Chapter 18 Hrad
HRAD
When we got close to the colony, Alisha was able to call ahead and advise the leaders of the situation. They ended up getting Edilk on the call because he is the unofficial leader of the banished.
No one was happy with the situation with the other tribe, but no one wanted to start a war.
When we left the colony, it was early morning, and no one was there to see us off. When we landed, there were twenty security officers and my brothers.
While the three warriors are volunteers, we are worried about how well they will settle into colony life, especially since they are now required to take orders from Edilk and the human leaders.
One of them has a banished brother, so I expect him to settle in the fastest, and to hold the smallest grudge.
The other two warriors, I’m not so sure about.
This time the colony leaders were more inclined to listen to our concerns.
They wanted to understand why the mission failed.
Although as Alisha said, it hasn’t yet failed as we are still gathering information, and in three months’ time when we go back, we can learn both from the cameras and from the three women living with the tribe.
Perhaps by then the tribe will be more willing to let the human women go.
Especially if they do not take mates.
The sun is rising by the time I follow Alisha to her room.
My brothers gave me their congratulations, and Alisha’s father managed to appear happy for her.
Though how much of that was forced, and how much does he suspect about what happened?
I’m sure that will become clear in the coming days, but for the moment I am not going to worry about it.
I have a few days with my mate, and that is all that matters.
Alisha locks the door and leans against it for a moment. “I’m having a shower and then I plan on falling into bed to sleep.” She strips off her shirt and tosses it on the floor. “Are you joining me?”
“If it is an invitation to join you in the shower, yes.”
“It is; that’s why I said I will be sleeping in bed.” She crouches and undoes her boots, pulling them off and setting them to one side, before yanking off her socks and tossing them with her shirt.
Then she is naked before me. It is the first time I have seen her undressed.
The curve of her hips and the golden glow of her skin make it hard for me to look away.
My meq throbs and my skin aches for her touch.
I have been holding back my need for her through all those meetings. Now we are alone, and she is mine.
She already has the water running in the shower by the time I am naked. She turns around, and her gaze sweeps over me. My markings are glowing, and my meq juts toward her. Already the ridges and bumps are more pronounced to make mating more pleasurable for both of us.
She offers me a toothbrush. Then turns around and brushes her own teeth. I can’t resist running my hand over the curve of her ass. The memory of fucking her in the forest is burned into my mind.
Alisha spits. “Teeth first, then fun.”
“You’re in front of the sink.” And I want to sink into her.
“I was getting a head start.” She steps to the side and then into the shower.
Leaving me to watch while I clean my teeth. She takes her time, caressing her body more than washing it, as a small smile plays on her lips.
I finish and step into the shower with her, torn between dropping to my knees and tasting her, and lifting her up and fucking her against the wall.
She pulls me closer and starts washing me. “This is the first time we are both been naked.”
“I know,” I growl. “And it’s killing me.” Her hands are everywhere but where I want them.
“You can touch me.”
I close my eyes for a second. “I want to learn every part of you, but the need is so raw.”
Her fingers brush over my lips. The scent of her arousal fills my lungs. “So tame it.”
I lick her fingers, drowning in the taste of her. How much more do I need to be sated?
She licks her lip, as if knowing that it wasn’t enough, only a promise of what is to come.
I cup her face and kiss her, my lips moving against hers before she opens her mouth and lets my tongue invade.
Her fingers wrap around my meq and stroke, and I don’t care about washing anymore.
My hands slide over her ribs and her hips.
While one hand smooths over her ass cheek, the other slips between her thighs.
She moves her feet apart, and my fingers ease into her.
It is almost enough to cool the heat in my blood.
I move slowly, remembering everything that she likes.
The speed and the pressure as my thumb brushes her pleasure bump.
I want to feel her come as much as I want to fuck her.
She is my mate, and I will do anything to keep her happy, so she remains mine.
She wraps her arms around my shoulders and kisses me, rocking her hips in rhythm with my fingers. Her tongue thrusts into my mouth, and all I want to do is come on her hand. But her breathing and heartbeat changes and I know she is close, so I hold back, waiting for Alisha to fall over the edge.
Her back arches, and she groans as she comes.
I need to fuck her and claim her. I grip her hips and pick her up, pressing her against the wall. The water shuts off, determining that we have used enough water. I don’t care about the water as she wraps her legs around my hips and my meq presses into her slick, hot core.
She exhales. Her breath is on my lips like a whisper of need.
I hold her still as I thrust deeper each time, keeping the steady pace that she likes, that is almost enough, but not quite, for me.
Then she sinks down fully, and every movement causes a ripple of sensation to run through me.
She moans into my mouth as she comes again, her channel clenching tight around my meq.
I lose all control and fuck her faster as the need to come takes over.
I come with a growl, gripping her tight as I spill. The need will return, but for the moment the desperation has faded. Without the hot water pouring over my back, I am cold and wet, and so is she.
“It hasn’t been long enough to turn the water on, has it?”
“It has not.” She smiles at me. “And as good as it was, I do not want to wait here, like this, for another ten minutes.”
I step back and set her on her feet. “Next time, no shower first.”
“We needed the shower.” Her arms are around my neck, and she takes small kisses between each word.
“I’ll teach you how to swim…then you do not need to wait for water.”
“I look forward to those lessons. Hopefully, I am as quick at learning as you.” She presses a last kiss to my lips and pulls away to grab her towel. When she steps out of the shower, she pulls another towel from beneath the sink and hands it to me.
Tomorrow we will be moving quarters.
And there will be more problems to deal with, but that is part of living in a tribe. My tribe.
With my mate.
A life I hadn’t let myself imagine, yet it found me and claimed me, anyway. I pull her close and kiss her. “Thank you for choosing me.”
“It was not a hard choice. And I would do it again.” She kisses me. “The only thing that matters is now. You are my mate, and for the next few days, I am all yours.” She throws the towel over the rail. “Come on…the bed is calling.”
I need to sleep, even though I will wake hard and aching for her. Already, I’m looking forward to the rut being over. I place my towel over the rail and join her in the bed. She curls against me, and I put my arm around her. This is how we should’ve spent our first night.
She’s right…but how it happened doesn’t matter. What matters is what we do next.
Find out how Erica, Kate and Neve are faring in the Honey tribe in the next book, Stolen by the Slave.