Chapter 7
Katem
I do not know Piper well enough to judge her moods quite yet.
Her question does make me curious though.
Is this journey she speaks of something she wishes for?
Does she want to travel beyond the ujera?
Is there something she seeks and hopes to find out there?
Since I am not sure she is ready to confide in me her secrets, I do not press her for these answers.
“Before we return, perhaps we should discuss our mating?”
Piper does not go rigid, but she is not as relaxed in my embrace as she had been only a moment ago. Finally, she nods. “You’re probably right.”
“I do not say this because I wish for you to pity me, but I have prayed to Deeka nightly since the first humans became mates to my people. It has been many, lonely seasons as I wait and wait. I had nearly given up hope of being deemed worthy. Then, I met you. Even before we touched and my mating marks appeared, you did not leave my mind. Knowing you are mine and I am yours is the most wondrous thing to happen. I am proud to be your mate, and I wish to spend all my time with you that I do not spend hunting or scouting. I do not want to be lonely any longer.”
Piper must need to think on my words, so I remain quiet as she does. Humans do not mate as Tavikhi do, so she must adjust to things, which I understand.
“I’ve been lonely for a while as well,” she says.
“Although, I haven’t really ever given much thought to a husband—a mate.
I always told myself I didn’t want one, because it was easier than the fear of being rejected.
I was the one who controlled whether or not I had a mate.
Maybe there was a reason for that. I don’t know. ”
As Piper speaks, her body loosens and she rests fully against me once more.
“Would you consider moving to our village and sharing a tent with me?” Since her back remains to me, I cannot see her face, but I sense her hesitation.
“I am not asking you to share my furs until you are ready. But knowing that I can return home and you will be there gives me so much peace and joy.”
When Piper still does not reply, I continue. “If you have no wish to leave the human settlement, then I would live with you there.”
At last, she swivels partway around to face me. Her eyes are wide. “You would do that? Move to the settlement?”
“If that is where you wish to make our home, then, yes.” Piper is my mate. Where she goes is where I go.
She shakes her head. “The fact you would live in the human settlement where no other Tavikhi are just because it’s what I might want means more than you can imagine. But, no, I don’t want to stay there. It doesn’t feel like home.”
My heart swells with joy.
“But I’m also not sure I’m ready to move to the Tavikhi village.
” My heart sinks, which is obvious to Piper, because she lays hand on my chest. “It’s not that I don’t want to.
I’ve…I’ve got some private, personal things going on that I want to stay private.
At least for a little bit longer. I worry things will change if I live there. ”
“And you wish these things to stay private from me, as well?” I knew she had secrets she was not ready to share, but hearing her confirm it hurts. My baba always used to say burdens were best shared.
“I’m sorry, Katem. I know it might sound selfish, but I don’t want either of us hurt.”
I stroke my fingers along her jaw. “There is no need to be sorry. When you are ready to speak on these private things, I will be here and ready to listen. You are no longer alone, my keeshla. You do not have to bear the weight of things by yourself.”
“Thank you.” Piper pulls her bottom lip in and just the blunt edges of her teeth are visible. “Could I…?”
Her cheeks are a bright pink and she does not meet my eyes. With a finger under her chin, I raise her head. “Could you what?”
“Kiss you?”
My mate wishes to mouth touch with me? I shift at the sudden tightness of my leg coverings as my cock hardens farther. It has been semi-hard since Piper settled her curved backside against me.
“I would be honored.”
She chuckles. “You say that, but maybe I’m a terrible kisser.”
“Not possible.”
“Have you…have you ever kissed anyone before?” she asks.
“You will be my first, my last, and all my in betweens.”
Piper smiles softly. “I like that.”
As if she is feeling brave or bold or has forgotten we are up in a tree far off the ground, she pivots fully and sits on her knees within the shelter of my legs. She scans my face before reaching out and caressing my brow bones. Her finger travels down my cheek and along my jawline.
“I love your eyes,” Piper announces quietly. “They’re so expressive. Surprisingly so given how they’re different than mine and what I’m used to.”
Pride rises inside me. My keeshla loves my eyes.
“If we are sharing what feature we love most about the other, then, for me, it is your smile.” I skim my finger along her bottom lip.
“There is a voice inside my head telling me that perhaps you do not smile often enough. So, when you do, it is as if the sun shines so brightly to be blinding. I wish to capture all your smiles, because I cherish each one.”
Piper ducks her head, but only a beat later, raises it again. And smiles. Both her hands go to my shoulders. Instinctively, mine go to the curve of her hips to steady her.
She leans in slowly and her eyes drift closed just as her lips touch mine. This kiss is soft. Delicate. Perfect. Just like my mate. Since this is my first mouth touching experience, I let Piper lead. We have plenty of time for me to learn how she likes her kisses.
Before I am ready, she draws back with darkened cheeks. “Was that okay?”
Her question is hesitant and uncertain. Almost as if she has not done it before either.
“Keeshla, was that also your first mouth touching?”
Her coloring darkens more.
“Was I that bad, you could tell?”
My grip tightens. “Not at all. It was wonderful. I enjoyed it immensely.”
Piper brightens. “Really?”
“On my honor.”
She glances away, but quickly back to me. “Maybe we could try it again.”
“I am more than happy to do so.” My grin is wide.
“Me too.” She leans in once more, but this time, I meet her halfway. My head tilts just slightly to deepen our mouth touching. A hesitant flick of her tongue against the seam of my lips entices me to open and invite it more fully in.
Piper slips her tongue inside and glides along the slick length of mine. With each beat that passes and as the pleasure grows, so does our confidence. Together, we learn the taste of each other. I wrap my tail around her waist and she sucks in a breath, but does not tell me to remove it.
The kiss goes on for several more beats before we both need air. Piper is the first to draw back, but she stays close and touching me.
“Before you ask, that was more than perfect.”
She laughs. “Yeah, it kind of was.”
I push the long curls that have fallen forward over her shoulder and cannot resist threading my fingers through her hair. It is slightly coarse, like the dreri’s, but far more beautiful.
“Thank you for gifting me with your kisses. I will cherish them until I travel to the lands of the goddess.”
Out of nowhere, Piper’s brightness and joy go dark. She loses her smile and sinks back onto her heels. Her eyes no longer meet mine.
“It’s getting late. We should probably go,” she says quietly.
I am not sure what has gone wrong, but it is clear something has. You must not push.
“Come, then. We will return to the settlement.” I stand and help Piper to her feet. “Hold tight.”
She gets on my back and I brace her with my tail as I climb down.
The moment we reach the ground, she releases me and puts distance between us.
I open my mouth to ask what happened, but just as quickly, close it.
Instead, I take the trail that led us up here.
Piper follows closely. We go slow and I am glad the downward trek is far easier on her than the upward one had been.
She does not need me to carry her, but we do pause twice to eat and drink.
The silence is heavy and uncomfortable. I do not like it. I especially do not like the sadness that radiates off her The need to take it from Piper is great, but until she opens herself up and shares with me her troubles, there is nothing I can do.
The trip back to the settlement is a long one, but we finally reach it. We reach the gates and at first I believe she will walk through without saying goodbye or speaking to me at all, but at the last moment, she stops and turns.
“Thank you for the best day ever. Truly, it was.” Piper swallows. “Please be patient with me. I know it might be a lot to ask, but…please.”
“It is never too much to ask, keeshla. On my honor, I will be as patient as you need me to be. You are my mate and for you, I will do anything.”
She nods, shakily. “Thank you.”
Her lips brush my cheek so quickly I do not have time to react before she rushes through the gated entrance away from me.
I do not lie. My patience is a never-ending well that I will continue to fill.
The next turn I must join Benham and Talek on a hunt, but I will ask one of the females to visit Piper so she does not think I have changed my mind and no longer wish to be patient.
With that thought in mind, I turn and head back to the village where I will continue to pray and thank Deeka for the blessing she has given me.