Proposition (10 page)

Chapter Twelve

They each grabbed a vine and used the thick cord to ascend the pit. Geoff was glad it wasn’t that steep. “Do you think there’s another Xyran ship waiting for them to return?” he asked as he helped Keirah up the side.

“If there is, a rescue party will come soon enough,” Krig replied. “We need to find their ship and leave.”

“Is the ship able to fly us to Alpha?”

“Yes. If we escape off this moon undetected, and if we can hit the jump, we should be safe.”

“All right, let’s do this.”

Geoff ignored how sore he felt, surprised how much it had hurt jumping onto someone. He knew he was bruised up and could only imagine what type of bruises the Alphan male sported. If they all could take a beating like that then he admitted the race was full of tough sons-of-bitches.

“I think I saw the ship land just beyond that ridge,” Krig said, pointing.

The small ship waited for them like a present, and it only took Krig a moment to bypass the door code. Although it was small, it looked humongous compared to the pod, and Geoff was grateful there was room to move. Krig sat at the command chair and fired up the engines. The view screen immediately came online.

“Strap in,” he ordered, and Geoff and Keirah did just that.

Seconds later, they were flying low to the ground, and Geoff figured it was to keep under the radar. Looking at the surface from this point of view had Geoff reevaluating this life-sustaining moon because it was simply breathtaking. Crystal clear waterfalls and sandy beaches, it looked like a vacationer’s paradise.

He hoped he never saw the fucking place again.

Then they were rising through the atmosphere, through the thick layer of clouds into the dark emptiness of space, and he’d never been so happy in his life. And when the ship entered the jump to Alpha, well, his world just fell into place.

“Do Xyrans have the need to bathe?” Geoff asked.

“Yes,” Krig replied, and Geoff heard the humor in his tone. “In the back.”

“Keirah, why don’t you wash up first?” he said. She nodded and rose and disappeared into the back.

“I’m sending a coded message to King Ronyn,” Krig murmured. “He needs to know about Niklis.”

“I’m sorry he betrayed you.”

Krig sighed. “Before the attack I had heard the bitterness when he talked about his scars. I should have been more sensitive.”

“No, that type of fucked up ran far deeper than just scars.”

“Perhaps. By the way, what is a Tarzan?”

Geoff grinned. “It all starts with a man named John Clayton.”

Keirah came back in the middle of the story, clean and wearing only a shirt that made her look sexy as hell. Krig told him to clean up next, and when Geoff went back to the latrine, he saw some clothes that Keirah must have found and laid out. He didn’t know how he felt about Xyran clothes, but they were clean so he couldn’t complain too much. He washed up before pulling on a pair of pants. When he went back to the front, he saw that Keirah had laid out a blanket upon the floor, so he joined her. All his aches and pains hit him at once. Keirah put her head on his chest and curled up near his side. He loved how her body fit against his, loved how soft she was to his hard muscles.

Krig came back from cleaning up, and Geoff knew his alone time with Keirah was at an end. Surprisingly, he was okay with that, and when Keirah told Krig to lie with them, it didn’t bother him at all. In fact, Geoff liked the feeling of peace that covered him.

“My bruises have bruises,” he muttered.

“I was surprised by how you didn’t hesitate to kill,” Krig said.
 
“That is a true warrior heart.”

“Remember when you didn’t understand street smarts? That was it. It’s down and dirty fighting, and you win however you can.”

“Victory is victory, and I am proud to call you family,” Krig murmured.

“I haven’t had a family in a long time. Keirah’s always been my home.” Geoff grabbed her hands and kissed her knuckles. “I never wanted you to know about my time on the streets.”

Her brows drew together. “What do you mean?”

“I did things to survive,” he whispered. “Things that hurt me. I was afraid if you discovered all my secrets you might not love me anymore.”

“Oh, baby, that’ll never happen. You have me for eternity.” She grabbed Krig’s hand in her other one. “You have us for eternity, whether you realize that or not.”

Geoff took a deep breath. “I … I can’t father any children.”

She blinked. “Wait. That’s not … what?”

“I’m sterile,” he clarified. “I had a secondary reason for getting you an Alphan male. When I heard the rumor that they needed females for procreation I thought it would kill two birds with one stone. Get you somewhere safe and let you be a mother.”

She sat up and looked at him. “Wait a minute. Go back. When did you find out you were sterile?”

“Remember when I left the orphanage on my seventeenth birthday?”

“Yes. You were gone until I turned eighteen.”

“Well, you know I was a gang runner. Krig, you wanted truth between us? I was a fucking psycho, beating up innocent people to rob. I ran drugs. I was wild and unstoppable.”

“What happened?” Krig asked.

“I ran into someone crazier than me,” he answered calmly. “Another gang moved into our territory, so we went to fight them, and I got the shit beat out of me. Tore me up. I almost died. When I came to, it didn’t take me long to realize the asshole had done something to my balls. Found out a little too late that I had a rupture, things torn apart in there, and by the time I got any kind of medical help, well, my testicles were pretty much worthless. When I was told I would never be a father, well, my whole outlook on the life I was living changed. I wanted out of the gang but … I didn’t get out until I killed the fucker who did this to me.”

“Oh my God,” Keirah whispered, her face mirroring her horror.

“I hid in the shadows and fucking shot him.
 
I’m a murderer, Keirah, and as awful as that makes me, do you know what the truly heinous part of my sin is?” he asked, looking at her. “I married you knowing I couldn’t make you a mother. Even after we were married I hid it from you. When you mentioned you didn’t feel right bringing a child into our fucked up world, I thought it was a miracle I wouldn’t ever have to tell you about how I fucked up your future. But I knew you wanted a baby someday, and I was wrong for hiding it, for deceiving you. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Oh, Geoffrey,” she said, cupping his face with her hands. “You are a good man. At the beginning of this journey, when we were in the shuttle center, you said you’d love me no matter what and then you asked me to trust you. Now I’m asking the same of you. You didn’t fuck up my future. I love
you
, not whatever children you might have given me, and I’ll love you no matter what, so trust in that.”

He buried his face into her neck, shuddering at the feeling of letting go of the demon that had been hanging around his neck, dragging him down.

“Keirah, Krig said you needed both of us to be happy. Is that true?” She was quiet for a long time, so he raised his head to look at her. “Answer me.”

“Yes,” she whispered, looking away. “I’m sorry, Geoff. I tried not to … not to care for him, but I do.”

“Don’t be ashamed,” he said. “You don’t ever have to feel guilty for caring for Krig. For loving him.”

Her eyes flashed to his. “How did you know?”

“Because I can see it whenever you look at him.” He looked past her to Krig. “She loves you. It’s time we showed our woman how much love she has.”

****

Krig placed a finger under her chin and turned her head. She stared into his golden eyes that looked molten with desire.

“Do you love me?” he asked in a soft voice.

Slowly, she nodded. With a growl, Krig placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her into his body. Her hands rested on his chest, and she could feel his heat burning through his shirt, his muscles rippling with every breath he took. Geoff moved in behind her, effectively sandwiching her between the two rock hard bodies. Feeling them against her, one in front and one in back, rendered her thoughtless, and before she could gather her wits and process what was happening, Krig’s mouth swooped down and covered hers.

As his tongue probed the secret places of her mouth an electrical current charged through her body. His lips were voracious, taking everything she had to give and demanding even more, and it made her juices run between her legs as need pumped hot and heavy through her blood.

Geoff helped her unbutton the shirt and then ran his hands over her body. She moaned when his fingers brushed through the curls around her pussy lips. She knew she was already wet. Just the thought of these two men making love to her made her juices overflow. Geoff made an appreciative growl when he discovered how wet she was.

Krig unbuttoned his pants, maintaining eye contact with her, and stripped in the slowest possible way, teasing her. Good lord, the man was giving her a heart attack with his little taunting act. By the time his cock was bared, all she wanted to do was suck him down until he came in her mouth.

And just as she was getting ready to do just that, he spun her and she was forced to watch Geoff do the same thing. No fair, lust torture times two. She watched Geoff crook his finger at her. She obeyed, following him on hands and knees over the floor.

Krig’s hand on her head alerted her to what he wanted her to do, and happily, she bent forward to engulf Geoff’s cock with her mouth. The position thrust her ass out, and Krig positioned her legs a little wider. She felt movement behind her, and then Krig’s head was between her legs and he was licking her.

Holy mother!
She was practically straddling his face as he made a feast of her. Geoff’s cock was thrusting slowly, gently, into her mouth, and his hands kept her face still as he face fucked her. She loved giving him head, but she’d never been in this position before of giving and getting at the same time. Her brain and body were quickly slipping into euphoria, so she was glad Geoff was taking control. Still, she managed to use her tongue over his sensitive shaft, French kissing the hole as she sucked him in.

Krig pulled her clit into his mouth at the same time his finger found her pussy opening. He began to finger her, slipping it in as his thumb pressed her sensitive little clit, causing her to moan around the hard dick in her mouth. The vibration must have felt good because Geoff shivered and picked up the pace, fucking her mouth with quick jabs.

There was no way she was going to last, not with having her pussy licked with such a raspy tongue. She felt the orgasm rising up, breaking over her like a tidal wave hitting the shore. Pleasure burst, flushing through her body, and she convulsed around Krig’s mouth and finger. Before she drifted down from her high, Krig withdrew. He rose against her ass, holding her hips as his cock pressed for entrance into her pussy. She was so wet it filled her immediately, so large and heavy. As he pressed into from behind, he pushed her head forward more firmly on Geoff’s cock, which was leaking heavily into her mouth, and she hungrily slurped him up, loving his taste.

“Oh yes,” Geoff moaned. “Suck me down deep, Keirah. Suck me dry.”

She loved the dirty talk. It brought another orgasm to the surface. Tingles began to flow through her as she was taken higher and higher. She let out a squeal and arched her back, and her cream ran.

“Keirah,” Krig gasped.

"Fuck her, Krig," Geoff ordered. "Fuck her hard."

Krig’s big cock was pumping quickly now. His balls slapped her ass with each stroke, but it was Geoff who exploded first. He pushed deep into her mouth, holding her head still, and she felt him tense just before his hot cum shot into her throat. After the second load, she thought she might choke, but swallowed as much of the sticky jizz as she could. Some of it dribbled out the side of her mouth.

When Geoff was done, he let go of her head and fell back to watch Krig pound into her. Hearing Geoff’s release must have sent him over the top because he was grunting now as sweat ran down his golden body to drip onto her. He was so sexy like this. She loved feeling him come undone, this alien who made her love him. A wet, slurping noise accompanied the heavy slaps of his body thrusting into hers.

Geoff moved and ran his hand down her hip, over her pelvis, to slip inside her curls and find her clit. He didn’t seem to mind that he was also feeling Krig’s dick. It took only two light rubs to make the world explode for a third time. She cried out and convulsed around the rod pushing into her, and a second later Krig’s cock swelled as he exploded in a deep, hoarse cry. Jet after jet shot into her womb, and she felt him bathing her inside, marking her just as his fangs sank into her neck. He drank and then shuddered as he collapsed across her back, breathing heavily. His fangs retracted, and they all fell into slumber.

Epilogue

Geoff wiped the sweat from his brow as he slipped the wheel back on the hoe, put the pin in place, and rubbed some homemade grease on the joint. Who knew his mechanical background would come in handy living in a land that was basically a throwback to the middle ages?

He and the other Alphan workers finished the field that would be planted tomorrow with beans, and he shook hands with all of them. He had to give them credit. When Krig had introduced him as the new chatelaine for the estate, they hadn’t even blinked at the fact that a human would be overseeing them. But when he’d jumped right in to help out wherever he could, well, that had been the ice breaking that had warmed all of them up to him. When Krig had told them he had a large estate he forgot to mention that it was actually a castle, complete with turrets, a moat, and a drawbridge. He’d said the inhabitants of Planet Alpha liked to live simply, and he’d been right. It was almost like they’d stepped back in history. They grew their own food, fixed their own equipment, and raised weird looking animals. The only concession that Krig did allow was electricity and running water through his home, and for that Geoff was eternally grateful because the one thing he could not imagine was using the toilet in a bowl.

Geoff stretched his muscles, liking the new definition his body was taking on. Over the past few months he’d done so much heavy work that he was developing upper body mass, and muscles were popping out all over the place. In the weeks and months since they’d been here, life had settled into a beautiful routine. Geoff had grown to love Alpha. He loved the clean air and vibrancy of the land and hadn’t realized how stifling
New York City
had been, that he and Keirah had been living a life of drudgery and fear. Keirah had definitely liked the new change and had blossomed with health. Just thinking of her had him hurrying home.

Krig was coming home today, and oddly enough, Geoff was glad. They’d all had long video chats over the six months he’d been deployed, and Krig had announced he had big news when he came home.

 
Geoff used the back entrance and made his way up the winding staircase that led to the chamber he shared with Keirah. He supposed he was going to have to find a different room for the next month while Krig was on his month break but for once that thought didn’t bother him. And if Krig wanted the three of them to be together, well, that would be fun, too.

He took a quick shower, washing away the day’s grime, dressed in the loose tunic and pants that were popular on Alpha, and made his way downstairs. As he turned the last curve that led to the grand foyer, he saw many people gathered. Some he knew; some he didn’t. Some men stood around with their human mates and smiled at all of them as he made his way over to Keirah.

“What is all this?”

“I don’t know,” she murmured. “Krig invited them.”

Keirah looked radiant, and her swollen tummy brought out a radiant glow to her face. She complained all the time about waddling around, but to him she was simply breathtaking and he was glad he’d given her the opportunity to become a mother.

She opened her mouth to say something when a call came from the south turret. Krig was home! The assembled guests murmured in anticipation, and Geoff wasn’t sure if he should be nervous or not. Did Krig always get such a party whenever he returned from deployment?

Moments later, the overly large front door opened, and there he was, decked out in his regulation military armor. He looked around the assembled people with a restrained smile until his gaze landed on Keirah, and then his face was transformed into one of absolute love, cementing how the alien Alphan felt about her.

He held out his arms, and she flew toward him as quickly as her pregnant belly could allow. He swept her up and hugged her tenderly. When he pulled back he placed a hand on her belly, smiling proudly.

For one brief moment, Geoff wondered what he brought to the table because the way he saw them, Krig and Keirah were a perfect family with her little bump protruding out.

“Where is Geoff?” Krig asked loudly, and Geoff saw him looking around.

Shaking off the slight melancholia, Geoff stepped forward. Much to his surprise Krig pulled him in for a manly type of hug, and after a surprised moment, he smiled and hugged back. And then Krig pulled away yet kept a hand on Geoff’s shoulder while he pulled Keirah toward both of them.

“I’m glad my friends are here to witness this,” he murmured.

“Witness what?” Keirah asked.

But Krig just smiled and opened them up to their assembled guests. A tall Alphan male with long, gnarled horns stepped close, and Geoff saw he wore some type of ceremonial clothes. Was this the bondmate ceremony they’d heard about?

“Friends and family, thank you for coming this evening,” Krig called out. “First of all, I want to tell you that this was my last patrol mission.”

Keirah gasped as several people politely clapped.

“What do you mean?” Geoff asked.

“A position has opened up at the training facility. I’ll be teaching the next generation of warriors instead of leaving for space.”

Geoff and Keirah glanced quickly at each other.

“Is that what you want?” he asked. “You wanted to be Admiral of the fleet.”

Krig nodded. “I know, but I’ve realized that I wanted that because there was nothing else in my life. But now … now I want to be with my mate. With
both
my bondmates.”

It took a moment for the words to sink in.

“Both?” he asked hesitantly. He had no idea what being a bondmate entailed.

Krig pulled a piece of parchment out of his coat and held it up in front of them.

Geoff and Keirah read through it, not quite sure what it meant.

“On Earth it is customary for mates to have the same last name, right?” Krig asked.

“Yeah,” Geoff said. “Keirah took my last name when we married.”

“I petitioned to change my name, and King Ronyn agreed,” Krig said. “As of now I’m known as Captain Krig DeWinter. The King thought my request odd,
 
but he didn’t deny me.”

“Really?” Keirah asked, stunned, and then the next second she threw herself in his arms. “Krig … I’m speechless.”

“I’m honored,” Geoff said softly. He smiled and held out his hand. Krig shook it while keeping an arm around Keirah’s body.

“We should celebrate,” Geoff said.

“And that is why I have my good friends here,” he announced. “Geoff, when we first met I did not think highly of you.”

“Gee, thanks,” he said, and the people around snickered with amusement.

Krig held up his hands. “But I freely admit I was wrong about you. You are as fierce as any Alphan warrior, and if you would permit, I would be honored to call you bondmate.”

“What is a bondmate?”

“We will be brothers, in life and in battle.”

Geoff felt the last darkness in his soul melt away with the knowledge that he was truly accepted and that he wouldn’t be pushed to the side as Krig and Keirah’s family grew.

Krig leaned close so only he could hear. “And though any child that Keirah bears may come from my seed, you will always be their father as well.”

“Brother,” Geoff replied. “We are brothers.”

Krig smiled and motioned for the clergyman to continue.

“We are gathered here to witness the bonding of Captain Krig DeWinter and the human Geoffrey DeWinter, as brothers-in-arms, partners in life, choosing each to share both pain and reward. Loyal unto each other as well as their chosen mate, Keirah DeWinter. Do you both agree and accept this bond?”

“I do,” Krig answered.

Geoff felt he was getting married all over again, only this time to a man.
Go figure.
“I do,” he said solemnly.

“And do you, Keirah DeWinter, accept both men as bonded to you as well as to each other?”

“Yes, I do,” she murmured, and Geoff could tell she was straining to hold back her happy tears.

The officiant looked at Geoff expectantly, and he blinked, not knowing what to do. Krig took his arm, grabbed his forearm in a manly handshake, just before bringing their linked arms up so he could sink his fangs into Geoff’s wrist. He winced, but as quickly as the bite started it was over, and when Krig drew back he had two little puncture wounds.

“Now go forth in life as truly bonded.”

Everyone began clapping, and Krig beamed at him before dragging Keirah over to hug both of them at the same time.

****

It took a while for the guests to eat their fill, but finally, everyone was gone. As soon as the door closed behind the last person, Krig swept Keirah up into his arms.

“Well, brother, let’s take our mate upstairs so I can show her how much I’ve missed home.”

Even though she knew she weighed a ton, Krig held her in his arms as he walked up the massive winding staircase to their bedroom.
 
Once inside, he placed her gently on the bed. One hand caressed her belly while his other slid behind her neck and pulled her into his body. Her hands rested on his chest, and she could feel his heat burning through his shirt, his muscles rippling with every breath he took.

She felt Geoff behind her and wiggled until Krig clamped his hands around her hips to hold her still. He pulled her into the juncture of his thighs, and his cock was an impressive steel rod rooted against the very spot she craved him. They both seemed to sense what she needed because his hands cupped her breasts and rubbed them through her shirt just as Geoff pulled up her dress. She had taken to wearing dresses since that was the custom on Planet Alpha, and she now realized why this was a great fashion since he had immediate access to her pussy.

“Jesus, you’re already wet,” he muttered. A finger traced up and down her moist slit before sinking further to find her clit. She moaned when he rubbed little circles around it. She heard material rip and saw that Krig had tried to unbutton her dress, but the delicate material was no match for his thick fingers. And then he growled and all her clothes were torn away. Geoff gave a little laugh and then did the same with his own shirt. Clothes became a casualty to their growing desire, and when they were all naked, Krig’s fingers found her nipples and pinched them into turgid peaks. His fangs were out, scraping her areolas until he nipped one bud, sucking it into his mouth and lavishing it with his tongue. Then he did the same thing to the other nipple until she writhed under him. Her hips bucked, and she wiggled like crazy, wanting to be filled and going crazy when he continued his ruthless assault on her senses. When Geoff joined them he took over teasing her nipples as Krig made his way down her body, giving a little kiss to the baby nestled in her womb. He pushed her legs wide, until she was bared to his gaze. His thumbs opened her pussy lips, and he feasted upon her juices, licking up and down her slit. Then he pushed one thick finger into her tight channel, and she rode the digit unashamedly. They both teased her, revving her up little by little until she could no longer contain her climax. She exploded, riding Krig’s fingers as Geoff swallowed up her passionate cry of release with a deep kiss.

She humped Krig’s hand, her vaginal walls milking her orgasm until she slumped back exhausted. As she slowly filtered back to reality, she felt the Alphan raising himself up to fit between her legs. He held himself up on his hands, and she met his hot, burning gaze.

“Your sweet little
quonum
is delicious, Keirah,” he said in a voice gone rough from passion. “But I need you.”

“Take me,” she whispered.

He thrust forward, the broad tip of his cock pushing into her body without hesitation. Fire licked through her body as he surged into her, stretching her pussy lips around him. She loved it, loved the slight burn as he tunneled into her. His balls rested upon her asshole, and the greatest feeling of being full only heightened everything she was feeling. And then Geoff bent over and sucked on her nipples while Krig took a deep breath before he pulled out and slammed back home.

“So tight,” he muttered as he began a steady pumping rhythm, in and out, in and out. He grunted each time he thrust in deep and hard.

“More,” she gasped, and it was like pouring gasoline on a match. Krig went crazy at her plea, fucking her hard and fast. His pulled his lips back to show his fangs, and she knew he was close. She was close, too, her orgasm just under the surface, and she didn’t bother holding in her cries of ecstasy. Just as she felt Krig’s body tighten and his dick swell, he bent and sank his fangs into her neck. The sharp piercing pain triggered her climax, and she screamed as her body convulsed. She felt Krig’s release shooting deep within inside, and knowing how he’d lost control had her own orgasm building again.

She was vaguely aware of Krig’s fangs retreating, of him leaving her, and of Geoff thrusting his own cock inside her quivering pussy. He may not have been as thick as Krig, but her body knew Geoff. Her body
loved
Geoff. He fucked her wildly, and she grabbed onto his shoulders, her nails digging into his back.

“Oh shit!” he growled, and a second later she felt his cum mixing with Krig’s. It was so wild, so hot, and she bucked against him. His pelvic bone smashed against her clit, and she soared as she came again, flying into the heavens.