Although he’d made her scream with pleasure only moments ago, he expertly stirred her body to life again. She threaded her fingers into his loose hair—mercy, she loved his hair—and kissed him back. When he moved down to her throat, she arched in invitation, and her breathing became shallow as he left a trail of warm, wet kisses between her breasts and along the midline of her belly.
He rose above her, spreading her thighs so she was laid out before him. Lazily, but with heat sparking in the depths of his gaze, she watched as his hands followed the path his lips had taken. Starting at her throat, they splayed wide and slid down her breastbone, veering over her ribs then along her sides, before coming back to the center.
Trask paused when they dipped low between her hips, and he frowned. “What’s this from?” With a lighter touch, he used his fingertips to trace in a slant low on her belly then up her left side.
Lana stilled. How could she have forgotten? She grasped his wrist and sat up, bring both knees to her chest as curled forward, leaning into his big body. “I was in an accident as a child,” she murmured into his neck.
“Let me see.”
“No. It’s ugly.”
“Nothing about my mate is ugly.”
She snorted rudely against his skin.
“Lie back and let me see, Lana.” Said in his commanding general’s tone, it wasn’t a request, especially when his hand came to her chest and applied pressure. He eased her back down, supporting her with a cupped hand behind her head.
Resigned to this impromptu inspection, she flung her arm over her face. She couldn’t watch as his fingertips resumed their gentle exploration.
“What happened?”
“When I was five, I was thrown free of a vehicle during a crash. But not before I was stabbed by broken glass.”
“Paulova,” he murmured, full of sympathy. He bent and kissed the jagged scar.
“Both my parents were killed. Only me and the intoxicated driver of the other vehicle survived. He, of course, didn’t have a scratch.”
“You were only a baby,” he whispered against the haunting reminder from her childhood. “I lost my parents, too. My mother when I was a boy of seven, and my father when I was a young man.”
She moved her arm and looked into his compassion-filled face. “You know.”
“How it changes everything? Yes.” He lowered his gaze to the eight-inch-long, silvery-white, scar that stretched from hip bone to hip bone.
“Our physics have the ability to remove this.”
“You find it ugly, too,” she whispered as her hand dropped to conceal it.
“No, but I despise it for being a painful reminder to you of the tragedy.” His fingers encircled her wrist and moved her hand away. She felt the warm, soft brush of his breath on her skin, as he lowered his mouth to her belly and licked the length of what she found hideous. “As I said, nothing about my mate is ugly.”
She met his gaze between the valley of her breasts.
“How can the big scary powerful general of all Primarian forces be so soft and squishy inside?”
“Only with you, little one. But don’t let that get out. If Kerr thinks his Supreme General is getting soft, he’ll ask for my resignation.”
He kissed his way back up her body and tenderly took her lips, the same way he took her body a moment later. It was as passionate as all the other times but unhurried and with poignancy rising from the newfound intimate connection they shared.
Chapter Five
TRASK KEPT LANA TUCKED close to his side as they shuttled rather than teleported down to the surface. He didn’t intend to risk the intense side effects his mate had to the process. Soon, she wouldn’t have to. Once home, with her feet planted firmly on Primarian soil there would be no reason to leave ever again.
At a startled gasp from her, he glanced down and saw the rapt excitement on her beautiful face. He followed her gaze to the window, knowing what he’d see. When they broke through the atmosphere, leaving the blackness of space behind, the first glimpse of Primaria in its stunning array of brilliant color always brought an indescribable sense of comfort, of coming home, which never got old.
“Beautiful doesn’t come close to describing it,” she said, so in awe her voice came out just this side of a whisper.
“No matter how many times I see our home from up here, I find it breathtaking.”
“The colors are unusual and so vivid. We don’t have much left in our world any longer, mostly varying shades of brown.”
“It is a shame about your Earth, but it brought you out exploring, so I can’t say I’m sorry.”
A tightness marred her expression when she transferred her gaze from the spectacular view to him. “We left billions of people behind, as well as war, natural disasters, and so much suffering. Excuse me if I say you have a very narrow view of the universe for a world leader and a well-traveled general.”
As criticism went, it was a direct hit. The initial decision to take them as mates was spontaneous. They saw something they wanted and went after it. But to further, and pursue their ship, which the commander of their fleet was in the process of doing at that very moment was a deliberate, aggressive, selfish move, though not undertaken lightly.
His people were suffering and had for a long time. Now, they would have hope of a future. The same couldn’t be said for Lana’s species. Once they had all the new females settled with their new mates, perhaps they could come up with a plan to help the humans. He didn’t suggest this to her, however. Much would have to be decided before he ever thought to, and it would have to begin with a conversation with Kerr. Trask knew his friend had struggled with the decision from day one no matter how much the end was justified.
That chance to do so was days away. All eight warriors with new mates were on leave for the next few days, given time to help their females adjust and because no work would be accomplished with the hunger burning in their veins constantly. His next official duty was another formal dinner, five days away, this time with the entire elder council of twelve and several hundred citizens by invitation only. This meant teaching her more rules, a necessity, but not something he relished since the first few times hadn’t gone over well at all.
The shuttle jerked suddenly, knocking Lana forward. If not for his hold on her, she would have gone slamming into the interior wall. He clasped her more firmly around the waist as he took a seat and pulled her down next to him.
“This next part can be a little bumpy; you should strap in.”
She twisted, pulled out the retractable harness, and with his help, buckled it around her. He tugged the ends to remove the excess slack where an apparently much larger warrior had used it before her. Once satisfied it sat snugly around her chest and hips, he sat back.
“What about you?” she asked when he made no move to do the same.
“I’m well over twice your weight. It will take more than a few air pockets to take me off my feet. Besides, I’m used to it.” He pointed out the side window. “Look there. You can see Ariad, our capital city.”
“It’s all white in a sea of color.”
“We learned long ago not to try to compete with the natural beauty around us. We do have some interesting architecture and use different textures to help us tell all the white buildings apart.”
“Where is your home? Will we be able to see it from up here?”
“No, the shuttle landing is on the outskirts of town. I have a residence on a side street a few blocks from the heart of town. It’s quiet, which is what I prefer.”
They fell silent, watching the city on the horizon get larger as they approached. While he was happy to be home, at last, Lana’s next question spoke to her anxiety.
“What will I do here, Trask? I’m used to working, and domesticity has never been my strong suit.”
“We’ll find something for you to do. Our Prima usually stays quite busy doing works of charity for those who live beyond Ariad. We have wealth from natural resources, but that has come
about only in the last twenty years. We still have many outlying communities who keep to the old ways and need assistance, mostly with education and encouragement to accept the changes of modernization. You’re close to the Princep’s mate; she’ll need help with all of that.”
She nodded but didn’t appear convinced.
“You also have a mate to see to, and children will come along soon to keep you busy enough.”
“And how many children were you expecting?”
“Perhaps six”—he shrugged—“but I’ll take as many as the Maker decides.”
She stared back at him with wide eyes, appearing stunned.
“I come from a family of two children which is small by Primarian standards, or it used to be. I’d prefer more.”
“But six! Great day in the morning, you’re kidding, right?”
“Don’t you like children?”
“I don’t know. I was an only child.”
“But you planned to have them someday, surely.”
“I never really thought about it. I’m a career woman, Trask. I expected to be traveling the world, digging up rocks and studying volcanoes in exotic locations.” She looked out the window, and said vaguely, “Fate had other things in mind for me, it seems.”
“Fate had me in mind for you. Or you wouldn’t be sitting beside me now.”
She glanced at him, a small wistful smile curving her lips. “You're a true believer in destiny, aren't you?”
“Yes, as are all my people. Things happen for a reason, Lana. Often, we don’t understand the reason, but we still must strive to do the best we can on the path we are set upon.”
Abruptly, the shuttle jerked and bounced as it encountered more air pockets during descent. As she bounced and jerked along with it, his little mate grabbed hold of his thigh, not near the knee but much higher. As with any touch from her, his body reacted.
He silently told his cock to stand down. This morning when she arose, she’d been tender again, moving cautiously, and when they’d gone to breakfast in the main dining room, she winced when she sat on one of the unpadded chairs.
He wasn’t such a beast he would use her to the point of pain, no matter the hunger that burned inside him. He had another week of this constant yearning then their five or six times a day would reduce to twice, upon waking and at bedtime. Three times if he came home for the midday meal, which he planned to.
The poorly mastered part of him twitched painfully in his suddenly too-tight uniform trousers. He tried to shift, without her knowing, but the subtle movement caught her eye. Her gaze homed in on his crotch, which didn’t help the hardness abate.
Some of the color left her face. “I can’t. I can barely sit now.”
“Pay it no mind; I’m certainly trying to. I promised you a break until bedtime, and I mean to stick to my vow.”
She bit her lip, a habit that stirred him as much as her touch. When she released it, the plump pink flesh gleamed wet.
Shifting to relieve the constriction in his trousers, though it did little good, he tried to refocus on the city growing larger as they drew near, which wasn’t much of a distraction.
“Trask...”
“Not to worry, as I said, little one.”
“But this hunger you have, its uncomfortable for you.”
“I’m a grown man. I can, and have, endured worse.”
“We can do other things, can’t we? I hate to see you hurting.”
The concern in her voice made him turn despite his determination not to. Unable to resist, he lightly stroked a finger down her soft cheek and across her lips, the bottom one still wet and turned down in a slight pout. “I appreciate your concern, mate, but need I remind you, we tried other things yesterday, and I still ended up inside you.”
Color flooded her face, and she glanced at the others nervously. “I meant with, um...” She leaned in, her lips brushing lightly against his ear, her breath a warm rush as she whispered, “I could use my mouth, not just my hand.”
A low groan rushed up and out of him before he could stop it. He cleared his throat as cover. “Change of subject, until we get to our residence and I let you.”
“Let me?” she asked, but the little twitch at the corners of her mouth told him she wasn’t quite so naïve about the effect she was having on him as she seemed.
His hand curled around her nape as he bent his mouth to her ear this time. “I look forward to having your pretty mouth on my cock, but if you don’t stop talking about it, making me want to take you here and now or go insane from the wanting, after we’re done, I’ll show you what teasing a warrior gets you.” He heard her quick intake of breath, and added, “That means you’ll be naked across my knees with your pert little bottom pointed upward feeling the flat of my hand.”
“Yeah, I think I got that.”
“Just so we’re clear.”
It was her turn to shift restlessly in her seat, but she conceded softly, “As you wish.” When he released her, to lean back in his seat, a sideways glance revealed a hint of a smile.
He cursed inwardly. In the prime of his life, healthy, strong, the stamina of a man half his age, but in the span of a week, his new mate was going to be the death of him. Another quick glance caught the tip of her pink tongue disappearing inside, the residual slickness it left gleaming on her mouth. His cock jerked, and he suppressed another embarrassing groan thinking there wasn’t a better way to go.
HIS HAND CURLED UNDER her chin, the other held her head steady with the heel at her temple and his fingers threaded through her soft hair. His neck was bent sharply forward as he watched his cock slid over her tongue into the warm, wet recess of her mouth.
They hadn’t made it past the entryway, damn his lack of control. But she didn’t appear concerned or disgusted she’d been mated to an inconsiderate rutting beast. Instead, she knelt on the floor at his feet as though she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
In the light pouring in through the skylight, her pale hair gleamed where it tumbled down her back. And her body, bare after he’d stripped her gown over her head seconds ago, glowed in the pink sunshine.
“Beautiful,” he groaned as her tongue licked up the underside then swirled around the head.
She didn’t stop, but the dark fan of her lashes swept up. When she found him watching, she didn’t hesitate to open wider and take more.
“No, Lana, not so much. I’ll choke you.”
Her reply came out mumbled with her mouth full of him. He guided her head back until only the tip rested on her lips.
“What was that?”
“I said I don’t care. You taste incredible.”
“That you enjoy it bodes well for me, sweet mate, except relaxed and easy suits me better this first time.”
She nodded and resumed at a more sedate pace but was soon back to gobbling him down hungrily. Her tongue stayed busy, swirling round and round the head and the constant suction felt incredible. He would quickly lose control and spill in her mouth if she didn’t stop.
“Lana, it’s too good,” he warned. “Slow down, or I may be the only one to enjoy this.”
She pulled off and wrapped both hands around his length. “I don’t think so, General. I’m have a wonderful time, thank you.” Giving him a cheeky grin, she didn’t obey, instead, squeezing as she pumped her fists up and down. Next, she applied the flat of her tongue to the underside, licking from base to head before she teased the opening lightly with the tip. He groaned, all his fingers tangled in her hair now.
“I’m very close.”
“Good,” she whispered, eyes sparkling with desire and a healthy dose of mischief. “I want to bring you as much pleasure as you’ve given me.”
Then, she opened wide and engulfed him once again, sucking hard as she bobbed up and down, taking half the length of his shaft while her hands worked the rest.
He wasn’t close anymore, he was there, shouting her name, shuddering violently, and pouring his seed down her throat. And, she took every
single drop.
Sinking to his knees, he gathered her to his heaving chest. “You are amazing, wonderfully responsive, and so eager to please, but this...” He exhaled long and unsteady. “It was a gift I never expected.”
She pulled away, angling her head back to see him. The color in her cheeks heightened to a becoming rosiness when she asked, “You mean Primarian women don’t, um...swallow?”
“Not that I’m aware of, no.”
She pursed her slightly swollen, still-glistening lips pensively. “Few Earth women do, so I hear. I certainly never thought I’d ever want to.” Her gaze dipped to his chest when she added, “Yet I didn't give it a second thought. You are to blame, obviously, because you taste slightly sweet—quite yummy.”
This made him chuckle. “Then we have your sweet tooth to thank for this beautiful moment.”
Her flashing blue-green eyes came back to his. There was very little brown left now, and it diminished each time they joined. “It wasn’t my sweet tooth that needed indulging. I wanted to see you shake and sweat and come apart for a change.”
“You watched?”
She nodded. “You’re gorgeous, Trask, all the time, but when you come... Wowza!”
All this talk of coming reminded him she hadn't yet. An oversight he intended to rectify at once. With an arm behind her back and the other hooked around her thighs, he anchored her across his body and stood, striding to the stairs.
Her arms wound around his neck, her fingers twining in his hair, something she seemed to enjoy because she did it so often. “You're always carrying me. I can walk, you know.”
“This is fastest when I want you in my bed. Are you complaining?”
“Hardly,” she sighed, while snuggling closer. “But I’m not the one who came while shouting loud enough to rattle the skylights.”
“No, but you soon will be. Save your strength; you’ll need it.”
“But I thought you said I’d earned a reprieve.”
Defying the General Page 9
