by Lynn Tyler
Kerek twisted the base, and the rod began buzzing. “I found this little beauty. It’s called a vibrator, and I thought you might like how it felt if I put it here.”
The humming toy was placed against one nipple. The feeling was so exquisite, his eyes rolled back. He’d never felt anything like it, and his body instantly skipped about fifteen levels of arousal and went straight into gotta come, gotta come, gotta come.
The vibrating wand was removed from his nipple, and he breathed a sigh of relief. And then he sobbed with desperation when his prick bobbed over his stomach, throbbing in time with each beat of his heart.
“You liked that, didn’t you?” Kerek pressed the toy against his nipple again, brushing so lightly he barely felt it.
At his frantic nod, Kerek leaned down and began nuzzling into his neck, kissing and licking all those sensitive spots Kerek had discovered after five years together. “Then you’re going to love this,” he muttered against his skin.
Before Thantos could even wonder what the hell Kerek was talking about, the rod was feathered against his jerking cock.
Kerek used his free hand to press Thantos’s cock against his belly and pushed the toy against the knot of nerves at the base of the head of his dick. Kerek’s hips began pumping, rubbing against his gland with every pass, and Thantos lost it.
He arched his back, screaming his pleasure to the ceiling as he began spurting all over his abs.
The cock in his ass pulsed wildly, and Kerek grunted in his ear. The hot wash of Kerek’s release sent him even higher and pushed his orgasm to a new level. It went on and on until he thought he would pass out. The vibrating toy was still humming away, and the sensation was quickly becoming too much for him. He whimpered and wedged his hand between their bodies, pushing the rod off his dick. It rolled off the edge of the bed and clattered to the hardwood floor.
Kerek collapsed on top of him, breathing heavily. His mate’s weight and the pounding of his heart made him feel safe and secure, just like it always did.
He looped his arms around Kerek’s waist and rubbed circles on his back, his fingers slipping easily in the perspiration that had beaded there. It was so comfortable, and he wanted to stay just like this, wrapped up in his mate’s arms. He was tired, hungry, and now sticky, but there was nowhere else he’d rather be.
The quiet of the room surrounded them like a cocoon, and the now-gentle rhythm of Kerek’s breathing lulled him to sleep.
Chapter 2
The digital clock flipped over to nine o’clock. Kerek frowned and stroked Thantos’s flame-red hair out of his face. He’d have to wake his mate up soon if Thantos was going to make it to his next appointment on time. Kerek would have just let him sleep, but Thantos always got twitchy at the thought of being late.
Thantos scrunched up his face in his sleep and kicked off the blanket. The man never really did like to be covered up, even when it was freezing out. Not that it was all that cold in here, just pleasantly cool, unlike the temperature outside. He didn’t mind the loss of blankets though. It gave him a chance to study his mate’s spectacular body.
His mate was long and lean with defined muscles but nothing that bulged, unlike most males of their species. His skin was pale all over, the color and texture of expensive cream. The luscious pink nipples reminded Kerek of the dima berries from home, and his mouth watered for a taste. Fiery-red hair started at his belly button and trailed down to a nest of curls at his groin.
The adult toy store he’d discovered earlier in the day proved to be a veritable treasure trove of devices that would drive Thantos out of his mind. Kerek had purchased so much, he’d had to have the store box up his order and ship it to the house. The vibrator that Thantos had enjoyed so much was only the tip of the iceberg. The rest of his treats were stashed safely in the closet.
Cool air blew up from the vents and made Thantos’s nipples peak even in his sleep. The man’s nipples were so sensitive, he could orgasm from a few minutes of manipulation. Kerek couldn’t wait to try the vibrating nipple clamps on his mate.
He stroked Thantos’s hair again and heaved himself out of the bed. The vidscreen was beeping away downstairs, and he wanted to make something for his mate to eat before he had to rush off.
The carpet was soft and squishy between his bare toes as he crept down the stairs, completely different from the rough rugs that had been placed in their quarters on the star ship. It was perfect for making love on, but they hadn’t had the chance to do that yet.
The vidscreen beeped again, demanding his attention. He flipped it open and carried it into the kitchen with him. “Kerek here.”
“Chief, how are you today?”
The soft, deep voice of King Jaron’s Consort, R’oan, floated through the connection. He switched on the screen, and the handsome face came into view.
“We’re well, Consort R’oan, thank you. And yourselves?”
Roan chuckled and rubbed his bristled chin. “Jaron is beside himself right now. We have some good news, and we need your help announcing it.”
High King D’Arik and Queen Jacy had asked him to become the spokesman for the royal family when they’d left orbit without him. He had a sneaking suspicion they’d been trying to find a way to keep him feeling useful. He appreciated it, though he had yet to actually have any contact with the Earth press. He didn’t regret staying behind, though, if only because he would never leave Thantos, and the man had been born for a role like this.
He waited respectfully for Consort R’oan to tell him why he’d been contacted. He didn’t have to wait long.
A broad smile broke out on R’oan’s face. “Queen Jacy is expecting D’Arik’s first child.”
Oh, thank the gods. There was hope for their species after all. “That’s wonderful, Consort. Our people will rejoice.”
“Yes. Jaron is beside himself. He’s by turns thrilled that he will be an uncle and sad because he’s going to miss Nalan’s Choosing.”
Kerek winced sympathetically. The Choosing Ceremony was among the most sacred traditions in their society. To witness a Choosing was a great honor, one that no family member would ever willingly miss. Unfortunately, the urgency of the Helan population was such that Jaron would have no choice but to miss his younger brother’s Ceremony. “It will be okay. King Nalan will forgive you. Especially if the two of you find a mate and begin having little ones of your own.”
R’oan’s face closed, and he shook his head. “Anyway, D’Arik has asked that you make a statement to the human press. Something joyful and uplifting.”
He nodded thoughtfully, the announcement already beginning to form in his mind. “When would you like me to make the announcement?”
“In a week or so. D’Arik and Varin are considering inviting a number of the political leaders on Earth for a stay on Helan to celebrate the occasion.”
“Sounds good. I’ve got to get Thantos up for his next session. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
R’oan shook his head but quickly changed the action into a nod. “Yes. You can find a nice female and mate with her.”
His mind flashed to a delicate little blonde who had been all over the media lately. “We’ll do our best, Consort.”
He signed off and began getting his mate’s meal ready. The meat, cheese, and fruit he’d purchased earlier in the day were set on a tray, and a light, bubbly wine from home was placed alongside it. Two sparkling glasses were the last touch.
Thantos was still fast asleep when he got back to the bedroom, so he put the tray down on the foot of the bed and crawled across the mattress until he was right next to Thantos. He stroked the red strands completely off his lover’s face and rubbed his thumb over the high cheekbones. “Thantos? Talan? It’s time to get up and eat.”
His mate never woke up easily. Thantos wrinkled his nose and flipped over to bury his face in his pillow, grumbling something unintelligible. The move left the entire span of Thantos’s spine free for his hands, which itched to touch the milky,
smooth skin. If he touched, though, Thantos would be late for sure, and Thantos in a snit was not necessarily something he wanted to deal with. At least not when he couldn’t restrain Thantos to the bed and fuck him into a better mood.
He settled for popping his mate on the ass instead. The smack of palm to bare cheek cracked through the air and left a lovely red handprint on that beautiful, masculine behind.
Thantos yelped and sat up. “What the fuck was that for?”
He moved easily into Kerek’s arms despite the smack. Kerek planted a kiss on Thantos’s lips in apology. “It was either that or tie you to the bed and have my wicked way with you.”
Thantos stretched and yawned. “I would have preferred you to tie me up, talan.”
He retrieved the food-laden tray and shifted around until he was propped up against the headboard. “Me, too, but then you wouldn’t have had time to eat, and that is not acceptable. Now, come lean on me and let me feed you.”
A warm, heavy weight settled against his front when Thantos obeyed his command. He picked through the slivers of cold chicken breast, choosing the very best slivers for Thantos to eat. He held the piece up to Thantos’s lips and shivered when his mate closed his mouth over his fingers as well. “Behave, or you won’t make it to your appointment.”
Thantos sighed but allowed Kerek to feed him until Kerek had judged he’d eaten enough. “Why don’t you go and shower while I clean up?” Kerek suggested.
He concentrated on gathering up their mess instead of watching Thantos get up and walk into the bathroom because he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself if he had to watch that pretty ass flex as he walked.
He jerked on a pair of pants, fastening them with the silver button that held the flap together at the top. The shower turned on in the bathroom, and Kerek set to cleaning up, gathering the glasses and plates, and carrying the whole lot back into the kitchen. He dumped his burden in the sink and flopped onto the couch.
The television remote control had buried itself between the sofa cushions. He dug it out and turned on the talking box. It was similar to their vidscreens but larger and not portable. He’d developed a sort of addiction to human prime-time television. Okay, a full-on addiction, but he’d never admit that to anyone.
Old sitcoms were his favorite things to watch. Golden Girls was probably the funniest thing he’d ever seen, and he glanced at the clock, pleased to see that it was going to be starting in a few minutes.
Footsteps on the stairs alerted him to the fact that Thantos was finished washing up and was on his way down. It was only ten o’clock, and Thantos didn’t have to leave for another thirty minutes or so, which gave them plenty of cuddle time, something that hadn’t happened in weeks now.
Thantos eased down next to him and snuggled close. Gods, he loved how easily his mate accepted his care. A normal Helan male would be battling for supremacy, but Thantos just wasn’t wired that way. Oh, he would fight to the death if Kerek needed him to, and would die without thought to save his kings and queen, but he just didn’t feel the need to always be in control.
He was the perfect match for Kerek, who felt a driving need to care and protect at all times.
Heaving a tired sigh, Thantos laid his head on Kerek’s shoulder. “What are we watching?”
Kerek drew a soft blanket over their legs and draped his arm around Thantos’s shoulder. “Golden Girls. Rose is hilarious. I think you’ll like her. She kind of reminds me of King Jaron.”
Thantos hummed an answer and slid his hand across Kerek’s stomach until it was tucked neatly behind the small of his back. He waited until commercial break and tugged lightly at one of the flame red war braids, more ceremonial in Thantos’s case than anything else. “I was thinking of asking King Jaron about finding someone to help teach the classes so you’re not so stressed all the time. How would you feel about that?”
The fact that Thantos submitted nearly every decision to Kerek, with the exception of decisions that had to do with his job, was something they did not publicize. And normally, Kerek would have just gone ahead and requested an audience with the king. But Thantos had built the curriculum he was teaching very carefully and was very protective of it.
A long moment of silence had Kerek convinced that Thantos would disagree, and he was just trying to figure out a way to take better care of his mate, when Thantos began speaking. “I was thinking about that, actually. I don’t know how much longer I can keep up with these hours, especially with King Jaron and Consort R’oan on our case about finding a mate. There are a few men coming on one of the ships due in soon that I would trust to teach humans about Helans.”
The credits started rolling on the screen, and Thantos sat up, stretching his arms over his head and arching his back. The joints in his spine cracked, and he groaned. “I should go, talan. I’ll be back by one or so.”
Kerek nodded and drew Thantos down for a quick, blistering kiss. “Make sure to take your bodyguards. I think I’ll sit in on your lecture tonight if that’s okay.”
“Mmm.” Thantos offered his lips for another kiss and then another. And another. Their bodies fit together perfectly, and Kerek groaned into Thantos’s mouth.
“And how do their scientists know for certain that human females can carry a Helan child?”
The voice now coming from the television was a familiar one and had their passionate encounter grinding to a sudden halt. Kim McManus, one of the human women responsible for organizing a rebellion when Helans had first made contact, was on the nightly news, making yet another speech about how crazy they were and why women should not sign the registry to be considered for being a potential Helan mate.
They exchanged looks, and Thantos pulled away reluctantly. “And that’s exactly why I need to teach these classes. We need to put to rest all the rumors that people like Kim keep spreading. I guess the only problem right now is that Ms. McManus is right. So far, we don’t have any proof that humans can carry our children.”
He could have slapped himself in the forehead. How could he have forgotten to tell Thantos that their queen was expecting? He quickly explained the happy situation and enjoyed the look of awe and relief on his mate’s face. “But don’t say anything to your classes quite yet. Consort R’oan asked me to make the announcement, and I haven’t had a chance to draft one. I’ll be calling a press release for early next week. Is there a time that’s best for you?”
Thantos told him his schedule, and they agreed on a time for the following Tuesday.
He gave Thantos one last kiss, agreed to meet him at the lecture hall, and watched him leave the house.
Grabbing his vidscreen, he flipped through the functions until he came to the writing screen. He settled down at the table and began drafting the announcement he had been waiting his whole adult life to make.
Chapter 3
Thantos strode into the lecture hall and began checking the cameras. This talk would be broadcast in more than fifteen countries, along with DC citizens who wanted to come to the late lecture. All in all, he was expecting around twenty people live and a couple of thousand via satellite. There were always those people who walked in instead of signing up, though. At first, they’d tried to limit the attendees to the ones who’d registered, but that kind of went against the idea of open and honest communication. Now they just increased the security.
Once everything was set up to his satisfaction, he pulled a sheaf of pamphlets out of his case and laid them on the table. He’d discovered that humans liked handouts. They liked something tangible that they could hold. He guessed it made things seem real.
The door opened, and people began to trickle in. The majority of them were women, but there were always a few males in attendance. He hadn’t quite figured that one out, but then again, he figured there were always those men who wanted to hear about the sex part.
The sex part. Ever since King D’Arik had made him announce the true nature of the relationships that human women were expected to e
nter when they were matched with their Helan mates, at least one person per session asked about Helan sex. There was something so strange about standing in front of a group of people and discussing threesomes. It was even more awkward if someone asked him a question about his own sex life. It wasn’t like he had any experience with threesomes yet.
Kerek walked in and took a seat in the front row. It was the first time he’d attended one of these lectures, but Thantos was grateful for Kerek’s presence nonetheless. He smiled at Kerek and handed him one of the pamphlets. “Just in case you wanted some reading material,” he joked.
His lover rolled his eyes, but he took one anyway, unfolding it and perusing it with interest. “These are really good,” he commented. “Very informative. You did a great job, talan.”
He grinned at the compliment. Kerek knew exactly what was in those pamphlets. He helped to write them, for god’s sake. But he was always making sure Thantos knew how proud he was of him. Thantos didn’t need the praise, but it was nice anyway. “Thanks. We’re going to get started in just a few minutes. Just pass those back, will ya?” He handed Kerek a sheaf of pamphlets and went to stand at the front of the room.
Slowly, the room began to fill up. They had been provided with a relatively small room, and the twenty or so people who had shown up did an admiral job of taking up space.
He did a quick inventory of the screens in front of him. All of them were already streaming live to him, and he would turn his own camera on as soon as the lecture started. He checked that the captions were working properly. The first time he’d done one of these satellite lectures, it had been a disaster. While the translator located in his brain had been able to decipher each of the questions, he didn’t have enough experience with many of the languages to accurately answer them.
He’d been at a loss as to what to do until Kerek had finally demanded that the lectures would be available with subtitles. Now he spoke in English, and the subtitles did the translating for him.
