Upon the Threshold (22 page)

“Never,” she said with a sniff. But she shot Elisabeth a look and winked, smiling slightly before wiping the expression away.

Eli couldn’t help the smile that came the moment that she saw Lukkis. “She has been wonderful in ensuring that I am ready for our trip to your homeworld. She is truly a wonderful woman to have as a friend.”

Lukkis was still eyeing Danykia but finally gave in and nodded. “And you, what have you been learning from her today?” he asked. Setting his dishes on the table, he put the tray down at the end of the table on top of theirs.

“I learned that your people are a very proud and staid people. I have also learned that there are dock floozies who toss themselves at my men and that will have to stop. Like whoa, crazy quick like.” Otherwise, Eli might have to hurt someone—somehow at least. She would figure out how to ensure that those wenches never touched her men again.

He shot a confused look to Danykia.

“She’s speaking of the welcomers when the vessels arrive back on the homeworld,” the other woman explained. “I may have mentioned the way they are very free and open about their offers of sex with those on the vessels, and how they always start with the highest-ranking officers.”

That earned Danykia a formidable glower. “And they mean nothing to either of us,” he bit out. Then he looked to Elisabeth. “You cannot be truly concerned about them, can you? We are with you, Elisabeth. You are our mate. We would never be with them now that we have the most perfect and special female in you as our own.”

“Oh, I know that they mean nothing to you. Danykia assured me that the both of you always pushed the women to the side. I never worry about others, not when I know that the bond that the three of us have is solid and secure. No, honey, I mean that I would ensure that these women were very well aware never to think of touching you, is all. I don’t want them to touch you.” Okay, so she was more than a little possessive of her men.

His eyebrows shot up and he sat, blinking at her.

“She did mention doing something very bloody to them should they not take her seriously. To which I told her there was a much easier way of showing them all that you two were hers and hers alone,” Danykia said.

“Oh, and what would that be?” He sounded so damned suspicious.

Eli grinned and shook her head. “Nope, it’s a surprise.” She gave Danykia a look and added, “No one will say a word of what it is until it is done.” She wanted to surprise her men as well as anyone who would be bold enough to try to approach them when they docked.

She watched Lukkis shoot looks back and forth between her and Danykia.

“Do not worry, warrior. It is nothing that will get anyone into any trouble. Shock a few likely, but it is a nonviolent and enjoyable manner in which she can make her point.” Danykia looked to Eli and shrugged. “I had to give him some form of reassurance, Elisabeth. The males have very healthy and overly active imaginations when it comes to what females can get up to.”

Eli’s laugh carried through the camp. She couldn’t help herself. “Oh, heavens. Now that is cute. I know that they certainly have some amazing imaginations when it comes to making love, but I wouldn’t have guessed them for having imaginations when it comes to what we, as women, might get into in a day.”

“You must remember that while they are grown, they still think like young males would. They can get into just as much, if not more, mischief. They are also more devious as they gain years. They have experiences that their younger selves did not, which lends to their imagination. Just because they are now responsible males of society does not mean there does not still lurk a little troublemaker within. That is what you need to remember with them, Elisabeth. They are always thinking, and when you do not give them strict guidelines for their imaginations, they can come up with many crazed and unrealistic things.”

“Ah, gotcha.” Eli nodded and looked to Lukkis. “I happen to love just exactly how they think. They come up with such incredible things to do. This one does this one thing with his tongue.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she flushed scarlet. “Sorry. Crap. I so didn’t mean to say that. Ignore that you ever heard those words from my mouth.” She had no idea what had possessed her to start to talk about Lukkis and his tongue to anyone, friend or not. What in the name of the universe was wrong with her?

Danykia was grinning and shaking her head. “I am never forgetting those words.” She laughed softly. “But I also will never share them with another. Your misspoken words are safe with me. But if you wish to continue with the thought and explain what you meant by them…” She trailed off with a hopeful expression.

Eli laughed. Lukkis, bless his heart, was just staring at her as if waiting for her to continue as well. “That’s okay. I think I will keep that neat little trick that he does a secret. I wouldn’t want you to be too upset with me for stealing him away from everyone.”

Danykia pouted, but it was Lukkis’s amused expression that she ended up looking at. “I think you should tell me later what it is I apparently do.”

“Oh, I will tell you later. After you have shown me again and again.” Leaning into Lukkis, Eli waited until he put his arm around her and sighed happily. “Thank you. I wondered how long it would be before you took the hint that I wanted your arm around me.”

“You could have just asked,” he said. “Besides, I didn’t think you’d want me to do this while I was eating.” He smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her nose. Giving her a squeeze, he leaned back in his chair and drew her with him, stroking his fingers over her arm gently.

“I don’t know. I’m pretty flexible when it comes to anything to do with you. I happen to love having you hugging me, so if you ever feel the need, don’t hold back. I will never, ever turn you away, big boy.”

“Good to know,” he said. Pressing a kiss to her cheek, he nuzzled at her skin. “What are your plans for the rest of the day?” he asked.

“I was going to give her some basic information about what to expect in the capital and some of the general laws and etiquette,” Danykia told him. “I thought it would be helpful, and as a female, I would know what she would need to know better than her mates.”

“Probably not a bad idea,” Lukkis said with a nod. “There are a few things that are female or male oriented only, while everything else is very gender neutral.”

“I agree. I really think that Danykia is a wonderful fount of information. She’s assured me that she will keep me from embarrassing the two of you. I am very thankful for that to be sure,” Eli said happily.

“You could never embarrass us,” he said, giving her a tight squeeze. “You are our mate and are perfect in all ways. You need to know that, no matter what, we love you and truly do not care what any others think. All that matters is what we think of you, and we think you are our little miracle.”

That had her smiling, and she sighed. “You are far too good to me.” She rubbed her cheek to his shoulder and then looked up at him. “I will always do what I can to ensure that you are forever happy. You are mine, just as I am yours, and just as you will do all you can to ensure my happiness, I will do the same with you.”

“Well then, you should just remain naked in our room at all times,” he said. When she smacked his arm, he chuckled. “You said you would do anything to ensure my happiness and that would make me very, very happy. Was this not what you meant, Elisabeth?”

“But what would I do to fill the hours when I was alone?” Eli pouted, figuring that two could play this game. “Would I need to use my own fingers or, worse yet, mechanical devices in order to ensure my pleasure should you or Kraven not be around?”

She felt his body jolt and he growled softly. “No. No touching yourself without us there,” he said. Pressing his lips to her ear, he growled again. “When we return to our room, I think you should show me just how you bring yourself pleasure,” he said, very softly for her ears only.

“I think that I will need some time to figure it out first,” she whispered back to him with a grin. Pulling back, she looked into his eyes and nodded. “However, we will see what I can do to make that happen. I think it would be mind-blowing. But remember, turnabout is fair play. I will want to see the same from you.”

He nodded and smiled. “Deal,” he said. Pressing a kiss to her lips, he drew back and sighed. “Unfortunately I need to check on a few things before I can rejoin you. Will you be returning to your tent, Danykia?”

“Yes, as soon as we have dessert, we will go there for our talk. I wish Elisabeth to be free to ask questions without any worry of others overhearing our discussion. You may come there when you are done.”

“Thank you,” he said and looked down at Eli again. “I will see you soon, all right?” he asked, brushing his nose lightly to hers.

“I look forward to it. I think, however, you should give me one more kiss before you leave. I know that I crave them when I am apart from you, so if you would, please?”

“I could do that.” He nodded, his lips curling into a grin. He placed a chaste kiss to her cheek. “Like that? Or maybe, like this instead?” he asked, brushing a kiss over her lips. “No, no, I got it. I know just what you want.” Cupping her face, he kissed her hard, fast, and so deeply that everything fell away but the press of his lips and the slide of his tongue to hers.

When he parted from her, she was panting and licked her lips. “Oh yes. Just exactly like that one. That was the kiss that I wanted and needed,” she whispered softly. “Wow. You certainly can make a girl forget absolutely everything in the world, that much is for sure.”

He gave her a smug grin and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “And, with that, I must go. I will catch up with you soon, Elisabeth. Danykia.” He tipped his head to the other woman. “Guard our greatest treasure with care and diligence.”

Danykia snorted. “Like I actually have to,” she said with a grin.

Eli just snorted and watched Lukkis walking away. Shaking her head, she sighed happily. “I don’t know why he calls me his greatest treasure when I think personally that he and Kraven are mine.” She would do anything for her men. Anything.

“You are their mate. They view you as being the best thing ever. It is how the males are. You just cannot change them and their oddities. Though we have all tried at some point or another.”

Smiling happily, Eli shook her head. “I’m just happy that they are mine. I couldn’t ask for better mates than them. And as long as they are happy with me too, life couldn’t be better.”

“I beg to differ,” Danykia said. Reaching over to the side, she held out a little covered dish. “Desserts always make life much better.” She grinned and handed the dish to Elisabeth. “This, I think, you will quite enjoy.”

“I hope so. I love desserts. I have a sweet tooth like crazy.” She loved sweets but only certain ones. Anything with certain spices in it caused her to be sick to her stomach. As an afterthought she asked, “They don’t have nutmeg or cinnamon in them, do they?”

Danykia shot her a confused look and tipped her head. Then she shook it and smiled. “No, there are none of those items in here nor anything that could be related. The dessert lets the ingredients, three only, speak for themselves through the preparation and baking process.”

“Ah, well, then I look forward to it.” Eli looked at the dessert and frowned. Lifting it, she inhaled the scent and felt her stomach rumble in reaction. “Oh, sweet merciful heavens, that smells decadent.”

“Give it a try. It is very good and will change your mind about desserts for the rest of your days. It’s all natural, nothing artificial added, and did I mention, only three ingredients. It should not be that good,” Danykia said, shaking her head.

Doing as her friend instructed, Elisabeth took a bite and moaned. She literally moaned. “Oh. My. God.” She looked at Danykia and smiled. “This is amazing.”
Amazing
was an understatement. The dessert was incredible, and words simply couldn’t describe how good it was.

“I did tell you.” She nodded. Digging into her own dish, she hummed happily and licked her lips. They were mostly silent as they ate, except for the occasional moan of pleasure. When they finished, they had practically licked their plates clean.

Leaning back once more, Eli looked to her friend and smiled. “You are too good to me. I don’t know how I could ever repay you for how good you have been to me.” She teased, mostly.

Danykia waved a hand and shook her head. “There is no need. Just as I know you would if our situations were reversed,” she said with a smile. “And you cannot say you wouldn’t. I have gotten to know you and see you for who you are.”

Eli laughed but nodded all the same. “Well, all that I know is that I’m happy to have you as a friend. And you are right. I would totally do the same thing for you.”

“Of course, you would. You are a good female.” Danykia smiled. Gathering up their dishes, she stacked them on a tray and handed them off to one of the tent workers as he came around. “We should get back to my tent before your male comes looking for you.”

“I’m good with that,” Eli said with a grin. “Because the more I know, the more prepared I can be. So yes, let’s go back to your tent so we can have our girl talk about the capital and go from there?”

Chapter Fifteen

When Lukkis came to find Eli again, she and Danykia had been talking for a long time. She’d learned that handshakes, as her people did, were not permitted. No touching at all was allowed except between familial members and mates. The military had their own way of saluting to someone, much like the humans’ military had, and yet very different.

Females on the homeworld had to dress a certain way and were never to walk ahead of a male unless he was her mate. But they always deferred to the highest-ranking male at any meeting or event and allowed him to lead. Danykia had laughed when Eli had muttered something about sexist behavior. Then she had explained that it wasn’t about being sexist. It was a primal need to protect, and the Beast would always ensure the females of any grouping were protected.

Elisabeth had also found out that she’d need to take some language lessons, and soon from the sounds of things. She would be expected to at least know how to greet the dignitaries in the Droushanian language. She didn’t have to be ready to hold a conversation, though it would be expected down the line, but for the first meeting the proper hello was a must.