by Jade Waltz
Kaede could feel his sacs were full to their limit without prodding them with his tongue. The Bahzyl had started to drip into his mouth, burning arousal coursing through his veins and begging him to act.
His mind repeated the same chant over and over: Mate. Mate. Mate.
He knew his mate was asleep in the other room, but he couldn’t take her like this.
A monster.
He was a monster trapped in a lust-driven body, desperate to claim what was his. The overwhelming urge was raw, primal, and he was helpless to resist.
Growling, he entered the shower, feeling sheets of warm water cascading down upon him. Placing his head against the cool wall, Kaede wrapped one hand around his ribbed cock and began to work the length as he used his other thumb to press his venom sacs, draining them into the shower where the venom belonged.
“What are you doing?”
He stilled, panting against the shower wall.
“You can’t be here,” he gasped.
“You’re going into heat, aren’t you?”
Sounds of clothing hitting the floor registered louder than the water beating against his back. He was hyperaware of everything about her—her scent, the pulsing of her blood, and how her neck wasn’t bearing his mark.
“You are torturing yourself for my sake, Kaede, and you don’t need to.” Her voice called to him as she placed a hand on his back. “I want you at your highest and your lowest moments. You warned me about this, and I’m not scared. Take me, claim me, have me, use me in whatever way you need. The more you fill our time mating and sleeping, the less I spend worrying that my world may soon fall apart. Stop fighting your biological needs and make me yours!”
“I wanted our first time to be slow,” he panted, shaking his head against the wall. “I know I won’t be able to hold back now. I am too far gone.”
“I don’t need slow, Kaede. Take me however you want me.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Selena
As soon as the words left my lips, he whipped around and pinned me with his wide eyes.
“You are mine, Selena,” he hissed, his black, forked tongue tasting the air. “Mine. My mate.”
“Yours, Kaede,” I confirmed, licking my lips. “I won’t resist you, Kaede. Take me. Stop fighting and take me as your mate.”
Growling, he suddenly scooped me off the floor and carried me from the shower, throwing me onto the bed. A moment later, he grabbed my hips and pulled me toward him. Pressing his feet between mine, he spread my legs wide and bit down on my neck as he sheathed himself inside me from behind. His cock jumped, growing within as shimmering liquid dripped from our junction.
I screamed as an inferno instantly coursed through my veins, burning me from within. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pinning me down as he drew blood from my neck, injecting his venom in turn. Suddenly, my senses flared to life as the flash of pain faded into pleasure.
He released his fangs from my neck and licked the wound before pulling his face away. Gripping my hips, he began to work his textured cock inside me again, slowly at first then transitioning to rough, jerking thrusts. Cupping my breasts, he became more aggressive, pounding fast and deep as my sensitive nipples rubbed against the comforter’s fabric.
His venom in my system and the excitement of finally coming together after waiting so long heightened the experience. The sensation of him filling me over and over drove me crazy. My insides began to quiver, and I could feel my climax building.
Looking over my shoulder, I could see his arm muscles bulging as he pulled me against him harder and faster as if trying to claim me from the inside out.
Kaede began groaning loudly, and I felt his cock throb deep inside, the ridges buzzing against my walls. Then his release filled me in bursts as he came with a choked grunt.
Releasing my breasts, he pulled out and flipped me onto my back.
Panting, I stared up at him, wondering why he had paused in easing this burning lust.
“You are mine, Selena,” Kaede growled as his eyes traced my body and landed on my fresh mark on my neck. “I will make sure you never forget it.”
“I’m yours, Kaede.”
He kneeled between my legs and I waited for him to take me roughly again—to finally make me climax—but instead, he placed his lips on my ankle, alternating between kisses and nips as his hands ran up and down the outside of my legs. He moved back and forth, kissing and stroking as if memorizing my body while he took me to great heights of anticipation.
I felt like he was truly savoring and exploring me, completely ignoring his raging hardness dripping on our bed. He slowly moved higher, his shoulders spreading me open when he began to slowly lick my clit.
A hiss escaped my lips as my body shook. He paused, and I leaned forward to see why. His dilated eyes met mine as his tongue stroked my raised bud again. His strong hands gripped my hips, preventing me from escaping, while his forked tongue rapidly flicked against my clit. He watched how each pass drove me crazy with lust, and I couldn’t help but moan and whimper.
Suddenly, Kaede leaned over to kiss me, his lips moving against mine with a great hunger I hadn’t known he possessed until tonight.
Spreading my legs farther, I accepted him—I needed his body pressing against mine. My body was a living inferno waiting to explode as I waited for him to make the next move.
Something about this position made me feel cherished, loved, and vulnerable all at the same time. I was giving myself to this male, knowing how much he feared he would hurt me, and he was trying so hard to be gentle after he had aggressively marked me.
He slipped a hand between my legs, his soft hands rubbing my folds gently, and his thumb grazed my clit.
I wrapped my hand around his hot, textured cock. I’d had enough of this tenderness and wanted to see him come apart once again, so I pulled his thick head toward my slippery folds. His skin was hotter than mine even as his venom flared in my veins. His cock felt amazing when I rubbed it against my clit, replacing his thumb.
“What are you doing, Selena?” he hissed, his body shivering above me. “I’m trying to—”
“I’ve had enough of you going slow, Kaede,” I growled. “Fuck me now!”
Replacing my hand with his, he directed his cock to my slit and pushed, slowly slipping inside. Wrapping my legs around him, I wiggled my hips slightly, pulling him deeper. I adored the way his cock felt inside me—the way he felt inside me.
Kaede stared into my eyes for a moment, then kissed me deeply, beginning a frantic rhythm of thrusts. My hands found his horns and gripped them. Kaede roared against my lips as his pace picked up.
“Oh, yes,” I moaned, feeling the base of his thickness grinding against my clit with every thrust. This moment felt almost perfect, but there was one improvement I needed to make. Releasing one of my hands from his horn, I turned his face to the side and bit down on his neck. He moaned as I locked my jaw, refusing to let my prey go.
He was mine—no one else could have him.
Kaede pulled almost all the way out of me, then thrust back in with the same speed as if trying to shake me off, but I held on.
We were two predators tangled together in bed. At this very moment, he would learn that he was mine—and so was the universe.
My hands found his back and I dug my hands into his skin, clawing at him.
As if my claim had triggered something within him, he relented and rocked his hips in a deep rhythm. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer as his long, deep strokes ground into me perfectly. In the blink of an eye, my body started shaking and convulsing against his hard rod. I came in deep waves, clenching around him.
“That’s it, Selena,” he growled into my ear. “Make me yours as you are mine.”
His words seemed to trigger his climax. He slammed into me and shook violently. Closing my eyes, I released his neck and fell onto the comforter.
It was done.
“You are mine, Kaede. My savior. My protector. N
o one can take you from me.”
“I will never leave your side.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Kaede
It had taken Kaede all night to burn through his mating lust, and he knew he would need to do the same tonight. If he stayed in their master suite, he would be tempted to take her again before then, though he shouldn’t.
He needed to afford her some rest in case his heat cycle lasted for a long time. The last thing he wanted was to deliver her to Destima exhausted and malnourished from ceaseless mating. Next time he felt his cycle dawning, he would make sure to book a vacation for them so they could work it out in peace, far from the stresses of the universe.
Not caring who saw him, Kaede entered the galley dressed in nothing but a pair of exercise shorts to allow his neck wound to breathe. REI had expressed concern when he had requested she keep his nanobots from healing the mark. He didn’t want the wound to heal too quickly because he hoped to develop a big, ugly scar on his neck for the universe to see. If Selena decided to mark his shoulders too, even better. Everyone should know he had been claimed.
As soon as Luwyn’s eyes moved from his conversation to Kaede’s body, he dropped his pastry. “What the Stars happened to you?”
Auro glanced over his shoulder and spat out his drink, spraying liquid everywhere. “Did we get attacked while we slept? Why didn’t you wake us?”
“You could say that,” he muttered, grabbing a drink from the dispenser before sitting down to join them.
“Why didn’t you ask for help?” Ryzen asked from the other side of the table, staring at his neck in horror. “I would have joined the battle.”
He smirked into his glass. “I didn’t need help.”
“You are pretty badass, Kaede!” Tori reached over with her hand raised.
Kaede stared at her in confusion then glanced at her mates for help. Auro pointed to her and slowly clapped his hands.
“Come on, man!” She shook her raised hand in front of him. “Don’t leave me hanging!”
Slowly, he raised his hand—and she slapped it. What the Stars?
He glanced down at his hand, then looked at her, wondering what that was about.
“Earth humans are weird.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to heal—”
“Leave it, REI. Please. It’s a status symbol. Only interfere if it becomes infected.”
“Okay, seriously, Kaede,” Luwyn began. “What happened?”
“Selena marked me.”
“Selena did that?” Celyze pointed to his wound. “There is no way our—”
The room stilled as they stared at the entryway. He knew who had entered from his blood compass and her scent. Selena wrapped her arms loosely around him from behind.
“How are you feeling?” Her voice was laced with concern. “I really took out a big chunk of your skin, didn’t I?”
The room filled with coughs and gasps.
Kaede took a sip, loving their reactions. It was like they had never seen anyone mark a mate before.
“I will never complain about my hair ever again,” Tori muttered, shaking her head. “I love it and I don’t need anything else.”
“Are you well?” Zyxel’s face paled as he glanced between Selena and him. “Do either of you need assistance?”
Selena circled Kaede and sat on his lap, tilting her head as she peered at his neck with concern.
“Maybe you should—”
“I’m fine.” Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist and grinned. “This is the best present I’ve ever received.”
“I didn’t know you wanted to be claimed so bad.”
“Feel free to mark me as you please.” He chuckled. “My body has plenty of scars as it is. A few more can’t hurt.”
“You have too many scars, Kaede.” Frowning, Selena shook her head and cupped his cheek. “Don’t purposely get hurt just so you can brag about your battle wounds. I’ve heard stories about your past from your siblings. You’re a mated male now, with a clan.”
“I swear I won’t endanger myself on purpose, as long as you don’t attract any more...” Kaede’s gaze slid to Ryzen. “Criminals.”
“You think I wanted to be kidnapped?”
“No.” He huffed. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t attract the wrong crowd.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, Selena?” Zyxel hedged. “You aren’t injured?”
“Zyxel.” Rolling her eyes, she twisted to face the crimson male and pointed to her neck. “If you look closely, you’ll see another mark on my neck from another mate. Marking is a part of their tradition. I’ve marked all six of my mates, and sometimes I mark them again in the heat of passion. It’s customary in my clan.” She smiled. “I am perfectly fine, and if Kaede says he’s fine, then there’s nothing to worry about.”
Something about Selena in the presence of unmated males unnerved him, but he refused to ruin the moment with his unreasonable instincts.
Tasting the air, Kaede breathed in her scent and squeezed her tighter as if to remind himself that she was officially his.
No one could deny their claim on each other.
He would kill anyone who dared come between them before he ever lost her again.
The fire in his veins may have been subdued momentarily, but he knew it would soon return in full force. Once it did, Kaede feared what would happen if the curious doctor did something to anger him in Selena’s presence. Perhaps it would be better if they remained within their room for the time being and only left for refreshments.
Glancing at Tori, he found her staring at Selena in awe. Nothing about her attracted his interest. Zyxel’s worry about him ravishing any female in sight was unfounded.
It wasn’t necessarily an unattractive female; she simply wasn’t Selena. He harbored no hard feelings toward the blonde Earth human and welcomed her friendship with Selena, as long as she passed Oeta’s vetting.
Kaede knew that Selena needed more friends, especially female friends, in her life. Regardless of his feelings about the two unmated males on his vessel, he hoped that the guests aboard the Abyss would be fine candidates.
“You bite your mates?” Luwyn asked, crossing his arms. “And they let you?”
“Yes. In fact, they think it’s erotic.” Selena shrugged. “Besides, the markings heal within a day or so.”
“And here I thought Kaede was the dangerous one.”
“I am.” He grinned. “Selena has some catching up to do before she can match my kill counts.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Kaede
Blinking slowly, Kaede opened his eyes and took in everything around him.
The scents of their rigorous mating sessions blanketed the air and filled his nostrils. Memories of their passionate moments over the last few days flashed before his eyes, a glimpse of what he had vidrecorded for future viewing.
His star lay unconscious in his arms, oblivious to the universe around her.
For once in his life, he felt like he was where he belonged, in the arms of his mate and safe from outside pressures.
Within these walls, he could be himself—even during their heated lovemaking—without needing to worry about protocols or sharing her with her other mates. He took his time worshipping the female that the Stars had gifted him, knowing that their moments alone wouldn’t last forever.
For these short days, she was his mate, and no one else’s. He knew as soon as they landed on Destima, his time with Selena would become almost nonexistent.
Her Circuli mates were in critical yet stable condition. She would be needed in the infirmary while the medical staff slowly nursed them back to health.
He understood this. He had no reason to be jealous, not when they had all their lives to experience together as mates. Yet a part of him wished he could delay the trip just to spend more time alone with her.
No, even when his mind was filled with the desire to bury himself in Selena, he understood that her other mates were stars
within her constellation, too. They needed her as much as he did, perhaps even more since their lives depended on her arrival.
Kaede had refused to give her the fine details. He sided with Z and Oeta. Revealing everything would only prematurely crush her fragile spirit.
As selfish as it may be, he wanted her as she was—only his.
While he enjoyed being with Selena, how many times he had taken her pained him. After their initial night together had triggered his mating cycle, he had made sure he remained in control each time.
His instincts demanded that she remain in their room and only leave their bed to relieve herself. This was his nest, his home for her to stay, and no other male was allowed nearby. He wouldn’t tolerate their scents tainting his dominion, polluting the air with aromas that didn’t belong.
However, he would take care of her needs, protect her from her dark thoughts of what was to come, and make sure she was treated like the queen that she was.
He would shield Selena from herself if he had to. It was his duty to not only protect her as her guard but as a mate, too.
Finally, he would shield her from himself and his desires.
Kaede had refused to use his Luzatu to subdue her and prevent her from leaving. He didn’t need to, for she had spent the time sleeping and regaining her energy.
Something she would need for the many days to come.
The Stars had tied their fates together, but that hadn’t relieved Kaede of the feeling that he still didn’t deserve to be mated with her.
She wasn’t afraid of him and what he was.
Sighing, Kaede untangled his limbs from hers and forced himself to pull away. He needed to go to the bridge before the embers in his veins relit and became an inferno.
While he could remain in bed with her until they arrived on Destima, the assassin inside him needed to take charge. He couldn’t hide in his room while outside Aldawi territory. An instinct in the back of his mind kept him anxious about the universe around him.
