Zenik
1. Do your Duty.
2. Don’t make waves.
It was a silly Terran expression that Zenik had picked up from a chatty passing pilot. It had something to do with submerging oneself in water, but Zenik had taken phrase and adopted it as his own motto.
So when every single Etlonian left in camp got in line to request a mate, Zenik joined them. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do with the mate except, well, the obvious, but when the other warriors in their decidedly unwarrior-like chatter leaned toward Terran, Zenik checked off that preference too. He listened in at the mess tables when they talked of their future mates and bragged of how they would outdo each other in providing for them. He silently made accommodations of his own. The Etlonian Camp had based their entire view of Terrans on Odette, the prince’s absent mate. Athen did not necessarily like that term, prince, but his men knew that was exactly what he was. His father was Etlon of Etlon, and they, as his chosen, were a clan without equals, the best of what they did.
Zenik's specialty was also bold. He was a pilot by trade, but a chameleon by habit. He'd been burned, however, on his last mission. For years, he had infiltrated systems and networks of thieves, spies and collaborators. Methodical patience had built up such a backstory that even the most notorious and distrusting enemies had actually believed he could not possibly be a Mahdfel. No warrior had the time and patience not to bite on the chance to destroy countless numbers of Suhlik before taking out his real target. Zenik’s target was not random Suhlik warriors but someone equally sinister and much more difficult to catch. His quarry had no name. He was known only as the Wine Merchant, a moniker he had picked up in his early days, even though he now no longer dealt in spirits. The Wine Merchant dealt in death.
Zenik had finally managed to get face to face with him, only to have The Wine Merchant slip out of his grasp. He had left Zenik alone with a dozen Suhlik and had run like the coward he was. Left for dead, Zenik survived only through sheer will and determination. His connections had led to information that had taken out an entire Suhlik outpost and there was a bounty on him in quite a few systems. He didn’t like having it hanging over his head, but he’d not been given the choice. Etlon had decided he was not to hunt down the bastard responsible, and thus Zenik was not allowed to reclaim his honor. Noven 90 was a reward of sorts. It was a place to heal and find a mate, but without true work, he fell into his old patterns. Do your duty. Don't make waves.
Even now as he ferried the five newest mates from the transport to Camp, he didn't make himself known to any of the women much less the woman with jet black hair, the one he knew had to be his, even without her scent drifting toward him in a most distracting way. Zenik had panicked, he decided later when his brain had cleared. The moment he had landed the craft and had spotted the tall warrior female leading the other meek ones out of the jungle, he had known. It wasn't the uniform that set her apart. It was a way she carried herself, sure as any Mahdfel. He had known, right there and then that she was his. All his with no others to come close. He was barely on ground before Reub and Claro departed to open the door. When they'd been ferried inside, he saw three of the females huddled together for comfort, a fourth that could not be more disdainful and his mate sitting apart, upright and in perfect control of her emotions.
But he’d frozen once again when she’d taken the tablet from Kave and called his name, when those ice blue eyes searched for him across the crowd. Zenik had been rooted to the spot and only a commander’s shout could propel his feet forward.
There was but a moment before his mate had pressed into him and coaxed his mouth open with her tongue, leaving him dizzy with desire. The sweet nectar that was her mouth brought his cock to immediate attention. No, there was no question that she was his. Zenik brought his arms around his mate and returned the kiss.
Somewhere in the back of his head, he knew it wasn’t fair or right to flaunt his new mate’s willingness in front of the rest of the warriors. No, he should withdraw, take her some place more private. If only he could manage more than a few thoughts in a row while her mouth continued to duel with his. If she grabbed his cock through his uniform, he would have soiled it with his pleasure. Perhaps it was that thought that gave him the impetus to break the kiss.
Kave was grinning from ear to ear. “To eat!”
The Mahdfel soldiers let out a loud cheer and the crowd shifted toward the mess.
“Hello, there, Zenik. My name is Jane,” she whispered to him. He wanted to kiss her lips again.
“I am Zenik.”
“I hear there is food?” she prompted with a smile curling up one side of her mouth.
“Ah, yes! Yes. Food. A moment.” Surely it could not be an embarrassment to walk across the quad with a hard cock after one’s mate had given such a passionate kiss.
The vid manual said that it was best not to subject a new mate to a large crowd of Mahdfel on the first encounter. Take a little one on one time with her first, it said. Zenik crossed over to the mess and picked up one of five prepared baskets. He had heard the other warriors speaking of the spots they wished to take their mates for their first meal but he had a special place in mind.
Zenik had decided on a small patch of waterfalls where several local streams poured into the ocean. He’d noticed this spot when piloting the females to camp. Although it was slightly outside the force fence near the back side of the camp, he knew his mate could handle the trip.
“Would you come with me?” Zenik asked, guiding her with an outstretched hand. His mate nodded and followed.
Zenik could hear the tittering as he headed out. None of the other warriors approved of his decision to take her out of the protected area, but he paid them no mind. Zenik didn’t really fit in with the rest of the warriors. He too was of Etlon, but while they worked together, silently in a team, he had probably killed more Suhlik than most of them had, working alone. It was a small measure, but Zenik could feel implied sympathy sometimes from the others, he knew and they knew that he wanted to neither give nor receive sympathy. Sympathy was for the weak.
He could see that Jane was not weak. It was a thinned jungle near the force fence, but it was not an easy walk. Jane had no problem keeping up with him as they weaved their way through the roots. When they rounded the last of the force fence and headed the last little walk into the forest, Zenik was tempted to offer assistance. He decided against it as she ducked and weaved her way through the branches. When they cleared the trees, it was beautiful. The blue water cascaded off the hills and plummeted into the ocean.
They were just far enough away to turn the roar into a soothing soundtrack for a romantic getaway. He put the basket down and turned to Jane. “Is this an appropriate location?”
“For what?”
“A shared meal.”
“Oh. Okay. It’s nice.”
He sat down and Jane sat across from him. The replicators had been programmed with a variety of Terran cuisines, and it seemed like Terra had quite a number of them. Once again, the manual had a recommended list of foods. He had chosen a simple collection of tastes called a cheese plate. It also had a side accompaniment of this thing called salami. Zenik wasn’t sure what type of meat it was supposed to be, but the seasoning was delicious.
Jane dug in. He loved her healthy appetite and could spend hours just watching her eat.
“So, where are you from?” she asked. He’d been so distracted by her mouth, he had to ask her to repeat herself. “You are obviously all from the same stock. Where are you from?”
“We are of Etlon. The original Etlon was lost to us, but Mahdfel command has seen fit that we should colonize a new planet.”
“This one?”
“No, this is Noven 90. This is an outpost. It is hardly worthy of a dot on maps. Etlon is well populated. The capital city has beautiful towers and green fields. Noven 90 is not a bad place to live though,” he added, not wanting her to get a negative impression of the planet where they would be living on for the foreseeable future. “We have many amenities.”
“I heard. Beach volleyball. Yeah.” His mate did not seem impressed with this sport. He would have to discover what activities she liked.
“We have been given permission to inquire what other pleasures you might desire.”
“I’m a simple girl with simple tastes. A good poker game now and again would not be amiss.”
“Poker.”
“It’s a card game. Where you bet things. Chips, et cetera.”
“A game of skill or chance?”
“Skill. At least I think so. Most of the other wives won’t play though, I bet. They seem to be more of the DIY make your own upcycled planter with a Coke bottle and a glue gun types.”
“Females are not generally interested in guns.”
Jane laughed and shook her head. It was a musical sound and he wanted to immediately hear more of it.
“A glue gun isn’t a weapon. It heats a plastic adhesive that is used for crafting.”
“Crafting. Crafting what?”
“Usually a load of junk, but women like to do it. I don’t get it, personally, but to each her own. I like guns. Knives too.”
“It is generally frowned upon for a mated female to carry a gun or a knife,” he said.
“That’s because they haven’t been trained to use them correctly. I have.”
Zenik nodded and went back to watching her eat in silence, waiting for the moment to feed his mate a morsel.
It was a general Mahdfel marriage tradition that had been passed down from the time before. No one knew quite where it started, but the Mahdfel all knew that when mates were willing to accept food and drink from a warrior’s hand, they were ready for the bond. Already his mating glands were firing in his cheeks. He would mate and bite her on the neck and transfer the chemicals into her that would ready her to accept his seed.
Zenik took a piece of the salami and brought it to her lips. Rather than take a bite, she pulled her head back and took the meat out of his hands.
“Thanks.” Jane popped it into her own mouth. Perhaps he should start with liquid instead. He popped the lid off lemonade and before he could get it close to her mouth, she took it out of his hand.So much for ceremony.
She took a sip and then nodded her head. “That’s good. You know what would make it better? Vodka. Maybe tequila.”
“Alcohol is forbidden here. Though I might be able to find something if you give me some time.”
“Forbidden, eh? Too many drunken raves, huh?”
“Something like that. The men were getting fat.”
Jane spluttered out a laugh. Zenik had to shift because his position had become uncomfortable. He wanted her so badly.
“So are we going to get it on, or what?”
Zenik blinked at her.
“Have sex?” she said slowly, just in case the translator was bungling again. It wasn’t. It was generally rather complete when it came to sexual idioms.
“It is generally frowned upon to press a new mate for conjugation on the first night.”
“I’m not a usual mate. I’m not some shrinking violet. I’ve had lots of, let’s say, practice.” She smiled at him. She leaned over and started to unfasten his uniform shirt. Again, Zenik panicked.
He bolted straight up and began piling the rest of the picnic back into the carrier. “We should head back.”
“Like I said, I can handle roughing it. And a little rough stuff.”
“Perhaps I cannot. I am fond of my comforts.”
He sounded like an ancient warrior who should have died in battle years ago and ended himself. But the swirling fear in his stomach would not calm itself.
“So you want a bed? Because I’m serious. We could screw right here. Get rid of that little hard on problem of yours.”
“I am not without enough self control to need relief at the inconvenience of my mate.”
“Whatever.”
Jane stood and headed back into the jungle, disappointed. Though the light was beginning to fail, she moved swiftly back down the path to the camp.
Zenik followed meekly behind.