Gemma

Isat at the small table in the galley, sipping a warm drink and staring out the viewport at the stars streaking by. The gentle thrum of the ship"s engines was comforting after our harrowing adventure on the derelict station. My thoughts drifted to Kaelith, and our future.

With the universe before us, what would we do now?

The door swished open and Kaelith entered, his imposing figure seeming too large for the cozy space. His crimson eyes found mine immediately and I felt a flutter in my chest at the seriousness of his gaze.

"Gemma," he said, his deep voice rumbling. "We need to discuss something."

My stomach dropped at his serious tone. Had I done something wrong? Displeased him somehow? I gripped my mug tighter, bracing myself.

Kaelith settled across from me, his movements fluid yet restrained, as if he were holding back his true strength. He pushed a hand back through his hair, as if struggling to find the right words. "When a Vinduthi male claims a mate, there is a ritual we perform. A claiming bite."

A shiver ran through me at the primal phrase. I watched him intently, my heartbeat quickening.

"The bite injects trace elements of our DNA into the female. It initiates...changes to her physique. Enhances her speed, strength, regenerative abilities." His gaze drifted over me. "It also causes markings to appear on her skin, matching those of her mate."

I blinked, trying to process this. Some sort of permanent bond, then? I found the idea didn"t frighten me as I thought it might. In fact, the prospect of being bound to this powerful male in such an intimate way sent a thrill through my core.

"I accept," I said simply, holding his stare. "Claim me as your mate."

Kaelith"s expression tightened, and he shook his head slowly. "I cannot. Not yet."

The rejection hit me like a physical blow, stealing my breath. I felt the blood drain from my face as hurt and confusion swirled within me. After everything we"d been through, everything he"d said, he didn"t want me?

"Let me explain," Kaelith said quickly, no doubt seeing the anguish on my face. "You are still...fragile, recovering from your ordeals at Landar"s hands. The claiming bite, the physiological changes it would trigger..." He paused, seeming to carefully choose his words. "If your body is not strong enough to withstand it, the results could be...devastating. Potentially fatal."

The implication hung heavy in the air. He feared killing me with this ritual. My entire body felt tight as I processed his reasoning. He wasn"t rejecting me - he was trying to protect me.

"I"m tougher than I look," I insisted, though my voice lacked conviction. "I can handle it."

"If something went wrong, if I lost you..." He clenched his fists, the cords of muscle in his arms tensing. "I would lose my mind, Gemma. I cannot risk that."

The anguish in his tone pierced me. This fearsome warrior was terrified of harming me. I understood then - the depth of his feelings, the ferocity of his protective instinct towards me. Subjecting me to grave risk was unthinkable to him.

I reached across the table, laying my hand on his clenched fist. His fingers slowly relaxed under my touch.

"Then we"ll wait," I said softly. "Until I"ve regained my full strength. However long it takes."

Relief washed over Kaelith"s features as the tension drained from his body. He turned his hand to entwine his fingers with mine, the pads of his fingers rough yet gentle against my skin.

"You are precious to me," he rumbled, his thumb caressing my knuckles. "I will not imperil you rashly."

My heart swelled at his words, at the tenderness in his touch. This deadly man was utterly smitten, his protective instincts all-consuming when it came to me. I felt utterly safe in his presence, cared for in a way I"d never experienced.

As he held my gaze, the universe around us seemed to fade away until there was nothing but the two of us in that moment.

No longer enemies, but partners.

Mates.

Now if I could just convince him I was healthy enough for that bite…

* * *

It had beenfour months since Kaelith rescued me, four glorious months of traveling the stars together on his ship. We"d visited exotic planets, experienced wonders I could scarcely have imagined back when I was Landar"s servant. And now we found ourselves in the breathtaking alien city of Thavaria.

Towering spires of gleaming metal and crystalline structures soared into the violet sky, their facades adorned with intricate, glowing designs that seemed to shift and dance before my eyes. Sleek skyways crisscrossed between the buildings, carrying endless streams of aircars and shuttles. The air thrummed with energy, a vibrant hum that set my nerves tingling with excitement.

Kaelith led me into an upscale boutique, the interior as lavish as the city itself. Iridescent panels lined the floors, walls draped with fabrics that shimmered like liquid metal. Holograms showcased the wares, garments that seemed to defy the laws of physics with their sculptural, gravity-defying shapes.

"Pick whatever you desire," Kaelith decreed, his hand at the small of my back guiding me further inside. "You will want for nothing, my heart."

I drifted between the displays, fingertips trailing over sumptuous fabrics that caressed my skin like whispers. Garments shimmered and morphed as I neared, adjusting their colors and patterns to complement my features. I selected a few audacious pieces, marveling at the incredible craftsmanship and technology.

An attendant appeared, long willow branches swaying from her crown of white hair. "The lady has excellent taste," she crooned in a melodic voice. Kaelith murmured a response and she gestured to a changing room. "Please, try on any designs that catch your eye."

In the changing room"s cocoon of privacy, I slipped off my simple travel clothes and into the first gown - a sheath of deep green bio-silk that clung to my curves. Glittering crystalline embroidery adorned the bodice, refracting the light into kaleidoscopic fractals across my skin. I turned before the full-length mirror, hardly recognizing the radiant figure staring back at me.

My captivity had left me gaunt, pale and haunted. But four months of Kaelith"s tender care had restored a healthy fullness to my figure, a becoming flush to my cheeks. My hair gleamed, my eyes sparkled with renewed vitality. I looked...beautiful. Vibrant. Alive in a way I"d feared I might never feel again.

Trembling with a heady mix of nerves and exhilaration, I emerged to show Kaelith. He was lounging on a curved sofa, looking every inch the imposing alien warrior despite the opulent surroundings. Those intense crimson eyes raked over me, his sharp teeth biting into his full lower lip as his gaze lingered on the gown"s daring neckline.

"Well?" I did a slow turn, letting the skirt flare around my calves. "What do you think?"

Kaelith rose in one sinuous movement, stalking towards me with a predatory grace. His scent surrounded me, making my head spin.

"Stunning," he purred, reaching out to trail a fingertip along the curve of my neck. "Though any adornment pales beside your true beauty."

I shivered at his touch, at the smoldering promise in those crimson depths. "There are a few other pieces I wanted you to see."

Back in the changing room, I slipped into a sheath of liquid mercury, the metallic fabric molding itself to my body like a sculpted second skin. Daring cutouts bared swathes of flushed skin, the high slits in the skirt offering teasing glimpses of my legs with every step.

When I rejoined Kaelith, his pupils flared, nostrils flaring as he scented the air. A muscle ticked in that chiseled jaw as he drank in the sight of me. This time when he approached, his movements held an edge of desperation, of barely leashed hunger.

"Gemma..." My name was a prayer of longing on his lips. In one swift motion, he hauled me against the hard planes of his body, claiming my mouth in a possessive kiss.

I melted into his embrace, yielding eagerly as his talented hands roamed my curves. When we finally parted, breathless and flushed, Kaelith pressed his brow to mine. "You test the limits of my control. I would have you here and now, consequences be damned."

"And what"s stopping you?" I teased, lips brushing wickedly against the throbbing pulse at his throat.

Kaelith shuddered, fingers tightening convulsively on my hips. "We are still in a public place," he muttered. "I would not put on such a depraved display."

"Pity." I nipped at his collarbone, delighting in the way it made his eyes blaze. "I was rather looking forward to seeing how much of this gown you could tear off me with your teeth."

A rumbling chuckle shook his broad chest, the sound vibrating through me in delicious waves. "Insatiable female. Very well, let us retire to more private quarters. For we have a matter of urgency to discuss."

"Oh?" I pulled back just enough to study his expression, searching for any hint of distress. "Is everything all right?"

Kaelith"s features softened, his calloused thumb brushing a reverent caress along my cheekbone. "More than alright. I believe you are finally strong enough for the claiming bite."

My breath caught, heart thundering behind my breastbone. After all this time, all these months of waiting and regaining my health...could it truly be happening? I searched his gaze and found only a solemn promise.

"Are you sure?" My fingers drifted to the blue whorls etched into his cheek.

"Arana"s scans confirm your body has recovered." He caught my hand, pressing a fervent kiss to my knuckles. "You are hale and whole, my strong resilient mate. And I can no longer deny my overwhelming need to bind you to me utterly."

A breathless laugh escaped me, tears of joy stinging my eyes. "Yes, Kaelith. Yes, I want this more than anything. Claim me, make me yours in every way."

His touch was pure possession as he crushed me against him, claiming my mouth, leaving me weak and dizzy with wanting. When he finally released me, I was trembling, boneless with anticipation.

"Get your pretty dresses," Kaelith rumbled against my lips. "We have both waited far too long for this."

* * *

Kaelith"smuscular body moved over mine with an achingly slow rhythm, every glide of his skin against mine sending tendrils of pleasure spiraling through me. His lips trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses along the column of my throat as his hips rolled in a sinuous, maddening grind.

"Gemma..." he rasped against the thundering pulse at the base of my neck. "Are you ready, my mate? Ready to be bound to me utterly?"

Despite the urgent throbbing between my thighs, I sensed the thread of hesitation in his voice. Reaching up, I cradled his face between my palms, staring deep into those blazing crimson depths. "I"ve never been more ready for anything, Kaelith. Please, don"t hold back any longer."

His features tightened with a complex tangle of emotions - longing, hunger, fierce protectiveness. "If this is not what you want, if you have any doubts at all, speak them now. Once the claiming is done, the changes will be irreversible."

"I have no doubts." Arching up, I brushed my lips across the sharp line of his jaw, teasing him, loving his reactions. "Only a need to be yours, in every way."

His arms tightened around me in an unbreakable embrace. "Then you are mine, Gemma. Now and forever."

The words were scarcely out before his weight pinned me to the bed, his hips surging in a deep, claiming thrust that punched the air from my lungs. I cried out, nails scoring down the rigid muscles of his back as shockwaves of pleasure lanced through me.

Kaelith set a brutal pace, each powerful snap of his hips driving me higher. I was drowning in the scents and sensations of him, the silk of his skin gliding against mine, the exquisite stretch and fullness as he took me again and again.

Just when I thought I couldn"t bear another moment of delicious torture, his mouth found the juncture of my shoulder and neck. Those lethal fangs grazed my flesh, first a teasing scrape and then piercing deep as his release pulsed inside me.

White-hot ecstasy detonated through my veins, the world shattering into kaleidoscopic shards around me. I heard Kaelith"s hoarse shout as if from a vast distance, dimly aware of the strange, burning ache spreading from the bite. Flames licked along every nerve ending, searing and transformative.

Then everything went black.

I drifted in a warm, peaceful oblivion, cradled by the steady thrum of a powerful heartbeat against my cheek. Reality slowly reassembled itself, crystalline shards knitting back together into solid form.

Kaelith"s arms enfolded me, his skin like burnished steel beneath my palms. The clean, mineral scent of him filled my senses, overlaid with the intoxicating musk of our mingled arousal.

A soft keen escaped my lips as the bite throbbed, not painful now but deeply satisfying. Like a missing piece clicking into place, a profound sense of completeness settling over me.

"Gemma?" Kaelith"s voice was low, worried. "Can you hear me?"

My eyelids fluttered open and the world blazed into hyper-focused clarity, every sight and sound amplified to an almost overwhelming degree. I could see every sculpted ridge of muscle standing out in sharp relief on his chiseled face, hear the steady pulse of his heartbeat like thunder in my ears.

"Gemma?" His brow creased, those compelling crimson eyes searching my face with naked concern.

"I"m...I"m all right." The words emerged hoarse and slurred. My tongue felt thick and strange in my mouth, every subtle texture standing out in sharp relief - the gritty plaque of my teeth, the faint metallic tang lingering on my palate.

Kaelith exhaled a long, shuddering breath, the tension melting from his frame. "Thank the gods. I feared..." He broke off, shaking his head in mute apology.

"How long?" My voice was steadier now, adjusting to the amplified cacophony of stimuli.

"Three days. I should never have attempted the claiming so soon after you regained your strength." His thumb stroked a tender caress along my cheekbone as his eyes roamed my face, brilliant with wonder and possessive hunger. "Yet you defied all my expectations, as you always do. Resilient and strong, my fierce warrior mate."

"Three days?" I blinked, taking in my altered perceptions with dawning delight. I could make out every delicate thread in the sheets pooled around our nude forms, the subtle cross-hatched texture where they overlapped. The rich, spicy musk of our exertions hung heavy in the air, a wild bouquet that made my newly improved senses reel.

And beneath it all, the steady, reassuring cadence of Kaelith"s breathing and heartbeat. My anchor in this strange new world.

My hand drifted up to trace the elegant, swirling whorls decorating his chiseled features. Such intricate patterns, like sculpted ceramic against my hypersensitive fingertips.

Then I caught a glimpse of deep blue filigree spreading across my own skin and gasped in wonder. Iridescent markings blossomed in delicate, fern-like fronds from the claiming bite on my shoulder, trailing down my arm.

"Beautiful," I breathed, enthralled by the way the whorls shimmered in the dim light, no two patterns ever repeating. "I"m...like you now."

"More than that." Kaelith captured my hand and brought it to his lips in a scorching kiss, his eyes blazing with soul-searing intensity. "You are my mate, my eternal partner in all things. Bound to me on a level that transcends the physical, our very essences intertwined."

Tears of wonder stung my eyes as the full impact of his words washed over me in crashing waves. I was his, irrevocably and eternally. The enormity of that truth should have terrified me, and yet it only filled me with a profound sense of peace and belonging.

Arching up, I slanted my mouth over his in a deep, desperate kiss. A rumbling growl reverberated through Kaelith"s body as he crushed me against him, his hands roaming my newly enhanced flesh with scorching reverence.

When we finally parted, I found myself breathless and flushed, my blood singing with renewed desire. A delicious ache was already blossoming low in my belly, fueled by his intoxicating proximity.

"Kaelith," I sighed against the thudding pulse at his throat. "My mate. Take me again, please. I need to feel you deep inside me once more."

"Your wish is my only command," he promised. "I will lay claim to you again and again until every cell of your being cries out for none but me..."

With a hoarse shout, he rolled me beneath him, those blazing crimson eyes filled with need.

And something more.

Love.

A promise worth more than all the gold we'd ever find.

* * *

Want more of the Vinduthi? Come to the dark world of Thodos III …

I need a deal to survive. But all I have to offer is... myself.

On the station,humans are the lowest of the low. We take whatever jobs we can, scraping just to get by.

Comfort is rare. Security a dream. And a real friend? Almost unheard of.

So when my best friend goes missing, I"m desperate to find her. But before long my search leads me to the claws of the leader of the Vinduthi cartel.

He"s terrifying. Utterly ruthless.

He"ll help me find my friend, but can I pay the price he demands?

Click here to make a Deal with the Alien Devil!

Or visitthe Black Star Casino, for Alien Devil's Gamble.

In the savage jungle of Thodos III"s underworld, our passion was the rarest bloom...

It was just supposedto be another job arranging flowers for a gala event.

That"s what I did. What I loved.

Even if the order came from Draven, the enigmatic owner of the Black Star casino.

Tall, dark and dangerous.

And terribly, terribly attractive.

Despite my best efforts to push him away, I can"t get him out of my thoughts.

When a mysterious flower arrives at my shop bringing danger with it, Draven is the one to save me.

But can I trust the feelings that are growing between us?

And will we even have a chance to explore them before being swept away in the impending storm?

Click here to take a gamble!

And if you're looking for more Vinduthi Bounty Hunters, you'll find them Across the Crimson Sands

I"mon the run in the deadly Crimson Sands, desperate to escape my abusive master. But now a dangerous Vinduthi bounty hunter is on my trail - and he always catches his prey.

As Drex relentlessly tracks me through the treacherous desert, the sizzling tension between us ignites.

I know I should keep running from this lethal, alluring male. But if he catches me, would surrendering to our forbidden desire be so terrible?

Drex may be my pursuer, but his fierce embrace is starting to feel more like where I truly belong…

Click here for more!