Amorous Overnight (34 page)

She nodded, swishing vigorously. Then her eyes widened and she screamed with her mouth closed, hurriedly leaning over the sink.

“It might be time to spit,” Hastion said with a lazy grin as she spit repeatedly, trying to clear the solution from her mouth. When she reached to turn on the water, he stopped her. “Don’t. The tingling will subside in just a moment.”

Straightening, she slapped him on his bare hip. “You asshat, why didn’t you warn me it was
flaming
water? I was kind of attached to my taste buds, you know.”

“Because you wouldn’t have tried it.”

“Damn right, I wouldn’t have tried it.” She opened her mouth and put out her tongue, examining her reflection. “Well they’re still there, but I may never taste anything again.”

He laughed. “You’ll get used to it. And look how clean your tongue is. I’ll lay odds the inside of your mouth has never been so sanitary.”

“What are you saying?” she asked with a sidelong glance as she examined her tongue again. “Wow, it really is clean. It never looks that good even after I brush it.”

“And the tingle is gone, isn’t it?”

“Yes. But it’ll be a while before I trust you again.” Some of his dismay and guilt must have shown in his face because she quickly added, “I’m just kidding, Hastion. I totally trust you.”

To prove it, she took his face in her hands and pulled him down for a kiss. Weak thing that he was, he acquiesced, and before he knew it he was on his knees, gripping her ass with both hands while he slid his lips down her lovely neck into the cleft between her soft, plump breasts.

When she whispered his name, grinding her cunt urgently against his chest, he broke away.

“Shelley, we must stop,” he gasped, breathing heavily. “You’re not well.”

“Hastion, honestly, I feel fine now.”

“And I intend to see that you continue to feel fine.”

She sighed as he rose to his feet again. “Fine. But I guess I really should be wearing something.”

“As loath as I am to see you covered, that might be best.”

Her shy, pleased smile made his heart kick soundly against his ribs. It pained him that she truly had no idea how desirable she was.

Once she’d put on one of her nightgowns, he tucked her into bed. He grinned when she yawned hugely. “Rest now. I’ll see to the twins.”

“Hastion, thank you so much.” She held out her arms, so he sat down and hugged her. When he pulled back, she pressed her lips to his cheek. And then to his mouth. And to his mouth again. “Oh God, I really do love you,” she said breathlessly.

“I love you too, Shelley-Belle.”

Her eyes widened. “You do?”

“I adore you,” he confirmed, nuzzling her ear and breathing in her scent. “I would die for you.”

Her grip on his neck turned to a choke hold. “Please don’t.”

He chuckled as he tugged on her arms. “I’ll certainly do my best not to. I’d like to enjoy you and the twins as long as possible. Now let me speak with the minister and we’ll see if we can’t get Monica to make a house call.”

Chapter Seventeen

Cecine sat at his desk brooding. He really shouldn’t be so angry, but after the way Shelley pursued him the night before—after her declarations of love—he hadn’t expected her to resort to subterfuge to extract herself from the situation.

Females were the same, no matter what planet they called home. They said whatever they had to in the heat of the moment to get what they wanted.

“Permission to enter, sir?” Hastion stood in the open doorway, fully dressed in a dark-blue civilian suit.

Cecine waved him in. “You needn’t stand on ceremony when you’re on leave. Sit and tell me what our foolish little mate had to say for herself.”

Hastion dropped easily into a chair, facing him across the desk. “I believe she was genuinely ill, sir, and doesn’t remember what transpired last night.”

“You are very softhearted, Ensign,” Cecine said, trying not to make it sound like the insult it was.

“That may be, sir, but after you departed, she vomited on the floor. She was pale and unsteady and said her entire body was giving her pain.”

Cecine frowned. “I can’t believe she would become ill so quickly upon arriving on Garathan. She’s been immunized against all the major viral groups.”

“She has been eating our food, sir—however reluctantly,” Hastion added with a slight grin. “Perhaps it’s an allergy of some sort?”

“I suppose that’s possible. She’s still implanted with a biomet. Armitran, summon Dr. Tysan at his earliest convenience and send him the last forty-eight hours of Shelley’s biomet readings.”

“Affirmative. Readings relayed with a summons to Dr. Tysan.”

“Sir, Shelley asked for Monica.”

“Of course she did.” Cecine sighed. “I’ll arrange a visit with Kellen but I want Tysan to examine Shelley as well.”

“That would be prudent, sir.”

“What else did Shelley have to say?” he asked. “Did she mention her scoundrel husband by name?”

“No, sir, she did not.”

The ensign’s words were neutral enough, but something about the deliberate blankness of his expression made Cecine pause.

“Did
you
mention him by name?”

Though his face remained impassive, Hastion tensed. “I did, though quite inadvertently, sir. I was explaining what she’d said to earn a spanking last night. My apologies,” he added. “It will not happen again.”

“I see,” Cecine murmured. “And how would you suggest I deal with this infraction?”

“As you see fit, sir.”

Oh, now that was an altogether too tempting prospect.

“You are a warrior, accustomed to following orders, and should therefore be subject to more severe penalties than Shelley.”

“Yes, sir.”

So very agreeable was his second. It made one wonder if he would bend over and expose his naked ass for a punishment similar to the one Shelley had received. Cecine could all too easily imagine striking those hard, round buttocks repeatedly with the flat of his hand, and then biting the hell out of both. He wouldn’t have to hold anything back with Hastion. The young warrior could probably tolerate immense amounts of pain without a whimper.

Unfortunately, what he’d done didn’t warrant the indignity, and if it did, he wouldn’t be a suitable second.

Before he was tempted beyond endurance, Cecine said, “I will excuse it this once, Ensign.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Thank you, sir.”

He bit back a smile. “Is the children’s nanny showing any signs of illness?”

“None, sir.”

“Good. I’ll flare to the council chambers today. Stay with Shelley and keep me informed of her condition.”

Cecine stood and Hastion immediately followed suit. “I will, sir.”

“Also, I have a dinner engagement this evening. I won’t return to the house until quite late.”

“Yes, sir.”

When Hastion turned to leave, Cecine spoke grudgingly. “One more thing, Ensign.”

He looked back. “Yes, sir?”

“Now that Shelley can accommodate me, it would appear that your obligation to me might be at an end.” In fact, much to his surprise, she could accommodate him fully. There was no need to continue with the neogenesis process. He wouldn’t risk her life. He would inform her of the availability of the nook procedure, but it would be up to her if she wished to take that step.

“It would, sir,” Hastion said neutrally.

Cecine’s jaw tightened. “However, it occurs to me that Shelley may not be available to me as often as I might wish.”

“That seems entirely possible, sir.”

“I’m considering acquiring a third to supplement my sexual activity.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I assume you have no objection to Milnon?”

“It’s not my place to object, sir. Do you require anything else of me?”

Cecine watched him for signs of relief or regret, or even insolence, but found none. Damn that beautiful, impassive face!

He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to strip the young male and do whatever it took to break his Powers-damned control. Did he require anything else, indeed.

As a matter of fact, Ensign Hastion, I want to see you on your back with your legs spread so that I can watch your face while I fuck you. I want to feel you shake with fear and longing for the violent satisfaction I am about to visit upon your lovely ass. I want to put my teeth marks all over you. I want to hear you scream like a female when I jam my cock as deep as I can get it and squeeze the seed from your ballocks, and I want to hold you on my lap afterward, lapping tears of joy and pain and relief from your cheeks.

If the ensign knew the only thing holding him above such a fate at this moment was the fraying rope of Cecine’s integrity, he wouldn’t be so impassive. There were no laws preventing any male from doing all that and more to another. It was a matter of genetic determination—survival of the fittest. If Hastion was unable to defend himself against the sadistic sexuality of another male, he was fair game for it.

Peserin’s hell, it was no wonder Shelley had suspected he was raping Hastion. He was no better than the female who had raped him. And if he felt that way, no doubt other males did too—males with less self-control than he. It chilled him to think of what could have happened to Hastion. Perhaps it was time there were laws on the books regarding what one male could do to another sexually.

Disgusted with himself, he turned away. “That will be all, Ensign.”

Tysan arrived an hour later.

“My apologies,” he said to Hastion as they strode down the corridor. “I was in surgery when I received the minister’s summons.”

“He did say at your convenience,” Hastion replied. “And I don’t believe it’s an emergency. Shelley is feeling much better already.”

“I’m glad to hear it, but I would examine her anyway.”

After knocking, they went into Hastion’s bedroom and Hastion waited by the window while Tysan assessed her with a palm-sized scanner.

“How long have you been feeling ill?” he asked.

“Well, I woke up this morning feeling like I’d been hit by a truck, and I’m sure Hastion told you I had a bad headache and was throwing up.”

“Yes, and your biomet readings indicated you’d experienced pain in your joints. Is that correct?”

“Yes, but it’s much better now.”

“Did you eat or drink anything unusual last night?”

Shelley gave a moue of distaste. “Almost everything I eat is unusual these days. Why I’m not dropping weight in ten-pound increments is beyond me.”

“Last night’s menu was sea quill, arm of firi, and lomela served with taetre and water,” Hastion said.

Tysan looked thoughtful. “It could be a reaction to the sea quill. Are you sensitive to sulfites?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Well as Monica would say, there’s a first time for everything.” He opened his case and loaded an infuser. “I’ll administer an infusion to relieve the skeletal aches.”

“They’re not that bad anymore, and my head doesn’t hurt at all now.”

“You’ll feel even better after the infusion,” Tysan said firmly.

“Hey, I’m all for being proactive about pain control.”

As Tysan affixed an infusion button to her chest, Hastion said, “I don’t know if it’s important, but she also doesn’t remember what happened last night.”

“What don’t you remember?”

Shelley colored. “Um, well, basically acting like a raging nymphomaniac and sleeping with both Hastion and the minister.”

Tysan gave Hastion a sharp-eyed look.
“You had intercourse with her? Both of you? Before she was cleared for mating?”

Hastion felt himself go a little red too.
“We did. And she was completely taken aback to wake up between us this morning.”

“Are you suffering any ill effects from your intimate activities?” Tysan asked her.

She shook her head. “I feel a little tender, but no more than I’d expect for the first time after so long.”

“No bleeding?”

When she shook her head again, Tysan narrowed his eyes at Hastion.
“You are fortunate she appears unharmed or I’d put you both on report, minister or not.”

“Understood.”

“But I’m also not on birth control,” Shelley added with an uncomfortable look at Hastion. “Which means I’m probably pregnant again, right?”

That knocked the breath right out of him. “Peserin’s hell, how could I have been so stupid? How could the minister?”

“Be at ease, both of you,” Tysan said, pulling out a contact syringe and drawing a vial of blood from Shelley’s arm. “Human females in our care are routinely placed on ovulation blockers for the first two years after delivery.”

Hastion’s knees weakened. “Thank the Powers!”

Shelley looked as relieved as he felt. “Well it would have been nice if someone had asked me first, but yay. I wasn’t ready for another set of twins just yet.”