Sam's Secret (Icehome)

We hide our spears under thick clusters of vines at the far end of the cave. Sam keeps the knives she has cleverly hidden in her clothing, but the rest of our weapons we tuck away in leafy corners and out of reach. We hide our food supplies as well, leaving out only the sah-sah we are crafting. The baskets of dried food and additional supplies by the pool are hidden as best as possible, and the ones we cannot hide, we stack next to our furs so we can guard them. We pluck the fruits in arm's reach and hide them, keeping some out for our use.

"I don't care if it looks like we're being obvious," Sam tells me. "If he's trustworthy, he'll understand. He'll only get upset if he means us ill."

I nod. She knows best.

We eat fruit by the pool, opting to save the rest of our dried meat for some other time. Sam tells me stories of what has changed at Icehome Beach since I was there last. We talk mostly of the kits, and how Day-see has her own hut instead of sharing with the other females. We talk of the strange tension between R'jaal and Flor, who used to get along. "It's weird," Sam says. "You would think those of us that haven't resonated would have bonded more, but we all seem more fractured than ever. R'jaal and Flor don't talk. Daisy and O'jek are close but she's oblivious to the fact that he's in love with her, and I'rec seems to hate everyone." She shakes her head. "It's like the longer people don't resonate, the crazier they get."

"Perhaps they are bitter with wanting," I point out. "I understand it."

She splashes me with one hand, smiling. "And are you bitter?"

I grin, loving this teasing side of my too-serious mate. "No, but I do understand it. They will be jealous of us, you know. It will only feed the bitterness." I pull her in my arms, the feel of her wet skin against mine almost as pleasant as her mouth on my cock. Almost. "The males will be even more upset when they find that young Sessah has claimed the loveliest of females for himself."

One of her arms slides around my neck and she presses her teats to my chest. "A certain someone reminded me that Sessah is not that young." Her fingers trail down my wet chest. "And have you seen him lately? ‘Young’ is not the word I'd use to describe him."

"What word would you use?" My throat feels thick with wanting.

"Magnificent," Sam breathes. "He's magnificent."

I groan, kissing my mate. I claim her lips, positive that if I do not have her tongue on mine in the next moment, my khui will wither away and die. Sam meets my kisses with eagerness, her mouth as hungry as mine, and her hand slides down my slick body, reaching for my aching cock under the water. "Sam," I pant. "Sam. Sam. You—"

"Hey," snarls a voice from above, the shout echoing off the walls of the cave. "You two got any weapons?"

We break apart, Sam stiffening in my arms. She hides behind me, letting me protect her naked body from the stranger's sight.

The male glares at us from up above. He's wearing the furs we left for him, and a snarl shows white, pointed teeth. He looks very displeased as he gazes down at us.

"Hello, Kvasaht," my mate calls cheerfully from behind me. She wraps her arms around my neck, hoisting herself up on my shoulders and pressing her full teats to my back. My cock immediately stiffens and I am glad to be up to my shoulders in the water, or else he would see it and wonder why I do not claim my mate. "Did you have a nice walk?" Sam's voice rings out in the cave. "Enjoy the weather?"

"It's keffing cold," he snaps, sounding displeased.

"It's why we wear furs outside," Sam agrees. She leans over me and her tiny teeth scrape my ear, followed by a flick of her tongue, and I gasp at how good it feels. Is she trying to make me spend right here in the water? Does she think I won't finger her pretty cunt to make her do the same? Is this a game between us?

If so, I am excited to play.

"I thought you two had weapons," the male calls out. "Where do you keep your blasters?"

"No blasters," Sam yells up at him.

"How are you surviving then? How do you protect yourselves?"

Sam shrugs, then pats my shoulder. "I have this one to protect me." Her tone is exceedingly sweet and a little foolish, like Tia when she twirls her mane around her finger and pretends to be clueless. "Why? Do you need him to protect you, too? I'm sure he can."