Chevon's Mate Read online

  She said goodbye to Petr and Samantha, then slipped her hand into Chevon’s and gave his a squeeze. “Is the layout of this ship similar to yours?” she asked as they moved into the outer hall to begin their jaunt.

  “Nearly identical. There are a few small differences but nothing in the public areas. Our engine room is laid out slightly differently. The command deck and our bay layout is different as well. Beyond that everything is identical. It makes it easier for the crews when they cycle through different rotations under different commanding officers to get around.

  “Let’s feed you before we start our walk. We’re almost to the dining hall. I should probably warn you that there are some odd items on the menu here. The chefs have been working to recreate some of the dishes Samantha preferred back home. Some are successful, others…” Chevon pulled a face and shuddered.

  Opening the doors to the dining hall, he waved her inside and followed her to the buffet line. “Anything with a blue marker is to indicate it is a replication of some item from Samantha’s home world. Everything else is Imarian. The ones with the red markers are likely hotter than you would like, so avoid those foods.”

  “I’d really like to try some of her things. I’m intrigued by whatever her people might have eaten.”

  Chevon reached around her and pulled off a couple items, setting them on her tray. “Start with those two first, and we’ll go from there. They’re the tamest of what the crew has been working to recreate which is out here today. If you like these, we can find something else for you to try.”

  “Thank you.”

  Setting a cup on her tray, he put a second on his own, then collected a decanter of juice for them to share. “Choose a table, little mate.”

  She picked a table near the corner so that they both could have a back to the wall. It was a bit unnerving to be around others right now but she would survive it. “You are so good to me,” she told him as he poured her a drink.

  “I know, I am a gem.” Grinning, he shook out his napkin. “It’s amazing someone had not attempted to snatch me up.”

  “Well, I’m glad, because I think it would have broken my heart to have to walk away from you because you already had a wife and family,” she admitted. She would not have torn apart a family, soul-bonded mate or not.

  “I could never be with someone I knew wasn’t right for me. My parents and Bryerly’s both had arranged marriages. More strategic than romantic by a long shot. There was no love between either couple, although I think Bryerly’s parents at least respected one another and tried to help each other often. Mine seem bound and determined to do whatever they can to undermine each other.”

  “I’m sorry. Speaking of your parents, what are they going to think of you being with me?” she asked with a bit of fear that she could hear in her own voice. “Are they going to accept me?”

  “We never concern ourselves to whatever my parents might think. Bryerly is the only one whose opinion I actually take into consideration. The rest of my family have no bearing on my life or anyone in it. They lost that right a long time ago.” Laura heard anger, old and firm, in his tone.

  “Do you want to talk to me about it?” She found herself reaching out to touch him. “Share your burdens with me, Chevon.”

  “Later, in private, little mate. But I will say this. My parents can’t stand the fact I am more influential than they will ever be, and I did it all without them, and without trying.”

  She leaned in to press her lips to his cheek. “As long as your life is yours, that’s all that matters. And as long as you are happy with me,” she said with a laugh.

  “I’ve fully accepted you, little mate. All you are, and with every quirk you may have. All I need in my life is my soul-bonded mate and my cousin. That is family enough for me. At least, until there are children that will come of one of the two unions. Then our family will grow and be truly amazing.”

  “Agreed.” She leaned in and brushed her cheek to his once more before she pulled back so that they could settle in. “I can’t wait to see what a child we would create together would look like.”

  “It will be a perfect blend, I’m sure. The Great Spirits would not dare to disappoint after all they have put us both through to get us to this point.” Lifting his cup, he tipped it her way before taking a sip.

  She smiled, then began eating slowly, fully aware that there were more than a few people watching them. She hated the fact that there were still people watching them, but at least it wasn’t as bad as it could be if they were on Chevon’s ship. Being as they were on Petr’s ship, they were able to be free to touch and not worry about others carrying tales around. “I’m happy that we are at least able to be out with this crew and not worried about it.”

  “Petr’s own mate is something of an unusual occurrence. The crew is naturally curious about us, but they will not make a fuss. You also need to remember that his sister is mated to a Craegin male. For most here this is the usual turn of events, and they are just checking out the new person.”

  “I’m glad.” She knew she was lucky that Chevon had someone like Petr on his side. “She is quite unusual, isn’t she?” Her meeting with Samantha had been brief, but she did like the woman. “Now, no more chatting, more eating so that we can go and do something fun.”

  He gave a soft snort and shook his head. “I would like to point out for the record that I was eating. Then my lovely little mate made a comment that required an answer.” He lifted up his eating utensil and slid more food into his mouth with a smug expression.

  She moved so that she could bump her shoulder to his, then continued to eat. When they were both finished eating, she said, “What can we do next? I would like to explore the ship, if that’s okay?”

  Chevon nodded. “If Petr needs us it will not take much to find us. Do you know where you’d like to go?” he asked. Standing, he gathered up all their dishes, then took everything to the containers outside the kitchen.

  “I’d like to check out their hydroponics bay so that we can maybe walk around barefoot in the grasses? I think it would be fun to simply spend a day where nothing is planned, where we just do whatever comes first to us.”

  “Whatever you want, little mate.” Hooking his arm through hers, Chevon led her out into the corridor and toward the lift. “We’ll do the hydroponics bay first and go from there. You can walk around in the grasses to your heart’s content.”

  “Only if you’re walking around barefoot with me. Time to loosen up just a small bit, my sweet man. Time for us to just be a couple and enjoy life together.”

  “You know I can’t deny you anything,” he said. In the lift, he nodded to a couple crew members who shot her a look and even gave her smiles before wiping them away in the presence of a commanding officer.

  “Admit it, you have a good time with me, don’t you?” she asked with a grin. She was leaning into Chevon, noticing that he placed himself between her and the men. She wondered if he realized that he did that to protect her.

  “I always do, Laura.” The crew members got off two floors later, and one even gave her a wave. “I’ll need to have a word with that young man later. Flirting with my soul-bond mate right in front of me. I think he needs some horribly menial task for a few shifts.”

  “I seriously doubt that he was flirting with me,” she told him with a shake of her head. “So you can rest assured he was just friendly.” Besides, it wasn’t as if anyone could ever compare to Chevon. No one would take his place in her life, ever.

  “Hmm.” He slid his arm around her waist and hugged her tight. The doors opened on their floor, and he guided her out. Chevon kept her close to his side during their walk to the hydroponics bay, only letting her loose once they were inside.

  She slipped her shoes off when she entered the room and looked back at him. “Come on, take off your boots and come play in the grass with me? Can you lock the doors?”

  Giving her a nod, he went to the control panel. A couple moments later she heard the metall
ic clank that indicated the locks had been engaged. Once that was done Chevon sat down on a bench to remove his boots and socks before following her up onto the grass of one of the larger sections.

  Laura turned around so that she could look at Chevon and smiled. “See, it’s lovely to feel the grass under your feet, isn’t it?” She wiggled her toes in the thick, lush grass. “Do you know if there is anyone else in here with us?”

  Chevon gave her a look before glancing around. “I have no idea. It wasn’t a requirement to check before sealing the doors. If there is someone else in here, I hope they announce themselves before you give in to that look in your eye. Maybe you should check first,” he suggested.

  “You do know me so well, don’t you?” She laughed. She moved away from him and called out, “Is there anyone in here with us? If so, you should show yourself here now before Chevon beats you black and blue.”

  “Why am I the one who has to beat them? I came in here to watch you walk through the grass and got talked into joining you. Now you’re saying that I will be beating up Petr’s crew?” He paused as if to consider this. “I don’t know, Laura, Petr might also have something to say about his crew showing up looking roughed up.”

  “Right, so don’t rough them up so much as show them the way to the door?”

  “I don’t know if that is much of an incentive for them to leave. They now know they will not get roughed up, just shoved out the door. Whoever is in here, should there be anyone, no longer feels the need to leave. If they are caught, they know my soft-hearted little mate will not allow me to break bones or even bruise them.”

  She heard some rustling, then snorted when two crewmen suddenly appeared and headed for the door with their heads down.

  She nearly burst out laughing when they couldn’t get through the door. Which made sense, given Chevon would have used his command codes to lock it. Both crew members appeared to be getting mildly frantic. One even seemed to be looking for another way out, when Chevon finally muttered something she didn’t understand under his breath and moved to let them out.

  He was so cute when he was frustrated. Once they were finally alone, she grinned. “Well, what do you think? Do you believe that they were the last two or do you think we have more prying eyes in here watching us?”

  Chevon put a hand on the controls but didn’t lock the doors yet. “If there is someone else in here then they will not be getting out alive. They will become part of the landscape. I am sure they will not be the first bodies used to fertilize this place.” Four more crewmen bolted for the doors, nearly trampling over each other in their haste. Then Chevon shut and locked the doors. “Now we are alone.”

  She had to laugh. “Now, can we get naked?”

  “Soon,” he told her. He was doing something else with the control panel. After a moment or two, he came back toward her. “The cameras are now off. But if we damage anything in here I will lay the blame at your quite adorable feet. You have really cute toes. I hadn’t noticed that before.”

  “I’m glad you like my toes.” She wiggled them. “And don’t worry, we won’t break anything. It’s only the grass that I want to love you in.”

  “I only say this because you can get rather energetic,” he said. Grabbing her hips, he pulled her in close and gave her a kiss. “Did you plan this well enough to consider that we will both end up with grass stains in places not easily explained, and probably in our hair, too?”

  She started to undo his shirt. “Do you honestly give two craps if anyone sees that we have stains on our clothing?”

  “As long as I don’t have any stains on my uniform. The training runs deep, and we do not ever appear to others without the uniform being perfect. The rest I don’t care about, but go easy on the uniform.”

  “I will.” She pushed his jacket off of his shoulders and took it into her hands, folding the jacket and placing it on the small bench so that it would stay off of the grass. She smiled at him. “See, I’m keeping your clothing safe, darling.” Chevon continued to stand in place, allowing her to disrobe him a piece at a time. He looked amused when she got to the shirt cuffs, but after a moment, she figured out how they fastened together. Tricky little thing, that, and different from Craegin wear.

  “You wear too many clothes,” she teased with a grin. He lifted a foot when she pushed his pants down around his ankles. Stepping free, he helped her upright again. She had him naked now, just like she wanted him. Her hands moved down his chest and over his abs. She leaned in so that she could brush her lips to his chest. She closed her hands around his cock. “I think that maybe you should strip me?”

  Instantly his hands were on her top, lifting it so she had to release him to get it over her head. A few moments later she was entirely naked. With her clothes draped over his arm, he moved to the same bench where his were and set everything down on top of his.

  “Goodness, you were far too fast with that,” she said with a laugh. “You are supposed to enjoy yourself, supposed to touch me and feel me. I would love that, you know, the feeling of you touching and caressing me.”

  “I enjoy having you naked more,” he said. Stepping in close, he slipped his arms around her body and pulled her up against him. “And having you skin to skin with me is even more enjoyable than anything else for me.”

  “Oh, I couldn’t agree more. Especially when your hands move to my ass.” She moaned after he had done just that. “I love how that feels.” He cupped her ass, gave it a gentle squeeze, then lifted her into his arms. Chevon was perfect for her in every single way.

  Chevon lowered her to the grass, his body covering hers. His head descended until their lips made contact. A brush from his tongue and Laura opened to let him in. The entire time he kissed her, one hand was busy stroking her folds and toying with her clit while she squirmed.

  She shuddered, lifting her hips to his probing fingers. “Chevon,” she begged when she’d pulled from his kiss. “More.” She hitched one leg higher to wrap it around his ass and pulled him closer. “I want you inside of me.”

  He didn’t argue with her like he occasionally did. This time, he moved his hand and pressed his cock into her sheath. In unison, they let out a moan. It always felt so right having him buried inside her body.

  Her toes curled, and she wound both her legs around his hips and locked her heels at his ass. She had to have him as deep as she could get him. One hand came up to cup her face, his palm warm against her skin. “I love you,” he said quietly. Giving her another kiss, he thrust faster and harder. His thumb stroked slowly over her skin in time with their breathing.

  “I love you, too.” She shivered at the feel of his hands on her body and whimpered. “More. Please?” she asked, trying to move just a bit harder under him.

  Trailing his fingers down her throat, arm, and eventually landing on her hip, Chevon cupped her ass and tipped her higher. Each thrust of his cock had the head rubbing to the nerves inside her body, causing her to shiver. The higher he pushed her the tighter she clung to him, knowing it would be, as always, explosive.

  “Chevon, I’m close.” She shuddered beneath him. “Please tell me you’re close,” she begged. Her fingers moved down his back and she squeezed his ass tightly with her hands. “Make me come. Come with me,” she demanded.

  “Do that again and I’ll come before you do.” He bit her lower lip in retaliation, then moved his mouth to her throat. Little licks and nibbles down the length had her body coiling tighter with need.

  She clenched hard on his cock. “More. Fuck me, Chevon.” She didn’t want to be toyed with. She didn’t want soft and easy. She wanted to be taken hard and knew he needed it as badly as she did.

  Her demand earned her a sharp bite to her shoulder. But it also got her exactly what she wanted from him. Chevon sped up his movements, his hold on her ass tightening to keep her from skidding around the grass. Even with that hold, Laura had a feeling she’d have grass stains on certain parts to be discovered later.

  She dug her hands
into the grass under her body and held on to him with her legs only. “Yes,” she praised him with need. “More.” It was right there; she was right there. She was so close that it would only take another moment and she would be coming.

  He gave her exactly what she needed. Unable to hold back, Laura arched up with a scream. Chevon was right there with her, thrusting twice more before he stilled and called her name. His body pressed hers down to the grass, where they both fought for air.

  She was gasping, dragging air into her lungs as fast as she possibly could. “I love you,” she whispered as she held on to him.

  “There is something squishy under my knee,” he blurted out. Laura fought the laugh but ultimately failed. “You’re lucky I love you. But if I have killed something vital to the ecosystem in here Petr will kill me. Stop laughing, it is not that funny.”

  She giggled as she moved away from him. She stood on shaky legs and offered him her hand. “Come on, let’s see what you squished and I’ll even explain to Petr that it was my doing.”

  “Damn right you will,” he muttered. Climbing to his feet, he bent over to stare at his knee. “All right, we’re good. Looks like some leaves that were not cleaned up before they began to decompose. Disgusting but no need to mention this to Petr. Ever.”

  “Oh, something tells me that he and his mate have come in here more often than not and done far worse than we’ve done,” she teased.

  Leaning in, he gave her a kiss. “I hate to rush you, but we should get dressed and get the system back online. By now those crew members may have mentioned where we were.”

  “I’m sure they did since the men you threatened to kill pretty much are likely running off to tell Petr right now exactly what we were doing.” She was smiling; she couldn’t help it. “Come on. Let’s get dressed. I’ll even check your hair for leaves.”

  Chevon shook his head. “Turn around so I can brush you off,” he told her. When she did, Laura felt his hands brush at her ass and shoulders. Then his fingers lightly combed through her hair. “I think you will be all right to dress now.”