Page 8 of Aria's Ascension

Life was fleeting, and happiness was in short supply, so she was going to show them what they meant to her, tell them how much she loved them… and fuck them at every opportunity.

Just as soon as the chances of us dying are slightly less likely.

Aria teased Tirox with her lips and tongue until he was making a constant low, rumbling purr in the back of his throat. His hands flexed on her ass, intentionally, rhythmically bumping her bare pussy against his stomach.

She’d already guessed he wasn’t familiar with kissing. Whether he just hadn’t had the opportunity to do so, or it wasn’t a custom his people practiced, she didn’t know. Whatever the reason, the effect was overwhelming. The contrast of his inexperienced kiss, combined with his confident hands rolling her hips against the hard ridges of his abs and mercilessly teasing her clit, was almost unbearably arousing.

By the time she finally forced herself to pull away, they were both panting. She could feel the hard length of his cock—cocks?—bumping against her ass and knew his abs were wet with her need.

Tirox nuzzled his nose to hers and rumbled softly against her lips, “I do not know why he was so worried about you feasting on us. I enjoy it greatly.”

Aria pulled back and looked at his swirling, heated eyes, giving him a bemused look. “Feasting? What are you talking about?”

He cocked his head slightly as if confused that she was confused. “The bright one was worried you would eat us. That is what his females do.”

Glancing over at Kix, wide-eyed, she gaped at him. He grimaced slightly and shook his head.

“It is slightly more complicated than that,” he protested.

“Ookay. Well, you don’t need to worry about me turning into a cannibal, er, whatever the term is for eating other sentient beings. I like a good steak as much as the next person, but not enough to start carving into my… mates.”

Both men jerked their heads toward her, staring at her intently with almost identical expressions of shock.

Aria laughed lightly, leaned in to press a quick kiss to Tirox’s full, red lips, then hopped off of him, landing nimbly on her feet despite their sizable height difference.

“Don’t look so surprised. You didn’t think I’d be able to resist all ofthatforever, did you?” she asked with a mischievous smile, waving at their very muscular, very naked bodies, but her gaze stayed on theirs.

She let her eyes go soft, showing them that, while she was being playful, what she felt for them was real, and she was ready to accept it.

Kix got a hungry look on his face and made to step toward her. She knew if he got his hands on her, they’d finish what they started a few minutes ago. As tempting as that was, especially after Tirox’s teasing, they had shit to do, and now wasn’t the time to consummate their… mating? Engagement?

Do their people even have marriage? Something to talk about later.

Wait. Am I seriously already contemplating marriage?

She thought about it for all of one second before deciding, yes, yes she was.

Aria shook her head to halt Kix’s approach but softened the denial with a smile. “Later,” she promised, making pointed eye contact with both of them before turning to pick up her throwing knife off the floor. “Tirox, do you still have the bag?”

She wanted to get dressed and a scan of the room hadn’t shown any of the little spray tubes or their duffle bag. Hopefully, he’d just left it wherever they’d come from, and they could make a quick stop to pick it up.

He winced, guilt quickly overtaking the lust still present on his expressive face, and said, “I lost it during the fight in the valley.”

Aria shoulders dropped. “Shit.”

“Apologies, my heart.”

“It’s okay.” Reaching out, she laid a hand on his chest, partly to reassure him and partly because she just wanted to touch him. “Maybe we can find a supply room and restock. We need to find weapons, too. This knife isn’t going to stop much. Either of you happen to know where they keep that stuff? Or know how to operate the cylinders?” she asked, tipping her head at the tube they’d somehow gotten her out of.

Tirox shook his head, but Kix paused for a moment and closed his eyes. He seemed to be trying to remember something, but when he opened them, he sighed and frowned.

“I cannot find the code to initiate arming and clothing. It feels fluid, as if it changes often. If I can find a data console, I could possibly access that information, as well as where to find supplies.”

Aria squinted at him. “I don’t understand. What do you mean itfeelsfluid?”

His expression flickered somewhere between excitement and quiet apprehension. “My empathic abilities are evolving now that I have Harmonized to you. They were already enhanced in this body, but I am developing telepathy now. It is rudimentary and draining, but useful.”

“Oh. That’s badass. ‘Unappealing rump.’”

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