Claimed (15 page)

Sorvar didn’t hesitate to join her in front of the screen and almost laughed again when Emily’s mouth fell open.

“Ohhh myyy,” the human female said, her tone dripping with appreciation.

This time, he did laugh and received an elbow in the ribs from Tina, which just made him laugh harder. Tina’s annoyance surged inside him, and he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her against him.

Pavri, I have no interest in any other female but you. Only
you
make me so hard that all I can think of is being inside you.

He knew when she accepted his attempt to placate her. She relaxed against him and turned back to the screen.

“This is Sorvar, and he is the reason I’m on Morgath. Eyes off, Emily, he’s mine,” Tina said to her friend.

He chuckled, squeezing Tina, delighted at her show of possessiveness. The female on the screen laughed as well.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not after your mate. I ah... have one of my own now, too. Anyway, that’s not why I contacted you. I better get down to business, while we still have a connection.”

A surge of curiosity bubbled through him from Tina, but all she said was, “Right, so what’s happening? Does this have something to do with why you called on behalf of the Coalition?”

“Yes. The Chancellor has appointed me as The Liaison for Human Females of the Coalition. He heard about the poor treatment some of us had received, and he wanted us to have our own advocate. That means I am responsible for every human female in space, including you, even though you aren’t in Coalition space anymore. Your base species is still human. Now, don’t get cranky at me, but are you happy there, Tina? If you aren’t, we will organise to extract you.”

Sorvar wanted to roar in denial, but he knew it would be a requirement of Emily’s position to ask. He ground his teeth together, and only just managed to stop himself from digging his fingers into Tina. Even if Tina said she wasn’t happy, he would never let her go, and he’d kill anybody who tried to take her. He would do everything he could to make sure she
was
happy here with him.

Tina, however, shocked him to his core when she replied, “It’s okay, Emily. We had a bit of a rocky start, and not everyone is happy I’m here, but I won’t leave Sorvar. He’s my mate, we belong together now, and with the babies on the way, it’s important I stay here where the medics are knowledgeable about my situation.”

He let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding, and tension eased out of his shoulders. Sorvar pulled Tina closer and squeezed her, hoping she’d understand how grateful he was to hear her say they belonged together.

I love you, pavri, but you know I’d never let you go. Not now, not after you’ve shown me how wonderful you are.

She melted against his side, and although she didn’t say anything, a surge of warmth from her filled him up.

Emily let out her own breath and murmured, “That’s good. Drenvah will be thrilled.” Then a little louder she said, “Right, as you are the first human on Morgath I am authorised to make you the Earth Ambassador to Morgath. Congratulations on your new role, but don’t celebrate all at once—Liaison Green is in the process of appealing the Chancellor’s decision to appoint me, and if he succeeds, they will overturn any appointments I make.”

Tina choked and gasped. “Ambassador? What the hell, Emily? I’m a medic, not a politician! I don’t know how to be an ambassador.”

The Liaison waved away Tina’s concern. “It’s fine, I’ll send you the official ambassadorial guide book. The other thing you need to be aware of is, I’ve heard some whispers about the Alliance’s...
dissatisfaction
with us women mating with other species. It’s the whole reason they kept us out of space for so long, and now their worst nightmare has come true. Don’t be surprised if they attempt to negotiate your return. Now before I go, is there anything you need? I can have a delivery sent from Earth if you want anything.”

Sorvar shifted, his wings flaring out before he snapped them back in. Tina wasn’t going to be going anywhere. There would be no negotiations. He shoved a hand through his hair, making a mess of Tina’s careful braid. He should be the one taking care of Tina’s needs, yet he hadn’t done anything in the last week about organising her new clothes and footwear suited to her clawed feet. He’d have to remedy that situation at once. After he took her to see Bavric.

“No, thank you. I’m fine for now, although, any information you have about humans mating with other species would be helpful or someone to compare notes with. I want to know if it’s only us that has had unexpected complications or if it is all the humans who have mated that are seeing odd results. Oh, and to be able to get in contact with some of the other human women. You’re the first human female I’ve spoken to since we arrived at The Fortress.”

Emily smiled. “Of course. I’ll send through anything I can find. It will take a bit of digging to find someone if there is anyone, but the Chancellor might be able to help, and Myra’s been in contact. I’m sure she’d love to hear from you. I’ll let her know where you are—”

The image cut off suddenly, the screen fading to black.

“I’m sorry, Prince Sorvar. The connection cut off,” the male at the console said.

Sorvar turned to look at the male and bit back a growl. It wasn’t the male’s fault, but he could feel Tina’s disappointment inside him. He couldn’t keep his displeasure from his voice, though, when he said, “It’s fine.”

He scooped Tina up in his arms and started for the door.

“Where are we going now?” Tina asked, her disappointment washing away and a flutter of curiosity taking its place.

“To see Bavric. I believe we have questions for him.”

Tina’s lust hit him, almost staggered him as he walked out the door, but she didn’t say a word.

* * * *

“Bavric, you aren’t making any sense. Either we can or we can’t,” Sorvar growled.

Tina sighed. The longer they’d been in Medical with Bavric, the more frustrated Sorvar had become. She knew the answer wasn’t an easy one. They were the first couple to combine their respective genes, and Bavric just didn’t have any data to go on. In a way, they were going to be the test subjects for all the couples who would come after them.

“Sorvar, it’s not that simple,” she tried to explain to him.

She might have suggested they run off and ask Bavric, but she’d needed him to do
something,
not just sit there like a sexy statue and drive her crazy.

“Of course it is, Tina. It’s either yes or no.” He turned those bright eyes of his on her, and she had to shake her head to stop herself from getting drawn into his gaze.

“No, handsome, it’s not. Bavric doesn’t have any precedence to use to give us an answer. We are the first, and as such the data he collects will all come from us. So that leaves us a few options.”

He growled low in his throat, but remained silent, on the outside.
What options, pavri?
he demanded into her mind.

She blew out a breath, her own frustration growing. “One.” She held up her hand and ticked off a finger. “We can completely abstain until I lay the eggs. The babies won’t be in any danger, and we won’t have to worry.” She ticked off another finger. “Two. We can stick with non-invasive activities, which, trust me, can be lots of fun. However, Bavric will need to monitor me to make sure an orgasm doesn’t hurt the embryos when my uterus contracts. Once we know for sure that an orgasm won’t hurt the babies, we should be good to go.” Tina flicked up a third finger. “Three. We can have intercourse here, and Bavric can monitor us the whole time and warn us if anything happens to put the babies in danger.”

Sorvar turned to look at Bavric, and Tina shook her head before looking at the medic, too.

“Well?” Sorvar asked.

Bavric looked back and forth between them before settling his gaze on Sorvar. “My Prince, I do not understand. Tina has already conceived. She cannot conceive again until her next fertile period. What would be the purpose of putting your young in danger with continued sexual activity?”

A blast of Sorvar’s amusement washed through Tina as she stared back at Bavric, her mouth hanging open. She snapped it shut with an audible clack.
Sorvar, explain it to him, so he understands. You’re a male. He’ll get it if you tell him.

Sorvar chuckled and pulled her against him.
Pavri, I don’t think he will. I wouldn’t have understood if a male had tried to explain it to me before I claimed you—and you forget. Most of the species we usually steal only have sex to procreate. Not simply for the enjoyment of it.

Tina shook her head and snorted.
Fine.
“Bavric, sex to humans is a bit like sport. It involves physical exertion, it’s fun, and you can do it either on your own or as a team. We don’t have sex just to procreate. If we did, it wouldn’t feel so good. I mean, what would be the point?”

Bavric’s wings rustled behind him, and he lifted one hand and made a strange gesture that made Sorvar roar with laughter. “Princess, I don’t understand what spontaneous mutations have to do with intercourse.”

Would you stop laughing, Sorvar! This is serious. Or don’t you want to be able to have sex?
What did spontaneous mutations have to do with sex anyway? “I’m sorry, Bavric. I don’t understand.” She shoved away from a still chuckling Sorvar and crossed her arms over her chest.

“A sport is an animal or plant showing abnormal or striking variation from the parent as a result of spontaneous mutation. It has nothing to do with sex, Princess. It is purely genetic variation.” Bavric sounded like he was explaining something to a child.

Instead of getting angry with Bavric for his condescending attitude, Tina laughed. “No, that’s not what I meant by sport. On Earth, sport is an activity between individuals or teams. It requires physical exertion and skill. Basically, it’s a game. Don’t you have something similar? Like flying contests or fighting contests or games that show skills and endurance or something?”

Sorvar’s amusement was so strong inside her that Tina was having a hard time not laughing herself. The ticklish sensation fluttered around inside her like the teasing strokes of a feather.

“I see. Well yes, of course we have activities like that. They form part of our festivals and celebration days. So humans use sex as a form of competition between the male and female to see who has more stamina? Or is more skilled? Or is it about dominance?” Bavric now sounded excited as if he’d discovered a great secret.

Tina sighed and shook her head. Sorvar was right. He really didn’t understand, and her bastard of a mate was getting far too much enjoyment out of her fumbling explanations. “Yes, I suppose some couples use sex for those purposes, but its main point other than procreation is for pleasure and to develop intimacy between the couple. Honestly, Bavric? It just feels good, and it’s nice to share that with someone you... care about.” She had almost said loved, but she didn’t love Sorvar... yet. At least, she didn’t think so.

She cared about him a lot, and she knew he could feel it. He didn’t hesitate to let her feel that he loved her. In fact, he didn’t try to hide any of his emotions from her at all. Like now, he wasn’t trying to hide his amusement, and she was about to hit him.

Tina, there may be an easier way to make Bavric understand.

With a little shake of her head, Tina turned to Sorvar.
I’m all ears, handsome.

He grinned down at her, completely unrepentant that he found the situation so amusing.
Your suggestion that we have sex here so Bavric can monitor us is a good one. We can solve two problems at once. He can make sure we don’t hurt the babies, and he can find out exactly what you are talking about.

Tina gaped up at him.
Wait. You want us to have sex in front of him? That wasn’t what I meant, Sorvar. I meant he could put monitors on me and wait outside. He’d be close enough to help if something went wrong, but not in the actual room.

Sorvar wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against the hard wall of his naked chest. Tina had no choice but to unfold her arms and grip his waist or she’d lose her balance. He leaned down and nuzzled the sensitive skin right below her ear.

“Yes, pavri, I suspected that was what you meant, but he will not understand unless he sees for himself. He will not understand how beautiful your breasts are or how much you enjoy it when I suck and lick at your nipples until they are hard and aching. Nor will he understand unless he can see our faces exactly what it feels like when I thrust inside you.” His hot breath whispered against her ear as he spoke in a hushed tone.

Tina shuddered. God, the things he could do to her just by whispering in her ear.
Sorvar, I’ve never had sex in front of another person before. I don’t know if I can, it’s... weird.

Warm lips pressed against her throat, then he stroked a long line down with just the tip of his tongue.
Pavri, I bet if I slid my fingers into you right now, I’d find you wet and waiting for me. Tell me the thought of someone watching doesn’t make you hot.

A tiny little moan welled up in Tina’s throat.
Sorvar, I—

Tina jumped and let out a little shriek as the door burst inwards with a great crash, and Sorvar’s father stormed into the room. His massive presence dwarfed the room, making the generous space feel far smaller than it was.

“I forbid that abomination from having any contact off planet. Who knows what secrets she will share with her people about us?” the king said pointing a long-taloned finger at them.

A burst of rage rushed through Tina, and it wasn’t only Sorvar’s. How dare he try and cut her off from her people! Sorvar had already claimed her against her will and dragged her off to an alien planet. The king was taking the last thing from her that might give her joy other than being with Sorvar. A low growl rumbled up out of Tina and mimicked the louder growl that tore through the room from Sorvar.