Shield [New World Book 1] (8 page)

Grace followed him lower into the water.

Rask turned her and wiped at her back, ridding it of blood. He looked at the design he had created. The pattern matched the one on his face when covered in armor. It was his own special mark. Every warrior had their own unique design. He had been born with his. Now his mate was marked as his. The water seemed to react to the blood. Curiously Rask watched as Grace started to heal.

Human females were such perfect creatures. At least his Grace was. Rask thought it was more than that. If all of their females were this susceptible to Castian secretions and hormones, the benefits if they reproduced would be awesome. If only the humans’ space vessel hadn’t been so damaged. He and his men could have used it to spring his father from political asylum. That’s where Rask and his father’s followers had been banished—to another world of political asylum. Turned on by their own kind in an uprising of political differences. They had been strewn and abandoned across the universe as a lesson to other Castians…obey or be cast out. Fathers and sons had been separated. They had been given the bare necessities of life. After all, one never knew who would regain power and banish them to asylum. But it was now Rask who had the last laugh. Their cruelty had given him a mate. Something he thought never to have. Grace was beautiful. At least he thought so. He didn’t have another female to compare her with.

“The water feels so good,” Grace said as she slipped lower.

“So do you.”

Rask turned her around and she shied back from him. He guessed his fangs were showing. He sensed her fear. She was remembering the pain he had caused her. Rask’s body reacted immediately to her weariness and confusion. He ran his finger down her cheek leaving a trail of moisture that evaporated within her. Even though his fangs frightened her, he knew she wasn’t afraid of him. Until he had marked her, she had enjoyed joining with him. Just the idea made him sweat. His manhood was huge again.

“There is no need to ever mark you again,” he promised.

“You won’t bite me?” she asked with trepidation.

“I’m afraid I will, but it won’t be like last time.”

“You can’t keep on biting me. I’ll eventually bleed to death.”

Rask let the water from the pool drip over her back. “This chemical in here will also heal you.”

“How do you know?” she asked skeptically.

“When we entered the pool, your back was bloody. Nothing remains of the open wound. It’s healed already. Perhaps this is a woman’s doctor. All that’s left is my tattoo.”

Grace shifted her head as far to the side as she could. Rask knew she couldn’t see it. He determined to show her when they returned to his room.

“Why do you need to bite me at all?”

“As my seed spills, a small nip will release the hormone and your body will relax. Your skin is very soft and my teeth are very sharp. It won’t hurt. Because you were face down the first time, you didn’t see my cock after I released you.”

Grace looked concerned. “What happened to it?” she asked warily.

“I’ll show you.”

Rask pulled her against him. His cock began to slide inside her, but she pushed him back. She wasn’t fighting him; she wanted something from him first.

“Can you kiss me without biting me?” she asked. “You need to learn about foreplay and what a woman needs to be aroused. Our first time, I was tight because I wasn’t really ready. A woman needs to feel wet up inside to enjoy it more. You need to stimulate a woman’s body to arouse her. All men need is a hard-on and they’re ready.”

Grace stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth against his. To Rask’s surprise his razor-sharp fangs receded on their own. Her lips wiggled against his tickling him.
Is she tasting
me?
It was an odd sensation and she was persistent. He felt her teeth graze against his bottom lip before she sucked it into her mouth. Rask opened his mouth. He felt Grace’s tongue enter it. It was soft and warm and slid up and down his. Grace had her eyes closed, so Rask closed his, too. Tiny shallow puffs of air were expelled into his mouth. He was breathing and tasting her air. She flowed through him. Her scent, her taste, her touch was everywhere. This was beyond pleasant.

Grace’s hand took his and settled it against her breast. These were much better than bombs…and much less dangerous, but more thrilling. The tiny pebble she called a nipple hardened under his fingers. He pulled against it until she muttered a protest. When they broke the kiss, she guided his head lower and soon he was suckling her. It was strange and very pleasant to suckle female flesh—he grew a bit envious of babes.

How soft her breasts are.
Before he had been so absorbed in what he was doing with his cock, he never realized he was missing out on other things. Her skin was firm and sweeter than fruit. His tongue played with her bud. It hardened and he heard Grace moan. He wanted to hear those sounds from her. Each little gasp of pleasure he brought her aroused him further.

Rask rose up and parted her thighs feeling himself throbbing to be inside her. Again Grace was instructing him. Her face was blissful and she said she needed more. She wanted to feel his fingers inside her first. Carefully he probed her with one, then two. In and out he plunged feeling her warmth. She tightened and squeezed around him. A slender leg lifted and wrapped around his waist. While he did this, his other hand cupped the back of her neck and they joined mouths once more. She tasted so sweet. When her tongue touched his, he jumped. So much of him was inside her, their connection grew stronger. Her little tongue was warm and sleek. On his own his thumb found her cute tiny bud near her lower opening. She squirmed and he could feel her tension building. She whimpered into his mouth. Rask felt a warm wetness cover his fingers. Her smell was intoxicating and he could taste her arousal in his mouth. She was ready for him.

His fangs protruded with his first thrust. Grace gripped his shoulders and he pressed her back against the pool edge. She was so soft inside. Her wet heat closed around him in welcome. This slippery sensation on his cock felt incredible. His maleness absorbed her juices, examined them and released a few drops of seed as though in answer to a call. It was fascinating. The first time he had her, he knew human males were quicker to come and he guessed instinctively they wouldn’t do what he was about to do. Rask moved faster, his eyes never leaving her face.

Grace tossed her head back and cried out her release. Rask could smell her sweet scent. It triggered his reaction. Her body was ready for his seed. Rask moved quicker. Water sloshed up over the sides of the pool. He heard Grace gasp. It had started. The last time his hormone had kicked in too late and she had been caused pain from his teeth. He had grown inside her after she had settled. This time she was feeling what she hadn’t before.

“Oh,” she groaned.

“Am I hurting you?”

“Rask, it feels bigger.”

“That’s because it is. My seed is flowing, expanding it.” He could feel her walls stretching to accommodate him. Her eyes squeezed tightly closed and she was biting her lower lip. He was very gentle as his seed filled him further and he continued to expand. Grace began gasping and panting. She whimpered and her eyes flew open.

“I can’t take anymore,” she cried out.

That’s when Rask bit her. His teeth very carefully sank into her throat and released his drug. Grace went limp in his arms. She melded against him and accepted all of him. Rask pumped slowly. His hands cradled her body against him. His hand cupped her bottom closer. It was his turn to toss his head back and howl his release. As he pulled himself free, Grace was looking down. Her eyes flashed amazement up at him.

“I can’t believe you got that into me. I can’t believe it doesn’t hurt but feels so good.”

Rask slipped back inside her. “Gotta love hormones,” he said and winked.

Grace gasped and groaned as he rocked against her. Her body was still accepting, but after he released his seed, his hardened cock returned to normal size. The thought made him smile. He had never seen another man grow hard, but he still felt his manhood was very impressive. Apparently, Grace thought so, too, by the amount of moaning and whimpering she was doing. Her once limp arms reached to clasp around his neck. Her fingers buried into his hair and dragged his mouth down for a kiss. She tasted so sweet.

A shrill scream interrupted them and both were surprised when a woman followed closely by Tosk raced into the dome structure. Grace opened her eyes wide. Tosk grabbed the female and grinned at Rask when he threw her over his shoulder. Rask had thought Grace was small, this female was tiny. And furious.

“Put me down, you freak!” the female yelled.

“Stacie?” Grace muttered.

“Grace! Run, these things are freakin’ huge!” Stacie bellowed.

To Rask’s surprise, the woman began beating at Tosk’s back. Tosk’s shield stayed down and Rask knew she wasn’t hurting him. It was strange to see a being so small pummel his warrior mate without fear. Rask jumped from the pool when Grace did. Grace was pulling at Tosk’s arms.

“Leave her alone!” Grace yelled. She too began beating at Tosk while still nude and dripping wet.

“This is my female,” Tosk said.

Rask was relieved he was still grinning.

Tosk leaned close to Grace and inhaled deeply. “Rask, this little female smells of you. You have mated. I’m pleased for you.”

“You have not mated with this one.” It was a statement. Rask couldn’t smell Tosk on her. The woman was still beating at Tosk’s back, but she was tiring.

Rask wrapped his arms around Grace and pulled her to his side. Her warmth radiated and a feeling of deep protectiveness flared when he felt her tremble. An odd sense of not only wanting to comfort but the need to comfort her was overwhelming, engulfing every fiber of his being. Never before had he felt so strong a sensation. His body began sweating. He could feel Grace settle immediately. Though she was still exhibiting a scent of distress, it lessened. Rask knew immediately there were hormones in his secretions that transferred to Grace to calm her.
Interesting.
It appeared his body reacted to her emotions. There was great deal to this mating it would seem.

“No we haven’t mated yet, but I’m going to,” Tosk said and smiled brightly. “This little fighter is worthy of my protection.”

“Worthy?” Stacie shrieked. “Worthy?”

Rask chuckled. The way the woman was again beating at him perhaps Tosk would need protection from his female.

“Rask, tell him,” Grace was pleading. Her face was upturned to him.

“Tosk, you must mate carefully with human females,” Rask said at Grace’s distress. “There is a hormone in your fangs you will remember when her scent reaches your nostrils. You will mark her.”

Rask turned Grace around and showed Tosk his mark on her shoulder blade.

Tosk looked interested.

“You did that?” Tosk asked.

“My fangs marked her. Wait until she grows limp from your bite before you claim her or it will be very painful for her. Female humans cannot fight off a Castian warrior,” Rask warned. “When you’ve finished, bring her here. The water will heal her.”

“Good, because this one is mine,” Tosk declared and strode off with Stacie over his back kicking and screaming.

“Rask, please,” Grace whimpered.

Rask felt sorry for her when he noticed her tears. His thumb lifted to stop one’s descent. “Tosk will be careful. Now that he has been told, he will remember the drug. Your friend will be fine.”

“But if she doesn’t want him, it’s rape.”

“Give him a chance to coax her. Tosk is also a virgin. Remember? He has no idea how to rape a female. He doesn’t know what goes where unless she tells him. She needs his protection on this planet…she will tell him.”

Rask could see Grace was thinking about that. She suddenly brightened.

“You’re right. None of the women from the shuttle can be forced. I think human women would like this planet.”

Now there is a thought…

* * * *

Grace and Rask were lying together curled around one another in bed. Grace had been thinking.

“Rask?”

“Hmm?”

“How is it possible that all the men here are the same age as you?”

“Now that I do know,” he began. “I’ve told you each warrior needs a warrior mate to watch his back during battle. At one time in history, the armor on our shield wasn’t as strong on the back. It was survival. To this day, even though our shield has strengthened, we still choose a warrior mate. It’s more of a comfort now, I suppose. Our lineage goes back hundreds of thousands of years. Since our beginning, our women would go into heat at the same time.”