Barbarian's Bride (Ice Planet Barbarians)

Then, gasping, he collapses against me and I hold onto his long braid, stroking it as pleasant aftershocks roll through my body.

If this is what life is going to be like on the ice planet, I think I will be a very happy camper indeed, caves and all.

6

DAGESH

A rock tumbles to my feet and smacks against my boot, bringing me out of my sated reverie.

I do not want to move. I want to remain like this forever, my cock buried in the warm, wet heat of my mate's body, her softness pressed against my chest, her breath fanning over my skin. I have never felt so…content.

Against me, No-rah shifts her weight a little, sending a shiver of pleasure through my cock. It causes another rock to tumble to the ground, and I open my eyes. I did not realize I had closed them. Now, though, I see that my mate is pressed against a bed of shale and more rocks are in danger of tumbling around us. She shifts again and I watch as the shoulder of her tunic catches on the sharp rocks and tears.

I realize what I have done and I am aghast. Vektal told me to be careful with her. That she is fragile. And here I have thrown her against the cave entrance—not even inside the cave itself—and rutted on her like a beast. Twice now, I have messed up our matings. Carefully, I tug my mate away from the rocks. "No-rah? Did I hurt you?"

She sighs, a smile curving her mouth. "It's all good."

It is not good. She says that because I did hurt her. My shame grows. I help her back to her feet and try to piece her leggings back together, but I have torn them asunder. Mine are completely useless, too. My face feels hot as I pick up the scraps. "I have ruined your clothes."

"Well, they weren't really mine to begin with," Nora says, her tone pleasant. She reaches for my braid, playing with it. "It's all right. I didn't mind."

I am silent.

I mind.

A mate is to be treasured. A mate is to be cherished. A hunter with a mate is luckier than all others because his khui has selected the best of females for him, and they will make kits together. And me? Within moments of receiving the greatest gift…I have used her. Twice.

Vektal would banish me if he knew the truth.

No-rah gives a little wiggle, adjusting on her feet. She moves as if she is in pain, and ice-cold fear slithers down my spine. "What is wrong?"

She bends over toward me, her teats pressing against the front of the borrowed tunic, and my cock surges again at the sight. Her gaze is not on me, though. Her expression is thoughtful. "I think I pulled a muscle in all that. I guess I must have slept weird when I was in those pod things." She straightens and smiles at me, her expression achingly sweet. "It's nothing. Don't worry, I promise. I'm perfectly fine. Can we go inside?"

I nod.

My mate turns to enter, and I see her tunic is shredded. The soft leather has been torn apart by the rocks she rested against, and her back is scratched and covered in welts. I suck in a breath and grab her, pausing. "I did this to you?"

As if it is nothing, No-rah just laughs. "The rocks did it to me, if you want to get technical."

She makes more excuses for me. I am not worthy of such a good mate. I should turn around and march her back to the others. I should confess to my chief that I have hurt my mate, that I am not fit to be with beautiful, soft No-rah. That I cannot control myself around her.

But if I do…what if they give her to another male? What if they let Vaza welcome her to his hearth? He has made it clear to Vektal that if the human females are interested, he would take a pleasure-mate to his furs. Vaza is a widower and cannot resonate to another, but that will not stop him from trying to entice a female to his arms.

I just spilled my seed into No-rah as well. Twice now. What if she carries my kit?

I cannot tell the others that I hurt her, because they will take her from me. I must bear this shame alone. I press my hands to my plated brow, wondering how my life can be so amazing in one moment and then so wrong in the next.

"Are…are you all right?" No-rah watches me with a puzzled expression. "Can we go inside? Or is there some sort of mating ritual we're supposed to do now? I'm not familiar with your customs."

I am selfish, because I cannot let her go. Even now, I want to drag her back down into the snow and plunge into her again. "No customs," I say thickly. I cannot resist touching her, and I take her hand in mine. Her smile grows wider, and she squeezes my fingers. "No-rah…we must never speak of what happened here."