Page 25 of Scars & Starlight (Of Blood and Conquest #1)

KAIREN

W e’re halfway to the human country of Russia the next day when Queen Raelith hails us on the comms. Thankfully, we both cleaned up and rested – sadly only in the literal sense of the word – and don’t show any consequences of our encounter with the Ghorvek yesterday.

“Mother,” I greet her, my voice taking on a gentleness I only used for her or my sister before Tara arrived in my life.

“My treasure,” she replies before her eyes settle on Tara by my side. “And this must be my new daughter.”

I groan and cover my face with my hands. “Mom, I thought I told you to ease her in.”

“Nonsense,” Avaris’ matriarch replies. “No match of yours is going to be scared off by an effusive new mother, Kai.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness,” Tara replies in a strangled voice. I turn to see the flush covering most of her exposed skin.

Mother clicks her tongue. “Please. Call me Mother, or Rae if you absolutely can’t yet. I’m so glad we’ve finally met. ”

“What do you mean, finally, Mother?” I roll my eyes. “I only met her a moonfall ago.”

“Well,” she replies haughtily. “I’ve been waiting to meet the female who will eventually replace me since you were born.”

I bang my head back against the headrest. She makes me feel like such a juvenile. “Don’t even talk about that, Mom.”

“You realize I might choose to retire one day, my son?” she shoots back with her arms braced on her hips. “Perhaps I want to spend time with my grandchildren instead of in countless meetings?”

“You don’t have any grandchildren,” I reply dryly.

The queen narrows her green eyes at us. “Well, have you two been doing anything to change that?”

“Mother!” I protest as Tara starts choking. I place a hand on my match’s back and rub it in soothing circles. “I know I’m the first of your children to find their match, but this is unacceptable.”

The queen deflates and throws my princess an apologetic look. “Forgive me, Tara. I should have spared you the full brunt of my personality until we at least had brunch with some good Vasari spirits together here on Avaris.”

Thankfully, my match is a good sport, and instead of getting upset at boundaries crossed, she smiles gently.

“I’m looking forward to that,” she says. “I mean brunch, not making grandchildren. I mean, talking about making grandchildren! But I’m not not –”

I interrupt her rambling with a press of my lips against hers, swallowing the words that would make her dig the hole she’s in any deeper.

Her shoulders drop, and I realize just how tense she was, holding herself so rigidly.

When we part, I stroke her cheek with my thumb, feeling the heat from her flush. By Vireon’s light, she is beautiful.

A cooing sound shakes me out of my admiration, and I turn to see that my sister has joined my mother on the other side of the conversation. “You guys are adorable!” she gushes, clasping her hands in front of her face. Her eyes, purple like mine, shimmer with moisture.

“Hi, Elara,” I greet her, resigned to having my match be a curiosity to the women in my family this rotation.

“Hiiii, Kai,” she singsongs. “Hi, Tara!”

“Hi, Elara,” my princess murmurs shyly.

“When are you coming to Avaris?” my little sister asks, her eyes round and hopeful.

“Oh, um,” Tara stutters, looking at me for help.

“We need to finish making contact with the leading groups around the humans’ planet,” I answer instead of her. “Then we’ll come home.”

While Elara prattles on about everything she wants to show off on Avaris, I glance at Tara, hoping she doesn’t mind me qualifying Avaris as her home, but she just appears grateful to be out of the line of fire.

Her adorable awkwardness makes me want to protect her from everyone.

But it also urges the predatory part of me to make her uncomfortable in other ways. Ways that make her wet for me.

“We’re nearly at our target location,” I lie to my family. “We can continue talking later.”

I cut off communications as soon as Tara is done waving at my mother and sister, then get up and stand before her, so close that she has no choice but to crane her neck, looking up at me.

“Get up and face the consoles,” I command, my voice husky from sudden desire.

Tara blinks at me. “I–I thought you said we were almost there?”

“I lied,” I hiss, grabbing her by the shoulders and urging her to stand. “I’m going to fuck you over every inch of the cockpit, until I can’t look anywhere without thinking of how well my cock fits in your snug pussy.”

“Oh.” She squeaks when I spin her around and press on her shoulder blades until she has no choice but to hold on to the console. Taking a step back, I take in the visual. Perfect .

I lean back over her, running my hands over her stomach and breasts. “Is this alright?” I whisper into her ear before biting down.

“More than alright,” she breathes, arching back into me.

Having her permission, I let the beast in me lose.

I tear open her bottoms and push them down along with her underwear until they drop to her ankles, then use my hands to spread her thighs as wide as their restriction allows me.

I grab onto her hips and fall to my knees.

Even though I spent long cycles as the crown prince, I find my position of worship to be fitting.

“Brace yourself,” I growl lowly, my eyes already locked on my target: the already-glistening curves of her sex. I use my thumbs to spread the firm globules of her behind, then dive in with my tongue extended, getting my first taste of euphoria in over a rotation.

Frustrated by the constriction, I rip open the damp front of my own pants, allowing my leaking member to spring out. I feast on her as I take myself in hand, fucking her channel with my tongue to the same rhythm.

“Kairen,” she moans, wiggling her ass in my face, and I dig my fingers into her curves harder, keeping her still for my ministrations.

I gather the precum dripping down my shaft on my fingers and bring it to her tight hole, growling as I watch it disappear inside her along with my digits. I don’t think I can last much longer without coming inside her.

“Princess. I need you to come over my fingers, so you can gush over my cock.”

“Oh, fuck!” Tara screams, just as her walls start fluttering wildly. Her hips try to buck, but I don’t let her move, forcing her to stand still and take it.

Before the last whimper leaves her throat, I’m up behind her, one hand braced next to hers on the console, the other lining me up with the pussy that belongs only to me.

We both groan when I bottom out, the small aftershocks she’s still experiencing massaging my cock.

I can feel myself starting to swell already, my body urging me to lock inside her and flood her womb with my cum, to impregnate her and continue my line.

I throw my head back as I start pistoning inside her, the delicate skin of her tunnel dragging over my extrusions, driving me crazy with need.

My mind becomes overcome with fantasies that bring tears of want to my eyes.

Leaning forward again, I slow down and caress her belly, my forehead resting on the back of her neck.

“I’m going to give you dozens of babies,” I tell her in a quiet voice before licking a drop of salty sweat from her skin.

“D–dozens?” she stutters, but the way her pussy clenches over my shaft tells me the truth: she’s enjoying the thought as much as I am.

“Yes,” I murmur, still going slow, making her feel every inch. “I want my hands on your swollen belly as I make love to you like this.”

Tara shudders. “Faster, Kairen, please,” she begs on a moan, little tremors racking her limbs.

“Yes, My Queen,” I breathe, obeying her demands. “Harder, too?”

When she nods jerkily, I widen my stance so I can pound against her with every forward thrust.

“Does Her Highness want her humble servant to make her come?” I ask with a mockingly innocent lilt to my voice.

Her pussy chokes my cock as she whines, “Yes, yes, make me come.”

I bring my free hand to the front of her mound and place my fingers over the throbbing bundle of nerves hidden there, rocking her body into them.

“Whatever my queen desires,” I say. “I am merely your breeder, here to give you my seed whenever you demand.” My breathing turns jagged as the root of my shaft swells further, making my movements more difficult. “Do you want me to give you my cum now, Your Highness?”

“Fuck, yes, give me your cum, Kai!” Tara shrieks, her clenching pussy making thrusting an impossibility. Luckily, I’m already coming with her, feeling thick geysers explode out of my cockhead so fast and hard it almost hurts.

Long moments pass while I caress the front of her mound, gentling her down from her peak, the sound of our ragged breaths and the drip of our combined fluids as they hit the floor the only noise.

I’m kissing the back of her neck, smelling the sweet scent of her hair, and waiting for my cock to release her, when the console underneath her beeps, making her twitch in surprise.

“Now we’ve arrived,” I tell her with a large grin on my face.

After lastlight and the meeting with Earth’s leaders in this part of the world, I hold Tara until she falls asleep, then sneak out of the bed to return to the cockpit.

It still smells of our sex, and I wish I didn’t have to have the conversation I’m about to have.

I just didn’t want to bring it up earlier, when she could hear and worry about the male she killed on the Sovereign, as well as his father.

“Is everything alright, darling?” Queen Raelith asks as soon as the connection is established. She’s in her private garden now, her forever-youthful face illuminated by the glowing spores. “Is Tara alright?” she continues, warming my hearts with her care.

“We’re both fine,” I reassure her. “I wanted a private moment with you to ask about General Korvann.” Mother’s face twists at the mention of the name, telling me he’s indeed been a nuisance. “He hasn’t given up, has he?”

“No, my son, he hasn’t. In fact, he’s attempting to gather allies for a vote of no-confidence.”

“Excuse me?” I growl through clenched teeth. “He’s questioning your rule?”

“Unfortunately, males like him love to support the law as long as enforcing it doesn’t inconvenience them. Were it any other assailant…”

“He wouldn’t have batted an eyelash,” I finish, understanding exactly what she means. “Do you need me to cut my plans here short and return to your side?”

Mom shakes her head. “No, my treasure. Give Tara’s planet the best chance possible. This will pass.”

“Very well,” I say reluctantly.

My mother’s head tilts to the side as she gives me a penetrating look. “I guess you haven’t found Tara’s family?”

I click my tongue. “We haven’t found any indications that they’re gone for a fact, though, either. I’m hoping that once communication is re-established, they’ll find their way to us.”

With one last nod, Mom kisses the tips of her fingers and extends her hand toward me, our standard goodbye.

Not yet tired, I reach out to my command team next, calling Rhaevik to take command here in this country, and checking with Orien on the British Isles, Avenis in the northern part of America, and Zorath in the more central parts of Tara’s continent.

We have a few more stops to make before we can depart for Avaris, but I’m eager to set Korvann in his place and have him posted to some dreary edge of the universe. With a grim smile, I return to my love.