Chapter Fifty-Three
Lena
A month later, Lena Anakraes woke in her marriage bed and turned to look at her destru.
Vor's short blond hair lay tousled around his handsome face, so youthful, especially in sleep.
At forty-six years old, he was almost a decade older than Lena, but still young by Para standards.
It explained his status and his face. Beyond him, her new converged guitar leaned against the wall, a thing of resin, metal, and wires.
The sound it made was unlike any guitar from the surface.
Harder, more tech. But it was perfect for the Nethren, and Lena was enjoying exploring its range.
Soon, she'd start teaching interested Nethren about music.
But for now, Vor had her singing to Nethren crowds at least twice a week.
It was the easiest way to align a lot of Nethren without Lena having to shake everyone's hand.
And it was working. The Nethren were transforming.
Lena could walk down the street and smile at people without them glaring at her. She even had a few female friends.
Vor's apartment, now Lena's as well, was incredible, bigger than her home in Wexlen.
It took up the top two floors of a building in the center of Ranuvul, full of tech machines that did everything from cooking to cleaning.
It was also full of plants that softened the space, and she adored their private rooftop garden where they had married and bonded.
Vor had put a potted orange tree in the spot where they had exchanged vows.
It was already blooming, and the sweet scent of orange blossoms permeated the entire garden.
Lena's presence showed in the little things—the bag of coffee in the kitchen that Vor had miraculously procured for her, the dresses hanging beside Vor's shirts in the closet, and the sheets of music scattered about.
But she planned on adding more things to soften the masculine feel of the place. Perhaps some new furniture.
Outside the glass doors of their balcony, the cavern's faux sunlight came on, brightening from a red glow to mimic an orange sunrise.
The lights were full spectrum to help the plants grow, and underground pipes watered them, fed by vast underground lakes.
It was ingenious. Everything about the underground fascinated Lena.
“Good morning, destra.”
Lena shifted her stare from the sunrise to her destru. “Good morning.” She leaned closer to slide her hand across his chest and rest it over his shimmering flame. “What have you got planned for today?”
Vor’s stare slid over her face. “I love you.”
She chuckled. “That doesn't answer my question.”
Vor rolled her onto her back. “It's what you'll get, and you'll be happy for it.” He playfully growled as he nibbled on her neck.
“Oh, I am happy.” Lena wrapped her arms around Vor and kneaded the muscles of his back.
He lifted his head to look at her. “Are you? You don't miss the surface?”
“Well, it's only been a little over a month,” she teased. “Give me some time.”
Another growl came as Vor dove below the covers and latched onto her nipple. Lena gasped as her destru shifted between her legs to settle his cock against her sex as he sucked and licked her breasts. Her hands slid through his silky hair and then gripped a handful tightly.
But then Vor lifted his head to meet her gaze again. “Now, what did you say about giving you time, destra?”
He loved to call her his destra, and Lena loved to hear the reminder of their bond—the only one of its kind. Although she wouldn't be surprised if that changed soon.
Lena stroked back Vor's bangs. “Even if I never return to the surface, I'll be happy. I've got a vidco. I can talk to my family whenever I want.”
“You will see the surface again.” He brushed her lips with his. “We both will. You speak for Tech. You know it wants us to return.”
“Yes, I know. I'm just saying that it's all right if it doesn't happen. I will still be happy here with you.”
Vor's expression went tender. “Lena. My Lena.” He brought their lips together in a searing kiss.
Arching up against Vor, Lena's skin came alive with shivering energy and desire.
Their bond burst awake and soared through their bodies until Vor cried out and shoved himself up onto his knees as he tossed the blanket away.
He knelt between her thighs, looking glorious.
The sunrise haloed Vor's hair in red and shone upon his skin, bringing out the hard curves of his muscles.
Lena followed his abs down to the rising flesh between his legs and grinned.
“Lena,” Vor said in warning.
She ignored him and rolled to sit up, bringing her mouth right to his cock.
Despite his protest, Vor groaned as she consumed him.
It was ecstasy for Lena as well; his masculine taste combining with his silky but firm flesh to make her shudder and go slick.
With one hand on the base of his shaft and the other rubbing herself, Lena moved up and down upon her destru's flesh until he shuddered and roared, emptying into her mouth.
Vor's thigh muscles clenched, but his hands remained gentle on Lena's head as she kept sucking him through his release. His hips jerked forward and went still, his back arched, and his breath came in sexy gasps. Then he pulled out of her mouth.
Shuddering, Vor crouched and then shoved Lena back onto the pillows. “You will pay for that.”
Vor dove between Lena's legs, lifted them over his shoulders, and settled in to feast. In three seconds, she was moaning and clutching at the back of his head as her hips writhed.
A minute later, her pleasure soared. A minute later, Lena screamed, her voice vibrating with power that set the air to sparking.
But her screams were of pleasure, and those vibrations didn't hurt her destru.
Instead, they shivered into him and set him to groaning against her flesh.
Lena grinned even as she climaxed, her body shuddering and then going limp below Vor.
She knew what she'd done to him, and eagerly awaited what was sure to come of it.
As expected, Vor rose above Lena, his cock hard once more and pressing into her slick sex.
He entered her slowly, and their soft sounds of pleasure merged along with their bodies.
Settling onto his forearms, Vor brought their faces together. “I love you, Lena.”
“You said that already.” She grinned.
“Maybe I'm trying to inspire a response.” He withdrew and then slid even deeper.
Lena gasped and clawed at his back, needing more even though she had just experienced an amazing release.
“Lena,” Vor growled.
She angled her hips up to meet him, her skin tight with pleasure. Vor's cock filled her perfectly, hitting all the places she needed stroked. Her channel clenched around him.
Vor groaned, but then nipped at her lips. “Lena, my beloved destra, say what I need to hear.”
Opening her eyes to look upon her glorious metal-man, Lena smiled softly. “I love you.”
With a triumphant cry, Vor began thrusting wildly.
All Lena could do was hold on, but that was just as she liked it—her destru going wild, experiencing all of his new emotions in their highest capacity.
She loved to watch his face shift through pleasure and need, his teeth bared but his gaze tender.
He was still learning to process it all, and Lena understood.
Even though she had been born a Medean with all the emotions available to her, she still hadn't processed the love she shared with her Nethren commander.
Maybe Lena would never fully understand why the Source of Technology had chosen them to usher in a new age for the Nethren or how it had brought them together in the most terrible way, only for them to fall in love despite it.
And that was all right. She didn't care about how she had wound up in Vor's arms, only that she stayed there.