Chapter 12

Owen Devin deserved accolades and awards for the way he was handling the human media as the Shendo-kine arrived in orbit beside the Zaaqnall. A small subset of humans had panicked over having another alien ship "invading" and that had seemed to trigger a return to discussing whether aliens should be allowed to visit Earth. That we were back to that had me tuning it all out, quite finished with justifying or explaining anything to them.

Others kept trying, like dear, determined Owen. I'd offered him money and gifts in thanks for his services, but he'd turned me down every time. Unable to let it go with words alone, I'd managed to arrange for upgraded broadcasting equipment, furniture, and backdrops to come on the Shendo-kine.

Well, alright, Layleen had made the arrangements. Layleen—and now Squire—did everything, while I stood around pretending to oversee. I'd never noticed how very useless I was most of the time until Squire encouraged me into a corner where he'd set up a small table and chair so that I could have lunch. Or dinner? I didn't really know, but everyone carried on without me while I ate. Not being as needed as I thought was a jarring realization that left me out of sorts.

"You are needed," Squire assured me as he combed his fingers through the fur on top of my head. "Eat your vegetables."

I frowned at him. "You're dangerously close to sounding like my mother."

Unrepentantly, he nudged the bowl of leafy greens closer to me. "You get very involved in what you're doing and sometimes that means you forget about yourself. It's my job now to make sure you have everything you need, even if that means reminding you to eat."

I supposed he had a point. I might not lift and tote things, but I was there to make sure those things went to the right place or person. I didn't guide the volunteers onto the Shendo-kine, but I did make sure those guiding them did so correctly. I wasn't going on camera anymore—frankly, I couldn't take the backwards thinking any longer—but I was advising Owen and his team all the time. And more often than not, I would work until I swayed on my feet, having not realized how long I'd been at it without a break.

I stuck a forkful of greenery into my mouth and chewed, but kept frowning at him.

Squire snorted at me and leaned in to kiss my forehead. While he was close, he whispered, "As your mate, there's even more that I can do to keep you at the top of your game."

Oh. Well. Yes, there was. Since our first mating, we'd both been insatiable. We'd gone so far as to procure salves to protect and heal ourselves given the frequency of our sexual activities. I'd been told that was normal in the early stages of our bonding, but it was still amazing that I couldn't resist him unless he wasn't in the room.

I'd had to start using claw caps after accidentally shredding the mattress. They were annoying things, but at least they also let me grip Squire's delicate body without worrying that I'd hurt him. He was at this moment sporting a series of red dots along his hips from our last encounter.

Squire gave a little giggle and shook his head. "Finish eating first."

First? I shoveled the food into my mouth and only slowed down when I choked a bit. Squire walked away grinning, and I couldn't stop staring at him while he led everyone in my absence. I wasn't sure what he'd done, but not a single person approached me while I ate. It reminded me of Layleen, who was happily ensconced in her quarters on the Shendo-kine with her mate for the trip to Nor, resting as she deserved. That she had instilled a new level of confidence and leadership skills in Squire made me want to reward her, too. But I knew she wouldn't accept anything either.

Unless it was for the babies? Ha! I had a way in.

I finished with my meal and covered the plate with its cloche. The moment I stood up, someone was there to whisk the plate and all the cutlery away. Another person took the table…but left the chair?

"Bring that with you," Squire said as he walked by me, pointing to the chair.

And of course, my dirty mind conjured all sort of reasons we might need a chair as I dutifully followed my mate and his promise of what came after I'd finished eating. Perhaps I would eat him now? I licked my lips in anticipation of a cream-filled dessert.

I was so distracted by Squire walking in front of me that it took some time for me to realize that he was testing door handles all down the corridor. These were storage and supply rooms, many locked except to those who needed access for their jobs. Anticipation flared within me to know my little mate was looking for a semi-private space to have an encounter with me and any space might do.

Finally, a door gave way, and Squire walked inside. We must be near a lower-level barracks as the room was full of shelves containing personal items like soaps, linens, and lubricant. I made to reach for a bottle, but Squire said, "We won't need that. Put the chair here."

Delightfully curious since he clearly had a plan, I left the lubricant alone and placed the chair where he'd indicated. He waved for me to sit, so I did.

Squire didn't waste a moment getting on his knees and burrowing under my robes. I moaned in anticipation and then again when his warm, supple lips kissed the head of my cock. Needing to see him, I managed to unclasp the neck of my robes and spread all the layers open, revealing my sweet mate as he laved at the bumps across my cock. He was fascinated by them, and I was thrilled by the attention he paid them because a zing of pleasure went through me from each one. Squire also enjoyed petting the fine fur behind my sac, which was a great source of pleasure for me as well.

I wanted to grip his head, just hold onto him, but hadn't brought my claw caps. I grasped the edge of two shelving units instead, my claws scraping metal, and held on as he drew cries and moans from my throat with his detailed attention. I wasn't even in his mouth yet and I could feel myself leaking with desire. He lapped that up and grinned at me.

When he finally opened his mouth and drew me in, I held my breath as I watched. Squire was the one to moan as he filled his mouth with my stiff, hot cock. He could take about three-quarters of me in before he struggled, but goddess, that was plenty. The way I stretched his lips and the look of bliss on his face as he sucked?—

"Squire, my love," I gasped as I forced myself to remain still. "You'll undo me."

Taking that not as a warning that I was close to spending, Squire seemed to hear a challenge because he began bobbing on my cock in earnest. Did he wish to see how quickly he could make me come for him? It was mere moments before I could take no more.

My claws on the shelves added a grating squeal to the guttural and sex-filled sounds I made as he massaged my sac and sucked every drop from my quaking cock. Squire licked me clean until I was shaking from the overstimulation, and then he cuddled in against my abdomen and sighed like he was the sated one.

More in control of myself now, I could retract my claws and pet his hair as I hugged him tighter to me. Before I could praise his considerable skills, he whispered, "Did you mean it?"

"Hmm?"

"When you called me your love."

I smiled and made him look up at me by cupping his dear face. "Yes, I meant it."

He blushed and looked shy as he said, "I love you, too."

Kissing him in gratitude, I tasted myself on his tongue and was drawn back into the sex haze of wanting him. When I reached under his tunic, I discovered his pants still up and struggling to contain his erection. He'd saved himself for me.

I drew back and opened his tunic, licking my lips at the sight of his contained cock yearning for freedom. He made a little whimpering noise when I tugged his pants down and his cock sprang forth. With our height difference, he was still too low for me to lean forward and suck him easily. I solved the problem by lifting him up to stand on my thighs. From there, he only had to crouch a bit for his cock to align perfectly with my open mouth.

"Use your tongue," he said as he held onto my head and a shelf. "Just everywhere."

Knowing how he wiggled when I licked him, I gripped his hips, my fingers curling into the meat of his ass. My favorite part of this wasn't only the way he tasted, but how his pale skin reddened from the scratch of my tongue. Marking him as mine was glorious, and I did it now with enthusiasm.

Above me, Squire wailed and moaned, pulled at my fur, and twitched in my hands. I licked at his groin and his upper thighs, the entire length of his cock, and his tight sac until everything was a lovely shade of deep rose. He'd stay that way for hours, sensitive and aroused. For just a moment, I considered tucking him back into his pants and leaving him wanting simply to see how long he could last.

But it was me who couldn't wait.

I took him into my mouth, the head of his cock barely teasing my throat, and started sucking. Squire pressed close, rocking his hips even though there was no more depth to achieve. Loving that he was so gone on instinct, I massaged his ass to spread his cheeks, exposing his hole to the cool air of the room over and over again. The desperate sounds out of him went higher, got louder.

Since I had enough control over myself to keep my claws away, I wiggled a finger inside him. Squire hollered and gripped my fur, his whole body twitching as I went in to my first knuckle. His tight little hole fluttered on me, and I knew he was close to coming. I delved into him again and again as I sucked even harder on his leaking cock.

The yell out of him as he came had me flattening my ears down to avoid the volume. Anyone in the corridor must've heard him, and that made me proud to bring him off so explosively. I swallowed down every drop as his ass spasmed on my finger, making my cock jealous. Only when Squire whimpered and tried to pull back did I release him.

Instead of getting down onto his feet, he sort of melted into my lap. I cuddled him close, enjoying how he lazily petted my fur as he leaned heavily against me and got his breath back.

"Thank you for a delicious dessert," I teased.

He snorted a laugh. "Oh, you're welcome."

"Perhaps later, we can have another treat."

Squire lifted his head. "Has either of our tablets made any noise?"

I looked to where we'd left them both near the door, their screens dark. Perhaps not being needed wasn't such a bad thing after all. "It seems we have some time," I said.

Grinning wickedly, Squire pointed to a shelf. "Grab that lube."