhavos focused his attention on that part of her, lips and tongue working in tandem, driving her toward the edge. It wasn’t long before she broke, the muscles in her thighs and abdomen flexing, her breath held in, the rest of her body still before she let out a low moan.
And that, too, was when her inhibitions broke at last. The moment she let go, the moment she gave herself over to her pleasure, she gave into her instinct, as well. He could see it in her eyes when she looked up at him, a fire and fierceness there that called to something deep inside of him. He rose, and his mate reached out to him even as he climbed over top of her. He claimed her mouth and was met by her needy kiss, by her hands clutching at him, pulling him closer, by her legs wrapping around his waist.
Rhavos moved against her, his cock sliding over her folds, rubbing against that part of her that brought her to climax before. She moved with him, her motions of her hips half frantic, her hands seeking purchase at his sides, his arms, his shoulders.
He drew back with a gasp, his teeth finding the curve of her ear before he growled out, “Tell me what you need. I will not claim you until you do.”
“Fuck me,” she breathed, “make me yours.”
Rhavos did not hesitate. He drew back, her legs arching higher over his hips, and sank his cock into her in one smooth thrust. A deep groan escaped him, a shudder running through his whole body as he felt his mate stretch and adjust to his size. She was pure bliss, holding him so tight, her cunt squeezing around him. All he wanted was to move inside of her, to mate her and fuck her and please her until he could not hold out any longer.
He stayed still, though, thinking she might need time to adjust. But her hands moved to his ass, to the backs of his thighs, and she rolled her hips against him, begging him to move with her body. So Rhavos did. He drew back and thrust into her again, then again, building up a steady rhythm, pleasure coursing through him each time he sheathed himself within her.
“Harder,” she pleaded, and Rhavos gladly accommodated, pounding her tight, welcoming cunt, his cock driving into her again and again.
He was panting, sweat beading at his brow, his thighs beginning to burn. But this was what he was made for. And even when he felt his mate clench around him, heard the sweet moan fall from her lips as she reached her climax again, he did not stop. His palms pressed into the bed and he could feel it moving, could hear it slamming against the wall every time he thrust into her. The entire Waystation would know they were mated, and the knowledge of that pushed Rhavos to go even harder, his efforts rewarded by her gasps as they punctuated every stroke.
Her hands wrapped around his horns, the edge of her fingers touching the sensitive flesh at the base, and Rhavos nearly lost himself just from that. His movements became more erratic, his pace frenzied. She kept up with him, meeting him with every thrust, using his horns as leverage to lift her hips against him, her amber eyes blazing with molten heat.
He could feel his release coming upon him, swift and unavoidable. It overtook him, and his body stilled before spasming, his cock twitching and jerking. He buried himself deep inside of her in one last thrust and she cried out as their bodies met, her cunt squeezing around him as she was overtaken by another climax.
Rhavos lay atop her, panting. His heart was racing, every muscle burned, and he was even more exhausted than he’d been after the raid. But he’d never felt more at ease. It was as if everything he’d been building to—not just in these last few moments, but throughout his entire life—had at last led to something tangible. Something he could be pleased with. Something he could be proud of. Something that would give him joy for the rest of his days.
For years, he’d focused on his military career. But the one thing that mattered most to him in this moment, the thing that made him feel whole, was not the campaigns he’d won or the accolades he’d achieved. It was his mate lying here beneath him, looking up at him with pure trust and adoration in her eyes.
Rhavos withdrew from her reluctantly, but only so he could pull her into his arms, her body pressed to his. She was strong, his mate. Strong and fierce and loyal. And so long as Rhavos lived, no one would ever take that away from her again.
She did not hear him. Her breathing was relaxed and even, and Rhavos realized she had fallen asleep against him. Relaxing against the mattress, he held her tight and allowed himself to do the same.
13
Ren couldn't remember ever feeling as empowered as she did that morning after the raid.
That night, everything had changed. She'd opened herself up, let herself trust someone. She'd given everything to Rhavos, and he'd given all of himself to her. She'd never believed in fate or soulmates. How could she, when she spent so much of her life just trying to make it to tomorrow? But when she woke in the morning, still safe in his arms, she felt like she had a partner for the first time in her life. Someone to help her shoulder the overwhelming burdens she'd carried since she was a girl.
That sense of security, that knowledge of everything she'd gained, lit a fire under her. And even though some part of her wanted to wake Rhavos and coax him into a repeat of last night, there was a bigger part of her that wanted to start working on a way to use the knowledge they'd gained.
She tried not to wake him, but she could almost sense the moment he roused, as if she could feel his conscious state as easily as she could feel her own. He touched her and kissed her, his lips leaving a heated trail over the bare skin of her neck, shoulders, and back.
"A taste of what is to come," he said, his voice a deep rumble that made her shiver. "First, I must meet with the Pathfinder about what we found."
And that, she supposed, was why they were well-matched. Even when they were obviously both eager to shirk their responsibilities and get lost in each other for the rest of the day, honor and the ability to contribute mattered more.
