Home. I was finally going to have a home, and Kitty—my mate—would share it with me.
I am so very lucky.
She cleared her throat and lifted her chin to meet my eyes.
“Are you okay?” I asked, relief flooding me as she nodded.
While she had been showering, I had configured the adjacent room to the sleeping setting, pulling a bed down from the wall to take up most of the tiny space. What the ship lacked in space; it made up for in comforts. I suppose that was one benefit of working with an Elite as high ranking as Luk 8th.
I guided her to sit next to me on the bed.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“We’re going home,” I said. Reaching for her hand with a smile. I brushed my thumb over the soft skin, my heart full for the first time in my life.
“And where is home?” She climbed onto my lap. I felt a flush of pleasure that she wanted to be so close to me, and wrapped my arms around her, and sliding my tail around her ankle to bring her closer to me.
“Well, you see…” I bit my lip, not sure how I would tell her I didn't actually have a home. What kind of mate was I, not having a way to provide for her?
She looked at me expectantly, an eyebrow raised and her head tilted to one side. But it was the small smile playing on her lips that gave me the courage to continue.
She's been lied to before. You must be honest with her from the beginning.
“I told you I'm unranked,” I paused, waiting for her acknowledgement. When she nodded, I continued, “I don't want that life anymore. And I especially don't want that life for you. So, we are going to an exile planet.”
In fact, while Kitty had been showering, I'd been speaking with Luk 8th. He was taking us directly to my contact now, where Kitty and I would board the transport vessel to begin our new life.
“An exile planet?” she asked, brows drawing together. “What does that mean?”
“It's not exactly for exiles, it's just what they're called. They are planets outside the Gnaggarrian Empire, and the dictates of Elites and ranking don't apply. I've paid for transport to the planet and have bought land. I had planned on starting a farm, having my own place, but if that's not something?—”
Her small hands gripped my arm as she stared into my face. “I remember. You talked about this, and it sounded perfect. Wherever you are, that's home to me.” She smiled and rose to kiss me.
She turned on my lap, straddling my thighs with her knees resting on the bed. Her arms slid around my neck, flattening her generous breasts against my chest.
“I didn't realize how lonely I was until I met you. I knew I needed a change, but I wasn't brave enough to leave what I knew, no matter how awful. And then you landed in my life, and you changed everything.” She smiled at me, cupping my face in her small palm and rubbing her thumb over my cheek. “I know this is quick, but what I feel here—” she placed a hand over the center of my chest “—says this is. You are mine. We are meant to be together. So, wherever you go, I go too.”
I reached my hands to her waist and slid one up her back to hold her steady. “When you walked onto that transportal—into the stone circle—I was afraid.”
“Afraid?”
“I was terrified that you didn't realize what you were doing, and there wasn't any time to explain. Everything happened so quickly, and then we were transported.” I ducked my head so that I could look into her eyes. “I need to know that you chose me. That you chose us.”
“I did.” And those two small words from her were what I needed to hear. A broad smile spread across my face, and I felt a deep warm glow fill me as the meaning struck me.
She chose me. Me! An unranked. This beautiful, intelligent, wonderful woman chose me.
I clutched her to me in my arms, burying my head against her neck. “I want to claim you,” I said.
“Claim me?” she said, a note of laughter in her voice.
“Yes. Gnaggarrian males have a highly developed sense of smell. I scented you and knew you were special. When we mated and I licked your neck… it was like I had been shot with adrenaline.” I brushed a hand over her shoulder, reaching down to take her hand in mine. “Claiming a mate is an old tradition. It’s a primal drive to bite you here—” I brushed a finger over her neck, and she shivered “—so you wear my mark for every male to see.”
“That’s rather primitive,” she said, and my chest clenched.
“I won’t bite you without your consent.” I smoothed a hand down her side, just wanting to touch her, to feel that she was real.
She giggled, bending a head to one side and opening her neck to me. “Jon, you can bite me.”
