Page 23 of Whispers of the Void (Voidborn Chronicles #1)

CHAPTER 23

RAIZ

* * *

“W hat are we doing here?” Neev looks around the empty training center with curiosity. She walks over to the wall of training weapons.

“You’re going to choose a weapon, and I’m going to give you a crash course on using it properly.”

“Why?” She looks over her shoulder at me. “Do you think I’m still in danger?”

“Yes. You’ll be in danger until my mission is completed. Especially when we go underground to the temple. I need to know you’ll be able to protect yourself in case I can’t get to you.”

“Are you worried about the males who attacked me following us?”

“Not really. I’m mostly concerned about the creatures we’ll encounter on our journey.”

Her eyebrows rise. “What kinds of creatures?”

Horrifying ones. Not that I particularly want to share the specifics of what lurks beneath the surface of our planet. “I’d rather focus on teaching you how to protect yourself for now, rather than run through a list of our deadliest creatures.”

She eyes me suspiciously but turns back to the weapons as I come stand beside her. I watch as she runs her fingers along the blades of a few sharp knives.

“I know how to work these.” She glances up at me. “Stick them with the pointy end.”

I huff a laugh. “It’s a bit more complicated than that but yes. I’d rather you take something that doesn’t require you being so close.” I pull a blaster off the wall. “Have you used one of these before?”

“No, but I’m familiar enough with them.” She follows me as I lead her to the side of the center that holds the shooting range.

I tap a few buttons on the monitor waiting for the target to appear and then take my stance, aim, and fire several successive rounds. “Do you think you could do that?”

“I’ll try.”

She takes the blaster and imitates my stance nearly perfectly. I catalog everything in my mind that she needs to fix, so the next time she fires off a few rounds I can correct her. Her eyes narrow as she focuses on the target, a black outline of a dehazgam.

“What is that target supposed to be?” she asks before firing.

“Dehazgam. It’s a vile creature capable of tearing a Zeahirian in half with one bite.”

She slowly lowers the gun and blinks. “And that’s something that will be down in the tunnels and caves?”

“Yes. They aren’t even the worst we may run into down there.” I nod toward the target. “Let me see what you’ve got.”

She turns and holds up the blaster with one arm. Just before she can fire, I step behind her. She shivers as my fingers run down the length of her left arm and lift it.

“You need to use this arm to support and hold the blaster steady. I know I used one arm, but I’m used to firing them.”

“And you’re a little bit stronger than me.” She adds lightheartedly.

“Just a bit?”

“Mmhmm.” She lifts her arms back into the position I placed them in and squeezes off a shot. It hits the paper, but it’s outside the actual shape of the target. “Damn,” she mutters. She tries again and gets within the shape of the target but not in a fatal area.

“Here.” I stand behind her, widening my stance until I’m a bit closer to her height and wrap my arms on either side of hers. “Feel the weight in your hands, let the blaster become a part of you, an extension of your hands.”

Do I need to be draped over her to teach her how to do this?

No.

Am I going to take every single chance I can to touch her?

I absolutely am.

Her scent around me intensifies, so I know she loves this just as much as I do. I help her aim, trying to ignore the spark of arousal between us and then squeeze my finger over hers on the trigger. Together we hit the center of the target, a direct hit to the kill zone.

“Do that a few more times without me.”

I walk around her, taking in her shots from every angle and correcting what needs it. She gets better with each round of shooting until I’m confident she knows enough to protect herself. I know these creatures hunt in packs, so it’s not like she’ll only be fighting off one. None of us will be able to completely dedicate ourselves to keeping her safe. This part of it comes down squarely on her shoulders.

After she’s exhausted herself with the blaster, she hands it over. “Can we try something else now?” she asks.

“Of course. Your choice.” I set the blaster back in its drawer and wait.

Eventually she settles on two twin blades, each about the length of her arm from wrist to shoulder. They’re covered in a gel that dulls the sharp edges for practice but peels off quickly and easily for emergencies. I love the idea of watching her walk around with these blades on her back.

“You want to spar with those?” I ask, grabbing a sleek single blade sword.

“Will the blaster work on your planet? Shouldn’t I have a backup weapon I can use?”

“Of course, though the blasters do work on the surface.”

“Why don’t you use them, then?”

“Blades are more fun.”

Her brows rise once again, but she doesn’t say anything. I watch as she pulls her hair back, twisting it until it sits atop her head in a messy knot. She rarely wears it up like that, and I can’t help but take in the elegant line of her neck, the way I can see her pulse flutter beneath her silken skin.

My fangs ache, mate bond fluid dripping from their tips. I swallow and push the desire to mark her, to claim her, deep down inside. We’ll have this conversation when the time comes, but it isn’t now. She has enough worries on her plate, I don’t need to add anything to them.

Her violet eyes flash as she steps onto the mat with me. “Torre taught me how to fight with a blade. I might surprise you.”

Jealousy rears up inside me like an unruly beast. Her former lover comes from a matriarchal society of warriors. I’m sure she’s incredibly fast and strong, all of her kind are, but she’d be no match for me.

“Show me what you’ve got, then,” I challenge her.

Her form is better than I was expecting. She doesn’t manage to strike me, but I don’t have to go easier on her than I would anyone else starting out with training. That alone makes my chest swell with pride. My mate is strong and resilient. She’s a fierce and intelligent fighter, a combination that would make her deadly if she possessed my strength.

I sweep her feet out from under her but catch her before she can hit the ground. Her eyes narrow in annoyance. It’s so cute I have to battle the urge to press a kiss to her lips.

“I’m proud of you, Neev. You surprise me in the most wonderful ways.”

“I didn’t even hit you.”

“Not many can. It’s not a reflection of your power or skill.”

She mumbles a disagreement as she walks over to get a drink of water. “What’s next?” she asks after taking a gulp.

“We’re done here for the day. You can go soak in the tub, it’ll help with any sore muscles.”

“What about you? What are you going to do?”

“I need to take a few meetings.” I put the blades away. “I’ll find you for dinner.”

* * *

Meeting after meeting dragged on after leaving Neev in the training center this morning. Being on board the ship has meant I’m back on regular Commander duty. It’s beneficial to be aware of everything going on throughout the system but late today an order from the Sovereign came through informing us of the next Bak’hura happening at the start of the next lunar cycle. We’re all to attend, including Neev, who the Sovereign is now aware of.

I didn’t get the impression that he knows who she is or why I brought her here. But the last place I want to take her is to the capitol. I certainly don’t want her witnessing the barbaric blood rite and rituals that surround it.

My hope is that we’ll find something in the temple to at least convince him to pause the rite, if not end them all together. Or find enough evidence to pull some of the power away from the Sovereign until the rebellion is more organized. We’ll have less than a week once we’re back on the surface to get to the temple and back.

Those worries and plans evaporate as soon as I walk into my quarters and find Neev sitting on the couch with a tablet in her hand and books beside her. She looks up, and as soon as our eyes meet, my chest begins to thrum. A smile crosses her face as she sets aside the tablet and pushes to her feet.

“Someone’s happy to see me.” She crosses the distance between us and wraps her arms around me. The tension in her body melts away as the thrum soothes her. “I don’t know what it is about this, but it just eases any stress or worry.”

“That’s the point of the thrumming. To provide comfort.”

“Do you control it?”

“No. It’s as natural as breathing. My body senses yours and shows its—” I almost say love but fear it's too soon. “Peace at being in your presence.”

She reaches up and cups my jaw, pulling my face down to hers. “You bring me peace, too.”

Her soft lips press against mine, and my thrumming intensifies. The soft curves of her body press against the hard planes of my own as my fingers glide through her silky hair, angling her head to deepen the kiss. I’ve never known another female to have this profound of an impact on me. One glance, one touch, one kiss, and I want to drag her off into the bedroom and ravish her.

I want to imprint my soul onto hers until we’re no longer separate entities.

I reach down and lift her by the back of her thighs until her legs lock around my waist. I should stop and talk to her about the change in plans, fill her in on my meetings, but the scent of her arousal hits me and logic flies out the window.

I press her against the wall and tug her shirt out of her pants. She breaks the kiss long enough to pull it over her head, tossing it to the side. My fingers run along the length of her spine as I savor the feel of her impossibly soft skin. She’s wearing another of those undergarments that hold her breasts close to her body. I let my fangs elongate and bite down into the fabric tearing it from her with my teeth. She releases a startled gasp as her breasts bounce free.

“I don’t have many of those,” she says breathlessly between kisses.

“Good. They’re a nuisance.”

She smiles against my lips. “I can’t walk around without one.”

“Why not?”

“Do you want everyone to know that I’m turned on when I look at you, to see my nipples straining against the fabric of my shirt?”

I pause, never having thought of that before. “No.”

She laughs as I carry her into the bedroom and toss her onto the bed. She quickly removes the rest of her clothes as I watch. I could have taken her in the shower this morning, but I worried she may have been sore from the night before.

“Are you sore?” I ask as my cock hardens, pushing against the fabric of my uniform pants.

“A little, but maybe you can kiss it better?” She leans back on her elbow and spreads her legs invitingly. I watch with rapt attention as she slides her other hand over her soft belly and the small mound at the top of her sex. Her fingers slip along the seam and part her folds revealing the lush, pink flesh that makes my mouth water.

I lower myself onto the mattress and crawl between her thighs. I wedge myself with her legs over my shoulders and lower my mouth to her core. I keep my eyes on hers as my lips wrap around her clit, sucking the small bud between them as I slip two fingers inside her. She’s soaked and delicious. Who needs a meal when I can feast on my mate’s cunt?

Her fingers toy with her pink, hardened nipples while she rocks her hips against my face. I want to feel her explode around my fingers, so I hook my fingers forward, searching for the spot that made her erupt with pleasure last night. Her moans spur me into a near frenzy, and I have to grind my hips into the mattress to satisfy my cock’s need for friction.

Her heels dig into my back, rubbing along my spines and sending shockwaves of pleasure through me. I turn my head and bite down on her inner thigh. The pleasure of her feet on that spot has my cock leaking seed. If she doesn’t stop, I’m going to cum in my pants like a youth.

“Neev.” My voice is nearly unrecognizable, so rough and needy. “If you don’t stop running your feet over that part of my back I’m going to release before I’m even inside you.”

Her pupils are blown so wide there’s only a violet ring around them when she looks down at me. “Really?” Her toes run along the fin. “Like this?” She does it again, increasing pressure. “This feels good?”

“Yes,” I answer with a shaky breath.

“Maybe I want to make you lose control.” She reaches down and pulls my shirt all the way off. “Sit up.” She nudges my shoulders back. “Let me take care of you this time.”

The words are on my tongue to argue as she undoes my pants and works them down my hips. She pushes me onto my back and tugs them all the way off. I’m ready for her to climb on top of me but she sits beside me and looks up as she wraps her hand around my cock.

“Fuck,” I drop my head back as she runs her fist up and down my length, taking time to circle a finger over my knob with each stroke. That pleasure is nothing compared with the jolt of electricity that shoots through me when she wraps her warm mouth around me.

I look down, startled to see her take my length all the way down her throat. Her nose grazes my knob as it begins to vibrate. My toes curl as my fingers grip the sheets. This is something that Zeahirian females never do. It’s considered taboo but fuck does it feel amazing.

I’ll give the female the entire galaxy, the universe, if she never stops.

She releases my length with a loud pop, salvia connecting my cock to her lips in a sexy mess. I drag her on top of me and pull her face to mine. This kiss is feral, all vicious desire and need as she drags her wet heat along my shaft.

She sits up using my chest for balance while I grip my cock and run its tip along her seam. She moans, her eyes fluttering shut, as I use it to tease her clit. I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight than her lost to her pleasure on top of me.

“Look at me,” I command as I notch my crown just inside her opening.

Everything in the universe aligns when she opens those gorgeous violet eyes and sinks down slowly, taking every inch of my length until I’ve bottomed out. She cries out as I begin to thrum, the first jolt of my body’s intense reaction to her sending pleasure shooting through her body. Her cunt tightens around me as she begins to grind her hips in a tempo that satiates her need.

She can use me however she needs. All I care about is her pleasure, making sure she is satisfied is my only goal. She is my purpose.

Mine.

My female.

My mate.

Her cry of pleasure as she milks my cock fills my chest with so much emotion I think I might explode. Wave after wave of her orgasm rips through her body. The part of me waiting for completion of the mate bond aches with emptiness.

The sharp scratch of her nails on my chest brings me right back into the moment as she rides me. She grips me for support as her speed increases. The single place where we’re joined isn’t enough, I need to feel her against me.

I sit up, holding her tight to me as I thrum for her. Her hands move up my chest and over my shoulders until her fingers thread themselves through my hair. She rests her forehead against mine while she continues to ride me.

“Raiz,” she whispers my name against my lips. “Stars.”

I know. Her two panted words carry a deeper meaning infinitely greater than their definitions.

Her walls tighten. She tosses her head back as she pulses around me. Her wet heat feels too good for me to hold my climax back. My seed fills her in wicked bursts as she clings to me, still trembling. I wrap my arms around her as we both come back down from the high and she melts against me.