Page 21 of Risking Her Heart (Red Planet Fated Mates #9)

20

KATARINA

“ H ow long?” Zas’tu asks.

“One cycle, maybe more but not much,” Kri’cati answers.

Zas nods as he frowns. The three of us are staring at a table, but on top of it is a map of the desert. It’s some kind of a hologram technology showing the area around the mountain refuge all the way to the cliff where the section of the generation ship crashed.

“Not enough,” Zas growls.

“It will take that long to move it all,” I say.

“We do not have a choice,” Kri’cati says. “We need to move the people first that can help prepare the space. We have worked hard, but there is much to do. This base was not designed for so many. Fifty, a hundred at the most. Not hundreds.”

Leaning onto the edge of the table, I try to imagine the distance between the ship and here. We don’t have enough tamed mounts nor any other way to transport the people. Some of the survivors are older and some are not as healthy. The weakest didn’t make it but it’s a big difference between surviving and working around the ship and traversing the wide open space of the desert between the two locations. The heat alone is enough to kill, witness my own heat stroke.

“Epis?” Zas asks.

“No, we don’t have any supply,” Kri’cati says.

Zas curses in his own language. I don’t understand it, but I feel the sentiment in his words and the way he spits it out.

“Dangerous,” Zas says.

“The transport will help,” I say, tracing my finger between the ship and the refuge.

“Not safe,” Zas says, then looks over at Kri’cati and says more.

I wait impatiently, hating that we still can’t express ourselves to one another easily.

“Yes,” Kri’cati agrees.

“Yes what?” I snap in frustration.

“The transport is loud. It will highly likely attract zemlja.”

“Oh,” I say, cold chills rushing through.

The zemlja are the apex predators of Tajss. Massive sandworms that burrow their way under the surface. I’ve only seen one from a distance and the experience was more than enough to leave me frozen and never wanting to see one again.

“It will be a big risk to move this many people no matter what,” Kri’cati explains. “We have no choice though. The Order will come. Before we cut communications, our directives were to prepare for an assault that was intended to capture all the females.”

I stare at him as bile rises in my throat. Jackie, make it clear what they wanted us for. I wonder how many back at the ship know this or if the Zmaj there kept the secret.

Zas growls, it’s so low and deep that it vibrates on my ear drums. His entire body thrums and his tail is tapping the ground in anger. I rub the small of his back below his wings. He looks down and his crooked grin spreads and his tail stops tapping.

“We don’t have a choice then,” I say. “We have to get everyone moved as fast as possible. Can we hold them off here?”

Kri’cati frowns and shrugs. “It won’t be easy, but yes.”

I nod, putting my hand over my mouth to suppress a yawn.

“You both need sleep,” Jackie says. “We all do. It’s been a long day.”

I can’t argue with her because I am exhausted. We’ve been touring, inspecting, and discussing details for hours. I don’t know what time it is because there are no suns to judge by, but it feels really late.

“Rest good,” Zas’tu says.

“Come with me,” Jackie says. “We have a room for you two.”

I perk up at that. A room? A wicked grin forms and Jackie knows me well enough to return her own grin. She nods understanding. My love for my friend knows no bounds. It’s just like before, on the ship, where we know each other so well that it all just flows.

“Oh, this is nice,” I say when she opens the door to the room.

It’s not big, about the size of the bunks on the ship, but the bed looks particularly comfortable with three big fluffy looking pillows.

“Feel free to… use it,” Jackie says with a lascivious smile and a knowing wink.

I jerk her into a tight hug.

“I love you Jax,” I whisper.

“I love you too,” she says. “Take advantage. Tomorrow the work begins, and gods above only know when we’ll have another chance. I promise you; I’m not missing mine.”

We part and she leaves us alone. Zas’tu walks to the bed, jumps up and lands on his back, crossing his arms behind his head. His eyes are half-closed before I get the door shut and begin to walk over and I’d swear he’s about to fall asleep.

I crawl onto the bed next to him, half debating letting him sleep since I’m tired too, but Jax’s final words echo in my thoughts. I’ve never been one to let opportunity pass me by. I hook my leg over his and lay my head on his chest.

I idly trail my fingers over his chest and down his belly. The scales and hard muscles are ridiculously solid, and I love the way they feel. He’s breathing slow, and even, not reacting yet, but I’ve got a plan. I don’t stop at the hem of his pants, sliding my hand over the fabric then moving to the side where his soft cock has come to rest.

I trace the outline of it, and he rumbles with pleasure as his dick stiffens in his pants. It grows hard straight at first then tangles up in the cloth as it tries to rise. He groans in discomfort, moving one hand from behind his head and towards his pants, but I stop him.

“No,” I say. “Me.”

I slide a ways down the bed then take the tie of his pants in my mouth, pulling up and looking at him as I do. His eyes widen and he growls. I take hold of the loosened pants and pull them up. He lifts his hips so I can pull them down.

His dick jerks up to attention, dropping onto his stomach with a loud smack. I take the moment to admire it both for size and girth. Leaning close, I lick along the soft underside. He squirms in reaction.

I work his dick with my tongue, enjoying the way it jumps in response to my rough tongue. He squirms, growls, and tries to grab my head a couple of times but I push his hands away. I’m in charge this time.

I intersperse light nibbles between licks and that really gets him going. As I keep at it I take his balls in one hand and gently work them too. He’s groaning and thrusting his hips then he slaps my ass with his tail.

“Oh,” I yelp both in surprise and unexpected pleasure.

He is watching my face and when I smile, he gives me that gorgeous, crooked grin. I grab his cock and stroke it fast and hard. I want him to come. Now.

He rises up, grabs my shirt, and rips it up and over. I get my hand back onto his cock as he tries to work my pants. I do what I can to help him but I’m on a mission too.

It’s a struggle, but I’m naked at last and straddling over his legs while I work his cock and balls with hands and mouth. He runs his tail over my back and ass. When he presses it against the crack of my ass I push back into it.

He slides the tail down as I lick all around the head of his dick. Suddenly his tail is in my pussy pushing me forward. His dick slides into my throat with the force and then we’re both coming.

I’m so lost in my own orgasm I barely realize I’m choking on his sperm that overflows my mouth and throat. He is grunting in the sexiest way possible as he thrusts his dick up and down into my mouth.

I shudder as the last remnants of orgasm pass through. Unlike a dick his tail doesn’t soften, leaving me pleasantly filled as the orgasm causes my pussy to contract a few more times before the final quakes wrap up.

I drop onto him, and we hold each other in comfortable silence. His fingers trail over my skin and he slides the tail out but then his second cock is pressing to my opening. I shift my hips until it breaks the seal of my lips and slides inside.

We take our time, enjoying one another. Neither of us are in a rush to finish. Having him inside feels right. Somehow natural, as if I’m coming home. When we finish together, we’re both wiped. We quickly clean ourselves up then cuddle under the blanket still naked.

“Treasure,” he murmurs softly.

“Yes,” I agree. “Yours.” I rise onto an elbow so I can look into his eyes. “You’re sure?”

He frowns then shakes his head.

“Sure?”

“Yes, sure,” I insist.

He clears his throat, thinking the question over carefully, or so it seems.

“Kat,” he touches my face and then runs his fingers through my hair. He trails them over my shoulder until he presses his hand between my dangling breasts. “My heart. Your heart. Same. We are one.”

My heart races, my throat clenches, and all I can do is nod. I kiss him and I know, for sure, that though the future is going to be fraught with peril, he is the one I love and that he loves me. Everything else will be what it’s going to be. I risked my heart and this time it’s paid off.

Unable to say words, I claim his lips as the best answer I can give.