Chapter 19

SARAH

What I wanted? I had been unsure of what I wanted when we left Huren, but once I clapped eyes on Gunnox, I knew. My thoughts untangled and cleared, weaving a tapestry of desire and determination. Gunnox's spirit, fierce and unyielding, had ignited something within me, a fire I could no longer ignore.

I burned to have him inside me. To feel his thick length lay claim to my sodden flesh. His breechcloth strained against his arousal, barely containing the throbbing length that I was desperate to feel inside me.

"Earth is my past," I whispered to him, "but you... my silver splendor, are my future."

"And here I thought I had already heard the most beautiful words to ever leave your lips." Gunnox sauntered forward, the primal rumble resonating from his chest transforming into a deep, reverberating purr. His erotic thrumming serenaded my soul as much as set my dripping sex ablaze.

I was his prey, ripe for the taking, and I burned with desire to be devoured. My body quivered as he prowled around me, teasing my skin with his fingertips. Goosebumps erupted across my body as he stood before me, his fiery gaze consuming my breasts. His heated stare hardened my nipples to stone as he licked one fang and then took one into his mouth to suckle, followed by the other. A strong hand settled at the small of my back, holding me in place as I moaned, unable to resist him even if I wanted to.

Gunnox released me and ran a hand from my collarbone down to my throat, gathering my hair in his fist and pulling it to one side. He lowered his head and gently scraped his fangs against the sensitive skin of my throat, eliciting a desperate arch of my back.

"Your scent is intoxicating," he growled into my ear before moving behind me.

His hands trailed down my arms. I tilted my head back to rest on his shoulder and leaned against his muscular frame. "Are you ever going to touch me?" I groaned, the ache between my thighs unbearable.

"I am touching you." His tone was an erotic tease as firm lips pressed against my throat.

"You know what I mean," I whined, wriggling my backside into his groin.

Gunnox hissed and groaned. "Maybe you should show me where it is I'm to touch you."

The teasing tone in his voice only fueled my fire. Without hesitation, I guided his hand to my breast and the other between my thighs, widening my stance and encouraging him to explore every inch of me as I shamelessly ground my pussy against his palm.

"Are you certain I am what you want?" His question sent a jolt through my body as his thick finger thrust into me, eliciting a raw cry of pleasure.

"Yes," I gasped, instinctively rolling my hips to match his slow, deliberate rhythm, building my arousal to dizzying heights.

Just as I was about to lose myself in the throes of ecstasy, he withdrew, bringing his glistening finger to his lips and eagerly tasting my essence while I continued to grind against the phantom sensation of his touch, desperate for more.

"Once I claim you, we will be bound for all time." I felt the soft material of his breechcloth on the backs of my legs as it fluttered to the floor, then the thick length of his cock pressed hot against my back. "Are you certain I am what you want?"

Without hesitation, I reached behind me and squeezed him possessively. "I choose you."

He let out a growl as he gently took my hand away and slid his impressive length between my thighs. The intense heat of his flesh sent shivers down my spine as I eagerly rolled my hips, glazing his cock with my juices.

I couldn't resist touching him any longer and wrapped my fingers around the dark silver, bulbous tip of his very alien cock. My brazen exploration discovered small nubs lining the length of his cock like a spine designed to perfectly bump along my clit, making me even more eager to have him inside me.

Gunnox's touch sent shivers down my spine as he lifted me effortlessly and laid me gently on the bed. With a primal intensity in his eyes, he positioned himself between my thighs, his gaze locked with mine as he guided himself to my swollen entrance. The width of his cock slipped through the engorged lips of my sex before the pressure of his erection demanding entrance shot a wave of anticipation over me.

With trepidation, I wondered if his imposing size would fit inside my tight passage. But as he slowly pushed forward, my body eagerly surrendered to his glorious shaft. Each inch of his impressive length slid deeper and deeper until I was completely filled until I couldn't hold another inch.

A shameless moan escaped my lips as I instinctively ground myself against his pelvis. The persistent tug that had lived behind my sternum since the first day I had laid eyes on Gunnox finally broke free, releasing a tingling sensation in its wake. I had no time to contemplate the reason as the triangular flaps of flesh at the base of his cock erected and began to vibrate, teasing and massaging the sensitive nub of my clit. My entire body seized and I knew without a doubt, every living thing inside the Trisess Forest heard my cries. Throwing my head back, I convulsed around him, feeling every part of him filling me completely.

When I thought his cock couldn't feel any better, he began to move. Each fluid motion ignited sensations unlike any I had ever experienced before. A soft glow enveloped us, casting a cool light that intensified my pleasure.

His thrusts began gently, each one deliberate and reverent as he leaned down to kiss me with unwavering devotion. Gradually, his movements grew more demanding until he was driving into me with an urgency that matched the pounding of my heart.

His pleasure had become my own, joining mine as I teetered on the knife edge of a white-hot climax. Our bodies moved in perfect harmony as I rolled my hips in time with his driving cock. We reached the peak together, consumed by the intensity of our union in a fever pitch of shared ecstasy forged in the flames of our long-denied passion.

Consciousness crept back in a slow, languorous wave. I stirred, feeling a solid warmth at my back and the comforting presence of Gunnox's strong arm wrapped tightly around my waist. I was reluctant to move, loving the feel of his steady breathing synced with mine.

The room was bathed in a dim light, illuminated by scattered solaris rocks. A gentle breeze wafted in through the massive entrance, resembling a man-sized knothole carved into the colossal tree. I pulled deeply of the forest's fresh scent, a mix of lavender and sweet pine, and sighed contently.

Snuggling into the plush pillow under my head and the hard male at my back, I intended to drift back to sleep, but an unceremonious grumble betrayed the gnawing emptiness in my stomach.

Gunnox rose without hesitation, the tight-knit scales covering his muscular frame caught the soft light of the solaris rocks. The glowing designs on his chest and arms accentuated his powerful build. But it wasn't his gorgeous body that had caught and held my gaze. It was the newly created shawra in the center of his chest. The portal that had formed during sex where a piece of our souls emerged and coalesced.

"Wait here, I'll fetch us something to eat." Gunnox donned a fresh breechcloth from a trunk against the wall and started toward the lift.

"You don't have to do that." I sat up and patted the place next to me still warm from his body. "Come back to bed."

Gunnox spun around and stalked back to me. He captured my lips in a fiery kiss before murmuring into my ear. A jolt of desire surged through me, pooling between my thighs.

"You will never go hungry again. I won't allow it," Gunnox whispered. "I won't be long and after I've satisfied your appetite, I'll ravish your silken sheath with my cock."

"Promise?" I couldn't resist the promise of pleasure. My sex clenched, still deliciously sore but aching and eager for more.

"On my honor as a warrior of Valose." Gunnox flashed a seductive smirk before turning to stride across the room.

The lift descended with a whisper of the ropes running through the pulley. I gazed down at the ethereal light of the design between my breasts that mirrored Gunnox's. I smoothed my hand over my sternum with a bittersweet blend of joy and sorrow for the world and people I would never see again.

Even though I loved Gunnox, I would forever mourn those I left behind.Love?Where had that come from? But deep down, I had always known my heart belonged to the silver male.

I marveled at how the intensity of his emotions had amplified within me now that we were mated. The echo of his essence now swirled in a strong wave. Closing my eyes, I delved deeper, connecting with his emotions as if they were my own. He exuded happiness, mingled with an unyielding determination to protect my health and well-being. Yet, underneath it all, a faint tremor of vulnerability quivered beneath his surface, one he despised and fought to suppress.

The hum of the lift grew louder, punctuating the silence that had settled over the room since Gunnox's departure. I wrapped a blanket around my body, its cool material clinging to my skin as I padded across the wooden floor. Anticipation mingled with hunger, quickening my steps. I stepped out onto the deck, prepared to greet him, but halted, breath caught in my throat.

Before me, the Trisess Forest unfurled like a nocturnal sea, as if each tree was adorned with tiny LED lights that glimmered and danced in the darkness. It was as if a thousand Christmas trees had rooted themselves beneath the triplet moons, their silver luminescence casting a celestial glow upon the woods. Blue fireflies darted between branches, weaving a tapestry of living stars in the night air. The distant symphony of unseen insects serenaded the serene Valosian twilight, their chorus harmonizing with the quiet rustle of heavy boughs in the gentle breeze.

"Magical," I uttered. "I've never seen anything so beautiful."

"I have." Gunnox kissed my cheek as he passed by carrying something with an enticing aroma. I forced myself to turn away from the scene and follow Gunnox inside. "Stay there," he said. "I'll come to you."

"You're going to spoil me."

"I hope so," he said, as I watched him set the tray he carried on the small table and brought the load out on the deck, then went back in for the two chairs.

"I should put on my dress."

"Why bother?" Gunnox pulled the chair out for me to sit, transforming the deck into an intimate dining area under the moonlight. "I'm just going to take it off of you soon anyway."

I took the seat he offered, and secured the blanket around me, tucking the end between my boobs. A fresh pool of wetness gathered at my entrance, my pussy throbbing in time with my quickened pulse.

Gunnox sat opposite me, lifting the lid off the tray to reveal a feast for both the eyes and the stomach. I looked out over the forest. A few Valosians milled about along the winding paths far below, and I could see a few of the other trees with solaris rocks glowing inside, but nothing much else.

"Where did you get all this?" I swung my perplexed gaze back to the meal before me. There were no restaurants on Valose.

Gunnox's laughter resonated deep within me. "The cookery." He pointed off into the distance. "In that tree just over there."

"You have a cookery inside a tree?" I took the eating utensil he handed me.

"Yes, and you would know that had you allowed me to give you a tour of the forest when you first arrived instead of demanding the use of my body." Gunnox pressed his full lips together, trying to hide his amusement.

My Trisess warrior had a teasing side that I was happy to indulge. "Oh, is that so? It didn't take much convincing to get you in bed. I guess the massive bulge straining against your breechcloth was all just for show then."

"We can discuss my bulge later," Gunnox nudged a plate of food at me. "Eat first. You'll need your strength for what I have in mind."

The chiksin stew beckoned with a tantalizing aroma, a blend of alien spices mingling in the air. As I lifted the spoon to my lips, the first taste was an explosion of flavors on my tongue; the roasted chiksin meat was tender and succulent, dripping with savory juices that hinted at hours spent simmering in a rich broth. The vegetables, still slightly crisp, burst with sweetness, each bite a harmonious blend of smoky char from the grill.

"Tell me about Trisess," I urged as we ate, eager to understand more of the forest he loved so dearly.

"The crissum trees are ancient and only grow in Trisess," Gunnox began, his silvery gaze reflecting the soft luminescence of our surroundings. "It's said they've been here since the beginning of time. The oldest tree in the forest hides the youngling sanctuary within its roots. A haven for the clan's offspring to learn and train as warriors. Once the luminetric barrier is in place, the younglings of Clan Trisess can return home."

We dined slowly, savoring both the food and the conversation, as Gunnox shared tales of his youth spent among these trees, of hidden clearings and secret streams known only to him.

"Your passion for this place, it's palpable," I said, my heart swelling with affection for the male across the table, who held both strength and vulnerability in equal measure.

"It's part of me," he admitted, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. "Just as you have become."

As his silver swirling eyes met mine, a solemn understanding passed between us. "I sense your sacrifice, Sarah," Gunnox murmured. "The weight of leaving behind your world, your family... I feel the ache in your heart, the longing for what was once yours." His words carried a depth of empathy that resonated within me.

Tears welled in my eyes as I whispered, "I had to choose between two worlds, but in choosing you, I found a home in your arms." Gunnox's gaze held mine, a silent promise of unwavering support amid the bittersweet realization of all that was left behind.

"After the battle with the Nuttaki was the first time since the Gretolics ripped me from my home had I been back here." Gunnox indicated his home with a lift of his cup before taking a sip of the fruity drink. "It was like stepping into a past where I no longer belonged. Everything was just as I left it, except I was the only thing that had changed."

I gulped knowing I would feel the same had I chosen to return to Earth.

"I'm grateful for your presence," Gunnox's voice resonated with sincerity, his silver eyes reflecting a mix of relief and vulnerability. "Having you with me grounds me to the present, easing me out of a past where I do not wish to linger."

I sensed the depth of his turmoil, the unspoken weight of his past haunting him even in the safety of our present moment. The memory of Gunnox's abduction hung between us like a specter, his once unshakable composure now laced with an edge of fear. It was a crack in his armor I hadn't felt before.

I clasped his hand, determined to offer solace in this moment of raw vulnerability. "The nightmares from my time in the Gorken mine still haunt me," I admitted. "We just need time to heal, but we can overcome our traumas together."

"Come here, lyshlu." Gunnox pushed back his chair and offered me his lap.

I happily settled on his lap and rubbed at the translator implanted inside my ear a lifetime ago. "What does that mean? Lyshlu?"

"Female of my hearts." His hand covered mine, pressing it against his chest where I could feel the steady beating of both his hearts.

"I love you, my silver splendor."

"And I you, lyshlu."

The night seemed to hold its breath, hearts syncing in a silent promise to face whatever came our way—together. Gunnox leaned forward, his lips brushing against mine in a kiss that sealed our bond, as intimate as the gossamer threads of connection weaving through the fabric of our beings.