Page 35 of Treasured By the Hunter

“Krux! You make it hard for me,” Harb’k murmured against my cunt.

White-hot pleasure built with every thrust of his fingers. Something inside tightened and tightened until it felt like itwould break. Then the pressure released, and I was shuddering as euphoria cascaded down to every finger and toe.

Chapter 16: Harb’k

I could have Zoey falling apart in my arms every day from now until the day I died and still not bore of it. I wanted to hear her cries of pleasure as they bounced off my shuttle walls. I wanted the scent of her pleasure filling my head and driving me wild. If it were my choice we’d never be apart, and my entire existence would be to bring her pleasure.

I settled my body next to her, and turned her limp, satisfied body so that we “spooned.” I’d learned about spooning from watching movies and talking to the survivors at camp, and it was every bit as perfect a position as I’d hoped it would be.

“But what about you?” She reached a hand behind her and squeezed my thigh.

My cock, still half-hard and pressed against her back, twitched, eager to have its turn. But there would be time for that later. The whole reason for this was so she’d sleep easier after her release. I figured it must work for humans too since we were so sexually compatible.

“Don’t worry, I will have my chance to sink into your depths once we are home. But right now, you need sleep.” I slid my fingers into her hair, rubbing her scalp.

She yawned. “I admit, it is an effective solution.”

It wasn’t long before she was asleep. Her soft snoring had me smiling. I wouldn’t mind having her in my shuttle more often. I’d help her get to sleep every night.

A message flashed on my screen saying we were approved for liftoff. Since we had to travel over the ocean for some distance, where flyers were less of a concern due to the lack of nests, I set my shuttle on autopilot, requesting it to alert me when we approached land. Then I climbed onto the sleeping mat, careful not to wake her.

I failed.

“Oh, I’m taking up your spot. I’m sorry.”

“Do not be. We can share.”

“Wait. Who’s driving?”

“I am,” replied my shuttle. “I am fully equipped for general navigation.”

Zoey yawned, then hummed.

“I will wake you when we are close to my camp.”

She hummed softly and let me gather her into my arms.

After long moments, I shifted so I could dim the lights to the sleeping nook without speaking out loud, but my arms were stuck. I gazed down at the female tucked neatly in the curve of my body, realization dawning.

Zoey was my mate! But of course she was. I’d wanted her from the moment I saw her.

I don’t mind getting stuck with you.I remembered the words that had made my chest rumble with contentment. I doubted she understood the meaning.

Xarc’n warriors formed mate bonds when we found the right female. The initial phase included being stuck together, our arms wrapped around our mates, unable to let go.

I wanted to wake her up and share the good news, but she might not see this as good news at all. Not when she was planning on leaving for Sanctuary in three days. Not wanting to witness her distress at our mating, I stayed quiet and relaxed instead, memorizing the feeling of her in my arms.

I fell asleep with the scent of her invading my senses and searing into my brain like indelible ink.

The initial moment of the mate bond had come and gone by the time my shuttle woke us. I released her easily. I was simultaneously relieved and disappointed that it had been so brief that she’d not witnessed it. Did that mean our bond wasn’t very strong? What if it had been a mistake?

Some hunters were stuck with their mates for days. Why couldn’t I have that? It would’ve given me more time to convince her to stay with me.

Zoey got up, none the wiser, and disappeared into the privacy alcove in the back. And I was left with nothing to prove that I hadn’t simply imagined our mate bond aside from the irrefutable knowledge that Zoey was mine.

***

Mo and Katarina had greeted us the moment we stepped out of the shuttle. As the humans’ unofficial leaders, they welcomed Zoey to the camp and then requested a debriefing from me, which I’d already come to learn was a thousand and one questions about my mission. And while I was answering theirnever-ending questions in Mo’s office, Heather and Sam made off with Zoey.

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