Ships departed from Crosos spaceport every day, but today was different. Today the Jester's Last Laugh set out for Earth, the last ship going in that direction for half a year or more. Watching it depart on the viewscreen, I felt an unexpected shock of relief as it detached from the orbital station.

Beside me, my beloved Gemma snuggled closer. "You didn't think I was going to leave, did you?"

"Of course not," I said, putting an arm around her shoulder and holding her tight. "But still..."

I couldn't quite put my feelings into words. I didn't need to, though. Gemma knew me well enough, and we watched in silence as the big ship accelerated away into space leaving her behind. The choice was made, and we both knew that it was the right one. We would be happy here, together.

Things had settled down since the excitement of her kidnapping. The Perhar were rebuilding under the leadership of Alishan, and while I didn't trust her as far as I could throw a sea serpent, she was at least smart about her deviousness. That meant trade, and trade was good for all of us.

The land reclamation project was going well, too. Soon we'd have farms of our own again, and I knew Gemma was looking forward to seeing them. I couldn't wait to show her the food that our people grew and walk with her in the orchards of zerph trees.

"Our children will never know hunger," I said quietly to myself. Gemma looked up at me, blushing slightly.

"About that," she said, stopping there. Her nerves showed in the delightfully cute way that she bit her lip, and I raised an eyebrow.

"Um." Whatever she wanted to say, it wasn't coming easily. A little concerned, I picked her up, sitting her on my lap so that I could look her in the eye.

"What is it, my love?" I asked. "You have no need to worry about anything you might tell me."

"I know," she admitted. "That doesn't make it easy."

"Is something wrong?"

"No!" Gemma shook her head emphatically, then added. "At least, I hope not. I think I'm pregnant."

It took a moment for those wonderful words to sink in. Slowly, I felt a huge smile spread across my face. My heart thumped loudly in my chest and I blinked quickly. For a moment I couldn't speak, so I pulled her close and kissed her.

"My beloved mate," I said when we parted, voice thick with emotion. "That is the best news you could have given me."

The relief on her face surprised me, and I couldn't help laughing a little. "Did you think I wouldn't be happy, Gemma?"

"No," she said, her beautiful face reddening. "It's just good to find out for sure, you know? Just like you didn't think I was going to leave on that ship."

She gestured vaguely towards the hologram where the Jester's Last Laugh was still barely visible against the field of stars. I nodded, understanding. We could be almost certain of each other’s reactions, but it was still a relief to see them for ourselves.

"The Elders must know about this news," I told her, kissing her again and standing. Gemma squealed delightedly as I lifted her, squirming in my arms. It was a very distracting sensation, and I paused to enjoy it.

Gemma laughed, throwing her arms around my neck and holding me close. "I'm sure we should tell them, but... does it have to be right away?"

She kissed my neck and I groaned. My secret weakness, and something that my mate had never had the slightest compunctions about exploiting. Not that she needed to do much to convince me, either. "It's true that this is the kind of news we ought to celebrate," I agreed. "Let the Elders wait a few hours longer."

Gemma bit down, her teeth digging into my flesh, and I growled. A flash of lust ran through me, setting my nerves aflame with need for the woman I carried.

And as always, my growl was answered by a shiver running through her body. A display of her own answering need for me, our shared lust. Without putting her down I walked to the bed, pulling at her clothing as I went.

Gemma gasped as I tore her top from her, and I laughed. We spent more on clothing for her than I'd ever have thought possible, and none of it was her fault. I was simply too impatient to undress her properly.

What's the point of being Protector of the richest clan on the planet, if I can't buy my mate new clothes whenever I want to tear them off her?

Throwing her down onto the mattress, I towered over her and pulled off my tunic. Gemma looked up at me from the bed, her breasts heaving as she watched me, and I could feel the pull of her body. Nothing could keep us apart, and nothing would ever separate us again.

She squirmed out of her clothes as I undressed quickly, and in moments we were both naked. Both breathing heavily. On fire for each other.

I lowered myself onto the bed, kissing her roughly, and her hand slid into my hair to pull me closer. Gemma moaned into the kiss and my heart raced. Her free hand slid down between us, finding my cock and stroking gently, making me groan in turn.

"I never get used to how big you are," she whispered as our lips parted. I chuckled at that, kissing her neck to make her gasp and squirm. Her hand tightened around me and I lowered my mouth, kissing my way down to her breasts, nipping at them gently. The way she arched under me, pressing herself to my mouth, made me growl again. Hungry, eager, needing her.

My cock hardened further in her grip and she moaned louder, trying to guide me to her entrance. But no, not yet. My mouth closed around one of her nipples, my tongue dancing across it as I sucked, and a delightful shudder ran through her. Little desperate whimpers rocked her, and I enjoyed every moment of her pleasure and her need.

But I couldn't hold back for long. I needed her as much as she did me, and I wasn't going to deny either of us. Letting her bring me to her, I poised myself to thrust and then raised my head. Met Gemma's eyes.

"I love you, Gemma of Rohar," I said. Before she could answer, I thrust hard, driving deep into my beloved. She cried out with pleasure, her fingers digging into my back as she squeezed me, and I felt my cock swell inside her.

For a long, wordless moment we were still, locked together. The only sound was our breathing. Then, slowly, I pulled back. Almost slid out of her. And thrust back in.

Gemma trembled under me, gasping and panting. My next thrust was faster, and the next faster still. Her body was intoxicating, and she urged me on with her fingers, pulling me closer and whimpering as we rocked together.

We moved together, quicker and more powerful motion taking me deeper and deeper, and I felt the tremors of her building orgasm. Growling, I urged her on, my body slamming into hers and driving her down into the bed. Her body tensed around me, gripping tight, and then it hit her.

My beloved cried out, a scream of joy and love and passion that filled the bedroom. Her limbs gripped me tight, holding me as she came in a shaking, shuddering orgasm that drove her wild and rocked her body.

I kept going, letting her ride the sensation to the end, and she cried out again and again. Finally, Gemma pulled herself up against me, kissing me hard, and then with a shuddering moan she sank her teeth into my neck again.

That was too much, and I couldn't hold my own orgasm back any longer. A passionate shout escaped my throat as I came inside her, filling her, my hands gripping the bedclothes tight. The feeling was incredible, indescribable, wonderful.

When it was over, we collapsed together, panting and holding each other tight. I pulled her onto me, letting her head rest on my chest, and she looked up with a smile.

"I love you too, Corvax Rohar," Gemma said, eyes sparkling with delight. "And I always will."

Smiling, I lost myself in the beautiful blue eyes of my mate. My life was almost complete now, with her at my side, and the only thing missing was the children we'd raise together.

I couldn't wait to meet them.