TWELVE
Vaxa’an led her through their home, showing her the two other quarters at the back of the dwelling. One had been his own quarters when he’d been a youth, before being sent away to military training. The other had been his blood brother’s. His lips pressed together when he saw it. He hardly ever visited these quarters as there was no reason to. One span, he hoped they would be his own offspring’s quarters, a wish that had hardly seemed possible before now.
The other section of the dwelling was his work room. His Com was set up to connect to the main command center database. He spent much time there, more than he should, but until now, there had been nothing else that motivated him besides the safety of his own people.
They were a warrior race, that was true. But Vaxa’an tried to do everything in his power not to start wars or to fight in them, if it could be helped. Many species sought after Luxirian weapons and blades and their pure, unadulterated strength. Vaxa’an had fought wars in space and on alien planets where he could hardly breathe, planets so cold that sometime he still felt the chill in his bones. He’d seen more death than he’d wished to ever see in his life span. He didn’t relish the thought of unnecessary Luxirian blood being spilled on foreign planets.
But sometimes war was essential for peace. He knew this. His sire had known this and his sire before him.
After showing Kat his work space, he led her back into the center hub before approaching the hallway that led to their own quarters. Inside was their sleeping platform—much larger than the one on his ship—and a resting area with a fire pit, much like the one in the main hub. There was a window overlooking the terrace, which overlooked Luxiria in the direction of the plains of the Ravrax’tor and subsequently, the outpost watched over by Rixavox.
Beyond their sleeping platform, there was another door which led to their washing room. Inside was a large sunken bath, wide enough to swim in. Luxirians loved to soak in hot baths; it was almost like a religion. The washing stalls were not as popular and were usually only equipped on ships where physical space was limited.
Vaxa’an looked out the window, towards the Ravrax’tor, feeling anticipation build within him. That was where the ravraxia, the traditional mating ceremony, would take place, where he would take his female soon. Very soon. His Instinct was leeching more and more of his control every span and he wondered how much longer he’d be able to wait until he claimed her fully.
Once he finished giving her a tour, he turned to her, worrying that she might not find their dwelling suitable. “Is it to your liking, female?”
His Kat glanced up at him, looking at the large bath, which was steaming lightly. Moisture dotted her brow. The heat felt good to Luxirians; they tended to have colder blood than other species. He made a mental note to make a visit to Privanax, who worked in the labs. Perhaps the older Luxirian could research human biology and tell him more about his mate and her needs. They’d never needed to research the human species before now.
“It’s…” she said quietly, “it’s wonderful, Vaxa.”
Relief flooded his veins. “You will enjoy living here?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “For the month, I mean.”
His chest squeezed, lips turning down, and he led her back into the hub, not knowing how to reply. His eyes caught on his Luxirian crystal, displayed on top of a column that reached the middle of his waist. It floated in mid-air, twirling and humming. It had been in his family for generations. It was one of the most perfect Luxirian crystals ever found…and it would be more than enough to power one of his vessels to take her back to the Fourth Quadrant, back to Earth.
He glanced away, pushing back his shoulders. She said she’d give him one lunar cycle. He would just have to convince her not to leave…and he planned to be very persuasive.
Vaxa’an turned to his female, purring at her closeness. The night before, he’d felt cut off from her, a sudden wall between them that he didn’t know how to breach. But now…he knew he needed to get a response from her. He needed to remind her that he was her male and that she desired him just as much as he desired her.
His horns straightened in anticipation and he crouched down in the resting area, leaning back against his furs and the embroidered pillows that lined the pit, before stretching his long legs in front of him.
Kat stared, lips slightly parted.
“Come, female,” he purred.
Her pupils dilated and then she hesitantly moved towards him, dropping down to her knees at his side, before he reached out to tug her onto his lap, her thighs straddling his groin. He held back a groan when he sensed her heat above his thickened cock. His nostrils flared. He scented her intoxicating arousal.
“Vaxa,” she murmured, uncertain. “What—”
He cut her off with a kiss and she inhaled sharply, the sound whistling between them. Vaxa’an growled, pushing closer, tangling his fingertips in her long, soft hair. His tongue massaged her own and she gave a breathy little sigh before finally giving in to him, relaxing against his body.
His hands left her hair to trail up the exposed skin of her thighs, but he stopped himself before encountering her cunt. Bidan would likely return any moment and he’d told Rixavox to call a council meeting. His appointed ambassadors would be arriving shortly from their various outposts spread across Luxiria.
Frustration mounted as he warred with his desires and his duty, but he told himself that he needed to get everything in order before he could take his female to the Ravrax’tor for their mating ceremony. The ravraxia itself was private and they would not return for many spans.
With more control than he thought he could possess, he ceased, but left his hands under her tunic, at the juncture of her thighs where her heat seeped into him. Kat surfaced from their kiss, disoriented, her eyes slightly glazed.
His voice was gruff, full of regret as he told her, “I have duties I must attend to, luxiva. I must brief my ambassadors about our journey…and I have preparations to make for the mating ceremony.”
Clarity returned to her eyes. “And…when will it happen?”
“Tomorrow,” he replied, feeling heat spread in the pit of his stomach. He was suddenly impatient to get everything done. Just the thought that his female would be his luxiva after the Fates blessed their union…it was the sweetest torture having to wait just one more span. They would depart before the twin suns began their descent in the sky. He would make sure that their tent in the plains would be ready for them, with all the provisions they would need during their time there.
He’d heard that after the blood bond, it was like succumbing to a drug. An intensity that neither of them had felt before in their life spans would overtake them and they would see it through together. They would be as connected as two beings could be.
There was a plant that grew in the Tervator region that they imported into the city. After going through a clarification process, it was burned to create a thick smoke and inhaled by a Breeding pair or pleasure pair or mated pair. It was said to be an extreme aphrodisiac, the effects of which lasted for half of a span. Both Rixavox and Cruxan had taken tevvax with chosen pleasure mates multiple times and had always praised its results.
Vaxa’an had never taken it with his past pleasure mates…and he’d heard that even the blood bond was more intense. There was a reason that the ravraxia lasted multiple spans and why it tended to result in the creation of an offspring.
His chest rumbled, imagining his female large with their child. His gaze returned to his family’s Luxirian crystal. If she was pregnant, would she still choose to leave him? Or would she stay because of it?
There was no denying that he wanted to impregnate her. The sooner the better. His Instinct demanded it.
Tomorrow, he would take her to see Privanax at the research labs to ensure that her body could withstand the effects of the mating ceremony. And then, he would take her to the Ravrax’tor.
“We will depart tomorrow,” he rasped again.
His female didn’t seem surprised at his answer. All she asked was, “Will it hurt?”
“The mating ceremony?” he asked, his brow bones drawing together in amusement. “No, female. The ravraxia will be…pleasurable.”
A slight flush marred her creamy skin and he stroked his fingers over her wet cunt, unable to help himself.
“B-but you said something about blood,” she whispered, clenching his wrist to keep his hand still.
“Tev, but I think you will find this also pleasurable.”
She gasped when he found her small, swollen clit and he swiped his thumb against it. He needed to leave immediately, he told himself, or else he just may stay there for the rest of the span just to hear her sweet moans.
Suddenly, he pulled his hands from beneath her tunic and sucked on his thumb, licking off her juices while she watched, lips parted. He pulled her close and kissed her one last time, finding it extremely erotic that she could taste her desire on his tongue, before he retreated. Vaxa’an stood, placing her on her feet, although her legs seemed slightly unsteady.
“I will not be gone long,” he murmured, brushing her hair away. Behind her, he spotted Bidan, powering down a hovercraft on the terrace before stepping out towards their dwelling.
He greeted the older Luxirian and Kat turned, startled.
Vaxa’an asked him, “Did Kirov implant you with the language?”
“Yes,” Bidan said, in English. He looked at Kate and inclined his head to her. “Laxriv’an, I am pleased that the Fates have blessed Vaxa’an with a luxiva such as you. I am honored to serve you.”
“Oh,” Kat said quietly, seeming at a loss for words. “It is…very nice to meet you, Bee-don.”
Vaxa’an’s lips quirked. To Bidan, he said in English, “I must meet with the council. I would like you to send for Keriva. Kat will need many coverings made for her. Tell her to get an implant before arriving.” He looked down at his female with affection. “You can not always wander about in my tunic, female, as much as I would not mind. Keriva will create your new ‘clothes.’”
A bright flush swarmed her face and she cast an embarrassed look at Bidan.
He squeezed her backside playfully and she yelped in surprise, turning on him with a glare that made her look like a disgruntled baby privixi.
“I will not be long, luxiva,” he said to her, bending down to touch his forehead with hers. Then he turned to leave, already feeling her absence deep in his bones.