Page 66 of Crown of Draga

Adelina poured the water and set the pitcher on her night table while Nash set a picnic up on her bed. When she turned back to hand him a glass he held out a piece of food for her. She glanced up and the wry smile on his face told her he was a bit nervous as well. It was a sensual act, to feed a lover and it was in one of Nadyah’s courtesan books on how to seduce someone. Despite knowing all this Adelina leaned forward and took the morsel of food into her mouth. The grape was delicious and sweet. She made sure her tongue licked his fingers and having them in her mouth felt deliciously sexual.

As she chewed he simply watched her. “So explain this destiny to me,” she said. Adelina smiled wide when he jolted at her question.

“Yes, Destiny, well at our birth a priestess writes down the three possible paths for the infant and then when we are twelve cycles the first path is tattooed. It’s the path of our family – where we came from and where I could go based on this.” He popped a sandwich in his mouth.

Adelina listened raptly. This was one of those customs that was never properly explained in the reference books. She knew of the marks and their belief system, but not that they were tied together.

“When I was fifteen my present day was tattooed here, and I entered the fighting arena. The path of the warrior is depicted. As you can see it’s intertwined with my family band meaning I will fight for them and the Crown. The third band was given when I came of age and my future is written here.” Nash trailed a finger over the markings and Adelina leaned in to get a better look.

“What does it say?” she asked.

Nash gave her a strange look. “It’s rather obscure, but it says I will find the light in the dark and only the light can save us all.”

Adelina pressed her entire hand against the marks on his chest as she wondered what that could mean. The priestess could simply have guessed his future. It was rather vague and the light and dark could represent literally anything. She kept the thoughts to herself since it would be considered rude to question his faith. “Does everyone in the Khara galaxy have these?” she asked.

Nash shook his head. “This band on my arm represents my rank and then my status in the arena. This here is my position in the military and my conquests.” He held her hand to his chest when she started to move away. “When I wed I will add another, and if I’m graced with offspring there will be more. It’s much like your status marks, but more complex.”

Nash moved her hand and inspected the gold on her palm. “Did this hurt?” he asked, tracing the filigree.

“More than anything in my life,” she admitted. Adelina wanted to pull back but he had her mesmerized as he swirled his finger over the sensitive skin.

He reached out and tugged the knot in the sheet free, so quick she couldn’t stop him. The thin white fabric fell to the bed, completely exposing her. Adelina gasped and Nash’s eyes turned hungry. “Are there any other golden marks?”

Adelina shook her head as he inspected her naked body. Her words stuttered and her voice too quiet as she tried to explain. “I can receive one to show my rank, but most royals don’t unless they are crowned. Then a mark here is made for the king or queen.” She pointed to the spot between her eyes but Nash didn’t waver from his inspection of the rest of her.

“Where would your ranking mark go?” he asked pulling her into his lap. Nash’s nose touched hers and she felt her heart pound in her chest.

His cock was already hard. She could feel the head of it pressed against her entrance; it slid between her slick lips when she shifted. “Between my shoulder blades,” she breathed.

Nash’s hands clutched her hips and he moved her against him, slow but sure. The sudden surge of wanting consumed her and Adelina rocked against him hard enough he sank halfway into her. Nash groaned and she held onto his shoulders, eyeing the soft skin of his neck. A small mark there could be seen even with clothes on.

Her hands ran up and down his chest and she closed her eyes so she could enjoy the sensation of him against her. The slow movements made her wetter and she slid up and down the length of him. With each stroke his hands tightened until he was practically panting against her. Adelina held him close and adjusted her hips so on the next movement he slid right inside, filling her completely until she thought she would orgasm from the sensation of stretching alone.

When Nash was hilt deep and his hips touched hers she sank her teeth into his neck. The bite was small and only a drop of blood escaped but he yelled her name and rolled her underneath him, tossing everything to the floor in one quick motion. His large hands gripped her wrists and he drove himself into her over and over.

The reaction was so quick and so brutal it was exquisite. Adelina moaned as he brought her closer and closer. Nash leaned forward and bit the top of her breast when he sank in one last time and came hard. The feel of his teeth and the pulsing of him deep inside sent her over the edge hard and fast. She writhed under him but he had her pinned. The pleasure went on and on and Adelina could feel the hot seed inside her as she milked him.

The aftershocks of her orgasm made him shudder and then suddenly Nash collapsed while still keeping most of his weight from crushing her. Adelina was dazed and she barely heard the words he murmured into her neck.

“What did you say?” she asked, holding on to him tightly. Adelina had to relax before he slid out of her. The sensation would be too much otherwise.

Nash licked the blood from her breast and the tingle of his saliva healing her was strange. “I said you really know how to set me off don’t you?” Those gorgeous eyes of his glittered down at her and his smile was infectious.

“Do I?” Adelina teased. She pushed him away and rolled off the bed. It was time for a shower.

Those sparkling green and yellow eyes with no trace of red at all watched her hips sway as she padded to the washroom. “You know enough of my ways I gather, to understand the significance of what you did.”

Adelina glanced over her shoulder and gave him a wink. “Maybe.” Then she crossed the cold tile to the bath and decided a good soak would be lovely. The sound of the water rushing into the tub drowned out anything the prince might have said. She sat on the edge of the large bath and ran her fingers over the various glass bottles she had.

A love bite in the Khara galaxy was close to the significance of offering a diamond for the hand of a female. It wasn’t permanent, but it was the beginning of a courtship from what she’d read. Even if that courtship ended abruptly, it was there for a short while and most females would stay away until it disappeared.

A nice soap would do, something that wouldn’t mask either of their natural scents would be best. Adelina settled on a vanilla-scented oil and poured some into the bath. The lovely smell wafted up and filled the room with the steam.

Nash came up behind her and ran a hand up her bare back and then rubbed her shoulders as he watched her swirl the water with her black nails. The lacquer was a gift from Nadyah and Adelina had liked the contrast so much she’d worn it constantly ever since.

The massive prince made her tub look almost small and Adelina laughed as he stepped into the water. He helped her in and then pulled her against him as he sat and stretched out. His strong body holding hers felt delicious and Adelina sighed in contentment. This may not last, but she would enjoy every moment of it.

“Any particular reason you put a claiming mark on me?” Nash asked.

---