Mattie glanced at him before focusing on the room around her. It was small, especially with all the animals in it, but she had been happy in the cramped quarters. It wasn’t much different than living in her camper.
“I guess this is it,” she responded in a husky voice. “I… Thank you for helping me this past week.”
“Mattie,” Jai said softly, waiting for her to look up at him. He smiled tenderly down at her when she finally did. “I would like to stay with you, if you don’t mind. Until I can get approval for a larger living area.”
“Oh,” she whispered, before she nodded. “I have plenty of room. Well, not really but it is more than you have here.”
“That is perfect,” he answered. “Only know this, I will not just be holding you in my arms any longer. I need you, Mattie.”
Mattie’s eyes widened at the desperate plea in Jai’s voice. She smiled as she reached up to touch his cheek. She loved him so much. This past week with him had shown her that.
“I need you too,” she whispered, blushing.
Jai closed his eyes and breathed deeply before he opened them and shook his head in amazement. “I really wish you would have told me that last night. It has been pure torture,” he chuckled.
Mattie grinned up at him. “Tonight will be pure pleasure,” she teased before brushing a kiss against his lips. “I love you, Jai.”
“I have loved you from the moment you ran by me, Mattie. Gods, I only hope I can wait until tonight,” he muttered before he sealed his lips over hers again.
Neither one of them heard the dogs groan as they laid back down to wait for their mistress again.
Chapter 7
Mattie looked around nervously at her new home. The planet was gorgeous, at least what she was able to see from the shuttles that brought them down from the Spaceport. The area where their campers were located was just outside the main city. Ricki, who had been debriefed on everything by Lord Manota, had explained that construction had already begun on more permanent housing for them as soon as Lord Ajaska heard they were coming. She explained everyone would eventually have their own home.
Mattie was amazed when she finally saw the compound from above at how fast the construction was going. Ricki explained the houses were prefabricated modules that could be hooked together relatively quickly and added onto if needed. Crystals were embedded in the houses as they were being constructed and provided a natural energy source and light.
The compound covered over one hundred acres of land and included room for their current living quarters which had already been delivered and set up, in addition to animal pens and a special area for the Big Top. A small group of scientists and healers were being assigned to assist the human vet and nurse with any issues.
A holographic image had been presented to the entire crew in a meeting before they were escorted onto shuttles to take them down to the planet. Kev Mul Kar, along with Walter and Ricki, had shown everyone the area, set up and answered any questions the crew had. To protect the humans, a large perimeter fence had been erected. Kev emphasized that the fencing was for their privacy and protection and assured everyone they had the freedom to come and go as they pleased.
Mattie couldn’t get over the beautiful area where their campers had been set up. Huge trees shaded their homes and each had a large lot providing them privacy. In addition, a flowing river with crystal clear water emptied into a nearby lake. Mattie excitedly peered out the window of the shuttle and wished that Jai could have accompanied her. She hadn’t even been able to bring her animals as they were being brought down on separate transport shuttles.
Ricki had explained the animals would be kept in quarantine for a few days so they could be thoroughly checked by the Kassisan scientists. She emphasized that it was much like what happened when they traveled to different countries, only she had less paperwork to file. That drew a laugh out of everyone as they knew how much Ricki did to make sure everything flowed seamlessly for them.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Suzy whispered looking over Mattie’s shoulder. “I can’t believe we are really here!”
“It is beautiful,” Mattie replied in awe. “Look at how clear the water is! I can see all the way to the bottom.”
“Look! There it is!” Suzy excitedly exclaimed, pointing. “There are some of the animals!”
Mattie looked over to a section that was fenced off. Pens, set up to model each animal’s habitat, had been constructed. Some of the larger animals, like the three elephants Tony had, were already inside their structure. Mattie could see several people walking around the outer perimeter of it, observing Sydney, Myrtle and their calf. Another enclosure showed Katarina’s lions and tigers.
“They did a great job,” Mattie murmured.
“I overheard Ricki talking to Nema about it. She said that Manota had K’tar download information on each animal before we left Earth,” Curly replied trying to look out the window as well. “Man, does that sound weird or what? Before we left Earth,” he chuckled and shook his head.
Suzy sat back and reached for her husband’s hand. Mattie watched as the couple stared into each other’s eyes and smiled. She recognized the look in Curly’s eyes. It was the same way Jai looked at her. She turned her head and looked back down as they approached the landing area. Hope blossomed as she thought about what was going to happen later that evening. A small smile curved her lips as she planned for how she was going to greet Jai when he came home later that night.
No, he would be holding her in an entirely different way if I have any say in it tonight, Mattie thought as they landed.
*.*.*
Jai waved to several people as he walked toward Mattie’s new home. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was. He was beginning to think the day was never going to end. He had met with K’tar and the rest of an elite group of guards for most of the day going over plans and reports. Petre had teased him when he caught him daydreaming instead of listening.
He grinned as he remembered how he had bolted from the room when they were dismissed. He had rushed to the single bedroom with a bath that he used when he was on duty in the East House. He showered and packed a bag. He had looked around the small room and realized just how small and lonely it was. If he had his way, he would never be alone again.
He jogged the rest of the way once he saw Mattie’s camper. His hand was just reaching to knock on the door when it opened. He looked up at Mattie and felt his heart stutter before it exploded. She was wearing one of his shirts and he suspected nothing else. It barely reached her upper thighs and from this angle, he could catch just a glimpse of shadow between them.
“Mattie,” he breathed out hoarsely.
Mattie tilted her head and smiled down at his awestruck face. “I missed you today,” she admitted before opening her arms.
Jai slowly climbed up the steps. He dropped his bag inside the door, reached behind him and pulled the door to the camper shut, fumbling with the lock before he reached for her. His arms swept her up against him even as his lips captured hers.
Mattie gasped as he slid his hands under the shirt she was wearing. His rough palms felt hot on the bare flesh of her hips as he traced the curve of her ass and lifted her. The move forced her to wrap her legs around his waist.
“Where’s the bedroom in this thing?” He muttered against the side of her neck as he pressed hot kisses to her overheated flesh.
“Toward the back,” Mattie choked out. “Big bed. Need you. Now.”
Jai didn’t wait for her to say anything else. He loved the way her arms and legs tightened around his body. He was going to fuck her until neither one of them could see straight. His cock felt like it was about to burst from just the feel of her hot pussy rubbing against the front of him. He walked through the narrow kitchen and small bathroom until he reached the back of the camper. His eyes lit up when he saw the row of mirrored storage. That would come in very handy. Even better was the huge bed.
He gently set Mattie down on the very ed
ge of the bed. With a jerk of his hands, the shirt was pulled over her head. He wanted nothing hiding her when he took her. Before she could say a word, he sunk down onto his knees between her legs. When she tried to shut them, he gripped her thighs and placed them over his shoulders so she couldn’t close him out. Leaning forward, he buried his face in the soft hair covering her mound. Her shocked cry was followed by her wrapping her fingers in his short hair and holding his head to her as he began to attack her with his lips, teeth, and tongue.
*.*.*
Mattie stared in disbelief at the mirrored reflection. Her plump breasts brushed the top of Jai’s head as he licked and teased her clit with his teeth and tongue. The sight was so shockingly erotic all she could do was tremble as she watched. The pressure built inside her so fast that she was shocked when her body exploded.
“Jai!” She cried out as she locked her legs around him and fell backwards, writhing as he continued his erotic attack. “Oh god!” She gasped as her body continued to pulse with her orgasm.
“Mine!” Jai snarled against the soft brown hair. “You are mine, Mattie. I will never let you go!”
Jai pulled back and stood. He quickly shed his clothes, kicking them to one side. Reaching for where Mattie lay trembling on the bed, he lifted her legs in his hands and aligned his throbbing cock with her slick and swollen channel. He pushed through the moist curls, impaling her in one steady drive all the way to her womb. He threw back his head and roared out as she fisted him. The lining of her vagina was so hot, so slick and still pulsing from her orgasm. He almost came from just the first thrust, it felt so good.
Jai trembled as he tried to hold onto his own need to come. He wanted her to come again before he found his own satisfaction. Sweat beaded on his brow as he held still and breathed deeply.
That was a big mistake, he thought with a grimace as he smelled their combined arousal in the air.
“Jai, please,” Mattie’s pleading eyes met his. “I need you.”
“Gods, Mattie,” Jai said as she wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her heels against his taut ass. “I won’t last this first time.”
“Then we’ll just have to do it again,” she teased.
Jai stared down as the plump mocha breasts with the dark areolas. He reached down and pinched the swollen tips between his fingers as he leaned forward and began to pump in and out of her.
She was so damn tight around him it took everything in him not to curse. Each movement, whether he was pulling out or pushing in, ran the length of his cock. He groaned loudly as he felt the tip of his cock rubbing against her womb. Her hot core was sucking him in, caressing him and wrapping him in its silky heat until it was impossible to contain his own release. He reached down desperately between them and flicked the nub that he knew was extremely sensitive.
“Argh!” Jai growled out as he threw his head back as she arched into him as she exploded again. His hips jerked over and over as he poured himself into her. “Mattie, my Mattie.”
His body stiffened and he wrapped his hands around her breasts marveling that the globes overflowed in his large hands. He gazed down at her face, twisted in ecstasy as she shattered again. Nothing had prepared him for the intense feelings rushing through him. He leaned down over her, pushing even deeper as he did. His lips hovered over hers as he caged her within his arms. He waited until she slowly opened her eyes to look up at him.
“I love you, Mattie,” he whispered. “Never doubt that. You are mine and I keep what is mine, Mattie. Forever.”
Mattie smiled up at him. She ran her hands up over his chest to his shoulders. She gazed up at him, her smile growing as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down the rest of the way.
“I can live with that,” she murmured as she kissed him deeply.
Chapter 8
The next few weeks flew by. Mattie felt like she was in a dream. Jai left early each morning but not before loving her as thoroughly as he had during the night. She spent her days with her dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets practicing for the big performance that was coming up. She had been warned that it would be dangerous that night and anyone who wanted to stay away could. Jai tried to convince her to remain in her camper where she would be safe but she had to support the clowns who used her furry friends in some of their performances.
Now, as she watched the last act being performed, she wondered if she had made a mistake. The nightmares she had from being held by those males on the warship were just beginning to fade. But as the tension mounted inside the Big Top, those fears came rushing back until she jumped at every noise. Her eyes searched the dark shadows for anything out of the ordinary. She desperately wished Jai was with her but he had been assigned somewhere else.
“Mattie, are you okay love?” Harold asked as he handed her Bandit as he came back behind the curtain.
Mattie nodded and reached for Bandit, slipping her into the small cage beside the cats and rabbits. The dogs all lay quietly around her as if sensing her nervousness.
“I just wish tonight was over,” Mattie whispered.
She looked over to the stands. Her eyes stopped on the man sitting with two unusual women. She shivered as she watched as one of the women looked coldly at the stands where she thought the royal family was sitting.
“At least your dogs didn’t pick up any explosives. That would have really livened tonight up,” Harold said as he patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. We are ready for anything. You just find a nice place to hide.”
Mattie looked at Harold with wide eyes. “Aren’t you scared?” She asked softly looking into his wrinkled face covered in makeup.
“Naw honey,” Harold said looking at the stands. “I was in Vietnam. You don’t get scared of much after that.”
Mattie watched as Harold walked away. There were so many of her friends that she really knew very little about. Her eyes moved back to the stands just as the man stood up and screamed ‘Kill them!’ Mattie watched in horror as men rose and began firing at where Marcus was standing. One minute Marcus was standing, the next he was covered by a huge creature covered in thick scales. Thick, silver scales the size of half-dollars that belonged to Marvin, only it was a Marvin she had never seen before! She stumbled backwards when Martin charged the stands. Turning, she fell to her knees and crawled across the floor until she could curl up under the cage holding Katarina’s tigers. She whispered to the dogs to come to her. They crawled on their belly’s imitating her until they were up under the covered cage as well. Mattie pulled Chia into her lap and shivered as she listened to the tigers pacing and snarling under the covers concealing them.
She covered her ears against the screams and yelling. Images of the males cutting their friend up danced through her mind and she started rocking and humming in an effort to drown out the noise of the fight. She had no idea how long she stayed hidden. It wasn’t until Jo came up and called her name several times that she opened her eyes to stare in terror at the slender blonde.
“Mattie, I need your help,” Jo whispered. “Please, I need you to get the dogs to find someone.”
Mattie crawled slowly out from under the cage, looking back and forth. “Who?” She asked, her voice trembling.
She watched as Jo pulled a small piece of fabric out by the corner. “Tai Tek. Please, I know your dogs can find him,” Jo said.
Mattie looked at the torn cloth. She reached out a trembling hand and took the piece of torn material from Jo. She called the dogs to her. Giving them a quiet command, she dropped the piece on the ground and watched as they sniffed it. Once she was satisfied they had a good scent, she gave them the command to ‘go find’. Oscar took off running as fast as his little legs could go, the other dogs following close behind.
“Let’s go,” Jo said with a grin as she turned to follow the dogs.
Mattie nodded not saying anything. She doubted if she could over the lump of terror threatening to choke her. She averted her eyes from all the blood soaking into the floor of the
center ring. She pushed aside the huge flap of the tent and breathed in a deep breath of the clear night air. She glanced and saw Oscar running toward the animal compound.
They were rounding one cage when Mattie heard Jo cry out as a dark shape came from behind it. She watched as Jo fought against a huge male. He was darker than the ones who had held her but he had the same look in his eyes. They were cold and deadly. She bit her lip to keep from crying out when she saw the male knock Jo backwards. She waved her hand to signal the dogs to move in. If they got a chance, they would attack.
“You will lead me out of here,” the male growled out to Jo. “Dead or alive, I will use you to get out of here.”
Mattie’s head turned when she heard another voice speak softly out of the darkness of the night. “Dead sounds good to me.” A moment later, the male crumpled to the ground, dead from a knife to the back.
Mattie sank down and pressed her body against the side of one of the fences. She bit back the sob that threatened to escape. She was so tired of death. She had never been around so much violence before and to see people actually killing for enjoyment was too much for her. She hated violence. She hated anyone or anything getting hurt. Mattie listened as Jo and Shannon, the young FBI agent that had snuck aboard the warship disguised as one of the crew, asked each other questions. She was about to stand and tell them she had to get out of there, that she couldn’t do this, when the dogs started growling again. A moment later she heard Shannon’s soft exclamation as she drew a gun from her waist and pointed it, firing rapidly twice.
“Bingo!” Shannon muttered darkly.
Mattie screamed and covered her head as a huge male fell forward, dead near the first one. She tried to jerk away when she felt a set of slender arms wrap around her shoulders.
Shannon muttered a curse as she came to kneel next to Mattie. “That bastard has been following me for the last ten minutes playing cat and mouse. I knew if I stopped long enough he would show himself. Hey, are you okay?” She asked in concern when she saw how much Mattie was shaking.