“No stone gods to create new clothing.” She plucked at her worn tunic.
“The sand gods must do this for this clan, and I could try to speak with them, but they may not listen.”
“We have enough for now. We can ask Davon about it in the morning.” And we'd ask if they could share some supplies, though only enough to aid us on our journey. Their nomadic life meant minimal possessions since everything needed to be carried across the sand. I couldn't imagine living that way, but he and Coovik seemed to like it. But this meant they may not have much to offer, and I wouldn't want to take anything that would risk their survival even if it could ensure our own.
She tugged a tunic out of her bag and stripped off everything, carefully folding her things and placing them on the floor. “My underwear is long gone, and I find I no longer care. There was no way to wash it, so I left it behind. The stone gods don’t appear to think I need it, though I will when I get my period, something I need to think about soon. It’s due in the next week, whenever next week is.” She sighed. “I can’t imagine how I'll handle bleeding out here in the desert.”
“If it happens, we’ll find a way.”
I also stripped, keeping only my loincloth on.
I peeled back the blankets, and we slipped between them. The bed was big enough for Davon, but I was near his size, so it was a tight fit for two. But we snuggled, and there was nothing better than that.
“Love you,” I whispered, kissing the top of her head as the wind howled around us and the tent billowed and shifted from blasts of sand. “Everything will feel better in the morning.”
I awoke sometime during the night, savoring the calm around us. The storm was over. We'd have to face what it might've done to this oasis at dawn, but for now, it was nice to drift back to sleep in relative quiet.
When I roused again, sunlight slanted across the side of the hut, brightening the room. A few creatures cheeped and skittered outside, getting back to their everyday lives, just as this clan soon would.
During the day, we'd rest and gather things together for our journey, and we'd leave at dusk, striding back out into the desert. With luck, we'd reach the forest soon and could put this part of our lives behind us.
Talia woke and her smile was so sweet, I had to taste it. And then, naturally, I had to . . .
Chapter 25
Talia
The morning light slid through the left wall of the hut, sending a warm glow over Firion's face. I found him watching me, his teal eyes lit with a fire that was reflected in the depths of my soul. There was a tenderness in his gaze that made my heart flutter, a silent promise of the love and safety he offered. I adored him, this alien warrior who had become my everything in this strange, dangerous world.
Heat radiated from his body, and I soaked in the solidness of his muscular form beside me, his arms holding me close. I'd had my best night of sleep since we met, because I knew we were safe and that he loved me and would protect me.
His erection pressed against my leg, insistent, showing me how much he wanted me. A thrill ran through me at the realization that I held this much power over him, that I could stir this fierce, battle-hardened male to the point of aching need.
I reached out and trailed my fingers over the taut skin on his thigh before wrapping my hand around his length. Smooth and hard, his cock felt like it had been crafted from the finest marble. As I stroked him, his breath hitched, and a low growl of pleasure rumbled in his chest, vibrating through me and stoking the fire burning in my core.
“Talia,” he whispered. “I think . . .” He thrust back the covers and took us to the floor, the cool morning air nipping my skin until he climbed over me. “Not in another male’s bed.”
“I agree.”
Our mouths met in a kiss that was both a reunion and a discovery. His tongue danced across mine, exploring and claiming, and his hands roamed over my body, igniting heady sensations wherever they touched.
He broke away from our kiss, his lips continuing down my neck, each gentle nip and lick sending shivers across my skin. When he reached my breasts, he gave them equal attention, his tongue teasing my nipples into hard peaks while his hands kneaded the soft flesh. I arched into his touch; lost in the joy I'd only find with him.
His fingers skimmed down my torso, leaving goosebumps wherever he touched. When they reached the juncture of my thighs, he explored me with a reverence that made my breath catch. He knew just how to touch my clit, how to coax my body into a state of utter need. As he stroked my most sensitive spot, waves of heat crashed over me, each one more intense than the last.
I clung to him, my fingers digging into his shoulders as he brought me to the brink of ecstasy faster than I'd like. I wanted this to last forever, to always feel this way in his arms. Just when I thought I couldn't take any more, he slipped a finger inside me, moving it slowly at first but then going faster.
I lifted my hips to meet his hand, my body driven by a need that only this male could fulfill. His name escaped my lips in a breathy moan, a plea for more, for everything he could give me. The sound of my wetness as he pumped his finger in and out of me filled the room, and my desire built toward the crest.
Firion's eyes never left mine as he drew out his finger, glistening with my arousal, and brought it to his lips. He sucked it clean, his eyes rolling back in pleasure at the taste of me. The sight was so erotic, so intimate, that it nearly pushed me over the edge.
With a feral grace, he moved back over me, lining up his body with mine. He lifted my legs, draping them over his forearms, opening me up to him completely. The broad head of his cock nudged at my entrance, and I held my breath in anticipation.
In one smooth stroke, he filled me, stretching me to the point I almost couldn't take it. But I would. I'd always crave this and him. Our gasps mingled in the stillness of the hut; our bodies joined in the most elemental way. We stayed like that, staring into each other's eyes, savoring our connection.
Then he began to move, each thrust driving deeper, stoking the fire within me. I met him stroke for stroke,my hands roaming over the defined muscles of his chest, tracing the lines of his arms and the symbol of our mating bond on his hand. He was beauty and strength, and he was mine.
When my moan slipped out, he started moving faster, more frenzied, and we climbed higher together. Tension coiled low in my belly, a tide of pleasure that was going to sweep me away. His gaze held me captive, our silent communion speaking more than words ever could.