The Iriduan’s Mate by Susan Trombley
Eleven
Shulgi knew the moment the stimulant injection kicked in that he’d made a serious mistake. Not being familiar with its use, he hadn’t been prepared for the impact of the sudden flood of hormones that filled his blood and caused an erection so rampant it was painful.
The holos had done nothing for him, even when he’d created one that looked as close to Molly as he could. The lifelike mechs were even worse, since all of them had been built to look like Iriduan females, and his only experience with one of them had been one of the worst in his life.
He wanted Molly, not a poor and inadequate substitute, and the pulsing power of the stimulant in his blood drove all common sense from his head. He knew the workers and guard mechs would keep him from leaving the lounge without finishing his business and exhausting the effects of the stimulant, so he’d escaped through the back employee exit after disabling the single guard mech stationed there to scan in employees.
Then he’d made his way through the dark alleys of the entertainment center, avoiding any encounters with other Iriduans who would certainly question the fact that he was aroused. His robe did little to hide that fact, so he knew he’d have to wear armor to make his way back down to the under-tier.
The fact that he planned to do so wasn’t even in question at that point. He had no choice, at least as far as his body was concerned. He took insane risks to get back to the factory and slip in through their secret passage to return to his single room and retrieve his armor. Even after successfully concealing the evidence of his state, he’d avoided as much interaction as he could. He couldn’t fully hide the agitation the stimulant was causing in him, nor put an end to his recklessness until he’d sated his gnawing need.
Fortunately, he was able to keep calm as long as he was using the dreg’s cargo elevator, so the guards didn’t suspect him, but once he stepped off the elevator and onto the grated flooring of the under-tier docks, he made no effort to hide his eagerness.
The dockmaster on duty at first tried to give him the brush off, but then had taken a close look at Shulgi, his six eyes trailing down the sleek surface of Shulgi’s armor, then back up to his wild eyes and mussed hair. Then they’d fixed on his wings, which were outspread in aggression, before finally ending up on the pistol at his hip and Shulgi’s hand clenching into a fist just above it.
Then the dockmaster sent a message to Zaska’s minions, letting them know he wanted Molly.
Despite how agitated he felt, he still wasn’t expecting his reaction to seeing her in person. When she’d finally let him into her office and rose from her chair, he saw that only a thin strip of fabric covered her body, cinched at her waist with a narrow band, leaving her sides completely bare. He’d nearly lost control over himself right then and there. He’d reached an engorged state in that moment and realized that he would do anything at all to bury himself inside her. If she had asked him to kill for her, he was afraid he would have even done that.
It wouldn’t be the first time, though he’d hoped the cure would have kept it from happening again.
Now, he could only think about her, and how much he needed her. The worst part was that his biology had betrayed him without him even being imprinted on her. It had to be the stimulant itself that had put him in such a vulnerable state, because his mask hadn’t failed him. He wasn’t afflicted by Molly.
He just desired her more than he’d ever desired anyone.
He didn’t bother to read over the contract, aware that Zaska could have changed any number of terms. Instead, he marked it as he stripped off his armor, barely glancing at the console. When the turrets in the ceiling appeared as he’d drawn his pistol to set it aside, his wings barely flicked with concern.
He was too focused on her to give a damn what happened to him. He doubted Zaska would shoot him dead but figured the turrets would shock him or suppress his movements in some way if he did anything to threaten Zaska’s mouthpiece.
He had no wish to hurt her, though his body wanted her so badly that he wasn’t entirely certain he could manage to be gentle to her. He knew he’d treat her a lot better than she’d likely been treated in the past.
When he first inhaled her scent after removing his mask, he grew even stiffer, unsure how that was even possible. He would be in agony if he didn’t sate himself with her body soon. Fortunately, she appeared more than willing to allow him to, and this time, he couldn’t over-examine why. He had to take her at her word that she wanted him, because her lips felt so soft and tasted so sweet against his, her mouth was so hot, and her hands felt so good on his body, encircling his shaft, that there was no way he could stop.
Still, he’d begged her to tell him she wanted this, and he needed to believe the truth behind her breathy cry that she did want him.
When he entered her, her inner muscles clenching tight around his girth even as she rocked her hips forward to take him deeper, he couldn’t stop himself from making an animalistic sound. She felt so good he had no comparable experience to compare to being inside her, his huge body firm against her petite, soft body, his head filled with her captivating scent, her taste on his tongue, and her sighs and moans in his ears as he began to thrust.
His cerci whipped against his sides, their tips stroking along her thighs, the sensory appendages sending delightful messages back to him about her body that only increased his pleasure.
He didn’t doubt they were being recorded, watched by Zaska perhaps, or maybe just one of his minions. He couldn’t give a single thread of concern for that, even knowing that his behavior would raise many dangerous questions about him and his state. If he’d left his mask on, he might have passed off any uncomfortable observations, blaming everything on the stimulant.
But removing the mask meant he’d exposed himself to a human woman, and he’d also been aroused by her. Anyone who understood his people’s physiology would assume she’d afflicted him, making him a target of his own people. Or they would wonder how he wasn’t afraid of being afflicted, putting his project and the cure at risk of discovery by those who would not mean well.
Still, he’d needed to kiss her. Something he’d wanted to do from the first moment he’d seen her, though he’d refused to acknowledge that need then.
Now, he was deep inside her, pressed against her, his lips against hers, and there wasn’t anything else that seemed to matter to him.
He recognized that this was some new kind of affliction that made his need for her this great. Granted, it was likely driven further by the stimulant, but he hadn’t been injected the last time he’d come here and then left so aroused that he’d had to take the long way back to the dreg.
He chased his orgasm, but not with so much selfishness that he didn’t make certain she found hers. To his pleasure, she appeared to be as excited as he was, her sheath soaking wet. When one of his cerci rubbed over her sensitive nub, her inner muscles quickly convulsed in climax as her upper body arched in his arms. She broke their kiss to cry out, her lower body rocking against his thrusts to drive him deeper with each one.
He felt her legs trembling as she came and he smiled as he trailed his lips along the dyed skin of her neck, down to her collar. One of his cerci clawed aside the fabric that barely covered her small, firm breasts so that he could lower his lips to claim one, sucking the hard nipple that peaked it as she gasped and clutched his shoulders. Then she buried her fingers in his hair, tugging on it to pull his head closer against her body.
He chuckled against her skin, unfazed by the pulling on his scalp or the way she wrapped his long hair around her palm in her excitement. He moaned as she dragged her warm tongue along the edge of his ear, then nipped the pointed tip playfully.
He was having more fun and feeling more pleasure than he ever had in his life. His previous sexual experiences had been more abusive on the side of his partner, as Ninhursag had possessed a sadistic streak and resented the lowborn members of her harem, even while she used them for her own pleasure. She’d only really wanted one male, but even then, what she’d genuinely wanted was to recapture the power he’d possessed.
For the first time, Shulgi felt wanted by a female, and he wanted her in return, so badly that even while chasing his orgasm inside her, he felt like it wasn’t enough. He needed more of her. He didn’t want this to end, knowing it had to. Knowing the stimulant would wear off after he climaxed.
He lifted his head from her breast to bury it against the warm skin of her neck and inhale deep. “Let me take you away from here,” he whispered against her ear, before nipping her lobe.
He couldn’t keep her, he knew that. He certainly couldn’t take her back to the dreg. His offer was one of desperation and need. He could save her, he was sure of it, and then set her free to return to her own world. The thought of never seeing her again, never feeling this again, made him panicky, but he pushed aside that idea.
Somehow, he’d figure out how to get her away from Zaska and make things work without jeopardizing his mission.
She’d stiffened at his words, not answering him. Instead, she turned her head to capture his lips, kissing him with fervor that scattered his thoughts. Her arms encircled his neck, pulling her tighter against him, her inner muscles clenching around his shaft.
He shuddered in the throes of his climax as he pounded into her, his hands gripping her hips to keep her from sliding on the desktop. When he finally broke the kiss and lifted his head to look down at her face, he noticed that her eyes glittered, now almost as green as his own, with only a slight halo of brown around them. It looked like she had unshed tears, but she turned her head to the side, breaking eye contact, even as her palm slid over his naked chest in a caressing manner.
“Thank you, Shulgi,” she said in a soft voice, “for this. I enjoyed it.” After a moment of rapid blinking, she met his eyes again, her expression solemn when she brushed his hair away from his face. “I can’t go with you.” She slowly shook her head, her fascinating eyes wide and damp. “I am happy here.”
He knew she lied, and he suspected she was aware he could tell. He wondered if her words were for their watchers. Perhaps he’d chosen the wrong moment to offer to free her. He wouldn’t give up that easily. Even though he couldn’t keep her for himself, he could get her away from the monstrous Sha Zaska.
At the moment, he felt the chill of air against his naked skin and realized how vulnerable he’d made himself. The stimulant still hummed through his blood, but the worst of the lust had faded with his orgasm, allowing his erection to go down and it should dissipate. Now, exhaustion crept in, and he recognized it as an unnatural kind from using the stimulant. If he’d stayed in the lounge, he would have been able to sleep off the aftereffects in the private room he’d been given.
He didn’t dare sleep in this place. Though he trusted that Molly herself meant him no harm, he couldn’t guarantee what Zaska and his other minions might do to him. He’d signed the contract on behalf of Ma’Nah, which was within his power. Zaska probably wouldn’t be stupid enough to jeopardize their business relationship by allowing him to come to harm in the under-tier, but he shouldn’t take any chances.
He cradled her face between his hands, enjoying the feeling of her silky hair, admiring the shade of it that seemed far more natural to him than Ninhursag’s overtly gold hair color had been.
“I should go,” he said, tracing her lower lip with his thumb.
She nodded, licking her lip, and his thumb. “I’m sure I will see you again.” Since her tone sounded hopeful, he also took hope.
“All the business Ma’Nah does with you will go through me,” he promised, though he’d initially intended to pass off the duty of dealing with Zaska to another member of his team.
Now, he intended to take every opportunity to see Molly again. And when Zaska decided he’d had enough of allowing his “flower” to spend time with Shulgi, he would steal her away from the monstrous creature.
Or just hunt him down and kill him, so that she would be free for good. He liked the idea of that even better. He felt jealous and enraged at the realization that Molly was still forced to serve whatever twisted and perverse desires the thida naf might have, not to mention that Zaska could decide to simply eat her at any time and there was nothing she could do about it.
Though he didn’t mention it to her as he withdrew from her embrace and righted his undersuit before donning his armor again, he had formed a plan, still vague for the moment.
He glanced over at her readjusting her own scrap of a dress. He spotted her using a cloth she’d taken from the desk to wipe between her legs with a practiced motion that made him both infuriated and deeply saddened for the life she’d been forced to live.
The life of use and abuse that he’d only taken advantage of, to his shame.
He would find Sha Zaska, and he would kill him. Then Molly could be free to make her own choices. Even though his mission kept him from becoming one of those choices, he assuaged his own sense of guilt by allowing himself to hope that she would choose him if she could.
