Ascension Saga (Interstellar Brides): Book 2

His gaze darted to the timer, then back to me. “In less than a minute, your mate is going to climb from this machine and be very angry with you.”

“And horny,” Jessica added, the door to the medical bay sliding closed behind her. “Really, really horny.” She came up to Prime Nial from behind and wrapped her arms about his waist. Smiled at me. “Just remember, make up sex is really hot.”

“My love, there is no making up with us. Ander and I are always right.”

Jessica rolled her eyes at me. “As if.”

“Who hasn’t been able to sit down comfortably for allowing Princess Trinity to risk her life unnecessarily?”

Jessica lifted Nial’s hand to her mouth and kissed his palm. “It was hot.” Prime Nial truly had spanked Jessica for her help? Based on the way Jessica’s cheeks flushed a bright pink, and her eyes turned glassy with interest, I had to assume it was a yes. “And the make-up sex after was really great. That was a total win-win for me.”

Prime Nial growled but held perfectly still under her attentions. Who was the puppy now? “Just great, mate? Perhaps Ander and I need to do it all again to see if you still feel that way.”

I laughed at their banter. Clearly, they were in love. I hadn’t had much interaction between Jessica and Ander, her other mate, but I had no doubt that while it seemed Prime Nial was in charge, Jessica gave this mate specifically a run for his money. The way she winked at me, I could see the guy was putty in her hands. She’d turned the entire conversation around on Prime Nial and now he felt the need to go fuck his mate to prove his prowess.

Yeah, he might rule the free universe, but she ruled him… and he liked it.

The ReGen pod beeped, turning all of our attention back to it. With a pfft sound of a seal being released, the glass lid pivoted up. Leo’s eyes popped open as if he’d been pretending to sleep, then he sat up so abruptly, Prime Nial, Jessica and I all jumped back.

Leo’s gaze took in the room, as if remembering where he was, then moved directly to me. Didn’t shift away from me, even though Prime Nial was also in the room.

His big hands went to the edges of the pod and he hopped out.

“Mate,” he growled. “You are in big trouble.”

“Told you,” Jessica whispered.

Prime Nial had been right, although he didn’t gloat like his mate. Leo wasn’t injured. Other than being filthy and covered in dried blood, his eyes held the clarity of someone in perfect health. His spryness indicated his injuries were gone. But Jessica won the prize. Leo’s cock tented the front of his uniform pants. He was horny.

So was I. We’d fucked for two days, but my Ardor hadn’t been eliminated entirely. I’d felt it creeping back upon me, the hum of arousal building in my blood as time passed. It wasn’t as bad as before Leo had taken me the first time up against the bedroom wall, but if I didn’t get his cock inside me soon, I’d be right back there.

I also recognized my interest in him wasn’t solely driven by the Ardor. I just wanted Leo. As a woman wanting a man. It had been so good, he’d made me crave it. Crave him. I’d somehow forgotten how big he was, but the room was crowded with the long row of pods and he just looked… huge. His shoulders were so broad, his hands like big dinner plates, but I remembered how gentle they could be. The rippling muscles, the way his ragged breathing—and it wasn’t because he was in pain—made his chest seem even more expansive.

And now… with all that intensity focused right on me, I licked my lips and said, “Leo.”

He held up a hand stopping me from saying anything more.

I swallowed.

“I do not care that you are an Aleran princess. You are my mate. You are not to risk your life for me. You are more important. More valuable. I forbid you from pulling such a dangerous stunt ever again.”

“I’m royal, Leo. One day I will rule Alera”

“Yes, but you are mine. And I will rule you.”

I arched one brow and began tapping my foot on the smooth floor. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” he countered, his voice getting quieter, not louder.

“Perhaps it would be best if you took your… discussion to private quarters?” Prime Nial suggested.

Leo grunted his agreement.

“We didn’t have a discussion after I helped Trinity,” Jessica added with a grumble.

“Mate, would you rather I announce to every doctor and medical technician what they will really be doing?”

“Excellent idea, Nial. Thank you.” While Leo was speaking to the leader of Prillon Prime, his eyes were solely on me. Those dark depths held heat and frustration and a primitive… something that needed to be assuaged.