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16

BEAR

Bear was about to give up work for the night. The start of the negotiations was tomorrow, but he truly felt that he had familiarized himself with as much of the Karpsians’ laws as he could absorb. Plus, he reminded himself uneasily, Aleena was probably waiting and wondering where he was. This was supposed to be their Joining night, after all—she would be expecting him to “change the color of her eyes.”

He wondered how he was going to handle that. He wasn’t going to take her virginity from her—that much he had already decided. But how could he explain that he wasn’t going to do what she expected him to do? How could he?—?

A light knocking came at the door and a soft voice said,

“Excuse me, but may I come in?”

Bear took a deep breath. He would just have to put her off—that was all, he told himself. Anything else would be wrong. He knew he couldn’t take her with him when he went back to the Mother Ship. It would be better just to let her know that nothing was going to happen between them.

He turned off his work lamp and rose from the comfortable office chair to go stand in front of the fireplace, where a low flame was flickering. It sent a golden glow through the room, bathing the rows of leather-bound books as well as the comfortable and sturdy, leather padded couch across from it in warmth.

“Come in,” Bear called in a low voice. He was determined to tell his new bride immediately that they were just going to go to bed and sleep beside each other without doing anything else. He wasn’t going to be swayed by her beauty. He wasn’t?—

And then the door opened and he sucked in a breath.

Aleena was standing there, dressed in a thin, lacy little scrap of nothing. The white fabric hugged her full curves and stretched over her ripe breasts and wide hips. When she turned a little to the side, he saw her luscious, full bottom as well. Her long hair was loose in long, copper waves around her lovely face and her eyes were fearful and hopeful at the same time.

“My Lord Husband?” she asked softly. “I hope you don’t mind but I thought maybe you might be…might be waiting for me.”

Bear cleared his throat, trying to think what to say. To be honest, it felt like his brain wasn’t working at the moment—probably because all of the blood in his body had rushed to his shaft, which was suddenly achingly hard.

It seemed strange to be so intensely aroused. For the past five years he’d had no sexual inclinations at all. He knew human males still longed for sex, even after losing a spouse, but it wasn’t so for Kindred. For them, the loss of a beloved mate often left them sexless—simply because they couldn’t even imagine making love with anyone but their lost beloved.

But Bear was certainly imagining it now. He was thinking of how soft and silky his new bride’s skin was, remembering how it had felt to hold her bare breasts in his hands during the ceremony. The soft moans of pleasure she’d made when he teased her nipples until they grew tight were still ringing in his ears.

“Waiting for you?” he finally got out.

“Well…yes.”

Aleena stepped into the room and came over to stand by him, in front of the fireplace. The flickering flames gilded her bronze skin and the firelight seemed to shine through her skimpy little garment, making it almost see-through.

“You see,” she said, putting a hand on Bear’s arm. “I thought maybe since you hadn’t come to me that I should go to you . I thought perhaps it was the custom of your people—of the Kindred—for a bride to offer herself to her husband on their Joining night. And so, here I am—offering myself.” She spread her hands and the movement made her large breasts jiggle slightly under the thin garment she wore.

Bear nearly groaned at her innocent invitation. She had no idea of what it meant to rouse the hunger of a Beast Kindred! Everything in him longed to take her and Bond her—to sink his shaft deep in her wet, willing pussy and fill her with his knot to tie them together for hours of breeding and Bonding! But somehow he had to stop himself from taking her.

“Aleena, baby,” he said, his voice coming out hoarse in his own ears. “Let’s talk.”

He sat on the leather couch and patted the spot beside him.

“Talk about what?” Rather than sitting, she knelt on the couch, facing him with her ripe breasts thrust out. The tight points of her nipples were tenting the thin, lacy fabric and the thin silk ribbon that tied the top part of her little dress together seemed dangerously close to coming loose.

“I don’t think that we should…that I should change the color of your eyes tonight,” Bear began, trying to keep his gaze on her lovely eyes instead of her ripe, beautiful breasts.

“You don’t?” She bit her lip. “But…but then, does that mean you don’t want me?”

“No, baby—no, that’s not true at all. Of course I want you—you’re fucking beautiful!” Bear protested. He ran a hand through his hair and nearly cursed. His shaft was aching with need—the Bonding Knot at its base was swelling with desire. Hell yes, he wanted her! But he couldn’t have her.

“But…if you want me, then why don’t you take me?” Aleena asked innocently. “You are my husband now—it is your right to do whatever you wish with my body.”

Bear felt his shaft throb against the tight confines of his black trousers. Gods, this was killing him!

“Look, this is just…not the way we Kindred do things,” he said, reaching for some explanation of his behavior. “We don’t take our brides on the first night we’re with them. We have a time of getting to know each other first—we call it ‘The Claiming Period.’”

“The Claiming Period?” She looked at him uncertainly. “What is that? What does it mean?”

“I’ll try to explain.” Bear was relieved that he’d found some sort of explanation that might satisfy her. Also, it was true that most Kindred warriors went though the Claiming Period with their brides before they took them. It was a time-honored tradition which was meant to let a warrior’s bride get to know him before she gave herself completely. That way both parties were certain when the Soul Bond was formed that they wanted to be together for life.

“It’s like this,” he said to Aleena. “The Claiming Period has four parts—the holding time, the bathing time, the tasting time, and the bonding time. And during each of those periods, the Kindred warrior and his new bride do…different things together.”

“What kinds of things?” Aleena asked, her eyes wide. She leaned closer to him so that her full breasts were brushing his arm. Bear had to fight the urge to grab her and kiss her and then to do more… much more.

Forcing himself to focus, he tried to explain.

“During the holding time, a Kindred only holds his mate. He can touch her over her garments, but not under them.”

“Oh…do you mean like this?” And lifting his hand from his knee, she put it on her breast.

Bear knew he ought to draw his hand away, but somehow he couldn’t stop himself from cupping her full globe and teasing the tight nipple gently with his thumb.

“Yes…like that,” he growled softly.

“ Mmmm …” Aleena leaned closer, pushing her breast more firmly into his palm. “Tell me more, please my Lord Husband.”

Bear didn’t bother to correct her or ask her to call him by his name. He was too busy teasing her ripe nipple and watching her moan.

“Maybe it’s better if I show you,” he growled. “Here, come sit in my lap, baby.”

He pulled Aleena into his lap, so that she was straddling him with her knees on either side of his hips. This had the effect of making the tiny little nightdress she had on ride up, which showed her panties—what little there was of them, Bear thought. Gods, he could see her soft mound of curls and the top of her pussy slit!

The sight made his mouth water—he longed with a sudden fierce intensity to spread her deliciously thick thighs and taste her creamy pussy, but he knew he couldn’t do that. He needed to try and slow things down, not speed them up.

If you’re trying to slow things down, what are you doing having her straddle you? demanded a critical voice in his head, but Bear pushed it aside.

“Oh, my Lord Husband!” Aleena gasped, panting a little. “Are you going to show me more about the holding time?”

“Yes, I am,” Bear growled. He was cupping both her breasts now, teasing the tips of her nipples with his thumbs to watch her squirm. It seemed clear to him that her tight peaks were extremely sensitive, so he was careful just to brush them lightly—which seemed to have a big effect on Aleena.

“Oh…oh, Bear!” she moaned and he found he liked hearing his name from her lips. “That feels so…so good. Even though you’re touching me with my clothes on, it makes me feels so…so…I don’t know!”

Bear thought he knew exactly how she was feeling. The fear he’d seen earlier in her eyes had been replaced by desire and the scent of her feminine need was rising to tease his nose. Gods, was there any fragrance better than the scent of an aroused female? He didn’t fucking think so!

“Tell me more about the touching time!” Aleena begged. “Would…would you be allowed to touch my…to touch me anywhere else?”

“You mean here?” Releasing one of her breasts, Bear slid his hand down her curving waist to cup the soft mound of her pussy. He could feel her springy curls against the heel of his palm and his fingers curled possessively around the outer lips of her sweet little sex.

“Oh! Yes, my…my Bear!” Aleena moaned and shifted her hips.

“Mmm, well yes I would, baby,” he murmured. He pressed inward with his middle finger and felt the outer lips of her pussy part beneath the thin, barely there panties. He slid the tip of his finger up and down her slit until he found the little bump of her Goddess pearl. Then he rubbed gently, sliding around and around—massaging her intimately, even though he was still technically touching her over the little lace panties.

“Oh! Oh, my Lord Husband!” Aleena’s eyes grew wide and her hips jerked.

“Does it feel good?” he growled softly, looking into her eyes. “Do you like it when I touch you this way, baby?”

“Y-yes!” she stammered. “No one has ever touched me there before,” she added in a breathless voice.

“Not even you?” Bear raised an eyebrow at her. “Haven’t you ever petted your sweet little pussy, baby?”

Her cheeks flushed.

“Once or twice,” she admitted in a low voice. “I…I tried putting my finger inside myself, but I felt too guilty to continue.”

The thought of her fingering her soft little pussy—exploring herself—made Bear so hard he ached.

“Gods, baby,” he groaned. “You’re making it awfully damn hard not to take you.”

“But you can have me if you want me,” Aleena insisted softly. “I am yours , my Lord Husband.”

“I know, but I can’t take you,” Bear nearly groaned in frustration.

“Because of the Claiming period?” Aleena asked.

He nodded, reluctantly.

“Yeah, baby. Because of the Claiming period,” he said, knowing it was a lie.

“But what comes after the holding time?” she asked, her eyes wide. “You told me but I forgot. What’s next?”

“After the holding time, comes the bathing and touching time,” Bear growled.

“Oh…would we take a bath together then?” Aleena asked.

He nodded.

“That’s right, baby. And I’d be allowed to touch you naked—traditionally a Kindred warrior massages his bride with exotic oils during that time.”

“I…I see…” Aleena was panting—maybe because he was continuing to rub her soft little pussy, caressing her clit through her panties. “And then what?” she asked.

“Well then comes the tasting week,” Bear told her. “That’s when I’m allowed to suck your sweet nipples and spread your legs to taste your hot little pussy.”

“Oh!” Aleena’s eyes grew wide with surprise. “You…you would want to do that? To put your mouth there?” She looked down between her legs.

“Hell yes, I want to put my mouth there,” Bear growled. “There’s nothing better than spreading your female’s legs and lapping her soft little pussy while she moans and gasps and pulls your hair!”

“But…but don’t you think it’s beneath you?” Aleena asked. “The men of my people think it’s debasing to put their face anywhere near a woman’s secret areas.”

“The men of your people are fucking idiots,” Bear growled. “Sorry if that sounds insulting but it’s true! They hit and hurt their females and discard them whenever they want, and now you tell me they won’t even taste their brides? What in the Seven Hells is wrong with them?”

“I don’t know.” Aleena shook her head. “I’ve never been with any man before—I only know what I’ve heard other women whispering about. And no Karpsian man will put his mouth on his wife there.” She bit her lip. “Although, they will put their mouth on their bride’s breasts—they have to.”

“They have to? Why?” Bear was mystified. Was this some kind of custom he didn’t know about?

“Well…because it’s the only way to make the nipple bands release each night,” Aleena told him. Reaching up, she tugged at the thin silk ribbon that held the top part of her night dress closed. The moment it came loose, the two halves of the top parted and folded back, revealing her full, naked breasts completely.

Bear had to bite back a groan. Gods, she had such luscious, full breasts! His hands itched to cup them again as he had during their Joining ceremony. Then what Aleena had told him finally came home.

“Wait—are you telling me that the only way for you to remove the nipple bands is for me to suck your nipples?” he asked her.

Looking a bit apprehensive, she nodded.

“When you put the bands in your mouth at the ceremony, they reacted to your body chemistry. And only that same chemistry can remove the bands each night. It’s not good to leave them on too long,” she added. “But…maybe you feel that you can’t do it, since we are not yet in our tasting time?”

Bear frowned. Goddess, how was he supposed to deal with this level of temptation? He really shouldn’t suck her nipples…and yet, he had to. She couldn’t keep the damn bands on all night—surely it would be bad for her circulation!

“I guess in this case we’ll have to make an exception,” he told her. “Come here baby—let me suck your nipples for you.”

Aleena did as he asked, leaning closer to offer her full, naked breasts. With a low groan, Bear cupped one full globe in his hand and gave in to temptation.

She moaned softly as he sucked and licked her tight peak. He still had one hand between her thighs and he could feel how hot and wet she was getting, even through the lace panties. It was clear she was enjoying what he was doing—which only made him fucking hotter!

At last the first band slipped off and Bear laid it to one side, on the small table beside the couch. He knew he ought to go to work on the other nipple but he captured the first one again, sucking it fully into his mouth and drawing deep to make Aleena moan and squirm as he petted her pussy.

“Oh…oh my Lord Husband!” she cried softly. “I have never felt anything like this before! It feels so good!”

Knowing how innocent she was made Bear even hotter. He suddenly wanted to teach her everything —but he knew he shouldn’t.

At last he released the first nipple. It was tight and it had turned an even darker bronze from the way he’d been sucking so hard.

“Oh…” Aleena was still panting. “Why…why does it feel so good?” she asked him. “And why do I feel it down there—between my legs—when you suck my nipples?”

“That’s because everything is connected, baby,” he murmured hoarsely. “When I touch you and taste you, it gets your body ready to make love—do you understand?”

“You mean, ready for you to change the color of my eyes?”

“Mmm-hmm.” He nodded. “And ready to be bred.”

“So that you could plant a baby in my belly?” Her eyes got even wider.

Bear nodded again.

“Exactly. But sex doesn’t always have to be about breeding, you know. It can just be about pleasure, too.”

“Just pleasure? But isn’t that wrong?” she asked uncertainly. “I mean, I thought that, you know, sex was just so a man could change the color of a woman’s eyes and plant a baby in her belly.”

“It’s not wrong to just have pleasure,” Bear told her, frowning. “In fact, you don’t even need a male to touch you to give you pleasure—you can give pleasure to yourself.”

“Oh but…I shouldn’t.” Her cheeks flushed.

“Sure you should,” Bear told her. “Look—show me how you did it before. Show me how you touched yourself before you felt guilty and stopped.”

Aleena nibbled her lower lip—which seemed to be a nervous habit.

“It’s okay, baby,” Bear reassured her. “You can touch yourself. I’m your husband and I’m telling you to,” he added, thinking that might relieve some of her guilt and hesitation.

It turned out he was right. The worry cleared from her lovely face and she nodded.

“All right, my Lord Husband. Would…would you like me to take off my panties so you can see?”

Bear felt his cock throb again. Gods! How was he going to get through this night without breaking his vow? He would just have to hold himself back and let her bring herself pleasure, he told himself.

“Yes, baby—let’s take off those little panties,” he growled softly. “Wait…let me do it.”

Hooking his thumbs through the thin lace sides of the panties, he pulled them down and off her legs. A few moments later, Aleena was settled in his lap, straddling him again, but this time her pussy was completely bare.

The position caused the outer lips of her pussy, which were swollen with desire, to part on their own, giving him a glimpse of her slippery inner folds and the hot little button of her clit.

“Gods!” he groaned. “So fucking beautiful, baby! Go on now—show me how you touched yourself.”

Hesitantly, Aleena slid one hand down and cupped her mound. She moaned softly as her small fingers invaded her sex, slipping inward to caress herself.

“That’s right, baby,” Bear encouraged her. “Pet your sweet little clit—my people call that your ‘Goddess pearl’, you know,” he added.

“Ohhhh!” Aleena’s eyes went half-lidded as she obeyed him and circled her tight little button with her fingertip. “Oh my Bear—why does it feel so good?” she moaned.

“Because the Goddess made that part of you just for pleasure,” he told her. “So it’s all right to touch yourself there, baby—it’s all right to make yourself feel good.”

“I…I never did this before—when…when I tried touching myself,” she panted. “I just…just put my finger inside.”

“Do you want to show me how you did it?” Bear murmured, thumbing her nipple. “Let me see, baby.”

Aleena did as he asked. Moving her hand down, she slid her middle finger deep in her pussy.

“Good girl,” Bear encouraged her. “Does that feel good? Are you nice and tight?”

“ Really tight.” She nodded. “I…I confess I was worried, you know. I was wondering how…how you could fit inside me.” She looked down at the sizeable lump in his trousers and Bear understood. No doubt his size scared her, but he didn’t want her to be afraid.

“You don’t have to worry about that, baby,” he reassured her. “I’m not going to do that to you tonight.”

“Because we haven’t reached the right time?” she asked. “But even when we do, I’m afraid I’ll be too tight for you to fit inside me.”

Bear shook his head.

“No, baby. You see, my body makes special compounds that will help you open up for me. So you don’t have to be afraid, all right?”

“Really. No matter how tight I am?” She still looked doubtful and Bear wanted to reassure her.

“No matter how tight,” he promised.

“But, well…I just don’t see how.” She bit her lip. “Maybe…maybe you should feel inside me and see if you think I’m too tight for it to work.”

Bear frowned.

“I shouldn’t,” he pointed out. “We’re not in our bathing and touching time yet.”

“No, but we’re not in our tasting time and yet you sucked my nipple for me,” Aleena pointed out. “Please, Bear—it would make me feel so much better if you felt inside me and let me know if you think I’ll be able to…to take you when the time comes,” she begged softly.

At that point, Bear didn’t feel like he could say no to her anymore. Besides, he wanted to touch her soft little pussy with nothing between them. He wanted to bring her pleasure—to watch her come, possibly for the first time in her life, since she’d never been allowed to touch herself.

The temptation was simply too much. He slipped his hand between her spread legs and cupped her naked pussy in his hand.

“All right, baby,” he growled softly. “Just open your pussy like a good girl and let me fill you up.”