Page 78 of An Alien for the Farm

“That is…unheard of,” I hear Xarion say. But when I lift my head, I can only look at Zynar. He’s staring at me, his chest heaving as he looks into my eyes.

“Eleanor…” he murmurs.

“Zynar, what is this? What’s happening to me? It hurts.” I wince, biting down on my lower lip as a wave of heat and pain emanates from my chest.

“Get out,” Zynar breathes, looking over his shoulder at the other males. “Get out!”

The urgency in his tone sends Xarion and Varek scrambling to obey, their concern evident but overridden by the clear command.

The door closes behind them, leaving just the two of us. The silence is thick, broken only by my labored breathing and the low hum of energy that seems to emanate from the markings burning on my chest.

“Zynar,” I whisper, the pain making my voice tremble. “What is happening to me?”

He’s staring at my chest and even with the pain, his proximity is making something within me sing. The marks burn harder as his scent wafts into my nose. I hum and whimper at the same time.

“The sigils…I’ve never seen them before,” he whispers.

“Then…” I wince, clenching my teeth. “Then how do you know what they are?”

“This is…this is something we heard about back on Karicek when we were chids. Old stories that those with no core-rhythm who mated with our kind, would be marked in some other way. This too, we believed to be a myth.”

I nod, understanding yet not really understanding this whole mating thing. Apparently on Earth, we’re so primitive that it isn’t this complicated. Just wham, bam, thank-you ma’am.

“Will it always hurt?” I grip on to his claw that’s still hovering over me and Zynar purrs before he cuts off the sound.

“It shouldn’t.” His gaze shifts to mine, a trembling claw coming to cup my jaw. “I am sorry, Liora. I have only brought you pain.”

I shake my head. “No. You’ve brought me life.” I grit my teeth. “But yes, there is pain. I need you to soothe it for me.”

His head pops up like a dog that’s just heard the word “walk” or “park”. If he had a tail, I’m sure it would wag.

“Anything for you, Liora.” Zynar straddles me and my entire body flutters. When he dips his head and runs his tongue over the marks, my head falls back in a moan. How do I still have the energy to even get aroused? As Zynar licks and sucks on my skin, I run my hands through his hair, looking down at the male that’s made me feel more than I’ve ever felt in such a short time.

His tongue is like a salve against a wound. Every swipe soothes my skin, sending tingles right through me and straight to my core as he follows the path between my breasts and lower. He goes over my belly until he gets to where the sheet bunches at my hips. With a low purr, he pulls it down and continues going down.

The tension in my shoulders ebbs as I look down. The pain in the marks is ebbing and they’re being revealed even more. It’s like a purple tattoo that’s marked me as his. A flutter goes through me when Zynar continues to go lower.

“Oh, I’m not hurting there. As a matter of fact, the marks are—” When his tongue swipes over my center, I jerk at the oversensitivity left behind from the days of rutting.

“I must soothe you here too,” he purrs. “It is my fault that you had to endure so much.”

“Endure?” I whimper. I wouldn’t call it enduring but—my thoughts turn to mush as Zynar licks and sucks me. He doesn’t just stay between my legs. His lips and tongue move over every inch of my skin till my entire body is tingling from his kiss. When he finally makes it back up to my face, I giggle. He pauses as if surprised by the sound. When I open my eyes, he’s staring at me.

“What is it?” I sober a little.

“You do not wish for me to leave? To reject this bond that I have forced upon you?”

I sober completely, brow furrowing slightly. “Won’t you die if I push you away?”

When he doesn’t answer, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him in. Zynar braces his arms up, trying not to crush me as I hug him.

“Doesn’t this mean you’re mine now?” I grin at the words even as he dips his head and inhales my hair.

“For as long as you want me to be.”

I hug him tighter. “Why wouldn’t I want you?”

He grunts and I realize it’s a scoff. “You’re a desirable female many males would fight for if they had the chance. You have your pick of males from many worlds and species. You have no core-rhythm. The bond…”

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