He repaid her efforts by thrusting two fingers into her wet body, using his tongue to prod and lave her flesh. When she let out a little scream and arched her body, he surrendered to the urge to follow her into oblivion. Unable to tear himself away from her greedy hands and mouth, he let out a hoarse cry as his seed tore from his rod, pulsing down her throat. She pulled him deeper and greedily swallowed his essence, continuing to grind her hips into him until the last of her tremors had died away.
By the stars above, that had been amazing. It easily equaled every sexual experience he’d ever had in the past, and it was easy to understand why.
She was his mate.
Before he’d even had a chance to recuperate, the ship’s intercom buzzed and Devan’s voice sounded out.
“Bannor. Bannor, please contact the control room.”
Cursing, he slid out of Cindra’s mouth. He rose from the bed but leaned over to smooth stray strands of her long, blonde hair from her face. Her gaze was unfocused but a satisfied smile transformed her face. After pressing a kiss to her lips, he asked, “Are you okay, beloved?”
“Yes,” she murmured dreamily. “That was amazing.”
With a self-satisfied grunt, he straightened, tugging the loincloth down. “Ship, connect me to the control room.” When the static receded, he said, “What is it?”
“Sorry to disturb you, Bannor, but we’ve been contacted by a close-by Spygian ship.”
Their treks through space occasionally resulted in run-ins with other traveling Spygians, and it was customary to greet each other, but that wasn’t something that necessarily needed his presence.
“And so?” he growled impatiently.
“Well,” Devan continued. “They have some interesting information for us.”
“What is it?”
“You’re not going to believe it,” Devan said, a hint of a wondrous laugh in his voice. “You should get up here immediately. And bring our mate.”
Something that required Cindra’s presence?
Interesting indeed.
Turning to their gorgeous mate, who still lay on the bed with a happy smile on her face, Bannor cocked a brow. “Well, beloved, it appears we are being summoned.”
Chapter Eight
Cindra’s curiosity built to a crescendo as she followed Bannor to the control room, her hand ensconced safely in his. Her legs were still shaky from his incredible lovemaking, and she could taste his essence on her tongue. Part of her wanted to do nothing more than lie on her bed, basking in the afterglow of their encounter, but Devan had been insistent that she accompany Bannor to the control room.
What could be so important that they’d want her there? She didn’t know any other Spygians, so she couldn’t see how the other ship was of any import to her.
Maybe it was customary for Spygians to present their mates to one another.
But then, why did Bannor seem so bemused about the whole thing?
They entered the control room just in time to hear Devan say, “Permission to board granted.”
Bannor stopped short inside the entrance, one of his thick brows arching. “They’re coming aboard?”
From his position at his controls, Devan turned to face them, grinning like a loon. “With good reason.”
Before Bannor could say anything further, the air shimmered in the transporter portal set up in one corner of the room. Three figures appeared. Cindra’s gaze automatically passed from the smaller person in the center to those on the ends. They were two large Spygians who looked mouthwateringly similar to Bannor, Devan, Stefon and Tempos, complete with long hair, bare chests and loincloths. But then the familiarity of the center figure registered. Her eyes going wide with shock, Cindra dragged her gaze back to the woman.
Hauntingly recognizable eyes stared back at her, shimmering with unshed tears. The woman’s long, honey-blonde hair tumbled in loose waves down her back and her tawny skin gleamed under the harsh lighting, its soft shimmer visible even under her cream-colored tank top and tan breeches.
No…no…it can’t be.
“In-Inara?” Cindra choked out.
“Cindra,” the woman replied, her voice hoarse and shaky.
Inara’s voice, a voice she’d thought to never hear again, made her vision splinter and her ears echo. Cindra swayed, fearing for one moment she was about to pass out, but when Bannor tightened his hold on her, turning toward her with an expression of concern, she broke away and rushed toward Inara.
Inara met her halfway, closing her arms around Cindra with a force that stole the breath from her lungs. Scarcely aware of the tears streaming down her face and the choked sobs tearing from her throat, Cindra pulled back to gaze on Inara’s face. She moved her hands to Inara’s cheeks, tracing the lines and curves she knew as well as her own.
“I thought you were dead,” Cindra mumbled. “I knew you were dead. The Malucons were chasing you.”
Inara shook her head, large drops of moisture rolling down her cheeks and dripping onto Cindra’s arms. “I escaped. I’ve been searching for you ever since. And I knew you were still alive. I felt it in my bones.”
With a crazed laugh, Cindra pulled Inara in once again. “I can’t believe this.”
She lost track of how long she and Inara held one another, but finally Bannor cleared his throat. “I take it you two know each other.”
Pulling away from Inara with a soft chuckle, Cindra locked gazes with Bannor. “Inara’s my cousin. My father took her in when she was a small child, after her parents died. We grew up like sisters in my household, and we fled Chivea together when the Malucons invaded, but we were separated shortly thereafter.”
“I searched for her ever since, through the worlds,” Inara said, entwining her fingers with Cindra’s as if she never wanted to let go. Cindra could understand the compulsion. “We landed on Keulot several days ago and traveled throughout, until we came to a small town. The natives told us they’d recently been visited by Malucons, and that another Chivean woman had disappeared at about the same time, as well as a pod of visiting Spygians.”
“I can’t believe this,” Cindra murmured. Her chest swelled with love and hope and disbelief as she gazed upon her cousin. “The odds of us finding each other again were so small. For this to have happened…”
“I knew it would. I just felt it.” Inara grinned and her gaze traveled around the room, taking in each of its occupants. Cindra didn’t miss the gleam in Inara’s eyes, or the way her companions stiffened just a fraction. Her grin grew wider as she turned back to Cindra. “I can’t believe you found a pod of Spygians for your very own.”
Inara’s words made Cindra freeze with shock. She hadn’t put it together until this moment, since she’d been so caught up in her reunion with her cousin, but of course it made sense. There was only one reason Inara would be traveling with a pod of Spygians.
“You’re mated to them?” Cindra asked, her voice quivering with surprise.
Inara nodded. “Those two lugs are Neichon and Valeron. And I’ve got two more back on our ship, Petros and Reyu.” Throwing Cindra a wink, she said, “I guess Chivean women make a good match for Spygians, huh?”
Cindra’s cheeks heated. “I’m not…we have a lot to catch up on.”
“I hear you.” Inara nodded and then grinned. “Why don’t we do it in the dining hall? For the first time in a long time, I’m suddenly finding myself ravenous.”
Now that she mentioned it…it was as if a huge weight had been lifted off Cindra’s back and yes, she was starving too.
Cindra tugged on her cousin’s hand. “Let’s go.”
* * * * *
His heart light, Devan watched their mate exit the room hand in hand with her cousin. When he’d first been contacted by the Spygians and received the news, he’d been totally shocked. The thought that Cindra was about to be reunited with her long-lost cousin had propelled him into action. Seeing their beloved happy made him ecstatic, and as he looked around the room at the faces of his brethren, he knew they felt the same.
The man who’d identified himself as Neichon turned to Bannor. His lips curled into a friendly grin. “You can imagine our surprise when we learned Cindra had indeed come with you. We feared the worst for Inara’s cousin. It’s a relief to know she’s being taken care of.”
Bannor gave Neichon a friendly nod. “Cindra’s cousin as well, though we didn’t know she had one.”
Valeron chuckled. “Well, you would have learned so eventually, I imagine, now that you’re mated.”
The man’s oblivious words sparked the slightest bit of tension in the room. When Bannor didn’t immediately reply, Devan said, “She is not our mate. Yet.”
Neichon cocked a brow, and Bannor elaborated. “She fled with us after the Malucons spotted her on Keulot, but she was engaged to a man on that world.”
“Ah,” Valeron said, nodding in understanding. “So she’s confused.”
“Exactly,” Bannor replied.
Neichon let out a soft chuckle. “Well, I’ve no doubt you’ll convince her.”
“Just think,” Valeron added. “Once she agrees to become your mate, we can all return to Spygia. We can go back home.”