Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

LUCA

While I was relieved revealing my tendrils hadn’t scared my mate away, I had not expected Erich to be so awestruck by the sight.

And… aroused?

A distinct blast of pheromones was flavoring the air between us, and my existing blush only deepened to realize some of that was coming from me.

I barely recognize myself.

“Krass! What a trickster you are.” Erich chuckled as his gaze ran over me like a caress. “I assume Wolfgang knows your little secret? And the others?”

I grimaced. “He does… They do… now.” When he cocked an eyebrow, I sighed. “All was revealed several months ago, and Wolfgang didn’t take it well at first. It was a bit of a dramatic moment involving the twins and Theo?—”

He barked a laugh. “Say no more! Drama and chaos seem to follow that man around, hmm?”

Indeed .

I kept it to myself that all Stellarians thrived on chaos to some extent, or that I was a Stellarian myself.

One secret at a time.

“But Theo isn’t just a man, is he?” Erich rose and strolled to my side of the table. “Neither is Ziggy Andromeda.”

I froze and watched him approach, unsure what his angle was—whether he knew more about my kind than I thought he did.

How much has Wolfgang told him?

How much has he told him about me?

“Who’s being tricky now?“ I teased, choosing deflection as my weapon. “You know I cannot divulge intel on another supe’s powers.”

Erich chuckled again and took another step closer. “Ah, but they are not supes, are they? And I would assume the same rules don’t apply to those from other planets.”

“H-how do you know they’re from… other planets?” I stuttered as my tendrils undulated wildly, tasting his emotions to discern how he was feeling about this conversation.

All I picked up on was continued desire and fascination as he tracked the movement. “An educated guess. While Wolfgang occasionally drops crumbs of information, I've mostly put the pieces together on my own. For example,” his gaze snapped to my face, “I know he considers you more of a father than his biological one ever was, so I find it hard to believe he judged you for revealing what you are.“

“It was a bit more complicated than that,” I breathlessly replied, overwhelmed by his proximity yet convinced he wasn’t close enough. “But yes, it’s true. Wolfgang sees me as a father figure, and I likewise consider him to be my first-born son—even if he’s not biologically mine. ”

Unlike some of the others.

Eric hummed thoughtfully. “And what do you think your first-born might say about this? About us being alone together in a remote cabin?—”

“I don’t give a fuck what he has to say about it!” I barked before shrinking back from my own intensity.

Where the hell did that come from?

Luckily, Erich didn’t seem concerned by my outburst. Instead, he smiled smugly and closed the distance between us, causing my tendrils to close around him possessively.

“Oh, I like this side of you,” he purred. “Is this how you command the room in Geneva, Councilman? How you dominate other supes?” He glanced down as a tendril caressed his forearm of its own accord. “Is that why you ran away to the Alps with me, why you want to be my obedient little houseguest while you’re here? To escape?”

My resonance was pounding in my ears, desperate for the man before me to answer in kind.

Even if he can’t.

“Yes,” I whispered, resting my forehead against his as all tension bled out of my borrowed form. “I want to be obedient.”

I want to run away with you.

Erich swore under his breath before attempting to take a step back, only to find my tendrils had caged him in.

He gave me a hard look. “I’m trying to be a gentleman here, Luca—by your request, I might add. But when you look at me like that, all needy and desperate, it just makes me want to tear into you. “

I hissed in a breath at the thought of Erich marking my skinsuit with his teeth, of claiming me as his the same way I wanted to claim him.

Please, please, please.

He laughed again, a warm sound that filled me up with light. “What an eager yet nervous little bunny you are.” His gaze drifted over my shoulder before returning to my face. “But it appears the snow is already starting, so I propose we get a run in before it really starts coming down. What do you say?”

The sound I made could only be described as a whimper. With the way Erich’s gaze darkened in response, I hoped he might abandon the idea of leaving the cabin.

Tear into me instead.

However, he was correct. I had asked him to take things slow, and because he was the perfect mate for me, he was taking his responsibilities seriously.

“I'll tell you what, little hase.” He stepped closer again, loosening the ties of my bathrobe so he could slip his hands beneath the satin and grip my ribs, pulling me closer. “You be a good boy and play on the trails with me, and I’ll take the lead in whatever way you want when we get back. How does that sound?”

“It sounds like a long time to wait for a reward,” I grumbled petulantly, much to my horror.

What in Stellaria’s name is happening to me?

Erich only grinned wider. “You're right!” he exclaimed. “My brave bunny deserves to be rewarded for telling me a secret. What would you like as your prize?”

There were at least two dozen things I could think of that I wanted to do with this man—some of which he might not survive—but my gaze immediately dropped to his lips .

That.

“A kiss, hmm?” he murmured, licking his lips before brushing them against mine, making me shiver. “I would love to kiss you… if that’s what you want?“

Instead of delivering the reward I was waiting for, he paused, and I realized he was waiting for me to confirm.

Enough of this!

With an inhuman growl, I captured him with my tendrils and crashed his lips to mine.

Erich made a surprised sound that made my predatory instincts flare to life but then immediately reclaimed control. He nipped and licked his way into my mouth, claiming every centimeter with his tongue as he gently wrapped his hand around my throat.

Then, he squeezed.

I immediately melted against him, going against every natural Stellarian instinct—and acquired supe ones—by submitting to a weaker species.

Because I am weak for him.

“Look at you,” Erich whispered against my lips. “Such a feral little beast who just wants to be tamed.”

“Yes,” I gasped, exactly as needy as he’d said I was. “By you.”

“By me,” Erich repeated, the approval in his tone making me boneless. “Only me.”

His voice caught as he said it—as if he’d surprised himself with his own possessiveness—but I hummed in confirmation, which seemed to settle him.

Because he’s mine .

His gaze dropped to the crotch of my thermals, now exposed to his hungry gaze, along with the evidence of my desire.

“Much better,” he murmured, almost to himself. “Now, let’s cool down by playing in the snow for a bit. Give you time to decide on your next reward…”

With a wink, he backed away before turning on his heel and heading down the hallway, presumably to bundle up for the day ahead.

Who’s a tease now?

Knowing it wouldn’t take me long to get dressed in what humans—and supes—deemed the appropriate number of layers for these conditions, I focused my coiled energy on cleaning up breakfast.

This simple task helped clear my head, so by the time both Erich and I had dressed and picked out boots and cross-country skis from the stockpile in the vestibule, I had mostly returned to baseline.

Mostly…

My mate had awakened something in me that would not be satisfied until we’d solidified our bond. Unfortunately, I had no idea what that process would look like, given our differences—and I didn’t wish to hurt him—so I was incredibly thankful that he continued to take the lead.

“Beautiful,” Erich repeated an hour later, only this time, he was talking about the stunning, snow-covered vista of Schrocken village far below.

I want him to say that about me again.

“Yes…” I tore my gaze away from the beautiful man beside me, even with how little I could see of him at the moment. “It’s quite pretty here—so different from my home… ”

I wasn’t sure why I added that last statement, especially as I barely thought of Stellaria after being away from my home planet for so long, but there was something about Erich that demanded honesty.

And perhaps I’m tired of hiding in plain sight.

“Were you… born in Switzerland?” he asked absently before sticking out his tongue to catch a snowflake. “Your accent is so hard to place because of Geneva thinking it’s France.”

I huffed good-naturedly. “French is the language of diplomacy and culture, mon ami.”

“Friend, hmm?” Erich side-stepped closer to knock his shoulder against mine. “Do friends whisper filthy French in the bedroom? I’d like to know what to expect once I get you home.”

Home.

I forced myself to not get too caught up in his casual language and took the opening to tease instead. “Well, I suppose you could always ask Wolfgang to share his experiences.”

Erich choked on air. “Absolutely not! I have overheard enough of Simon’s saucy commentary to his ‘little cream puff’ to last a lifetime.” He squinted at me from behind his goggles. “I would blame his kinks on you, as such things are often hereditary, but since he’s not biologically yours…”

“He’s not,” I mused, too distracted by thoughts of buying my mate a pair of noise-canceling headphones to stop my next reveal. “However, Baltasar and the twins are.”

Erich turned to face me so fast, he fell backward onto the snow-packed ground in a tangle of limbs and skis.

“Luca, you dog!” he laughed as he struggled to right himself. “And here I thought you might be a blushing virgin. ”

As if on cue, I blushed again before using my tendrils to covertly help him to his feet.

“I’m not a virgin,” I grumbled, even more flustered that my tendrils didn’t seem to want to let go of their prize. “But reproducing with Glacial Girl was simply a means to an end—for my family.”

Erich’s expression softened as he reached out and adjusted the ridiculous pom-pom hat he’d insisted I wear.

The one that says “I have an ALTITUDE problem.”

“Good to know,” he murmured before winking playfully. “And I hope the memory of Glacial Girl’s ice-cold crevasse will be no match for the massive icicle I have to offer—assuming you don’t normally have a preference, that is.”

He was clearly fishing for intel, but I knew there was no judgment behind it. Erich shared his bed with normies of all genders in equal amounts, so I wasn’t concerned that what I had to offer wouldn’t please him.

Even if my assets aren’t exactly my own.

I was in grave danger of telling him everything, so I focused on making it clear exactly how inconsequential every other creature on this planet was compared to him. “I’m normally uninterested regardless of gender.” I swallowed thickly as his eyebrows shot skyward. “I’ve never been interested in anyone until you.”

Because you’re my mate.

“Oh,” Erich softly replied before clearing his throat. “I see…”

Regardless of how physically attracted to me Erich was, I was self-aware enough to realize a declaration like the one I’d just made could be overwhelming for a human.

For a moment, I feared I’d said too much—and didn’t dare enter his thoughts to confirm—but the only emotions I could taste on my tendrils were positive.

Surprise, delight, amusement, lust…

“Of course, you don’t have to feel the same,” I blurted out, compelled to smooth things over either way. “I was just?—”

“Sharing another secret,” he interrupted before delivering a sweet kiss with his chilly lips. “Such a brave boy. Now, let’s hurry home so I can catch up with your rewards.”