Page 48

What did you just say?

It had been a week since we left Inogga, but I was still basking in the warmth of the vacation. It had been six days and five nights of me and Don with very few distractions. We’d fucked, talked, and explored to our hearts’ content.

Now, with my chin in my palm, I watched Don get dressed.

He’d woken me up when he slid out from beneath me.

I slept better when I was draped across him like a blanket, and he didn’t mind.

He pulled on his uniform, tugging his long hair out from beneath the collar.

My eyes wandered over his broad form, lingering on his taut ass and swishing tail.

“Vince,” Don groaned. “Please.”

I smirked. My thoughts had started to wander to the pleasant memories of me fucking Don.

We hadn’t had sex face to face yet. I’d tried, but it unnerved me, which frustrated me.

I wanted to watch his face as I pounded his ass, to see how he looked when he came.

I needed it. I needed every aspect of Don, all of him.

Don gripped my chin, gently guiding me back so I lay on the bed.

He carefully hovered over me, not covering or putting any weight on me.

He pressed his lips to mine, and I moaned.

My hands slid up his sides to his neck, feeling his earrings drag over the backs of them, to bury in his hair, not caring that I was mussing it.

His scaled tongue slipped between my lips, and I opened for him, welcoming him.

He kept the pace slow and the pressure soft, but every nibble and swipe made me harden and ache for him.

Panting, he pulled away to rest his forehead on mine. “I have to go, Vince.”

“I know.”

He rubbed his forehead on me, and I smiled, loving the thought of him claiming me. Don kissed my forehead, still holding my chin, then looked into my eyes and said, “We’ll get there.”

I knew he was referring to us fucking face to face. “I want to.”

“And we will. Don’t trouble yourself about it, my Vince.”

I smiled. “Go to Command before I yank you into this bed and fuck you senseless.”

“I want that.”

I tugged on him, but he resisted.

“I want that, but I need to go.”

“Fine. Lunch, though?”

“Yes.” Don planted one more kiss on my lips before heading toward the door. “Please, don’t distract me today.”

“I’ll try to be good.”

When the door closed, I rolled over, hugging Don’s pillow. I lazed in bed because I could, and why the hell not? I had nothing to do. Don’s scent invaded my nose and made me groan, my cock hardening.

Unabashed, I kicked off my sweats and slid a hand down my body to my aching cock.

I rubbed my thumb over the seeping slit, circling the crown to spread the liquid around.

My thoughts went back to Don, his small smile, the loud moans he made beneath my hands, and the way he made me feel—safe, cared for.

I jerked my cock, groaning. “Don.”

I pictured him below me, smiling, his long purple hair spreading over the pillow.

My fingers slipped down to my balls, tugging on them a bit and making me moan, then went down lower to circle my rim.

A sick feeling welled in my stomach. This is my body , I thought.

I forced myself to continue touching and rubbing my entrance, but I couldn’t.

I didn’t like it. I couldn’t make myself do it. I just couldn’t.

Moving away from my ass, I grabbed my balls and tugged on them. I groaned at the feel, playing with them as I pictured Don.

“Donny, Sweetheart,” I moaned.

Gripping my cock, I pumped it from base to tip and screamed for Don. I sped up, stroking my shaft with desperation, until I erupted, splattering my hand and stomach.

Panting, I shivered. I wished Don was beside me and dragging me into his secure embrace, but he was working.

My eyes flicked to his pillow, and I laid my hand on it.

I wanted to fuck Don face to face, yes, but I also worried that wouldn’t be enough, that he’d want to fuck me.

I’d been getting better about him leaning over me, but the thought of him pressing into me made my pulse skitter.

I wasn’t ready, but we were running out of time.

Soon we would be back on the drakcol homeworld, and Don would leave to wherever his orders took him. I wouldn’t see him again before I left for Earth.

The thought made my heart clench and fear dance along my veins. I didn’t want to leave Don, but I didn’t want to stay—or at least I didn’t think I did. It was all so confusing, and my opinion changed almost daily.

Frustrated, I got out of bed and headed to the shower for my first of the day.

Flicking on the water, I stepped under the stream.

Thank god the drakcol loved water. Many other species used subsonic showers that disinfected you and cleaned the dirt, but it wasn’t the same.

I scrubbed my hand through my short hair, tilting my face into the warm stream.

Everything was so mixed up inside. I had no idea what I did or didn’t want. If I stayed, I’d have Don. He would be mine, and not just for now but forever. I swallowed as a tremor went down my spine. That thought delighted and terrified me.

Groaning, I rested my head against the rough rock. Was it the memories I was running from, or Don?

“Fuck,” I growled. I was afraid I knew the answer, and it wasn’t the one I actually wanted to admit.

Vince was trying to send me to insanity. I’d just made it Command when he started, I assumed, to masturbate. I trusted him enough to know he wasn’t fucking someone else. Besides, I’d left him needy because I was due on shift.

I sat on my stool at the front of Command, hand fisted on my thigh, and pretended to read my notes. The words were meaningless because I sensed Vince’s pleasure as well as heard him call my name. Me. He was pleasuring himself and thinking of me.

My cock threatened to swell with the waves of pleasure rushing through me.

Only a couple of weeks ago, I hadn’t been able to feel Vince like I did now.

We’d been growing closer, and the closer we got the more attuned I grew to him.

He was my mate, my love, my soul, and my reason for breath.

I wanted to be near him at all times, in any way possible.

A groan built in my throat as Vince’s pleasure swelled, reaching his climax. I took a deep breath to calm myself. Hopefully, now sated, he wouldn’t try and chase another release. Vince had a lengthier refractory period than I did, so I’d have a reprieve.

“Captain, are you well?” Bimwoxcol asked.

I faced my commander. “Yes.”

Her eyes flicked to my fisted hand and my thrashing tail. “As you say.”

I was not alright. I wanted to run to my quarters and curl around my mate. Even if he didn’t want to fuck, I had the urge to smooth my hands over him until he was boneless beside me, sated and happy.

Refocusing, I flicked through my notes. The usual inquiries from Monqilcolnen and Hallonnixmin wondering if I’d informed our brothers about Vince and my attachment to him—I had not.

My parents checking in. My superiors. I froze on a letter from the high commandant of the Drakcon Navy.

Garqixren didn’t often send me a note. I had only spoken to her once in my entire career—there had been no need to speak to her more than that.

When I quickly scanned the letter, the contents sent my soul pounding. I stood.

“Captain departing,” Bimwoxcol called.

I waved my hand, not even paying attention to them. I was out the door, down the corridor, and in my quarters before I could even breathe. I didn’t see Vince in the shared space and I tore into the bedroom, hearing the flowing water from the shower. Vince was in the middle of washing his hair.

My arms went around him, the water soaking my uniform.

Vince jolted. “Fuck, Sweetheart. You scared the shit out of me.”

His spike of fear and pulse didn’t even register in my senses in the wake of my own terror.

I forced Vince around, trying to get as close to him as possible, and pressed into him until he hit the rough wall.

I wasn’t close enough. Vince. I needed more.

So much more. I wanted to crawl inside of him and never separate.

“Don!” His voice finally broke through my fear when he yanked on my hair—the sharp pain enough to shock me. Vince was panting, shaking, and fear was flooding his mind.

I shook my head, backing away. I’d scared him. I. Me. I’d scared Vince.

He held onto me, not letting me move away. “Breathe.”

I took a small breath, the water coursing down my cheeks like tears.

Vince slowly released my hair to cup my cheeks. “There we go.” Low levels of fear tainted his thoughts, but he was calming as I was. He brushed his thumbs over my cheeks. “There you are, Sweetheart. Just breathe. I’m here. You’re here. We keep each other safe.”

I dropped my head to his shoulder, shaking. Vince ran his hand through my hair. He conjured the song we’d made back on Inogga together. The wordless tune slipped into me, and my thoughts followed along. The longer he hummed, the more I relaxed.

My Vince was soothing me with my own inner fire.

After a few minutes, he led me out of the shower and into the bedroom. Without a word, he undid my uniform, tossing it in the laundry chute, then he rubbed a towel over my hair. I could detect a slight tremor in his hands.

Grabbing one, I kissed his palm. “I’m sorry, my Vince. I didn’t mean to.”

“I know,” he replied. “Was this because I jerked off?”

“No,” I said, “though I did feel it.” I kissed his palm again. “You seemed to enjoy yourself.”

I earned a smile. “I did.” Vince brushed his thumb over my lips. “I thought about you.”

Even though I’d known that, his words made warmth flood my soul. I nuzzled his forehead, spreading my scent. Even that small claim helped settle me.

“What scared you?” Vince asked, stealing all the heat and comfort.

Slowly, keeping my eyes on his, I stepped closer to Vince until I was pressed against him.

He wound his arms around my waist, holding me.

The feel of his wet skin flush against my scales soothed something deep within me.

My mate. I needed him. It scared me how much I did.

I could hardly believe how important he had become in such a short amount of time, but he had and there was no arguing against it.

“I received a note from the commandant of the Drakcon Navy,” I said.

“Oh?”

I burrowed my face in his neck. Time was running out for us, and one day soon the cool feel of him in my arms would be a distant memory unless Vince chose me.

“Sweetheart, talk to me.” Vince held the back of my head, fisting my hair.

“She’s ordering me back to the Immortal Planet. She wants me to drop you all off at the next Drakcon space station and leave. You will all stay there until the Admiral Ven can come get you.”

“What?” Vince asked, thoughts spiraling so fast I couldn’t catch a single one.

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“Two days.”

Vince wrapped his other arm around me, practically scaling me as he plastered himself against my chest. “No.”

“I can’t refuse, Vince,” I replied in a broken voice.

I understood why Garqixren wanted me to return to the Immortal Planet.

A portal had opened near it, and sensors indicated something had crashed onto the surface.

The planet had moved further out of phase, not allowing us to get a true reading, but the navy wanted the planet guarded and studied. It was important—but so was Vince.

“No,” Vince merely said again. Disbelief, anger, fear, possessive need, and a far stronger and fiery emotion filled him. If I was bold enough, I would call it love, but Vince had never thought, let alone said he loved me, nor had I to him.

Stroking his back, I continued, “I won’t return before the Admiral Ven leaves for Earth. There’s no way. The Immortal Planet is on the edge of our territory, and no one will relieve me so soon.”

His grip tightened, almost painfully so. “No,” Vince snapped. “No.”

I didn’t know if he could find another word in his shock, but I had nothing else to say. When Vince calmed, I’d ask him to choose me, but I had little hope that he would. Why would he choose me over his home and his desire to forget? The answer was: he wouldn’t.

With Vince in my arms, I lay down, keeping my mate close. My duty could wait, my responsibilities could wait, everything could wait until I was sure my Vince didn’t need me any longer.