The precise moment he gave the command, she erupted with another display of writhing spasms, a long-held breath, and a deep sigh of satisfaction. He joined her, feeling the load shoot out explosively.
Nothing was more important than those minutes after coming, when he held her and caressed her shivering skin.
“Good girl,” he whispered.
She used his chest as a pillow and dozed. When she stirred, bleary-eyed, she draped a blanket over both of them. The night air had suddenly dropped in temperature and a refreshing breeze was blowing across the clearing.
“That,” she said softly, “was fantastic. Kind of life-affirming.”
He chuckled. “I get that. Like a roar in my heart. You don’t know how good it feels to fuck you like that. I didn’t hurt you?”
“No,” she giggled. “Well, not really.”
He swept her hair out of her eyes. No longer sleepy, she stared back at him, observing him carefully. What was she thinking?
“Tomorrow I’m going to get Krul, you’re staying here.”
A moment’s hesitation before she nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“If you follow me—”
“I won’t.”
“Good, because it’s got to be this way, Jade.”
She rolled on top of him, belly to belly, beating hearts pressed side by side and he felt the rhythm of hers through his chest. In seconds, she was sleeping.
Mason draped his arms over his lover and wished he could keep her there forever, bound to him and safe in his embrace. He was prepared to give up so much for her: his ties to Ixzar, his loyalty to his Stratum, and his duties as a marshal, all of these things were subservient to his wish to be with Jade. How had it come to this? His solitary life sacrificed for an alien woman whose submission was willingly given to him, and only him. She would never surrender to another man; Mason had tamed her spirited nature and only he could lay claim to her. That was a certainty among all the unknowns of the future.
There were no guarantees he would catch Krul or survive their meeting. If Jade stayed with the villagers, they would look after her, comfort her if things went badly. It was a pity they were primitive and the planet so damn hot, because otherwise, it was tempting to stay. With that bizarre thought in mind, he fell asleep.
* * *
A shout went up around the village—the hunting party had been spotted returning.
Jade ran out of the hut, where she’d been helping the women prepare food and shaded her eyes from the sun. Her pulse raced as she waited for them to emerge from the trees. The boys who had been on lookout were jumping up and down on the spot, excited by their news.
She wished she could understand their language; the youths were speaking rapidly to the older men, who’d remained behind in the village. The women had kept Jade busy with humble tasks, but it had been hard to concentrate. She’d smiled a great deal and drawn many sand pictures to try to explain where she came from. It had been futile as the natives had little understanding of anything beyond their own experiences of life in the jungle.
Mason had left early in the morning with his band of warriors, all armed with spears and bows. It was an odd sight—a space marshal and nearly naked team of forest dwellers. It would be funny if it wasn’t for the fact Mason faced great danger.
She spied movement along the path and walking toward her was the chief and some of his men. There was no sign of Mason. The men looked so serious she couldn’t gauge whether the mission was a success or not.
Another figure emerged from the shadows of the trees. He hung his head and dragged his feet, swaying from side to side. He was bound with makeshift rope and a length of twine trailed behind him like a leash. She didn’t recognize him, but it was obvious who he was—his skin was green, hairless, and partially covered in an overall matching the color of his scales. The lizard man had been captured and given his wobbly gait, Krul was stupefied and in a trance.
It took forever for Mason to appear, but when she saw him, her heart skipped a beat. He held the end of the rope in his hand and a gun in the other. Along the length of his arm was a gash and he’d a fresh bruise on his cheekbone. Jade wanted to run into his arms, make sure he was really okay. However, Krul was between them, acting like a barrier.
The women whooped for joy as they circled the lizard man. They chanted, swayed, and clapped their hands. Jade wanted to join in but her attention was fixed on Mason. When he smiled at her, her heart soared and all the anxieties of the last few hours died in an instant.
The men tied Krul to the post of a hut and ringed him with guards. Mason checked the bindings and only then put down his gun to embrace Jade.
“You’ve been gone ages,” she complained. There had be
en no way to communicate with him; he carried the only device. Every hour had felt like a lifetime.
“Not really,” he grinned, running his hands up and down her back.
“Tell me everything.”