by Ivy Barrett
Shit. Kellan inhaled deeply and fought back his demanding need, yet again. “That can happen if you’re not used to mol-porting. I’ll get you something to drink.” He glanced at Zilrath and added, “Something for both of you to drink.”
Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea. If they’d taken the shuttle to Fort Benning, they could have continued arousing her all the way there. Kellan wouldn’t have allowed her to come, of course. She’d not yet earned that privilege, but watching her wiggle and moan as she grew progressively more desperate would have fed the dark hunger inside him.
With a distracted smirk, Kellan strode into the cabin’s outer room and activated the DoxGenator with a voice command. The device could replicate almost anything as long as the molecular pattern was available in its massive database. “Three mugs of tarnok,” he ordered, and the DoxGenator went to work.
When Kellan returned to the bedroom, he found Jasmine adorned in Zilrath’s jacket. He hadn’t given her permission to cover her lovely body, but he hadn’t made the expectation clear to Zilrath. They’d mutually agreed to have such discussions in private, so Kellan ignored his irritation and focused on the matter at hand—seducing their mate.
“Most find this soothing.” He handed a mug to Zilrath, then Jasmine, keeping the last for himself. They sipped silently for a moment, the males standing, Jasmine seated on the edge of the bed. She glanced at Kellan, then Zilrath, then back to Kellan, pausing for a drink of tea between each switch. Kellan enjoyed the spicy-sweet taste largely because it was familiar, but he watched for the others’ reaction to the Ventori beverage.
“This is nice,” she decided after consuming most of the tarnok.
“Feeling better?” Her color had returned to normal and anticipation pulsed between them.
She nodded but said nothing more.
Zilrath rocked his weight from foot to foot, clearly ready to resume their sexual exploration. Without lifting his hungry gaze from Jasmine, Zilrath handed his mostly empty mug to Kellan. Kellan collected Jasmine’s mug as well and set all three on a nearby table. Then the Tavorian leaned down and tugged off his boots. Kellan preferred to remain clothed, especially during early encounters. It helped establish his dominance over his partners until they became accustomed to surrendering. Zilrath had no such need. He quickly shed his garments and stood before her naked.
Her gaze moved over Zilrath’s form with obvious enjoyment. Kellan glanced at the other male, then shrugged inwardly. Zilrath was at least six inches shorter than Kellan and not nearly as muscular. But he can intoxicate her with the stroke of his hand. Kellan silenced his inner voice and pulled Jasmine to her feet beside the bed. “Take off the jacket. I didn’t permit you to cover yourself.”
Her brows arched and indignation sparked in her gaze. “Do I need your permission to pee?”
“Only if you intend to do so in bed.”
She wasn’t amused by his response, yet she slipped off the jacket and handed it back to Zilrath.
As Kellan reached for her, she angled her body away. “Aren’t you going to undress?”
He tensed. He was being remarkably lenient with her. Zilrath’s actions were making her bold. “I will undress when I’m ready for you to see me naked. That time has not yet come.”
“Fine.” She harrumphed and turned toward Zilrath.
Fortunately, the Tavorian was more in tune with Kellan’s mood than Jasmine. Zilrath took her by the shoulders and turned her back around. “It’s Kellan’s turn. Obey him, or you’ll earn another spanking.”
She raised her gaze to Kellan, her expression blending curiosity and defiance. “What do you want me to do?”
He motioned toward the bed. “Sit back down, bend your knees, and raise your heels to the edge of the mattress.”
The directive annoyed her, but she obeyed. Sitting back down, she spread her legs wide and rested her heels on the edge of the bed. She ran her hands down her thighs and up her torso, briefly squeezing her breasts before settling her hands to each side of her hips. “Like what you see?”
Her voice became a practiced purr, and Kellan lunged for her. Grasping the back of her hair in one fist, he snarled. “Never use that tone with me again. I am not one of your customers!”
“Sorry,” she yelped. “It’s just habit.”
“Your body is ours, not just to look upon, but to touch, and taste. To possess.” He covered her mouth in a passionate kiss as his hands roamed freely over her curves. Her mouth was soft, her taste faintly spicy. Desire surged, stoking the need that had smoldered for days. His tongue slid over and against hers, staking his claim on the first of her three openings. He squeezed her breasts and pinched her nipples, cupped her mound, then drove two of his fingers deep into her pussy. Claim number two. “Mine,” he murmured against her lips as his fingers slid in and out.
She trembled, accepting his aggression without pulling away. Still, he sensed her resistance, a subtle hesitation that challenged his control. He kissed her again, using his lips and tongue to communicate emotions he was not yet ready to share. His body burned, but his longing ran so much deeper. She personified hope, a lasting future, and family—all the things he’d given up on since the destruction of his home world.
Gradually she relaxed and responded. Her nipples pebbled beneath Kellan’s fingertips and her back arched, pressing her soft breasts into his palm. The tantalizing scent of female excitement filled his nose with each deep inhale. She rocked her hips, taking his fingers deeper into her warm, wet pussy.
Unable to resist the smell of her building arousal, he tore his mouth away from hers and sank to the floor on his knees. She was spread before him, body on display, and he didn’t hesitate. He drew his fingers out and covered her slit with his lips, pushing his tongue into the slick passage his fingers had just vacated. Her taste spread through his mouth, making his head swim and his cock pound. Gods, how he needed her!
Never before had he been this desperate for a female. But never before had he exchanged pleasure with his mate. He ached for her, longed for her, craved her. He’d intended to tease her, bring her near orgasm several times before finally joining their bodies. He’d waited too long. With a savage cry, he freed his cock and lunged up and over her. He easily found her opening and thrust inside.
She cried out, arching slightly as her inner muscles spread around his thick shaft. She was tighter than he’d expected, tight enough to make him ask, “Are you a virgin?”
“No.” She sounded embarrassed by the question. “It’s just been a long time.”
Relieved that he hadn’t hurt her, and doubting he had the patience to deal with a virgin right now, he accepted her explanation with a silent nod. She lay back, staring up at him with her wide, uncertain eyes. He paused, giving her time to adjust to his fullness and savoring the sweet torture of holding still inside his mate.
She raised her hands overhead, her body soft and open. Her surrender pleased Kellan, but he wanted more from her than passive resignation. He wanted to feel her fiery spirit. He wanted her wild and ravenous.
He balanced his weight on his knees as he caught the underside of hers and spread her legs even wider. Then he drew back until only the flared head of his cock was inside her. After another tense pause, he drove in deep again. Holy fuck, she felt good—snug, hot, and slick. He draped her legs over his arms and grasped her hips, anchoring her in place as he quickly found a steady rhythm.
At first, she remained passive, little gasps her only response to his demanding thrusts. He watched her face, willing her to feel any portion of the tempest assailing him. She panted harshly, and her gaze kept darting away.
Determined to win this subtle battle of wills, Kellan slowed his pace and released one of her legs. Then he slipped his hand between their bodies and found her clit with his thumb, caressing the sensitive nerve cluster. She tensed, then shuddered, a long moan passing between her lips.
“Your pleasure belongs to us now. You come when we say and only when we say.”
“Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered despite her insolent expression.
“You will come now,” he told her. “I want to watch you surrender.”
For a moment, he thought she’d refuse. But the rebellion gradually faded as she stared into his eyes. He wasn’t sure what she was hoping to find, so he didn’t manufacture emotions. He kept his expression open and honest, allowing her to see beyond his disciplined reserve. He needed her desperately, and not just for this moment, for the rest of his life.
She gasped and canted her hips, taking him deeper into her soft body. He rewarded the response with a slow tender kiss, then returned to their mutual stare-down. She lifted one hand from the bed but stopped just short of his face.
“Touch me,” he urged. “I want you to.”
She caressed his cheek and jaw, then ran her fingers through his hair. He filled her with long, measured strokes, his thumb still circling her clit. Her touch migrated down his neck and onto his shoulder, making him wish he’d undressed. Soon she rocked against him, arching her back as her inner muscles rippled around him.
“Oh, God,” she cried out, and her eyes squeezed shut. Her pussy clenched rhythmically while a lovely flush crawled up her neck and onto her sculpted cheeks. It was the most beautiful thing Kellan had ever seen, and he wanted to watch it over and over again.
Zilrath crawled onto the bed, drawing Kellan’s attention. He’d almost forgotten the Tavorian was there. Almost. They were podmates now. He better get used to sharing. Kellan was still buried deep inside her, but focusing on her pleasure had increased his control. He nodded toward the other male, guiding Jasmine’s gaze in Zilrath’s direction. “Welcome your other mate. We’ve neglected him long enough.”
She reached for Zilrath and smiled warmly. It was the sort of smile she seldom offered Kellan. He ignored the twinge of envy. There was no room for jealousy in this bed. Pods shared one female. It was Ventori law.
Zilrath bent and kissed her as he gently stroked her breasts. The Tavorian’s smoke-colored hair slid forward, blocking Kellan’s view of their faces. She made a soft, throaty sound as she buried her fingers in Zilrath’s hair. He allowed her touch, seemed to encourage the exploration. Kellan was fascinated by the contrast between Zilrath and him. Without strict control, Kellan never felt satisfied. Zilrath seemed content with simple passion.
The Tavorian pushed up and rocked back onto his knees, grasping the base of his cock in one hand. “Open, love,” he coaxed. “Give me that sweet mouth.”
The phrase made Kellan smile. Her mouth had been anything but sweet since they met. Argumentative and sassy, but not yet sweet. Still, she opened for Zilrath and allowed him to push inside. Kellan watched his podmate’s shaft sink deeper and deeper into their mate. He’d shared females before. The practice was unavoidable thanks to the Skarilians. But this felt different, natural, more meaningful.
Zilrath slowly filled her willing mouth, while Kellan reestablished his moderate rhythm between her thighs. He pushed her legs up and out, giving him better access to her slick pussy. She was spread out between them like a feast, offered for their pleasure, their use. The realization made Kellan wild and possessive. He drove deeper, thrust harder, and she lifted her hips into each stroke.
Her breasts quivered each time their bodies collided, drawing Zilrath’s attention as well as Kellan’s. Zilrath held himself up with one arm while he teased her nipples with his other hand. She moaned and twisted each time his fingers compressed the sensitive tip. She whimpered, and her inner muscles tightened around Kellan’s cock.
“She’s almost there,” Kellan warned.
“So am I,” Zilrath panted. “She feels too damn good.”
“Agreed.” Kellan wanted to prolong their first time with her, keep them all simmering for hours. But his control was faltering too. As Zilrath said, she felt amazing.
Kellan thrust fast and hard, unable to fight off the release barreling toward him. “Come for us,” he ordered. “Come now.”
Zilrath’s cock muffled her cry, but the rhythmic tightening of her core was unmistakable. She might resist his authority, but her body had no trouble obeying. Kellan drove his entire length into her pulsing cunt and threw his head back as his long-neglected balls expelled his seed. Spurt after blissful spurt shot from his cock and painted her passage, marking her in the most primitive way possible.
Zilrath’s strangled cry drew Kellan’s attention in time to see the Tavorian shudder. His cock was deep in her mouth, and she repeatedly swallowed, no doubt struggling to accept all his seed. Kellan quickly slipped his hand between their bodies and caressed her clit, wringing every last shiver from her body until the pleasure began to ebb.
Slowly withdrawing from her mouth, Zilrath leaned down and kissed her. “Thank you, mate. Never before has that felt so wonderful.”
Kellan agreed, but he wasn’t yet ready to admit it to Jasmine. Until she accepted their claim, she held all the power. All she had to do was withdraw her permission, and they wouldn’t be allowed to see her much less touch her. She would have to remain at Camp Accord and go through this process twice more, but she would ultimately earn her freedom. If freedom was her goal.
He looked at her closely. Her expression was dazed, eyes limpid, almost unfocused. Her cheeks and upper chest had flushed, and her lips were deep rose and slightly swollen. “It was wild,” she said with a dreamy smile.
She looked like a female well satisfied by her males, yet Kellan couldn’t help fearing she was still holding back. Could he blame her? They were expecting much of a female they’d just met.
Refusing to dwell on the momentary doubt, Kellan carefully separated their bodies and joined the other two on the bed. They shifted around until all three were comfortable, though they rested on top of the bedding. She lay on her side, facing Zilrath, who had his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Kellan rolled to his side and pressed in close behind her. The pink from her spanking had all but faded from her ass cheeks. Still, the soft curves felt wonderful nestled into the cradle of his hips.
“This is nice,” she murmured sleepily. “It’s midmorning. Do either of you have to go back to work?”
“My first officer knows I’ll be otherwise occupied for at least a week,” Kellan told her. “Have you cleared your schedule, Zilrath?” A hint of challenge hardened Kellan’s tone. Jasmine was his top priority. Was the Tavorian giving her equal import?
“As much as possible,” Zilrath responded. Kellan couldn’t see his face, but it sounded as if the barb had found its mark. “I have a meeting at three that I was unable to reschedule.”
She snuggled closer to Zilrath, so Kellan pressed in closer to her. “Do you have plans for the day?” He hadn’t thought to ask if she had responsibilities that would need reassigning.
Glancing back at him, she said, “Nothing specific. Everyone at Camp Accord pitches in as they’re needed. I’ve washed dishes, done laundry, weeded the garden, and helped the cook.”
The list made Kellan curious. It was his understanding that most American females had worked outside the home. Of course, that was before the Skarilians attacked, so the standard had likely changed. “Are you fulfilled by such domestic activities? You said you were a college student. What vocation were you working toward?”
“I was studying business. I had a vague idea of opening a store, but I wasn’t sure what kind. Maybe a consignment boutique or coffee shop/bookstore. I just knew I wanted to be my own boss.”
“A noble ambition,” Zilrath praised.
“The vast majority of small businesses fail,” Kellan pointed out. “At least they did on Ventori. It’s extremely hard to compete with large, well-established ventures.”
“Every large, well-established venture had to start somewhere,” Zilrath countered. “If Jasmine wants to open a store, or even a vendor cart, I will support her in any way I can.”
Kell
an tensed. He could almost feel the bond deepening between Zilrath and Jasmine, slowly pushing him out. “I wasn’t discouraging her. I was pointing out the reality of what she’d be up against.”
Jasmine chuckled and rolled to her back. “You two are adorable. You’re like a couple of puppies fighting over a new toy.” They both scowled, which only made her laugh again. “My entrepreneurial aspirations were derailed by the Skarilians, like the rest of my old life. I’m Jasmine now, potential mate of intergalactic crusaders. Beyond that, I’m still defining my new life.”
“Becoming our mate will not preclude you from pursuing your ambitions,” Zilrath insisted. “We want you to find activities you find rewarding and challenging.”
“Like satisfying your mates and raising our children,” Kellan muttered under his breath.
Zilrath sat up and pivoted to face Kellan, displeasure creasing his brow and flattening his lips. “Is that really what you think of her? All she’s good for is spreading her legs and pushing out babies? How demeaning.”
Incensed by the Tavorian’s attitude, Kellan swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. “Ventori females take pride in creating a welcoming environment for their families. Child rearing is hard work, and females are respected, even revered, for their skill and proficiency. Being a homemaker and mother is an honorable profession for Ventori females.”
“Jasmine is not Ventori,” Zilrath snapped.
“But I am,” Kellan shot back. “It is the male’s responsibility to protect and provide for his family. The female’s role is different but no less important. This is doubly true now. Without females like Jasmine, the Ventori will cease to exist. The potential mates are saving my species.”
“Do Tavorian females work outside the home?” she asked Zilrath.
His hostile gaze remained locked with Kellan’s even as he answered the question. “It depends on the female. Tavorians strive for equality, so each couple decides for themselves who will care for the children. Some children are cared for by their fathers, others by their mother. Some couples share the responsibilities. It depends on their preferences and the flexibility of their occupations.”
