She bit her lip and took another look at T’gana’s face, set in implacable lines. During their brief previous acquaintance, she hadn’t realized he was so stubborn. Finally, she gave a reluctant nod. “Fine, I’ll wait in the bathroom. I mean, the sanitary facility.”
T’hadar accompanied her to the wall to show her how to open the door panel, although she had spent enough time on the ship during her captivity to be familiar with Yehrin technology.
“This is for the best,” he said quietly. “No warrior wishes to appear weak in front of his female.”
“I am not weak,” T’gana growled from the bed, his acute hearing picking up T’hadar’s words.
“I’ve never thought that you were,” she said truthfully, and his face relaxed a fraction. “T’bukka, please let me know as soon as you are finished,”
“I will,” he assured her.
With a sigh, she entered the bathroom.
Chapter Four
As soon as the door panel closed behind S’rah, T’bukka pushed T’gana back down on the bed and released the catch on his uniform pants. T’gana heard his breath catch as his leg was revealed but he didn’t bother to look down. He was only too familiar with the damage. Pincer marks streaked from his inner thigh all the way down his leg. He had lost most of the muscle in his calf, along with his rear claw, and he would never walk without a limp.
“A warrior’s pride is one thing,” T’bukka said grimly. “But your female is correct. You should see a medic.”
“I have seen too many medics.” The previous month had been one long continuous haze of medics and pain. “Just seal the wound again.” The deep gash just above his knee had opened when he tried to turn on his bad leg.
“This will hurt,” the officer said unnecessarily.
“Proceed.” He closed his eyes and, as he had done so many times since he left, he pictured S’rah. He had only known her for five days before he forced himself to apply for an assignment away from Earth, but every moment he had spent with her was etched upon his memory, from the moment he was assigned to escort her from the spaceship to the Earth facility to the moment when he had boarded the transport taking him away and had seen her watching from a distance. He had clenched his fists on the harness to prevent himself from returning to her then and he clenched them now as T’bukka started work.
Instead of focusing on his wound, he remembered the warmth of her smile, the gentle curves of her body, the sunlight catching sparks of fire in the soft brown of her hair. It had reached her chin then; now it brushed her shoulders and he had missed seeing it grow.
Despite his attempts to distract himself, a groan escaped his lips as T’bukka cauterized the wound. He saw T’hadar put his hand on the door to the sanitary facility but thank the Ancestors, S’rah did not emerge. He never wanted her to see him like this, to know that he was less of a male than he had been. And his damage went far beyond the physical.
Was he foolish to have returned, knowing that he could no longer claim her as his L’chka? No. He couldn’t bear the thought of another warrior touching that soft body. At least he would have these thirty days with her and then she would be set free to return to her former life. His own future hung bleak and empty in front of him.
A bolt of pain shot up his leg and his vision started to darken, but T’bukka sprayed a healing gel over the wound and stepped back.
“It is done. I do not suppose it would do any good to tell you to stay off of it? It will not heal properly—”
“It will never heal properly,” he said bitterly. “But I will try to be cautious. Cover the wound before you ask S’rah to return.”
T’bukka looked at him and shook his head, but he did not comment as he bent over and bandaged the wound before sealing T’gana’s pants once more.
“You may tell S’rah to return,” he said to T’hadar.
As soon as the door opened, S’rah rushed over to him. “Did that work? Are you okay?”
“I am fine,” he said and started to sit up.
T’bukka started to push him back down, but he only allowed it because S’rah’s soft hands also urged him down. She remained next to him, her small fingers stroking soothingly down his arm. Such a strange hand, with four fingers instead of three and no claws with which to strike, but nothing had ever felt so comforting.
“You will be more fine if you do not move for the rest of the day,” T’bukka said. “Since you do not need to leave the breeding cabin, that should not be too difficult.”
S’rah looked around the bleak room, and he saw her shiver. “It’s not very welcoming, is it?”
Frustrated that he could not provide for her himself, he turned to T’bukka. “Could you bring additional pillows and blankets? The chairs are uncomfortable for Earth females.”
“I can do that,” T’hadar said eagerly.
T’gana frowned at the young officer but forced himself to nod. Her comfort was more important than his pride.
“While he does that, I will arrange for the medic,” T’bukka said.
“I said no medic,” he snapped. Hadn’t he just gone through the pain of having his injury treated like a battle wound in order to avoid it?
“Not for you. For S’rah.”
“For me? Why for me?” S’rah’s eyes widened.
“It is part of the breeding protocol,” T’gana said reluctantly. He had forgotten this aspect. “You will be given a drug to increase your fertility.”
Small white teeth clamped down on her plump lower lip. “Is that necessary?”
“You wish to have a child, do you not?” She had only mentioned it a few times, but he had seen the longing in her eyes. He had not had the heart to tell her that it was unlikely. The Yehrin produced few children of their own and even fewer with other races. Since the children they did produce were predominantly male, their future as a race was uncertain. It was one of the factors that led to their continuous search for new worlds to conquer. A search that was now having unfortunate consequences. Pushing the bitter memories aside, he returned to his argument.
“If this will help, is it not worth trying?”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right.”
“Good.” T’bukka nodded. “We will return shortly.”
Silence fell after the two officers departed. S’rah stared at the closed door, then down at her hand, still on his arm. One finger began to trace his tattoos.
“You did not have these before.”
“No.” He had the work started while on his way to Klendat Five.
“They’re beautiful,” she said. “Do they mean anything?”
Many things—all of them related to her—but he had no intention of divulging that to her now.
“Yes,” he said shortly.
Her hand stilled and she looked up at him.
“T’gana, why did you leave?”
“Because I could not stay with you for another six months without violating the Forbidden Cycle.” The Forbidden Cycle, which prevented any warrior from claiming a mate on a conquered planet for a period of one year, was one of their most fundamental rules.
“T’chok claimed Rachel.” T’chok was the officer in charge of the female prisoners. R’chel, too, had been a prisoner and S’rah’s friend.
“I know.” His commanding officer’s actions had been part of the problem. When T’chok had abandoned his duties to go after his female, T’gana had started to envision stealing S’rah away from the facility. That was when he realized that he would have to leave.
“You don’t agree with what he did?” she asked.
“No. No matter how much I might have wanted to do the same thing, the rules are in place for a reason. I could not abandon my honor.”
She frowned, and her lip caught between her teeth again. “You said ‘wanted.’ You don’t want to claim me anymore?”
“I can not,” he said, and looked away.
Before she could question him further, the door opened and T’bukka appeared with a female medic. T’hadar followed bearing
a load of pillows and blankets.
“I am A’rathia,” the medic said briskly. “I am the medic in charge of the breeders. I understand that the two of you have entered into a breeding contract?”
S’rah hesitated, but to his relief, she nodded. “Yes, we have.”
“Very well. I am going to give you an injection.”
S’rah paled and he reached for her hand. “It will not hurt,” he promised.
“No, of course not,” A’rathia sighed. “I forget how primitive your medical treatments can be.”
“Is it necessary?” S’rah asked. “Emily—”
A’rathia promptly cut her off. “That was a different circumstance. We believe that this will help.”
“M’lee?” T’gana frowned. “Do you mean Commander T’lan’s mate? She was with child by a human male when he claimed her.”
The two females exchanged a glance, but before he could question them further, S’rah extended her arm. A’rathia raised the hypo-spray and S’rah tensed. He squeezed her hand reassuringly as the spray hissed.
“You were right. That didn’t hurt,” she said, then swayed. “But I feel strange.”
“That is a normal side effect,” A’rathia said. “You may wish to sleep.”
T’gana forced himself into a sitting position and pulled her down beside him. “Sit down, S’rah.”
A’rathia ran an eye over him. “You do not look to be in good condition yourself, warrior.”
“I am fine,” he assured her.
“Males.” She scoffed and shook her head. “If you decide you feel less fine, send for me.”
A warm weight pressed against his arm and he looked down to see S’rah leaning against him, her eyes half-closed.
“I feel so sleepy.”
“Then you should rest. I will take one of the chairs.”
A’rathia raised an eyebrow. “You are in a breeding contract. It is expected that you will share a bed.”
“Yesh,” S’rah slurred. “Shtay with me.”
He hesitated, but A’rathia nodded firmly. “Both of you lie down. You two, leave them alone.”
“We will make sure you are not disturbed,” T’bukka said, then all three left the room.
S’rah’s weight fell more heavily against him and he looked down to see that her eyes were closed. The exhaustion of the long trip dragged at him. All he wanted was to rest with his female in his arms. With a tired sigh, he laid down, tucking S’rah tightly against him. For the first time since his injury, his cock stirred, enticed by her soft warmth, but he was too exhausted to do anything more than pull her closer. As he dimmed the lights and closed his eyes, he set all thoughts of the future aside. They were safe and they were together and even if it couldn’t last, for now, it was enough.
Chapter Five
Sarah startled awake. For the first time in years, she wasn’t alone. Her head was pillowed on a massive chest, her body pressed against a warm, solid body. It took a moment for the previous day’s events to return and for her to remember that she was back on the Yehrin spaceship with T’gana sleeping next to her. He felt good, really good, and she couldn’t help snuggling closer. His scent, permanently imprinted in her memory despite the brief time they had known each other, surrounded her—the woodsy musk a pleasant contrast to the metallic tang of the spaceship.
She took a deep breath and felt heat flooding her. The hard points of her nipples rubbed against his side and a low, pulsing ache started between her thighs. She stretched a hand across the hard ridges of his abdominal muscles, frustrated when she encountered cloth instead of warm, silky skin. She was already tugging at his shirt before her brain kicked in. What was she doing? Despite the contract, she wasn’t sure that she was ready to have sex with him. Her heart was still bruised by his abrupt departure. But even as the thought crossed her mind, her hand kept trying to free his shirt.
T’gana groaned and tossed his head, his horns hitting the wall, and she realized the sound was what had awakened her. She moved higher, achingly aware of her body dragging along his, trying to see his face in the dim glow cast by the lights ringing the edge of the ceiling. Touching his face, she realized that it was cold and damp. He growled and tossed his head again, lips drawing back to reveal sharp white teeth, but he sounded more agonized than threatening.
“T’gana,” she said softly, stroking his cheek.
With shocking speed, he came awake and moved, flipping her beneath him and pinning her to the mattress.
A gasp escaped her lips, but his weight coming down over her, the thick ridge pressing between her legs, exactly where she needed it, his hard chest rubbing against her breasts—they all combined to send her desire soaring. The throbbing ache between her legs was almost painful.
“T’gana,” she whispered, her arms reaching up to circle his neck.
“S’rah? Are you really here?” His voice sounded thick and uncertain.
“I’m here. I feel so strange.” Her back tried to arch, tried to lift her even closer.
“Gods, I’ve missed you so much.” He buried his head in her neck, taking deep breaths, as if drawing her scent into his lungs. Then he licked her neck and she would have come off the bed if his weight hadn’t been holding her down, the sensation firing every nerve ending in her body. She was vaguely aware that his tongue was rough and slightly ridged, but then he started kissing his way down across her chest and all thought disappeared in a wave of sensation.
He fumbled impatiently at her top and then his mouth closed over one of her nipples, licking and tugging with frantic urgency. Every pull sent a streak of fire straight to her clit, throbbing harder now, the ache overwhelming.
“More. I need more,” she pleaded, her whole body focused on the pulsing need. She ran her hands down over his shoulders, frustrated when she encountered cloth instead of skin. She wanted to feel his skin against hers. “Take off your shirt,” she urged.
He froze for a fraction of a second, then shook his head. He reached out and the dim light disappeared, leaving the room in total darkness. Before she could protest, he returned to her breasts, and her thoughts scattered. He feasted on first one, then the other, moving back and forth until her nipples were swollen and distended. The darkness only increased the intensity, the sensations rolling over her in a continuous tide of pleasure.
“More,” she pleaded again, and he finally left her breasts. She heard a loud rip, then her legs were spread wide and his mouth closed over her swollen clit. One swipe of that rough tongue over the sensitive flesh and she exploded. He didn’t even pause, licking from clit to pussy with the same frantic urgency while she shuddered helplessly. His thick tongue plunged inside her empty channel and she raised her hips trying to get closer.
“Delicious,” he growled, the deep grumble sending shocks of pleasure through her system. Her hands flailed helplessly before they found his horns and she seized them, desperate for something to grasp. He growled again, fastening his mouth over her clit as he plunged a thick finger deep inside her empty channel. The urgency increased, her body demanding satisfaction, and she arched against his hand. He added another finger, then a third, the thickness almost overwhelming but her wetness eased the way as he set up a demanding rhythm.
“Come for me,” he ordered, drawing her clit into his mouth and scraping his teeth gently across the exposed surface. Her body shook with helpless pleasure, tightening around the fingers that were still demanding a response from her. Then he withdrew his hand, leaving an aching emptiness, but before she could protest, she felt a hot, thick head probing at her entrance. For the first time, he slowed his frantic urgency.
“Tell me you want this, S’rah,” he demanded, his voice strained.
“I—” Her mind whirled. Her body was demanding more, her hips already arching towards him, but a spark of doubt still lingered beneath the excitement. He had already abandoned her once—how could she trust him? Yet despite his obvious need, despite the strain in his voice and the thick cock throbbing at her
entrance, he waited patiently.
A gentle hand came up to cup her cheek and his eyes glowed gold in the darkness. She heard him sigh and start to pull away.
“No, I want this,” she whispered, tugging on his horns. With a roar, he thrust forward, forcing his way into her tight channel. He stretched her to the edge of pain, but she was so wet, so ready, that the overwhelming stretch only added to her excitement. She could feel every inch as he worked his way deeper, the rough, slightly ridged surface setting her nerve endings on fire. He didn’t pause once he buried himself completely but immediately began withdrawing, and she could feel his cock undulating, rolling over each sensitive inch of her pussy. One hand still cradled her cheek, but his other came down to clasp her hip, holding her in place as he began thrusting urgently. Her clit throbbed and her pussy ached, overwhelmed by his size, but she found herself lifting her hips to meet him, her need just as urgent. He moved harder, faster, and she met every stroke, losing herself in this moment, this male, until she felt him shudder and grow impossibly larger, felt him bury himself so far inside her that he became part of her, felt him explode in a flood of heat as he called out her name. Her climax rolled over her like a tidal wave, leaving her limp and drained. When he gathered her close, she pressed her lips against the fabric still covering his chest and fell into an exhausted sleep.
When Sarah awoke, T’gana was gone. A pang of hurt swept through her as she regarded his abandoned pillow. Waking alone reminded her of the way she had felt when she discovered that he had left. She had made her way to his guard post, determined to apologize for gathering information about the security arrangements from him. But instead of T’gana, a strange new guard had been stationed there. It wasn’t until he casually informed her that T’gana had transferred to a mission on another planet that she realized just how much she had grown to care for the big alien. But, as always, she had forced down her anger and pain, smiled pleasantly and turned away.
There was no one around this time and she took a childish satisfaction in throwing his pillow across the room. The movement triggered a slight soreness between her legs and as she remembered more of the previous night, a hot flush of embarrassment covered her entire body. She had never behaved like that, never felt that rush of passion, or been so desperate to have a man inside her. Her husband had been her first and only lover and she had never felt like anything was missing, but the previous night had been a revelation. Guilt washed over her at the thought, adding to the confused mixture of emotions.
Alien Breeder Page 3
