Prime Selection (35 page)

“I love your ass,
lubha,
” he’d whispered into her ear as she came screaming into the hand he’d held over her mouth. After his climax, he’d tenderly wiped away their combined fluids from her sex and thighs with a soft cleaning cloth and then kissed every single inch of the heated skin on her bottom, soothing what he’d reddened.

She groaned at the memory of his words and actions.
Dammit!
She wanted him to take her again, and soon—in just that way. She was a sick, sick, sick person to want him again. Yet, though she desired the sexual intimacy, she couldn’t do it. Physically. Could.

Not. Do. It. She was sore, and her sex felt raw.

Huw nudged at her mentally and she rebuffed him.
“Go. Away. Work. I’m tired.”

“Nadia …
cwen
…
lubha
… I love you. Let’s take a nap.”

“I need a nap … but we’d do
it
again. You can’t help yourself, and neither can I … I
can’t handle more sex right now.”

“I promise to hold you. Just cuddling. On my honor … I need your skin next to mine.

I have to have your scent on me, surrounding me. Stay with Lia. I’ll be there soon.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. Huw …
gemat
… I love you. But if you try to put your
cock in me again … I’ll punch your lights out. I swear it.”

Huw’s low rumble of amusement sent shivers over her skin, making her even hotter.

“I promise … just a nap.”

“Lia, I’ve had more sex today than I’ve had in the last three years! I hurt.” Nadia leaned over the desk. “He’s coming for me. Please tell me this isn’t how it’s supposed to be. How did you and Joen survive this? And is it still going on?”

Her friend smiled, a dreamy look in her eyes. “Joen and I had sex several times a day and still do, but we’re always mentally touching. The mind link seems to fulfill a basic need of the Prime male.” Lia lowered her voice. “Are you blocking him mentally? I knew you were when he was being an asshole.”

“Not any more. Are you telling me this nonstop sex is because I kept him out of my head for the last couple of weeks? That he’s making up for lost time?” Lia nodded.

“Well, hell…” Nadia shook her head and snorted with disgust, mostly at herself. “I guess I need to give in on the moving-in thing, then, huh?”

Lia’s gaze was filled with compassion and understanding. “Yeah, sweetie. I think at the very least you need to allow him to be with you physically as often as he can, even if it’s only sleeping next to each other. By doing so, Huw might be able to cut back on the number of sexual interludes during the day. Your presence in his quarters, your scent on his clothing and his bed, will comfort him and help depress the sexual urgency. It’s a marking of territory and possession instinct.”

“Okay, that makes sense. With my sleeping next to him all night, he’ll get the reinforcement his genetics needs.” Nadia sighed and tears welled in her eyes. “Look at me! I’m an emotional mess. I never cry, and all I want to do now is cry.”

“That’s okay. Huw needs to see he’s hurting you.” Lia patted Nadia’s arm. “Trust me, he’ll bend over backward to make it up to you.”

“He promised me just a nap this go-round.” She sensed Huw gently touching her mind. His reaction was instantaneous, and his sorrow swamped her.

“Huw? Why are you sad?”
God, she hated his unhappiness almost as much as she hated her own.

“You’re crying. I don’t like it.”

Huw was near; she could sense him. And she didn’t run. Speaking to Lia had centered her and shown her the overwhelming emotions were normal—and that Huw felt them also. It helped knowing this was mutual—he needed her as much as she needed him—and he wouldn’t shut her out again. Because underlying her panic had been the fear Huw would take away his love and affection—and she wouldn’t be able to survive such isolation again.

Huw strode into Sick Bay and hugged her from behind. “I will always be with you, always be what you need,
lubha
.” He nuzzled the pulse beating rapidly in her neck.

“Wherever … whenever you need me.”

His words rang with sincerity and truth. With both sides of the mental connection wide open, she understood he’d cut off his arm before he hurt her.

Nadia patted the arm holding her. “I’ll still cry from time to time. I’m female and hormones dictate crying when hurt or sad. You can’t fix everything.”

“I can try.” Huw kissed the tip of her ear. “Hello, Lia. Thank you for speaking with my
gemate
. How are you and Joen doing? I understand that you and Joen are also marked and battle-mates.”

Lia’s smile lit up her face. “Joen and I are very happy. We’d like to invite you both to join us for drinks and dinner in the Officer’s Lounge. We can compare notes about the intensity of being a newly mated couple. Since we’re going through this at the same time and as the first Prime/non-Prime matings, Kerr has asked me to note what the stages appear to be. We want to educate the Prime males who find non-Prime mates about how the process differs from the traditional Prime mating.”

Nadia looked up at Huw, who watched her intently, even as his mind soothed her erratic emotions. “I’d like to do that, Huw. We could help since we haven’t had the smoothest of matings. I expect there’ll be variations in the process, depending on the male and female involved.”

Huw frowned and kissed the tip of her nose. “The roughness of this bonding was my entire fault. You, my
cwen
, have been wonderful from the start.”

“It’s in the past,
sladkie
. We move on from this point.” Nadia swept a finger over his lower lip, and he sucked it into his mouth. She inhaled sharply at how the smallest touch made her pussy throb. “What does
cwen
mean? You’ve called me that several times today.”

Huw released the finger he suckled and smiled. “It has no direct equivalent in Standard, but means something very similar to ‘wife’ or ‘my woman.’”

“Well, thanks for that definition, Huw,” Lia said. “Joen just smiled and wouldn’t tell me.” The doctor straightened and stood up. “Before you leave Sick Bay, I need to record your markings for the Prime database. Kerr had sent messages to your com units, but I guess you both have been too busy to check.”

Huw snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, we’ve been very busy. So much so I haven’t provided the appropriate aftercare for my mate’s physical well-being.”

He massaged the tense muscles at the base of Nadia’s neck. Gentle, healing warmth permeated her body from head to toe. The rawness in her sex melted away.

“Is that better?” Huw whispered against her cheek. His warm, moist breath made her shiver.

“Yes.” Nadia rubbed her cheek over his. “I see another advantage to the constant mental touch. Your energy transfer can heal any soreness you cause.”

“That is true. As battle-mates, we have that extra ability.” Huw moved away from her and helped her to stand. “You’re not to be hurt in any manner. I’ll always fix what I can or see that you receive the medical assistance you need.”

“And I can do this for you, also?” Nadia turned and placed her arms around his neck and nestled her head onto his shoulder. She took in a deep breath. His unique scent made her happy and calmed the remnants of her earlier emotional upset.

“Yes. Battle-mates aid each other in battle and keep their partners from suffering pain from battle wounds. Soothing my woman’s soreness is a simple matter compared to the pain from a battle blade or laser wound.” Huw rubbed her back with his big, warm hands.

She sighed and leaned into him. All she wanted to do now before they met Lia and Joen for dinner was to lie down and take the nap he’d promised her. No sex, just the comfort of her man’s big, warm body engulfing her, protecting her.

“We’ll do just that … after Lia takes the images of our marks.” Huw whispered against the hair over her ear.

Considering what she and Lia had discussed earlier, Nadia had one more order of business to complete. “Do you want me to move in with you? Or do you want to move in with me? We can make the move after supper.”

The shock and then the joy which crossed from Huw’s mind to hers pleased her. He hadn’t anticipated her offer … even considering his now constant presence in her mind.

So not everything she thought or did was sensed by him. She had some privacy.

“When did you make this decision?” He caressed her face with a gentle finger. “At breakfast you were so fixed on the week-long…”

She touched his lips, silencing him. “I made the decision a short while ago. Lia said you needed the physical closeness—and so do I. But I’m not cut out for nonstop sex. So I’m compromising with you.” He laughed. She traced the smile on his mouth with the tip of her finger. “You were surprised. You didn’t read my mind?” She wanted to confirm her hypothesis.

“No … I don’t need to go deeply into your thoughts unless you’re threatened in some way. I’ll rest my touch on the surface of your mind. I thought you understood that from speaking with Mel about these matters.”

Nadia shook her head. “Nope, no one mentioned that. Not even Lia,” she shot her smiling friend a nasty look, “told me.”

“Nadia,” Lia said. “You wouldn’t have believed me if I had. You thought a mental touch meant a mental digging. You needed to learn this truth about the connection yourself.”

“Next time, share.”

Lia laughed and nodded.

Nadia turned her face into Huw’s neck and rubbed her forehead against his pulse.

“Let’s get the pictures done. I’m falling asleep standing up. It’s been a hard day so far.”

Huw laughed and picked her up as if she weren’t a six-foot two-inch, strongly muscled woman. He then carried her out of Lia’s office toward the medical lab.

“Huw!” Nadia slapped at his shoulder “Put me down. I weigh too much for you to lug around.”

“You, my little
lubha
, are a delightful armful and weigh nothing to a Prime male such as me.”

Nadia sniffed. “And you, my big, strong Prime male, are full of crap … but I love you saying so. And you can carry me any time you want. I like it.” She snuggled into his arms and luxuriated in the sensation of being carried.

The blare of sirens indicating a yellow alert woke Nadia from the soundest sleep she’d had in weeks. She tried to sit up and reach for her com unit, but Huw’s arms held her. “Rest on me,
cwen
. I’ll check to see what’s going on.”

Nadia relaxed back into his body as he spooned her. His naked skin was hot and comforting against her back. His cock was semi-erect and lying along the seam of her ass. She wiggled into him and had to choke back her laugh at his swearing.

“You’ll pay for that action later.” He nipped at her ear. “Now, behave, while I speak to my brother.”

“Wulf? Why are we on yellow alert?” Huw stroked her hip as he listened to his brother for several minutes.

Her man multitasked too well. She was aroused and wanted him.

“Nadia and I can be at our stations immediately if you need us. We are rested—Fine.

Let us know.”

Dammit, duty calls.
Nadia willed her libido to calm down; there was always later.

Huw reached over her body and placed his com unit back on the bedside table. She turned over and plastered herself against his chest, her arms looped loosely around his neck. “What’s up?”

“Emergency call from the two cruisers we left in the Iota Persei system. One outpost is reporting they are under attack by pirates. The
Picarus
went to back up the
Renard
.

They took on heavy laser cannon fire and had to land. Now they are defending the best they can by using their cruisers’ cannons as planetary defense. They put out a general call for help—and we’re the closest.” He kissed her forehead. “We’ll be on red alert in about two standard hours once we near the besieged planet. Wulf wants us back at our stations at that time. There’s nothing we can do now.”

“Are our people okay?” Nadia frowned. Going dirt-side had meant the enemy had severely damaged the ships. Grounded cruisers could only do so much against a determined enemy.

“The captains reported minor injuries. Currently, they are holding their own. But the longer they have no backup, the more danger they’ll be overrun by the pirates.”

“Are they sure the attackers are mere pirates?” Nadia rested her head on his shoulder, kissing his skin, loving the taste of him.

“Captain V’ro of the
Renard
reported the pirate fleet looked to be cobbled from Volusian and Terran military rejects,” Huw hesitated, “but he also told Wulf the enemy fought too well to be just a bunch of opportunists looking to rip off easy loot from some scientists.”

Nadia frowned and looked into Huw’s molten gold eyes. “There’s been an increase in pirate attacks in this part of the galaxy on jump gates and traders. Could it be the Antareans are behind all of these attacks?”

“That’s what Wulf and Mel think. They’ve sent word to both Prime and Alliance Military Commands. Blue Squadron is coming to back Gold up. But Blue was on patrol in the Gliese system and has farther to come.”

“Well then, I think we should get up and get dressed and eat before…”

“
Lubha
, we’ll do all those things … we have time … but first, if you aren’t too sore, I need to be in you again.” He brushed soft kisses over her eyes, cheeks, nose, and finally lips. “Only if you want me, that is.”

“Oh, I want you. Your healing of me and the nap helped immensely.” She brushed her lips over his. “This time, I’ll make love to you. Just lie back and enjoy…” She lowered her voice to a growling murmur. “I intend to.”