“Nah. I don’t feel like that about you, and I’m getting nothing off you. This is just for fun. Kind of a welcome-to-your-new-world thing. Did you ever do that back in your day?”
“At the festivals, yes.”
“Then think of this as pure pleasure with no expectations on either side.” Rolf snapped his fingers. “Take off your pants. I want to see you.”
Aki obliged and Rolf fell to his knees, his tongue emerging to lick Aki’s already erect cock. “Damn, you’re big.” Even as he murmured the words, Rolf was sucking Aki deep into his mouth.
The explosion of senses made Aki’s knees wobble as Rolf brought him to a hard and brutal climax. Within minutes, he was coming down Rolf’s throat, his hand fisted in his partner’s thick, red hair. Was it wrong that he thought of Elli while he did it? Wished she was kneeling at his feet and struggling to accept the length of his cock?
He gulped in some air and released his rigid grip. “That was…good. I thank you.”
Rolf got slowly to his feet, wiped his mouth and headed into the shower. “That was just an appetizer. Let’s clean up and then if you feel like it, I can show you the rest of my repertoire.”
“Good morning, brother.”
Aki turned to see Einarr entering the kitchen area. He had the smug look of a well-satisfied man and moved rather slowly toward the white box with the icy insides where food was kept. Aki had opened it accidentally once and recoiled from the coldness.
“I am surprised you can even walk,” Aki grumbled.
Einarr smirked. “Frey cannot, which is why I am bringing her breakfast in bed.”
“Do not pretend you know how to use the implements. Chase will be back in a minute to serve you. She does not appreciate ‘Vikings rampaging through her pantry.’”
Einarr snorted and Aki raised an eyebrow. “I have not seen you for two days. The least you could do is sit down and talk to me for a few moments.”
Einarr’s smile faded. “What is wrong?”
“Something has to be wrong before my twin can tear himself away from his lover’s arms and speak to his only living brother?”
“I am sorry. I know I am not being fair to you, but seeing Frey again…sharing her body and her mind has been the best experience of my life.” He took a seat opposite Aki. “You have my permission to laugh. I never imagined I would meet a woman who consumed me as Frey does.” Einarr sighed, reached across the table and took Aki’s hand. “I have also been neglectful of you.”
“I have managed quite well by myself. The soldiers from Earth have been most welcoming…” He thought about Rolf’s talented mouth. “Most welcoming indeed.”
“Good. I will make time to meet them today, I promise you.”
The door opened and Chase, the woman who ran all the kitchens in Ash’s large dwelling, came in and smiled at them both.
“Oh, Aki, he
does
look like you. His hair is quite different, but you both have such lovely blue eyes.”
Einarr rose to his feet, strolled over to Chase and bowed. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Chase shook his hand. Aki reckoned his brother was almost two feet taller than the diminutive cook.
“Now are you looking for something to eat for you and your young lady? What does she fancy?”
Einarr frowned. “I do not know.”
Chase laughed. “Then I’ll give you a bit of everything and you can surprise her.” She opened one of the cupboards. “Would you like some more pancakes, Aki?”
“Yes, please.” He’d been a bit suspicious when Rolf had persuaded him to try the flat brownish circles. They resembled oatcakes but they tasted remarkably like the flat patties his mother used to make. After he’d been introduced to the sticky syrup that went with them, he’d quickly decided they were very good.
Einarr strolled back over to him and swiped a piece of pancake from his stack. “This is excellent.”
Aki slapped his hand. “Get your own.”
“Sit down, Einarr. I won’t be a minute,” Chase bustled around the kitchen. “I’ll make you up a tray in no time.”
Einarr sat and Aki lowered his voice. “How did you know Frey was your woman?”
“It was obvious.”
“In what way?”
“In all the ways that mattered. I just knew that she was mine.” Einarr shrugged his wide shoulders. “I cannot really explain it.”
“Do you think everyone is supposed to feel like that when they meet their mate?”
“I do not know. You should ask the Pavlovans.” Einarr looked at him more closely. “Why?”
“Because I thought there was something between me and Elli. Her thoughts call to me, as does her body. She is quiet but brave and she does not allow me to intimidate her. Beneath that soft exterior, she has a warrior’s heart. I have never met a woman who affects me in this way before.”
“You always say that.” Einarr slapped his arm. “You fall in love far too easily.”
“That was in our old life,” Aki insisted. “Here all is different. Here I can use my magic freely and have found a female who can accept me as I am.”
“All the females here are mind thinkers, Aki. Maybe you are overreacting.”
“So you feel the same way about all the Pavlovan women as you do about Frey?” Aki demanded. “She is no different to them?”
“She is my mate.” Einarr growled and thumped his fist on his broad chest. “I know it here.”
Aki sat back. “See? You know it. I did not think of your Frey like that for a second. I think Elli is meant to be mine.”
“Then tell her.”
“I tried. She insists that I do not know my own mind and is keeping away from me and out of my bed.”
Einarr let out a breath. “If she truly is your mate. I suspect that whatever you feel for her will resolve itself and become clearer. If she is right and the feelings disappear, then you will certainly know it.”
“I don’t know what I feel or who I am anymore,” Aki groused.
“Then give yourself time to find out.”
“Your tray is ready, Einarr,” Chase called out.
“Do you wish me to speak to Elli Slavin about this?” Einarr asked.
“You? I don’t think so. But maybe your female could? They are friends.”
“I’ll ask her.” Einarr stood and slapped Aki on the back. “I will see you later, brother.”
Einarr went back to feed his woman, and Aki contemplated what lay ahead of him for the day. Exercising with his fellow warriors, learning the Pavlovan language so that he could do without the translator and maybe going out in the city.
He’d been out twice now and both times he’d hated the experience. There was nothing he could understand or relate to out there. The people were not like him, and the buildings and vehicles made him feel dizzy and small. Aki heaved a sigh.
There was no way of hiding it. He was afraid to go out into this alien world. Even looking down at it from the top of the building made him feel like emptying his innards. And the sounds of city… Not just the incessant rumble of noise that found its way even through the thick glass, but the thousands of mind talkers he couldn’t escape…
“Here are your pancakes, Aki, and someone else to visit you. Good morning First Officer Slavin.”
Aki looked up to see Elli standing by the door. She wore a dark blue garment that covered her from neck to waist and a short, tight skirt fitted to her body and displaying the length of her legs. Her fair hair was tied back at the nape of her neck and she wasn’t smiling.
He still wanted her.
“Hey, Chase, hi Aki.” She came to sit opposite him. “I wondered whether you’d like to make a start on those shielding lessons?”
If it meant he didn’t have to venture down into the city he would agree to anything.
“I would like that.”
“The other guys are going out so we can sit in here and work without disturbing anyone.” She waved at his plate. “Finish up first. I’ll get some coffee.”
Elli wanted to sit in Aki’s lap and feed him the pancakes and then maybe pour a bottle of syrup all over him and lick it off…
Yeah…
She was
so
not needy. She forced herself to get some coffee, spoke briefly to Chase before she left to prep Ash’s lunch, and gave herself a severe talking to. Aki was her student. She had to remain aloof and in control around him. Only when he was fully integrated into Pavlovan society would she have the right to find out what his feelings were about being mated.
The fact that she was even using the “M” word again was a big deal. She’d decided she was done with all that after Carlin had publicly disowned her. But Aki was so…
gorgeous
. She glanced over at him and almost choked on her coffee because he was staring right back at her.
As if in a dream, she watched him pick up his empty plate and bring it over to the sink. He wore a tight black T-shirt and pants that did nothing to hide his bulging muscles. She’d never been into men who worked out before, but now she wanted to climb him like a tree.
He put his plate in the sink and turned toward her, his head angled to one side making his fair hair fall over his shoulder.
“You confuse me, Elli.”
She licked her suddenly dry lips. “In… in what way?”
“You study me as if I am something you would like to devour and yet your mind remains clear.”
“That’s because I have good shields.”
He frowned and moved closer to trace the line of her brow. “It is ironic that the one person I would like to hear my thoughts chooses not to hear me.”
“As we’ve already discussed, you need to work on this so that you can choose to share your thoughts with whomever you
want
rather than broadcasting everything to everyone.”
“You think I imagine being in bed with everyone?”
She blinked up at him.
“You think I imagine stripping the clothes from every Pavlovan and using my mouth on them?” His thumb moved lower and traced the curve of her lips. “I imagine your mouth on me, too.”
She took a hasty breath to argue with him, but instead used the tip of her tongue to touch the pad of his finger.
“Elli…” He shuddered. “Please.”
He pushed his thumb deeper into her mouth. She didn’t stop him and sucked on him instead. With a groan, he lowered his head and replaced his thumb with his lips and tongue, taking possession of her mouth in a way that offered her no quarter.
She forgot her name, forgot that they were standing in the kitchen of Ash’s apartment and simply kissed him back. He tasted of syrup and coffee and male and she wanted to drown in the rough combination of hardness and sweetness…
He picked her up, settled her on the countertop and moved between her knees. His head lowered, nuzzling her throat, biting her to hold her still as his hand crept up her inner thigh and curved over the damp mound of her panties.
“Oh, Gods…” she breathed as he slid one long thick finger beneath the silk and barely up inside her. His thumb settled over her clit, and just like that she came apart, clutching a handful of his long blond hair in her fist as she climaxed.
He lifted his head and slowly inhaled. “You want me, Elli. Do not deny it. You are slick and wet and ready for my cock.”
She could only stare helplessly into his blue eyes as he licked her juices off his finger.
Behind them, someone delicately cleared his throat. She slid off the countertop and turned to face the intruder, checking to see that her skirt was all the way down.
“I apologize for interrupting, Elli, but I needed to speak to you both.” Ash came further into the kitchen, his expression far too innocent for Elli’s liking, although he winked at her as he went past.
Aki wiped his hand slowly across his mouth and looked dazed. She reckoned she probably looked about the same. What was wrong with her that she could forget all those years of restraint and perfect behavior and allow a man to touch her like that in public? Anyone would think she had finally found the right male for her. She pushed that traitorous thought away. Rushing into anything when she was so aroused like a naïve fool would be fatal.
“Good morrow, Ash.”
“I had a message from the Oracle this morning,” Ash said. “She wishes me to take you and Einarr to her Temple at Quoxor as soon as possible.”
Elli sat down hard on the nearest stool. So much for putting distance between her and Aki. It seemed as if she would be separated from him regardless. That bothered her far more than it should have.
“Why?” Aki asked.
“I don’t know, but in my experience, when the Oracle tells you to do something, it’s usually best to comply,” Ash said. He nodded at Elli. “She wishes you to accompany Aki so that you can continue your ‘lessons.’”
Elli couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry.
“What about Einarr and his female?” Aki asked.
“I have already spoken to Einarr and Frey. They are coming as well. We will be leaving tomorrow.” Ash nodded and headed for the door. “Carry on.”
Aki sat down and slammed his hands against the table, making it rock. “I do not like being ordered around.”
“You can’t really argue when it’s the Oracle who is doing the ordering. She can see into the future, Aki. If she wants to meet you and Einarr so urgently, she must know something important.”
“Mayhap she has found a way to get us back home?”
The hope in Aki’s blue eyes made Elli feel selfish for her lack of pleasure at that thought. “Who knows?”
He patted the seat next to him. “We should continue our lesson. It was becoming far more enjoyable than I had expected.”
She stayed where she was and crossed her arms over her bosom so that he wouldn’t notice her nipples were hard and begging for his attention.
“I didn’t mean to kiss you. It’s unprofessional.”
“I do not understand your ‘professional.’” He sighed. “I enjoyed kissing you. I want you naked and stretched out under me, Elli, but you seem determined not to believe I know my own mind.”
“Perhaps when we see the Oracle she will be able to tell you whether we are… meant to be together.”
He raised his head. “I know in my heart that we are meant to be together.”
“It doesn’t always work out like that, you know.”
“Who hurt you, Elli?” He growled and half-rose out of his chair. “Tell me his name, and I will avenge your honor.”
She reached over and pressed her palm to his shoulder, pushing him gently back down. “It’s okay, really. I don’t need my honor saved today.” She hesitated. “It’s just that sometimes we need time to decide how we really feel about something, or someone.”