"You're staying here?" Vel'aan asks, alarmed.
"We'll stay with Kar'on's friend in a nearby sector," Sar'na says. "But we'll be visiting. Daily."
"Wonderful," Vel'aan mutters through the bond.
"That's fair," I say aloud. "I look forward to getting to know you better."
"We shall see," Tav'ik repeats. "The human cooks acceptably."
"High praise," Kar'on says with amusement. Then, as they're preparing to leave, he catches sight of the mark on Vel'aan's throat that the formal garment doesn't quite hide. "Though perhaps next time we visit, brother, you might want to wear something with a higher collar."
Vel'aan's bioluminescence flares mortified purple, and Kar'on grins.
"Just a suggestion," he adds innocently before following their parents out.
They leave with formal farewells, and the moment the door closes, Vel'aan slumps against the wall.
"That went better than expected," I say.
"They're staying for days," he moans. "They'll be watching everything."
"Then we'll give them something good to watch." I move toward him, backing him against the wall. "Like how you just claimed me in front of your entire family."
"I'm mortified."
"You shouldn't be." I press against him, feeling his body respond immediately. "Do you have any idea how hot that was? You going all possessive and primal?"
"It was inappropriate—"
"It was perfect." I kiss him hard, then drop to my knees. "And now I'm going to show you just how much I liked it."
"Alex, we can't—they might come back—"
"Then you'll have to be quiet." I untie his pants, pulling them down to free him. He's already half-hard from the kiss, and the sight makes my mouth water. "Can you do that? Stay quiet while I suck you?"
His bioluminescence flares bright purple-gold. "I... I don't know."
"Let's find out." I take him in my mouth without further warning, and he has to slap a hand over his mouth to muffle his cry.
I love to taste him, to feel the interesting ridges against my tongue, to watch his colors go wild from this angle. He's slightly cooler than a human would be, with a faintly sweet taste that's uniquely him.
"Alex," he gasps, his free hand tangling in my hair. "Oh fuck, your mouth is so warm."
I hum around him, which makes his hips jerk forward. Through the bond, I can feel his pleasure—the wet heat of my mouth, the suction, the way my tongue explores every ridge and sensitive spot. It creates a feedback loop that has me achingly hard in my pants.
I pull off just long enough to say, "I can feel how good this is for you. Through the bond. It's incredible."
"Please," he whimpers, trying to guide me back down. "Please don't stop."
I take him deep, relaxing my throat, using every bit of skill I've accumulated over the years. His bioluminescence is pulsing erratically, casting moving shadows on the walls. Through the bond, I feel him getting close embarrassingly fast—not just his physical pleasure but his shocked arousal at this act, the overwhelming newness of it mixing with desperate want.
"Alex, I'm—" He tries to pull back, but I hold his hips in place, looking up at him with clear intent. "Fuck, you want me to—"
I hum agreement, speeding up, and his whole body goes rigid. He comes with a muffled shout, his bioluminescence going supernova bright, and through the bond I feel it—the overwhelming pleasure, the relief, the complete satisfaction mixed with wonder.
I swallow everything and stand, pulling him into a kiss so he can taste himself on my tongue.
"You're insane," he pants against my mouth. "What if they'd walked back in?"