I was happy to play along.
Her hair was thin and soft, and as I worked the thick liquid into it, she sighed with pleasure. I did my best to massage her scalp both to work the shampoo all the way to her roots, and to show her what I was capable of. I was rewarded by one of her hands stroking the outside of my thigh as she leaned harder into me.
“Do you have a mate?” she asked, nearly breathless.
Ah, that question. I didn’t even think about lying, but I was hoping the question would come up later… much later.
“I’ve had mates but none for life,” I explained. “It is the way of my people, the Martians. We are warriors, and for us, sex is casual. Some marry for life but most don’t. It’s tragic when one’s life-mate dies in battle. We don’t take commitments lightly. It is our way and has served us well.”
I wasn’t sure what I’d expected. Maybe I thought she’d recoil at the idea of having more than one mate. Maybe I was worried that I’d accidentally married her due to some kind of hair-washing ritual I wasn’t aware of. Instead, the look I got when she turned her beautiful eyes toward me was one of hunger.
“I saw the look in your eyes at that emblem in Madomar,” Yaltu said. “It’s the kind that only comes from knowing loved ones are in danger. Do you believe one of your mates is in Brazud?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “If so, I’d like to find her alive and well. I call her Reaver.”
“She is not a life-mate?”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. I had strong feelings for Reaver, and I might have liked to make her a life-mate at some point, but things had changed. My feelings hadn’t, but I’d shared connections with another woman on this planet, Enra. And now I was sharing something else with Yaltu. I didn’t want to jump the gun, but I could easily see myself with many life-mates, not just one.
I imagined Reaver might struggle with the concept, but then she’d always been pretty open-minded.
When I didn’t reply, Yaltu smiled, turned away, and rewarded me with gentle strokes of her other hand against my other leg. She showed no jealousy at all.
“Among my people,” Yaltu said, “males are rare. It is uncommon that a male will share his females. There is no need to, and it is rare when a female desires it. I would not desire that you share me.”
Wow. This alien woman is really speaking my language.
I almost laughed at the thought. The guys who’d named me Paladin would probably start believing in the tooth fairy if they ever found out about this.
“Are there just so few males born, or are they killed in battle?” I asked.
“Both,” she confirmed. “There have never been many males among my kind.”
With that, Yaltu dipped her head under the water for a moment and rinsed the soap from her hair. Then she turned to me, pressed her body against mine, and washed my hair with strong, soft fingers. Even though she was completely wet, I could still smell her pheromones. She was ready, and so was I, but we waited.
“Here,” she said, as she wrapped her legs around my waist, “we find power attractive. You will find no end to women who give themselves to you. These women will be yours alone. You are a powerful man.”
“And you are a powerful woman.”
“Will you take me?”
Who was I to say no? I kissed her neck and felt her little scales dance under my lips. She moaned with pleasure, reached down to my throbbing manhood, lifted her knees, and guided me into her. Then, she leaned back and wrapped her legs around me.
She was tight, slick, and all I could do was hold on to the edge of the bath to keep her from toppling us both over.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Yaltu and I woke in each other’s arms, her blankets a tangled knot tying us both together. For the first time since I’d landed on the planet, I felt like I’d actually gotten some real rest. I smiled as she kissed me before she slid out of the knot to dress.
I stayed in bed for a few minutes and admired her body before I realized I didn’t have anything to wear. Somehow, during the night, one or more of her servants had entered the room and laid out clothes for me at the foot of the bed.
The garments were made of something like canvas but appeared to be tougher and were much softer. The combination of brown, green, and black fabrics were expertly patched together and resulted in a respectable camouflage pattern. They fit well, especially since whoever had created them was thoughtful enough to have several areas that could be loosened or tightened with strings. I even found a tough pair of boots made of the same material but with rubber soles.
After I got dressed, Yaltu gave me an appraising look.
“Nina has provided well,” she said. “It fits you nicely and will help you blend in.”
“Who’s Nina?” I asked.
“She is the old woman you met last night. She has been with me the longest. She was there when Demetrios killed my father.”
I’d suspected as much but tried to keep my expression neutral. After we’d made love multiple times, Yaltu had explained that her father had been the first leader of Brazud. That was why the memory was so difficult to her, but she didn’t seem to be dwelling on it now. Instead, she took a couple of minutes to point out the hidden compartments and pockets my new clothing contained.
“These might be useful for you later,” she said. “When you travel into Brazud. But before you do, we shall eat.” Without waiting
