by S. E. Smith
She slowly slid her hands up his arms. She could feel his warm skin where his sleeve was missing. Her lips parted in surprise when she felt his tongue slide across her bottom lip. He took advantage and deepened the kiss.
She wasn’t sure what she should do. The touch was very intimate and pleasurable. Her tongue moved to touch his in return. Her tail moved as well, reaching around to stroke his in a way she had never done before.
“Madas,” he murmured, sliding his mouth along her jaw.
“I—I’m burning up,” she moaned, feeling for the first time what she had occasionally heard about in hushed whispers from her giggling older sisters and gossiping villagers. She’d spent most of her life travelling in remote places with her Dad, which had made the few snippets she’d gathered about other people’s lives all the more curious. Their lives were so different from her own.
Gril leaned back far enough that he could study her face. Touching her flushed cheek, he traced one of the patterns near her eye. She liked the feel of his hands on her.
“I want you, Madas,” he said.
A little thrill raced through her, and a slow smile curved her lips. She reached up to trace her fingers along his jaw. His eyes darkened and his pupils dilated at her tender caress.
“I want you, too,” she murmured against his lips, shocked that it was true, and she was really going to do this.
His smothered moan made her breath catch in her throat, and she embraced the desire growing inside. She lifted her hips and pressed the mound of her womanhood against the hardness of his cock. Perhaps later, she would blame her impulsiveness on the rush of adrenaline and fear of dying, but she suspected that she would be lying to herself if she did. Gril was… exciting and sexy, and she didn’t want to give up this opportunity to know what intimacy with him would feel like.
The heat of their kiss sent fire through Gril’s veins. Gril moaned in surprise when Madas used her tail to turn them so that she was on top of him. She sat up, her legs straddling his hips.
His eyes widened when she reached down and pulled off her top. Her full breasts displayed the same colors of her face and neck. He loved the way the dark green mixed with the lighter green and swirled in a pattern around her hard nipples.
She bent forward and kissed him again, the long locks of her hair, creating an intimate curtain around them. His hands slid up her sides to cup her breasts. Pleasure at her moan of approval made him lift his hips.
He could feel her hands on his shirt, impatiently releasing the fastenings, and when she finally pulled the fabric open, her hands splayed on his chest. She tweaked the series of nubs that had risen on his chest with his arousal, and his tail tightened around hers, his hips bucking. She compounded her assault on his senses by rotating her hips.
“Goddess, Madas! You will cause me to come in my trousers if you keep this up,” he ground out.
She softly giggled. “Now that would be a waste of good seed,” she teased.
He stared up into her dancing eyes. His fingers tightened on her taut nipples, and he saw her pupils dilate with emotion. She grabbed his hands and pressed them against her sensitive breasts.
“I want you, Gril,” she said.
“Then you shall have me, my beautiful forest warrior,” he vowed.
He released his hold on her tail and she slid off of him. Together they rose to their feet and removed the rest of their clothing, draping the articles across the log where L’eon had been moments ago. It would appear their little friend had recognized that they needed some privacy.
A low rumble of need slipped from him when Madas bent over. Stepping up behind her, he slid his hand down along her tail. She straightened and sharply inhaled when his hand switched directions, caressing upward toward the base of her tail.
“Gril,” she moaned.
“I loved your tail the moment I saw it,” he confessed.
“I felt the same way about you—and then you turned around. I was—mesmerized. You are pretty impressive,” she sighed with a dreamy smile.
His hand paused at her comment. “When did you see me…? At the lake,” he chuckled, answering his own question.
“The first time was when you bent over,” she started to say.
“Like this?” he asked, gently pushing her forward so that her palms were against the log.
“Ye…s,” she unevenly replied.
She wrapped her tail around him, pulling him closer to her as she lifted her hips. The invitation was clear—she wanted him. He growled as his arousal spiked. He ran his hands down along her smooth back to her hips.
She slowly straightened in his arms and turned. The sensuous feel of her tail against his flesh caused a flood of blood to his groin and his shaft throbbed with need. He drew in a deep breath. He wanted to take his time to caress her and explore every part of her.
Her hand slid up his chest and she cupped his cheek. Then her lips captured his in a hungry kiss. All thoughts of taking their lovemaking at a slow pace to give her time evaporated when her other hand slid down between them and she gripped his cock firmly, stroking him up and down.
“You are mine, Madas. I claim you now and will fight any who dare to prevent our union,” he growled.
“I don’t hear anyone complaining—except maybe me because you are taking so long,” she murmured against his skin.
He twisted, his arms supporting her as he laid her gently back down on the soft moss. Covering her body, he wrapped his tail around the lower half of her left leg. He aligned his cock with her channel, the heat and softness showing that she was ready for him.
Pushing forward, he captured her lips as he slowly penetrated her. Her body arched into his as he pressed deeper, spreading her and lengthening. He felt the moment when her body locked around him, holding him deep within. A shudder ran through him and he deepened their kiss.
Their breaths became one as her vaginal depths began to stroke him. He felt the nubs lining her inner walls pulse in a pattern that moved from the bottom of his shaft to the head. He broke their kiss and released a guttural cry when they stroked his sensitive head. His fingers dug into the moss on either side of her and his arms strained.
His gaze was locked on her face. Her eyes were closed and her cheeks were flushed with pleasure. She moved her body in rhythm with the strokes along his cock. The tips of her nipples brushed along his nubs, creating a pleasure so intense that it bordered on pain. The erotic combination of pleasure/pain and watching Madas as her orgasm built sent another flush of blood to his already engorged cock.
Her eyes opened wide when she felt the wave and the additional stretch of her body around his. He bent and captured her surprised cry when his precum mixed with her cream, creating a chemical reaction that sent her spiraling out of control.
The urge to dominate her overwhelmed him, and he pulled her trembling arms over her head so he could hold her wrists in one hand. She bowed upward, vibrating with desire, and he gritted his teeth as her channel twisted, clenched, and created suction on his cock. His hips rocked with the pleasurable torture and he held out as long as he could to draw out her orgasm before his mind and body splintered and he lost the last thread of control he had managed to retain.
A long, low groan was pulled from him as he shuddered and poured his hot seed deep into her womb. His release triggered another in Madas and for a brief second he wondered if it was possible to die from so much pleasure. Her body continued to pulse around him, drawing every drop of his come into her. He knew without a doubt that she had totally claimed not only his body—but his heart.
“My beautiful, beautiful, Madas,” he murmured against the soft skin of her neck.
As darkness fell several hours later, Gril sat staring at the fire that he had built. Madas was laughing at L’eon, who had returned and was happily eating some of the fruit and seeds that she had gathered. He loved the way she kept turning to glance at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. A deep flush tinted her cheeks. That may have been from the numerous times—and ways
—he had taken her this afternoon.
Deep down, he knew part of the intensity of their lovemaking was due to his fear of almost losing her. In his mind’s eye, he could still see the ground crumbling between them—destroying her path to freedom from the falling rocks and floodwater pouring off the cliff. His hand lifted to his chest and he rubbed the ache over his heart. He had been frantic to find a way to save her.
The trust on her face as she leapt, her belief in him when he promised to catch her, he would never forget it. They would grow to love one another deeply. He had never been more sure of anything in his life.
I am already there, he thought when she laughed again and he looked up to see her giving him a shy smile.
He had never believed in love at first sight. He’d heard myths of such things, but not among the Royal House of Tearraid. The matches there were arranged for political solidarity and military strength—not for emotions or wants. That did not mean love could not grow. His mother had been from the Royal House and had mated with his father, a member of the House of Commons. They had grown to care very deeply for each other—even though their union had only produced one egg—him.
“How old are you?” he suddenly asked, wanting to know everything about her.
She laughed, her eyes dancing with merriment. “Forty-five. How old are you?”
“Forty-five!” he hissed in shock.
“I swear if you call me a child, I’ll sic L’eon on you,” she threatened.
He swallowed those exact words and gave her a wry grin. “Did I mention I love that you are so mature for your age?” he said instead.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Which doesn’t answer my question—how old are you?”
“Two hundred and ten summers,” he mumbled.
She blinked and tilted her head. He flushed when he saw her gaze move appreciatively over his body. He hadn’t bothered to refasten his shirt and it hung open, revealing his chest.
“Did I tell you that I love older men? Especially ones with a nice tail,” she cheekily added.
He rose to his feet and stepped around the fire. “L’eon, you may want to look the other way,” he recommended.
L’eon glanced back and forth between Gril and Madas before he snorted. The little lizard took his place on the other side of the fire while Gril shrugged off his shirt and tossed it on the log. Madas’s lips parted when he grinned down at her.
“Top or bottom,” he asked with a lascivious expression.
“Front or behind,” she countered.
“Behind—for now,” he decided.
Chapter Fifteen
“We can’t go back to my village,” she argued early the next morning.
Gril watched as she packed her satchel with the remaining green water nuts and snacks she had collected. He pulled her back to him when she closed her satchel and began to step away. Turning her to face him, he cupped her cheeks and pressed a heated kiss on her lips. He could sense her fear.
“I will not run from your mother or from your council. I am Gril Tal Mod, not some common leech who would take you with no respect,” he stated.
“Take me with no respect. You have my full permission. In fact, I think it is wonderful that you would even think of taking me away without another thought to my family or clan,” she protested.
“Madas…,” he started to argue.
She rested her fingers on his lips. “They will insist on the mating challenge. It is stupid, barbaric, and completely unnecessary. You are unfamiliar with our ways and the land. It would be a death sentence for both of us,” she insisted.
“I have never heard of such a challenge, and I agree, it is not necessary. Once I explain who I am and what our union will bring to your clan, I am sure they will happily waive the custom that would kill us,” he reassured her.
Madas shook her head. “You don’t know my mother,” she fretted with a worried frown.
“And I won’t have to know her for long. You wish to gather your belongings. I will not run away like some frightened youth. I have claimed you as my mate—as you have claimed me. Our joining was destined to be from the moment we met, Madas. I know I am the right male for you—and that you are the right female for me,” he passionately declared.
Madas stared at him before releasing a long sigh. His lips twitched at the flash of skepticism and resignation in her eyes. He could feel her body relax.
“Are you always going to be this stubborn?” she mumbled.
He chuckled. “Yes,” he answered.
Madas shot him a heated glare. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you—and know that I will remind you of that fact until the day we die—which I hope is a very long time from now,” she muttered.
Laughter burst from him at her blatant threat. He adored the way she kept him on his toes. He bent and captured her lips, kissing her until they were both panting for breath.
“I look forward to hearing you remind me every day for the rest of our lives,” he answered.
“If they take me, you’d better not be late,” she retorted, pulling away from him.
Gril felt a wave of misgiving fill him. He had never heard of a mating ceremony that required the possibility of death to the couple. It certainly did not sound like the common practice of a reasonable sort of people. However, this would be a historic union. He was confident that would merit their acquiescence to whatever compromises he asked of them.
A tug on his pant leg had him bending to pick up L’eon. He smiled his thanks when the lizard offered him a piece of the plump yellow fruit that Madas had collected earlier. He popped the delicious morsel into his mouth and chewed while L’eon did the same with his piece.
“In case I’m wrong, I may need your assistance,” Gril muttered under his breath.
L’eon held up his front foot, his little toes curled into a fist. It took a moment for Gril to understand what the lizard wanted, but soon he raised his own fist and L’eon touched it. A hiss of surprise slipped from him when he felt the slight electrical shock when they touched. L’eon snickered and sat back.
Gril warily studied the lizard on his shoulder before he shook his head and started after Madas. There was still a nagging familiarity about the damn thing. If only he could remember what it was! Whatever the missing information was, his gut told him that his mate wasn’t the only one with a few hidden talents that he hadn’t yet learned about.
Madas stood on the edge of the rocky bank and looked across the normally wide but shallow river. The rains yesterday and probably more this morning on the upper plateau had engorged the river until the raging waters overflowed, covering the banks. The remains of a dead tree danced in and out of the turbulent water, a testament to its power and depth.
“Is there another way?” Gril asked.
Madas nodded. “Yes, but crossing the river still might be safer than the alternative,” she confessed.
“Why does that sound like normal, everyday life with you?” he half-heartedly teased.
“My life hasn’t always been as adventurous as it is now that I’ve found you,” she replied.
She unconsciously leaned back against his body when he slid his arm around her waist. She laid her hand over his and they stared out over the river in silence. Their embrace was a comfortable, soothing one.
Yesterday afternoon had changed everything for her. Before, she had been drawn to him out of curiosity. He had been an oddity—and he had something she wanted. Now, she was hyper aware of everything about him.
The curiosity had turned to a deep, physical attraction, but there was something more. She felt a connection with him that went beyond the physical to something that was soul-deep, something emotional and… well, the connection was something she needed to work through to understand. Unfortunately, now was not the time. She needed to focus on their survival.
“The river is usually lower and you can follow the path along its banks. It is the safest path to travel, but with the river this high, it is impossible to safely negotiate.”
She paused and waved her hand to the southwest. “The other option is to the southwest, a desolate area called the Goddess’s Fury. It contains the boiling mud pits and hot springs used by my people in the Mating Challenge that I told you about. The region around the pits is covered in a perpetual fog, and there are fragile crusts over most of the boiling springs—so you see, it’s very easy to fall through to one’s death,” she explained.
Gril’s arm tightened around her. She sighed and turned to face him. If they hoped to get to her village, much less his space ship, they would have to go southwest, but he deserved to know just how dangerous the situation they were in was. There could be no going back the way they had come now that the old path had been washed away in the flood.
“Night crawlers—lots and lots of night crawlers. They thrive in the darkness created by the steam,” she whispered.
“Are those the black hairless creatures or the ones with the glowing red eyes?” he asked with growing apprehension.
“The ones with the glowing red eyes,” she answered.
Gril closed his eyes for a second before he opened them and looked down at her with a wry smile. She would have preferred a dozen packs of the hairless forest beasts to one night crawler. At least the Night Shadows killed their prey first. The Night Crawlers liked to eat their catch while it was still alive.
“Please tell me that you know where there is some of the moss that keeps them away,” he said.
Madas shook her head. “There isn’t any in the area. The moss that thrives in that kind of heat and humidity is a completely different species. Our only hope is to stay one step ahead of them,” she said, resting her head against his chest so he couldn’t see the fear, and the desolation, in her eyes.
Chapter Sixteen
The mist created by the hot springs quickly enveloped them when they entered the Goddess’s Fury, coating their skin with a humid dampness similar to the cleansing showers aboard the Tearnat Command ships used for deep space travel. One major difference from the showers, though, was the scent of sulfur that permeated the cloying, moist air. Gril brushed a trickle of moisture from his face.
