Claim
Lutra's first reaction on hearing about the Saiyan tradition of 'claiming' was to tilt her head to the side and ask if her bondmate would claim her now, please…
A'lestrel shook his head, firmly.
"You really have no conception of the gravity of the act. I wish you to think seriously about it, speak to members of the family who are claimed - and those who claimed them. Once done, it cannot be undone."
Lutra nodded, a little impatiently.
"Very well, hab'lan. As soon as we return."
Which was less than a half a day, now. The trip had passed all too quickly, but at least they'd been able to spend it together, and as the cruiser was fully crewed and the prince not required as pilot, they'd spent it in bed.
Lutra had been drowsily cuddling her Zasshu, sated after a prolonged lovemaking spell, when she first felt the scars, rough against her fingertips. Frowning, she nuzzled A'lestrel's shoulder.
*Hab'lan? What's this?*
*Mmm?* He'd been on the very edge of sleep, and blinked golden eyes half-open to gaze at her. She stroked her fingers over the roughened stripes of skin on his buttocks - then explored further, finding more on his inner thighs. Somewhat alarmed, she pulled herself upright and peered over his hip, eyes widening at the sight of the almost-healed gouges.
*'lestrel? These… they look like clawmarks! What happened? Was Ry too rough with you?* She growled and glared towards the door, ready to storm out and have 'words' with the Guard. A'lestrel's tail wrapped around her waist, pulling her firmly back against him.
"No, it wasn't Ry… It's nothing, zk'vissin. Nothing for you to worry about."
She frowned suspiciously.
*What are you trying to hide?*
He blinked.
"Why, nothing."
*Then why did you switch to speech?*
He hissed irritably.
*It is nothing for you to worry about.*
She pouted at him.
*That's not what I asked.*
He regarded her for a moment, then reached a hand forwards, fondling that sensitive little mound as his tongue wrapped itself around a nipple, and for a little while Lutra forgot all about the matter…
A'lestrel was asleep, snatching a quick nap before they landed on Vejiitasei and he had to resume work. Lutra watched him fondly, a gentle smile on her face. Then her expression hardened and she slid off the bed, tugging on a pair of trousers and tunic before going hunting for Ry.
"How could you let 'lestrel get hurt?!"
Lutra had tracked the big Elite down to the cruiser's small galley and she stood facing him now, teeth bared and wings wide and quivering with fury. Ry paused in the act of lifting a lump of meat to his mouth, and scowled at her.
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
Lutra advanced on him, azure eyes glittering harshly.
"My hab'lan has scars, recent scars, and I doubt they came from sparring!"
The Saiyan stared at her open mouthed, then spluttered, his tail lashing in agitation.
"That was nothing to do with me! We objected, tried to get him to change his mind, but he's too fucking stubborn!"
The tenshi's eyes narrowed as she leant towards Ry.
"What happened? And who's 'we'?"
"His Guard, of course - me, Sasa, four others…" The big male scowled. "He wanted to get some plants for your garden…"
He paused, suddenly apprehensive about Lutra's likely response to what had happened.
She blinked, then growled, slamming her fist down on the table.
"Plants?! How the fuck did he get scars like that from picking up some plants?!"
"They're very rare plants. And the merchant wanted… um… he wanted…" Ry was uncharacteristically flustered under the tenshi's implacably furious glare.
"Let me guess," Lutra snapped, "the merchant wanted sex with my hab'lan, MY HAB'LAN in exchange?"
Ry winced, visibly quailing. He couldn't remember scenting anger quite this… violent… before.
"… Yes… Well, partly…"
Breathing hard, nails digging into her palms, Lutra struggled to master her emotions. It wasn't easy – she couldn't remember being this angry before.
"Start at the beginning," she grated to the Saiyan, who was eyeing her warily, "tell me everything."
Even if she hadn't been the bondmate of his prince and aijin, Ry would have found it difficult to refuse the furious tenshi. He gave her an honest account, but glossed over the state the prince had been in at the end as far as he could: he was still angry, with A'lestrel for letting himself be used, and with the Guard's inability to do anything about it. Oh, well, they could have killed the merchant and just taken the tubers - but that kind of behaviour was no longer acceptable for representatives of the Saiya-jin Empire…
Lutra was stonily silent throughout but she'd calmed somewhat by the time Ry had finished. As reason began to prevail she understood she couldn't blame Ry, or 'lestrel's other guards, for her hab'lan getting hurt. 'lestrel could be as stubborn as a mountain sometimes and it had been his decision to go through with it. The tenshi's rage dissipated under the flood of warm tenderness: her hab'lan had done it because he wanted to get her something special and if there'd been no problems on Maurilla 'lestrel would have healed completely by the time she returned - and she'd have known nothing about it. Lutra finally relaxed.
"You're not to blame, Ry," she sighed ruefully, "sorry I yelled at you."
The big Guard lowered his head, scent ashamed.
"Doesn't change the fact I failed in my duty. I'm not happy about it, Lutra-sama. It hurt him, and there was nothing I could do about it. He'd ordered us not to interfere."
The tenshi briefly touched her fingertips to the Guard's wrist.
"I think A'lestrel needs to learn how to listen to advice from those who love him." she said softly, giving Ry a small smile, then she returned to her stateroom and sat cross-legged on the bed next to her hab'lan, and waited for him to wake.
Lutra only had to wait a few moments before A'lestrel's eyes fluttered open and he smiled sleepily at her. The next instant his eyelids snapped wide and he scowled.
*Ry told me.* Lutra forestalled his comment.
The prince hissed angrily.
"He had no right."
*You wouldn't tell me and I needed to know.* Lutra sounded calm and practical. *Ry hates that he couldn't stop you getting hurt.*
"It was my choice. His… feelings in the matter were immaterial."
*Ry is not just your Guard, he's your friend! He cares about you!* Lutra glared at him. *It's considered good manners to take your friends' feelings into consideration!*
Lutra was quietly amazed she was arguing on behalf of her rival. Going by his expression, so was A'lestrel.
*I like Ry,* the tenshi blushed, feeling defensive now, *despite everything, and we both have your best interests at heart.* This last was accompanied by a poke in the Zasshu's chest.
A'lestrel blinked, then pulled himself to sit cross-legged facing Lutra, regarding the tenshi as though she'd suddenly turned into some strange and exotic wild creature. Or possibly as though he'd suddenly realised that she had always been a strange and exotic wild creature… He inclined his head, frowning slightly.
"Bondmates take precedence over friends."
Lutra blinked, then pursed her lips irritably.
*And I am hardly complacent about you getting hurt either! Hab'lan - * she cupped his face in her hands, pressing her forehead to his and *whispering*, *I love you so much, your happiness, and pain, is mine. It doesn't please me to see you hurt, even if it was with the best of intentions.*
The prince eyed her for a moment - then his shoulders slumped. He took her hand, eyes lowered.
*Zk'vissin, I can't promise it won't happen again. There have been occasions in the past, and there may be occasions in the future, when such… personal sacrifice… is necessary. And I cannot refuse, not if lives depend upon my actions. But…* he lifted his head to gaze into bright blue eyes, his own soft and loving, *I will promise you that I will not do so selfishly, for my own purposes. And I will consider others, next time.*
*I can ask for nothing more, aijin* Lutra giggled self-consciously as she blinked back tears. *Now,* she went on in a more businesslike tone though her eyes twinkled, *we'll be landing on Vejiitasei in a little under an hour. That means that's less than an hour that I can have you completely to myself.* Lutra's voice dropped to a soft purr. *How shall I spend this precious time?*
Leteetza regarded the tenshi curiously.
"Claiming? 'lestrel has talked about claiming you, then."
Lutra nodded, watching as the Saiyan inclined her head, deep green eyes pensive.
"Let's see... well, I'm not the best person to ask. When I was claimed I didn't even know what it signified!"
Lutra eyed the old, pale silvery scar on the female's neck.
"But anything you tell me will be useful, Leteetza-sama."
The King's Companion smirked.
"Heh… Very well… It's restrictive. Once you've been claimed, you belong to the one claiming you. Well, your body does, at any rate."
"My body, my heart and soul, already belong to A'lestrel, Leteetza-sama. I don't have a problem with that."
Leteetza frowned.
"You are very young to be so certain."
"I am certain, my lady," Lutra's eyes shone, "I've bonded with him."
The Saiyan nodded, slowly. She'd explored the mechanics (what little was known, at any rate) of tenshi bonds once Radittsu had told her what had happened on Maurilla. And she knew as much as anyone about the different kinds and depths of bonds amongst the various species' that now made up the family.
"Well, being claimed offers protection against the unwanted attentions of others." She grinned ruefully: since the integration of the zn'hre, and later the Zasshu, into Saiyan culture that now meant all others, male, female, both or neither. No one was prepared to risk the pain and disruption of another Mahrayne event; by law, anyone coming between a claimed couple except with the express permission of both could be severely punished, by death if violence was offered. Claiming was rare, these days, except in the royal families. "At least, it does where the validity of the claim is recognised - which is almost everywhere within the Empire, at any rate. It also restricts your ability to take other lovers, unless your mate agrees to it."
Lutra nodded.
"But I don't want anyone else."
"Are you sure? Will you still feel the same way in fifty, or a hundred, or five hundred years time?"
The tenshi smiled.
"I'm sure."
"And you know the same will not apply to 'lestrel? That he'll need to take others, on a regular basis?"
Lutra swallowed and nodded again.
"I understand it's essential, Leteetza-sama. I've - we've - come to terms with it."
The Saiyan sighed, then smiled.
"Claiming's not necessary, you know. Many bondmates go through life without it."
"But I want to, my lady. I want to take that last step."
"Then I wish you luck. But make sure you speak to the rest of the family first…"
A'lestrel was at corps HQ again, the children at morning lessons, and Ti'aasaan and Zha'haarak off visiting: the suite was quiet for once, only Ka'reysu on the sleeping platform, the hostlings snuggled into his mane sleeping off their last meal. Le'ska and Ka'rayne were seventy three days old now, and flying, although it left them somewhat tired, and were thoroughly delightful little creatures: Lutra loved helping look after them. She stroked Le'ska's rich blue mane as she settled herself beside the Zasshu.
"'reysu-chan, would you mind if I ask you a question? Well," she amended, "a couple of questions, really."
"Please." 'reysu smiled gently.
"Why did you let Le'leen claim you – and – what does it mean, for you, being claimed?"
'reysu inclined his head, considering.
"It means everything to me - Le'leen is my life. But it wasn't easy, to start with. There's never been a time when I did not love him, and all my earliest memories revolve around him. I believe I bonded with him at my birth. But for a long time it was one-sided…"
Lutra shuddered in empathy.
"That's a hard thing to cope with." The tenshi gently stroked a still-sleeping 'ska's rich blue mane. "Before I left Maurilla to come after 'lestrel, I wasn't sure if he felt the same way about me. It was torture." Lutra paused. "What happened to change the situation?"
Ka'reysu hesitated, then lowered his eyes.
"'leen was… hurt… and I comforted him… and the other half of the bond awoke." He gazed at the tenshi, eyes sad. "The bond had always been there, sleeping, otherwise it couldn't have happened. But I regret that it took such pain to bring it into being."
Lutra knew better than to ask for more details – private things were private no matter the species.
"How old were you when you were claimed? Did you talk about it together before?"
The Zasshu chuckled.
"Oh yes. But Maazi insisted on us waiting until after my fourth shizun. Neither of us was overly happy about it - but it was sensible. By then I'd learned a lot more about myself. As to how old? At the beginning of my fifth year."
"How long have you been claimed, 'reysu? Did your bond change in anyway after Le'leen had claimed you?"
Ka'reysu inclined his head, expression thoughtful.
"It has been… three and a half years… The bond grows deeper over time, but that is to be expected… But I feel more secure. Knowing that I am loved and protected, that I am his chosen as well as his destined."
Lutra's smile was rather soppy - that was so sweet! Then she blinked, and frowned. 'reysu had been claimed after his fourth shizun, three and a half years ago? Shizun only happened about once a year...
"How old are you, 'reysu?"
"Half way through my seventh year."
Lutra stared. 'reysu, and therefore 'lestrel, weren't yet eight years old? That meant she was a number of years their senior, chronologically at least. But - but they seemed so much older...
The Zasshu was regarding her enquiringly.
"Why does that puzzle you?"
"You and A'lestrel are considerably younger than me. I thought – assumed – it was the other way 'round." Lutra bit her lip, she still had a lot to learn, obviously.
'reysu smiled.
"Zasshu mature very quickly - it's part of our R'ren'nkh'ian heritage. Does it trouble you?"
"No-o-o," Lutra said slowly, "I just need to readjust my thinking." She shook herself, smiling at her hab'lan's twin. "You said the bond deepens over time? Will it be the same with 'lestrel and I, do you think?"
"Certainly on 'lestrel's side." He shrugged. "We can only wait and see if it is the same for you… It's likely, though, I'd have thought. Kinu and 'jau's bond has deepened, after all, and the Hassinan had no conception of bonds." He frowned. "Then again, Kinu is part Saiyan…" He sighed, then smiled. "I think it will."
"I hope so!" Lutra beamed, "I want, I need to be as close to him as possible. I was so happy when I found out we could speak telepathically to each other."
Ka'reysu smirked.
"Yes, I know. He was quite pleased, himself." He glanced down as 'rayne yawned and bit his tail, then cuddled the waking hostling to him as 'ska stretched and wriggled. Their sire sighed.
"Heh, time to play…"
Talking to Leteetza and 'reysu took care of the morning. A'lestrel suggested, during the midday meal, that Lutra speak to Merica and Jagung – Lord Merica, ruler of Rumput, and his consort – who were in the capital for an Island Rulers' Summit. She'd have to hurry though, the pair would be travelling back to Rumput in a few hours.
The enormous, burly Saiyan that answered her knock on the suite door smirked and showed Lutra straight through, saying their Lordships were expecting her.
"Will you let Pancar pack! That's what he's there for!" The taller, darker of the two males in the large but cluttered room was growling at his mate. The other one, slender, golden-red and beautiful, smirked and flicked his tail lightly over the dark one's upper thigh, just shy of the not inconspicuous bulge at his groin.
"Welcome, Lutra-sama," he greeted the tenshi. "Ssii'irin A'lestrel told us you were on your way to speak to us."
Lutra smiled shyly at the pair.
"I'm sorry to interrupt but 'lestrel thought I should speak to you about claiming."
The Saiyans glanced at each other, then smirked at the tenshi. Jagung inclined his head.
"What do you want to know?"
"Well," Lutra addressed her question to Merica – 'lestrel had told her who had done the claiming, "why did you claim Jagung-sama?"
The forthright question took them both a little by surprise. Merica frowned, the tip of his tail twitching, then ushered Lutra to a floor cushion, seating himself nearby with Jagung kneeling behind him, arms around his shoulders - leaving a grateful Pancar to finish the packing without interruption.
"I claimed him because he was - is - the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, because I wanted him, and because I didn't want anyone else to get their hands on him."
Jagung chuckled and kissed the side of his face.
"He rescued me from a horrible fate."
The tenshi could understand the 'beautiful' part of it, and she had an inkling of understanding about the 'not wanting anyone else to get their hands on him' bit. She'd already worked out that the Saiya-jin were as territorial as her people, about their mates at any rate. (Privately, Lutra thought the tenshi-jin bonds were better because once you were bonded with your mate neither of you could be interested in anyone else.)
"He rescued you? Were you happy to be claimed because of that or was it more?"
Jagung sighed quietly and nuzzled his bondmate's neck.
"I argued. Claiming me did him no good at all…"
Merica growled.
"Don't talk crap. It was the best thing I ever did."
Jagung nipped his ear, making him shiver.
"Let me finish, baka!" He grinned at Lutra. "His father banished him for claiming me."
Merica glowered.
"D'you regret it?"
Jagung hugged him, his voice soft, lovely eyes glinting.
"I have never regretted one second of it, aijin. I wanted to belong to you - even if it was all a little rushed."
Merica leaned back into his embrace.
"I suppose I didn't really give you much choice, did I?"
"None whatsoever." He smiled at Lutra. "He paid for me for the night - and by the morning I was claimed and we were mates. Not bonded, though - that came later…"
"He… paid for you?" This made no sense at all to the tenshi.
Jagung's smile faded slightly, but he held Lutra's gaze.
"I was working as a teaser in a sex club. Allowing the club's owner to loan me - for a fee - to anyone who could pay the price, for the night, for sex." He shrugged. "Not my choice - it was all I could do under the circumstances."
Merica growled and wrapped his tail tightly around his bondmate's waist.
"It was all my father's fault… but that's an old story. Main thing was I wasn't going to let him escape me. So I claimed him, and to fuck with the consequences. Best thing I ever did…" he repeated, twisting to kiss his mate.
Lutra frowned as she considered this bizarre notion of exchanging money for sex - the tenshi-jin had nothing like it in their society – and Jagung had been owned by someone, like a servant? She shrugged mentally, different things for different races after all. Her eyes widened as something else Jagung had said finally clicked.
"You weren't bonded first?"
Merica shook his head.
"No. That didn't happen until years later, when Jagung was separated from me and in danger." He grinned. "It's not at all unusual to have claims without bonds. Leteetza-sama never bonded."
"I hadn't realised," Lutra smiled self-consciously, "I sort of assumed claiming had something to do with bonding."
Jagung smirked.
"No. It's nice when they go together - and most bonded mates do end up claimed - but it's not compulsory."
The tenshi chuckled.
"A'lestrel wanted me to find out about claiming before I agreed to his claiming me, but the more I hear the more I want him to do it."
The Saiyans exchanged a glance.
"You know that it will not be exclusive on his side, of course…"
Lutra didn't growl.
"Yes I know." Then she sighed, wings drooping slightly. "I understand and it won't be a problem. As long as I can claim the majority of his free time."
Merica nodded slowly.
"Well, you aren't going into it with your eyes shut, which is wise. And I can understand why he wants to claim you." He half-smiled wryly. "And I'm sure he wants nothing more than to spend as much time with you as he can. As long as you're aware that won't be anything like as much as you both want."
Jagung smiled gently.
"Merica's claim was almost the best thing that had ever happened to me - the best was when we bonded." he added as his mate objected, growling. "It's a thing of such great significance - it shows how much the one claiming cares for the claimed, and wants to protect them for always." He touched his scar - much more prominent than Leteetza's, as though it had been renewed several times. "I wear it with love and pride."
Merica's eyes closed, an expression of deep love on his face as he nuzzled his bondmate's neck.
Lutra smiled shyly.
"Thank you for speaking to me. I hope A'lestrel and I will be as happy as you are after he's claimed me." Azure eyes glittered above a small, predatory smile. "Because he is going to claim me. I will not let him back out of it now."
Merica raised an eyebrow.
"Our pleasure, Lutra-sama. Our good wishes go with you." *Heh. I think our young prince has found himself a possible equal, here…*
Jagung chuckled quietly and kissed his bondmate's neck.
*It'll be interesting to see what the future brings…*
Hijau was relieved the summit was over: trying to keep order in a conference room filled with volatile Saiya-jin nobles, all wanting to put their point of view first, wasn't his idea of a fun way to spend five days. He arrived back at the suite weary and determined to enjoy his two days downtime. He'd already decided to take Zha'haarak down to the sea again.
The gentle zn'hre was waiting for him, pulling him into a loving hug and kissing him fondly.
**Welcome home, zkai'da**
Hijau sighed and held him close, soaking up the restful calm he exuded, then looked over his shoulder to where 'lestrel's bondmate was sitting watching them avidly. He raised an eyebrow.
"Lutra-sama?"
Spots of colour appeared on her cheeks.
"I was wondering, Hijau-sama, Ssii'irin Zha'haarak, if I could talk to you about claiming? It can wait though." Lutra added hastily, aware that the flame-haired Saiyan had some time off and he would naturally want to spend it with his mate.
Zha'haarak shifted to stand beside his bondmate, expression curious.
"What is it you wish to ask?"
The tenshi tilted her head.
"Why did you claim Hijau-sama, your highness?"
Zha'haarak blinked.
"Because he asked me to."
Lutra's attention shifted to the Saiyan.
"Why did you ask him, Hijau-sama?"
Hijau regarded her for a long moment, during which she grew more and more nervous - then indicated the balcony. The three of them sat at the table in the warm evening sunsshine: Hijau rested his chin in his hand and frowned pensively, Zha'haarak's arm around his waist as his tail curled around his bondmate's hips.
"Zha'haarak bonded with me some time before my side of the bond kicked in - and even then it took a couple of family tragedies for it to take hold. And…" he growled under his breath, somewhat at a loss for words. "I… simply wanted it. I wanted an outward sign of how much Zha'haarak means to me. You see, generally speaking the stronger claims the weaker. But I'm far more powerful than the Ssii'irin, both physically and in ki… For him to claim me meant… I was happy to submit to him, to his love." He sighed and stroked the gentle zn'hre's cheek with his fingertips. "I'm not explaining this at all well. Maybe it would be easiest to say that it felt right and leave it at that. I wanted it, and I've never regretted it." His face fell. "Well, only once…"
Zha'haarak kissed him.
"That was not your fault, zkai'da. And it is long past now. Don't let it trouble you anymore."
The captain sighed, then smirked and pulled the prince even closer.
"My beloved - and letting him claim me proves that to everyone."
Lutra nodded slowly, thanked the pair and left them to their privacy – she had a lot to think about.
The tenshi lay on her stomach on her and 'lestrel's bed, chin propped up on her hands. Claiming, it seemed, was about possession and protection, but mostly about love. Jagung had said the bond he and Merica had was more important, ultimately, more satisfying than simply being claimed, but he was proud to have his claim mark. Lutra knew in her soul she wanted that outward sign of possession as well - speaking to the others had only confirmed it for her, their stories annealing her desire to proclaim herself her hab'lan's.
She grinned to herself, she'd *felt* her mate's approach and within a few seconds her beloved landed quietly on their balcony and prowled inside. Lutra was kneeling up on the bed, hands clasped demurely in her lap. She smiled up at him through her thick golden fringe.
*I want you to claim me, aijin, please.*
Temperamentally, A'lestrel took after his maazi - but it was Radittsu who was usually *burdened* with the prince's emotional upheavals. And right now he was pacing tightly, scowling. Zha'haabron gazed at him compassionately.
**It is their choice, zkai'da. You cannot make it for them**
*I know…* the Saiyan *growled*. *But he's too young. They're both too young!*
The king chuckled quietly.
**I remember saying the same about certain other hostlings…**
*And you were right!* Radittsu shoved a hand hard through his mane, then crouched down before his bondmate, reaching to touch the faint claim mark on the zn'hre's neck. Zha'haabron smiled and took his hand.
**I remember. And I remember the circumstances, and I remember nearly killing you - before I realised the great honour you did me**
The big Saiyan cradled him close, eyes brimming.
*I still don't know how to tell you how much you mean to me.*
The zn'hre kissed him.
**Allow them to make their own decisions. It is a strong bond, and while there will be problems, I believe they can be overcome**
Radittsu chuckled wryly.
*Heh - that used to be my rôle, saying everything will be all right.*
Zha'haabron's eyes were very bright.
**You see how much you have taught me…?**
A'lestrel frowned.
"You've spoken with the family?"
She nodded. He sighed.
"And you are absolutely certain this is what you want?"
She nodded again, jaw set and face determined. He kissed her forehead.
"Wait here."
And he was gone again. Lutra pouted crossly after him. Why did he keep asking her if this was what she really wanted? Good gods he was the one who brought the subject up in the first place! The tenshi sighed huffily, wondering if she should wait for her mate here, or go and join the rest of the family…
She waited for 'lestrel in their room, feeling the apprehension mount.
Zyelenyi wasn't happy. But he couldn't deny the prince's request - and at least it hadn't come during a particularly busy or fraught time.
A'lestrel returned to the room, filled with a buoyant sense of anticipation. He wanted this, really wanted it, wanted Lutra to be his completely - even as he recognised the hypocrisy of it, that he could never be fully hers. That that wasn't his fault made no difference to his feelings.
But Lutra wanted to be claimed. And right now that was all that mattered.
He stood in the doorway for a moment, gazing at her beautiful, lithe form, those strong snowy wings moving very faintly in agitation as she waited, and felt something within him melt. He moved silently into the room, closing the door firmly behind him.
And knelt in front of her, one hand cupping her cheek.
"Two days, zk'vissin. I have two days. Not long, but we can make them forever."
*...aijin...* Lutra's eyes shone. *Can we go somewhere? Just the two of us?*
*Anywhere you like. Afterwards.* He took a deep breath and slid onto the bed, pulling her to sit in his lap. *This will hurt a little, zk'aida. Are you prepared?*
She trembled in his arms, part anticipation, part trepidation.
"You're going to bite me, of course I know it's going to hurt."
He nodded - then pushed her slightly away and slid out of his bodysuit, reaching to tug at her clothing. He was already erect. She scrambled out of her trousers and tunic and waited, oddly shy, while he settled himself cross-legged then pulled her back onto his lap, thrusting smoothly into her body. She shivered as his tongue licked her throat, laving a spot between her shoulder and her neck, nipping gently as one hand cupped her breast, fondling the nipple.
As his tail wrapped her waist and caressed her nub, she felt the pressure of his teeth against her skin… Fear and elation twined inside her, this was somehow more intimate than anything else they'd done together. Lutra bit her lip and forced herself to relax.
As his teeth carefully broke the skin she whimpered, trying not to pull away - it did hurt… But only for a moment - and his thrusting powerfully into her, his fingers on her nipple and stroking through her feathers, his tail rippling and vibrating against her nub… the pain receded, became an aching warmth, and the distraction of his body eased the intensity of the whole experienced into something bearable…
Her hab'lan. And now she was, clearly and visibly and irrevocably, his.
© 2003 May 22nd Joules and Amanda
