by Laurie Roma
“The northern section of the isle is surrounded by clouds, and the water collects on the stones and runs down here. The lagoon is heated by a system we created underneath the rock bottom. Most of the isles have something similar. This one is reserved for the ruling family, but we allow those who live in the palace to use it. Daven came up earlier to light the candles for us. He’ll make sure we aren’t disturbed.”
“Thank you for sharing this with me,” she said softly.
“When I was young, my father taught all of us how to fly in here. I’m not sure how many times I fell in the water, but it was easier than hitting the ground.” He chuckled, then sobered again before saying, “I came here the night my family was killed, and found comfort in thinking of all the memories I have of them in this place of beauty. And it was here I decided to become an ambassador and to find purpose for my life.”
“I’m glad you did, otherwise, I might not have ever met you.”
“We would have found one another. Our love was fated.” Orion took her hand and guided her over to where a mountain of colorful pillows had been arranged near the water. He had asked Daven to bring a few pillows up to the cavern, but as usual, his friend had gone a little overboard. They both sat down on a square pillow, and he gestured to the bag she still held. “Go ahead, look inside.”
Morgan opened the bag, then she pulled out a small silver device. Her breath sucked in sharply as she stared at it. “This is a MCR device. How did you get this?”
He took the device from her and held it up between them. The device was used for marking, correcting and removing the tattoos used by the elites, and was very difficult to obtain. “Your friend, Olivia, gave it to me when we visited her office before we left X21. You were busy signing the forms that released you from your duties with the Alliance while we spoke.”
“That was sneaky of you two,” Morgan said with a breathless laugh. “It’s illegal to use unless you have the proper medical authority. I can’t believe she got one for you.”
“We have to return it to her after we use it, but I’m pleased she thought of giving this to us.” Orion met her gaze. “I know how much you dislike the mark you wear, but I want to give you the choice. We can either mark you as mine, and in return, I would wear your mark on me…or we can remove your star, and trust in our bond together.”
Morgan stared at the device a moment before looking back up at him. She could sense how much he loved her and wanted her to be happy, so he would be fine with whatever decision she made. He would wear her mark, even though most D’Aire didn’t like having anything on their bodies.
Just knowing that made her love him even more.
Tears burned her eyes as she reached out and placed her hand over his chest, feeling his muscles flex and his heart beat beneath her palm. The choice was easy. Looking at the dark, tanned skin of her hand against his paler flesh made her realize that even though she was human, in her heart, she was now a D’Aire.
Because her heart belonged to the D’Aire male in front of her.
Orion heard her thoughts, and smiled as her love warmed him—body and soul. “We will remove your star, then. You are a D’Aire keeper, and are no longer bound by the rules of the Alliance.”
The look of happiness on her face made it impossible to resist leaning into her to kiss her soft lips. Her moan made him want to take the kiss deeper, but he had something to do before they lost themselves in a haze of pleasure. Pulling back, he smiled at her as he pulled some of the other pillows closer to them.
“Why don’t you lay down? Removing the mark is going to take a lot longer than putting one on.” Orion held the MCR device up, and smiled sheepishly. “I already set it for removal.”
Laughing, she lay back as she rested her head on a pillow. “You know me so well.”
“Ready, my love?”
When she nodded, Orion held the device over the star next to her eye. He watched the small screen as the device scanned the mark, then it began to hum as it started removing the ink from her skin. Her hand gripped his thigh hard, and he paused the device for a moment.
“Does it hurt? Do you want me to stop?”
“It stings, but I’ll be okay.”
He started the device again, holding it with one hand while he held onto hers with the other one. When it was finished, he put the device down and used the corner of one of the pillows to wipe at the ink spilling down the side of her face. He gently rubbed the smooth, unblemished skin, then leaned down to press his lips again the spot where the mark had been.
“Is it gone?”
“Completely. The Alliance has no hold over you now. You are mine…all mine.”
He wasn’t prepared when she sat up and threw herself at him. She pressed kisses all over his face as he braced himself with one hand so he wouldn’t fall over. He felt her joy, and felt ashamed that he hadn’t figured out a way to remove the mark that the Alliance had put on her before now.
Gripping her head with his other hand, he pulled her mouth down to his, claiming it with a passion so hot it set his blood on fire. His tongue delved deep, stroking against hers as he pushed her back, covering her body with his. Their combined pleasure overwhelmed his senses, making his cock throb with need.
He craved the taste of her, wanting to possess her in every way possible. Reaching down, he started to unfasten her pants, but she stopped him before he could. He growled in protest, but she just laughed lightly.
“Will you release your wings again?”
He cocked his head and stared down at her. “Right now?”
There was a sparkle in her eyes when she nodded. “But stand up first.”
“As my lady asks…” He slowly got to his feet, then released his wings from his back. He was slightly confused by the look she sent him, but the desire he felt coming from her was loud and clear.
She stood up and placed her hands on his bare chest, igniting a blinding need for her that went soul deep. He stood in place, but turned his head as she moved around him.
“What are you doing, keeper?”
“I’m taking my turn touching you,” she said as she stroked her hands over his wings. “You have touched every inch of my body, but you stop me whenever I want to do the same to you.”
Just the thought of her touching him everywhere made his cock hard as stone. The sensation of her touching his back between his wings made him want to spin around to take her in his arms, but he remained where he was. She had a need to touch him. He could feel it, and he would always give her whatever she wanted.
“It is my duty to see to your pleasure, my love,” he explained.
She paused, and he felt her confusion. Walking around so she was facing him again, she frowned at him. “This is an equal relationship, Orion. I know you want to take care of me, but I have the same need.”
“If you want to touch me, my body is yours to do with what you will.”
Morgan smiled. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
Orion choked down a gasp as she dropped to her knees in front of him. She pulled his pants down, baring his massive erection to her gaze. “Morgan—”
“Step out of your pants for me,” she demanded, cutting him off.
He did as she asked, then braced his legs apart to hold himself still as she took his engorged shaft into her hand. Looking down, he watched as she licked her lips.
“I love you, Orion. You’ve given me so many wonderful gifts today, and now I want to do something for you.” She cut him off again when he tried to protest. “Your pleasure belongs to me, just as my pleasure belongs to you.”
“Yes!”
The word came out in a hiss as she leaned forward and licked the drop of pre-cum that had seeped out of the tiny opening on the tip of his cock. The thick stalk jerked in her hand, and she smiled up at him through veiled lashes.
“Hang on, baby. I’m going to take you for a ride.”
Orion growled low in his throat as she took the head of his cock into her mouth. He had never felt anything lik
e it. Pleasure coursed through him, so hot and bright it was a wonder he was still on his feet. He forced himself to remain still as her tongue lashed at the underside of his shaft as she took more of him in.
He had never seen such an erotic sight as Morgan down on her knees in front of him. She had tried to touch him like this before, but he had always stopped her because he’d felt selfish having her bring him to pleasure when it was his duty to please her.
Now, he realized how wrong he had been. Orion could feel her pleasure at pleasing him, because she also sensed how good it felt for him through their bond. He groaned as she took him in deeper, sliding her mouth up and down his cock. She used her hands to cover the part of his shaft she couldn’t take, working him closer to climax.
He shoved a hand into her hair, but struggled not to move his hips. He didn’t want to force her to take more of him that she could handle. He hissed as the head of his cock hit the back of her throat. Her moan vibrated through his shaft, and he let out a harsh curse. She worked her mouth over him, sucking hard, no longer teasing him.
“By the gods, love. That feels so good.”
Orion felt the pleasure that his words brought her, and began whispering more words of praise to her as she continued to suck his cock. Her mouth was so hot and wet, the pressure so intense that he already felt his balls tightening with his impending release. He tried pulling back his hips, but she let go of his cock and moved her hands to his ass, holding him in place.
“Release me. I’m going to come soon, Morgan.”
“Do it. I want to taste your release, my love. Give it to me.”
Orion’s entire body tensed as he lost the battle over his control. He threw his head back and roared out as his release jetted down Morgan’s throat. Wave after wave of ecstasy slammed through him with each pulse of his seed, making it hard to breath.
He tried to pull her head back, but she wouldn’t release her hold on his cock. She drank down his release, using her hands to rub his ass and his thighs in soothing strokes, but all her touch did was spark new desire within him. Jerking from her hold, he lowered down to his knees in front of her. He wrapped his arms around her tight, and kissed her hard and deep.
She laughed as she pulled away. “So, you liked that, did you?”
Cupping her face in his hands, he murmured, “You are my everything, Morgan. And I am yours, in life and in death. We have a synergy between us that will only grow stronger over the years. My love for you spans galaxies, and I will cherish you until time fades away.”
Morgan’s eyes burned as she leaned into him. “You are my every wish, my every dream come to life. I’m glad our minds are connected, because I would never be able to tell you how much I love you.”
They kissed, sharing that love through their touch and their minds. Orion undressed her quickly, and when she was naked, Morgan started to lie back on the moss. He stopped her by picking her up, and she moaned in pleasure as he placed her down on his hard cock, facing away from him.
Rocking her hips, she sank down on him until he was fully seated inside her. He wrapped his arms around her, cupping her breasts in his hands. She tilted her head to the side, and they shared another long, intimate kiss. She felt him throbbing inside her pussy, but they both remained still, savoring the moment together.
Need forced her to start moving her hips, rocking her onto his cock. She gasped as Orion spread his wings wide, then lay down on his back with her on top of him. For a moment she felt exposed facing the ceiling, but he wrapped his wings around them, creating a cocoon of protection.
He spread her thighs wide with his legs, then began to thrust into her from below. Morgan’s head fell back, spilling her hair over his shoulder. Moaning at the rush of emotions sweeping through her, she stopped thinking and just let herself enjoy.
She felt her cream coating his cock, allowing him to pound into her. Morgan’s body tightened as her release built, the pressure increasing until she moaned, “Orion, it feels so good. I can’t…I need to—”
“I know what you need. Come for me, keeper. Let go, and come for me.”
He moved his hand down to rub her clit, pushing her over the edge. Her back arched as she screamed, the pleasure too intense to bear. She exploded, her entire body shaking with the force of her climax. The world fragmented around her, but she had no time to recover as he continued to pound into her. He was relentless, thrusting hard and fast in and out of her tight hole. Her pussy rippled around him, dragging him into the ecstasy of release with her.
He let out a wild roar of satisfaction as he came, pouring his seed deep inside her. His body shook underneath her, and she watched in fascination as his wings fluttered in front of her with the force of his climax. When their passion was spent, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. They both gasped for breath, and their heartbeats pounded in sync.
“We are one, Morgan,” he whispered in her mind. “You are my keeper, and I will love you until the end of time.”
Closing her eyes, she sighed. “And I will love you beyond even that.”
EPILOGUE
Morgan raced down the hallway on the main floor of the palace, waving absently to those who called out greetings to her. Normally, she would have stopped to speak to those who lived in the palace. But at the moment, she had important matters to see to that took priority.
She had been living on the D’Aire home world for a month now, and every second had been like living in some sort of perfect dream.
It had been surprising just how easy all of Orion’s clan had accepted her. After dealing with Lorn A’Gar’s hatred of humans back on X21, Morgan hadn’t known what to expect. However, instead of making her work to find her place in their world, the D’Aire had gone out of their way to make her feel at home.
The palace had been filled with D’Sil clan members and others from neighboring clans the night they held the banquet honoring Orion and Morgan. She had been gifted a beautiful, bronze dress to wear to the celebration. Everyone had accepted her, and she felt more at peace on the D’Aire home world than she’d ever felt on Earth.
This time of day, Orion usually met with his brother so they could discuss the day’s duties. Morgan wanted to catch him before Orion met with their people in the great hall. Since they arrived back at D’Sil Palace, Raiden had gladly split the responsibilities of running the palace with his younger brother. Orion had taken over hearing disputes and giving advice to those who came to the palace because he was the more diplomatic of the two brothers
But she had plans for him today that didn’t include work.
Morgan usually helped him with his duties, but over the last few days, she hadn’t been feeling well. Orion was worried about her since she had been sleeping half the day away, so he had asked her to see the healer in the palace. She’d agreed to see the older female, because she felt something different about herself that she couldn’t deny.
But the news she’d just received hadn’t been what she was expecting.
Turning the corner at a run, she couldn’t stop before she slammed into a hard body. She bounced off the male, but Raiden held onto Morgan’s arms so she wouldn’t fall to the floor.
“Where are you going in such a hurry, little sister? Orion told me you were feeling ill. You should be in bed. Come, I will escort you upstairs.”
Stars save her from protective males.
Since the first day she had met Raiden, he had been like an older brother to her. He was a quiet male, who didn’t trust people easily, and yet, he had accepted her into their family instantly. But he worried about her, and was almost as protective of her as Orion was. Dealing with the two strong males was a pain in the ass sometimes.
“I’m not sick. Well, I am, but not really.”
Confusion flicked in his iridescent blue eyes. “That makes no sense.”
“I know! Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Are you feverish?” Raiden frowned as he placed his hand on her forehead. His eyes went wide when he t
ouched her. “Ah!”
She frowned as she pulled away from him. “Hey! You read me. You weren’t supposed to know before Orion.”
His eyes sparkled with amusement and his happiness. “Go to him now. He is training with the warriors outside. I will see to it that both of your schedules are cleared for the day.”
Lifting to her toes, she also had to pull him down in order to kiss his cheek. She was surprised to see his cheeks flood with color. “Thank you. You’re a good brother.”
“It pleases me to hear you say that.” He took her arm and walked with her down the hallway.
“I thought you were heading the other way.”
“I was, but if you think I’m going to miss this announcement, you are very wrong.”
Raiden led her out into the courtyard, then over to the training field. The day was warm, and she was glad she’d put on a pair of soft, white pants and a matching halter when she’d woken up. She loved the dresses that most D’Aire females wore, but Morgan was too used to wearing pants to wear flowing dresses every day.
Many of the D’Aire clans didn’t believe in having a fighting force anymore, since their race didn’t have many conflicts, but Raiden insisted on keeping his warriors strong and battle-ready. Morgan had loved training with the warriors, and it was wonderful being able to fight without feeling emotional overload. Using a sword was new to her, but it was something she enjoyed immensely.
She saw Orion sparring with another male warrior, and loved watching the way his body moved. His chest was bare, and the way his muscles flexed and moved was almost mesmerizing to watch. She knew firsthand how that body felt under her hands, and seeing him all sweaty made her hot.
Raiden released her arm. “That is something I didn’t need to know.”
She smirked at him. “Sorry about that.”
Leaving him behind, she took a step forward. She knew the instant Orion sensed her. He lowered his weapon, raising his other hand to stop the fight. When his opponent stepped back and bowed, Orion sheathed his sword and hurried over to her.
“What are you doing out of bed? Did you go to the healer? What did she say? You’re ill, aren’t you?”
