by Sue Mercury
He placed a hand upon her center. “Are you hurt at all?” he asked, feeling guilty that he’d been so rough with her. But Gods, he hadn’t been able to help himself. Once he’d pushed his cock into her tightness and felt her insides clenching around him, he had become blinded by his need to claim her in the rough manner his instincts had suddenly demanded.
Flushing, she shook her head, though she quickly averted her gaze, as if she didn’t wish to maintain eye contact. He grasped her chin and forced her to look at him.
“I’m not hurt,” she said, the dreamy look still upon her face. “I thought there might be pain, you know, during, but there wasn’t.”
“Stay here, my sweet mate. I’ll be right back.” Even if she claimed she wasn’t in pain now, he worried she might experience some soreness later.
As her mate, it was his responsibility to look out for her welfare, and he hurried to the bathroom and began filling the tub, adding a medicinal powder to the water that would soothe any aches in her body. Next, he prepared a cool compress for between her thighs, also adding the medicinal powder to it.
He returned to Tyra to find she’d pulled the covers atop her and was curled up on her side, as if sleeping, but when he paused above her, he didn’t hear the sounds of steady breathing. Satisfied that she was awake, he sat next to her and pulled the covers away.
“Come, Tyra, I need you to turn over and part your thighs for me.”
She tensed and looked over her shoulder at him. “What?”
He showed her the cloth and though she didn’t appear happy about it, she soon obliged him and came to rest upon her back. She spread her legs and he applied the cool compress to her swollen parts.
“Does that feel better?” he asked, keeping his tone gentle.
She nodded. “Yes, thank you, Rem, though it didn’t really hurt before. Just a tiny bit sore, I guess.” She blushed and glanced away.
“I drew you a bath, my sweet mate,” he said, applying more pressure upon the cloth, hoping to force the medicine to sink into her tender flesh.
“I thought I heard water running. A bath sounds heavenly.” She stifled a yawn and then gave him a shy smile as he brushed a hand through her dark tresses.
She sighed and leaned into his touch. For several long moments, they simply stared at one another in silence, though he felt as though an understanding was passing between them. The understanding that they were now mated in every sense of the word and she belonged to him forever. And likewise, he belonged to her. He had decided he liked her human concept of a mating union, in which both the male and female belonged to one another.
However, that still meant he planned to protect her and keep a close eye on her. She was his female, and Gods how he wanted to trust her fully. He wondered how long that would take, but quickly pushed such thoughts aside. He needed to get her into the medicinal bath.
“I would like to bathe you now, before the water gets cold.” He lifted her up and carried her into the bathroom, the cool compress still tucked between her thighs. He sat on the edge of the tub, cradling her in his lap, as warmth for his sweet mate filled him. She truly was a treasure to behold. A gift from the Gods.
“No one has ever bathed me before,” she said, her cheeks turning bright pink. “Isn’t this a little strange?”
“There is nothing strange about a male tending to his female’s needs,” he declared as he set her down in the water. The compress floated up and he lifted it from the bath, setting it aside.
“Mm. This feels nice.” She sank back in the water, the corners of her lips curving in a slight smile.
He picked up a washcloth and gave her a pointed look as he dipped it into the water. “Give me your leg.”
Chapter 13
Despite the intimacies they had just shared, Tyra lowered her head, feeling shy and a bit uncertain as Rem dried her off using a large plush towel. He was still unashamedly naked and she couldn’t help but sneak the occasional peek at him. His cock was completely erect, though he acted as though nothing were amiss as he took care of her, nor did he attempt to claim her again and satisfy his obvious needs, for which she was grateful. She wanted some time to get her thoughts in order before they were intimate again.
She repressed a yawn as he held up her yellow dress, which he’d just pulled out of a strange looking box with flashing lights that rested against the bathroom wall.
“It’s clean,” he said. “Fresh out of the clothing refresher.”
“Thank you.”
He helped her into the dress just as an odd ringing sound echoed through the house. It sounded almost like a doorbell, though it was more melodious than any doorbell she’d ever heard.
Rem stiffened and growled low in his throat. “Whoever that is, I will be sending them away,” he said, pressing a kiss atop her head. “Stay here. I’ll return soon.”
She nodded and set about taming her long locks while he went downstairs. She found her hairbrush stashed in the top dresser drawer next to her clothing and moved it into the bathroom, along with a few makeup items she’d brought. After she finished getting ready, she found an empty shelf in a bathroom cabinet to store her things in. A sense of giddiness filled her to see her hairbrush resting on the shelf next to her cosmetics.
She lived here now. On Mars. With a huge green alien named Rem who’d just made her see stars, then proceeded to give her a bath. She flushed in remembrance of his hands roaming all over her body with the washcloth.
She stared at herself in the mirror and smoothed her hands over the skirt of her dress, then made sure her hair looked perfect. She found she wanted to look good for Rem and this realization left her feeling a bit dizzy, in a pleasant sort of way. I’m crushing on him, she thought. I like him, and he likes me.
As she exited the bathroom, she heard multiple voices drifting upstairs. Curious, she exited the bedroom and crept down the hallway to the staircase. She peeked down the steps and glimpsed a beautiful purple Marttiaxoxalian female standing next to a green male who looked almost like Rem. He wasn’t quite as tall though and the markings on his horns were slightly different.
Her stomach clenched with nervousness. Apparently, Rem’s parents had stopped for a visit, and quite unexpectedly judging from the tone her mate was using as he conversed with them. She couldn’t discern his exact words, however, as he was speaking in his native tongue.
Should she venture downstairs and say hello?
Even though she’d just brushed out her hair, she found herself nervously smoothing her hands through her long locks in an effort to look as presentable as possible. She wanted his parents to like her.
Before she could decide whether or not to go downstairs, Rem’s mother turned and glanced up the steps, her gaze locking with Tyra’s.
Well, she’d just been spotted. There was no hiding now. Not unless she wanted to be rude.
“Hello!” Rem’s mother called out in Galactic Common, her whole face lighting up, making her look younger than she had moments ago. Not that she looked very old. In fact, both Rem’s parents appeared about the same age as him, with the exception of an extra line or two on their faces.
Tyra smiled at Rem’s mother and waved as she started descending the steps. Rem moved into her line of sight and she almost chuckled at the look of exasperation he was wearing. He looked every bit the grouch she had accused him of being just yesterday, and she pressed her lips together to keep herself from laughing.
“Mother and Father,” he said, “this is my mate, Tyra.” Rem held out a hand to her as she reached the bottom of the steps. “Tyra, meet my mother, Alissina, and my father, Teva.”
Alissina drew Tyra away from Rem before she could reply and wrapped her in a warm hug.
“Alissina, let go of her. You’re going to smother her.”
Rem’s mother withdrew from the hug, only to hold Tyra out by her shoulders as she looked her up and down. “You look as though you are glowing, Tyra. Has my son been treating you well?”
Tyra coul
dn’t be sure, but she thought she saw Rem roll his eyes. She smiled at his mother and nodded. “Oh, yes, he’s been treating me well. I only arrived a day ago, but he’s made me feel right at home. It’s nice to meet you, by the way, Alissina, and you as well, Teva,” she said with a smile at Rem’s father.
Teva stepped closer and tapped a foot against Tyra’s, and she quickly gathered her senses enough to return the foot tap greeting.
Alissina eventually backed away and initiated a foot tap exchange with Tyra. “I know humans often hug one another in greeting,” she explained, “and I wished to make you feel welcome to our family, and to our planet.”
“Thank you,” Tyra replied as Rem came to stand beside her and wrap a possessive arm around her waist. “That’s most kind of you.”
“After we received your message that you were taking a human bride,” Rem’s father said, “your mother has been overly excited. She tried to visit yesterday but I forbade her from leaving the house. A newly mated couple should expect to have privacy on their first day together.”
Tyra had never met a female Marttiaxoxalian before and she was relieved to find she liked Rem’s mother very much. She exuded warmth and there was a playful manner about her that put Tyra at ease.
Alissina said something under her breath in her native language and then giggled as Teva shot her a stern look. Well, Tyra thought, as she repressed a smile, she could see from which parent Rem had inherited his serious side.
“Rem, I was hoping you would permit me to take Tyra shopping someday soon. I know most mail order brides do not arrive with many belongings when they reach Mars and I would like to ensure she has a proper wardrobe for this climate.”
Rem appeared as if he were about to protest, but then he finally nodded and said, “Very well. You may take Tyra shopping five days from now.”
“Excellent,” his mother said, clasping her hands together. “Tyra, I will arrive just after sunrise and we’ll enjoy the entire day together.”
“Thank you,” Tyra said, excitement filling her. “I look forward to it.” She couldn’t wait to spend the day with Rem’s mother. She imagined they would have a wonderful time and she eagerly anticipated getting a chance to explore the city.
Teva reached for his wife’s hand and gave her another serious look that mirrored his son’s current expression. “Come, Alissina. We should allow our son and his new mate privacy, as they have only just become mates.”
They exchanged farewells and Tyra couldn’t help but chuckle as Rem breathed an audible sigh of relief once his parents had departed.
“Your parents are sweet,” she said. “I like them both very much.”
Rem gave her a strange look. “My mother is too energetic and my father is often harsh.”
She opened her mouth, ready to point out that Rem was just like his father, but she smartly pressed her lips together, worried that perhaps he wouldn’t appreciate the comparison. “Well, I like them and I look forward to spending more time in their company.”
Excitement spread through her. In five days, she would set off for a day in the city with Rem’s mother. Alissina’s kind invitation had touched Tyra more than the woman or her son could possibly know.
Rem appeared thoughtful for a few seconds and then grasped her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “Since we’re both dressed now, and we should try to stay awake for a while longer, would you like to take a tour of the palace grounds? I think you will enjoy the gardens.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful! Yes, I would love that.”
He looked down at her bare feet. “First, my sweet mate, we must find your shoes.” He playfully swept her up in his arms and carried her back upstairs. She rested her head against his chest, her heart brimming with happiness and hope. It was easy to forget about the bad things she’d been running away from when she now had so many good things awaiting her in the days to come.
Chapter 14
It seemed as though Rem’s life was now divided into two distinct phases: before he’d met Tyra, and after. Three full days had passed since her arrival on his planet and already he couldn’t fathom life without her. Her sweet presence illuminated the dark corners of his heart and already he was starting to imagine the family they might one day have.
Children. He had never given offspring much thought, as he had never planned to take a mate. A smile touched his lips as he recalled how furious he’d been with King Vaath when the royal had ordered him to take a human female as a bride. But now he would not trade Tyra for all the riches in the universe. She was his precious female and she was growing on him more and more each day.
He stared across the dinner table at her and smiled when she met his eyes. She returned his smile and then took another bite of the pasta dish she’d prepared for dinner. She’d made something called spaghetti and meatballs in the food replicator and though he’d never tried Earth food before, he found he liked it very much. And as he held her gaze, he finally grasped the depth of his former loneliness. Gods, how could he have been so foolish as to believe he didn’t want or need a mate? It wasn’t natural for a Marttiaxoxalian male to live out his days alone.
His wrist comm buzzed and he glanced down at the message, just to ensure his presence wasn’t needed at the palace. He was due to return to his guard duties tomorrow, but if there was an emergency he would not hesitate to fulfill his pledge to protect the king as well as Marttiaxoxalian interests.
He frowned at the message. It wasn’t from his guard unit or the palace, but it was a message from the Martian Affairs office in Bismarck, the city Tyra had called home. The clerk’s message indicated that Tyra’s uncle already had a functioning video comm installed in his home and claimed his comm number had been active for over fifteen years.
He glanced up at Tyra as he allowed his utensil to clatter on the table. He swallowed hard and glared at her. She had lied to him. But why? The message also included the comm number of Tyra’s uncle. Perhaps Rem could contact her relative and demand an explanation.
But no. He ought to interrogate his mate first. Find out why she’d lied to his face. A growl built in his throat and he noticed her fidgeting as she looked at him. Her face then went pale.
“Is-is something wrong, Rem? You, um, you look angry.”
“Finish your meal,” he said in a sharp tone, his happiness from moments ago evaporating. “After dinner, I want you to go to our bedroom and wait for me. We have something to discuss.”
Her eyes filled with worry, but she nodded and slowly took several more bites of spaghetti. He rose and started clearing the table.
“I-I can help with that,” she said, reaching for a plate.
“No, go upstairs.” His fury was steadily building. He had the sudden urge to grab her and shake her and demand she spill her secrets, but he refrained from rushing around the table to accost her. He needed some time to calm down before he confronted her with the proof of her lies.
She turned and hurried out of the dining room.
Fluxx. How could he ever trust her now? What would possess her to lie to him about her uncle owning a video comm? If she didn’t wish to contact her relatives on Earth, he didn’t understand why she wouldn’t just say so. Instead, she had lied.
Had she lied to him about anything else?
He finished clearing the dining room table, tossed the dishes into the refresher, and wiped down the kitchen with angry movements.
With a growl of frustration, he stalked upstairs to find his errant mate.
Why was Rem angry with her?
Tyra paced back and forth over the rug in the center of their bedroom, racking her brain as she tried to understand what she might’ve done to upset him. It was possible he was mad about something that didn’t have anything to do with her, but given the furious way he’d glared at her, she had a horrible suspicion that she’d done something to incur his wrath.
She replayed the last few days. They’d enjoyed time on the palace grounds and he’d even introduced her to the king and
his mate, a human woman named Esmay. Yesterday, they had taken their midday meal in the banquet hall with dozens of other guards, royal dignitaries, and others who lived in the palace. It had been clear to her after meeting several guards that many were surprised by Rem’s decision to take a mate, though she didn’t understand why.
Rem had become angry with her twice during her first day as his mate—first, when she had behaved too cordially to the purple males they met in the forest (in his opinion, anyway), and second, when he’d glimpsed the picture of her father in her locket and assumed it was a lover she’d left behind on Earth.
She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Rem had apologized for grabbing her roughly and also for his reaction over the necklace, and she had accepted his apologies, however, now she was starting to worry he was prone to angering easily. If she couldn’t even figure out what she’d done to upset him, she imagined his reasons for being angry with her this time weren’t justified either.
She was pretty sure she hadn’t smiled at any of the guards she’d met at the palace. She also hadn’t spoken to any of them alone. Rem had been by her side the entire time, with his arm wound tightly around her shoulders.
Furthermore, she had also done her best to take up some of the cooking and cleaning duties around the house. She’d learned how to use the gadgets in the kitchen, as well as the clothing refresher. She had made a serious effort to keep house, emulating her aunt, who had always kept an impeccably tidy house, as much as she could. But was she still not doing enough around the house to please him? She gulped hard and turned to face the door.
Footsteps sounded on the stairway.
Her stomach flipped.
Oh God. He was finally on his way up to talk to her. Her legs suddenly felt like jelly and she struggled to remain standing. She hated that she was all at once afraid of him. She didn’t think he would physically hurt her, but she still hated conflict and wasn’t looking forward to this confrontation.
