She met his gaze. "I know that, but I can't help it. Besides, I don't know if I even need to rest much longer. I think I'm strong enough to use telepathy again."
"You have your final test with Borzet the day after tomorrow. Don't even think of using it before then, Kalahn. The risk is too great."
She sighed. "I know, but I wish I could move it up."
He tucked a section of hair behind her ear. "You know that's impossible, love. Tomorrow is Keltor and Azalyn's formal claiming ceremony. There's no way Kason would allow you to spend the day inside a training room and miss the viewing."
She traced one of the markings on Ryven's neck. "I'm happy for Keltor and Azalyn. However, I could be so much more useful if I could use my telepathy again. Even a day sooner could mean everything when it comes to ensuring he and Azalyn, as well as both their older twins and their unborn child, have a happy future."
"Since I know you won't stop thinking about this until you're cleared for telepathy again, I think I need to distract you."
Before she could do more than open her mouth, Ryven rolled on top of her and pinned her hands above her head with one hand.
Rationally, she should scold him. But with his naked, muscled body on top of her own naked one, she admitted that she wanted his brand of distraction.
He nipped her neck and soothed the sting with his tongue. Each stroke against her skin relaxed her more against the mattress. His hot breath danced across her skin as he whispered, "What does my female want tonight?"
She was more than aware that he wanted to call her his bride. However, Kalahn still hadn't asked him to be her lord yet, even though they had been living and sleeping together for weeks.
She could just imagine the talk if anyone back on Keldera had heard of it.
Pushing aside her guilt at not giving Ryven what he wanted just yet, she smiled and said playfully, "How about you surprise me?"
He nipped her neck again, sending a thrill through Kalahn's body. "That almost sounds like you're granting me the right to live out one of my fantasies rather than give you one of yours."
She wiggled her lower half and Ryven's cock hardened even more against her lower abdomen. Good. He was as distracted as she was now. "I'd like to think we can have shared fantasies from time to time. You doing what you want with me is one of mine, after all. And probably one of yours."
Keeping her hands pinned above her head with one hand, Ryven moved the other one to her cheek. "Then I know exactly what to give my female."
Holding her breath, she waited to see what Ryven would do. However, he merely stared into her eyes, never moving his body.
With his heated gaze never wavering, anticipation gathered in her belly, making her wet between the thighs.
He finally ordered, "Keep your hands above your head."
Releasing her, he moved both of his hands to her shoulders, down to her breasts but careful to avoid her aching nipples, and finally resting them on her lower belly. As he stroked her soft skin with his thumbs, she opened her legs in invitation.
Rather than touch between her thighs, Ryven moved his hands over her hips, down her outer thighs, and pressed her legs to bend them upward.
Spreading her legs wider, his gaze zeroed in on her core.
Even though they'd been intimate more times than she could count by now, his eyes on her never failed to make her body flush and heart pound.
Ryven ran a finger between her folds and she nearly jumped. He smiled slowly, leaning his head down to lick her slit up, down, and back again. Kalahn watched Ryven's head as he moved, tasting her, and dug her nails into the mattress.
All too soon, he raised his head and licked his lips. The ache between her thighs intensified, and she bucked her hips. It was almost as if she needed Ryven inside her to tame her heart.
His husky voice caressed her ears. "You'll get that soon enough, love. First, I need to make my female scream in orgasm."
Since Kelderan females primarily came from nipple stimulation, hers grew even tighter. If only he tweaked them a few times, she'd probably crash into a thousand pieces.
His hand ran up her belly, her waist, and finally to the undersides of her breasts. Never taking his gaze from hers, he pinched her nipples between his forefinger and thumb, tweaking and tugging in the way she liked.
If his fingers weren't making her melt enough, the heat in his gaze shot straight to her sensitive nerves.
The pressure built, and Kalahn dug her nails deeper into the bed. Every time Ryven was a little rough, ecstasy surged through her body and also thrummed through the mind-bond. He took pleasure in giving it to her.
Her male growled, and with a gentle twist gave her the final push over the edge.
Lights danced before her eyes as spasms wracked her body.
And with Ryven's heated gaze watching her, she fell even harder, screaming his name and losing all semblance of rational thought.
When she finally came down from her high and slumped against the bed, Ryven moved up and kissed her lips.
She moved to place her hands on his back, but he whispered, "No time for breaks. The fantasy isn't done."
After another lingering kiss, Ryven flipped her on her stomach and raised her hips. He ran his hands up and down the outside of her thighs before moving to her inner ones and spreading them apart.
Again, Ryven did nothing. As the seconds ticked by, the cool air against her core nearly made her moan.
She was empty and wanted, no needed, Ryven inside her. She moved her hips back, but he steadied them with one hand. She turned her head at the same time he ran his hard, warm cock against her. The tease was taking his time.
He was going to drive her crazy.
And that was just the way she liked it.
~~~
Brushing his cock against Kalahn's hot, wet folds, Ryven's balls tightened and he threatened to come all over her beautiful backside.
Even though he'd had her probably over a hundred times by now, every time made him feel like a novice, ready to come at the first contact with her core.
So he took a second to breathe, pushing back the feeling. He wanted Kalahn's body to remember him in the morning and to do that, he needed more than a few, quick thrusts.
He lazily stroked her hip and moved his hand to her breasts. Kalahn sighed as he fondled her, her head dropping forward.
If he wanted to surprise her, this was the time to do it.
Positioning his cock at her entrance, he thrust into her. Kalahn groaned, leaning her hips back, urging him to do more.
He was a lucky male to have found a female so open when naked and gripping him tightly. Kalahn was unique. And his.
It was time to ensure she remembered that.
Gripping her hips, Ryven began to move, increasing his pace with each thrust. He loved the way Kalahn moved with him without any coaxing, unafraid to take what she wanted and increase her own pleasure.
Maybe next he'd ask her to pleasure herself and let him watch.
However, that was later. In the present, he positioned her hips up a little and the change in angle made both of them groan. When she squeezed him with her inner muscles, he lightly slapped her backside.
Which made her do it again.
Damn, he loved her.
Since his female liked it rough, he moved faster and faster, loving the way his balls slapped against her and filled the room with the sound of their lovemaking.
Kalahn’s little moans and squeaks only encouraged him to try harder.
Moving a hand, he tweaked one of her hard nipples. She tightened her core in response and Ryven nearly came right then.
The minx was waging a war, but he would be the winner this time around.
He continued to tease her breasts, tweaking and twisting the way that made Kalahn all but melt into the bed.
Keeping her hips high with his one hand, Ryven changed his angle again and Kalahn screamed his name. Since he'd found the spot that would drive her crazy, he kept at it, the pre
ssure building at his spine again.
Gritting his teeth, he held back, waiting for Kalahn. He would take care of her in all ways, and he took pride in making her come.
When she finally gripped his cock and released in spasms, Ryven allowed himself to fall over the edge, filling his female with his seed, branding her as his own.
Once she'd milked all he had, he collapsed to the side, taking Kalahn with him. He kissed her shoulder and murmured against her skin. "I love you."
Turning her head, she smiled. The pink color of her markings, combined with the feelings emanating from the mind-bond, told him all he needed to know. Still, he reveled in every syllable as she said, "I love you, too."
He pulled her close and closed his eyes, reveling in her slightly damp skin and delicious feminine scent that was uniquely Kalahn. He would never tire of holding her close and feeling her skin against his.
She completed him in a way he'd never known he'd needed.
Indeed, the forbidden female had turned out to be his perfect match.
After a few minutes of them lying in silence, Kalahn sat up and he slid from her body. He was about to reach for her again when she straddled his stomach and placed both of her hands on his pecs. Her long, blue hair tickled his skin, but he didn't brush it back. Instead, he put his hands on her bum and rubbed in slow circles.
Kalahn's markings tinged yellow, which signaled nervousness. He stilled his movements and searched her eyes, unable to judge what she was feeling. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head, her hair dancing around her face. "Nothing is wrong."
"Your markings suggest otherwise."
"Markings can be deceptive, as you've often told me."
He raised a brow. "Are you trying to trick me?"
"No, but that doesn't mean I couldn't do it if I wanted to."
He snorted. "Noted." He rubbed her behind again. "Then tell me."
"Wait a second and you'll see."
Before he could say a word, she jumped off the bed and ran into the bathroom of their temporary housing. Even though only seconds passed, it felt like hours. His curiosity was anxious to know what was going on.
When Kalahn finally returned to the room, she had her arms behind her back.
Ryven sat up as she closed the distance between them. When she reached the bed, she presented him with a bouquet of flowers. "I'm trying to romance you."
He laughed as he took them, and then tugged Kalahn to sit next to him. "It's working."
She grinned. "I hope that's enough romancing because the only other thing I have to offer is words." He raised his brows, afraid to hope for what he desperately wanted. Kalahn continued. "I thought I needed a guarantee of safety, to protect my heart and ensure I never lost you. But with each passing day, it becomes clearer and clearer that the future will always be uncertain. And if I ever lose you, it will break my heart. But protecting my heart isn't worth delaying what we both want. I want to be your bride, Ryven. Will you be my lord?"
He could tease her and draw it out.
But Ryven didn't want that. He answered, "Of course," before he pulled her close and kissed her.
While every kiss with Kalahn was unforgettable, he nipped and nibbled harder, as if to answer her again with actions.
Tossing the flowers aside, he rolled until Kalahn was under him. He broke the kiss long enough to murmur, "I love you, my bride. And I'll be out to prove it every day, so you never doubt it."
As Ryven took his time to make Kalahn orgasm more times than he could count, happiness coursed through every cell in his body. Kalahn was his forever, and he was never letting go.
Epilogue
Many months later
Kalahn resisted pacing and instead used up some of her excess energy by changing the pictures on the walls of her shared mental space with Ryven. The purple forest of Jasvar became the mountains of Keldera. And another, displaying her and Ryven's favorite waterfall on Jasvar, changed angles to show it from behind rather than facing it.
They tended to spend a lot of time inside their shared space, as it was easier to talk with each other and still pay attention to others around them. Her siblings seemed to not understand how comforting it was to be able to reach out to Ryven at any moment. No, they balked at the closeness. However, after a lifetime of forced distance with her family, Kalahn reveled in it.
Indeed, their shared signature displaying a pair of green cerrak felines standing over a waterfall suited them well. After all, cerraks mated for life and always traveled or hunted together, working as a team, much like she and Ryven did now. What with all the work she had reaching out to nearby planets via telepathy, she needed Ryven’s support and presence. Otherwise, she’d probably fail.
Which she couldn’t do and still protect her ever-growing family. Even though Kalahn still wasn’t ready for children, all of the marriages, births, and pregnancies in her family had grown the tro el Vallen slash Mayven clan quite a bit.
In the next hour or so, it would grow by one more on Jasvar.
Ryven stood at the side of the reception room being used for the latest arrivals from Keldera, his arms crossed over his chest, and sighed. The sound garnered her attention. "You have nothing to be nervous about."
She faced him. "You can say that as she's your mother. I haven't even had the chance to talk with her via a video conference. For all we know, she might hate me."
He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you cared about people liking you."
She growled in frustration. "Usually, no. But she's important to you, so she's important to me."
His expression softened and he reached for her. Kalahn allowed him to pull her close. He nuzzled her cheek and murmured, "Because I love you, she will love you, Kalahn."
She finally melted against him and hugged him close. "Deep down, I know that. It's just hard to believe it will be that easy, given everything that's happened recently."
Such as with Kajala's surprise that had ended up breaking and then mending her heart again.
Not that she expected Ryven's mother to break her heart or hurt her in any way. Still, Kalahn was wary of anything going as planned anymore.
He rubbed her back. "I know it's been hard with your father's recent death, and the drama with your siblings. But while my mother may have a limp, she is one of the healthiest individuals I know. She'll be around for a long time. And she most definitely doesn't create drama. If anything, she helps stop it in its tracks."
She smiled. "I think we could use a little of that here on the colony. Pair her with Vala, and they'll have the Barren running everything but the colony's council before long."
He snorted. "Maybe hold off on mentioning that for a few days at least. Because my mother will try to do that as soon as it's mentioned."
She looked up into Ryven's eyes. "Even if I don't say anything, I'm sure Taryn will give her ideas."
Ryven opened his mouth to reply, but a bell hanging next to the door rang, signaling that someone was approaching.
Ryven shook his head. "I'm sure she will. However, you should worry about something else."
"What?" she asked slowly.
"While I'm content to wait for children, she's going to be asking nearly every day about when she's getting grandchildren."
Considering Ryven's mother was one of the Barren, Kalahn imagined that her having grandchildren was a gift she wouldn't ever take for granted. "I can handle that. Besides, all I have to do is steer her toward ruling the colony and she'll forget about it. Then it becomes your problem."
"You haven't even met her, and yet you’re all but scheming with my mother already."
"Of course." She kissed him. "I imagine it'll be a regular thing, so you'd better get used to it."
"As long as I get some time alone with my love, I can deal with it." Ryven's mental presence swirled around her own, projecting images of their latest trip to their secret waterfall, when he'd laid out a picnic in front of the falls before making love to her in the water.
She met his gaze and spoke outside the plane. "Yes, yes, I know that you're romantic. I half expect music to start playing and flowers to be thrown into the room. I already asked you to be my lord. You don't need to romance me further."
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Lahn. Romancing you is part of my long-term plan." He nuzzled her cheek. "Making you scream in pleasure is another major tenet."
She lightly hit his chest. "Ryven, your mother could walk through that door at any moment."
"I already did," an unfamiliar female said.
Kalahn extracted herself from Ryven's embrace and whirled around. A female with light blue skin and purple hair stood in the doorway, the amusement dancing in her eyes a stark contrast to her stern expression.
Maybe some of Ryven's humor had come from his mother.
Kalahn curtsied. "It's nice to finally meet you, Gosarra."
Gosarra closed the distance between them, took her hand, and squeezed. Only once Kalahn stood upright again did she speak. "There's no need to curtsey. You're about to marry my son, and it's plain to see how happy he is, so there's no need to impress me."
Kalahn resisted blinking. Ryven's mother was extremely honest and straightforward for any Kelderan female, let alone a Barren.
Gosarra chuckled. "No, judging from your expression, you can tell I'm not conventionally what you'd picture for a Barren. But then again, this is Jasvar, is it not? And I'm not about to hide my true self from my future daughter-in-law."
"I didn't mean—" Kalahn began.
Gosarra put up a hand. "Since everything I've heard about you isn't exactly what I'd expect out of a Kelderan princess, I think we're even when it comes to preconceptions. Just be who you are, Kalahn. And that's good enough for me."
Ryven sighed. "Couldn't you save the life lessons until later, Mother?"
Gosarra opened her arms and Ryven stepped into them. "Of course not. I didn't do it with you, and I'm not about to do it to your future bride." Gosarra leaned back and touched her son's cheek. "I can't tell you how happy it makes me that you two waited to have your proclamation ceremony until I arrived."
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