Numbers (6 page)

Mourn brushed the crown of his cock against her clit. He
rubbed it lower, using the tip to slide through her wet folds. He didn’t enter
her right way, instead rubbed higher, teasing her clit. Dana grabbed hold of
the sides of the bench, needing something to grasp. Her toes curled when he
kept doing it. Her clit was still a little oversensitive but it felt amazing.
She was really wet and so was he, from rubbing up against her.

He maneuvered his cock lower, and she felt it at the opening
of her pussy. He froze there, but then lightly pressed against her. She spread
her thighs a little more, adjusting her feet on his solid chest. She’d never
had sex before with her legs up in that manner, but she’d never been with a New
Species either.

The sensation of him entering her had her closing her eyes
again. He was big and thick. It didn’t hurt though. The pressure was welcome,
and it actually felt good when he drove deeper. He purred again, a deep,
rumbling sound.

“Am I hurting you?”

She shook her head, unable to find words.

“You’re so tight.” He growled. “You feel perfect.”

He moved slowly inside her. He was rock-hard. He increased
the pace. She clawed at the bench. She’d missed sex, missed having a man inside
her, bringing her pleasure. One of her feet slipped off his chest, but Mourn
grabbed her ankle, held it in place.

“Fuck,” he snarled.

He drove into her deep, completely filling her, and bent
forward, groaning. His body shook. Dana opened her eyes, watching his face as
he came inside her. She could feel it. His semen was hot and his cock pulsed
against her pussy walls, almost like a heartbeat. He shook again. His eyes were
closed, lips parted to show off his fangs. His handsome features twisted into a
harsh but sexy contortion that looked a little pained.

His expression quickly changed to a frown when he opened his
eyes. They stared at each other.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“You felt too good. I tried to hold back, but I came.”

She lifted her foot off his chest and lowered it, hooking
that leg around his hips. Her heel made contact with his bare ass cheek and she
dug in, pulling him closer. She opened her arms to him. His apology made him
even sweeter and more endearing. “It’s okay. Come here.”

He released her ankle and lowered over her. She wrapped her
arms around his neck. “It’s okay. I came first.” The aftermath of them having
sex wasn’t uncomfortable, as she’d feared. She mostly wanted to assure him it
was fine. She understood being over-excited and not lasting long. She’d been
guilty of that too when he’d gone down on her. “You said you’d hold me.”

He braced his elbows on the padding next to her ribs and
lowered his chest until her breasts were smashed against him. His weight on her
felt right. It put their faces inches apart. She liked having him against her,
still inside her. They were linked. She hesitated but then reached up, brushing
his hair with her fingers.

“How do you feel?”

He hesitated. “Disappointed.”

It was a verbal slap, and it hurt. “I knew you’d regret
this.”

“No.” He scowled. “Not about what we did, but that I
couldn’t hold back. I’ll do better next time.”

Next time.
He wanted to see her again. Dana breathed
easier, grateful he wasn’t sorry that he’d talked her into having sex with him.
She didn’t regret it either, but admitted to herself that she was confused over
how she felt about it.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve shared sex. I grew too
excited. I’ll do better in a few minutes.”

“A few minutes?”

“I have to recover. My balls ache a little, but it will stop
fast.”

She was confused. “You hurt yourself?”

“I came so hard it hurt. I think it’s from spasms. My balls
feel twitchy and ache a bit, but it’s lessening.”

“Is that a Species thing?”

“Possibly. I’m not certain. I’ll have to ask other males. It
doesn’t happen when I masturbate, but you excite me much more than when I’m
tending to my own needs.”

His candor stunned her, but she appreciated it. “Do you do
that often?”

“Yes. Don’t you?”

His openness about the subject of masturbation helped her to
be honest too. “Sometimes. Not when I’m visiting Paul though. I didn’t bring my
vibrator. I was too worried about my bags being checked at the airport.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You know.” She winced. “An employee there could search my
bag and find it. It would be horrible to know someone might have seen it.”

“Why are you so shy about sex?”

“I don’t know. I just am.”

“I’ll teach you not to be. Am I better than your sex toy?”

She blushed, the memory of his mouth on her was something
she’d never forget. “Yes.”

“How often do you use it?”

She hesitated, not sure how to answer that, or if she even
should.

“I need to know so I can meet your needs. I enjoy
masturbating at least three to four times a day. You must have been tense if
you didn’t bring your vibrator to Homeland. I grow testy if I don’t find sexual
release. Are you the same way? Do you do it every few hours or just in bed
before sleep and when you wake?”

He wasn’t going to let it drop. “It helps me sleep.”

He smiled. “That wasn’t difficult, was it? I’ll make certain
I lick you every night. You should allow me to do it in the morning too so you
start your day off feeling relaxed.”

It was becoming a habit that his words surprised her. “Every
night?”

“Every night. Every morning.” His cock hardened inside her.
“I’m recovered.”

“I feel.”

He withdrew a little from her, and then drove back in. “This
time I won’t come until you do. I’m more prepared for how extraordinary you
feel.”

Dana moaned, clutching at his shoulders. Mourn had pegged
it. Extraordinary was a great way to describe how it felt when he moved inside
her. He lifted his chest off her by straightening up and she had to release
him, but she locked her legs around his waist. He hooked one arm under her
lower back, holding her in place while he fucked her.

She watched as Mourn lifted his free hand to his mouth and
licked the tip of his thumb. He reached down between them and pressed it firmly
against her clit. He wiggled it.

“Oh god.”

“You’re very religious.”

She let that go, making a mental note to explain it later.
He yanked her ass closer with his arm hooked under her, holding her in place as
he fucked her faster. She closed her eyes, bit her lip, and just enjoyed the
feel of him inside her while he played with her clit at the same time until she
cried out his name, the climax tearing through her.

Mourn didn’t let up on her clit, and she bucked, squeezing
his waist with her thighs. He snarled, and she felt it when he came. His
motions became almost violent and jerky, and then there was the warmth
spreading inside her.

She wanted to ask him about his warm semen, once she caught
her breath and could form sentences again. He pulled his thumb off her clit and
came down on top of her, pinning her with his body. She wrapped her arms around
his neck and he kept his word, not pulling out of her, but instead kept them
linked.

“I’m getting better at learning how to please you,” he
rasped.

She opened her eyes and was enthralled at the way Mourn
looked at her, as if she were someone very special to him. It might have been
wishful thinking. She could easily fall in love with him and suspected she had
already started to. Realization came next. It was going to tear her apart when
he figured out she was just an emotional crutch. He might not regret the sex,
because it had been fantastic, but he’d realize he didn’t want to spend the
rest of his life with her. She would return home with her heart in tatters.

“What are you thinking?”

She wasn’t going to share her worries. “I’m just enjoying
being so close to you.” That was the truth.

“I am too.” He turned his head, glancing around the shed.
“We need a home. I don’t want you to have to live in the men’s dorm. It can get
loud sometimes when the males play games. I doubt Paul will want to share his
home with another male. We’re territorial. It’s his space.” He smiled when he
looked at her again. “I’ll request housing in the morning. They will assign us
to a house like Paul’s. We can sleep here tonight.”

“We can’t just move in together.”

That wiped his good mood away. “We can. I know you aren’t
ready to mate with me. You want time. I understand that you need to learn more
about me before you sign the mate papers. The best way to convince you that I’m
your male will be sharing quarters.”

New Species don’t date.
Paul’s words sounded in her
head again. Most men were afraid to commit. Mourn wanted to go full speed into
a live-in relationship, to jump in with both feet.

“I’ll hold you while we’re sleeping. We’ll share meals. It
will be nice. At least try it.”

It was tough to say no when he looked at her with those
gorgeous eyes, and was holding her, their bodies entwined. His husky voice
didn’t help matters. She had a hard time resisting. It’s also how he’d gotten
her thighs spread open to him in the first place. No man had ever talked to her
that way, and it had been a turn-on she couldn’t resist.

“Sleep with me and see how you like it.”

He gently withdrew from her body and rose. “This bench is
too narrow. I’ll sleep on it and you lie on top of me.” He stood and held out
his hand to her.

She hesitated and then took it. “Paul will worry when he
realizes I’m not there.”

“I’m an early riser. I’ll take you home to get your things
before he wakes. We’ll tell him you’re safe with me.”

She imagined her brother’s face if she announced she was
getting a place with a New Species. He’d probably lose his shit. He’d told her
not to get involved with Mourn. She was pretty certain he wouldn’t be overjoyed
or accept it without a lot of yelling first.

“I’ll stay with you tonight, but I have to think about
living with you. That’s a huge step, Mourn.”

He growled softly at her, and his eyes narrowed. “I’ll make
you happy.”

“It’s not that. It’s just that this is moving too fast for
me, and living together is a huge step.” She didn’t mention that having sex was
too, and she was having a difficult enough time coming to terms with what
they’d just done. “Let me think about it.”

His expression softened. “I understand. Thank you for
staying with me tonight, Dana. I really want to hold you and have you sleep in
my arms.”

She took Mourn’s hand and allowed him to pull her upright.
He stretched out on his back on the bench and smiled. She had to admire how
incredibly sexy he looked naked. The flag wasn’t wrapped around his waist
anymore.

“Lie on me.”

She hesitated. “I might be too heavy.”

He chuckled and sat up just enough to capture her hand in
his, pulling her down. She ended up sprawled over him, her legs slightly parted
so she didn’t smash his cock. It hardened between her thighs. Mourn adjusted
her so his chest pillowed her head near his shoulder. He yanked her flag down
to cover her ass, and then wrapped his arms around her waist.

“You are safe. Are you warm enough?”

He put off a lot of body heat. “Yes.”

He nuzzled his jaw against the top of her head. “Good. This
is nice, isn’t it?”

She relaxed and had to admit, it was. “Yes.”

He was big and solid under her. Warm. His arms around her
felt nice. She even liked hearing his heartbeat under her ear. He began to
stroke her back. That felt really good and relaxed her further.

“You feel right here,” he rasped. “Is the light bothering
you? I forgot to turn it off.”

“It’s not bright.”

“Try to sleep. I’m with you.”

She closed her eyes, but sleep didn’t come right away. Mourn
kept stroking her back, his big hand lightly massaging the curve of her ass
every few minutes. There was no desire to ask Mourn to take her home. She’d
just have to sleep in the guestroom alone. It wasn’t something she wanted to do
when being held by him felt so good. She finally drifted off.

“I apologize for sleeping longer than I believed I would.”
Mourn didn’t look sorry when he smiled. “That’s the best sleep I’ve had in a
long time.”

Dana had to agree. “Me too.”

“I usually wake from nightmares. I even worried I might turn
in my sleep and dump you on the floor.”

She grinned, fighting to get her pants on. The still-wet
material clung to her legs. She managed to get dressed and faced Mourn. He’d
put his wet clothes on too. They were probably a sorry-looking pair with their
worse-for-wear clothing and messy hair. It was obvious they’d just woken.

“I’m glad you didn’t. That wouldn’t have been the best way
to wake up.”

“You should just wear the flag. Your clothes are still too
wet.”

“My brother is going to have a conniption fit as it is. I’ll
wear my damp clothes. Trust me. He’ll really freak out if I come home without
them on.”

He chuckled. “Tonight we’ll sleep in a real bed together
with plenty of room. I’ll have housing arranged for us.”

She was ready to panic when she jerked her head up to stare
at him. “I’m not ready to move in with you yet.”

All trace of his good mood faded. “Don’t say no.” He stepped
closer and brushed her hair off her cheek. “Try it for seven days. I’ll let you
go if you don’t want to stay. This is a compromise.”

“That’s putting a lot of pressure on both of us.”

“No pressure. Be yourself, Dana. I care about you. Let us
live together. I think we will be happy, and I hope you will learn this can
work between us.”

She chewed on her bottom lip, pondering it. The damage was
done. She wasn’t going to forget about Mourn any time soon. They’d been
intimate. To return to her old life without trying to see if a relationship
between them could work would leave her with regrets. She had enough of those
to last her a lifetime.

“Let’s date.”

He stepped closer. “I want to sleep with you every night.”

“We’re already moving too fast. I’ve been told that New
Species don’t date, but humans do. We already skipped right to the sex.” She
glanced around the shed. “You have a home, right? Tonight you can take me there
and we can spend time together. I don’t expect you to take me out to dinner, or
to see a movie. I get that it’s not really possible to do that at Homeland. The
bar seems like the only social place to hang out, and that’s not exactly
romantic. I haven’t seen a movie theatre here.”

“I don’t want to take you to the men’s dorm. I’m worried it
will be uncomfortable.”

“Why?”

“The males hang out in the living spaces on the first floor.
They might be alarmed, seeing you with me, and try to prevent me from taking
you to my apartment.”

Sympathy for him came fast. “Because you picked fights with
them?”

He nodded. “They’d wish to protect you, believing I’m
unstable.”

“You don’t think they’d try to stop us from living
together?”

“We’d be assigned to couples housing—the cottages where
Species live with their mates. It’s more private and we’d have fewer males to
deal with. Darkness might help us get a home. He thinks you are good for me.”

She remembered that name. “Isn’t he the one you fought with
when we met?”

“Yes.”

“You talked to him about us?”

He nodded. “I didn’t have a choice. He knows we’ve been
meeting at night, and wanted to know why. He threatened to send me to
Reservation if my intentions weren’t good.”

“Why would he do that?”

“He worried I would do to you what Vengeance has attempted
in the past.”

“What’s that?”

“He has tried to grab human females and take them.”

She gawked at him. “Take them?”

“Ven’s mate died at Mercile. He’s considered unstable too.
He just wants a female to love and care for. He needs purpose in his life.
Darkness was concerned I’d steal you from your brother and take you home with
me by force. I told him I’d never do that.”

“Did this Vengeance do that to someone?”

“He has tried to grab a female a couple of times but the
males stopped him. He’s very lonely. He just wanted to take one home and keep
her.”

“Has he had counseling? It sounds like he needs it.”

“We’ve all had to speak to head shrinks, but they don’t
understand us. They think the way humans do, and not like a Species.”

She let that sink in, pondering what it meant.

“The head shrink I spoke to grew angry with me when I told
him about how 139 became my mate.”

“Why was he angry?”

“Kregkor said it was akin to rape when we mated, and asked
Justice to keep me away from 139. Justice refused his request and banned him
from going near us. He tried but the officer at the gates of Species housing
refused to allow him to come to our home. Kregkor no longer works for the NSO.
The US government assigned him to work at Homeland but Moon’s mate got him
fired. Joy is a head shrink too, and said he was an asshole. She spoke to me
after someone told her what he’d said to me, and the accusations he’d made
about how letting me care for my mate would damage her more. Joy understands
Species much better.”

“He does sound like an asshole.”

“Thank you for taking it well when I told you how 139 became
my mate. I understand that’s not how humans form bonds.”

She closed the distance between them and took his hand.
“You’re an amazing man, Mourn. You’re sweet and kind. I’m so sorry for what
Kregkor said to you.”

He smiled. “Why do you always apologize for other humans?”

She grinned. “I don’t know.”

“It’s adorable, but not necessary. I didn’t take it
personal. He thinks human. Our history is vastly different. We didn’t have
choices, even once.”

She had the urge to kiss him but wasn’t that forward. “We
should get to Paul’s before he really freaks out.”

“I want you to live with me.”

“I know, but I need to think about that.”

“May I ask Darkness to get us couples housing so we can go
there at night? I’ll move into the cottage and you can visit me so we have
privacy.” He glanced around the shed, and then at her again. “I want to take
you somewhere nicer than this.”

She nodded. “Do you think he can do that?”

“I do. I get off at four today. May I pick you up at around
four thirty? I’ll get takeout food for us, and we can eat at the cottage
together. It will be like a date, but no one will try to intervene.”

“I’d like that.”

“What do you like to eat?”

“I had their fried chicken dinner when Paul took me to the
bar. I liked that a lot.”

“I’ll order it for you.”

Mourn stepped around her and opened the door. The bright
light blinded her for a moment, but she followed him. Mourn spun and she wasn’t
surprised when he just scooped her up into his arms. He seemed to enjoy
carrying her, or maybe he thought her walking on grass wasn’t acceptable. She
wrapped her arms around his neck as he closed the door.

“Let me do the talking when we get to the house.” She felt
better prepared to handle Paul. “I have no idea how to make my brother
understand why I spent the night with you, but I’ll do my best. Just promise me
you won’t deck Paul. No picking a fight with him. He’s not going to react well
when we show up there. He’s probably already discovered that I’m not in the
guestroom.”

“I have no desire to fight with males anymore, especially
one who matters so much to you. I’ll restrain him if he attacks me.”

She winced. “I don’t want you two to fight.”

“You’re a fully grown female. It’s your decision to sleep
with me, not his.”

“You don’t understand big brothers.”

“That is true. I have no family.”

The park seemed abandoned. They approached the back of
Paul’s house. It was the first indication of what waited inside. Two uniformed
New Species officers were on the patio, one of them talking into a cell phone.

“Shit. Paul must have called Security.”

“It will be fine,” Mourn murmured.

The guard on his phone hung up and slid his cell into his
front pocket. Mourn stepped over the divider wall and carried Dana to them. He
lowered her gently to her feet. The guard shot a glare at him but addressed
Dana when he spoke.

“Are you harmed?”

“No.”

The slider opened and a tall, black-haired New Species
stepped out. The harsh expression on his face made him kind of scary. He wasn’t
wearing a uniform though. Instead he wore jeans and a black button-down shirt.

“Darkness.” Mourn stepped closer to Dana and put his body
between her and the other man.

“It’s ten thirty. Paul woke and was very alarmed when he
realized his sister wasn’t in her room. He called for a full-scale search of
Homeland to find her. I intervened and have kept him here. I did, however, have
to inform him that you two have been spending your evenings together.” He swept
his gaze over Dana—a quick examination. “I promised him she’d be fine. She
looks it.”

“We slept too long. I apologize.” Mourn reached back and
took her hand. “I’ve asked Dana to live with me, but she needs more time before
she feels at ease with that. I’d still like to request a place at couples
housing so she can visit me there. Would you speak on my behalf and make it
happen?”

Darkness hesitated, apparently thinking it over. “What’s
wrong with the men’s dorm?”

“The other males might wish to protect her from me. I don’t
want issues to arise.”

The black-haired guy seemed to ponder it for long seconds.
“I could arrange that.”

“I go on shift at noon, but I get off duty at four. Do you
think it can be settled by then? I don’t want to have to take her to the shed
every time we meet.”

Darkness nodded. “I think I can.” He looked at Dana then.
“Would you feel safe in a more private location with him?”

She squeezed Mourn’s hand, grateful to be holding on to him.
The big black-clad guy scared her. “Yes. We’re trying to get to know each other
better,” she responded, feeling the need to explain. The situation kind of
reminded her of the first time she’d met Tommy’s father after they’d started
dating. She’d been terrified he’d tell her to get lost and not to go near his
son.

Darkness sighed. “All right. You might want to speak to your
brother. He’s been pacing his living room, and refused to calm until you were
found.” He looked at Mourn. “You stay put. He wishes to punch you. I refuse to
allow you to fight a human, especially that one.”

“I gave my word I’d only restrain Paul if he attacks me.”

Darkness growled. “Let her go inside alone. Her brother
won’t harm her. It is best if she talks to Paul without you within his sight.
You are going on duty in a little over an hour. You smell like the female. You
need a shower, and it will give you some time to pack your belongings before
shift.”

“I should speak to Paul and reassure him that Dana is safe
with me.”

Darkness shook his head. “It’s obvious, even to a human,
what the two of you did. Trust me, he will attack you. You shared sex with his
sister. This is a family issue that she needs to address without you. Say
goodbye to her, and you can pick her up after your shift ends. I’ll contact you
with your new address. I’ll stay here to make certain all is well. I won’t
allow anything to happen to her, but you will just exacerbate the situation.”

Dana tugged on Mourn’s hand until he looked at her. “He’s
right. I’ll handle Paul. You should shower before you go to work. I’ll be
okay.”

He scowled.

She rushed on before he could protest. He looked as if he
planned to. “Go pack your things if you plan to move today. You should eat
something too. You said you get off work at four. I’ll be ready when you show
up for our date.”

“I don’t want you to face Paul alone if he’s angry that I
kept you out all night.”

“Fuck,” Darkness muttered. He glared at Mourn. “Trust me. Go
home, shower, and do what your female said. Eat breakfast and pick her up after
your shift. Do you want to make things easier on her? Don’t make her watch her
brother attack you. He will.”

Mourn growled low. “Fine.” He released Dana’s hand. “I’ll be
here when my shift ends, right after I pick up food.”

“I’ll see you then.”

He spun and stormed away. Dana watched him go, worried. He
looked angry. Darkness cleared his throat, and she tore her gaze off Mourn to
face him. She tensed, not liking his grim expression.

“Am I in trouble?”

“For sharing sex with Mourn?”

She nodded. “I tried to talk him out of it.”

Darkness stepped closer. “Did he force the sex?”

“No. It wasn’t like that.”

“Why do you think you’d be in trouble then?”

“He’s grieving the loss of his mate. I told him it was a bad
idea to get involved so soon with someone else, but he didn’t agree. I can
understand if you think I took advantage of him, but I promise that hurting him
is the last thing I want.”

He surprised her by suddenly laughing.

“What’s funny?”

“Humans are. No one at Homeland will think you took
advantage of him. It’s funny every time I hear those words. He pursued you. Our
males can be very convincing, as I suspect you’ve learned firsthand since he
kept you all night and most of the morning. Go inside to your brother.” He
stepped aside.

Dana hesitated. “Is Paul really angry?”

“He’s worried.”

She nodded, took a deep breath and blew it out. She
advanced, passing the two guards without glancing at them, and entered the
house. Paul was in the kitchen with Becky. They were talking, but stopped the
second they spotted her. Paul rushed forward.

“Where the hell have you been?” He came to a halt a few feet
away, taking her in from head to toe. “Are you all right? Did that crazy son of
a bitch hurt you?”

“Mourn isn’t crazy.”

“So you were with him? Darkness said you’ve been meeting him
every night after we went to bed.”