Page 7 of Zahhn's Mate
“Maybe you shouldn’t say anything to the emperor. I don’t want to cause any trouble. If Commander Hampton finds out I blabbed, he might retaliate. Please don’t say anything.” My throat nearly closes up as I await his response.
A low growl rumbles from Doctor Zahhn’s chest, then he gently cups my face and trails his thumbs over my cheeks. Goosebumps erupt on my arms, and the back of my neck prickles with sensation. I feel pleasantly delirious, and I don’t pull away from the alien’s touch.
“Very well,” he says after a minute. “I will remain silent on the matter.” He removes his hands from my cheeks, only to commence stroking his long fingers through my hair. Oh God. I bask under his attentions and soak up the intimacy of the physical contact.
“Thank you,” I whisper. Gratitude wells within me. He’s planning to keep a secret just because I asked him to. As he continues petting my hair, a warm itchiness skitters over my upper arms. I resist the urge to scratch, however, not wanting to do anything to cause him to stop caressing me.
Is he touching me as part of my examination? Or is he stroking me simply because he desires to feel the texture of my hair? What would he think if I followed my present desires and ran my hands up and down his muscular chest?
“You’re becoming flushed, little human.” He rests his hands on my shoulders and peers at me intently. “Furthermore, I detect a sweet but pungent aroma emanating from you that I suspect is arousal. Remove your clothing at once so I might examine the area between your thighs.” He steps back and lifts his eyebrows, an expectant look coming over him.
I open my mouth, preparing to refuse once again. But then I remember what he revealed about Emperor Radakk’s orders. The women who are being examined today will be released from the brigsoon. Surely that means I won’t have to spend five plus years imprisoned. I hope it means I’ll be released in a day or two.
Okay, I can do this. Besides, the sooner I get naked, the sooner my exam will be over. I can only hope Doctor Zahhn will be quick about it.
“I’ve never… never taken my clothes off in front of a male before.” I reach for the hem of my shirt, draw in a deep breath, and pull it over my head. I toss the garment onto a chair near the exam table. “I must confess that I’m very nervous.”
What sounds like an appreciative growl leaves Doctor Zahhn’s throat. His nostrils flare and his body becomes tense. I also notice a massive bulge in his crotch area. It appears his pants suddenly aren’t quite large enough. I stare at the bulge as I consider why his male appendage might be getting bigger. How very strange.
“There’s no need to be nervous, little human,” he says in a comforting but strained tone, as though he must force the words out. His expression almost appears pained as his gaze roams over my body. “I am a doctor, and you are my patient. My job is to examine you and your job is to be compliant for the duration of the inspection.” He draws himself up taller. “Continue undressing.”
I struggle for air as I slip my shoes and socks off, then unfasten my pants and start pushing them down. I soon find myself standing in the middle of the room wearing nothing but a bra and panties. A sense of vulnerability steals through me, and the same dark heat from earlier sparks in Doctor Zahhn’s eyes. He emits another satisfied growl that echoes off the walls.
Does he find my body pleasing? Will he like what he sees when I finally remove my undergarments? It shouldn’t matter to me what he thinks of my body, yet I yearn to please him, and I ache to feel his hands skimming my flesh.
“Show me what a good little female you can be, Leona, and finish getting undressed.” His nostrils flare wider. “Be obedient.”
A whimper builds in my throat, but I remain quiet. I lower my gaze, unable to meet his eyes for a second longer, and unhook the front clasp of my bra. I let it slide down my arms and toss it toward the chair that holds my clothes. A quick glance at Doctor Zahhn shows he’s gripping the edge of the exam table, and his muscles are more tense than ever.
“Continue.” His tone is raspy, and he soon turns his back to me and rummages through his medical bag again.
I take the opportunity to quickly remove my panties as his back is turned. My heart thumps rapidly as I wait for him to face me. As I wait for him to spin around and glimpse my total nakedness.
He finally finds what he’s looking for in the bag, pulls it out, and turns to meet my eyes. But he doesn’t hold my gaze for long. He soon stares openly at my nether area, the part of me I desperately wish I might hide from him. No male has ever looked at me down there, and I don’t understand why his gaze feels like a physical caress.
When his scrutiny becomes too much, I place one hand in front of my crotch, and another over my bosom, drawing my breasts together so I might shield my nipples from his view.
“Sit on the exam table, little human.Now.”
I peer with curiosity at the two devices he’s holding, but I suppose I’ll soon discover their purpose. I pray whatever he’s about to do won’t hurt. Summoning my courage, I climb on the table, trying my best to shelter my private parts in the process. Once I’m seated, I keep my thighs pressed together with one hand resting atop my nether area and another hand covering my nipples. I cast a worried look at the stirrups and hope he doesn’t order me to place my feet inside. The last thing I want to do is spread my legs wide for the doctor.
Doctor Zahhn moves in front of me, sets the smaller device aside, then holds the second one up. The lights on the thin, wide contraption flash blue and green intermittently, and there are numerous tiny buttons covered in unfamiliar symbols. “Give me your wrists, Leona, and I will heal your chafing.”
Oh.Oh. I’d forgotten about his promise to heal my injuries. Still, I hesitate to comply. Because if I give him my wrists, I won’t be able to keep my privates covered any longer. But when his eyes flare with impatience, I find myself obeying his order as awave of submission courses through me, that odd urge I have to please him.
He takes my right wrist in one hand and turns it slightly as he runs the dermal regenerator over my marred flesh. I watch, shocked to my core, as my chafed skin heals before my eyes in mere seconds. Once he finishes with my right wrist, he moves on to my left wrist, healing the marks left by the too-tight manacles. The pain also vanishes.
“Why were you wearing restraints but not the other females?” He’s leaning down and standing so close that his warm breath dances across my face, and his nearness makes it difficult for me to form a coherent thought or even breathe. Being close to him feels dangerous yet so very right.
I clear my throat. “I pissed Commander Hampton off.”
“Ah, I see.” He sets the dermal regenerator aside and commences rubbing my freshly healed wrists. The pads of his fingers are rough, and I suspect the rest of his skin is harder to the touch than a human’s due to its unique, almost rippled texture, but I don’t wish for him to stop. “Do you have any additional injuries?”
“No.” I swallow hard. “Thank you for healing my wrists.”
He cups the side of my face in one hand. “You’re welcome.” His eyes search mine, causing my cheeks to grow warm. My gaze lowers to his lips, and for the first time in my life, I wonder what it might be like to kiss a male.
Feverish. I’ve felt feverish in his presence since the moment he grabbed me before the other doctor could. Why did he growl and push his associate out of the way just to claim me first?
