Not today, though. Today I lifted her from her knees and practically threw her on the bed, pouncing after her. She barely cried out before I was on her, kissing her into silence. Enthusiastic silence, as she returned my kisses with a fervor I’d never experienced. We came up for air, both panting, her body pinned under mine and quivering. I bit her neck, enjoying the shudder and the joyful whimpers that came with it.
More so the squeal I got when I pinched her hardening nipple just right. It made me growl, hungry for her, eager to pleasure my mate and make her scream for joy.
“You are beautiful, khara,” I whispered to her, loving every little whimper and gasp and moan that I wrung from her. Sliding a hand between her legs, I teased apart the folds of her pussy. A tremor ran through Molly, as though her body wanted to move in every direction at once, and I chuckled. Sliding a finger up and down her, touching oh-so-gently, I kissed her neck. Bit it.
Molly grabbed at me, hands caressing and pulling, urging me to take her. No. I refused to be hurried. Our first time had been a wonderful, glorious rush, an amazing experience that we did not need to repeat. Now I would take my time.
I kissed my way down to her breasts, circling my finger with a light touch, listening to Molly’s heart race. Bringing my mouth to her nipple, I darted my tongue out to flick it.
With a predatory snarl, I bit down on it, pinching her other nipple with my right hand while flicking her clit with a finger on my left. My reward was instant: Molly jackknifed under me, cried out, her fingers gripping me desperately. Growling again, I circled my fingers around her clit, pressing just a little harder each time, and her panting breaths came faster and faster. She tried to form words, managed only incoherent noises.
“What’s that, my love?” I asked, speeding up just a touch. Molly’s face scrunched up as she fought for enough control to answer.
“You’re not. Playing. Fair.” She gasped the words, and I chuckled, nipping at her beautiful breasts, teeth scraping her smooth skin. Molly lost her voice again, shuddering and arching.
Instead of speaking, she grasped my cock and, shooting me a look of triumph, stroked it in time with my movements. Now it was my turn to gasp and moan, cock throbbing in her hand.
She’d waited long enough, I decided. That was all, not me losing control of myself at her touch. I am a Prytheen warrior, strong of mind and body.
But my khara’s touch, her urging, challenged that. I needed her desperately, more than I’d be willing to admit to anyone. Letting her guide me between her legs, I positioned myself. Met her gaze.
And thrust.
One powerful thrust buried me to the hilt, every ridge of my cock stretching her as I pushed inside her. It was enough to send her over the edge into a thrashing, gasping orgasm that I watched with joy. Iron-hard willpower kept me from joining her, because she still deserved more. My hands on her hip, I held her in place as she writhed in ecstasy.
When that orgasm left her and her eyes flickered open, she panted and stared up at me in wonder. I grinned, drew back, and thrust again. Molly cried out, grabbing hold of my arms, squeezing hard enough I thought it might bruise. Taking that as encouragement, I thrust again. And again.
The bed creaked under us as I pounded Molly into it, her cries of pleasure echoing through the pod. Her body contorting at the edge of orgasm, she squeezed me hard and my cock vibrated.
Molly’s scream shook the room, her pussy squeezing me hard, and I came too, filling her as my final thrust smashed the bed under us. Locked together, we tumbled to the floor, a tangle of sheets and mattress around us.
It took me a moment to work out what had happened, my brain floating in a fuzzy, post-orgasmic bliss. Then I saw the buckled metal bedframe and laughed. Molly joined in, clinging to me, her throat raw and her arms locked around me as if she’d never let go.
Eventually, Molly had to let go. It just wasn’t possible to hang onto each other forever, as much as we wished to. She kissed me as she pulled herself back, snagging a pillow from the ruined bed and putting it to use as a backrest, letting her sit comfortably against the wall.
“That was amazing,” she said, blushing. “I mean. Uh.”
I nodded. “It was, yes. Mating between a warrior and his khara always is, so I’m told. I didn’t know until you.”
Something, an expression I didn’t have time to recognize, flashed across her face at that. Regret, maybe? Or was I projecting my fears to her, seeing what I dreaded?
“That wasn’t our first time,” she pointed out, pulling a sheet around herself. I smothered a growl of disapproval — if we were having this conversation, better that she feel comfortable.
I pulled myself up to sit opposite her. Close enough to be there for her, far enough that I didn’t threaten her. And close enough to meet her eyes.
“Firstly, that was amazing too,” I said. “But yes, this time was different. Before we acted on pure instinct, nothing more. Wonderful, yes, but neither of us were thinking. And this time, khara, we both sought what we got.”
“I did not come looking for a spanking,” she said, cheeks flushing and voice rising. I raised an eyebrow and looked at her until she subsided. Crossing her arms, she continued: “Okay, fine, I enjoyed it. Not going to pretend I didn’t. But I didn’t come looking for it.”
I smiled. “We don’t always know what we’re looking for, khara. For my part, I did not come up this mountain expecting to fall in love with a human who hates and avoids me.”
“I never hated you,” she said, throwing a pillow at me. I twisted my face into an exaggerated hurt expression, which just encouraged her to launch a second assault.
“Stop that,” she said, trying to sound stern, barely restraining a laugh. Holding up my hands in surrender, I went back to smiling and she rolled her eyes.
“Okay, fine, you’re so put upon,” she said, grinning. “Sure. Look, um, the sex is great—”
I nodded enthusiastically at that.
“—but I don’t have the space in my life for a boyfriend. Especially not a pirate. So…”
She trailed off, and I restrained myself from the obvious response — to leap over at her and remind her of what we were to each other. That would only make her decision harder, and I knew what she would say in the end. No one fought the mate-bond and won.
Taking a deep breath, Molly said the rest in a rush. “So, this is fun but it’ll stay just physical, right?”
“Khara,” I started, shocked by her suggestion. She shook her head and cut me off.
“Don’t call me that. I don’t believe this, this fated mates stuff. We can have fun, oh boy can we have fun, but it doesn’t mean there’s some mystic bond between us. It doesn’t mean that this whole shitty planet and all the death was good for me. That it was meant to happen.”
What had started as a forceful diatribe wound down into shuddering sobs, and I moved to her side, putting my arm around her shoulders and holding her tight. She grabbed hold of me like a spacewalker to a safety line, a grip so fierce it hurt.
I refused to let the slightest sign of that show. My khara needed the release, and this was a way I could help her. I was at a loss for what to say, so I cradled her and stroked her hair.
It would have to be enough.