Page 12 of Jewel of the Alien Bandit
That terrified me even more.
“I’m not ready to have offspring yet,” I blanched, “this cycle was supposed to be a ‘show’ of support, not anything more. And to have it happen for… a krelin no less.” I shivered. That’s who was holding my hand at the time, and if he was supposed to be my true mate what did that mean for the future of Estreldez?
But when I saw the dark coal eyes of the bounty hunter I stilled. He looked as if he would devour me, and heat pulsed through my loh. Was that what happened when the mating loh were out? Every glance and touch turned my insides to mush, and was destroying my inhibitions into granting all- access-passes for any who showed interest?
I groaned, fully disappointed in my lack of control. Rubbing the spot on my hand where Vareo’s lips burned my skin like an imprint I squeezed my thighs together feeling my loh react once more. The room brightened, and Mabel blushed realizing my not so private thoughts are practically exposed with every glowing jewel on my skin.
Even Loric’s mating loh responded to mine, and my heart was racing so fast. Every touch was sensitive, and his cheek brushing up against mine was so different from all the other times we spent together. I wanted to slap myself to prevent myself from hoping Loric was actually choosing me to mate with. I’ve seen his mating loh for other females during previous ceremonies, for estreld males that could merely mean that he was feeling protective of me after seeing who I chose to show my own loh to… Trent.
How could my mating loh choose Trent, a krelin?
“He’s quite handsome.” Mabel shrugged, noncommittally. “His file says he’s a warrior, and one of the leaders that help protect our system from outlaws.”
“He’s practically an outlaw himself with how the krelin have been extorting us for our minerals and rock deposits.”
She lifted a brow, a small smile lifting the corner of her mouth. “And the bounty hunter isn’t?”
“What does Vareo have to do with this?”
I even called him by name, and Mabel’s smile grew. “Don’t think I didn’t see how you responded to him. Maybe you’re just into strong outlaw types, even Loric has been known to ignore orders and implement strategies without the Almder’s approval.”
“Really?” I didn’t know that about Loric, he always seemed a bit ridgid in his desire to follow rules. Maybe that was only around me.
My neck heated thinking about how I had bent the mating games traditions by allowing Vareo to get away with stealing one of my rings. It wasn’t officially offered to him, but I hoped that I’d see him later and he wasn’t just trying to earn a few extra credits by selling off the tarnpul later.
He had plenty of tarnpul from other potential mates, I frowned thinking about how many offerings he received. He had no flashy coloring, he didn’t show off his physical health by removing his top coverings, and he had no loh to glow in the moon’s radiation. Why were so many females interested in him?
Mabel eased her hand from my grip, shaking out her fingers at my tightening hold.
“Luan?” I must have had the appearance of a visp ready to pluck her loh from her skin to feed myself. Viscous, was the word. The idea that someone else would mate with him made me ready to claw at them.
“Why do I feel so possessive?”
“It’s common for the mating loh to want potential mates to choose them over others. The feeling passes after you’ve copulated with them. Biologically we seek mating to replicate ourselves, and once seed is inside us we feel more free to choose. Many have found they’ve enjoyed the ceremony much more afterthe first mating of the evening, and go to find other compatible mates while the moon is still at its brightest.”
I felt relieved that it was normal, and sighed. I just needed to mate with one of them and then I’ll feel more like myself again. Images of Vareo’s strong arms wrapped around me made me squirm in my seat. My core heated, and a strange wetness leaked from my insides. Mating season was disgusting, I grimaced.
This will all be solved once I ravage him, and I can focus on more important things. A horrified thought crossed my mind, would I have to mate with all three of them?
As if reading my palling face Mabel added, “You don’t have to mate with any of them. The mating loh is a powerful feeling, but just like you had the strength to walk away from them earlier, you can walk away from them again, even at the peak of the ceremony. You are a strong estreld. It is by your choice, and grace alone that one of them may mate with you. And whomever you choose, whenever you decide will be a lucky mate.”
“Thank you, I needed that.” I pulled her in for a hug. I still planned on mating with Vareo before the ceremony ever took place. I needed a clear head to avoid Trent, and mating with Loric was much too likely to create spawn I wasn’t ready for, and he would wish to imprint on me with the way his loh was responding to mine. I could always mate with him another time, when I was ready. But Trent… if he was the reason my mating loh came out, then he was the most dangerous of all. He could be my true mate… and mating with him would bind me to a species that was trying to strong arm Estreldez into being part of their hive and expanding their control. I couldn't do that to our clan.
“Do you need me to stay and supervise your ceremonial greetings?”
I could handle myself.
“No, I know you have others to interview. I’ll be fine.”
“What did you feel when your mating loh came out?” Mabel asked real quick before retreating.
“My nerves were on fire, and my shoulders burned. The thought repeated in my head, mine.”
She nodded, and left me with my thoughts.
I had to get rid of that echo. Please don’t let the first mate I see be Trent. I had to mate with Vareo before I was alone with the one that turned my insides into goo. Mabel may have thought I had all the control in the world, but we didn’t have enough research on whether that was the case with mates that triggered our imprinting. I knew that’s what was happening to me, even if Mabel wouldn’t say it.
“Am I the first to arrive?” his deep voice asked from the doorway, my breath caught.
