Mating Fever(55)

And when he, too, woke up with a shout, thinking there were Hive about, I soothed him with my voice and my body.

It had been two weeks since we’d arrived. Two weeks of a pseudo-honeymoon at home. We both started our new positions at the training center next week, and Nyko insisted we take advantage of our down time as much as possible. The house was new to both of us, but everything Atlan was new to me. I wanted to explore the planet, to learn the culture, meet people, but Nyko said it could wait.

It wasn’t because he didn’t want to share his world with me, he was just too damn greedy to let me out of his bed. And, at the moment, I was enjoying his attention too much to argue. At least until he didn’t want me to wear clothes.

And that was why we were arguing right now. He was enjoying my nakedness too much.

“I like you naked, too,” I countered. “But someone is at the door. Do you wish them to see me without clothes?”

His smile slipped. “You will remain here.” He pointed to the bed. “Berina can tell them to go away.”

“She will not,” I argued. “Whoever it is will think I’m an invalid or unable to walk.”

“Well, you did walk a little funny this morning after I took you that third—”

I reached up and covered his mouth with my hand. I knew he’d pull it away if he really wanted; he was just too big and strong otherwise. But he didn’t. “You will give me that dress and let me greet our guests. The sooner we see who it is, the sooner you can have me naked again,” I advised.

He thought for a moment, then grumbled something beneath his breath. The NPU worked wonders for translating, but every once in a while, there was something he said that I just didn’t understand, but I got the meaning readily enough by his tone. “Fine. But as soon as that door is closed behind whoever is pestering us, you’ll be naked and fucked against it.”

The promise made me hot for him. Again. This time, I wasn’t going to argue.

I was thankful the customary Atlan dress was easy to don, just slipping it over my head. I wasn’t going to ask after underwear. I knew he wasn’t giving me any. And I didn’t bother arguing about being seen by Berina or any of the other servants. They had made an absolute art of never being where they weren’t supposed to be.

I straightened my dress, a bright orange today, and left Nyko scrambling for his own clothing. When I opened the door—finally—there stood an Atlan and his Earth mate. It was obvious she was from Earth from her size, coloring and the fact that she looked very much like Captain Mills. In her arms was a little girl, perhaps close to one. She had dark hair like her mother and had a thumb in her mouth.

“Sarah?” I asked.

“Thank God. Now I can message my brother and tell him you’re alive and kicking.” Her smile was huge, and friendly, and I knew we would be friends. “He’s been driving me nuts, sending me messages every day.”

“Seth?”

“Who else. He’s halfway across the galaxy and still a pain in my ass.”

Hell yeah, Sarah and I were going to get along just fine and one final worry lifted from me. I could be happy here, outside the walls of this house. I would have a job, and a life, and friends.

I was still laughing at Sarah as I heard and felt Nyko come up behind me. “Warlord Dax. It is good to see you.”

I stepped back and let the couple in. Dax looked wary, but Sarah appeared eager.

“We aren’t interrupting?” Dax asked.

“It’s been two weeks,” Sarah countered. “They can visit with us and then get back to whatever they were doing.”

“You remember doing whatever they were doing yourself. That’s how Lily was made.”

Sarah flushed and I felt my cheeks heat as well, knowing we’d made a baby, too. I hadn’t told Nyko yet because I doubted he’d let me out of bed until the baby was born. Not because he wanted to fuck me all the time, although he probably did, but because he was going to coddle me and pleasure me to death.

“Come in, please.”

I stepped back, forcing Nyko to step back as well. His hand settled on my shoulder as we followed them into the living room. I loved this space, where the windows showed off the beautiful view of the trees and stream. I felt at home here with Nyko. It would be nothing, empty, without him. Our guests sat on a couch across from us, Sarah settled right against her mate’s side. His arm was around her shoulders as if sheltering her.

Berina hurried in, a bright smile on her face, pleased that we had visitors at last. “Welcome! What may I bring you?”

I was quite sure she was tired of bringing food trays up to the bedroom. Then again, judging by the bright, happy look on her face each time Nyko grumbled at her from bed when I insisted on answering the door, she was well pleased with her new Warlord. But then, Nyko was hard to resist, and even harder not to love.