The Barbarian's Captive (24 page)

“Don’t let Eva hear you say ‘anomaly.’ She’s oversensitive as it is.”

“That could be a sign. Irritability.”

“Or it could be the result of being taken to a strange planet and mated.”

“True. I’ll need to run more tests.”

The door opened down the hall, and Kerr, who had been watching for her return, followed her slow steps, noting her flaming red cheeks as she tried to hide the container behind her. Jarlan was digging through drawers and cabinets, gathering his testing supplies and speaking aloud his plan on how to proceed.

“Let’s repeat the compatibility test just in case, although I’ve never heard of an error in nearly two decades. Then I’ll want to complete a full mating panel. I’ll need to collect samples of fluids from you both.”

A foot shy of the door, Eva skidded to a halt, her crimson cheeks turning suddenly pale. Although hardly in a lighthearted mood, he smiled softly at her expression, refraining from telling her he told her so.

Pausing outside the door, she bent forward, peering into the small room where Jarlan was holding a compatibility test wand, running a calibration. Kerr cleared his throat. The healer shifted, setting his equipment aside upon seeing Eva’s dread-filled expression.

“Sorry, Prima. I’ll make this as quick and painless as possible. Help her out of her dress, Kerr, then onto the table. And I’ll need you out of your shirt.”

Clasping her hand, he tugged her inside. Stiffly, she entered the exam room, jumping when the door whooshed shut behind them.

“Easy,” he murmured as he pulled her in front of him.

“I’ll take that,” Jarlan said as he removed the forgotten cup from her other hand. Kerr squeezed her shoulders, noting and disliking her skittishness, but putting off

the inevitable would only add to her anxiety. “Best to get to it,
anisa meo
. Raise your arms.”

Glancing at Jarlan, who had his back turned as he prepared, Eva obeyed, allowing him to strip her bare. He then lifted her by the waist onto the table and covered her with the linen sheet provided to protect her modesty. As he removed his shirt, she looked up at him, her mouth unusually tight, her body tense with apprehension. Kerr leaned over her, drawing close, his chest and shoulders blocking out everything behind him.

“I know this isn’t pleasant, little one, but you agree we need answers, yes?”

Gripping his forearms with trembling fingers, she clung to him. “Will you stay with me?”

Taking her hand, he laid it flat on his bare chest, directly over his heart, his own covering and holding it there. “You’re my mate. Without all these scientific tests and measurements, I know and feel it here. Where would I be except at your side, especially when you’re distressed?”

Blinking rapidly, she flipped her hand over and squeezed his. “Thank you.”

“Princep? Prima?” Jarlan stood at her shoulder, a swab in each hand. “Open,” he ordered, holding one to her lips first. When she obeyed, he swiped the inside of her cheek, repeating the process with the second swab on Kerr.

“All done,” the physic said, moving away.

Holding her gaze, Kerr stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, as Jarlan positioned her legs with knees bent and spread wide.

“I’m going to use the wand now, Eva. The same kind your mate used on you the first time.”

She flinched. “Wait.” Her fingers clutched at Kerr’s arms, her nails biting into him as she realized a moment of panic. “Can’t you do it? Like the first time?”

“Sprite, you must know it is torture for me to even think of another male touching you — in any capacity — but he is our best healer, a professional.”

Closing her eyes, she bit her lower lip as she visibly struggled to control her anxiety. “I’m know I’m being silly,” she conceded as she took a steadying breath. “It’s not like I haven’t been to the doctor before.”

“We must let him do this to remove your doubts and help us move on with the transformation.” At her nod of assent, Kerr gave the order to Jarlan in a low tone, “See to it.”

While gripping him tight, she closed her eyes as the wand performed its internal scrutiny. With more at stake this go round, it seemed to take an eternity before the series of beeps sounded, the analysis complete.

“99.58.”

“Higher than the first time,” Kerr replied, with a huge rush of relief. From all the bonding signs he’d been experiencing, the positive results weren’t surprising. Nonetheless, Eva’s persistent fears — and the unusually slow progression of their bonding — had instilled his own nagging doubts.

“No wonder I always feel like I’m burning up,” Eva muttered.

He drew back slightly, puzzled by her odd response as Jarlan commented, “It appears your initial test is confirmed, Kerr.”

“Then what is the problem?” He kept his tone calm while he gently stroked Eva’s cheek, not wanting to rile her before they were done.

“Let me collect the other samples and complete the testing. I should have all the results by morning.”

She cracked open one eye and looked at Jarlan who had stood up. “What other samples?”

“Blood analysis. And I’ll need sufficient bonding fluids.”

“Bonding fluids?”

“Saliva — that’s done — along with sweat, and your orgasmic fluid.”

She jerked, coming up on her elbows, both eyes flying open. “You’re not serious!”

“Very much so. I need to see if there is some kind of barrier, an adverse reaction, or a sensitivity that is impeding synthesis.”

“Like an allergy?”

“Can we get to the how, instead of the why?” Kerr inquired, his patience waning.

“Before we called upon you, we joined. You’ll find both fluids inside Eva.”

“Kerr!”

He ignored her objection, as did Jarlan as he answered, “No, they can’t be intermingled.”

“Give me the receptacles and I will collect them myself.”

Eva groaned in humiliation, both hands covering her face.

“Let me make myself perfectly clear. They must be completely
isolated
, which means Eva will need to be cleansed of your fluids.” He held up a liquid-filled bottle with a nozzle attachment.

“I can do that, too.”

“And,” Jarlan added. “Each fresh specimen cannot be contaminated by saliva or the lubricating fluids of the other.”

“It will need to be manually expressed,” Kerr concluded.

“Exactly.”

“Oh, my god!” Eva groaned as she yanked the sheet up and covered her head.

“Mate, it will be fine.” His reassurance had no effect.

“Here is a cup for you, Kerr. And…” Jarlan held up two items. “Considering her usual, uh, copiousness, will a swab suffice or will she require a tube?”

“How much do you need?” Kerr replied, sizing up both.

“A good size sample will be preferable.”

“Tube, definitely.”

“Kill me now!” she said with a groan from beneath the sheet.

Jarlan flashed a grin. “Are they all so timid about natural bodily functions?”

“I don’t know. I’ll have to compare notes with Trask and get back to you.”

“Don’t you dare!” came her muffled response.

The physic clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll leave you to it.” Then Jarlan left the room.

Kerr waited for the latch to catch. “He’s gone, Eva. Come out.”

“No. I’m too embarrassed.”

He pulled on the sheet and a tug of war ensued, which of course, he won. When her red face emerged, he brushed the tangled hair from her face. “I have no intention of comparing notes with anyone. I was teasing.”

“This entire process is mortifying.”

“There is no reason it has to be. It’s only you and me now.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think I can do it. Not here, with the doctor waiting. I’m too tense.”

Moving closer, he whispered, “Focus only on me,” as he trailed his lips over her cheek.

* * *

H
e made it sound easy. Think of him, and forget the most awkward and excruciating doctor’s appointment of her life. But Kerr’s kisses were like a powerful drug, his lips full and warm, applying the perfect amount of pressure as they moved to her mouth, demanding a response. She opened for him and his delving tongue sent desire rippling through her, making the room and the world around it fade away.

She moaned as he glided down her jaw, briefly kissed the pulse point at the side of her throat, then moved still lower, dragging the sheet down as he went. As they always did, so tempted by the silken strands, Eva threaded her fingers into his hair. She pulled his head closer as he captured a nipple between his lips, lashing it with his tongue.

His hand was busy too, sliding flat over her belly and between her raised legs, still bent in an open position. His fingers slid over her mound and delved between her thighs, stroking skin that had become damp with the first brush of his lips.

“Kerr,” she groaned in a broken whisper as his fingers grazed her clit.

“I want you, mate.” He left one nipple and moved to the other, licking and swirling around the peak with his hot tongue. “No matter when, or where, the silk of your skin, the taste of your lips, my scent that is now part of you, all of it rouses me.”

He opened his trousers and guided her hand to his stiff shaft. Instantly, her fingers curled around him, squeezing firmly as she stroked up and down the length. At the same time, his fingers and thumb moved in concert in her channel and over her clit, spurring her rising need.

Lifting his head from her breast, he gazed down into her eyes, the gleaming, liquid green mesmerizing in its intensity and filled with a wealth of emotion.

“Let go,” he urged, whispering against her lips, his chest against hers, the unending rhythm of his thumb on her clit and his fingers gliding inside her more than enough to send her soaring. As her back arched and a shudder shook her body, he withdrew his fingers and slid the tube inside her, carefully staying focused on her clit as she came, huskily calling his name.

He smothered the sound with hungry kisses, knowing Jarlan was nearby and with her shyness, she wouldn’t want him to hear her cries. With his mouth moving gently over hers, he waited a moment and let her savor her release. Then he pulled away, with a murmured kiss, “I need to see to this. Be right back.”

He felt her eyes upon him as he quickly capped the tube and picked up the cup. When he turned back, the wariness in her eyes told him that reality had flooded back. He hopped up with her on the table, straddling her hips. Intending for her to be a part of this, as he’d been for her, he found her hand once again, and curled it around his rigid shaft. With his large hand covering hers, he guided her into the rhythm he preferred. Then, he leaned over her, reclaiming her mouth, as the two of them worked his shaft in a rapid motion tempo until he tensed over her. He groaned loudly as he rose up, his hair falling in a wild swirl around his shoulders, his face taut in concentration as his orgasm hit and he emptied himself for the first time since the breaching in something other than her body.

When he was spent, he stared down at her, sighing as his body relaxed. His eyes met hers and he smiled. “Not the most romantic of encounters between us, eh, mate?”

She looked around. “I don’t know. Add a few candles, soft music, some of your
vilo
, and I might not mind being manually expressed again.” Then she giggled, laughing out right when he blinked at her in surprise. Then he reached over, setting his specimen on the tray. He slipped his hands beneath her, raising her up, and catching her smiling lips in breathless kiss.

A knock sounded at the door. “If you’re done,” Jarlan said. “Those samples need immediate processing while they’re viable.”

“Oh my god, he heard you!”

“Just me?”

“Yes, you, uh, culminate very loudly.”

Not the least bit self-conscious, he chuckled at her choice of words. “It is a sign of my great satisfaction with my mate.”

With one more deep kiss, he dismounted and pulled up his pants, then assisted her with her dress. Once covered, and after they’d each quickly finger combed the others’ hair, Kerr opened the door.

“Are we done?” he demanded of Jarlan who waited patiently, lounging against the wall across the way.

“All but the bloodletting.”

“Great,” Kerr grumbled, stepping aside for the man to enter.

The healer laughed, glancing at Eva who sat red-faced and visibly discomfited. “Be prepared to hold Kerr’s hand during this last part, Prima.”

“Why… is that?”

Jarlan shook his head slowly. “Our big, bad Princep has a fear of needles. Believe me, I know.”

“You’re teasing.”

“Am I?” The physic’s mouth twitched slightly.

“Is that true?” she asked Kerr.

He shrugged as he joined her on the table, wrapping a long arm around her neck and hauling her close. Her face tipped up in surprise. “Perhaps kisses will ease my fears and make me a much better patient.”

“Something I’m not about to provide,” Jarlan deadpanned as he cleaned off a spot on Kerr’s inner arm then pressed a wicked looking device that looked a lot like a gun against his skin. “If this works you’ll need to accompany him for his annual checkup and assist.”

Nudging her chin up and pressing his lips to hers, a whooshing sound echoed through the room. Barely three seconds had passed before Jarlan announced, “Done.”

“That’s it?” she asked.

“Didn’t feel a thing,” Kerr said with a grin, winking at her. “Your kisses are a miracle cure. Let me return the favor.”

He covered her mouth hungrily, his hands sliding up her neck and into her hair. She didn’t react as another whoosh sounded as Jarlan repeated the process on her.

“That didn’t hurt at all,” she said when Kerr lifted his mouth.

“Ah, yet without my kisses, can you be sure?”

Suspicious, she looked at Jarlan, who stood at the counter, busy with the tubes, swabs and vials, a wide smile on his face. “You were both teasing.”

“It’s a trick of distraction to set you at ease. We use it with children. Sometimes it’s tickling kisses, a shiny toy, or a silly song that keeps them from looking at the scary gun.”

She looked back at Kerr, her tender smile bringing an immediate softness to her features. “Thank you. Most of this made me nervous.”