Catan reluctantly stood up, releasing the sheet around him. He pushed Usama away when he came close to sniff him. Usama laughed, ducking out of the way when Catan mock-snarled and swiped his arm out.
“I like seeing you this relaxed, Catan. It’s a nice look on you,” Usama said, his voice serious.
Catan nudged him, bumping into Usama when they walked out the door together. There was a reason they were best friends. He had never felt uncomfortable around Usama. All joking aside, they had shared some of their deepest secrets with each other.
The corridor beyond was short, leading from the six bedrooms into the main room of the abode. This was their home when they were on Felid, which wasn’t very often, but it was nice to come to something familiar.
He heard the voices of Lev and Morgan behind one of the closed doors. He couldn’t make out what they were saying but it didn’t sound happy, whatever it was. They entered the main room, empty of everyone for once. Usama led him outside, skirting Fahd and Rowan who were leaning up against the side of the abode. Fahd had her pinned to the wall, his hand cupping her one breast, fighting her for control.
She was laughing, trying to keep her wrap on, while Fahd was doing his level-best to take it off. Catan blushed, embarrassed to come upon them after last night. He quickly moved past them. Maybe it would be easier at some point, but for now, he couldn’t think of a single thing to say to them. Maybe Laithe was right to leave before he woke up this morning. It seemed his pride leader knew him better than he did.
Asad and Laithe were standing near The Shahnaz, talking to the Appaliunas and their uncles. Asad’s parents were mated, but his father shared Asad’s mother with his brothers as well. It was a setup that was very common among the Leo.
Catan still couldn’t get over it. His parents only had each other. Lynx definitely mated for life, and they only ever had one mate. Most remained alone if anything happened to their mate, instead of finding a replacement. It was almost unheard of to have an arrangement like Laithe was proposing. He knew Fahd and Laithe shared Rowan and each other. But he wasn’t entirely comfortable with it.
It was hot, definitely, but Catan didn’t know if he could ever have sex with more than one man. Truthfully, he wasn’t entirely sure he would be able to have sex with one man. What happened last night and this morning hadn’t scared him, but what would happen if Asad tried to cover him? He didn’t really want to think of that right now. He didn’t want to ruin his good mood.
The two friends wandered for a while, always within sight of Asad and the others. They were far enough away that they had some privacy, but close enough that they were within view at all times. He had noticed Asad glancing over periodically to make sure he could still see him, and after a few minutes outside, he noticed they had a new observer watching them.
“What’s with you and Rajiv?” he asked, curious.
Usama looked over to where Rajiv was lazily sunning himself nearby. He was alone, like usual, but his half-lidded eyes were eerily constant on them.
“I’m more interested in you and Asad,” Usama said, turning back to face Catan. “Are you okay? You looked like you were enjoying what happened, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Yeah, of course I am. I… I had another dream…”
Usama stepped close to him, winding his tail around Catan’s leg. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, sympathetically.
“I think I should talk to your brother about it. But thanks. You know how much that means to me.”
“Well, here is your chance, ’cause big brother is heading this way now. It looks like we are on our way out of here.”
Sure enough, Asad approached them within minutes to tell them they were leaving immediately. Catan followed the two Gattis, lost in thought. He briefly said his goodbyes to Laithe’s family, thanking them for their kindness.
He entered the warship, making his way to the bridge. He didn’t really have a lot of duties on the ship. He pretty much played gofer for anyone that needed anything. Gofer… another word he’d learned from Rowan. This past week, every night she had entertained him with stories of her planet, little sayings he found fascinating. He was so curious about the world around him.
He shouldn’t be. Lynx weren’t supposed to be curious. They were supposed to stay home, breed with a suitable female and raise their young. All while remaining separate from the other Felidae. His father would be horrified if he knew Catan was here with one of the prides, contemplating a relationship with a male.
He stepped up behind Usama, watching his friend’s pale fingers work their magic to initiate take-off. Rowan was standing in the atrium, where the door had been left open. Lev and Morgan were conspicuously silent. He had grown used to hearing their normal quips and jokes. He wondered what could have happened to set them off.
He glanced at Asad, standing close to Laithe. Asad caught his gaze, smiling at him. He gestured for Catan to join him and he quickly bounded over. Asad lifted his arm, curling it around Catan when he happily fit himself in the space beside him. He curled his body into Asad, swishing his tail quietly. Asad moaned in his throat, smoothing his hand down his back, pulling on his tail with a sure grip.
“Don’t start that in here, or everyone else will be wanting to have sex on the bridge,” Laithe said, frowning at them.
Catan grimaced, trying to pull away but was held fast to Asad’s side.
“I don’t mind, really. Carry on,” Lev joked, glancing at Morgan.
Morgan paused for a moment, sharing a deep look with Lev. The two men seemed to have a discussion with just their eyes. “I don’t mind either. It boosts morale to see a live sex show, I always say,” he quipped.
Catan sighed in relief, not realizing how tense he had been. He wanted everything to stay normal. It was supposed to be exactly the same as it always was.
Asad nudged him, towing him away from the others. “Looks like we are done here. Do you want to go under for a bit, set up in your room?” he asked.
Catan was about to reply in the affirmative when he happened to glance up at Asad’s face. His lids were hooded, his lips curled wickedly. Catan panted, going from happy to horny in a matter of seconds.
He nodded.
Asad grinned, grabbing his hand and quickly pulling him out of the bridge. They walked hand in hand down the stairs and along the hallway leading to their rooms. Asad didn’t even pause outside Catan’s cubby. Instead he led him toward his own room.
The door opened, admitting the two men into the cool space. He remembered being in Laithe’s room once, the ever-changing walls reminiscent of Felid, the grass blowing in the wind. The walls had been covered in a material that was able to be changed to suit the needs of the occupant. They were like a hologram, showing any scene imaginable. He knew the sky in Laithe’s room changed periodically, shifting from a soft blue to a vibrant violet. Asad, too, had ever-changing walls, but his were decorated in an entirely different way. He couldn’t believe he had never been in this room.
Gasping, swinging in a circle to take in as much as he could, he looked around the space. The walls were covered from floor to ceiling so they looked like a forest. Tall, chocolate-colored trunks rose to the sky, towering over the shrubs at their base. Leaves in every color of green imaginable hung on the trees, blowing back and forth in the imaginary wind. The sky was a dark purple, bleeding into indigo. His favorite time of day, the purity just before the sun fell.
The sky was free of clouds, but far behind the trees, huge, grey, skulking mountains were hinted at.
Catan wasn’t aware of the tears falling down his face until Asad moved, raising his hands to brush them away. He leaned in, licking the salty traces off Catan’s face.
“You did this?” Catan asked, his voice breaking.
“I did this for you. Does it make you happy to see your home?” Asad asked, his voice quiet.
“I… I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe you would do this for me.”
“I though
t you might miss it. I know your last memory of Kanad was unpleasant. I know you don’t often talk about your life before we came.”
“There just didn’t seem to be much need to talk about it. I…” He paused, trying to find the words to express how he felt about that time in his life. It seemed like a distant dream, so far away from where he was at the moment.
“You have never talked about what happened, Catan. I don’t want to push you. If you decide you want to talk, I’m here for you. But I understand if you wish to remain silent.”
Asad tugged him to the large bed dominating the room. It was his surprise over the walls that had kept him from seeing the bed when he had first entered the room. Asad lowered himself to the bed, bringing Catan with him to curl up in his lap. Catan sighed, laying his head down to rest on Asad’s chest, listening to his heart beat. Ba-thump, ba-thump. It was a calming noise.
He was silent, gathering his thoughts, trying to figure out what to say and in what order to say it. “I don’t really remember what happened. I think about it a lot. But I don’t know how much of what I think about it is true or what I’ve made up to fill in the blanks,” he whispered.
Asad tightened his hold, resting his cheek on top of Catan’s head. “Is it so bad that you don’t remember everything? Is it important that you have all the details?”
“Not really. I just wish I could let it go. I was supposed to be helping my father that day. We were in our home, but I was angry with them. I was in my room. I didn’t even hear the men come in. Not until I heard Mother screaming.
“They caught us all by surprise. It was just us in the house. Father wasn’t a warrior. He was lying on the floor when I ran out of my room. I can still see him lying there, staring at me when I came out. His eyes were open, but he was already gone. Mother was on the ground. Seth was over top of her, teasing her. He kept saying if she just did what he wanted, she would live. I heard her begging him to let us go. He was laughing when he struck her,” he sobbed, caught up in his memory.
He saw the face of his mother, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was always so gentle. She shouldn’t have died like that. Asad said nothing, merely tightening his hold. He breathed in deeply, the spicy scent of Asad surrounding him and letting him know he was safe.
“I heard other screams outside. I knew they were going after my family, my aunts and uncles. I didn’t know what to do. I just stood there, frozen, staring at the bodies of my parents. I wish… I wish I could go back and erase that day. I wish I could go back and do something… anything!”
“There wasn’t anything you could have done, Catan. They were warriors. They would have killed you immediately if you had tried to fight them. You did the only thing you could. There is no shame in that,” Asad crooned.
“Seth was the one that grabbed me. He dragged me down to the ground. I tried to fight then, but he was too strong. The Other One was outside, and Seth threw me down in front of him. He laughed when he saw me struggling. I don’t… I don’t remember all of what happened after. I know they cut me, I remember the smell of his breath, the feel of him inside.” He whispered the last, his voice growing softer.
“Neither of them can ever hurt you again, kitten. They are both gone from this life.”
“I know that. But you know what? I wasn’t going to let them hurt me again. I knew you would come for me. But I knew that even if you didn’t make it in time, he wasn’t going to ruin me like he did before. Do you know why?” he asked, raising his head to look at Asad.
“Why, kitten?” Asad asked, his voice thick with emotion.
“Because I’m stronger. I knew I could survive this time. I knew I was strong enough. I knew it,” he said, his voice determined. He laid his head back down, curling into Asad. “I’m strong enough,” he whispered, almost in awe.
Chapter Five
Asad knew the exact moment Catan woke up. He was staring down at the Lynx, running his hand along the side of his face when Catan scrunched up his face and let out a little purr. He grinned, leaning down and placing a kiss on those adorable lips.
Catan inhaled, completely boneless. He had slept the entire night curled up in Asad’s arms. Asad hadn’t slept much, terrified Catan was going to wake up with another dream. He wanted to make sure he was peaceful during the night, as if his presence might be enough to stop the dreams from coming.
Catan opened his eyes, blinking up at him. His face was open, trusting. Asad couldn’t resist, bending over the smaller man and capturing his mouth. He sent his tongue delving into Catan’s mouth, tasting the flavor of him, running his tongue along the roof of his mouth. Catan purred into him, vibrating his chest where it was pressed against him.
He moved restlessly, inserting his larger thigh between Catan’s legs, raising it to press hard against his groin. Catan purred louder into his mouth, thrusting into his thigh. Asad wrapped both arms around him, pressing him closer and at the same time moving his thigh up and down. Catan’s long, slender cock rose up to greet him, smaller than his own, but perfect.
He lowered one hand, gripping Catan, squeezing his cock and smiling into Catan’s mouth when he whimpered. Asad released his mouth, sliding lower on the bed to bite a path down his jaw. He scraped his teeth against Catan’s collarbone, pleased when Catan raised his arms to grip his head between two strong palms. His little kitten definitely liked to be touched.
Asad moved his lips down Catan’s chest. He couldn’t resist the lean muscles, stopping to suck beside his right nipple, making a mark on his chest. He lowered himself further to press against his belly. Catan’s cock bumped his chin, and he looked down to see the weeping slit. He extended his tongue, lapping up the cream, poking at the little hole to get more. He loved the way he tasted, sweet, yet bitter and all Catan.
He tongued the barbs ringing his glans, smoothing them down with his rough tongue. The barbs were meant to initiate ovulation in females, but they were incredibly sensitive for any male. If Catan was anything like him, he would be out of control if Asad played with them too much. He grinned, turned on at the thought that he might be able to entice Catan into losing control.
He extended his tongue again, wrapping the long appendage around Catan’s shaft. He raised his head, looking down at the glistening cock in front of him. A droplet of pre-come glistened at the tip and he eagerly lapped it up again.
Catan had a firm hold on his mane, digging his fingers in and kneading his head. Asad stuck one finger in his mouth, sucking it deep to make sure he had enough saliva on it. This would probably be better with oil, but at the moment it was too far away and there was no way that he was going to relinquish the tasty treat in front of him to bother with it.
He sucked Catan deep, swirling his tongue around the base of his shaft. He kept one hand on a lean hip, holding the Lynx down when he let out a garbled yell and bucked his hips. With his other hand, he traced a path down past his scrotum, teasing the flesh behind. He ran a nail against the sensitive skin, moving further until he rimmed his anus.
He paused, waiting to see if Catan would panic. He didn’t want to overwhelm his kitten. He concaved his cheeks, sucking hard before releasing his cock with a pop. A string of saliva connected his mouth to the tip of Catan’s glistening penis. He moaned at the sight, lowering his head again to lap against his slit to taste more cream.
He teased Catan’s hole, rimming his finger in tiny circles, touching off the nerve endings in his anus. He inserted one finger gently, running his finger around and around, widening his passage in increments. He wanted to take this slow. Catan wasn’t quite ready for the main event yet.
Catan pulled hard on his mane. “Asad… oh, God, Asad… please… please don’t stop. Don’t you dare stop,” he mewled.
Asad grinned around the head of his cock, careful of his canines close to such sensitive tissue. He sucked hard again, swallowing Catan’s cock until it bumped the back of his throat. The barbs teased the base of his tongue, a firm pressure in his mouth. He knew exactly what that would
feel like for Catan, so he swallowed again, caressing the barbs with his tongue and the opening of his throat. He felt his sac getting tighter against his chin, Catan pulling hard now on his mane.
Asad swallowed again, waiting until Catan jerked up before inserting his entire finger into his ass, twisting it until he felt the little bump inside. Catan roared, his seed jetting out of his cock and coating Asad’s throat. He purred happily, swallowing it all down. He continued lapping at his shaft, making sure he had all traces of cream licked off before he looked up at Catan.
His kitten was sprawled on the bed, his limbs heavy. He looked utterly wanton, a satiated smile on his face. Asad waited until Catan looked down at him, before he slowly removed his finger, making sure Catan felt every millimeter of his exit. Catan’s eyes widened large in his face when he realized what exactly Asad had done when he was so enthralled.
“Are you okay, kitten?” he asked, moving up the bed and taking Catan into his arms.
“I am,” Catan said with wonder. “I can’t believe you did that and I didn’t panic. I was so afraid I would panic.”
“I’m very proud of you, kitten.”
Catan hugged him hard, butting his head into Asad’s chest. He raised his arms, smoothing down the long fur on Catan’s back, running his hands down the side of his body and holding him tight.
Catan glanced up at him, shaking his head clear. He smiled devilishly, purring once more.
“Why do I have the feeling you are going to do something completely out of character?” Asad teased.
“It isn’t out of character. You just under-underest-underestimated me before.” Catan grinned.
Asad growled, a low rumbling coming up from his chest. His cock was still achingly hard, but he didn’t want to push Catan too far. He was willing to let his kitten set the pace for them.
The Felidae 2: Asad’s Mate Page 5
