I was eager, no…desperate to make her mine. Pulling back, I tugged the black shirt over her head and dropped it on top of her body armor so she was bare to me from the waist up. Her breasts were full and tear shaped, her nipples a deep mocha and as I watched, the tips furled. The bathing room was far from cold, so the response was for me. All for me.
I had to taste, to learn all her flavors, so I dropped to my knees so my mouth was in perfect alignment to lave one nipple, then the other. When her hands came to my head and her fingers tangled in my hair, I knew she liked it. The pain of her grip only urged me on and my beast liked the hint of wildness my touch brought out in her. When I glanced up at her—I didn’t stop my ministrations—I saw passion haze her vision, but she wasn’t shying away. No, she’d never shy away. It wasn’t in her nature and she was a passionate woman. She knew what she wanted, what she liked, and didn’t hold herself back. Or me. In fact, she watched as I suckled there. My body, already rock hard, pulsed at the idea of watching her with the same rapt attention as she wrapped her full lips around my cock.
For now, I needed her bare before me, needed to see her soft curves, run my hands over them, curl my fingers around them as I fucked her.
My beast growled, suddenly impatient. I was thinking too much. While her breasts were stunning and her nipples were as sweet as I remembered, there was more of her to explore, to taste.
“Boots,” I growled and I sat back on my heels and watched her toe one off, then the other.
“You, too,” she breathed. “I need to see you, too.”
If my mate wanted me naked, I was not going to argue. Perhaps this would be the one thing we agreed on. If being naked together kept us from bickering and arguing, then so be it. Once we were back home on Atlan and at our house, I’d keep her naked for days. Weeks, perhaps. Even work on that baby.
That thought had me ripping at my own armor, tugging every bit of fighter protection from my body so nothing remained. Nothing separated my cock from her perfect body.
We were both breathing hard and my beast prowled to get my hands on her again, but I just watched as her breasts rose and fell, watched her cheeks darken in a perfect flush with desire as I stripped.
I didn’t have to look when I reached my arm out, pressed a button on the wall to turn on the shower sprays. The water temperature had been set to my liking and I knew Megan would not be burned. Standing, I walked my mate backward until we were both beneath the spray, letting it wash off whatever dirt and planetary dust we’d picked up since our time in the cave pool. Finding the soap, I reverently washed every inch of her. Bathing with her was different than the night before, knowing this soft skin, the damp curves were all mine. I had no idea I could feel so possessive of someone. I didn’t know what love was. I’d never loved anyone in my life. But a heavy weight settled on my heart and mind, a solemn, almost painful weight, an anchor that I knew would ground me forever. Megan. She was my anchor now, my spark of light in the darkness.
“Nyko, please,” she whispered, almost wriggling with her need.
I met her dark gaze.
“What?” I asked, my voice a rough growl, my words one syllable again. I knew I’d have to fight to control that gruff tone until my cuffs were on her and she was mine. Which would be very, very soon. “Need?”
My beast had no interest in wasting energy on forming sentences when it would use it all fucking her.
“My turn.” Her small fingers took the soap from me and I remained still beneath the spray as she soaped my body, saving my cock for last. My muscles quivered with the need to reach out and touch her, to take control, but I restrained myself. But when she gripped my cock in a slippery fist and slid up and down—clearly no longer soaping me but playing instead—I moved out of her reach. Not yet. We would play, but not yet.
She called my name with a whimper of distress when I stepped away. The water splashing on her would seem chilly in comparison to my body heat, especially with the fever raging through me. Tugging the cuffs from my sodden pants heaped in the pile of discarded clothing and armor on the floor, I brought them back to Megan. I separated hers from mine, gave three of them to her to hold.
With rivulets of water sliding down our bodies, I took a deep breath, pushed back my beast so I could speak clearly. Looking at Megan, I spoke the words I’d decided upon when I was still young and optimistic, words I’d waited my entire life to share with my mate. “I take you, Megan Simmons of Earth, as my mate.”
I slipped one cuff on my right wrist, but didn’t look away from her dark gaze, didn’t miss the way she swallowed. The cuff sealed about my wrist, tightened. “I claim you with my heart, my mind and my body. I give you my protection and I guarantee your pleasure.”
Her eyes widened and flared with dark heat at the last. Taking my second cuff from her, I put it about my other wrist. Lifting my arms, I looked down at my cuffs, at the family markings. I was the last one. The last of a long line of warriors to wear this design. Hopefully, one day, Megan would give me children. A family. If not, I’d have her. She’d be mine, and that would be more than enough, more than I’d ever thought I could have. “I’m yours, Megan. I’m yours.”
My beast stilled within me, pleased I’d spoken from my heart and locked the cuffs around my wrists. The weight calmed me, a promise and assurance that I had a mate, a female to worship and care for—a reason to hold on. We were halfway there. I just had to put the cuffs on Megan, have her accept me. Us.
She was gripping the metal so her knuckles turned white, but offered no resistance when I took her cuffs from her, opened one of them.
For the first time, I felt vulnerable. I was an Atlan. Powerful. Strong. Dangerous. Yet Megan Simmons could destroy me in the next few seconds. I might be able to live through almost anything, but I knew just the word “no” from her lips would kill me.
“These cuffs are the Atlan proof that you are mine. I know the bride
s processing protocol gives you thirty days to decide whether or not to accept me, Megan. But you know me. You know all of me, the good and the bad. We’ve fought each other, and fought together on the battlefield. I have no secrets left.” She’d seen me at my worst. I’d collapsed at her feet in that cave, weak and injured. I’d taken her body while in beast mode, barely able to speak for wanting her. Holding onto my control by a thread. We’d argued and we’d kissed. We’d survived the blue Hive aberration on Latiri 4 and years of service in the Coalition Fleet. We’d both laid our lives on the line for the Coalition worlds. We’d fought and hurt and killed. And now, we’d have this. Heat. Desire. Respect. Peace. A home. If she’d have me.
“Are you sure, Nyko? Because two days ago I would have sworn you didn’t even like me.” Her eyes were dark, wide and round with uncertainty. And I never wanted to see that look on her face again.
With a growl, I lowered my head to her throat, licking my way up to her ear. “You drive me crazy, female. From the very first day I saw you on this ship, my beast prowled to the surface any time you were near. You made each moment a constant battle for control. I’ve watched you, admired you, lusted after you for a long time. You’re mine. Somehow, I always knew you were mine.”
Her hands came up and she buried them in my hair, tugging hard, pulling my head up away from her neck to look her in the eye. “You want me? You’re sure? I’m bossy and arrogant. I hate bullshit and I don’t take orders well. I don’t cook or clean or know any lullabies. I’m pretty sure I’ll teach my daughters to fight, not dance or paint or play piano. I’m not like other women, Nyko. I’m not. And I can’t change for you. I won’t change. You can try to take me to Atlan and put me in a fancy dress and I can play pretend. I might be able to pull it off for a day, or a party, but that won’t be me.”
“I know, mate. I’m counting on it.” I kissed her on the mouth, taking my time, making sure she knew exactly how much I wanted her. “I don’t want quiet or meek, woman. I want you. Will you do me the honor of accepting my claim? Will you be mine?”
Chapter Eleven
Nyko