by Abel, Regine
“Maybe it means I know how to stay out of the path of a scythed-pincer or poisoned dart,” I replied.
Father laughed and tousled my hair. “You wish.”
Part of me liked the affectionate gesture, while another part felt annoyed. It made me look and feel like a little boy again.
Father turned to Liena, his gaze lingering on her aura before locking with hers. She clasped her hands in front of her, looking intimidated, and gave him a timid smile. I slipped an arm around her waist and drew her to me. She seemed both grateful and even more embarrassed to be thus claimed.
“You must be the lovely Liena everyone keeps raving about,” Father said.
Liena’s milky cheeks all but burst into flames, which only broadened his smile.
“Stunning aura. You have chosen well, my son.”
“Of course! Did you expect any less?”
I smiled, puffing my chest, and looked at Liena with pride. Father schooled his features not to let on to our mental exchange.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir,” Liena said timidly.
Father and I both snorted.
“Please, call me Doom. There is no such thing as formality on Khepri. Raven, you must bring her home for dinner during my stay. I wish to know more about the young lady who has amazed my mate, captured my son’s hearts, and finally discovered the Shield ability.”
“You give me too much credit,” Liena said, “but it would be my honor. Victoria has told me much about your heroics when you two first met. I would love to hear more about your missions.”
“Oh shit! You have no idea what you’ve just brought upon yourself,” I said, giving her a look of mock sympathy.
“It will be my pleasure,” Father said, bowing his head slightly.
Stran semi-rudely pushed my father out of the way to park himself in front of my woman. His dark scales shone under the overhead lights while he lifted his flat, lizard face towards Liena. She grinned, reaching to scratch the leathery skin beneath his chin. He purred, the sound closer to a growl, his widening pupils swallowing the dark blue of his large eyes. The long, scaly tail of the Crekel—underneath which vicious spikes protruded—wagged left and right with a slight scraping sound.
“Hello, beautiful,” Liena said.
“His name is Stran,” I said, happy that the Crekel had instinctively recognized Liena as my mate, just like he had with my mother when he first found and rescued her during the battle for Earth.
“Hello, Stran,” she repeated, caressing the sharp horns on top of his head, careful not to cut herself.
Stran licked her hand with his long, lizard tongue. Turning into a ball again, the Crekel rolled around Liena and me, the same way he had with my parents. Although he couldn’t speak, the intelligent creature had thus given us his blessing and acknowledged us as mates. Thanks to his thick scales, this form all but made him invincible to almost any type of damage and even allowed him to break through walls when he launched himself on them at high speed.
With a final nod towards us, Father rejoined Legion and the other Warriors who patiently waited their turn to greet him. Stran, his loyal companion and combat partner for more than thirty-four years, shifted back out of his ball form and followed my father quietly on all fours, having retracted his razor-sharp claws.
I dismissed the other women, thanking them for the awesome work they had accomplished today.
“Come on, Beauty,” I said. “Time for you to rest.”
She smiled and wrapped her arm around my waist as I led her out of the Incubator.
Chapter 7
Liena
In the three days that followed Doom’s arrival, Raven and I were all but joined at the hip. Granted, a lot of it was spent training—both my psychic abilities and combat skills—and working on my PTSD, but a non-negligible amount of time was also devoted to getting to know each other better.
Things were moving way too fast and yet far too slowly. Raven had swept me off my feet and was steadily breaking down my barriers. Yesterday, I had touched his mind for the first time. Not just peered into his psychic void but mentally touched his soul. You couldn’t do that without part of the other person touching you as well. Instead of the slimy, toxic feeling I’d come to associate with such contacts because of Silas, touching Raven had felt like stepping through the gates of Heaven.
Everything about Raven was beautiful: his body, his smile, his heart—or rather hearts—and his soul. And all of them were mine.
Well, mostly.
Raven touched me with the hunger of a starving man. Yet, the minute things became seriously heated, he systematically pulled away. Most human men would have gladly seized the opportunity to move things to the next stage. He clearly wanted me, and I hadn’t hidden my willingness to go further. So why all this holding back?
Neither of us were virgins, and both of us were free of any romantic entanglements with anyone else. As consenting adults in a liberal era, you’d think we’d be going at it like rabbits.
Is he expecting a greater commitment from me first?
We had not discussed my planned departure in a few months. With the recent discovery of our Shield ability, research on Feryleze had been temporarily put on hold; or rather my contribution to those efforts had been halted so that I could focus on strengthening my psychic muscles, work on my trauma, help train the other Asian women and, of course, push the boundaries of the Shield.
Tomorrow, I would train with Ayana, Tabitha, Diane, and Linette. Chaos and Wrath had become our official guinea pigs. Myriam and Sonia—Legion’s and Raven’s Soulcatchers—had been a little miffed to be left out of the experimentation, but with both men leading the experiment, they couldn’t find themselves disembodied. We would have a full day of testing how the three powers mixed and matched together: Soulcatchers, Portals, and Shields, the new holy trinity.
But not tonight.
Raven would be here shortly to further break down my walls. This time, he would be the one touching my soul. Well… my sphere. I didn’t think I could handle more; the thought of that level of intimacy had me both giddy and terrified. But if that went well, I intended to break down some of his own walls.
After a quick hop in the shower, I prettied myself up with a simple little black dress with spaghetti straps. I didn’t wear a bra. I wasn’t a piece of plywood, but I could have used a bit more filling in that department. Still, my breasts were a nice little handful, or so Raven seemed to think. The lacy black thong I’d acquired earlier in the shopping mall, located in the central tower of the Aspirants Residence, actually made me a little worried. The string that held it around my waist was so thin, I feared sneezing too hard, or bending over to pick up something would suffice to make it snap.
I brushed my brown hair and let it fall freely on my back. I no longer became irritated when people asked me if it were dyed. Although not common, there were plenty of Asians who, like me, were naturally born with lighter hair color, including the occasional blonde with blue eyes. A simple pair of pearl earrings and nude lip-gloss finished the look. I thought of putting on some pretty sandals, but I didn’t want to make it too obvious that I’d primped myself up for him. Plus, I usually walked barefoot in the house as per my upbringing. Even though I wouldn’t have minded if he hadn’t, Raven had naturally taken to removing his boots whenever he entered my apartment. That was another thing that made me melt for him. He was always so respectful and considerate. To be fair, so were all the Warriors I had encountered so far.
The doorbell chiming nearly made me jump out of my skin. Running my fingers through my hair to give it a bit more volume, I hastened to the door. I’d added Raven to my authorized access list on the security lock of the apartment, but he still refused to simply let himself in. He’d hinted that would only start happening the day he could telepathically warn me that he was coming in.
Well, tonight, I intended for us to overcome that barrier, too.
The door swished open, revealing the sinfully sexy and mus
cular silhouette of Raven, clad in his usual skin-tight, black Vanguard shirt and pants. His sweet smile faltered, and his lips parted as he took in my appearance. His dark eyes slowly undressed me, his face taking on a predatory expression. Immediately turned on, I stared at him with soaring excitement, willing him to claim his very consenting prey. A soft, growling sound rose from his throat as he slowly prowled towards me. I took a couple of unsteady steps back, my stomach swirling with heat and growing need.
Without breaking eye contact with me, Raven rubbed his boots against each other, unclasping their latches with expert dexterity before shedding them. His hands reached for my waist and pushed me back against the wall. Seconds later, his mouth crushed mine. It hurt a little, but in a very nice way that had me throbbing with anticipation. My lips parted, obeying his urgent demand for access. I loved the way his tongue always invaded in conquering mode, and I gladly submitted, mine following his lead as they mingled. I pressed myself against him while my fingers slipped through his hair. Raven fisted mine, tilting my head to the side as he deepened the kiss.
The intoxicating scent of cinnamon with a touch of ginger rose from his skin. His free hand slipped under the short skirt of my dress, caressing my thigh before slipping around to rest on the naked globe of my butt cheek. As if I weighed nothing, he lifted me with a single hand. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist, and he pressed himself against my core. A strangled moan escaped me when I felt his loin plate part through the thin, but sturdy fabric of his pants. His shaft, hard and thick, pushing against the nearly non-existent triangle of my thong. This was my first time feeling him like this.
Raven growled with something akin to relief, no doubt from having his cock finally freed from the confines of his natural loin plate. The scent of his pheromones grew even more potent, making me desperate with need. I wanted to beg him for more, but his voracious mouth swallowed my moans and my words.
And then he began rubbing himself against me.
Fire exploded in the pit of my stomach as each stroke stimulated my clit in just the right way. Releasing my mouth at last, Raven covered my throat with kisses and small bites. The sound of my labored breathing filled the room as I began to crest.
“Come for me, my mate,” Raven whispered in my ear, his voice thick with desire.
His chest vibrated in a rumbling moan that quickly faded. But a strange vibration persisted, creating a barely audible subtonal melody that set my nerve endings on fire. I exploded in a violent orgasm, my entire body shaking in Raven’s embrace. Pulling away from the wall, he held me tightly to him. His chest still vibrated from his mating song, wresting wave upon wave of ecstasy from me.
He was killing me with pleasure. I was drowning, swept away by a whirlwind of sensations. I latched on to him, my fingers digging into his back, and then my mind connected to his.
“Raven!”
My body felt his stiffen against me, and my nerve endings relaxed when he stopped his mating song, but my mind was transfixed by the dancing lights of his soul. I hadn’t meant to invade his psychic void, least of all in this moment of vulnerability. His soul wasn’t shielded; a bright, rainbow-colored sun surrounded by colorful, sparkling lights and bright, pink beams swirling around it, a plain display of his feelings for me and his amorous state. His shield appeared to want to form around his soul again.
Mortified by my intrusion, I began to pull out.
“Stay!”
Raven’s pleading tone made me hesitate. I didn’t even startle or balk at his voice in my head. The outline of his shield faded, and his soul seemed to glow brighter, drawing me in. I let my consciousness roam around his void, circling around the very essence of him. The pleasure of touching another’s mind—of touching my man’s mind—seeped into me, through skin and bones. There was no fear, no pain, or helplessness; only an infinite love and tenderness.
I answered his call.
Like a moth to a flame, my soul drifted towards the irresistible pull of him. His soul mingled with mine, then wrapped around me in a gentle, protective hold. I expected panic to set in, but I didn’t feel trapped as it gave way with the slightest pressure from me. Freedom was mine to reclaim if I so wished, but I didn’t. His hopes, dreams, and feelings surrounded me, freely offered… entrusted.
“My Raven. You are so beautiful.”
“My mate, you mesmerize me. I am yours.”
“And I am yours.”
He released me, gently, carefully. With reluctance, I feasted my psychic eyes one last time with the beauty of his soul before retreating from his mind. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the room that suddenly seemed dark and gloomy in comparison to the paradise I’d just left. Raven looked at me with such love, I felt myself melt from the inside out.
“We are one, Liena,” Raven said, his voice solemn. “You are my soulmate, now and always. All that I am is yours.”
“Then make me yours,” I said.
Without a word, Raven brushed his lips against mine in a gentle caress and then, eyes locked with mine, he carried me to my bedroom. My stomach fluttered with anticipation. I was hungry for him, but it wasn’t the ravenous hunger that had animated me earlier. This was different. We were different.
Raven lay me down carefully on the bed and slowly discarded his clothes. He wasn’t putting on a show, and yet, he was allowing me to admire the perfection that now belonged to me. The play of his muscles beneath his scales hypnotized me. My mouth watered at the sight of his chiseled abs. Broad-shoulders and narrow-waist, Raven had to have been sculpted by the ancient Greek gods. Although similar to a human’s, his thick cock, the same burnt shade of gold as some of his darker scales, looked even bigger than I’d imagined when he’d rubbed himself against me. My core throbbed, aching to be filled, and yet I dreaded he might not fit.
Raven climbed onto the bed, his hands caressing his way along my legs and up my thighs. His lips followed in their wake, making my stomach quiver with impatience. He lifted my skirt, his mouth resting on the tiny triangle of my thong. His rough tongue licked me over it. I shuddered, my abdominal muscles tightening as he repeated the motion a few times before snapping the poor excuse of a string on both sides of my waist. I lifted my bum to help him rid me of the ruined underwear. The heat of his breath fanned over my core, making my skin erupt in goosebumps. I had fantasized so many times about this instant, and it was exceeding everything I had imagined. A choked moan escaped me when his rough tongue lapped over my clit, still engorged from the mind-blowing orgasm he had just given me.
The cinnamon-ginger scent of his pheromones wafted to my nose again, sending me spiraling down in a sensuous haze. His fingers slipped into my opening, gently making love to me. Slow and steady, Raven made me soar until I fell over the edge again. I cried out his name, my body trembling with bliss. He climbed his way up, lifting my dress in the process. I remained almost limp in his arms as he took it off me. Laying me back down, my Warrior’s mouth paid homage to my breasts, humble though they were. His palms roamed over my burning skin with reverence while he licked and nipped at my little nubs. I’d never felt so beautiful, so worshipped than in this instant.
While kissing a trail up my neck and along my jawline, Raven settled between my legs. I parted them wide to accommodate him, my mouth going dry as his self-lubricating cock rested on my core.
“Will you have me, Liena?” Raven asked, his gaze boring into mine.
“Yes, Raven. Take me. I’m yours.”
As he pushed himself inside of me in careful, shallow thrusts, his mating song resumed, setting my nerve endings on fire. The song multiplied every sensation a thousand-fold, from the burning heat of his body against mine, the gentle scraping of his scales against my skin, the thundering sound of my heart in my ears, to the throaty sound of our gasping breaths.
At long last, we were one, his thick cock filling me, stretching me. How I had ached to welcome him inside my body, to feel the weight of him over me as he made me his. Once I adjusted to his girth, Rav
en began moving in and out of me, his gorgeous face dissolving in an expression of pure bliss.
“Liena,” Raven moaned, as if in pain from too much pleasure. “My mate… My Beauty…”
As our bodies intertwined in the most ancient of dances, tenderness gave way to passion. His lips reclaimed mine as his cock dove deeper, harder into me, his hands feverish, eager, impatiently caressing, exploring, and subduing.
The haunting vibration of his mating song, barely audible to my human ears, intensified, setting my blood ablaze. I writhed beneath my lover, drowning in a sea of pleasure fanned by each stroke of his cock. He pounded into me, his moans of ecstasy and the slapping sound of our flesh filling the room. I joined my voice to his as rapture descended upon me.
His mind brushed around my consciousness, waiting for my permission to come in. With an abandon I hadn’t believed myself capable of, I dropped my shield, welcoming him into my body, into my heart, and within my very soul.
Wrapped into the essence of each other’s being, we fell apart as one.
* * *
A tapping sound, off in the distance, drew me from my slumber. Startled to find myself lying on a hard, cold, polished stone floor, I looked around me in confusion. Darkness bathed the long hallway I lay in but for the flickering of a dying night lamp a few feet in front of me, and a brighter light in the distance, far ahead. The tapping I’d first assumed to be rain pounding on some windows I couldn’t see grew in loudness, taking on a brighter, clicking quality.
