by Sue Mercury
He set a fast pace through the streets and she rested her head against his chest, trying to silence her virginal apprehension.
Her eyes fluttered shut as she concentrated on the fast beating of his heart. Tears burned behind her closed eyelids. She couldn’t remember anyone holding her, ever. Not in the orphanage. Certainly not when she’d been living in the streets. Hell, she couldn’t even recall experiencing a simple hug. In Cav’s arms, she felt so safe that she could almost pretend he loved her. Almost.
*
Ficka, Cav’s heart had never felt so full and warm. This tiny human female had stirred emotions inside him that were completely foreign. Regret washed through him at the memory of how sternly he’d ordered her to stay away from other Marrlxian males. She’d looked frightened and taken aback by his command. Perhaps he shouldn’t allow Lishana’s betrayal to haunt their relationship. It certainly wasn’t fair to punish Hailey for the crimes of his former mate.
He strengthened his hold on her as his house came into sight. The full moon had risen high already and he took it as a good omen. In the days on his ancestors, mating ceremonies were only performed during a full moon.
He carried his mate upstairs, taking the steps three at a time, then brought her to his bedroom at the end of the long hallway. The door opened and shut behind them automatically after he gave it a slight push.
Several lit candles rested atop dressers and tables, flickering orange around the room. He walked to the bed and sat Hailey on the edge of the mattress, keeping his hand in her hair. Her braid had come partly undone. The look of her hair disheveled stoked the flames of his desire. Gods, he wanted her.
A rosy hue colored her cheeks. He pulled at the ribbon that tied the end of her braid, then combed her hair out with his fingers. She bit her bottom lip and peered up at him shyly. Her innocence enthralled him. It thrilled him that he would be the first to touch her and taste her. He inhaled deeply, once again detecting her sweet feminine scent.
“You’re so beautiful, Hailey.” He guided her to lay in the center of the mattress and straddled her.
She quivered beneath him, her breaths coming in short nervous gasps. Her cheeks were flushed prettily and her bosom heaved within the confines of her gown’s low neckline. His cock swelled to hardness and his balls drew up tight with longing. Cupping her face, he stared into her sparkling blue eyes as yet another growl built in his throat. The rumble didn’t startle her this time. In fact, it seemed to entice her to lift her hips against his throbbing shaft.
Ficka, he had to get her clothes off. His too. But first, he had to kiss her or he’d go mad with the need to taste her. Inhaling a quick breath, he leaned down and captured her lips, tenderly at first, as he swept his tongue along hers and reveled in the moment.
She parted her lips slightly and moaned as he deepened the kiss. The tension that had been growing between them sparked into full-fledged passion. She reached up and clutched at the sides of his face, meeting the thrusts of his tongue with fervor. Her sweet little moans joined with his deep urgent growls that echoed off the walls. Still kissing her, he cupped her left breast, squeezing and massaging the generous mound before moving to her right breast to give it the same treatment. She arched into his touches and continued lifting her hips against his hardness.
He tore away from her, panting. She was breathless and her cheeks had flushed a darker shade of pink since he’d first kissed her. She looked so lovely and enticing. And all his. He wouldn’t let another male touch her. Ever.
Though he hadn’t known Hailey a full day, the possessiveness he felt for her burned strong. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at her. Stronger than it ever had for Lishana. Why was that? He studied Hailey, excitement and hope sweeping through him with the force of a tidal wave.
Would his bond to her increase after he claimed her? His pulse raced at the possibility. He’d taken Lishana as his mate because their families had been friends and by some miracle she hadn’t perished during the great flood. It had been an arranged mating, though he’d had every intention of caring for Lishana for the rest of his days. Even if they never grew to love one another.
He could easily imagine falling in love with Hailey. He thought he could spend an entire lifetime staring into her pretty blue eyes and stroking her hair and kissing her breathless. Emotion tightened his throat as he lifted her off the bed and commenced pushing her gown off her shoulders. He guided the garment down over her wide hips, admiring her luscious full breasts and the flat of her stomach, his mouth watering at the prospect of kissing her all over. As he unwrapped her, she stood obediently in front of him with her head slightly lowered.
“Look at me, Hailey.”
Her eyes rose to his.
“We will make a good life together. A happy life.”
To his surprise, her bottom lip quivered. She pressed her mouth in a tight line and swallowed hard before saying, “But what if I cannot give you a son, an heir? Will you still want me then?”
He stepped back and gazed at her in confusion. “Are you sick? We have the best doctors, Hailey, and—”
“No, I’m not sick,” she said, cutting him off. “But I’ve heard male Marrlxians must have an heir by a certain age or they are banished from their city. If I keep giving you girls or no children at all, will you cast me aside for another female who can give you what you need?”
He shook his head fiercely. “I swear on the gods I will never cast you aside, Hailey. As I told you before, you are my cherished mate.” He ran his thumb along the curve of her jaw. Gods, she was soft everywhere his hands roamed. “If such a thing comes to pass, you can live with me in the mountains. Or you can remain in the city, if that is your wish. But I am not worried, for I plan to plant my seed inside you every night until your stomach starts to swell with my child. Besides, the first child born is always a boy. Male Marrlxians only release the seed required for the male sex until our mate becomes pregnant the first time.”
She flushed and tried to look down, but he held her chin between his fingers, not allowing her to escape his stare.
“And even once you are with child, you will not escape my attentions, Hailey. I have a feeling I won’t be able to go a few hours without claiming you.”
“Hours?” she asked, shocked, but he cut off further protests with a hard, commanding kiss that had her moaning again in no time.
Once he scented her arousal blooming, the aroma sweet and pungent in his nostrils, he released her and shed his boots and clothing in a flurry of motion and flying garments. Her eyes bulged when she glanced at his long, painfully hardened shaft.
Guiding her back onto the bed, he immediately latched onto her breast, suckling her nipple and giving it gentle pulls with his teeth. Little sounds of pleasure emanated from her. She ran her fingers through his hair and the noises coming from her grew more urgent as he traveled lower and lower, until his mouth hovered between her legs. When he darted his tongue out and licked a trail between her pussy lips, she writhed against his face and cried out.
He took his time tasting her. Forcing her legs wide apart, he splayed her intimate folds open and thrust his tongue deep in her channel. Ficka, she tasted divine, sweet yet musky and something else that was unique to her, the evidence of her budding desire.
“Oh, please, please more, don’t stop, Cav…” Her voice trailed off into an unintelligible string of pleas.
He swirled his tongue atop her pink, swollen clit, increasing the pressure and speed of his ministrations until she shuddered and groaned loudly as she found her release. When he pulled away from her, her plump sex gleamed with her essence.
“I…I…” She met his gaze, but in her breathlessness couldn’t complete her sentence.
Cav settled himself on top of her, placing his cockhead at the entrance of her womanhood. He pressed into her, sliding into her tightness until he met the resistance of her virginal barrier. Oh gods. Pausing, he waited for her to meet his gaze, but she’d closed her eyes and appeared to be b
racing herself for the inevitable pain of losing her innocence.
“Look at me, Hailey.”
Slowly, she opened her eyes and peered up at him.
“Good girl.” He increased the pressure against her barrier. “This will only hurt a moment, tiny human, and just this once.”
He drove forward in one swift motion, breaking through her resistance until he was fully seated in her snug channel. Then he gripped her hips and stared into her eyes. She hadn’t cried out, let alone grimaced, and he hoped that meant she hadn’t suffered much pain. If he could’ve taken the pain on himself, he would have done so in a heartbeat.
The agony of remaining inside her and not moving was becoming too much, but he wanted to give her adequate time to become accustomed to his size before he started pounding her hard. To his relief, she shifted beneath him in encouragement. She gave him a mischievous smile and moved against him again.
Cav needed no further reassurance. He held onto her hips and thrusted in and out of her with abandon. She wrapped her arms around his waist and parted her thighs wider, and wider still, inviting him to claim her in the rough manner he craved. Dark spots swirled in his vision as he pumped into her, filling her completely with each quick plunge into her exquisite tightness.
Gods, it was as if she’d been made just for him.
Chapter Three
Hailey clung to Cav, struggling for breath but enjoying all that he gave her. She’d never expected him to put his mouth on her pussy, or to bring her to orgasm before he fucked her. The fact that he’d taken the time to ensure her pleasure before taking his own wasn’t lost on her. Because of the care he was showing her, she had barely felt the pain of losing her virginity. A twinge of discomfort followed by more mind-numbing pleasure. Despite his generous size, welcoming all of Cav inside her left her shaking with ecstasy and craving more of him.
“Mmm, yes,” she murmured, resting her face in the curve of his neck as he hovered over her, not slowing in his rapid thrusts.
He growled and shuddered, his whole body quaking as he found his release. The warmth of his seed filled Hailey, and after his trembling ceased, he slowly withdrew from her. She expected him to crawl off her, but he remained in place and stared into her eyes with a look so tender emotion swelled in her chest. Cav could act as severe as he wanted to, but he had his unguarded moments, moments when his soul was bared to hers. Like now.
“Hailey,” he said in a gravelly voice, “My Hailey, my tiny human.” Then he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips and rolled off her.
During the next several hours, few words passed between them. Cav opened the windows to allow a breeze to cool their sweating bodies. He brought her water and fresh fruit, for which was grateful. If she hadn’t landed on Marrlxia today, she would be waking up around this time on the starship and eating breakfast.
Secure in his arms, she eventually drifted to sleep while he stroked her hair. In all her life, she had never fallen asleep with such a profound sense of safety. Even when she was aboard the Matchmaker 2 and away from the horrors of Earth, she’d worried the ship might meet with some disaster. The original Starship Matchmaker had been attacked by a fierce alien race who reportedly stole all the females and then destroyed the ship.
Her life up until this morning was fraught with danger and constant worry. For the first time in her life, she could breathe. And for the first time in her life, she slept through the night without a frightful dream propelling her to wakefulness before dawn.
*
Hailey awoke to the warm sunlight caressing her face. She smiled and stretched languorously. The sheets were softer than any she’d slept in before and brushed silkily over her naked flesh. Sitting up against the huge fluffy pillows, she blinked at her surroundings.
She was still in Cav’s room, but his side of the bed was empty. Had he gone to work? She realized she didn’t even know what he did for a living. Well, she knew he’d been a Marrlxian warrior and spent many years battling his enemies, but before that surely he’d had a different occupation. She imagined with his large muscles he could excel at building whatever he put his mind to. Perhaps he helped to construct the buildings and homes in the city.
As she speculated on what Cav did with his days, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the melodious chirping of birds and the sway of trees in the wind. The curtains fluttered as a breeze entered the bedroom, ruffling the sheets and blowing her hair about her shoulders.
Wrapping herself in a bedsheet, Hailey approached the window and gasped at the sight. Cav’s street was in the most elevated part of the city. She could see for miles and miles to the mountains beyond the clearing the Matchmaker 2 had landed in. Small crafts zipped through the air over the buildings and the fields of crops. Marrlxians moved through the streets. In the bright morning light, the city looked even more green and vibrant than it had when she’d first walked through it yesterday.
She backed away from the window, deciding she ought to get cleaned up and dressed for the day. Perhaps she could go exploring and try to find Angie. She hadn’t a clue where her friend lived, but maybe she would get lucky. The mass nuptial ceremony had ended too abruptly for the two friends to steal a moment to confer with one another.
The dress she’d worn last night was nowhere to be found, so Hailey departed the room wearing her bedsheet. She traipsed to her room and closed the door behind her, once again appreciating that she had her own space. During her time in the orphanage, she had often dreamed of having her own bedroom. Of course, in her dreams she had only dared wish for a clean bed to sleep in, a dresser to store her clothing, and a little bedside table with a lamp on it. Oh, and a door with an impenetrable lock. In giving her this bedroom, Cav had provided her with something beyond her most fantastic imaginings.
As she showered in the large, spotlessly clean bathroom, she reflected on the tender emotion she’d glimpsed in her mate’s eyes after he’d claimed her. She sure was experiencing a lot of firsts on this planet. No one had ever looked at her so tenderly before, as if she meant something to them.
When Hailey opened the armoire, she noticed the dress she’d worn last night was back in place, looking as clean and perfectly pressed as when she’d donned it yesterday. She selected a casual yellow dress that hung nearby, wondering how she was to spend her days if Cav already had a cook and a maid. It was her understanding, based on the Matchmaker 2 guard’s description of life on Marrlxia, that most homes on this planet didn’t have servants.
After styling her hair in another braid over her shoulder, she exited her room and ventured to the long, winding staircase that led to the first floor. On her way down, she passed Brena, who was carrying up laundry. They exchanged greetings and then Hailey made for the front door, anxious to venture out for a walk, even if she didn’t succeed in locating Angie today.
She’d witnessed Cav open doors by simply placing his hand on the door and giving a slight push, but when she tried doing it, nothing happened. Frowning, she pushed at the door harder, but still it didn’t budge. She turned in frustration, looking for other exits outside. She found two more doors that clearly led outside, but neither of them would open either.
The sound of a throat being cleared made her turn around.
“Mistress Hailey, breakfast is waiting for you in the dining room.”
Breakfast? Hailey had been so set on getting outside that she hadn’t even thought to eat. At the mention of food though, her stomach rumbled loudly. She flushed and decided to first inquire about the doors.
“Brena, why won’t any of the doors open? Am I trying to open them the wrong way?” she asked, giving the door another futile push.
The maid’s face reddened and her eyes danced around the hallway. Clearly, she didn’t want to answer Hailey’s question. “Apologies, mistress, but Master Cav has ordered the doors to remain locked when he isn’t at home.”
“But why? I’d wanted to go for a little walk before breakfast. It’s a beautiful day.”
“Apologies, b
ut I cannot say why.” Brena bowed her head. “Please come have your breakfast, mistress.”
Hailey turned and glared at the door, cursing Cav for locking her inside. What the hell? It’s not like she was planning to run away. And she wouldn’t be stupid enough to get herself lost. She had planned to pay attention to every turn she took during her walk so she could easily find her way home.
She took a deep breath and faced Brena with a polite smile. Cav had locked her in, not the maid. She had no reason to treat Brena rudely.
“Breakfast sounds great, thank you.”
Maybe after she had some food in her, she could think of how to handle Cav and his backward ways. He’d ordered her not to speak or look at other Marrlxian males. She could think of no other reason he’d locked the doors. She would not spend the rest of her life locked in a house, even a house as huge and richly furnished as this one, without a fight.
Her heart sank. She barely knew Cav. Could she convince him to trust her?
*
Cav returned home at midday, the Marrlxian Council session concluded for the day. He found the governance of his city a boring affair, but having been born into the treman class, it was his responsibility to sit in the meetings and contribute ideas to the upkeep of his city. Before he touched the front door, he turned and gazed longingly at the rolling fields outside the city, where the lower classes of Marrlxians tended to the crops. He would much rather spend his days in the fields, and truth be told, he had enjoyed his days as a warrior fighting the Searxins because it had gotten him away from the tedious business of the Council.
With a sigh, he pushed at the door and strode inside. He glanced around the opulent entryway, looking left and right for signs of Hailey. Had she tried to go outside? If so, was she angry he’d kept the doors locked until his return?
Niashu and Brena rushed out of the sitting room area, worry marring their faces. They approached him with their heads lowered and kept giving each other sidelong glances.
