Somebody cleared his throat behind me.
Christ. I shoved away from Wrank's pinched blue gaze that rolled to lock on our company, and I spun on my boot's heel.
The commander.
Holy shit. I wasn't studying the ship's electrical system with Wrank's biological system regardless of how electrifying the Luvk Lord was.
Goro's massive build was as intimidating as his deep voice that barely rated a whisper when he spoke. So was his quasi-frown. “Have you finished studying the ship's electrical system?"
He accused me of shirking my duty. “No, sir.” I whirled like an idiot, skirted Wrank's knee, and searched the space for a tool. Anything to look busy without big gorgeous sexy legs in my way.
Damn my non-existent sex life. It had me panting over an alien, looking the fool to my commanding officer.
"Lord Wrank, shouldn't you be sitting through Interspecies Ethics?"
Every cell in my body cringed.
Not good. My fault. I shouldn't have stopped working to snuggle up to the big Tiger. What was wrong with me?
Wrank grabbed my toolbox, hefted it, offering me a place to focus, and I blindly snatched something hard and long, Gods phallic, from the tools to appear as if my mind returned to my duty.
"Yes, commander.” Wrank set the box on the console and left.
The squeaking leather of his boots quickly faded into silence.
"I need you to finish, Theone. It's imperative you understand the inner workings of this ship. One day, it just might save your life."
"Yes, sir.” I stabbed my wrench underneath the open console to appear to have my mind back on track. Although, getting reamed for wasting time kissing pretty much would consume my thoughts for the rest of the day.
Just focus on save my life.
What in the hell am I doing with this wrench?
M'yote could have thrown his head back and laughed with absolute joy when his student finally focused her Handler power through her fingertips into the red leaf she touched.
Cassie peered sideways at me. “Wow. It worked. The wilt just vanished. Crazy. I'm beyond amazed."
She'd have to just accept she could alter the natural state of substances at the molecular level without dissecting the matter or placing it inside high-tech equipment for computer analysis. “You'll grow accustomed to the sensation as time passes. Practice as often as you can here on the plants. Because the day quickly approaches when you will face laying your hand upon a person. Or altering the operation of a space vessel. I've even altered energy beams to save myself from injury. You don't want to be caught off guard."
"Alright.” She rose and faced me squarely. “How long did it take you to feel comfortable reigning over the elements?"
A Handler couldn't allow himself to grow weak where temptation would outweigh the best choice for the greater good. “One day, you will find invoking the power within yourself is like breathing. Simple. But never allow yourself to find comfort and drop your guard, Cassie. This power you and I have is an extremely rare form of psychic healing. We must protect all life from using this power against others for personal gain."
"How many Handlers are out there now?"
Sadly, almost three-thousand years of the Blood Wars forced them into hiding. Voldon would have used them to increase the size of his holdings on the universe with mind control. “No one truly knows. My mentor is the only one I have met during my four-hundred years of existence. It is rumored there are a handful in the universe at any given moment."
She practically sputtered an exhalation and wagged her head.
What thoughts brought her to such an open display of disrespect? “What's wrong?"
She locked her shocked gaze on me. “This is insane. I'm just a biologist. I don't understand how I woke up to learn I was something so unique."
That's just the way things are. She'd digest the shock and move on to embrace Destiny. Especially now that I'd finished her training. My portion of the bargain was complete. It was time the commander came through on his end. “Well, then, I leave you to your practice.” I bowed slightly and turned.
"We're finished today?"
Noting we were completely finished and I would be leaving tomorrow with my personal pilot wouldn't win me any congratulations from Cassie who obviously still felt intimidated by her Handler powers. But she was strong. Determined by her morals. Just in the passion she exuded when speaking of her work with genetics made me hope there was something she could do with her knowledge to make the universe a better place. “You won't see me again for awhile."
"Oh?” There was a nervous twinge to her question.
I spun back to her furrowed brow. “You can handle your gift now. Practice. Prepare yourself for whatever the future holds."
"That deep crap isn't going to work on me, M'yote. Maybe you should take me along and continue my training?"
I choked down a laugh at her insecurity. She would be fine given she had enough time to accept her powers. “No. You aren't the right type of warrior for tomorrow's mission.” Commander Goro swore Captain Kemble was with her formal education, common sense in working with nobility, and fighting skills. I had to believe the commander had the best judgment. The only way my mission would be successful was if I won the cooperation of The Order of the Marshals.
It had taken everything in me to finish memorizing the ship's electrical system by late afternoon. Just in time to join the Marshals for dinner. A feat that had me blessing Goro's holiest sun, Devros. But Wrank was on my menu. And I was so damned famished after a day's forced fasting without him. I stepped through the shadowy corridor into the large great hall's electric atmosphere and found the crowd of Marshal's milling around a sea of tables.
Some lords wore the traditional Luvk masks princes used to protect themselves before Marshal Aisling came to power as Luvk Marshal two years ago. Lucky damned earthling. She got five Luvk mates. One being the King! Although, I was just starting to wrap my mind around having one husband.
What was wrong with me having one Luvk mate all for my own, universe? I really needed to stop thinking about Wrank. Dinner. Food. I scanned the scene.
Looking for my Tiger. Geesh. So much for changing the subject, brain.
Other princes had opted to forego the tradition and interact with the rest of the universe like the rest of us, their faces unveiled to the world. Thank goodness. Because I had a heck of a time putting stripe patterns to males given they all wore the same black leather pants slitted up the sides and tabbed together with small tabs of leather. The same o-ring and leather strap harness making their chest muscles bulge out like they'd burst if they drew a breath. Oh boy. And the same knee-high black boots.
Whoever came up with the standard Luvk prince uniform deserved sainthood.
Wrank stepped through the crowd of tall Tiger males and shorter extraterrestrial cadets. With an arched black eyebrow. His conspiratorial gaze noted he had the same thing on his mind.
Mating. Yes. Let's go there before I die of celibacy. Or stroke. Damn my brain. Did these Tiger males have some sort of pheromones? Maybe in their kiss? I so needed to just calm down and get my act together.
He turned his body sideways and thrust his chin toward the far side of the enormous room where tables were set up with the serving dishes.
Sexy.
Yes. Eat first. Think later. I quickly stepped beneath his nose.
He waved a hand for me to take the lead through the crowd and followed me like my personal guard.
The last thing I needed was a guard. But only Goro knew that. I'd wondered if the commander hid me out on his personal ship to keep my history and abilities a secret. After all, most cadets were computer geeks, nurses, cops, and even florists in the case of Goro's mate. I'd yet to meet another mercenary spy like myself. Especially a female. Goro probably wanted all my abilities aboard his ship on his Marshal business traveling through the universe. After all, his Crellon ship had special technology that didn't run by psychic power. That sweet
nature meant very few pilots could operate his spacecraft. Hence, my significance here. Crystals fueled his ship instead of psychokinetics. He could manually use the secret Crellon technology to manipulate wormholes beyond standard sliding through space from location to location. Which is where I came into play. The personal pilot. An electrical engineer. He had to be using me as back up on his missions. His missions.
Just what really did the commander have in store for me?
Cassie stepped across my path from the throng of leather-cloaked cadet bodies. “Hey. Didn't expect to see you here."
"It's possible for me to dine with the other cadets if I complete my assignments.” Why did I suddenly feel like Cinderella? At least Cassie wasn't still acting strangely. “Long day. And it's time to eat."
She eyed my towering shadow. “Good.” She shot me a smile. “Sit with me?"
Of course. I could feel her out to see if she'd lost the sensible aspect of being brunette and was thrusting her large breasts at my Tiger. Bad idea on her part. I was trained to kill.
In many ways.
We grabbed plates of food, and I led them to the closest table with a few empty seats clustered together where we descended among many other Tigers. Cassie took the empty chair across from me, smiling at the orange-and-black Lord to her left and white-and-black prince at her right. At least, the biologist could spend the meal searching for her own mate while I tried not to squirm into mine's lap.
Two years without sex truly leads a girl to walking the plank when surrounded by splendid Tiger males.
Jump, Theo. Jump.
Wrank's muscled arms bulged so much I had to scoot down along the bench a little or wind up elbowed to death while we ate. I guess that's a good thing given I didn't want to appear too needy with his steely body within arm's reach after that amazing kiss.
Or I'd be jumping into his lap from that lofty plank.
Before we'd finished eating, someone had decided to shove the tables against the wall as they emptied and set the cavernous room rocking with some ethnic drum beat.
Dancing wasn't on my agenda. Although pumping hips could do a lot for a girl. I wasn't ready to stand around watching my Lord's hips mimic what I wanted him to do between my legs. Given I finally had little time to myself, I intended on being selfish with my free time. So, I motioned my guardian shadow to follow as we plied through the vibrating thong of pulsing bodies. Into the shadowy corridor.
Now, I'd get the Lord in my bed. I shot Wrank a grin with an arched eyebrow and took his warm strong hand. The man was so easily led to my personal quarters that done deal echoed inside my head.
Jumping off the plank never seemed so easy.
The door clapped shut at his heels.
Gods he was tall. Wrapped in delicious leather like a big steak gift. And the desire on his face...
Jump, Theo. Jump!
He grabbed me around the waist, lifting, pinning me against his chest where we could see eye to eye, and inhaled.
So damned slowly. Haunting words like touch, kiss, strip, and thrust whirled my thoughts into nothing but the possessive glint in his eye. I slid my palms along the supple muscles of his arms. Up to his warm pliable skin of his shoulders. To his queue he always wore and pulled the leather tie from his black hair.
He just watched me.
Waiting. Like I was the dessert we opted to bypass at supper instead of hanging out with everyone having pseudo-sex in some courting ritual, thrusting through the motions, dancing the night away. The fools. I ran my fingers through his shoulder-length straight hair and combed it out until it framed his face mimicking a wind-blown style.
Gods, he was going to ravage me by the hunger in his eyes.
Devour me.
Like a shark in the water beneath the plank.
And I didn't care.
Now. What was taking so long? Someone had to get us past this point. I pressed my lips to the warm velvet of his, weaving my fingers back into his silken hair.
We were nothing but a tangle of writhing limbs. Lips. Hot wet tongues gliding across suddenly nude body parts pressed against my rumpled bedding. Groaning. Gasping. Whining. I finally pinned him atop me in the crook of my groin by hooking my ankles together at his lower back.
The sleekness of him.
The strength in his body.
Gods, fuck me.
He shoved away, leaned back at the waist, staring down at me, pressing his hard shaft against my ass where I presented my sex to him.
That sweet wrench of his was going to bind our souls together.
Yes.
Now. I stared into his hungry gaze.
Warmth billowed through me, rooting low beneath him in my belly.
Right where he pinned me down with his narrow hips.
He leaned onto one hand and teased me with all those glorious muscles.
Stripes. Everywhere I looked stripes pointed down. Down to where I ached for him.
He glided a roughened palm across my navel.
My skin quivered.
His hand slid up between my ribs, up to curl around one of my breasts and tweaked a nipple. “You're beautiful, Theo."
His voice rippled through me, making me quake with need. I shut my eyes and arched into his touch.
I wanted that enormous steely hard-on that he kept so damned handy, inside me.
"Loosen your hold on my waist,” he whispered.
Done.
He slid his palms across my thighs and shoved them wide.
Deliciously wide. Like a man who'd done this countless times before. But I thought Luvk Lords didn't have sex until mated? What did it matter, really? I wasn't a virgin. He was locking the smooth head of his cock into my sex. This was a done deal. Wrank was mine. All mine.
The universe sucked all the oxygen from the room as he thrust inside me.
I couldn't see. Couldn't breathe, Could only loll my head left and right as he wedged himself inside me, inch by magnificent thick inch. Slowly stretching me to take the full length of him. Torturing me with a sword as if I feared jumping off the plank.
If only I could stop aching for more. Stop my inner channel from fisting around him. Just relax and embrace my future. But, hell, a girl didn't stumble upon Mr. Right every day making her way beyond the big three “O” and find someone with indomitable strength, intelligence, all packaged in animal-print gift wrap and leather.
He shoved the last bit of air from my lungs as he groaned, grinding the coarse hairs on his stiff sac against my groin.
Gods. Gods. Gods. This was all happening too fast. We'd have to work all night to do everything that flashed before my eyes as I took the liberty of leaping into a free dive with a twist that would rival any Olympian record. But I wanted more. I wanted the fevered frenzy. I wanted everything now. “Wrank?"
His blue gaze slid to meet mine.
"You've waited forty-two years. I've waited thirty. I want this hard and fast."
He sucked in a deep breath.
"I'm yours.” I raised up and brushed a kiss against his orange lips.
"Lie down,” he said.
I sank my shoulders back into the soft bedding.
"Tighten your legs around me,” he ordered.
He could tell me what to do anytime.
He shifted a bit, and I followed orders.
He moved his hard rod, withdrawing the full length along my inner channel until almost free from my tightened muscles, and waited, his cock's head still inside me. “Hold on, Theo. Tight. This is like riding my war beast. And I don't want to hurt you."
Now that was an image to ponder. I slid my hands over his shoulders, realizing the rumors about his harness’ purpose were true, and wrapped my fingers around the thin leather straps.
He thrust into me with one wild plunge, pulled out, groaning, lunged, and the room faded away. Nothing existed but how my fingers burned clutching his strong flexing body. How he stirred a mushrooming need deep inside me with only one outlet—for me to scream. How I tried to choke
back the sound but couldn't fight the quivering wave of pleasure shaking every cell in my body. And he matched my cries blow by blow until the universe shook with a force that froze us into one gasping form shrieking in unison.
His cock lunged inside me.
Scalding seed kissed my womb.
He paused as if in some sort of Tiger reverie then started to pump his hips again.
Forcefully.
I clenched my inner muscles around him. Milking every drop of his seed into my soul.
He groaned, tucking his chin into his chest.
Like he prayed for mercy, his muscles straining to empower his prayer.
I felt like a goddess. Out in the middle of nowhere outer space. Drifting on a planet full of Tiger folk. With the most incredible example of a Tiger Lord pumping his essence into me, one vigorous stroke at a time. I matched his dying enthusiasm.
We ground our hips together until our heartbeats calmed ever-so-slightly. Until there was nothing left in us but a fraction of a movement that left my heart crying for more.
More. Dammit.
He could no longer move, hunched over me in a silent trance.
My Tiger had really taken care of me. “Hey,” I managed a breathy whisper and uncurled a few fingers. Stiff as they were, the feat wasn't easy.
His black hair curtained his face. But he turned his blue gaze to mine.
One of my hands slipped free of the harness. I slid the palm down the corded damp skin of his neck to his prickly beard. “Well done, husband."
The smile stretching his black moustache liquefied what was left of my heart.
"Wrank, get ready. You're about to have to do that again."
Blessed stars, Wrank could have thrust right back inside his mate's silken heat but his thundering heart demanded he hold her sleek sweaty curves close and stare into her sparkling eyes where he held her quaking curves on her side against his chest, staring into the face that saved him. To feel her breathe trapped inside my embrace, he thought. After living for what seemed like an eternity as my mother's Royal Guard, mating with a female was the most sacred act. Equal to nothing other than wearing the mask of a Royal Guard. Hiding a man's emotions. But The Order of the Marshals liberated the Lords and gave us a chance to claim mates outside the advantage of political marriage for our mothers, Queens of the Realms. The most holy act. And all I could think about was gazing into the eyes of a female who gave me her heart.
Feral Series IV: Feral Fallout Page 2
