By the end of it, Privanax gave them the all clear, unhooked Lihvan from the machines, and her alien thanked him as well.
“We will give you some peace,” Cruxan said.“Your quarters are prepared if you wish to rest there.We will be home shortly.”
With that, both Luxirians left and it was just the two of them.Silence stretched between them as Lihvan swung his long, muscular legs over the bed.He stood, while Beks hovered anxiously, but he seemed steady on his feet, strong.It took him a few moments to collect his bearings but then he said, “Come.”
She took his hand and they both left the medical bay, barefoot, practically naked.He walked them down the hall and took many twisting turns until they finally landed in front of a door.Even though this wasn’t the same ship that Beks had originally been on, the room inside was almost identical, except this one had a small window as well.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, when the door closed.
“Nix,” he said.“You?”
Beks shook her head and then she went to him, tenderly wrapping her arms around his torso, afraid for a moment that she might hurt him.But he crushed her to him, their bodies sticking together like glue, like he never wanted to let her go.
Tears welled up in her eyes and she buried her face in his chest.She didn’t know how long they stood like that, but finally, Lihvan murmured down to her.“Let us wash.And then rest.We have a busy span tomorrow.”
They entered the shower stall in the washroom that Beks remembered.The layout was the same as the other ship and she watched as Lihvan got the water running with just a few clicks on the silver pad installed on the door.
They stripped off, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.Her alien warrior was still moving a little slowly, but unbelievably, she saw that his cock was hard.
“Does that thing ever go down?” she teased softly when they stepped underneath the hot spray.
Lihvan gave a soft grunt.“Nix, not around you.”He tilted his face back and Beks’ eyes tracked every drop that ran down his face, that wetted his dark brown hair into an inky black.It was stuck to his broad shoulders, but slicked back, it seemed to sharpen his masculine, strong features.
Beks went on her tip toes, pressing her breasts against his chest, and kissed him.Lihvan responded and the kiss was so sweet that it brought even more tears to her eyes.She thought that she’d be completely tapped out right about then, but apparently, her body had been hoarding tears foryears, only to open the floodgates now.
That feeling came back to her, the one that had been growing and growing until it was an unstoppable force inside her, hard to contain.Instead of voicing those words, that she’d never said to any man before, she whispered against him, “I—I don’t know what I would’ve done if you…if you’d left me.”
They didn’t say anything else.Lihvan showed her how much he cared for her as he gently washed her body, running his warm hands over her flesh.When he massaged her scalp, she moaned and tilted her head back.She wanted to gasp out loud with each new inch he touched.
She did the same for him once she was cleaned, slowly exploring every last part of him.He kneeled as she washed his hair and rinsed out the soap and she felt him brush his surprisingly soft, full lips just below her breasts.
It was…overwhelming.His tenderness for her.Her feelings for him.
When he stood, he whispered down to her in a rumble, “Are you needing, female?”
Beks gave him a soft smile but nuzzled more closely into his arms.“Always, with you.But I just want to stand here.I just want to be here with you.”
Lihvan seemed to understand what she was asking for…and they both did just that.She savored it.
And even though she didn’t know what the next day would bring, with Lihvan at her side, she knew she would be ready for it.
EIGHTEEN
Lihvan took a deep, steadying breath, trying to bring peace to his mind and body as they docked in the vessel bay on Luxiria.
He was home.
He had hisluxivawith him.
It was everything that he had ever wanted.A mate, a home, a feeling of belonging and rightness to ease the restlessness in his soul.
And his Beks would be leaving him the next span, back to her own home.
His muscles trembled, his Instinct rebelling at the thought, but he reigned the beast in.Control.He had always had control.If he didn’t, he would act dishonorably.He would be tempted to chain her to his sleeping platform, at his dwelling inKroratax, and demand that she stay.Forever.She would grow to resent him and he would be no better than the Krevorags that had taken her for the Pit.
Beyond her departure, he hadn’t made plans.The thought of her leaving was too terrible, too gut-wrenching, that he couldn’t think of anything after that.He’d noticed that Cruxan had been watching him more carefully this span, as if wondering what he was going to do.Most Luxirians, if they lost their mate, took their own lives.He hated the look of grief that had begun to enter his friend’s gaze, as if his death was imminent.
Perhaps it was.
