A little moan escaped Tracy's mouth. "Rev," she breathed. She melted against him, and the scent of her filled his nose.
"So sweet," he murmured.
Her hand fiddled with the clasp of his tunic, and she pushed first one side, then the other over his shoulders. He let the tunic fall off his arms. Her hand sought his nipple, strumming them under her fingers, sparking heat there and through his body. Rev lowered her body to lay under him, and he unbuttoned the robe to expose her creamy breasts and hips.
"So beautiful," he said, drawing his hand tenderly down from her breasts to the space between her legs. She shivered.
"Baby," she said softly.
He crushed his lips hard against hers again, unable to contain his passion. Rev trailed his tongue down her neck and the swell of her breasts. He latched onto a nipple, sucking it in deeply. Tracy gasped and arched her back.
"I need you," he gasped.
"I want you," she said.
"It's been too long," he said.
"You," said Tracy with a smile. "Anything more than a day is too long for you."
"Yes," he said. He rained kisses on her breasts and stomach, taking little nips here and there that caused her to suck in her breath. Gently, he pushed apart her knees and dipped his head between her legs, lapping the soft skin like a man hungry for food. She arched into him, making his tongue sear her with its demanding strokes. A little sound escaped her mouth as she bucked into him. He speared her center with his tongue.
"Rev!"
His lips found her clit, and he kissed it, pushing his face inside her. Pulling apart the folds that shielded it, he licked the bud with the tip of his tongue, teasing it, sending waves of pleasure through her. Her thighs and core clenched, and her breathing sped up. Her body began to hum as his mouth surrounded the sensitive pearl, and she broke apart, her pussy pulsing.
She gasped.
Quickly he moved, sliding his body against hers. She felt his hard length against her, and his mouth sought hers. She tasted herself on his mouth. His kisses were frenzied now, as he ground his shaft into her thigh.
Her hand sought his cock, and she grasped it, feeling the ridges there inflamed. Rev shuddered as she stroked him, palming the pre-cum at its head and spreading it around the length of his cock.
"Fuck, woman."
"It feels so good to touch you. I love to have you in my hand."
He growled.
"I want to taste you," she breathed.
Rev rolled to his back. His cock was hard and throbbing. Tracy pushed herself up and got between his legs. She licked at the swollen head, swirling her tongue around it and under to the sensitive triangle under the head. Sucking the side of his shaft between her lips, she moved down one side and then up the other, lapping the velvet skin stretched over his rigid cock. At the top again, she lowered her mouth over the head and took as much of him as she could into her mouth. He groaned and grabbed her hair, encouraging her to bob up and down, sliding her tongue under his shaft.
"I need you," he panted.
With one last hard suck she pulled off Rev, and he shuddered. She changed position, straddling his hips and lowering herself on his shaft.
"What," he gasped, "are you doing?"
She sunk down on him and sighed.
"You're so hard. It feels so good. You make me want you."
She leaned over and kissed him, fucking his mouth with her tongue as she moved her hips up and down his length. He grabbed her ass and pulled her down on him hard.
Tracy moaned.
"Oh, goddess," said Rev. "You feel so hot."
"Fuck me," she said.
Holding her tightly, he rolled her to her back, still impaling her with his cock. He rose to his knees and began to pump her, swelling to aching hardness as he moved inside her. The need to possess her overwhelmed him, and he increased the intensity of his thrusts.
Every nerve ending fired in pleasure. His balls tightened, and all reason left him as he pounded her relentlessly. His gums tingled, and his fangs descended. His mouth grazed the tender skin on her neck, and he sunk the points in her, injecting his mating venom.
She clenched around him, throbbing as she screamed in pleasure. The pulsing of her pussy sent him over the edge. White heat washed over him as he cried out her name. The pleasure tipped over into a place where there was no time or space.
It seemed he hung there forever, and he became aware he wasn't alone. Tracy, the essence of her, was there in his mind. Her presence calmed and centered him.
For the first time in his life, he felt connected to all things in the universe.
She was his, always. He was hers for all time.
In the next breath, he fell from that place, and he buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent and holding her for all he was worth.
At last they both calmed down, and he kissed her.
"That was amazing," said Tracy.
One bell, then a second, then a third rang out from between the screens. Soon sounds of bells echoed around the hall.
"What's that?" said Tracy.
"I'm not sure, but I think it is the way the priestesses have to cast their vote."
"Really?" said Tracy. "I wonder how we did."
"Do you have to ask?" he said with a smile.
Loud noises of stomping feet came through the wide doors of the temple. The doors made sharp creaks as they swung open. Armed Kerdos men filled the opening.
Rev quickly helped Tracy slip her robe on, and then he pulled on his slacks.
"Stop!"
"Who dares disturb us!" growled Rev standing.
"Move away from the woman," commanded Ja-Idin Du, moving through the crush of men. Pa-Kregan and Se-Margen flanked him on either side.
"Traitors revealed," said Rev, shaking his head.
"We are patriots, Ar-Reven," said Margen. "People who want to preserve Kerdos and not destroy it."
There was a stirring from behind the screens, and Lady Essen and the other eleven priestesses of Endra moved from behind them to reveal themselves.
"Leave now," said Essen. "Weapons are not allowed on the temple grounds. You have no business here."
"But I do," hissed Ja-Idin Du. "I have a warrant for the arrest of Ar-Reven, and as soon as the Aligned Worlds fleet arrives, I will exercise it."
"Du, you have no authority in our sacred temple, but you are too late anyway. My sisters and I have witnessed the mating of Prince Ar-Reven and Princess Tracy. Put your weapons away. It was unanimous. The Priestesses of Endra recognize their sacred union."
"No!" said Du.
"Yes," said Essen with great calm. "You can do nothing about this. As a recognized mate with an Aligned Worlds citizen, Princess Tracy Walsh is now a citizen of the Aligned Worlds too. She is now free to press any legal claims she has."
Du was shaking in his rage.
"Kill them all," he ordered.
Kregan and Margen looked at each other, then at Du.
"No," said Kregan. "It is one thing to have our prince arrested, but we will not kill him."
"Se-Margen," said Ja-Idin Du.
Margen shook his head. "You do not command me, Du. I do not take your orders."
Ja-Idin Du's dark eyes got very wide. "I don't need you anyway. Your men are under my control." His eyes fixed on Tracy.
"You! You've caused all this!"
With a serpentine coil of his body, he launched himself toward Tracy, his mouth opened wide, hissing. His fangs were extended.
Several things happened at once.
Kregan and Margen moved forward unsuccessfully grabbing for the Du.
Rev pushed Tracy out of the way.
Most surprisingly, Essen leaped, a curved bronze knife in her hand, and landed on Du's back, toppling him to the floor. She held the knife over his neck.
"Move, and I'll slice your head off," she said. She glanced behind her, and Tracy followed her eyes to see a horde of armed Kerdos men advancing.
"Defend them!" she cried.
At her words, the other priestesses raised curved blades and rushed the men violating the temple.
The loud sounds of the battle faded and were replaced with the noise of feet slapping the dusty red stone floor as Tracy and Rev fled from the temple. They were running together, but Rev was slightly ahead of her, pulling her and urging her to run faster.
They were racing down a long hallway with alcoves on the sides filled with alien sculptures. The hallway ended in a wide pillared veranda. It appeared to be open to the elements, but Tracy knew better. There were force fields allowing people to see outside and fresh air to pass inside, but protecting people from falling out. The force fields were like glass windows on Earth.
Earth, of course, was thousands of light years away.
There was an interruption in the regularity of the alcoves, and they slowed down. Someone was calling out to them.
"Over here!" The wall of one of the alcoves had opened into darkness. There was a familiar face looking at them. It was Telwin, the novice who had helped Tracy when she had arrived at the compound.
"Telwin?" said Tracy. "Thanks for your help."
"Follow me," said Telwin, beckoning with her hand.
Tracy and Rev entered the dark passage. Telwin pressed a button and a door slid back into position, concealing their location. Now that the door was closed, Tracy could sense a difference in the air. It felt stale and musty; the area they were in hadn't been used in a long time.
Telwin held a lamp that lit her with a golden glow.
"Let's go," she said, her voice almost a whisper.
"Where are we going?" asked Tracy.
"I'm going to do my best to get you to your shuttle."
"What about my brother?" said Rev.
"My sisters are trying to get him there too. Come on."
Telwin led them, holding the lamp before her, so there wasn't much light for Tracy and Rev. Tracy stumbled on the first few steps, but Rev caught her and held her tight to his body.
"Here," he said. "Let me go first, and hold my hand."
As they moved down the long staircase, an all-encompassing darkness stretched before and after them.
For a while, the only sound around them was their labored breathing, until Tracy heard something else. There was a muted scraping coming from the top of the staircase. Were those voices, too?
"Rev? Do you hear that?" she whispered.
"Yes, but I was trying not to mention it," he whispered back.
"Telwin," said Tracy. "How much longer are these stairs? We've got company."
Telwin stopped on a landing and held up her lamp to the wall, searching for something.
"Here. Help me move this out of the way."
Telwin pushed against the wall, and Rev joined her. As the sounds of feet clattering on the stairs became louder, Telwin and Rev strained against the wall. Finally there was a pop and rush of stale air. The wall pushed inward, leaving just enough space for them to enter.
"Hopefully they won't be able to find this passageway. Let's move forward," said Telwin as she disappeared into the opening. After Tracy and Rev had followed her, Telwin pushed at the wall, and Rev helped settle it into its original place.
They were only relieved for a few moments. The noises of the men searching for them soon drifted into the passageway they were in, and Telwin made a sign for Rev and Tracy to remain silent. Time seemed to slow down. It seemed like they had been running forever; wouldn't there be a time when she could sit down and relax with Rev?
Tracy found it difficult to breathe.
After a long stretch that felt like miles, the air freshened, and they could see a small blur of light ahead. Telwin quickened her pace and they found themselves at the mouth of a cave overlooking a small grassy plateau. Beyond the grasslands, they could see a purple mountain range.
They were close to the transport that Tev had used to bring Tracy here. It looked out of place here in the beautiful natural scenery, a big black machine surrounded by greenery.
Tev had made it out already and was waiting for them. He was searching the area with a set of binoculars. As Rev emerged from the cave opening, he waved to Tev.
"Hurry up!" Tev shouted.
The outside air swirling around Tracy was so cold she started to shiver. Rev put his arm around her as they jogged toward the transport.
Out of the corner of her eye, Tracy saw a flash of red light. Dirt and rocks at their feet sprayed into the air as laser shots suddenly started to streak around them.
"Fuck!" yelled Rev. All three broke into a run as Tev returned fire with a laser rifle.
Telwin shrieked and fell down. There was an ugly red line cut into the flesh of her leg. Rev told Tracy to keep going, and he dropped back to get Telwin. Laser fire from men positioned at the rocks above the cave rained down around them.
Tracy ran to the transport and hurled herself in as Tev shot streak after streak of cover fire.
Rev finally reached Telwin. He picked her up in his arms and started running back to the transport.
Once everyone was inside the ship, Tev shut the hatch and disappeared into the pilot's cabin. Rev laid Telwin down on the deck of the craft.
Tracy searched the compartments in the bulkhead until she found a medical kit. The ship lifted into the air, throwing Tracy down to the deck. The medical kit flew up from her hands, but Rev was there to catch it. He ripped it open and pulled out some antiseptic gel and bandages.
Rev moved back to Telwin and smeared gel on the wound. As the craft shuddered its way up into the turbulent atmosphere, he began bandaging Telwin's leg. Tracy felt sick again, and Rev caught the tortured look on her face.
After Telwin's leg was protected, Rev stood up and worked some controls by the hatch.
"Brother," called Tev from the cockpit, "what are you doing?"
"Making sure the women don't get sick."
Tracy could barely hear what Rev was saying. Tracy almost thought she heard Rev say "again" in a derisive tone and then shook her head. No, Rev wouldn't say that.
Tracy heard Tev manipulate some controls. The cabin filled with fresh air and she began to feel better.