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  He wrapped her from head to toe in a fluffy towel and, after a moment of carrying her squealing, kicking body, dropped her back onto the bed that they had shared. Only now there was a slight difference, someone had changed the sheets and coverlet. Seval could tell by the feel of the fabric under her hands. Someone had been in their room. “Vorabenik, please tell me that your mother doesn’t make your bed.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  He laughed and told her that when they went to the bathing room, he had rung for one of the servants to change the sheets and leave them some food. The food in question was on a small table behind them. “I thought you wanted to cuddle.”

  She agreed that she did and crawled into his arms to rest there, with him spooning her from behind. After all the stresses of the day, she did the unthinkable, she fell asleep in his arms.

  When she woke, her body was on fire. The only thing she was sure of was that he was inside her moving deliberately. He kept one hand on her belly and thrust slowly and softly into her with the beat of her breathing. She relaxed into him and turned her head to look into his serious features.

  “That was very sneaky.” Seval was unable to say anything else as he took her mouth in the most serious kiss that he had ever laid on her. Twisting her head and shoulders to give better access, she gripped his hair and held onto him as he continued to thrust into her in that same slow beat. As her body’s reaction flared, she used her own teeth on his lips to nip and nibble while her fingers in his hair clawed to hold him to her.

  The hand on her belly slipped to the juncture of her thighs and pressed down while circling her clit with his middle finger. A sharp groan from him and the short pistoning thrusts indicated his release while hers was hovering out of reach. When he stopped shuddering inside her, his fingers moved faster until she shrieked into his mouth, her eyes wide as her body shook. That was what he wanted. She could see it in his eyes. He had wanted to see her come.

  When her orgasm released her, she slumped away from him, replete. It was nice to snuggle back into his arms with his half-hard cock still inside her. A great start to their honeymoon.

  Four days of sex and unending companionship had exhausted her. Seval was so relieved when it was finally time to rejoin the world that she did not even question why. Ben was great, the sex was great, the companionship was great, but she missed other people.

  Even the maids who changed their sheets and tidied up were only allowed in when they were bathing. There were separate entrances for them so that they could access any room in the house that was unoccupied.

  Her clothing had been delivered on the second day, but she hadn’t bothered getting dressed in more than the lingerie. She didn’t really have a chance. The second that the silk skimmed her body, Ben was on her. He had learned every inch of her, and she of him. She knew the flaring head of his cock, the velvety foreskin and the smooth sac that hung beneath them. She knew his taste, musk, salt and sweat all at the same time.

  A nibble at his neck caused an erection in seconds, a stroke on his ass made him whirl around and pick her up. She had one more surprise planned for him, but it would have to wait until they were out of their cocoon. It needed the threat of witnesses for her to pull it off, invisible blowjobs were best enjoyed in public.

  Breakfast with the in-laws was on the agenda and Seval couldn’t wait. She had been trying to escape the room for two days, but Ben could smell her and pull her back before she reached the door. His damned heightened mating senses.

  Vnash and Rabeni were waiting for them and her mother-in-law greeted her warmly. “Seval, glad to see you survived. Most women would go mad with a Nyal in heat near them.”

  “I tried to escape twice.” She felt honesty was the best policy. The laughter that answered her comment from all of the watchers, which included the staff, was enough.

  Ben took her hand and escorted her to her seat at the head of the table. “She wasn’t trying very hard. She has enough training to lay me out if she truly wanted to.”

  “That is probably true.” She wasn’t going to give in to false modesty. She had kicked the hell out of larger and less naked targets in her time.

  Rabeni smiled and took the seat to her left, Vnash to the right. “So what do you think, boy or a girl?”

  Seval had been trying to decide what to eat first. “What?”

  Vnash growled lightly, “The baby you are carrying, boy or a girl?”

  That stopped her for a moment. “I am pregnant?”

  “You didn’t know?” Rabeni looked surprised.

  “It hadn’t occurred to me.”

  “If you weren’t, Vorabenik’s eyes would still be red and he would still be in rut. When your body chemistry changed, so did his.” Vnash added that helpful explanation.

  Seval was blushing so she did what she always did when embarrassed. She went invisible. Finally comfortable, she reached for food.

  Her in-laws sat open-mouthed on either side of her, Ben at the other end of the table looking toward her in surprise. She raised her hand to wave at him and his eyes tracked the movement. That was odd.

  “Rabeni, can you see me?”

  “No, dear. How do you do that?”

  “Vnash? How about you?”

  “No, but that piece of fruit is moving.”

  She frowned at it and soon it was as transparent a she was. She began to eat, her belly was rumbling in demand and she fed it.

  “Seval, I can see you. Not completely, but you are transparent to me, not invisible.” Ben was smiling.

  She stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed, he really could see her.

  They all tucked into breakfast before Rabeni took her on a tour of the house and gardens.

  “As you know, Seval, the Azon are a primarily studious species.”

  “I have heard that, yes.”

  “So it was quite the surprise to my mate and myself when our son announced that he was joining the Alliance as a Guard Agent, and stopping his research in exobiology. He was always very interested in your species. I think I now know why.”

  Seval looked over the expanse of the gardens and smiled to herself. She had become visible again during the breakfast. “I had assumed as much. His training was minimal, and the amount of requests he put in to be assigned to Kalish Station were phenomenal.”

  “So you knew?”

  “I suspected. I do know that there is a database of Terran locations and personnel files here on Azon and in the Haldis Imperium. They are used for matchmaking to maximum effect. Did Vorabenik ever visit Kyra and Tiergar before he gave up exobiology?”

  “How did you… Oh. Of course.” Rabeni laughed. “Well, my son was nothing if not a planner.”

  “The funny thing is that he didn’t know that I was the Terran on Kalish until two weeks before we left it. I had to watch him relieve himself with the Companions over and over. He didn’t know what I was until I had my scent turned back on.” Seval laughed, but it was bittersweet. The pain of watching him go after other women had become a dull ache in her memory. Not painful, but still present. She had been too used to being the second choice in her life. It has caused her no end of personal grief.

  “I didn’t mean to upset you by this conversation. Please, let us talk of more pleasant things.” Rabeni wrapped an arm around her and Seval let her. “Where do you want to live when the baby arrives? With us, or in a domicile of your own? Vorabenik has a nice house just a few miles from here.”

  They continued with polite chatter, talking of babies, clothing and plant life. Seval knew one thing the instant that Ben rounded the corner to approach her, she was his first choice. His only choice. His mate for life.

  She was just waiting for the chance to try that invisible blow job on him, it was going to be fun.

  Author’s Note

  If the idea of Terran Champions is new to you, pick up Arena Station at Extasy Books to start your education. Burning Ceres covers the use of the mating mask. Burning Ceres is one of the four Terran Times
novels, which is also a Rune. So, here is a list of the Terran Times books as well as the Champions of Terra.

  Arena Station

  Deal with a Dhemon

  Avari Nyx

  Marks of Admar

  Haldis Imperium

  Gift of Wyora

  Burning Ceres

  An Honoured Wife

  Blood Proxy

  There are also more Terran Times shorts in Sanguinary Seductions, Atlantis Allure, and Violet Visions, with another one coming up in Emerald Envisage.

  Happy Reading!

  Viola Grace

  About the Author

  Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. Her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metalwork, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain maille, and a few others that have been forgotten.

  Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. A brilliant mind, with a twisted sense of humor.

  Viola can be reached at this email:

  [email protected]

  Viola’s website is located at:

  http://www.violagrace.com