Falling for Kindred Claus Read online

  “I think it’s time to move on,” Asher rumbled in her ear. “Don’t you?”

  “Y-yes,” she stuttered out. “God, yes—please, Asher.”

  “Please what? Please touch you the way you touched me?” he murmured. “Is that what you want, sweetheart?”

  As he spoke, his big hands slid around her to massage her inner thighs from the front and to frame her pussy. Lisa moaned helplessly as he cupped her, his broad palm pressing against her sensitive clit. God, she was so hot her pussy was opening for him almost of its own volition! She needed this—needed it badly and though the little voice in the back of her head was trying to warn her that it was a bad idea—that it was unprofessional—she couldn’t seem to ask the big Kindred to stop.

  “Going to rub the oil into your pussy now,” he murmured and then—just as he had in her dream—he spread her swollen outer lips with his ring and index fingers and slipped just the tip of his long middle finger into her heated folds.

  “Ohhhh!” Lisa bucked back against him, nearly losing it as he circled the tight little button of her clit with feather-light strokes. “Oh God, Asher—yes!”

  “Does that feel good?” he murmured in her ear. “Does it feel good to have your soft little pussy spread open and played with, Lisa? Do you like it when I stroke your hot little clit like this?”

  The pad of his middle finger slid deliberately over her swollen button, making her moan again.

  “Y-yes!” she gasped, writhing against him. God, she couldn’t believe she was doing this—and doing it with a man she hadn’t even known a whole day! But something about Asher’s hands on her body just felt right. Too right to deny.

  “Gods, you’re so wet,” he murmured hoarsely as he continued to stroke her and his other hand came up to begin teasing her nipples again. “So wet and hot—I only wish it was my tongue between your legs instead of my fingers.”

  “You…you do?” Lisa whispered.

  “Gods, yes! To kneel before you and taste your sweet, creamy pussy…to lap your honey right from the source and then to stroke your clit with my tongue to help you make more so I could lap it away all over again…to feel you coming all over my face… That would be my greatest pleasure,” he assured her hoarsely, as he continued to circle her clit.

  Lisa could scarcely believe him. Eating her out was a sexual act Cameron wouldn’t “lower” himself to do—though he expected regular blowjobs for his own gratification. Before him, she’d been with a couple of guys in college who were willing to “go downtown” but neither of them had been very good at it—or very enthusiastic. And no man she had ever been with had spoken of the act with such longing and desire—as though giving her pleasure gave him the ultimate gratification.

  Asher’s words enflamed her—ramped her pleasure up a notch until she was moaning and bucking against his hand, her orgasm so close she could taste it.

  “I want to slide inside you now,” he murmured in her ear.

  “Oh!” Lisa felt another surge of desire, though she knew she shouldn’t. “But…but I’m not on birth control,” she protested breathlessly. “So you really shouldn’t…”

  “Not that way. Though the Goddess knows I would love to feel your sweet little pussy wrapped around my cock,” he growled softly. “No—like this, sweetheart.”

  As he spoke, the hand that had been playing with her breasts came down and two long, strong fingers slipped deep into her pussy channel. At the same time, his other hand continued to strum her aching clit even as he thrust deep inside her.

  “Come for me,” he growled in her ear. “Come now, Lisa. Come while I stroke your soft little cunt and fill you with my fingers.”

  It was more than Lisa could stand. With a low moan, she felt her pleasure break over her like a tidal wave. Her clit throbbed like a second heartbeat as she came harder than she could ever remember coming in her life.

  “Asher!” she moaned, feeling her inner walls tremble and spasm around his invading fingers. “Oh God, Asher—that feels so good.”

  “That’s right,” he murmured. “That’s right, sweetheart—give it up for me. Give it up and come while I pet your soft little pussy…”

  Lisa couldn’t have stopped coming if she’d wanted to—which she most decidedly did not. Here on an alien planet, with a man she hadn’t known a whole day yet, she was having the hottest sexual experience of her life—she never wanted it to end.

  Twenty-Eight

  Yet the intense pleasure couldn’t go on forever. Eventually her orgasm faded, leaving her panting and leaning with trembling legs against the wall for support.

  What have you done? whispered a little voice in her head. You shouldn’t have done that—you know you shouldn’t, Lisa. You barely know him and it’s not like you’re ready for another relationship right now. Hell, you haven’t even divorced Cameron yet!

  But all the guilt in the world couldn’t keep her steady on her feet after going through such an intense sexual release. Lisa felt herself sliding down the wall, helpless to stop.

  “Here, sweetheart,” Asher murmured, swinging her up in his arms. He cradled her to his broad chest for a moment, while Lisa caught her breath.

  “I’m okay,” she said at last, when the world had stopped spinning. “I can stand now. That was just…intense.”

  “For me as well—though I am not certain if we should have done it.”

  The big Kindred frowned worriedly as he put her down.

  Lisa bit her lip. So he was having second thoughts too. And no wonder—she had told him point-blank in the ship that she had no interest in starting a relationship or doing anything sexual and now they had just gotten each other off.

  “Well,” she said carefully. “I mean, it’s not like we wanted to do…to do what we did. We had to.” She nodded up at the wall where the chewchies were still sitting, though they appeared to be watching the other chamber instead—the one where Natillus and Lambada were washing each other. Only from the soft grunts and moans coming from the other chamber, a whole lot more than just washing was going on, Lisa thought.

  “I suppose you’re right.” Asher didn’t sound very happy about it.

  “I am right,” Lisa said earnestly. “I mean, we never would have acted…that way if we hadn’t had to. But we had to be professional—had to act our parts. I mean, think about it,” she continued warming to her subject, “We’re pretending to be a married couple who are very much in love and very much attracted to each other. And I think…think we did a pretty good job,” she finished, feeling her cheeks get hot with the memory of exactly how good a job they had done.

  “Yes,” Asher said dryly. “An excellent job. Well…” He sighed. “Are we done getting purified, do you think?”

  “I don’t know. I, uh, think we got oil all over ourselves, like we were supposed to.” Lisa looked down at herself—her skin seemed to be smooth and supple everywhere.

  “I didn’t do all of your legs,” Asher objected. He got a little more oil on his hands and bent over her. He started to rub her but stopped, frowning when he saw the many tiny red scratches all over the backs of her thighs.

  “What? Why did you stop?” Lisa asked.

  “You are…injured.” Asher went around to crouch behind her and examine the small but irritated-looking injuries. “I don’t know why I didn’t notice before.”

  “Hey, don’t stare at my ass!” Lisa objected, nervously.

  She’d had no problem with the big Kindred kneading and fondling her there only a moment ago but she couldn’t help feeling that particular part of her anatomy wouldn’t bear close scrutiny. “Fat ass” had been one of Cameron’s favorite cruel nicknames for her when he was on a bad drunk and no matter how much Asher seemed to like that part of her, she couldn’t feel comfortable with him studying it closely.

  So naturally she reached back to cover herself from his gaze.

  The moment her hands—still slick with oil—made contact with her own flesh, she knew she had made a mistake. The little c
uts from the fake holly bush—which she had barely noticed in the past few hours—suddenly flared to life, stinging sharply.

  “Ouch!” she pulled her hands away but the damage was done—the stinging persisted. Was this “the Sting of Thufar” that Lambada had warned about? It seemed likely, Lisa thought with a wince.

  “What is it?” Asher asked, looking worried. “Are the injuries painful?”

  “Well now they are.” Lisa sighed. “It must have something to do with me touching myself while I have the oil on my hands.”

  Asher frowned, a concerned light in his green eyes.

  “We need to ask our hosts how to allay the pain.”

  “What? And let them know we ‘broke the rules?’ so they can keep us from going to the coronation? I don’t think so.” Lisa shook her head. “Don’t worry—it’s not that bad and I’m sure it’ll fade in a little while.”

  Asher looked skeptical but at last he nodded.

  “As you wish. Only please let me know if it persists or gets worse.”

  “It’s fine,” Lisa reassured him. “I’m sure it’ll go away on its own.”

  She hoped.

  Twenty-Nine

  But the stinging, itching pain didn’t go away. In fact, if anything, it got worse. Not that Lisa was about to say anything about it. She tried washing the oil off, which helped only a little. But before Asher could start saying they ought to ask their hosts about it again, there was a knock at their purification chamber door and Lambada stuck her head in.

  “Have you finished washing each other for purification?” she asked, clearly already knowing the answer.

  Her chewchie must have told her, Lisa thought, shifting uncomfortably. Little spy!

  “Yes, more than ready,” Asher said heartily. “Um…is there a place to dry off?”

  “Oh, yes—assuredly! Follow me.”

  Lambada—who was already fully dressed herself—gave them each a length of Sacred Blue cloth to wrap around themselves and then led them into another small room—this one with metal vents on all four walls.

  “Now, just stand still,” she instructed and shut the door behind them.

  The minute the door snicked shut, all four of the massive floor-to-ceiling vents began to blast out currents of hot air.

  “Oh!” Lisa gasped, clutching her towel-cloth to keep it from blowing away. She almost felt like she ought to grab for her hair the same way. The hot winds were swirling all around them and her long brown tresses were standing straight up and whipping like a flag in a hurricane.

  In a matter of moments they were dry and a few moments after that, the air vents shut off as suddenly as they had started blowing.

  “Thank goodness!” Lisa gave a shaky laugh. “I thought those vents were going to blow us away.”

  Asher nodded.

  “I know the feeling.” He looked down at himself. “They certainly got the job done, though—I’m perfectly dry.”

  “Me too,” Lisa agreed. “Oh, I hope that means our purification is done and we can go to bed! To sleep,” she added hurriedly, realizing what that must have sounded like. “Just to sleep.”

  “Of course.” Asher nodded gravely. “As any mated couple would wish to do after a long day.”

  “Of course,” she agreed quickly. Thank goodness he understood and didn’t expect her to do…any more of what they had already done. She had to be more careful from now on. She really wasn’t ready to get seriously involved with anyone—not even Asher, she told herself firmly. No matter how incredible he looked and smelled or how the way he touched her made her feel…

  No, stop it! she lectured herself firmly. Stop thinking like that. You just met him, you absolutely cannot be falling for him. Not with all the baggage you have. Just put it out of your mind and try to get through the next night and day. That’s all you have to do.

  Her self pep talk made her feel better mentally but not physically. The stinging little cuts at the backs of her thighs, where she’d inadvertently touched herself with the sacred oil, still burned and stung. But Lisa told herself she was sure they would calm down in a little while. Wouldn’t they?

  Well, they’re just going to have to because there’s nothing you can do about them without letting the Chorkays know you broke the purification rules, she told herself sternly. So just suck it up, Lisa. Nothing lasts forever.

  At least, she hoped not, anyway because the backs of her thighs really stung! Still, she put on a happy face and resolved to bear it, just as she had during her time as Santa’s little elf. Her mom always said complaining never helped anything—when she was sober, anyway. It was one of the few pieces of advice she’d gotten from her mother that really made sense, as far as Lisa was concerned and she was determined to live by it now.

  Luckily, the drying room with its huge vents appeared to be the final step in the purification process. Lambada came back into the room and told Asher that their sleeping chamber was ready and asked that he and Lisa would please follow her. She also assured them, when Lisa asked, that their clothing and luggage, such at it was, had already been taken to their quarters.

  Still clutching their Sacred Blue cloths close around them, they followed Lambada down yet another long, narrow tunnel. Asher made mental notes of the twists and turns as they went. He didn’t like being anywhere without easy exit points and the underground city of the Chorkays seemed to be sadly lacking in them.

  As they went, he watched Lisa from the corner of his eye. The curvy little Earth female seemed to be wincing as she walked and he wondered if it was because she was barefoot on the stone floor—or if the wicked little scratches on the backs of her thighs were still bothering her due to the oil she had inadvertently put on herself.

  You could heal her, whispered a little voice in his head. The affinity you feel for her is strong—your essence could probably heal any wound she has.

  The thought of getting Lisa on her hands and knees so that he could tend her with his tongue was incredibly appealing and the memory of her moaning and shaking in his arms as she came so hard for him made his shaft and fangs ache. Gods, she was beautiful! And so responsive to his touch…

  But Asher was afraid that healing her in that way might lead them in the wrong direction. After all, even after the intense sexual experience they had shared in the private purification chamber, she had insisted that they were only doing their duty and playing the part of a happily mated couple. She didn’t seem to want any more than that from him and no matter what Asher himself might want, it didn’t matter if she wasn’t in agreement.

  I have to stop thinking of her as anything but a partner in this mission, he told himself sternly. Because that’s all she wants to be. And so that’s all she is.

  But gods, he wished she would feel otherwise.

  Even though you know you have little chance of ever bonding her to you? whispered a scolding little voice in his head. Think of the pain of a failed bonding—you don’t want to put her through that, do you? And besides, you barely know her. You haven’t even been acquainted an entire solar day yet.

  But the first two Signs still echoed in his memory and he couldn’t quite make himself think of Lisa as nothing at all but a partner, no matter how hard he tried…

  Thirty

  “This will be your sleeping chamber for the night.” Lambada made a sweeping gesture with one arm, indicating the spacious, well appointed area. Well-appointed by Chorkay standards, no doubt, anyway. To Lisa it felt slightly claustrophobic.

  For one thing, it was basically a cave, which she supposed all rooms underground were, but the other spaces they had been in had been large and, well…spacious. This large but low-ceilinged room had no windows and in fact, it was barely high enough for Asher to stand up straight in without bumping his head—though this didn’t seem to bother him, Lisa noticed. She wished she could feel as easy in confined spaces as the big Kindred seemed to.

  It wasn’t like their bedroom was a complete hole though—even though it was one in the literal s
ense. It was carpeted in some rich purple moss-like substance and the walls were likewise covered in moss but in many different colors which had been coaxed to grow in patterns.

  Looking around, Lisa saw various scenes of Chorkay people at work and play, all depicted in the variegated plant life which clung to the walls. The living mosaic was like nothing she had ever seen before.

  “This is amazing,” she breathed, brushing her fingertips delicately over some of the wall art. “But, well…where’s the bed?”

  “Oh, you mean the sleeping grotto?” Lambada asked. “This way, please.”

  She led them further into the chamber—the purple moss felt deliciously cool and refreshing to Lisa’s tired feet—and over to a corner of the room.

  There, Lisa saw a large rectangle—a little bigger than a king-sized bed—cut into the ground. Walking closer, she looked down into the hole and saw several long bolster-type pillows and a Sacred Blue blanket folded neatly on what appeared to be a thick, cushy mattress.

  A thick cushy mattress that’s located three feet in the ground, Lisa thought dismally. She had never liked cramped, dark spaces and after the time she’d spent crammed under the bed hiding from the drunken Cameron last Christmas Eve, that fear had only gotten worse.

  “This is the sleeping grotto,” Lambada said proudly. “I am certain that Thufar will grant you sweet dreams here.”

  “I am certain he will,” Asher said, nodding. “Thank you very much for your gracious hospitality. May I ask when we should be ready to attend the coronation tomorrow?”

  “Oh, it starts at noon with the Feast of Many Feelings,” Lambada told them. “And after that, the coronation itself, which will probably last a few hours. After that, you are free to go if you like.”