“It’s so beautiful,” she cried.
“Yes, it is,” I agreed. “This whole night was beautiful.”
CHAPTER 35
YIRI
I’m getting old.
My body was stiff and a little achy when I slid out of bed the next morning. Cora was still out, snoring softly as I took a call from Della in the kitchen. I closed the door so I wouldn’t wake her. I might have to get my ass moving, but my perfect little mate had more than earned her rest the night before, and well into the morning. She slept so deeply that not even her dreams seemed to bother her today.
I would never admit it to the cocky performer, but Qhev’in Kon delivered just what he said he would. By the time I got her back to the cruiser, Cora was in an all-out feral heat. She stripped us both in record time and then rode me hard. All night she was insatiable, only resting for short periods, teasing me like the needy little brat she is until I took over and pounded her into the bed, the shower wall, the kitchen counter, and even the couch she still refused to sit on. Thankfully, that wouldn’t be an issue for much longer.
Just as I said goodbye to Della, a yelp sounded from the bedroom, and I hurried back. “What is it,Aneah?”
She was sprawled on her stomach in the sheets, her hands buried under the pillows, but as I sank onto the side of the bed,she rolled and sat up. I tensed when I saw what she held in her hand.
“What is this?” She frowned, rubbing sleep from her eyes with her free hand. “It looks dangerous.”
“It is,” I said, taking it from her with care. “It’s a phase blade.” Depressing my fingers in the right spots, I activated the laser for her to see. “This thing will cut through almost anything. Be careful with it.”
“Why was it under your pillow then?”
“It’s there for protection,” I shrugged. “If someone manages to come into the cruiser while we sleep, I won’t be defenseless.”
“Right,” she said, nodding sleepily. “Of course. A perfectly sane reason.”
“It could happen,” I said seriously. “Here. Let me show you where to press to activate it.”
“In case I need to cut someone with a laser,” she said dryly. “Why not?”
I took her hand and wrapped her fingers and thumb over the right spots, squeezing her grip under mine when she was positioned correctly. “There you go,” I nodded, dropping my hand away and letting her do it alone. “Careful not to touch anything you don’t want to slice with it.”
She turned it this way and that, watching the light of the laser. “It’s kind of pretty,” she said.
“Pretty deadly,” I told her as she loosened her grip and the blade deactivated. “I have a few errands to take care of. Are you getting up?”
She shook her head and slumped back into the covers. “No. I’m going to sleep for a year. Take me to one of those sleep spas.”
“I couldn’t last a year without you.”
She hummed, wiggling down into the softness of the bed. “You better join me in the sleep spa then.”
“I’ll give you the morning,” I said, bending to kiss her lips. “But I’ll be back to wake you up later.”
She made a pouting noise, but I wasn’t sure if it was the threat of waking her or my leaving that brought it on. It would have been nice to stay in bed with her all day, but I couldn’t spoil her right if I didn’t get moving. I left her, buried in the blankets with only her head of dark hair poking out.
Mr. Darcy wasn’t as content to lie in bed as his mother. Slinking after me on silent paws, he waited until I entered the kitchen and then twined his seemingly boneless body between my feet, begging loudly for breakfast.
“Shhh!” I hissed. “You’ll wake Mama. You want eslu, you little monster?”
He let out a softermeowin answer. Rolling my eyes, I took the prepared meat from the cooling unit and poured him a dish of water. Hitting the control on the wall with my elbow, I headed out on the deck with his meal, because I already knew that a cat’s breakfast was not complete without bright morning light to bask in, and the glass-bottomed mini floater to keep him entertained.
It was meant to hold food and drink afloat while I swam in the lagoon, but it was a perfect little vessel for Mr. Darcy to pilot, and he’d already taken it over. I’d have to get another for our refreshments. He’d even learned how to lean his weight to direct where the floater went in the water.
“I’m setting the range to five feet from the cruiser,” I told him. The little beast had the gall to yowl his complaint as he hopped aboard and ferried himself out into the water. “Say that when you’re mother’s around,” I growled. “I dare you.”
A few young cekets swam up to him for morning snoutboopsas Cora called them. Mr. Darcy solemnly doled out his touches like a king, and then settled back to enjoy his breakfast and watch the marine life swimming below.
