Astonish (3 page)

“They became more peaceful and ceased breeding for the warrior traits of strength and stamina. I am slightly intimidating to my own race now.”

There was no apology in his tone. He was merely stating a fact. He returned to sitting at her feet, one arm curled under her calves, his hand idly stroking her foot. The small touch should have been negligible, but her arousal flared back into full awareness the moment that he ran his thumb along the arch of her foot.

It was amazing that such a light caress could have her shivering, but only the scent of fresh food broke her sensual haze.

The long table at the side of the clearing was ready and two young women loaded platters and brought them to Rimeer and Ceelie.

Without asking him, she slithered to the ground and leaned against the base of the tree as a support. With her platter in her lap, she started to explore the roasted pieces. She paused when she realized she had an audience.

“Why is everyone staring?”

“As the honoured guest, you must eat first, or no one else can eat.” Rimeer took a piece of what seemed to be roasted mushroom and trailed it across her lips.

Out of reflex, she parted her mouth slightly and he slipped the food inside, while his eyes took on a heat that was far beyond his earlier intensity.

The flavours spread in her mouth and her body warmed with heat. Everyone else started talking at once, but she only had eyes for the male next to her. He fed her, piece by piece and when her mouth dried, he lifted the cup of water to her lips.

By the end of the meal, her stomach was sated, but her body was on fire.

She wanted him. She had been told she could have him and she wanted it much sooner rather than later.

Chapter Four

In a further example of torture, Rimeer-Hassoi lifted her into his lap as he took her previous position in the tree-chair. Pressing her thigh against the thick rod of his arousal didn’t do wonders for her equilibrium, but the feel of his chest against her gave her the strangest feeling of being protected that she could recall.

From the moment that she had left Earth, she had felt like a nudist in a porcupine colony. She had shut down her emotions and devoted her life to making the people around her happy. With her previous assignments, it had been easy. She had only needed to do a little procuring here and there and her employers had been delighted with her. Keeln was the exception and the fly in the ointment. The instant that she met him, he showed her contempt and as they grew to know each other, it shifted to lust. Both emotions scared the hell out of her.

Rimeer scared her, too, but in a good way. Nothing that he did would physically hurt her, but she would be emotionally pushed to her limits, she could tell. One night with him and she would never be the same. If Ceelie wanted to be honest with herself, she didn’t want to be the same. She wanted to be more, had always wanted more but had no idea how to go about it.

Keeln was sitting on the ground with Hassoi surrounding him. Some of the Hassoi women and men danced, played music and generally provided a fine night of entertainment.

Rimeer smiled and wrapped his arm around her hips. “I believe that we should seek out some privacy.”

His words were whispered against her neck and she could only nod nervously. He surged to his feet and before she knew it, they had disappeared into the forest.

The leaves and trees bent out of their way as Rimeer walked deeper into the unrelieved dark. Ceelie was glad that he knew where he was going, because she certainly had no clue.

His hands cradled her protectively as they moved at a speed fast enough to whip her hair around them. She pressed her face into his chest and hung on as they streaked through the night.

When he slowed, she looked up and noticed the phosphorescent glow that lit his skin. “Where are we?”

“The spring of Hassoi. He thought it fitting that we join together fully, here.”

She blushed at the thought. “I see.”

He chuckled and released her legs so that she was plastered against him with one burly arm. “No, you don’t, not yet, but you will.”

The semi-threat made her tremble. He raised his hand and a bed of vines coiled and writhed next to the spring. Rimeer narrowed his eyes and made some final adjustments before a wave of moss covered the vines.

He set her on her feet and with a few deft tugs, removed the dress from her to puddle around her ankles. A low groan broke from his throat. “Lovely. Even better than I imagined.”

She folded her hands in front of her and leaned her head forward. It looked demure, but she was hiding her breasts in the fall of her hair and the joint of her thighs with her hands.

“Do not hide yourself, Ceelie.” His tone was harsh.

She immediately moved her hands to her sides. Rimeer lifted his hands and shifted the fall of her hair so that it fell down her back.

“Climb onto the platform, Ceelie. Place your arms above your head and part your ankles.”

She was mortified. “But—”

“Do it, Ceelie.” His tone didn’t allow for negotiation.

Nervously, she climbed onto the springy and soft platform. His eyes glowed as she followed his orders and she lifted her arms above her head.

When she parted her ankles, he groaned and she felt Hassoi’s energy spike in her.

Vines snaked around her wrists and ankles, pulling her thighs further apart and arching her back. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but she had never felt so exposed and erotic before and it was having a riotous effect on her senses.

Under her avid gaze, Rimeer removed his clothing swiftly before moving toward her. The glow of the moss under and around her lit his body in a fearsome outline and cast his cock in a harsh light. It seemed more weapon than masculine as he approached her and when he joined her on the platform, she quivered as it came closer.

His kiss started on the inside of one ankle, trailing up to the joint of her thighs, parting her sex and licking inside.

The suddenness of his mouth on her caused her to shriek, but when his tongue took up an undulating rhythm, she moaned.

Her hips rose to meet his mouth over and over, but when she was on the edge of release, he withdrew.

“Not until I am inside you.”

She shivered at his words whispered against her inner thigh. He began again at her other ankle and worked his way up once again, this time, bypassing her weeping sex and working his way across her torso. Her nipples felt the sharp edges of his teeth, the slope of her breast, the curve of his lips and the swipe of his tongue.

She whimpered as his teeth tugged gently on her neck and sighed as he sucked her earlobe. Ceelie could feel his cock pressing against her opening, parting the lips of her sex and working into her inch by inch.

Rimeer kissed her as he shifted his hips and plunged into her completely. She felt so full as he started to move that her breath came in pants, her lips pressed against his at each soft, whimpered sigh shared with her lover.

He thrust into her in a hard beat, their bodies slapping together wetly as the spray from the spring coated them.

Ceelie arched to meet him, the sliding friction of his flared head inside her warmed her and stroked each nerve ending that she had. Her cries took on a high, desperate pitch and finally, she froze, her body clutching at him and squeezing hard, stroking his cock from head to base.

Rimeer groaned and his body shook against her.

She felt the jet of heat inside and wished that her arms were free to wrap around him. As soon as she expressed the wish, her arms were free and she ran her fingers through his hair, bringing his lips to hers in a frantic kiss.  She wished for her legs to be free and the moment that the vines released her, she wrapped her thighs around his, holding him inside her.

“I didn’t say you could move your arms, Ceelie.” His growl sounded against her throat.

“You didn’t say I couldn’t. I wanted to hold you and the vines let me go.” She stroked her fingers slowly through his hair and he moved his hips, sliding inside her once again.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and rocked back on his heels.

She held onto his shoulders as he cupped her hips and lifted her, slowly lowering and raising her again and again. The forest glowed around them, blues joining the greens and spots of light flitting past in a lovely dance that complemented Rimeer’s movements inside her.

She kissed at his neck, jaw and stroked his shoulders and arms as they moved together. The heat built up inside her until her fingers tingled, her feet curled and she was helpless to forward her pleasure.

“Tell me what you want.”

“Please.” Her voice was a whimper.

“Tell me.”

She shook and tried to concentrate. “You. I want you, Rimeer. Hard, fast, anyway you want to take me, I want you.”

He growled and bit her neck while he used one hand between them to stroke her clit. She screamed at the combination of pleasure and pain but gave herself up to blinding waves of sensation as her body began to change.

Chapter Five

Her temperature ran hot and cold for what seemed like days. She lay in Rimeer’s arms as her skin hardened and Hassoi made over her aspect.

“What is happening to me?” Ceelie’s voice was weak.

“Hassoi is changing you to match me, so that we can have a long and happy life together.” Rimeer stroked her hair away from her face and smiled down at her.

Ceelie noted the concern in his eyes and reached up to caress his face. Her arm was the same pale shade it had always been, but the texture had changed. Her skin was stronger and had the shine of a new leaf. Her nails were a pale green, but that was the only concession to the change that she could see at first glance.

“You have to meet with Ambassador Keeln today, or he will never leave.” She smiled as she stroked his hair. Her hand picked up textures that she had missed before the change began.

“We will engage in the negotiations together. Are you able to sit up?” Rimeer put his arm behind her.

She struggled and got herself upright with his help. She was back on the mossy platform, but she was still naked. The biggest change that she could see was that her nipples had a slight green colouration.

Rimeer did not want you to change. He loves the way you look now.

Ceelie blinked.
Why are you talking to me directly now?

You are my newest avatar. Why should I not speak to you?

But Rimeer is your avatar.

I am a planet, Ceelie. I could make the entire population my avatar if I wished. Now, stop being silly and attend to your mate.

“Ceelie? Your eyes changed shades.” He was giving her a worried frown.

“Hassoi was speaking to me and calling me silly.” She smiled.

Relief washed over him. “Let’s get you dressed and we can return to the clearing.”

The gown he held up was far more elaborate than the one from the day before.  It was green and studded with gemstones around the upper edge of the bodice and the wide band of the waist. “What are these?”

“Jewels of Hassoi. They are found in the deepest recesses of the planet and Hassoi has released them just for you. The only other folk here wearing them are the headman and woman of each village.”

That surprised her. “How many villages are there?”

“Ninety-four. We will have to visit them all to introduce you to your population.”

He smiled as she stood and shimmied into the gown. The fastenings were some light lacing at the back that she managed with only a few short tugs.

“Why are all the women here wearing trousers and I get a long gown?” Her curiosity on the matter was genuine.

His grin was positively mischievous. He lifted her by the waist, pressed her up against a tree and lifted her skirt. The bark of the tree softened against her back and her eyes widened as he pressed her skirt up beyond her hips.

With a slight shift of his hips, he was pressing against her and her body was creating copious amounts of honey to assist him. He slid into her and stared into her eyes the entire time. The hard thrusts brought her orgasm to her in short order and he pounded into her with jerking motions until he groaned and jetted inside her.

When they had both resumed normal breathing, he slid out of her and pressed a long kiss to her neck. “That is why you wear the gown.”

She chuckled weakly and held onto him. “Good reasoning. I was just wondering.”

He laughed and walked with her to the edge of the spring, bathing his seed from her thighs and her juices from his cock. Rimeer stood and clothed himself in the same garb as the evening before.

Once again, he took her in his arms, but this time, she was able to watch as he sped them through the woods.

It is a gift I give to my people. The woods part for those who have drunk from the spring of Hassoi.

It is a good gift. Will I be able to do that?

The planet actually laughed in her mind.
You had best learn your way around before you try and run through the woods. Rimeer might not enjoy tracking you down, but then again, he might.

Oh dear.

Exactly. I am glad that you two are compatible. It is a wonderful thing to feel his heart so light and your hesitant anticipation.

I am trying to be less hesitant.

Give it time. You have all the time in my world now. I have no interest in getting an alternate avatar. You are mine until you and Rimeer decide that you wish to pass on together.

Comforting thought.

I meant it to be. You have given Rimeer something to live for and he will give you everything he can in return.

Ceelie sighed and smiled against her mate’s chest. He had given her something to look forward to and she could only hope that Keeln would soon be in her past.

“What do you think you are doing, Ceelie?” Ambassador Keeln approached her and he was holding his fists tight against his sides.

Ceelie knew that if Rimeer had not been at her side, one of those fists would have flown toward her already.

“I am following the requests put to me by the avatar of Hassoi.” She didn’t cower in the face of his rage.