Forbidden

Chapter Five

Mara watched with a heavy heart as Tamche’s shuttle lifted off. She hadn’t missed the intimate gesture directed poolside as Tamche left, and she definitely hadn’t missed seeing Kiril lower himself, naked, into the water. No doubt about it. Mara needed to find a way to distance herself from both of them.

She could leave. She had definitely thought about that, but she had come to love and respect the people of this beautiful world, so it wasn’t just the two infuriating men in her life here she’d miss. Besides, she was never one to quit.

She’d given as much as she had taken. Hopefully, the Gothe’mar would remember doctors needed hands-on knowledge of their patients. All the technology and automation was great -- wonderful -- but there had to be a balance, and she had proven that on Earth. Her goal was to combine both approaches to medicine, and she felt pretty sure that would be accomplished.

She was about to ready herself for bed, again, when she saw Mikkarn step out the pool-side patio door, strip, and get into the pool with all the grace his sleek body implied. The light from Gothe’mar’s moons created a silvery glow around the two men in the water, and her mouth went dry, her heart rate skyrocketing. What would it be like to be equally naked and in that pool right now?

She couldn’t help herself. She was mesmerized. There was no way in the world she could have stepped away from that window if her life depended on it. She had to watch them, even if it was something as innocent as an evening swim. Innocent. Yeah, right .

* * *

Mikkarn knew Kiril was hurting. He also knew Kiril was confused. The other man was starting to put everything together and he wasn’t sure he liked what he saw.

How could they have been so blind? Mikkarn had had a “connection” to Kiril almost from the moment they’d met. He had never considered it was anything more than a deep, abiding friendship. Now, he was convinced it was more. Was it possible both Kiril and Mara were his soul’s mates? One thing was certain, Kiril would probably fight it. He was nothing if not traditional.

“She wants you, Kiril.” Mikkarn removed his own clothes to join the naked man in the pool. “She’s just fighting it because she wants me, too.”

Kiril snorted. “She is my soul’s mate. She cannot have you.”

“And what if I were to tell you she was my soul’s mate, too? How would you feel about that?”

Kiril slowly turned to face him. “Impossible. There is only one mate for each soul in the universe. It is common knowledge.”

“Is it?” Mikkarn asked, quietly.

“If that is true, there could never be balance in our relationship!” Kiril was becoming angry, something that Mikkarn felt acutely. It was the last piece of evidence he needed to convince himself he was right.

“If that were truly the nature of the relationship, you’d be right. Mara cannot have two soul’s mates while each of us has only one. Our very nature would destroy all chance any of us could have for a happy existence. Gothe’marans mate for life. How could either of us accept that we must share our mate with the other?”

“I will not share her!” Kiril made a valiant effort to calm himself. Mikkarn felt the conflict in his mind, saw it on his face. “She is… precious. She’s not like the women we’ve shared in the past, and I will not cheapen her by asking that of her.”

“And if she insists, if I insist?” Mikkarn’s voice was quiet, almost a whisper.

Kiril narrowed his eyes. “Say what you mean, Mik. We’ve never minced words with each other before.”

Mikkarn took a deep breath. This was it. “She is your soul’s mate, as she is mine. But you are also my soul’s mate. As I am yours.”

“You’re mad! How could that possibly be…” Kiril’s comment was lost as he seemed to lose focus on Mikkarn and turned himself inward. “She is watching us,” he whispered. “And the images she’s having are… vivid.”

Mikkarn couldn’t control the surge of lust if he tried. He’d caught her spontaneous fantasy, too. Before Mikkarn could respond, Kiril sucked in a startled breath and his sharp gaze snagged Mikkarn’s. Kiril had felt Mikkarn’s desire. If Kiril didn’t realize that Mikkarn had reasoned this correctly by now, he never would.

Kiril lunged for Mikkarn and grabbed him by the hair, tilting his head back, seeming to tower over Mikkarn even though he was the shorter man. “By the Universe, you are mine! I will take what I’ve been denying myself all these years.”

* * *

As Mara watched, the two men appeared to talk for a few moments. Nothing more. But Mara’s lust rose with every second. Sweat dampened her body and her own intimate moisture dampened her panties. Suddenly, there was nothing more she wanted than to see these two men please each other. Why? Who knew, but she wanted to see Kiril buried balls deep in Mikkarn’s mouth. Or ass. She wasn’t picky.

The conversation appeared to turn into an argument, with Kiril angry enough to hit Mikkarn. Finally, unbelievably, Kiril reached for Mikkarn and jerked his head back by the hair, saying… something. Mara thought he might actually harm the other man, but instead, he hefted himself onto the ledge of the pool. The erection he sported was a sight to behold, but Mara only caught a glimpse of it before it disappeared into Mikkarn’s mouth.

Mara gasped at the same time she imagined Kiril did. She couldn’t believe this! The pleasure on Kiril’s face alone was enough to send her into orgasm had she been touching herself. He leaned back, giving Mikkarn the room he needed to move, resting his hands on the pool’s edge.

With Mikkarn’s hair flowing free and his lower body in the water, it should have seemed like just another woman giving Kiril head, and good head judging by his expression, but Mara actually felt the difference. It was almost like she had put her mind in Kiril’s. She was shocked that Mikkarn was doing such a thing, even more shocked to discover she liked it, but the thing that made her cunt ache with maddening desire was that she knew Kiril was going to be buried in Mikkarn’s ass very soon.

Sure enough, Mikkarn crawled out of the pool and leaned his elbows on a nearby table, presenting his ass. As he looked over his shoulder at Kiril, his face was savage, strained in his desire, and Mara could see his cock, proudly standing up from the blond hair at its base.

Kiril reached for the tube Mikkarn had dropped near his clothes. He greased himself, sliding his glistening cock inside the other man’s ass in slow, persistent strokes. He continued tentatively for a while before grasping Mikkarn’s hips and increasing the pace and strength of his thrusts. Soon, he was pounding almost viciously, and Mikkarn was meeting him thrust for thrust as he reached a hand to his cock and stroked himself.

It didn’t take long before Kiril’s hips began to convulse erratically as they met Mikkarn’s buttocks. Mikkarn’s fist pumped furiously, and as Kiril threw his head back and arched his spine, Mikkarn sprayed the ground with his seed, shuddering and grinding his ass back against Kiril’s groin.

Mara’s own release came at the same instant. Her head fell back and she had to grasp a nearby chair for support. She actually cried out her pleasure. Given the fact that she hadn’t been touching herself, she was very surprised -- probably why she hadn’t clamped down on the sound as she normally would have. Thank goodness the men couldn’t hear.

But they could see.

And they were both staring straight at her.

Mara decided to simply ignore them. Leaving her window, she discarded her robe and curled up in her bed. Tears stung the backs of her eyes and she didn’t know why. She had no expectation that either man would profess undying love to her. She wasn’t even sure she liked them. But seeing them with Tamche, and especially with each other, had changed something inside her. She didn’t want them to be with another woman ever again. She wanted them to be with her.

Both of them.

And that was impossible. Even if Earth allowed such an unconventional union, the very foundation of Gothe’maran religion and society would forbid it.

Tomorrow, she would start looking for a new sponsor at Medical Command. She was probably stuck in the house because it was provided for her, and she’d feel like a jerk asking to be moved. She would just have to figure out a way to live near to Kiril and Mikkarn, knowing they were with other women, without her heart breaking.

She let the tears flow freely. Best to get that over with so she didn’t do it at work. How she was going to face Tamche the next day, she didn’t know. With one last sigh, she drifted off to sleep, and into the dream world that had plagued her for the past two years.

* * *

“You should be with us. You belong with us, as we belong to you.” The male voices were fused together, but she would know them anywhere. Mikkarn. Kiril. Together, they were even more beautiful than when heard separately. A perfect harmony she desperately wanted to be the melody for.

“Ah, but you are. You always have been.” Kiril’s voice at her ear sent shivers spreading through her already tingling body. His arms snaked around her middle from behind and she snuggled against his chiseled chest.

A callused hand found her breast and plucked the nipple gently. “Your body responds so beautifully to our touch,” Mikkarn rumbled, his mouth tantalizingly close to her left breast. The erotic puff of air as he spoke raised the fine hair all over her body. Her nipples were impossibly hard, needing his touch -- their touch.

Desperately, she tried to pull away. “You’re both trying to consume me!” Mara gasped as Mikkarn’s clever tongue dipped into her navel with a wet lick. “I’m my own person! I say who I want. I will not be forced into any relationship, no matter how mutual the attraction.”

Kiril’s growl reverberated through her body a second before his mouth fastened onto her throat. He bit -- none too gently -- before soothing the hurt with a swipe of his tongue. Mara shrieked and bared her neck even more to him, unable to resist the lustful temptation as moisture rushed from her pulsing cunt.

“This is not just any relationship, Mara,” Kiril growled. “Our souls search for each other in every lifetime. Only the luckiest find their mate. Only the strongest love, the truest hearts, find their mate in more than one life.”

“How can you both be my mate? None of this makes any sense!” Mara was frantic to escape.

Her body had other plans.

Mikkarn’s lips found the other side of her neck, kissing, nipping. The contrast to Kiril’s more forceful touch was astounding.

“We will come to you.” They again spoke in unison. “We will win your heart, and your soul will recognize us for what we are…”

* * *

Mara’s neck throbbed and her hand covered the spot Kiril had bitten. Her sheets were tangled about her body and she struggled to kick free.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. Maybe she could find some peace in helping others. Maybe she could forget how wonderful it was to be in the strong arms of both men.

Men she knew, without a doubt, she loved with all her heart.

* * *

The dreams were always welcome to Kiril. This one especially because he knew beyond any doubt that Mara was his -- theirs.

Which brought along a whole new set of circumstances. As he stretched his naked body, Mikkarn stirred next to him and Kiril smiled. They had enjoyed exploring each other after the explosive coupling by the pool. Kiril got out of bed and padded silently to the window.

“Mikkarn, did you ever think it possible to have more than one mate?”

“Not until tonight,” he said as he joined Kiril. Mikkarn had been silent most of the time since that first mating. Now that the connection was realized, Kiril was surprised they hadn’t seen it before.

“I understand now why I’ve always had the need to be near you all these years, even to the point of requesting to be your guard when I was second in command to General Kahn himself.” Kiril placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You have always been very important to me.”

Mikkarn smiled. “I know. If it hadn’t been for Mara…”

“I know, Mik.” Kiril took a calming breath as he looked out the window, through the night, to Mara’s home. “Do you think she will understand?”

“I suppose that is up to us. I’m still not sure of all she feels, but she is confused. She knows something is not right when she is with only one of us, but I don’t think she realizes why.”

Kiril shrugged. “Or maybe she just doesn’t think it’s possible to love us both.”

Mikkarn turned sharply to face Kiril. “Then tomorrow, we prove to her she can.”

* * *

Mara’s dreams were filled with images of Mikkarn and Kiril. Sometimes together, sometimes with her. Always, they expressed their love for each other, and for her. Now she knew these feelings weren’t hers alone.

She was more confused than ever. Why was she catching their thoughts ? She had looked into the whole soul’s mate thing after Mikkarn’s reference. She wasn’t sure how much she believed, but she was hard-pressed to find another plausible explanation for her insight into the two men’s thoughts and feelings. Telepathy only existed on Gothe’mar between soul’s mates.

Scrubbing herself vigorously, she pulled herself together. She had work to do. Her personal life would have to wait.

As Mara left for the hospital, she couldn’t help looking toward their house. Had their night been as eventful as her dreams had been?

Mara sped off. She was so in over her head!

As she made rounds, she tried to pull herself together. It was all she could do to concentrate on her patients. Thank goodness this was Gothe’mar. Everyone was simply waiting their turn with a healing tube. All of them would be completely well by this time tomorrow. Rounds were more a habit for her than a necessity.

Mara was charting on her last patient when the one person she didn’t want to see sauntered into the lounge. Tamche leaned casually against the doorframe.

“Congratulations, Mara. Your… um, physical… approach to medicine has been well received.”

Uncomfortable, Mara stood and straightened her lab coat. “Thank you.”

Tamche smiled sweetly. “I didn’t mean it as a compliment.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand.”

Moving casually around the room, running a finger over various pieces of furniture as if anything in the room was of more importance than Mara herself, Tamche laughed softly. “Our technology makes your methods obsolete. You can never hope to make enough of an impact with anything you can do to gain the respect of Medical Command.” Finally, Tamche stopped and faced Mara from across the room. “You’re a mascot. A cute but unnecessary addition to our team. It is my opinion that you’re wasting everyone’s time and resources with archaic and barbaric equipment we will never need.”

Mara blinked, taking a small step back. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I’d hoped to make everyone understand that Earth methods could be used as a means to improve your own.”

“How can such a primitive culture improve on a thousand years of technical and biomedical research?”

Mara shook her head. “I’ve been working with you for two years. Why are you doing this now?”

“Because you need to know your place!” Tamche transformed from a smiling, if condescending, colleague into the most alien, hate-filled person Mara had ever seen. “You don’t belong here. I suggest you leave before you make the wrong people angry.”

Mara shrugged. “I think you know I’m not going anywhere, Tamche.”

“Oh, but I think you will.” Tamche pulled a gun from behind her back and aimed it at Mara. An Earth gun. “Killing you with a weapon of your own people will prove none of you belong here. They’ll send everyone home, but you won’t care.” Tamche smiled again, an unholy, evil smile. “You’ll be long departed from the Universe.”

* * *

Kiril’s attention was uncharacteristically divided. Mikkarn had spent the day in the mainframe chamber adjusting the failsafe alarms on the recently implemented interventions for human patients. Kiril had nothing to do and he tried to blame that for his restlessness. The cause of his agitation, however, lay in the fact that they hadn’t seen Mara all day.

Kiril tried to reach for her mind, to catch some emotion from her, but he felt nothing. Knowing how focused Mikkarn needed to be, Kiril refused to bother him. Kiril was simply having a tough time accepting that he had two soul’s mates. Such was unheard of.

Pacing down an aisle between the massive machines, Kiril stopped in his tracks. He stilled and concentrated. Something wasn’t right.

I’m going to die . Mara’s voice was clear in his mind, her extreme fear calling out to him.

“Mik! Mara’s in trouble!”

The other man was already sprinting from the other end of the cavernous chamber.

“Go, Kiril! I’ll follow!”

Not pausing even a moment, Kiril hurried through the three security checkpoints, reaching for Mara as he went.

Where are you, Mara ?

He didn’t hear her voice, but he caught images of her surroundings… and her attacker. Tamche !

The room was familiar, thank the Universe, and he ran as quickly as he could, shoving people out of his way. When he reached the door he was sure led to Mara, he didn’t stop to collect himself, or to wait for help. He simply disengaged the lock and burst in.

A mistake he only hoped he lived to regret.