"You weren't upset when Lord va'Rin suggested my departure," I point out. "I didn't know what to think."
"Victor." She cups my cheek, tangling her fingers in my thick, shaggy mane there. Sideburns, she calls them. "I've spent years and years hiding how I really feel about things. I've spent every day on this planet wearing a cheerful smile and sweet-talking every alien I run into because that's the only power I have. I turn back to that when I have to. But if you think for one moment that the thought of you leaving didn't gut me…you're wrong."
Her eyes meet mine and they're shiny with unshed tears.
"Don't cry." I rub my thumb over her cheek. "I can't stand the thought of you sad, Bee."
"I'm not sad now," she manages, blinking rapidly. She wriggles on my lap, a mischievous smile curving her mouth. "I'm content and loose and my pussy is wet with your seed. I don't think I've ever been happier."
I groan, because hearing that makes me happy, too. I run my nose along her brow, drinking in her scent mingled with my seed. It's chokingly thick in the room and I love it. I didn't think it was possible for her to smell better, but I'm addicted. "I can get my barbs removed at the medical clinic," I tell her. "The medic said it was a routine procedure…but it won't matter if I can't have you. Lord va'Rin said that the other Crulden clone has a mate. That he's fine with us being together, but you have to tell him that you want to be mine." I hesitate, wondering if I'm pushing too hard. "But…only if you want that."
She steers my face with her hand until I am facing her, and her smile is brilliant. "Of course I want that. Are you…all right with getting your barbs removed? I know it's a sensitive area."
"I want nothing more than to be inside you," I admit. Just the thought is making my cock rise again.
"What about the job at the shore? The garden?" She bites her lip, worried on my behalf. "I don't want to keep you from doing important work."
"My job is being your mate. Staying at your side. Protecting you." I take her hand in mine and rub my tusks against her knuckles lightly. "You want to help these females that have no one else to help them. Yes? You need someone to enforce this help. I can be that enforcer."
Her eyes widen. "You'd do that for me?"
"Bee, I would spend the rest of my life in a cage for you."
She frowns at that. "No cages. Never again."
"No cages," I agree.
"And no barbs." She leans in and kisses me, our mouths fitting together poorly as always, but I still love it. "No boundaries between us."
"None."
Her expression grows determined. "Then let's make a few calls."
To no one's surprise, Lord va'Rin is just amused at Bee's new suggestion for me to be her assistant/enforcer. We're to keep the pump house cottage, and he promises a faster air-sled so we can drive into Port with ease. I'm astounded at the male's generosity time and time again, but Bee says he has a human wife that he loves dearly, so that must be the reason behind his largesse. I'll take it.
We call the medic next to discuss my upcoming “procedure” and I'm a little nervous when he says we can return to his clinic today. That it's a simple “lasering” that won't take more than an hour and a few days of rest on my part. I've wanted this for so long, but now that it is here, I'm a little worried about getting such a pleasurable part of myself lasered. Bee is so enthused, though, that her excitement fuels mine. I want to be Bee's mate in all ways. Even if I have to get a cybernetic cock, I'll go through with it.
Anything for my mate.
24
BEE
I love Victor, but he's a terrible patient.
Then again, I probably would be, too, if I'd just had a bunch of spikes removed off a very sensitive part of my body. In the last four days, we've moved back into the pump-house, and the trunk has been unpacked. A new bed was delivered the next day, twice as large as the last and big enough that Victor doesn't have to sleep hunched up. Which, I suppose, is a good thing, since I've been sleeping on the far side of the bed.
The medic in Port said it was a routine procedure…for children. And he gave us a numbing salve that would help things, and told Victor to expect that area to be sensitive for a few days. The de-barbing was done, and a dopey, dazed Victor was sent back home with me. I tucked him into bed, made sure the bandages in his pants were fresh, and went back to sending recorded comm messages to the human women near Port to let them know I'm a case worker specifically seeing to the needs of the human settlers here, asking if they need anything and inviting them to come and visit my new office in Port.
When Victor woke a few hours later, he was groaning with pain. His cock was a fiery, angry red and swollen, and even though the medic assured us this was normal, it worried me. I slathered numbing cream on his cock as Victor hissed and twisted as if in agony, and when that didn't take the entire edge off, the medic came out in an air-sled and gave Victor a shot that made him loopy.
"The biggest ones are always the ones that can't take the pain," the medic griped. He handed me a handful of auto-injectors, advising me to keep Victor drugged if the discomfort persisted.
That was four days ago, and ever since then, I've been looking after my mate while he slept.
And slept.
And slept.
Really, it's not so bad. I worry about Victor more than anything, but the angry red has been fading steadily, and he's no longer swollen. I just hate that he's in pain, and I miss talking to him and cuddling with him. I've been afraid to touch him for the last few days out of fear that I'd brush up against something. The house is clean, I'm caught up on all of my messages, and I've even received a few from Lord va'Rin, checking in on us.
His last message was particularly delightful, despite its brevity.
Riffin is now assigned to the coast. He should trouble you no longer.
A small, evil part of me is delighted. I read the message again as I sit in front of the comm, smiling to myself as I sip my tea. I'm going to have to figure out how to save that particular missive. Maybe I'll embroider it and hang it on the wall. Maybe—
"Bee," a familiar voice groans from the bedroom.
I get up immediately. "Coming," I call out, grabbing the nearly empty jar of salve and the injectors just in case. Poor Victor. He'd been so excited to get rid of the barbs—I had too—and all of the excitement has disappeared with the pain he's gone through. If he's afraid to touch his cock for a month, I wouldn't blame him.
But that's all right. As long as he's not hurting, I'll do whatever it takes. As long as we're together, that's all that matters to me.
I peek into the dark bedroom and the bed is still occupied. "I'm here," I say softly. "Do you need pain meds? Food? Water?"
Victor groans again, reaching a big hand out for me.
Oh dear. I immediately slip my free one into his grip. "I hate that you're still hurting. I can't believe—"