“I love you, my Dana,” N’Ashtar said, slowing only a fraction as he licked my neck again. “And with this, I make you mine.” He’d just thrust into me another time when he bit my neck, his sharp teeth cutting easily through the skin and making me cry out in pain. Except then I came at the same time, the pleasure drowning it out, and I was tossed between the two emotions like a boat out in the storm, not sure whether to cry or be calm while my whole world shattered around me.
I’d been expecting an intense orgasm, but this went beyond that. He kept pushing into me, tweaking my nipples with his fingers, his tongue caressing that mark on my neck, and it wasn’t long before he stiffened and I felt the wetness of his release pulse inside me. He had more restraint than I did, something that impressed me. I would have to work on that. You know, when my brain worked again.
N’Ashtar pulled me against him, leaning down to nuzzle my neck where the mark he had given me still was. “Are you feeling fine?”
I chuckled. If I was any finer, I wasn’t certain I would be able to move for another few hours. “Fucked into the ground, but just dandy, thank you.”
The soft hiss he let out seemed pleased and he rearranged the furs, making sure they covered both of us. As if his hot furnace of a body wasn’t enough to keep both of us warm, even in the cold air now that we were away from the camp fire.
“We will be to N’Akkar tomorrow,” N’Ashtar said slowly, watching me carefully. It was sweet, how much he cared.
I nodded, but didn’t speak. I did lean into his hand as he stroked it through my hair, fighting a shiver as it reminded me of those hands somewhere else, holding me as his head stayed between my thighs…
It took an embarrassing amount of time to realize he was saying my name, but when I clued back in, there was humor in his expression.
“Sorry.” I bit my lower lip, then held my breath as he reached in and gently tugged my lip out from my teeth. “Sorry,” I whispered. I didn’t even know why I was nervous, not really. I forced myself to take a deep breath. Things would be fine.
“Tomorrow, I will face my father with you at my side?”
Oh. That was why I was nervous. He was watching me intently, and I was grateful for the way he kept the words a question instead of a demand. I didn’t plan to let him do it alone, but if he thought he could just wave his words around and get me to do whatever he wanted, he had another thing coming. Even though I wanted to be Thoheria’s equivalent of a housewife, I was still me, too. That reminded me of something else.
“He’s not going to like me, is he?” I fought hard to sound amused, but I didn’t think I pulled it off. I was too worried. It wasn’t my first relationship, but the first one to reach ‘meet the parent’ levels.
N’Ashtar’s grimace was not exactly encouraging. “He was not fond of my mother when they met, but that changed,” he said slowly.
I arched an eyebrow at him, even though we were curled up together. There was no way in hell he was going to get away with just that.
Then he hesitated, and the alarm in my chest notched up another degree. I pushed myself up, a hand on his chest and my gaze narrowed like a laser beam at his face. “What aren’t you telling me?”
N’Ashtar’s lips thinned, the hints of his teeth showing at the side. Whatever he was about to say, he wasn’t thrilled about it. “Let’s just say my father will not be pleased you have brought a Caterri into our midst.”
I scowled. “He’s a person, just like you are.”
N’Ashtar didn’t say anything, just stroked my hair like nothing had been said. Probably because he didn’t want to get into the same argument. I opened my mouth, not wanting to back down, but he cut me off with a firm kiss. “Go to sleep, love,” he murmured, kissing my forehead softly.
I gave him a dark look. “You’re not getting away with not talking about this,” I warned him.
N’Ashtar chuckled, his hand never stopping. “Wouldn’t think of it.”
I wasn’t sure who was holding onto our joint hands tighter, me or him. Either way, it was clear we were both nervous. It only got worse the closer we got, especially when we could see a pair of older-looking N’Akron standing imperiously at the edge of camp, displeasure written all over them. They didn’t really have wrinkles, but they kind of looked like N’Ashtar had been outside in the sun too long and had faded.
“N’Ashtar.” More N’Akron were gathering behind the chief, some apparently for backup but the rest apparently for curiosity.
“Hello, Father,” N’Ashtar said pleasantly. I could feel their gazes on my neck, the bright mate mark clearly visible to anyone who wanted to see it.
The sharp inhalation of breath told me that they’d seen Squire, which of course sent the whole camp into a bunch of chatter.
I tensed, not sure what was going to happen. If I had to, I would take Squire and run, even if that meant leaving N’Ashtar until he got his family figured out. I didn’t exactly want to, but I believed in justice and it wasn’t fair to blame all of this on Squire. While I understood it, I wasn’t sure his family would.
“We are having a meeting,” the chief said, his voice frosty.
N’Ashtar gripped my hand tighter, but his face was the same calm mask it had been. “Let me introduce you to my mate, Dana.”
His father’s eyes widened and flared red, and the hiss that came out of him was clearly angry. Great. It was going just
