AFamiliarFace (8 page)

“Yeah. I noticed a few of the other warriors, but none of them had tattoos as large as yours, or as detailed.”

“I’m even more different than the others.” He flushed at the look she sent him, one of pure lust. She lingered over his groin, no doubt staring at the erection he couldn’t hide. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll have you bent over this rock faster than you can take your next breath.” She looked away, but not before he saw her naughty grin. He sighed, convinced she needed a spanking. “Most Talians receive their true self later in life, in our adolescence. I was born with this mark.” He rubbed the back of his neck and felt his true self purr with contentment. “My true self, The Snake, becomes flesh when I’ve need. To protect that which is most precious, to defend the nest, I fight with my spirit.”

She stared at him with admiration, not the fear or suspicion other females normally gave him. Even the females who lusted after his cock usually stared at him with nervous awe. Mallory seemed to approve of him. She accepted his differences, perhaps because she too, in her own way, had lived apart from others. He liked the thought of all they might have in common.

“Where I come from, we have shapeshifters.  But the shifter is either human or animal, never a blending of both.” She bit her lip. “I noticed your teeth get really sharp when you’re aggravated. Do you do that on purpose or is it an adrenaline thing?”

“Adrenaline?” After she explained, he answered, “No, it’s not hormonal. I control the bite. My eyes, however, are more an adrenaline thing. When I’m angered or excited, you can tell.”

“No kidding.” She cleared her throat. “Now about that true self when we were making love. What exactly was that?”

“That, Mallory, is a part of me that appears when I’m
very
excited.” His gravelly voice hid that one crucial truth, that his ghostly phallus appeared only in the presence of a potential mate, when his spirit needed to bond as much as his physical self. Recalling the experience had him ready to repeat the performance.

  She stared at him for several moments. The hide of his kilt bothered his erection, and he wanted nothing more than to throw the material aside and plunge back into Mallory. Unfortunately, too much time since the attack had passed. They needed to return to the nest, to assess damages and to find out what the future held.

“I’m sorry,
kina
. Would that we had more time.”

“I know.”  She sighed, then her eyes brightened. “But there’s always later.”

He grinned, liking the way she thought. “Definitely later.”

Chapter Six

Mallory continually studied her surroundings, amazed at the varied landscape through which they trekked. From the dense Yuka forest to the white hot sands of Horum Atmas,
the god’s kiss
. Through a less arid portion of Atmas into what Core called the nest’s Underground—a lush, tropical paradise. It had taken three day’s journey on foot, and all the while she contemplated her new circumstances, wondering if she anyone at home missed her.

Home … her apartment … her rent
. Today was Tuesday. Monday, payment day, had come and gone. Had Morty rented out her apartment or given away her meager worldly possessions? Had he rifled through her things, touching her most personal belongings?

Oddly enough, she couldn’t find it within her to drum up any anger. Through some twist of fate, she’d been thrown from the only world she’d known into a life or death journey with a male who couldn’t possibly be real. For the past three days and nights, they’d dodged Phrellian patrols, venomous predators that had an appetite for anything on two legs, swarms of
srexia
--noxious gnats that reminded her of zombie toxin, and masses of quicksand and carnivorous plants.

In an environment this deadly, she had come to respect the Talians even more, especially since they regarded their world’s eccentricities with tolerance—or at least, Core said they did. Glancing at the taut buttocks of the warrior in front of her, she couldn’t help admitting how much she was coming to care for him. Though she’d seen him literally tear out the jugular of a Phrellian, he treated her with the utmost courtesy and respect…when he wasn’t screwing her brains out at night. Never had she been so in tune with another, both mentally and physically.

She eyed his muscular thighs, marveling at the latent power in the Talian. The more she was around him, the more she felt his magic. Though he didn’t use any and didn’t seem to realize he possessed it, she knew he had gifts. Hell, he could have been a warlock with the right training. The few times they’d been forced to kill to survive on this trek, she’d siphoned power from him to quietly and efficiently eliminate any threats. Instead of looking down on her actions, he thanked her with true appreciation.

Core seemed to be proud of her magic and raw skills. The notion he approved warmed her from the inside out. She cared what he thought of her, and she wondered how she could return to her tired, ordinary world without him.

“You are quiet,” he rumbled, his voice carrying in the quiet of early morning. “You are well?”

“I’m fine.” She thought wistfully of her bed, of an actual toilet and shower. Then she stared at the writhing snake on his back and shook her head. What did she need those creature comforts when she had
this
creature for comfort? The thought made her chuckle.

He stopped and turned with a puzzled look.

“Just an inside joke. Never mind.”

He opened his mouth to say something and froze, his eyes staring all around. Grabbing her by the arm, he quickly pulled her into the shade of a mammoth tree and covered her with his body. His skin hardened, scales instead of flesh, and the color shimmered into a dark brown, like the tree onto which they leaned for protection.

“Core?” she whispered.

She could see the shine of his eyes through the shadow and thought he’d never looked more predatory.

“Shh. Quiet,
kina
. Don’t move. And don’t talk.”

Mal remained silent, though she felt smothered under his bulk. As the minutes passed and she heard nothing, she grew irritated. Core’s throat and chest were visible but nothing else. Such strength, and all hers. She traced the dark form of the snake around his ribs.

He tensed and frowned down at her. The playful familiar within her hadn’t been out in a while, and she demanded Mal give in to the sensual needs flaring at their close proximity.

Running her hands lightly across his chest, she flicked his nipples with her thumbs and followed with her tongue.

“
Kina
,” he warned in a raspy voice.

“Shh, stay alert.” She pinched his nipple and ran her hands down his taut belly, down under his leather kilt to surround his thick cock. Though his body was cool to the touch, his shaft felt like fire, hot and hard, sensuality made flesh. He leaned close to her neck and nipped her, giving her that same dazed, pleasure feeling he’d shared before taking her ass.

She realized he’d given her a taste of his venom, nothing dangerous, just potent, and totally sexual.

“Not nice,” she whispered with a smile and squeezed his cock, knowing how much he liked a tight grip. She started stroking him, using the moisture at his slit to ease her way, and soon he was pushing as hard as she was pulling. Need built, to feel him come, to know she made him as crazed as he made her.

She loved the feel of him in her hands. Had she more room to maneuver, she’d have taken him in her mouth. The taste of him was indescribable, as well as addictive. She slowed, wondering if she could get some space to move to her knees.

“
Kina
, finish what you started,” he growled and raised her shirt up to bare her midriff. He shoved his cock against her naked belly.

“God, I want you inside me.” But knowing they had little space, she reached under his shaft with her other hand and rubbed his balls. His tight sac signaled his pending release, as did the hard motion of his hips.

Her panties grew damp with her own arousal. Keeping one hand over his cock, she pushed the other in her pants, stroking her fingers in her own cream. Then she lifted those fingers to his mouth, growing increasingly excited when he sucked on her digits hard, lapping her with that raspy tongue.

“Oh yes,” he said thickly, driving against her palm. “I love your scent. Your taste.”

She pulled him hard once, twice, and then he came against her belly, warm jets of semen marking her. He continued to shudder as she stroked him and rubbed his cum all over her. Hecate’s cauldron, but the man was a walking advertisement for sex. She wanted him so badly she could taste it.

“Core, glad to see you made it back safely.” The male voice from the shadows was filled with humor and froze her in shock.

“Not now, Luar,” Core groaned. “Give me a minute.”

“Of course, War Leader.” Luar mumbled something Mal couldn’t make out, and then
several
male chuckles sounded, embarrassing the hell out of her.

She tried to let go of Core’s shaft but he held her hand tight around him, stroking the last bits of seed as he wiped his cock against her middle.  “Why didn’t you tell me they were out here?” she whispered harshly. She could only be glad he shielded her from view.

“And stop you from your sensual play?” One brow rose. “I’m not crazy.”

“You knew they were there.”

“Of course. This is the Underground. Don’t worry,
kina
. I’m sure they saw nothing more than me taking my pleasure.” He nuzzled her neck and kissed her softly. “Just be glad I held myself in check. It was all I could do not to eat your very delectable pussy, despite our witnesses.”

She blushed to the roots of her hair, amazed at his audacity. Great. Some kind of impression she was going to make by jerking off their leader before their eyes. She wanted to melt into a puddle and disappear.

“Relax,
kina
. Remember the open pleasure you witnessed only a few days past. We Talians are steeped in sexuality. What we did is completely acceptable, and probably a bit disappointing to those hoping for a show.”

“Whatever.”

He laughed and let her hand go, rubbing his cum into her skin. The touch made her squirm with desire, and only the notion that eyes were upon them stopped her from insisting he finish her too.

“I would like nothing more than to put out your flames, Mallory,” he murmured, sliding a hand into her pants and between her legs.

She pressed against him when his finger stroked past her clit into the slick heat between her thighs.

“Yes or no,
kina
? Would you like release as well? No one can see these small movements of my hand.” His voice was like sin itself, his touch a temptation no sane woman could resist.

“Core,” she moaned softly, spreading her thighs wider as he inserted a second finger into her sheath.

“That’s it.” He quickly unfastened her trousers and shoved them down, baring her sex. “Oh, Mallory. Just a taste, a small lick to sate me.” Before she could protest, he knelt before her and covered her with his mouth, leaving her visible to anyone around them

But the moment his tongue penetrated her channel, she didn’t care. He flickering at the pleasure spot buried in her body, and she lost all thought, floundering in sensation. In the shadows, in the stark reality of Core’s world, she surrendered her body, mind and soul to her lover’s touch.

He sucked and nipped and tugged on her flesh. Her clit plumped painfully, her arousal a thirst only he could quench. He pushed a third finger into her pussy, then penetrated her anus with a finger from his other hand. All the while he lapped her cream, swallowing her scent.

“Core.”
She shattered, his fingers and mouth more than she could bear. She rocked into him, her orgasm obliterating all thought. Pleasure pounded, coursed, and filled her until she could see nothing but Core’s eyes, feel nothing but his hands on her body.   

“That’s it,
kina
. Now I truly wear your scent, as you wear mine.” He sounded more than satisfied as he took his time setting her clothing to rights. With a last lick over her sensitive clit, he rose and snapped her trousers in place, lowering her shirt as well to cover her sticky belly—covered in his cum.

“You did that on purpose,” she gasped. He’s marked her like his possession.

“Of course I did.” He smiled, a large, toothy grin full of smug male superiority that should have irritated. Instead, he tore down more of her walls guarding her heart. Such an arrogant, loveable warrior. “I would not have it known I cannot satisfy my mate—my lover.”

She frowned. “Your what?”

“Come,
kina
. The nest awaits.”

“I’m not finished with you.” She followed him past several grinning warriors now visible in the long grasses and slim trees they neared. How insane was she that she’d just had mind-blowing sex in front of half a dozen men? Crazy in love, Sheila would say. And the thought had her stumbling over a root in the ground, right into Core’s back.

“Easy,
kina
. I know you’re eager for more of me, but wait a little bit longer.”

“Very funny.” She caught the bright smile he flashed over his shoulder and realized how much she liked seeing him happy. Whether it was the incredible sex or the return to his people, Core acted like a man satisfied with life.