by Erin Raegan
I was covered in the life blood of the Vitat. I rushed through a scrubbing in the cleansing room. I did not bother to dry, I climbed in the bed beside her and held her close. My precious Pythen, she hurt. Her pain evident in every line of her soft human face. I could not take away her pain, but I would do all in my power to shoulder it for her. On Home World, I would dedicate all my attentions to make sure she never again knew the devastating feeling of loss in her long life ahead with me.
She would know only joy and contentment. I would fill her arms with little dahkling’s to cherish and protect.
Never again were her eyes weep with the wet of sorrow. I would have them leak from pleasure and delight. Endless moments of joy.
Chapter 30
Peyton
Tahk returned sometime later after I had showered and fallen asleep on the bed, wrapped only in a towel. I had cried myself into exhaustion; nightmares of the Vitat and enemy soldiers had plagued me. My mind tried to reconcile Bryan’s death. I would save him over and over, only to lose him in some other gruesome manner. No matter what my dream-self did, Bryan was always gone. Tahk curled his big body around me from behind and woke me with gentle nips down my shoulder.
I was relived to be out of the nightmares.
“It is done,” he whispered. “The human’s no longer have access to their weapons. The Earth is dark, their light gone out from my vantage.” That meant electricity was gone. People must have been terrified. Though I doubted many used it at this point. A light on would only bring on the Vitat. I worried more about communication and accessibility to food and water. The dark would be a hinder in the night. Unable to see what was lurking in the shadows. But I knew it needed to happen.
“The King has agreed to meet with the Galactic Council. They will deliberate.” He squeezed me back against him when I tried to turn over. “It will not be the answer you wish, my mate. It will take convincing. But my King has heard my plea and he will aid us.”
I relaxed against him. I knew it was a lot just that they were willing to listen. But we didn’t have time. I was safe up here, when so many weren’t. If I allowed myself to think on it too much the guilt would cripple me.
“My King is distraught by the human warriors’ actions. He has ordered we intervene.”
My body spasmed in shock. “How?”
“We will prevent more enemy ships from reaching earth. It is not much, but we risk much with just these actions.”
“Oh my god, really?” I couldn’t believe it. It wouldn’t be much, there were already so many Vitat on earth. But it was so much more than hope. It was a real honest to god chance. “Why now?”
“He worries the Council will not come to an agreement in time. At least now, the humans can focus on defending the ground instead of the skies.”
“Tahk, that’s amazing!”
“My King will get their approval, my mate. I am just sorry we did not push for it sooner.”
“I understand. It’s a risk. You didn’t owe us anything in the beginning. But now you know us, you know me. You’re invested. Still, you’re just one Dahk. The King must have ulterior motives.” At this point I’m not sure I cared what they were. We were dead without the Dahk. We’d deal with the specifics later.
“Yes, but do not be so alarmed. His reasons are not nefarious. Our mating is more than just my gift. It gives my Dahk hope. A mating between our species is possible. There is no greater cause worth fighting for.”
That was really sweet, but I didn’t buy it. I should have asked him to elaborate, but he distracted me with something that took all thoughts of mating between Dahk and humans from my mind.
“I am sorry about your Bryahn,” he began gently. “I know he meant a great deal to you.”
“I miss him. I loved him,” I confessed, sobs over taking me again.
“We shall remember him as the Dahk do. He will be honored in our House.” He stroked me from chest to hip.
“How?” I gasped through my blubbering.
“We will hold vigil for his departure, a shrine of gratitude erected in his honor. The Dahk will celebrate his life as we do our most closely held members. He will be held in the arms of the great yula. From the sky’s he will watch over you, my mate, as I know your First Father does.”
I cried for a long time. Tahk held me through, murmuring words of comfort. Caressing every inch of me. I had lost my father’s pottery wheel, and it seemed silly to think of it after everything. But in a way, it was him. With that if felt like he was always with me. But Tahk was right. I knew my father watched over me. He wasn’t his pottery wheel. I wanted to believe he had sent Tahk to me. That he had played some small part in saving me in those first few days.
When my body relaxed and my eyes dried, Tahk allowed me to turn to him. “I hadn’t expected you,” I whispered keeping my eyes on his chin. “But I’m so grateful,” I confessed. I was. I was so grateful for him now. We had a rocky start. But he had made me come to care so deeply for him. I didn’t know what it was like to not have him by my side anymore. I didn’t ever want to find out. Even if that meant leaving my home and traveling through the galaxy.
People were still dying. And my mother was still out there. I had to believe she was still alive.
But in this moment, there was only Tahk, and I needed him to know.
“I really, really like you, Tahk.” I smiled at his chin. His lips pulled, and I could see him grinning smugly. I chuckled but quieted it as soon as it started. He was so arrogant. “I think I love you, you know.”
“Love? Is at as you did Bryahn? Or your Veeveen?” He coaxed dipping down to catch my eyes.
I chuckled again. “No.” I scowled, peeved he was making me laugh when I was trying to be serious. “I love you here.” I pressed my hand against my heart. “And only you get to be here.”
His smile dropped. He covered my hand with his own, pulling it to his chest. “As you are the only one here,” he vowed and bent to kiss me.
We kissed languidly, our mouths making love to each other. His arms pulled me in tight. His wing wrapped around us. Before long, my breaths were erratic, and my body was shaking with need.
“I don’t want any more slowly,” I whispered, nipping at his plump bottom lip.
“No? Fast then, sweet mate?” He growled and rolled me to my back. I nodded quickly.
Fast sounded really good right now.
He yanked the towel from around me, tossing it to the floor. He lifted to his knees and gazed down at my naked body. “No, I will take your body slow this eve,” he purred, petting a hand down between my breasts to my belly. “But I will take all of it. Our bodies will join, and you will release swiftly. Many times.”
My hands reached up to pet him in return. His skin was slightly wet. He had showered before waking me. Little droplets from his crown dripped down the ridges of his abdomen, clinging to his smooth scales. I wanted to lick them away.
A long finger dipped between my legs. My back bowed off the bed. “You smell of need,” he growled and bent down to lick along my belly button. Achingly slowly he licked down my stomach, to the dip between my legs. He did not make me wait. He dived in with snarls of hunger and lapped at me. Moving from long licks, to reckless sucks. My head thrashed on the bed, my cries wild and uninhibited.
“My mating rage is upon me,” he snarled, his teeth grazing along my hard clit. “I must have you.”
I trembled from excitement and fear. Tahk had been inside me during a mating rage. I wasn’t sure that he felt the urge now was a good thing.
“I will not harm you,” he growled through one last long suck. Climbing up my body he gave every inch of me the same attention.
“I know,” I told him. I was nervous, but I knew he would never hurt me if he could help it. My fear wasn’t so great that I didn’t want this with him. I needed it.
“My beautiful yula. You are my greatest gift.” He licked along my neck to my mouth. Darting his tongue inside, he worked my body into another fever. His h
and massaging between my legs. I coated his hand, my body relaxing and urging towards release.
He dropped his weight on me, as his hand guided his hard cock to my entrance. His glowing silver eyes captured mine as he surged inside. I cried out in relief. He was massive, but my body welcomed him.
Tahk gnashed his teeth. “Hot, wet, and tight,” he snarled and thrust back out, only surge back inside.
My legs bent up to drive into his sides. My hands clawing at his horn and skull. Tahk roared and thrust again and again. His every muscle engaging with his drives. Feeling his abs clench against my soft stomach drove me mad. His massive biceps flexing beside my head.
He ground down against that bundle of nerves with every push. His head bent, and he snarled and sucked along my neck. One hand curved along my backside, driving me into every one of his thrusts. I cried out pleas and desperate sounds I would be ashamed of if I had any sense. His other hand grasped the back of neck, keeping me still and unable to do anything but thrash and beg beneath him.
My questions of the King’s motives surged back inside my head just as Tahk surged back inside me another way. A more wonderful way. Forcing me to war with my mind and body. Is that why the Dahk King wanted to save us humans so bad? Were we compatible in that way? I should be asking him about contraception, but even if getting me pregnant were possible, I didn’t think I could have stopped him if the ship were coming down around us. I couldn’t focus on the questions enough with him working my body into mind numbing want.
Tahk roared and raged into my neck, plunging into me so forcefully I would have dark bruises on my thighs in the morning. I didn’t care, it felt too good. I would look to them and know who claimed me so fully.
I let go of his horn and grasped at my breast. Tahk had avoided them since our shower exploration. He seemed fascinated with them then, but I guess they still could have freaked him out a little, seeing as Dahk females were so flat there. I hoped they weren’t a turn off for him. Every part of his alien body drove me insane, I wanted to be able to do the same for him. As soon as my finger closed around my left nipple and pulled, attention dropped, and he zoned in on my fingers with laser sharp focus. No, Tahk was not weirded out. At all. He was more than fascinated. My manipulations had his fangs flashing, and his masculine noises of approval tearing through his throat.
He became impatient and released my neck to bat my hand away. His claw scraped the side of my nipple once, before curving his entire palm around my breast to squeeze and lift. His head dropped, and his tongue lavd the tight bud. My back bowed, driving me into his thrusts until he hit my magical button.
Tahk tilted his hips upward and hit that amazing spot he found so easily last time and I lost all sense of time and space. His hips ground down and I flew apart. I contracted around him so tightly my thighs spasmed.
Tahk snarled and hammered inside of me erratically. His clawed fingers dug in around my ass cheek, and his teeth clamped down around my nipple, sending me further outside my body. Hot liquid bathed my insides, his body vibrating from his own release.
I screamed through the height of my orgasm, my voice breaking halfway through. Tahk took us down with shallow, slow thrusts. His hand left my breast to pet down my side. His tongue licked away the sting on my nipple.
“You are mine,” he growled and squeezed my ass cheek tightly. I didn’t have the energy to contradict him even if I wanted to. Which I didn’t, I was A-Okay being his.
Tahk turned us on our sides, maneuvering so my back was against him again. He pried my legs apart, resting the top one on his and shoved a hand between my legs, cupping me. I was leaking. He rubbed the liquid into my skin, pulling a shiver of want from me.
Tahk chuckled darkly. “You are painted with me,” he purred arrogantly, and rubbed me in tight circles. My body bowed back against him. I was squirming again. I was too sensitive, he was going to make me come again. His hand shoved beneath me to curl around my neglected breast. He pinched and rolled the jealous nipple, tormenting it as he had the other.
“Tahk,” I grasped his hand and pressed it down tightly. My head turning to bite the inside of his neck.
He rumbled nonsense and rolled my clit between his fingers in time with my nipple, pulling a distressed whine from me. “Sing for me, my yula,” he purred and squeezed that bundle tightly.
I did, and he held me while I fell apart, only to put me back together again.
Chapter 31
Peyton
I fell into a deep sleep, only waking up when Tahk moved me to my belly and took me from behind. When the door buzzed, Tahk was between my legs again, savoring me like a fine wine. He was teasing me. “I enjoy your cries for ‘more’,” he chuckled and wound me up only to deny me and start again.
The buzzing wasn’t going away though, so Tahk cursed and pounced from the bed. I pulled the sheet over my nakedness just as Tahk slammed his palm against the door for it to open. Fihk stood there, all the deep purple color missing from his face.
“What is it?” Tahk snarled.
“The King,” Fihk gasped and rushed inside.
“What of him?” Tahk dropped his confrontational posture and watched Fihk warily.
“He is dead.”
“What?” Tahk snarled again and grasped Fihk by the arm, shaking him.
“The Juldo sent an assassin. He is dead.”
Tahk paled.
Things were chaotic after that. Tahk rushed me into clothes that were too big, and we ran to the command deck. Dahk were everywhere, growling and raging. There was barely any standing room in front of a huge screen. Klando and Jirt were on the screen. Uthyf still as a statue next to Tahk.
“We received word, it happened just spins after Tahk spoke with him. He was in his rooms,” Klando said despairingly. He looked devastated. I wouldn’t have expected the terrifying Dahk to have been capable of such blatant anguish. But it was clear as day on his face.
“The culprit? Was he apprehended?” Tahk choked. His own face drawn in grief. I itched to comfort him, but I didn’t dare move closer in the room full of riled Dahk.
“No.”
I gasped as Tahk threw a chair through the room. It bashed into the wall and scattered into dozens of pieces. The room silenced.
“I want him found!” He roared and threw a table equally as hard, smashing instruments and sending sparks across the walls. Dahk rushed out of the way.
No one spoke while he roared and raged. When he had destroyed nearly all the mobile furniture in the room he settled. His chest heaved, and nostrils flared. He watched the room long tense moments before zeroing in on Uthyf. He charged the stunned Dahk but when I thought he might attack, he didn’t, instead he dropped to his knee in front of him. “My King.” He thumped his chest and bowed his head.
Oh, OH. He was now King? Did that mean he was family to the dead King? I didn’t know how Dahk hierarchy worked. But not one Dahk in the room contradicted him. Tahk’s announcement had a massive effect though.
Every single Dahk around me dropped and bowed as well, announcing their King as one. Goosebumps trailed down my exposed skin. The very air was heavy with some great meaning. A new King had just been crowned. Regardless of the gloomy circumstances, Dahk history had just played out in front of me. I rubbed the gooseflesh on my arms.
“I must go,” Uthyf choked to no one. He shook his head in bewildered anguish. “The throne is empty. The Houses of the Council will try to take the Kingship. In the chaos, the Juldo will attack.”
“You must escort him, Tahk,” Klando said gravely from the screen. Tahk’s back tensed but he didn’t deny it. He was leaving? A million thoughts rushed though my mind. A million denials. He was supposed to stay here. He was supposed to save us. “We have no choice but to leave the Earth to the Vitat.”
“No!” I cried and scrambled to the front of the room.
“Quiet human, your words have no standing here.” Jirt scowled at me through the screen. I ignored him.
“You can’t leave!
What about us? We’ll die!” No one answered me. “Tahk?”
Tahk heaved a sigh and stood to face me. His face full of anguish but determined. “I must go, my mate. My King cannot travel the stars without protection.”
“Send someone else. Anyone else.”
He walked to me and took my shoulders. His face bent to meet mine. “It is my duty. I must see him safely on Home World.”
“But―”
“No, my mate. I must go.” His mouth was set in a hard line. “But I will not leave Earth undefended.”
Klando and Jirt roared their outrage. Tahk ignored them and cupped my chin. “Fihk will stay in my stead. I give him full control of my fleet.”
The Dahk in question came close and thumped his chest. “It will be done.”
“This is preposterous. You cannot hand over the King’s army without approval! The King’s council must be informed,” Klando shouted and stood from his chair.
“No,” Tahk snarled and rubbed my cheek. “Fihk is my second, I trust he will do all that he can to save your humans. I will return and meet the Galactic Council myself.”
“This is blasphemous! You cannot!” Jirt was raging along side Klando.
“Enough!” Uthyf roared over them. “I am King.” He flashed his fangs. “Tahk will escort me and his second will take control. Not another word or I will have you removed from the fleet’s council.”
Klando paled, “King Aryx Rose me himself. You cannot revoke a Rise so easily.”
“Test me further, and we shall see.” Uthyf threatened sinisterly.
Klando sputtered as Jirt huffed but they settled back down, their eyes flaring with rage.
I couldn’t believe this was happening. I went to sleep having every faith Tahk would do all he could to save us. Then I woke to him telling me real action was going to be taken. But now he was leaving? And Fihk would take control? I trusted Fihk almost as much as Tahk, but he wasn’t my Commander. He wasn’t as dedicated, as certain. He hadn’t persuaded the King to meet with Galactic Council aliens.
