Sara smiled at him. “Didn’t I scream loud enough for you?”
“Well, yeah, you did… It’s just that…” Jerden wasn’t sure what the difference was. She’d responded as well as he could’ve hoped—perhaps even better. It was his own response that left him stunned. He’d intended to dazzle her with his technique, but his professionalism had deserted him at the most inopportune moment—and he wasn’t even sure when that moment was.
I lost control.
He was as bad as her damned rapist. Never intending to pound into her that hard, he was surprised she wasn’t sobbing. He’d wanted to take it slow, building on each new pinnacle until she was ready for more. She might’ve had sex once before, but with so many years in between, it might as well have been her first time.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine, but I’m not so sure about you. What’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?”
“I didn’t hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No. I feel great. Better than I’ve felt in my whole life. That part at the end was incredible.”
“That’s the effect of Zetithian snard. It’ll make a woman feel great even if she’s got a knife in her chest.”
“Somehow I doubt that. Nice feeling, though.” She frowned. “Wait a minute. What the hell is snard?”
“It’s the Zetithian word for semen. It sounds a little silly in the context of other languages—too much like other words for things that aren’t so nice—but then, it’s the only word we ever had for it. English and Stantongue have a hundred slang terms for semen, but for most species, semen is just sperm, a little prostatic fluid, and some hormones. Ours packs more of a punch.”
“I’ll say it does. I feel like I could sleep for a week.”
“That feeling is called laetralance in Zetithian—there’s no other word for that, either. We had daybeds for our clients at the Palace, so they could recover before they had to go back out on the street.”
“Glad I’m in my own bed, then. The thought of having to get up and go anywhere right now is—well, let’s just say I’d rather stay put.”
“So you aren’t mad at me? You’ll still consider my proposal?”
Her peal of laughter delayed her reply long enough that Jerden really felt nervous—though her laughter felt pretty nice from the standpoint of his cock.
“Are you out of your Zetithian mind? You convince me beyond a shadow of a doubt, and now you’re not sure?”
She had a point. “I guess it does seem a little stupid.”
“Very stupid.” Her expression sobered in an instant. “Oh. Oh, I see…”
“See what?”
“Why you asked me that. You don’t need me anymore, do you?”
He gaped at her. “What are you talking about?”
“Now that you know your dick works, you don’t need me. You can do it with anybody.”
Although her reasoning was sound, obviously he hadn’t made himself clear. “Sara. I thought you understood. You’re already my mate, whether you agree to marry me or not. I won’t be able to do it with anybody else now.”
“Wait a minute. Don’t I have to agree to be your mate?”
He shook his head. “You would if you were Zetithian. The mating between two Zetithians involves a commitment plus the physiological attraction. The fact that you’re human is what makes the difference.”
A frown clouded her face. “That’s what happened with Audrey, isn’t it?”
“No. My connection to Audrey was strictly physical. I’ve mated with you because it’s what I want—body, mind, and soul.”
She still seemed uncertain, her head tipped to one side, her expression puzzled. If Salan had been there, his lack of response to her would’ve proven it. He realized then that their mating was similar to what had happened with Audrey. He must’ve been physically mated to Sara for some time, otherwise he would’ve responded to Salan, or even Drania. The only reason he hadn’t known it was because Sara’s neutral scent had never given him an erection.
No, that wasn’t true. Deep down, he’d known she was the one for him—probably from the first moment he’d seen her and inhaled her scent. He just wasn’t sure she knew it. From now on, he would make a point of reminding her every chance he got.
“You mean I don’t even have to accept your proposal and marry you?”
“There was no such thing as a marriage ceremony on Zetith—no need for it. The unions between men and women were established purely by mutual consent. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a wedding.”
She nodded. “To be legally binding on this world, we’d need the ceremony. Not sure Nate and Salan would be deterred by anything less—well, Salan would be, but not him. At least, I don’t think so…” Her voice grew ever softer, her expression pensive.
Jerden held his breath, waiting for her to speak.
“I suppose we could turn your party into a wedding—the only thing we’d have to do differently is to make sure the regional magistrate is there. Two weeks from Saturday, you said?”
Jerden would’ve preferred two minutes, but he also wanted his friends to attend—and her family, if possible. “We could put it off longer if you like. I assume you’d want your family to be there.” She hadn’t accepted his proposal yet, but discussing plans for a wedding seemed… promising.
She rolled her eyes. “Absolutely. My parents would never believe it otherwise.”
“Cat and Jack Tshevnoe would want to be here too—along with Leo and Tisana, of course. Have you ever met them?”
“Are you kidding? Everyone knows Captain Jack. Market day just isn’t the same unless she makes a stop in Nimbaza. She carries the most amazing cargo on that ship of hers. Very clever trader, too.” She shook her head, chuckling. “Her husband was the first Zetithian I ever met. Scared the shit out of me the first time I saw him—what with those fangs and that scar on his cheek—but he’s always been very nice to me. She’s quite a character herself. Best I can tell, she’s the champion of Zetithian procreation.”
“Giving birth to three litters is pretty impressive. She thinks Tarq deserves a medal for spreading his snard over half the galaxy.”
“I’m surprised she hasn’t gotten him one by now. She’s the most resourceful woman I’ve ever met.”
“I’m sure she’s working on it. You know, her ship is really fast—depending on where they are right now, she could probably pick up your family and still make it here in two weeks.”
Jack would undoubtedly jump for joy when she heard the news. Lynx’s impotence had had her bugged for months. Jerden’s was less of a problem, since he’d fathered hundreds of children through his work at the Palace. Still, in Jack’s eyes, an unmated adult Zetithian male was an abomination.
“Maybe.” She hesitated, nibbling a fingernail. “Then again, we might have to put this off another month or so. It’s starting to sound a whole lot more complicated than a cookout.”
“Not really. I mean, you’ve already got a dress. We’ll have a simple ceremony and then party the rest of the day.”
“I can see us now,” she said with a chuckle. “Me in a dress and you in your loincloth. We’ll look like Beauty and the Beast.”
Jerden shrugged. “Works for me. I can be quite beastly when I want to be.”
“So I’ve noticed,” she said slyly. “Remind me never to piss you off.”
“As if you ever could.” He meant it, too—at least, from his current perspective, which was looking down into her eyes while his cock was still firmly lodged inside her. Despite an ejaculation that he’d felt clear to his toes, his erection hadn’t faded one iota. An experimental side to side movement proved it—and so did her response.
Sara’s eyes rolled back in her head and a blissful smile touched her lips. “Something tells me that getting mad at you would be just as impossible.”
“I certainly hope so.” Lowering his head, he gave her a kiss that contained all of his heart and most of his soul. “And if you ever do, I’ll just kiss you until you’re not mad anymore.”
Her eyes misted as her lashes lowered. “Shouldn’t take more than a couple of kisses.” She drew in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out with a sigh. “Now that we’ve discussed all these plans, I guess there’s only one thing left for me to say.”
Jerden’s skin tingled with anticipation as she ran a fingertip down the center of his chest, then reached up to trace the line of his jaw. He leaned into her touch, purring.
“Yes, Jerden,” she whispered. “The answer is yes.”
Relief, exhilaration, and pure joy washed through him as he leaned down to capture her lips with a deep, lingering kiss. “I promise you’ll never regret it.” He made another careful move, this time an in and out stroke as he rotated his shaft. Seeing her capture her bottom lip with her teeth halted him. “Doesn’t hurt, does it?”
Releasing her lip, she shook her head. “Feels fabulous. Don’t stop.”
Jerden let his hips and back glide in a leisurely undulation that he knew he could keep up for hours. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”
“I think the snard effect must’ve worn off. I’m not having the constant—” Her breath went in with a hiss as another climax gripped her. “Well, I guess I am.”
“That’s actually the cock syrup effect. If I keep going long enough, you’ll get to where it won’t trigger orgasms anymore.” He smiled. “Then I can fuck you into oblivion without any chemical interference.”
“You like doing that?”
“Oh, yeah.” He altered the angle slightly and was rewarded with a soft moan. “I want to see the joy in your eyes when I make you come all on my own. I missed it last time.” It was difficult to see a woman’s eyes with his face buried in her pussy—much easier when his dick did the work. “Of course, the snard effect is pretty awesome to watch, too.”
He leaned closer, nuzzling her neck. No other woman’s fragrance had ever intoxicated him the way Sara’s did. He felt warm, languid, unhurried. He had control now, but he was drowning in her scent.
He simply allowed it to flow through him and guide his movements, exploring her inner surfaces with his cock, finding the places that made her sigh and moan, searching for the ones that made her cry out with pleasure.
The rising moon cast shadows on the planes and curves of her face. Jerden had never seen anything more beautiful. His own night vision was excellent—he could’ve seen her even in total darkness—but the moon added a romantic, ethereal touch to the scene that no other form of illumination could provide.
Unlike his clients, she didn’t demand fireworks at every turn, seeming content to let him rock her gently while he savored every moment, loving her with a depth of feeling he’d never known before.
And he did love her. There was no point in denying it now. Just as her scent washed through him, so did the power of love. “I love you, Sara.” The words were out before he even realized he’d spoken.
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “I never thought I’d hear that—from anyone.”
“You’re hearing it from me now, and I’ll tell you every day until you believe it.” Until you tell me you love me. It wouldn’t stop there, of course—he’d still tell her every day, and if words weren’t enough, he’d prove it with actions. He never wanted her to doubt it, not even for an instant.
“I suppose I should tell you I love you now, shouldn’t I?”
“You’ll tell me when you’re ready. Not before.”
She nodded slowly, but anything else she might have said was swallowed up by another orgasm. Her body contracted around him, squeezing even more fluid from his cock, prolonging the effect.
“See what I mean?” he said with a chuckle. “They tend to hit at the most inopportune times.”
“Whoa, momma, that was a good one!” Sara gasped. “Seems like they’re getting stronger, rather than going away.”
“Like I said, it takes a while. And we’ve got all night long.”
“No sleep?”
“Later. It’s not as late as you think—though we can stop if you like.” Quitting now was the last thing Jerden wanted to do, but he figured he should at least make the offer.
“No, keep going. I like the way you look—the way your hair sparkles in the moonlight. Love your eyes, too.”
He grinned wickedly. “What else do you love about me?”
“Well… let’s see now… I love your sense of humor, the way you look on a horse, you make a great hunela, and—I never thought I’d say this—but if anyone on the planet has a more awesome dick, he probably walks on four hooves.”
Jerden shouted with laughter. “Meaning I’m hung like a horse?”
“Oh, yeah…”
The tender moment had passed, but Jerden had come out of it better than he’d hoped. There would be others. Right now, he focused on doing what he did best, but had actually only done once before: giving joy to the woman he loved.
Easing his hips forward, he penetrated her fully, feeling his nuts brush against the roundness of her luscious bottom—muscular, and yet soft, with skin that rivaled silk. She was such an interesting mix of traits. Strong, but yielding, firm, yet kind. How did a man explain why he loved a woman? What was it that drew him to her? Jerden didn’t know, but if a woman had ever gazed up at him with more adoration, he’d already forgotten her. Sara loved him. She just couldn’t say it yet.
Raining kisses on her upturned face, he felt her body give in to the pressure, relaxing enough to allow the freedom of movement he needed. Dancing, circling, vibrating, his cock fell back into old patterns and then found new ones. She gripped him with one orgasm and then another until they ceased altogether. Concentrating his efforts on her sweet spot, he raked it with his cockhead, feeling his way as he watched her face. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted, a light sheen of sweat highlighting her skin.
“Look at me, Sara.”
Any moment now, he would see what he’d worked so hard for. Tears sparkled on her lashes and trailed into her hair from the corners of her eyes. Her breath came in short panting gasps.
“Don’t close your eyes. Please.” If she closed her eyes, he’d live to love her another day, but this was the ultimate fulfillment for him. The absolute knowing that he’d given her something no one else could match.
Her brows arched and a soft oh escaped her lips. Tingles raced over his skin as her body contracted around him and his cock erupted at last, pouring his seed into her.
And then it happened. Fringed by glittering lashes, her eyes grew round with wonder, the pupils constricting for the briefest moment before dilating until the iris was nothing more than a faint green rim encircling the darker pupil. For an instant, he seemed to catch a glimpse of her soul.
Joy.
Her joy was his reward and the source of his own contentment. He would die rather than leave her now. She was his mate. For now, and for all time.
***
To have lived as long as she had without knowing such ecstasy was even possible had Sara questioning whether she’d ever truly been alive before. Her entire being was infused with an inner peace so profound that her past might never have been, her future as yet unseen. Only the present moment existed.
Already, the moon seemed brighter, as though a filter had been removed from her perception of the world. The wind had died. The song of night birds and insects drifted in through the open window along with the scent of roses. She could hear Danuban quietly grazing just beyond the rose beds. She knew precisely where he was—each sound, each scent as sharp and clear as writing on a wall.
She lay on her back, relaxed and sated, gazing up into the glowing eyes of a man whose existence she’d been unaware of only a few months ago. How could she have known that something like this awaited her, just beyond the hill at the foot of the mountains on the shore of a crystal lake? She’d had no warning, no premonition. Nothing could have prepared her for this moment. She was afraid to speak or even move for fear of breaking the spell.
A loud purr interrupted the quiet sounds of the night. Cria yawned and stretched beside the bed. Sara didn’t have to look to know she was there. Her presence was as much a part of Jerden as one of his limbs. Still, she was thankful to know that even this disturbance didn’t alter the way she felt. Perhaps words wouldn’t ruin it after all.
“Can you feel that?” she whispered.
He didn’t even have to ask what she meant. “All the way to my heart.”
She gazed up at him, still unable to believe he was real. She’d known there were decent men in the universe—she’d even met a few of them—but to believe that one such as he could ever be hers and she his? Never. Not in her wildest and most hopeful dreams.
“Do you remember what you said about us being together would make us want to stay together?”
“Or words to that effect, yes.”
“You were right. I’ve been alone most of my life—had convinced myself that I preferred to be alone—and yet now I can’t imagine ever letting you go. Do I love you, or am I already addicted to you?”
She thought he winced. “A little of both, I hope,” he said.
“I’m sorry. Shouldn’t I have asked that?”
“I’d like to think you loved me. But Zetithians are addicting, and the longer you’re with me, the stronger the bond will become. You won’t go into physical withdrawal if we’re ever apart, but you will crave me, just as I can barely stand to be away from you.”
“You say that like it’s already happened.”
He nodded. “Didn’t you wonder why I came back so early today? It was all I could do to ride home and leave you here.” He smiled, his fangs gleaming in the moonlight. “You’re stuck with me now, Sara. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, I don’t mind.” She smiled back at him. “In fact, there’s nothing I’d like better than to spend eternity with you.”
“Sounds like love to me.” His kiss was whisper soft, his breath warm on her cheek. “I can’t ask for more than that.”
His careful withdrawal reminded her that they were still joined. When had that become something that felt so right she was bereft without it? She only missed him for a moment, however, for he pulled the sheet up over them both as he lay down at her side. The contact was every bit as sweet when he gathered her up in his arms. Once again, she was amazed that someone so strong could be so gentle. Safe and warm in his embrace, she drifted off, noting yet another difference between him and other men. He didn’t snore in his sleep; he purred.
***
Jerden purred softly as Sara’s breathing deepened and her body relaxed, waiting patiently until the glow of laetralance faded and was replaced by the scattered emotions of ordinary dreams.
Ordinary dreams. Not terrifying nightmares or sinister illusions, merely untroubled images that carried with them no hint of fear or despair. He sensed nothing but joy, contentment, and peace emanating from her.
Only then did he allow himself to sleep.