Venomous: Erotic Science Fiction Romance (Alien Warrior Book 1) (51 page)

Seeing he watched me, waiting for my response to his earlier comment, I shook my head.

“I saw the worst of many species,” I murmured dabbing my wrists with my fingertips and wincing at the sting. “Not just yours.”

I shivered at the memory of what I witnessed on the slave planet.

The violence, the rape, the miasma of despair and pain that seeped from the rock into your bones.

Venomous surviving with his honour in tact for as long as he had was a testament to his strength.

“Thanks,” I said lifting my hands to indicate my freed limbs.

He crossed over to a floating shelving unit, grabbed a tube of ointment then convinced me to smear some on my wounds.

There was a burning sensation when the cream hit the raw flesh, but within moments, the injury was gone, new, sensitive skin left behind.

“I grieved when I heard of Obryn’s capture and death,” he said. “Yet as I look into your eyes, I think I would not have liked the male he’d become. Such places destroy the soul. They make the good do bad to survive.” The Verak nodded as if he’d made up his mind. “On his behalf, for any harm he inflicted upon you, I apologise.” He went to one knee. “As restitution for my cousin’s disgrace, I offer you a place as one of my concubines.”

I shuffled back. “Um, I think ... ugh....”

“I offer my seed. You will be my favourite for as long as you can hold the position. This is the highest honour a male or female of my world can receive from one of the five Mighty Houses.” His furred chest puffed until the fabric cape about his shoulders threatened to tear. “I come from the noblest House, that of spirit. I am the Great Alpha. You will want for nothing for the rest of your life.”

I confess it took me a moment to catch up.

I was stuck back at,
‘I offer my seed
.’

“Um....”

He jerked when I hesitated then shook his head, disbelieving I wasn’t falling over myself to accept.

His gaze fixed on mine, mouth quirked. “We are not like the serpents. Our world is open. Many of us take otherworlders as concubines and lovers. I like you. You smell good, and my ship’s scanners confirm you are compatible. We will make strong cubs.”

“I see.” No, I did not see.

I was freaking the fuck out.

Chewing my lip, I took in his alien, yet undeniably handsome face and wondered how differently things might have turned out if he’d been in that pit fighting against Venomous instead of his brother Obryn.

“My name is Lumen ... of the Stars.” I gave a little wave. “Yours?”

“Beowyn ThunderClaw. An honour, my Lumen.”

My heart squeezed, and my eyes flooded with tears.

I missed the way Venomous said those words in his deep, husky timbre.

Even the way Fiercely spat it out in his harsh tone, when he was pissed at me, would be a thousand times better.

Beowyn’s voice was silken, velvety.

Wrong.

I wanted
my
aliens to hold me, and call me theirs, their firm skin hot against mine.

I wanted Venomous’ bottomless eyes to peer at me as he told me how I became the reason for his hearts’ beat.

Fiercely’s big knuckles rubbing my cheek in affection, even as he searched my face for welcome.

Sniffles turned into shoulder shaking sobs.

Face creased in concern, Beowyn stood and swept me up into his arms.

He sat on the overwhelmingly
large
bed and patted my back.

“This is not what usually happens when I ask a male or female to join with me.” Concern threaded his tone, but amusement too.

“I-It’s not y-you. You’re actually really s-s-sweet. Even as you a-ask me to join y-y-your harem.”

His calloused thumb captured a tear. “Then why weep?”

“I m-miss my m-m-males.” I wailed the last syllable and buried my face in his furry chest, bawling my eyes out. “I don’t understand why when everything starts looking good it turns to steaming, sticky shit. What did I do to deserve this?” I dragged in a quaking breath. “They must be worried sick. And I know Venin is filling Venomous’ head with lies. Why is she such a fucking beast? Why, why, why?” I ranted. “
Tell me why
? I just wanted them to like me.”

“Them?”

“
The Rä
,” I yelled and flung out an arm. “I wanted Venomous’ kindred to give me a chance. Who knows how Fiercely’s people will react when they arrive for the bonding ceremony, to meet his freaky human. If we ever get around to it because I still don’t want a lesser male.” I sunk further into my pity party. “Everybody hates me. They will too.”

“Surely not,” Beowyn muttered.

“
Yes
,” I screeched back. “It’s bullshit. Even the one Rä I thought could be a friend betrayed me. I’m not asking for much. I just want to fit in as much as a two armed, smooth-skinned, no-forked-tongue girl can. I hate that my males might be ashamed to be seen with me in public. I hate this is hard on them. I’m terrified to bring my hatchling up in a world where he or she will always be thought of as less because they’re half human. I just want them to accept me without having to fuck a stranger.
Is that too much to ask?
”

Beowyn stopped patting my back and tensed.

Chest heaving from my ear-splitting outburst, I looked up through my tears. “Beowyn?”

“I know what I must do.” He sighed. “I do not wish to do it. That is a problem. I get what I want.”

Sniffing, I rubbed my stuffy nose. “What?”

Beowyn’s eyes burned, and took on a depth of colour and magnitude of presence that had the air seizing in my lungs.

Incredibly beautiful incredibly deadly.

I gasped as I was tossed over his shoulder onto the enormous bed.

Bouncing slightly on my back, terror scuttled over my flesh, and I froze.

Prowling on all fours up my body, his gigantic frame caged me in.

Citrusy musk teased my nose, and the heat from his downy flesh made me flush.

Our gazes locked.

Mine skittered with shock, while his grew piercing with arousal.

Star shaped pupils dilated, sparked with primal intent.

His chest vibrated as he lowered his maned head then sniffed my front, nuzzling the upper slope of my breast, before burying his head in my cleavage.

When I pushed at his shoulder, he made a low, rumbling purr.

I coiled further into myself.

Something happened during my tirade, and I hadn’t been paying attention. “Beowyn?”

“Perhaps, I can change your mind.” He murmured so quietly, it was more speaking aloud to himself rather than answering me. “If I show you pleasure you will stay with me.”

Not expecting that from him, my mouth dropped open and flapped.

Hadn’t my devastated sobbing clued him in?

The only place I wanted to be was on Rök in the arms of my Rä’Veks.

I can’t believe this is happening again.

All be it the Verak went about it in a much nicer way than Yofk or even my Venomous ever did.

“Beowyn,” I forced my quivery voice firm, “I do
not
want you. Seducing me won’t change my mind. It will achieve the opposite of making me want you. I have a male.” Fiercely’s tentative smile flashed in my mind’s eye. “Two, in fact. I want to go home to them.”

He lay fully on top of me, rocking his hips into the apex of my thighs. “I smell your sex.”

“That’s kind of rude.”

“You want me.”

“You’re tricking my body into a response.”

His black-tipped eyebrow quirked. “You claim not to desire me? If I tongue your slit will cream not drench my tongue?”

“Okay, you know what? Forget this. Get off me.”

Angry and mortified, I struggled under him.

After a minute I gave up with a huff.

He hadn’t budged an inch, not a single flex of muscle to betray an effort at keeping me pinned.

Saving face, I flopped back and glared. “You know exactly what you’re doing. So do I. Stop it. This is not a game.” When he smirked, I decided to take away the power of the unspoken. “Fine, you win. I’m aroused and attracted to you.”

Beowyn’s grin was jubilant.

His head lowered as if he was going to kiss me then fuck that arousal into submission.

“But as the moment passes and my heart and mind take back control from my hormones, I want nothing more than for you to
get off of me
. I’m pledged to two males who can do what you’ve achieved
and more
. I want to go back to them.”

Beowyn’s mouth stopped an inch before touching mine.

Malty breath gusted over my face as he pushed air through his flared nostrils.

“Be my lover then,” he said tightly, letting me see how much the concession cost his pride, “if you do not wish to be my concubine. You confess you want me.” He inhaled and circled his hips against mine, sending ripples of pleasure through us both. “You need a male right now.” He drew even closer then whispered, “Take what you want.”

Breathless, shifting my hips against his, I swallowed.

Beowyn ThunderClaw radiated strength and raw, feral sexuality.

If I were weaker and not infatuated with my Rä mates, I’d be a moaning, writhing mess being pounded into the mattress.

“You’re ... persuasive,” I managed. “Beautiful. Exotic. Powerful.” I touched his cheek. “Kind.”

His striking eyes widened at that last one.

Ebony lashes double blinked, lessening the intensity of his sensual assault.

“I’d be dysfunctional not to be attracted to you,” I admitted. “That attraction does not mean I don’t possess enough self control to resist your charm. My heart belongs elsewhere. It will still do so after the sordid act between us is done, should I succumb.”

“Sordid,” he murmured a flash of hurt crossing his now stony expression.

“It would be,” I whispered, “because of how I feel about them.”

“I could belong to you.” His voice lowered. “As lovers we’d be equal and free to be with others. I want to taste you. Drive inside you until I am crazed with it.” He shuddered. “You smell incredible, and you are beautiful to my eyes.”

“I’m flattered. Truly. But–”

His eyes flashed fury. “Do
not
deny me.”

A dart of fear was fleeting.

To back down would be to lose another piece of my soul I simply wasn’t prepared to sacrifice. “As I already said, I’m taken.”

Golden eyes narrowing, Beowyn brought his blunted nose to mine.

His voice turned low and smooth, cajoling. “I will please you. I will take you to my harem, and let you witness true mating.” He gyrated against me. “I will breed them all, and you will see my prowess. I will prove I can pleasure you in all ways.”

I got the impression while Verak concubines weren’t quite sex slaves, they weren’t quite free either.

His new plan of seduction was to fuck his sort-of-wives and sort-of-husbands in front of me as proof of his virility?

“
This conversation has officially turned weird.” I placed my hands on his boulder-sized shoulders and grazed his horns. When he purred and rutted into the mattress, I snatched my hands back.
“
Beowyn, I’m having their hatchling. You’re not going to win here.”

His mouth snapped shut then his gaze turned calculating. “No mother should be parted from her young. I will welcome the offspring, and raise it as my own.”

This time, I double blinked. “Wow. That’s generous of you. Really. But I–”

“You will want for nothing,” he interrupted sensing weakness and pouncing like the predator he was. “I would never leave you unprotected. It is known the harem of a Verak is the safest place in the universe.”

“Now hold on.” I bristled. “Venomous didn’t know what his mother was up to. Neither did Fiercely. The second they figure it out, they’ll come after me, and you’ll be in a world of hurt.”

His expression was as dubious as his reply. “If you say so.”

“They will!” I shot him a cross look for making me bring it up. “Must I remind you what Venomous did to your cousin?”

Beowyn looked unconvinced. “Obryn always was weak. It’s why he was enslaved. The Rä bested him in fair contest, proving he does possess some strength, but he did not keep you safe. You wish to return to those who cannot keep you from danger?”

“I love them.” The sincerity of my words couldn’t be denied.

Beowyn’s glossy mane caught the light as his head cocked.

I spotted a slim silver translator hooked around his pointed ear. “This does not translate.”

“Bloody translators.” I grunted my annoyance. I understood him though? I wondered how many languages Nāga had put in my head, and how to access the speaking part. “My heart is theirs, and theirs are mine. Understand?”

Stiffening, Beowyn sat up on his knees bringing me with him.

His eyes softened. “You are One?”

Relief washed over me.

Firstly, because his luscious body no longer teased mine.

Secondly, he finally understood he wasn’t getting any
kiss-kiss-bang-bang
from me.

I nodded to his awed statement. “Venomous says I make his hearts sing. Fiercely is less open, but his eyes say it all.”

“To be One ... this is rare on my world. Having so many concubines and lovers makes it hard to find the special one who will accept and understand....” His eyes met mine, and held them. “And if I say that I will ... I will forsake my harem? If....” He trailed off at my crumpled features.

“Oh, Beowyn. That’s beautiful to offer. I just ... I just.....” Lashes wet, I shook my head and struggled to hold back a sob. “It’s them for me.”

He slumped. “You wish to return.” He sounded miserable, and his eyes reflected that sadness.

“Please,” I choked out, my heart lifting. “I love them so much. They’ve got to be so,
so
worried about us.” I placed a hand on my lower stomach. The other cupped Beowyn’s bearded cheek. “Please? Take me home?”

Thwarted, he eased us off the bed, as if hoping I’d change my mind, or maybe reluctant to forever close the opportunity of bedding me.

Sullen, Beowyn set me with care onto my feet.

Grumbling under his breath, he stalked to a mounted communication panel.

He jabbed a button. “SnowBlade.”