Chapter 19
ZALIS
The shifting mattress woke his mate. As carefully as he climbed onto the bed, it could not be avoided.
“You’re home,” Gemma said with a yawn.
Zalis nestled in behind her, his hand resting over the blanket covering her hip. “I disturbed you.”
“Mmhmm, you did. I notice there’s no apology in that statement.”
“I have been thinking of you all day.” He pushed the blanket aside, exposing her thigh. He ran his hand along her gentle curves. “About this.”
“All day, huh?” She rolled over to face him.
“Insatiably.” He pressed his lips to hers. Sweet and warm, she yielded to him. Since their arrival on Val Mori, they had not had much time to share together. The time they had was spent like this. He could find no fault.
Gemma shifted onto her back. The blanket fell away, exposing her in a tank top and underwear. Devices in the room provided a dim glow but he wished for more light. He wanted to see her fully, to appreciate every detail.
“You’re wearing entirely too many garments,” he said.
Her lips moved into a slight smile. “You think so? You should do something about it.”
He hooked his fingers into the elastic band of her underwear. She lifted her hips, assisting as he removed the unnecessary garment.
She parted her legs, exposing her luscious cunt and inviting him to taste.
He dove in, licking her luscious fold and sensitive bud. Hunger and desire made him greedy. This is how they spent their limited time, and it was sacred. He would have it no other way.
She was sweeter, more delicious than any confection created by her hands. She moaned, grabbing his horns and guiding him. He wanted all of her. Needed her. Hard, he ground himself against the mattress.
Fingers pushed into her while his tongue circled and lapped her clit. Hot, she clenched around him. It was easy to imagine how she’d feel on his cock, how it’d be to drive into her and to feel her come undone.
Her thighs tensed, clamping around his head, and trembled.
Close, but he wanted complete rapture. He continued with that speed and pressure.
Her hips lifted. Groaning, he grabbed her with both hands and pulled her up as he rose to his knees.
He suspended her, feasting on her as if she were the most decadent fruit in existence.
She was.
She was everything.
The tank top slid down, exposing more of her stomach and her breast. Her body tensed. She reached up, her arms not quite reaching his head. Fingers brushed against his hair and his horns. Cries of rapture tore through her.
Licking his lips, he lowered her to the mattress. She panted, one hand on her chest, and gazed up at him with a dreamy expression.
He kneeled over her, hard cock in hand.
She licked her lips. “Show me.”
Zalis stroked his cock, working himself slowly. Anything faster and he would spill over her in an instant. He wanted to last. He wanted her to know that when she finally accepted him—all of him—he could satisfy her.
She reached up, putting her hand over his. His cock jerked and throbbed. His mouth watered, fangs ready to sink into her neck.
He pushed her hand away.
“Let me touch you,” she said.
“I cannot.” If she touched him, he’d lose control and claim her.
“I have an idea.”
GEMMA
“Your mouth stays here and mine goes down there,” Gemma said, pointing to his very hard, very impressive cock.
For days, sex had been very one -sided. Not that she should complain.
Her side got all the benefits. Zalis ate pussy like a champ, but she felt selfish.
She was a giver, not just a receiver, but he was cockblocking her.
Literally. When she reached for him, he gently pushed her hand away.
He jerked himself off, coming right on her stomach, and don’t get her wrong, it was hot. Super hot. But she wanted a taste.
He wasn’t withholding his dick as a manipulation tactic.
No dick until you agree to stay. Zalis wasn’t like that.
He was honest to a fault. She believed him when he said he couldn’t trust himself not to mark her, and she knew what a mate mark meant.
Emry came home with a fresh one after her two-day marriage the first time around with Ren.
It was a symbol of a bond, of a forever connection that would never end.
It wasn’t given lightly and it meant too much for Zalis to bite her casually. He didn’t do casual.
Honestly, she loved that about him.
“Lie down,” she said, gently pushing on his chest until he complied. “And I do this.”
She then moved to face his feet and straddled his abdomen.
It wasn’t graceful with the ankle sleeve, but she made it work.
Her fingers brushed against the patterns inked into his skin, leaving a glowing trail.
He was hard muscle underneath her, not an ounce of softness or give.
The softness was his empathy and compassion, making him even more attractive.
“Got it?” she asked.
“I understand,” he said, hands squeezing her ass.
“Good, right?” She gave her butt a wiggle. Zalis made a throaty, feral noise. His hand was at her pussy again, stroking her and prodding her entrance. Instinctively, she leaned back, impaling herself on his fingers.
Definitely good.
Gemma scooted forward until she was within licking distance of her goal. “If it’s too much, say the word and I’ll stop.”
“What is this word?”
“Let’s keep it simple. No—your favorite word. Now, I want to put my mouth on you. Is that okay?”
“Yes,” he answered, voice smoldering.
Excellent. She licked her lips. This was going to be fun.
His dick was impressive. She knew that, having seen it in action when he jacked himself off. Thick, it was a darker aubergine at the base, ridges ran along the sides and faded to a pink tip.
“I’ve wanted to get my hands on you,” she said. Starting from the base, she lightly wrapped her hand around him. Her fingers did not touch. “I don’t even know if I can get all of you inside me.”
“You will. You were made for me.”
“Is that so?” She ran her hand up his length, enjoying the supple feel of the ridges.
They’d feel even better inside her.
She reached the tip, already leaking with precum. It looked too good to resist. Holding herself up with one hand on the mattress, she dipped her head down and licked.
Zalis damn near bucked her off the bed.
Oh, this was going to be fun. He was close to exploding, and she had to see how far she could push him.
Another lick, this time a swirl around the head. His grip on her butt tightened. He could pull her off if it were too much, but he held tight.
She swallowed him as much as she could. Maybe she could manage more with practice but for now, just the tip was a feat. She tightened her grip around the base of his shaft, working his length up and down.
He hissed, sucking in air as his hips bucked again and his thighs shook. Gemma knew he wouldn’t last long and that filled her with pride. She did this. This mountain of muscle, her immovable bulwark, had been transformed into a trembling, moaning wreck.
She loved it.
His hands disappeared. She popped off his dick to get a quick look. He held his wrist to his mouth, biting. The other was tossed over his eyes. Completely wrecked. Now to finish the job.
She wrapped her lips around him again. Almost immediately, his cock pulsed under her tongue and released.
Salt and sweetness flooded her mouth. She took as much as she could, swallowing, but the excess dripped out. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand.
Yeah, that was as good as she thought.
He pulled her back, tucking her into his side.
“Whaddya think?” she asked.
“You have fantastic ideas.”
“You bit yourself,” she said, reaching for his arm. The bite marks were vivid red punctures in his wrist.
“It will heal quickly.”
She pressed a kiss to the mark. “There. All better.”
There was a stranger on the video call. Gemma had answered without looking at the caller ID, thinking it was a message from Clarissa. Now she faced down a man with horns who shared a strong resemblance to Zalis.
“Why is my son incapable of returning my messages?” the man demanded.
“You must be Zamos,” she answered. Not the best first impression to make with her alien father-in-law but… she couldn’t think of anything to take away the sting of a bad first impression. The situation just wasn’t great.
“That is no way to speak to our daughter.” A woman appeared, the top of her silver hair barely reaching Zamos’ shoulders. Despite her diminutive size, she shoved him out of the camera’s view.
Gemma couldn’t help but smile.
The woman turned her attention to Gemma, grinning widely. “Let me look at you.” She leaned close to the camera, her face filling the screen, as if that would allow her to see Gemma better.
“Um, hello?”
The smile vanished from her face. “Are you cold? Are you getting enough oxygen? You are so pale, it is alarming. All the color has been drained from you.”
“No, I just don’t have a lot of melanin. It’s normal.” Gemma ignored the urge to touch her face. “You’re Lyresh, right? I’m Gemma.”
“My apologies. I didn’t mean to imply that your appearance is abnormal. I was worried for your wellbeing. Zalis has told us little beyond you have a fractured ankle.”
“Um, thanks. I’m fine. It’s fine. Honestly.”
Lyresh narrowed her eyes. “You will tell us if it is not fine.”
“I’m fine,” she repeated, unable to resist tossing in an eyeroll because this felt exactly like talking to her own mother.
“I told Zalis you should come here to recover. My home is far more comfortable than… wherever that is.” She waved a hand at the screen. “Where is my son keeping you? It looks appalling.”
Gemma glanced over her shoulder at the room, seeing it through a stranger’s eyes. The room was a bit shabby but certainly not appalling. “We’re on a moon. I’m not sure if the location is top secret or not.”
Lyresh made a disapproving noise. “You should still come and visit. I want to know you.”
“I’ll tell Zalis you called.”
“Make him call us back. He’s been ignoring us since you arrived.”
“I, um…” She stumbled, unsure what to say.
Lyresh’s expression softened, and a warm smile returned. “Welcome to the family, Gemma. We’re delighted to meet you at last.”