Page 19 of Rescuing Mara (Warriors of Arracate #2)

CHAPTER 19

Mara

I am blushing like crazy when O’Rec walks up to the door. Instantly, I miss the warmth of his body and the feeling of his tail around my leg. He shields his body with the door, covering up the mess we made. I bury my face in the blankets to muffle my giggles, not daring to look up until I hear the door close.

O’Rec is holding onto a lot of colorful fabric and displays the items on the bed. I quickly move over and stand up next to him. The items are gorgeous, deep pink and vibrant green tunics with loose pants. The fabric looks so soft and inviting, and when I reach out to touch it, it’s as soft as I imagined.

“These outfits are amazing!” I squeal, enthusiastic over the pretty colors.

“I take it you like the colors?” O’Rec smiles at me.

“Yes! Apparently, I love color.” With that revelation, I almost hear the clink in my mind rattling the chain, weakening the links even further. A pulsing feeling deep inside of me takes over. All these feelings threaten to overwhelm me, and I desperately search for some seclusion.

“Do you need the bathroom?” O’Rec mistakes my unrest for something else, but I grab the handout he is giving me and nod. He points me towards a door near the stage I had missed earlier, and I rush in to calm myself and do my business.

When I return, O’Rec is already dressed and looking fabulous.

“I will wait for you in the hallway,” he says. He’s almost at the door when he hesitates and walks back to me, leaning in to give me the sweetest little kiss before walking away with a goofy grin.

He’s not even in the room, but still, I’m blushing. My mind spins with the intimacy of what we did, with how good it felt to be that close to him. How good it felt to make my own choices. Something tries to pierce through the happy feeling in my mind, but I push it away. I will push all thoughts of Ananta away, I decide. She does not belong on this planet. I promised O’Rec to give him a chance, to at least try. And I can’t do that with her in my head.

With firm determination, I change my clothes, wash my face, and finger-comb my hair. I look in the mirror but hardly recognize the person I see looking back at me. There’s a spark in my eyes, and the low cut of the tunic shows off my new tattoo. I smile at myself in the mirror, promising to open myself up and enjoy everything Novarron has to offer.

* * *

Dinner was nothing short of a feast filled with local delicacies, rich wine, and flowing conversation. I kept my distance, observing quietly from my place at O’Rec’s side. Apparently, it’s a big deal for the Novarrion people that the Prince of Arracate has shown his face, and the entire evening, people are coming up to our table to express their thanks for everything the Warriors have done for them.

After the dishes had been cleared, furniture was almost magically rearranged, and right now, we are lounging on long couches on the side of the room, music is playing, and people are dancing. Lauren and D’Var constantly touch and kiss, uncaring of all the glances thrown their way.

O’Rec puts his arm around me, pulling me to his side, and I blush. I can feel his tail curling up my leg as he continues to have a vivacious conversation with the person next to him. He is smiling, and his voice is slightly louder than his typical soft-spoken timbre. I giggle; he must have drunk more wine than I thought.

“O’Rec,” I whisper, tugging at the collar of his tunic.

“Yes, my beautiful mate?” His voice booms through the room. I flinch with discomfort, but nobody is paying us attention - they are just having fun.

“How much wine did you drink?” I smirk at him, which causes him to let out a full belly laugh. His head is thrown back, and he’s entirely at ease.

“Well, enough to relax and enjoy the evening, but it seems a bit more than you, my pretty mate.”

I blush. A sober O’Rec has the potential to soften my heart, but a drunk one is making my knees feel weak.

He leans into me, breathing deeply. “Dance with me, Marra,” he pleads, and I don’t have the energy to argue.

He pulls me on the dancefloor, Lauren and D’Var joining us immediately. They start a goofy dance to the upbeat tune. O’Rec joins them, but all I can do is stare and smile.

“Come on, Mara! Move that butt!” Lauren yells, taking my hands and pulling me with her.

“I don’t know how…” I admit, and she looks at me in horror.

“Have you never danced before?” I shake my head in denial. “That’s…” she starts, then interrupts herself. “No, nope, we are looking forward. Dancing makes you happy. Do you want to be happy, Mara?”

If only she knew how desperately I want to be happy, to feel the joy that seems to come to her so easily.

I push back tears, and I push everything back. If I want happiness, I need to take it.

“Show me!” I demand, making her laugh.

“Just do what I do!” she yells, putting her hands in the air and shaking her body. She looks ridiculous, but that does not stop me from mimicking her movements. Lauren squeals in delight, and my movements become more fluid, beat by beat. I close my eyes, letting myself feel the music.

I feel O’Rec’s presence behind me at the exact moment the music changes. The upbeat tempo turns into a slower, more seductive song, and I rest my back against his chest. I hardly come up to his chin, but his body feels glued to mine as we move together in a sensual rhythm.

The music goes on and on, but we stay like this, gently moving our bodies in sync with each other, losing track of time. The music fades to the background, and all I can feel is O’Rec - his muscular chest against me, his hands on my waist.

“Walk with me,” he whispers, taking my hand, and I follow him without question.

It’s dark outside, but little lights shine everywhere, hovering in the air. O’Rec leads me to a sandy beach. It’s silent here, all you can hear are the sounds from the water and the night creatures. I am lost in him, lost in his presence, lost in this crackling energy that surrounds us.

He leads, and I follow.

It doesn’t take long before I see an enormous tree rising in front of us. It’s firmly rooted on the divide between the beach and the grasslands. Its long, slender branches gracefully arch out. Leaves sprout from the crown of the tree, spiraling down, making them look like hair.

O’Rec guides me through the leaves, and I marvel at the wonders I see. The dark purple tree trunk is enormous, and glowing pink flowers decorate the branches.

I spin around to thank him for showing me this amazing place, but his eyes make me freeze on the spot.

Lust is pouring off him in waves, and he is looking so hot and feral. I slowly swallow and wet my lips. With a low growl, he stalks towards me, and automatically, I take a step back until my back connects with the tree. Within my next breath, he is on me. Inhaling deeply into the crook of my neck, his hands roaming the sides of my body.

I try to move against him, but he is too tall. He must have read my mind because his hands grab my ass, and he hoists me up, pulling me against him and pinning me to the tree. I feel my breath coming out in irregular pants. His cock presses against my center. Lust flares inside of me now that I’ve had a taste of him. I want more.

My hands roam his body, but his tunic is blocking my access to his naked skin. I groan in frustration. “I want to touch you.”

He just smirks and slides his tail under the hem of my tunic, moving up until it connects with my naked skin. “Like this?” he teases.

I moan and arch into him. “Yes, like that.” I reach for his tunic with a huff.

He easily distracts me by replacing his tail with his hand, moving up until it spans my ribcage and rests just under my breast.

“Marra,” he says. Breathing hard. “Can I touch you?”

“Yes!” I groan. I don’t only want his touch; I need his touch. He wastes no time, immediately stroking the soft intimate flesh of my breast.

“You are so soft, my mate,” he murmurs. His forehead resting against mine, his lips hovering just above my mouth.

“Kiss me!” With a grin, he obeys. Hunger and need drive this kiss, his lips firm on mine, and immediately, I open for him, just like before in the bedroom. The kiss turns wild when our tongues touch, finding our rhythm with this sensation that is so new to both of us.

His fingers play with my nipple, and his mouth assaults mine, he grinds his cock against me, and I feel wetness against my trousers.

“O’Rec… It’s... wet. I don’t want to...” He cuts me off with another kiss.

“Yes,” he pants when he breaks our connection. “Deliciously wet, did you not notice that in the bedroom? You are aroused, my star. Your cunt is getting itself nice and wet for my cock.”

I feel tingles all over my body, and it’s almost like my chest is exploding. Suddenly, I am absolutely certain I want this male. I want what he’s talking about, me being so wet that his cock can just slide in.

“Marra…” he moans loudly. “What are you thinking about? Your scent and your arousal are getting stronger by the second.”

“You.” I pant. “I want you O’Rec. If it’s arousal you are scenting, it’s because the thought of your cock inside me arouses me.”

Breathing erratically, his eyes are wild as he looks at me.

“We can’t go back once we have started mating, my star. Our bond is already developing, and it will only grow stronger when we mate. It will mean you have accepted me.”

I swallow. Do I really want this? Could it work? Panic rises together with realization, and I hate that I’m still unsure of this remarkable male.

O’Rec groans and rests his head against the tree. “We are moving too fast, my star. I can feel it, and it is okay.” He looks at me, a sly grin on his face. “There are many other ways I can make you cum, we can try them all out. And when you are ready and want me as much as I want you, we will get to the mating.”

Tears fill my eyes, and I blink them away. “Thank you,” I whisper, enticing another grin from him.

“Thank me for what? I have not done anything… yet.” He gently kisses me, and with one stroke of his thumb on my breast, the hunger inside of me sparks again. And it is back with a vengeance.

I moan his name, unable to voice my needs. But somehow, he knows exactly what I need.

His hand leaves my breast, and gently, he lowers me to the ground. My protest at the loss of touch dies when he kneels on the ground and grabs hold of my trousers. His gaze fixed on mine as I give him an encouraging nod. Slowly, he pulls down my trousers until they fall around my ankles. I shudder from the sudden exposure and the feel of his hands against my naked skin. He moves them up towards my thighs, taking the fabric of the tunic with him.

His face is right in front of my naked sex now, and I feel a little bit uncomfortable until he looks up at me and licks his lips.

“Can I taste you, my star?” he rasps. All I can do is nod. Slowly, his tongue darts out and licks my folds, making us both moan. “Hold on to my horns,” he instructs as he takes hold of my thighs and parts my folds with his thumbs. A yelp leaves my mouth when he licks me again, and I grab onto his horns. That felt amazing!

He explores my sex with soft licks and strokes of his tongue, and although it feels incredible, I have this weird sensation that something is missing. We quickly find out what when he gives me a particular long lick, and I practically burst when his tongue hits a special place above my opening.

“There! Do that again.”

I feel him chuckle against my sensitive flesh. “Here?” he teases as he licks the same spot again.

“Yes!” I moan as he focuses all his attention on that spot.

He hums in approval. “There is a little something there. Could that be the thing that gives you pleasure, my mate?”

“I don’t know,” I pant. “But it appears to be the case.”

He chuckles, but then continues licking, and when he sucks on that special place, I lose all control. I cry out his name, and I cum.

* * *

O’Rec

She explodes on my tongue, and a gush of liquid rushes from her opening. I lap it all up, her taste is exquisite, and I do not want to lose a drop of her delicious cum.

I pull back when I feel her tugging on my horns. I lick my lips as I look up at her. Tears are shimmering in her eyes, and I pull up her trousers and lift her into my arms for an all-consuming kiss. I am glad she thought of this kissing. It is intimate and unforgettable, and the way it instantly unravels her is the most incredible turn-on.

“Are you okay?” I pant.

“Yes, thank you.”

I grin. “You are welcome.”

I hold on to her for a little while longer, but nighttime is falling fast, and I want to move us to the bedroom. So, I reluctantly let go and put her back on her feet, my tail slithering up and circling her waist.

“Time for bed?” she asks.

“Time for bed.”

We walk back in silence. The feast is almost entirely cleared up, and most people have retreated to their rooms. T’Rak is still sitting on the couch we left him on, holding a drink in his hand. When we enter, he dips his chin in acknowledgment, and I touch my mind with his.

“Thank you for waiting for us, my friend.” He does not reply, but I feel his satisfaction in knowing we are all back safely. He downs his drink and puts it on a small table before he rises and walks towards us.

“Time for me to call it a night as well.”

We walk in silence toward our rooms and say our goodnights. I let Marra freshen up first, and by the time I’m done, she’s looking sweet and sleepy. I lay down beside her and pull her into my arms. Sighing she relaxes and melts into me. Before long we are both asleep.