Interstellar Brides® Program Boxed Set: Books 9-12

Chapter 6

6

Roark

“Wake up, gara. I haven’t worn you out that much, hmm?” I lie down beside Natalie and was propped up on my elbow, gazing at her. She was beautiful in her sleep, especially since I knew the reason for her weariness. I’d done this to her. I’d worn her out with too many orgasms. Too much f*****g.

I’d never gone twice like that before, but when I’d come the first time, my c**k just wasn’t done. It didn’t soften, not even a little bit, not even after filling her to the brim with seed. My c**k wanted more and so I’d flipped her over and had her again.

I nuzzled my nose down her long neck, breathing in her personal scent and the musky aroma of f*****g. She murmured and tilted her head for me to continue, but didn’t awaken.

“How have you done it?” I murmured aloud, speaking to Natalie, but more to the universe at large. The family medallions affixed to the chain rested on her smooth belly. Seeing them on her was powerful, intense even. I never imagined I would be this possessive, this protective of a female, an alien Earth female, who I’d just met.

The match was incredible. I felt a connection with her that went so much deeper than slaking my physical needs in her body. I needed her. Needed something that only she could give me, and f*****g? That was how I could get inside her and be a part of her. I needed to be part of her.

“You are mine, Natalie Montgomery from Earth. I didn’t really want a mate, but—”

Her eyes came open then. Of course, right then.

“You didn’t?” she asked, blinking once, then again, a worried look coming over her face.

I stroked my hand over her cheek. “You didn’t let me finish. I didn’t really want a mate. My mother felt it was time to continue the line.”

Her pert nose crinkled. “Your mother? How can you speak about your mother when we are naked?”

I couldn’t help but smile. “I will finish this, then speak of her no more this day. I agreed to a mate, for it was time, and if the Brides Program could find the perfect female for me, then it was… efficient.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Efficient?”

Running a hand over her hair, I collected it into my palm, closed my fingers, then tugged, tilting her head toward me. Her eyes opened wide at the dominant action.

“Do not roll your eyes at me, mate. Any other time and you would be over my lap.” I paused, let that sink in. “To answer your question, yes, efficient. I needed a female to breed and I received one via transport. You. But I didn’t expect to find a mate for my c**k, my heart. My soul.”

Her eyes went from surprised to gentle.

“You… you feel it, too? I was afraid to say anything. It’s so soon,” she whispered.

I released her hair and moved over her, pressing some of my weight into her, feeling every soft inch. Her hard, pebbled n*****s pressed against my chest. I felt the curved rings, the line of chain, the medallions.

“I feel it. The intense pleasure being inside you. The need to join together. I want to crawl up inside you and never leave.”

She laughed and I loved seeing the way her whole face softened and came alive. “I don’t think you’ll fit.” Lifting her hand, she stroked down my cheek, feeling my beard. “Your c**k will do.”

“And my seed.”

Her cheeks flushed. “You’re so adamant about your seed being in me.”

I nodded gravely. “I am. It shows you are mine, marked. It shows you have pleased me and that I have pleased you in return. Soon, you will be round with my child. For now, it shows that I can be deep inside you, that that’s where I belong.”

I pushed up to sitting, reached for the necklace about my neck, took it off and held it up for her to see.

“This disk has my symbol on it.” I gripped the round medallion that dangled from the chain. It wasn’t heavy, but it was dense. The two swords crossed pressed into the precious metal was my personal symbol. “The ones on your chain indicate you are mine through my family. No one will doubt my claim on you with them. But this—” I slipped the disk from the necklace’s chain, tossed it up in the air, let it land in my palm, then handed it to her. She studied it as I continued. “—is my own medallion and with it affixed to your chain, will show that you are mine because I chose to give this to you. As you are not from Trion, you do not understand this significance. It is more than a simple disk, it is my life.”

It was the key to the southern continent's subterranean vault. The people of Trion chose to live a simpler life, but that did not mean we were a primitive race. Our technology and weapons were in league with the other races of the Coalition. The vault held wealth and weaponry, knowledge and a record of the ancient bloodlines. With the key, I gave Natalie the most precious gift I could give her. I made her a member of my family, a powerful member, as only myself, my father and my sister had access to the vault. The key required my DNA to activate, but I wanted Natalie to have it. Seeing the symbol of my devotion on her body made my c**k hard and my heart ache.

With my power came responsibility, but also danger. Those who would want to overthrow the government—me—would want the secrets that were held within. Sharing it with Natalie meant I found her my equal, not just my bed partner. She didn’t understand this yet and no explanations would clarify this for her. Over time, she’d learn she carried the hope and trust of the entire southern continent between her breasts, affixed to the most intimate places on her body.

“Sit up, please.” I offered her my hand and tugged her to sitting, the chain dangling from her gorgeous breasts swayed. “You are beautiful,” I murmured.

I took the medallion from her fingers. “I was going to wait, Natalie, the thirty days. To let you decide in your own time, or at least in the time the Brides Program allows, to make your choice. But I don’t want to wait. I know that you belong to me. I want forever, Natalie. I’ll wait if you demand it, but I want you now. I know you belong to me. Say yes.”

She licked her lips, studied me, looked down at her transformation from Earth female to Trion mate. My mate. The chain, the medallions, the shaved p***y, the seed slipping from her. It was an outward indicator that she belonged to me. But on the inside, she had yet to make a choice. I was pushing her, I knew, but I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t wait. The need made it impossible.

“Do you wish to be mine and mine alone? Can I claim you now?”

Tears filled her eyes, then slid down her cheeks.

“Fark,” I swore, then stroked my fingers over her cheek. “No, it’s all right. You can take the time to—”

“No. I mean yes. These are tears of happiness. Yes, I want you to claim me now. I don’t need thirty days to decide.”

She smiled brilliantly then and something bright filled my chest, made me grin at her in return. Love. It had to be. It was radiant and wonderful and she’d given it to me. A precious gift. And so I gave her my medallion in return. Taking the chain, I carefully affixed my personal medallion to it, the small, automated hook activated by my DNA. No one could remove the disk, nor activate it. Only those with my family’s DNA could do so.

Releasing the small gold medallion, I watched as the chain swayed, now adorned with three disks. “The marks within the medallions represent me, my family line and my place as councilor. They proclaim for one and all that you are mine, and that I will kill to protect you.”

And the extra medallion, no larger than the nail on my smallest finger, dangled low, at the center, nearly over her womb, and, like her womb would carry my child, the gold carried the future, the power and wealth accumulated over many generations of my family.

She lifted her head and looked to me. “My n*****s are sensitive. They… they tingle and it’s constant. Arousing.”

I glanced down at my c**k, which was thick, long and pointing straight at her. “Yes, I know what you mean.”

I came over her so she had no choice but to lower onto her back. Settling on my forearms above her, I pressed her into the soft ground so she felt all of me, from thigh to shoulder. Between our bellies, I could feel the chain, the medallions. I knew the secrets would be safe with her, and that she would be safe with me. Nothing would happen to her. I would protect her with my life.

Lowering my head, I kissed her. It was the first time. When her soft lips brushed mine, I had to wonder how I’d skipped something so intimate until now. How had I not put my mouth on hers? I’d put it on her p***y, but this seemed more personal. Her mouth opened readily for mine and my tongue found hers. She gasped at the decadence of something so simple and my c**k pulsed.

I could kiss her until the two moons rose and I’d be content, but my c**k had other ideas. She’d consented to the claiming and I could think of nothing else.

I lifted my head so our breaths still mingled, that I could look into her pale eyes. My hips shifted so I settled into the cradle of her own, my c**k nestled at her slippery entrance. It was hot and wet, all but inviting me in. “Do you accept me, Natalie Montgomery of Earth, as your mate? Do you accept my claim on you, that I am your master?”

“Yes.” She arched her back, angled her hips into me so that my c**k slipped in an inch. “Yes, claim me. I want it. I want you. Master.”

My eyes fell closed then, awash with the sensations of this woman calling me master. The feeling was heady, the one word so weighty with responsibility. I was responsible for every facet of Natalie. Her happiness, her wellbeing, her health, her safety. Everything.

And when I slid into her, slowly this time, I accepted it.

“Mine,” I growled as I kept my gaze fixed on hers. She was so hot, so wet that I moved so smoothly up into her. She didn’t close her eyes, didn’t look away as I took her as gently as I possibly could, letting her feel every inch of me. We weren’t lost in the fiery haze of passion, we were lost in tenderness, in each other.

“Mine,” she whispered, lifting her hips to take me deeper, then deeper still.

We were one. When she came with soft shudders and rippling walls of her p***y, I went with her.

“Natalie,” I groaned, giving over to her in every way.

We remained in the oasis for long hours, talking and learning each other. I bathed her in the warm water of the small pond and fed her fresh fruit transported in from the north, tasting the ripe berry juice on her lips.

I took her again, reveled in her eager welcome, her soft sighs and cries of pleasure. And when I knew my seed filled her, my medallions marked her as mine, and the soft glow on her face would shout to one and all her contentment with her mate, I took her back to civilization, eager to show her our home in the capital city of Xalia.

I pulled a long, cream-colored dress from the supplies I’d left here in preparation and draped the soft fabric over her naked form. The piercings in her n*****s were clearly visible through the fabric and my chest swelled with pride at the vision she presented. Her soft, golden hair hung loose and wild around her shoulders. Her fair skin practically glowed above the neckline of the gown, and her eyes, those eyes, looked at me with complete trust and devotion. I dared to believe that, perhaps, my mate had grown to love me in such a short time.

Pulling her along, I strode from the oasis with her by my side. A contingent of my personal guards, Byran among them, stood at attention on all sides of the oasis, ensuring both our privacy and safety.

“Councilor.” Byran bowed slightly, a frown on his brow. “I did not wish to disturb you, but there have been reports of Drovers on the fringe of the territory. We believe they are massing for an attack.”

Natalie stiffened and stepped closer, pressing herself to my side, instinctively trusting me to protect and shelter her. Her trust made my heart ache, even as the Drover threat made my blood rage. The Drovers had not dared attack an outpost in years, instead attacking traveling caravans or small parties, like the raiders and pirates they were. Scum.

“Gather the men. We must eliminate this threat before we can go home. We will not leave the outpost unprotected.”

“Yes, sir.” Byran motioned to half a dozen of my men who ran after him to reach the others, warriors stationed strategically around the outpost. I was at Outpost Two, as were three tribal chiefs from my territory. All told, we had a force of no more than two hundred men. I prayed it would be enough.

I looked down at my mate as another seven of my most trusted warriors surrounded us. “Don’t worry, mate. The Drovers cannot reach you here.”

“What are Drovers?” Her eyes had grown dark with worry and I longed to replace the expression with the one she’d had earlier. Longing. Trust. Love. Those were the only emotions I wanted to see in those beautiful pale eyes.

A guard handed me my sword and an ion blaster. Forced to release my mate long enough to strap the weapons securely to my waist, I missed her warmth instantly. “Come, mate. I will explain all in due time. For now, I will take you to the transport center. You will be safe there, with the doctor, while I deal with these invaders.”

We’d taken two steps when the first explosions roared through camp, their blasts loud as a desert sandstorm. But there was no sand…only fire.