Page 9 of Mated to the Alien Warlord

"You know your way around horses," I remarked.

"I don't think many humans don't." She looked up and gave me one of her brilliant smiles, creating all kinds of turmoil inside my head and stiffening my cock even more. For a moment, I contemplated that, as her mate, it was my responsibility to seal our marriage contract. But then a delicate movement of her arm brought her fragility back to my mind, and I realized that camping out in the woods would not be the right place to stake my claim on her body.

Besides, I chastised myself, I was certain that as a princess, she was a virgin and as such, deserved the comforts of a bed and nice chamber for her first time. Still, it was hard not to contemplate carnal things when she bent over, sticking her lusciously curved ass into the air, creating images of me holding onto those hips while plowing her from behind. Or when she bent over the other way, giving me the opportunity to admire her generous tits. My fingers twitched at the sight, and I had to pump both hands into fists a few times to keep them by my side and not to make a grab for her. I wondered what was wrong with me, never in my life had I contemplated fondling a strange kallini like this. Even if she was my mate, I had no rights to do so yet.

She innocently smiled up at me as if she felt my gaze, and I called myself a lascivious pervert, but the gods help me, it was hard to keep my eyes off her.

When the horses were unsaddled and drinking their fill or grazing, I straightened my back and took my bow and arrow from where they were tied to my saddlebags. "I'll go see if I can hunt us some dinner."

She looked up from rummaging through the saddlebags we had liberated, searching for anything useful for the night.

"Huntsmale's luck," she wished in the old Thyre saying, giving me another of her glorious smiles and reminding me why I wanted to go hunting in the first place. I really needed some time away from her before I disgraced myself and rutted her right here on the moss.

"Huntsmale's thanks," I replied as custom dictated and noticed how hoarse my voice sounded. This kallini was playing havoc with my entire system. I rushed off faster than needed, sensing her eyes on my back the entire way until the dense forest foliage hid me.

Leaning against a tree, I rubbed my palm down my face, closing my eyes, trying to collect my thoughts and bearings. Never before had a kallini had this kind of effect on me. I had desired kallinies before, but not like this.

Besides my cock's craving to fuck her, everything about her called for me to get to know her better.

Unbidden, the image of her tied to the horse and forced to run by its side came up, and the anger I had experienced earlier returned full force. Even though Fionbyr hadn't been there when this atrocity took place, he was the one who had ordered her abduction, and I would make sure he would pay the price for it. I would see him dead after this.

I took a few more deep breaths to clear my mind. I promised her dinner, and I would find her some.

If memory served, birds were about the easiest prey in these parts of Thyre. I loosened an arrow into a random tree and immediately nocked another, ready for the ten to fifteen birds who had roosted, hidden in the leaves, to take flight.

I picked one and brought it down with a second arrow.

My father took me hunting as soon as I could sit on a horse. I couldn't even count the number of hunts I had been on or how many animals I had brought home to contribute to our daily fare, but never had I been prouder than when I shot down this damn bird to take it to my mate and provide for her.

Even though I was responsible for providing for thousands of people daily, the thought that it was me who would bring her nourishment filled me with a sense of fulfillment I had never experienced before.

I was surprised when I returned to where I left her. A small fire was burning, surrounded by rocks to keep it from spreading. Blankets were placed between two trees, over the soft moss growing in between them.

Rope had been tied around several trees to keep the horses enclosed with access to the creek.

Somehow, Damaris had done all the work required to set up a camp in the short time I was gone.

"Looks like you have camped before." I observed, watching her as she bound several larger branches together to make a makeshift spit to roast our dinner.

A small shadow moved across her perfect features. "With my brother, Adrian. He loved going hunting and fishing. He would have stayed out for weeks if my father had allowed it."

I didn't miss the way she spoke of him in the past tense or the sadness that enveloped her. and remembered Helmut mentioning that he had lost his son recently, so I didn't press.

"Well, if you know how to prepare a bird, I will worship the ground you walk on."

At that, her lips curved again, and the dark clouds retreated. "As a matter of fact, I do. Hand it over, oh great huntsmale."

Adrian'smemorymomentarilythrewme off, but soon I found myself engrossed in taking the scales and feathers off the bird that would make our dinner. It was time-consuming, tedious work, especially the scales. Even one that was overlooked could ruin the entire meal, because once they came in contact with fire, they gave off an incredible stink that permeated all the meat, making it close to inedible unless you were utterly starving.

Thankfully, Vandor brought the right tools with him. I noticed his gaze on me more than once while I concentrated on taking one scale off at a time, tossing them into the small hole I had dug next to me. Next came the innards, which I buried with the scales to keep predators from smelling the blood.

From there, Vandor took over, spearing the bird with the makeshift spit I had built.

We sat on a fallen tree close enough to the fire so Vandor could turn the bird now and again while we watched our dinner slowly roast. My mouth watered as the smell of meat cooking became stronger, and I realized I hadn't eaten since last night. And only very little, because after my father left to negotiate a husband for me, the idea effectively suppressed my appetite.

"You are not at all what I had pictured," Vandor said into the silence, making me think his thoughts must have drifted in the same direction as mine.

"If it helps, you are kind of exactly what I had pictured," I replied with a soft smile.

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