Page 16 of Survivor (A Space Pearl’s Treat #2)

“I would give up anything for you,” I murmured, unable to resist closing the distance between us.

Every fiber of my being ached to be near her.

I moved nearer, but didn’t allow myself the bliss of touching her—not yet.

“Don’t you understand you are the most beautiful and extraordinary being I have ever known?

Your spirit, the way you look at life, has ignited something deep inside me.

It’s given me purpose. I’m willing to stand against my mother and risk death, all because of the way you make me feel. ”

“How do I make you feel?” Lucy whispered, her tone trembling as though she feared my answer.

I reached up and let my fingertips graze along the gentle curve of her cheek. Her skin warmed my hand, still holding the cool, lingering chill of the creek.

How could I convey to her the way she made me feel?

Invincible, as though with her by my side, I could overcome any challenge life threw my way?

That she’d somehow made me believe being unable to shift my scales didn’t matter.

That I was stronger with the colors of my heritage emblazoned on my skin. That I was stronger with her.

I couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment these feelings took root within me.

Perhaps from that very first encounter, when her eyes caught mine, she began weaving herself into the very fabric of my soul.

Our short time together had given my life with a joy I thought found only in legends.

Now, I longed for her presence more desperately than I craved the very air that filled my lungs.

In the end, the words conveying the enormity of my feelings were deceptively simple.

“I can face anything as long as you are by my side.”

Enormous, glistening tears cascaded down Lucy’s cheeks, carving shimmering trails on her flushed skin while her body quivered like a leaf in the breeze.

Despite this, a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

The next thing I knew, she was in my arms, her fingers gripping my shoulders desperately.

Her eyes, deep and expressive, locked onto mine, brimming with emotions so complex and profound that they eluded definition.

Yet, they resonated within me, causing my heart to thunder in response.

Lucy stared at me for a moment, her eyes wide and bright, the gold among the green and brown shimmering. Then, standing on tiptoe, she pressed her mouth to mine.

Kissing.

I knew of the term from my Earth research. Honestly, I’d considered the action unsanitary, but now that I was in the middle of it, I realized I’d been oh so wrong.

Her lips were like velvet against mine, and her taste was an exquisite blend of kipawa fruit with a sweetness that reminded me of sun-kissed nectar.

Her breath caressed my face—warm, fragrant, intoxicating—a delicious mixture of sweet and exotic spice that made my head swim.

What captivated me most was the way her body melded against mine, the soft curves of her breasts pressing into my chest with a gentle urgency that spoke of desire without words.

My hands moved of their own accord, tracing the perfect roundness of her breasts.

Her nipples hardening beneath my touch like precious gems, their firmness evident even through the light, airy tunic we’d borrowed from the ship—garments she had taken to wearing in the jungle’s relentless heat.

As my thumb brushed across the sensitive peaks, she rewarded me with a soft, melodious moan that vibrated through her body, her frame trembling delicately as she pressed herself more firmly against me.

Our lips danced together while my hands journeyed from her breasts along the gentle slope of her waist, fingers finding the hem of her tunic.

I broke our kiss reluctantly—just long enough to search her eyes, seeing in their depths a flame of desire and silent permission—before lifting the garment over her head.

I revealed her breasts in all their glory—perfect, supple mounds crowned with rosy peaks that beckoned me forward, promising a sweetness I longed to taste.

Cradling her waist with reverent hands, I lifted her closer, drawing a nipple between my lips. The sound that escaped her—a deep, sensual moan—sent waves of satisfaction through me, eliciting a soft chuckle that reverberated against her skin.

“You taste delicious,” I whispered against her heated flesh, savoring the subtle saltiness mingled with an underlying sweetness that lingered on my tongue.

I lavished attention on one nipple, then the other, teasing until they became exquisitely sensitive.

Even my gentlest breath against them made her quiver delightfully, her breasts bouncing in a way that captivated my gaze.

The desire for her burned within me, fiercer than anything I’d ever known.

It surpassed even the desperate yearning I had felt in my youth to shift my scales, a longing so intense that it consumed me while my mother belittled and beat me for my inability.

I used to think I’d never want anything more than being able to shift.

But I did. I wanted Lucy. I wanted to bury myself deep inside her and taste her skin and kisses.

I wanted to see the gold shimmer in her eyes as she looked at me.

I wanted her plump lips curved in a smile and the way the faintest shade of pink colored her cheeks.

Yet, with Lucy, I wanted more than the physical.

I imagined walking beside her every day, basking in the sound of her laughter, complete with the knowledge that she was mine.

But as long as my mother held power, my desire for her was akin to a death sentence. Despite the peril, yearning burned through my veins, and I knew deep within that no matter the danger, regardless of the difficulty, I could never let her go.

“Vraxxan, please.” Her voice dripped with need, her fingers threading through my hair, anchoring me to her breast.

I understood her yearning perfectly—it mirrored the fierce desire that blazed through my veins like liquid fire.

I carried her to a tranquil haven by the creek, where emerald moss carpeted the ground like nature’s finest carpet. A gentle mist hung suspended in the air, offering sweet relief from the jungle’s oppressive heat.

“Vraxxan,” she breathed as I settled beside her, her hands reaching up to cup my face.

“I...” My voice caught heavy with emotion as I struggled to express the depth of my longing.

“What is it?” she asked, her eyes meeting mine with a gaze so full of understanding and acceptance that it was my complete undoing.

“I want to touch you,” I murmured, my fingers exploring the delicate curves of her breasts, intoxicated by the heady, sweet aroma of her arousal that seemed to blossom at my touch. “I want to taste you.”

Her eyes widened, innocence dancing with desire in their depths. “I want that too.”

With deliberate care, as if unveiling the most precious gift, I gently untied the drawstring at her waist, sliding her pants over the gentle curve of her hips.

“So beautiful,” I whispered in awe, my hand caressing the velvet skin between her thighs. Her legs parted like flower petals opening to the sun, revealing glistening pink treasures within. My fingers traced through her swollen folds, feeling the warm nectar that welcomed my touch.

Enveloped in her intoxicating scent, I could resist no longer.

I lowered my head and, with deliberate slowness, traced my tongue along her silken heat.

Her body trembled in response, a soft gasp escaping her lips.

I raised my head, satisfaction warming my smile as I beheld her flushed cheeks and passion-darkened eyes.

“So sweet and delicious,” I murmured, my fingers dancing toward the sensitive pearl nestled at the apex of her femininity.

My finger found her entrance, slick and welcoming, and I entered her slowly, reverently.

My thumb circled her sensitive bud, sending tremors through her with each careful touch.

Lucy whimpered, her body arching as I explored her most intimate secrets.

Her response was poetry in motion—quickened breath, head tossing in abandon, hips rising to meet my touch.

Her body was a masterpiece of soft curves and responsive tremors.

I lowered my head once more, my tongue flicking across her bud while my fingers delved in and out of her heat.

The wet, sucking sounds of her arousal and the thick, musky scent filled my senses, more intoxicating than ale.

Guided by instinct, my fingers curled slightly, discovering a somewhat rough patch at the top of her channel.

A pleasure center, it seemed, for at my lightest touch, Lucy screamed her release.

Her hips bucked upward, her hands clutching at my shoulders as her core spasmed and squeezed my fingers.

A rush of sweet nectar flooded my mouth, and I lapped it up greedily, her short gasps sounding like music to my ears.

“Lucy?” I asked, raising my gaze to her face—serene, flushed with satisfaction, eyes closed in bliss.

“Mmmm?” she murmured dreamily.

“Are you alright, little one?” My voice was rough with need, my cock hard and straining against my leather britches.

I palmed myself briefly, seeking relief, but it only heightened my awareness of how much I wanted her.

I wanted to bury myself in her, to feel her tight heat around me, but my fingers inside her only emphasized her small, delicate nature compared to the females of my kind.

I would need to go slow, to take my time and ensure she was ready.

Beyond the physical, I understood the profound implications of claiming her.

I wanted her heart ready as well as her body.

Groaning, I slid up to lie beside her, my mouth finding hers in a gentle kiss, a stark contrast to the wild need coursing through my veins. I stroked her hair, pulling her close to nestle into my side. A faint, satisfied sigh escaped her lips, but a tiny frown furrowed her brows.

“Aren’t we... don’t you want...” Her eyes searched mine with tender uncertainty before drifting downward to where my cock strained against my britches. A delicate blush painted her cheeks, like flower petals kissed by the dawn and I found myself utterly captivated by her innocent beauty.

“I have exactly what I need right now,” I whispered against her ear, pulling her deeper into my embrace. I buried my face in the rich red silken cascade of her hair, breathing in the intoxicating scent of sunshine and flowers that seemed to cling to every strand. “Which is you in my arms.”

Lucy slipped her arms around my waist, cuddling closer. “I need that, too,” she whispered.

The emotion that swelled through me was indescribable.

Though I hadn’t completely claimed her, I knew with absolute certainty that Lucy was my mate.

The one female I would cherish and protect for the rest of my days.

I would challenge my mother... defy the goddess herself, to keep Lucy by my side forever.