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  She sat down on his face, and he dove in like a starved man. The first lick of her salty sweetness made him hum.

  "Oooh stars, yes." He flicked her swollen clit with his tongue, and she rocked against him, riding his face. He stiffened his tongue and thrust deep into her depths. Her liquid coated his lips and ran into his mouth. She buried her fingers in his hair, nails digging deep. The sensations made him move his tongue in her channel faster, as he stiffened it harder with his powers. He cupped her ass and brought her closer, pressing his nose against her nub as he continued to devour her. Her body vibrated, and she tugged on his hair.

  "Right there, General! Yes!" Her breathy voice morphed into a high-pitched scream. Thank God for soundproof rooms. Dew filled his mouth, sweet and floral, and he swallowed it down, greedy for more. Her release subsided, and she scooted back to sit on his stomach.

  "Nice work, General. But that was just a warm up."

  He licked his lips and grinned.

  "Good, cause I'm very hungry."

  "I like your attitude, soldier." She winked and slid down his lap to sit on his thighs. A snap of her fingers removed his clothes with her powers.

  "Much better for what I have in mind." His arms stretched out as an invisible force held him spread eagle. "Even nicer."

  He tugged against the restraints, and she tsked.

  "That's to keep you in place, tall, dark, and handsome." She blew a kiss, and the top of her index finger glowed with a brilliant white light. "Ready to feel the burn, lover?" She touched his chest, and his body jerked away in reaction. Rivka leaned down to lick the heated path. Goose bumps broke out all over his flesh. The stinging pain continued as she drew a mosaic across his skin, soothing each pain with her heated mouth. By the time she reached his hipbone he was ready to spontaneously combust. She palmed his straining cock and rubbed her thumb in the blue liquid that seeped from his head.

  "You're close, aren't you? I knew you'd love this."

  "How?" he croaked.

  "Because everyone likes to be a little out of control once in a while, and you’ve been wound up tight for far too long, General." Their gazes lock as she bent her head and flicked out her tongue to lick the blue pre-cum off her thumb.

  "In the spirit of doing things differently, I want you to come somewhere else this time."

  "Where?"

  "I want you to come on my tits."

  His jaw dropped open, and he blinked. "I'm sorry?"

  "You heard me right. I want you to come on my tits." In the blink of an eye her corset was gone, and she was engulfing his rigid cock between her full breasts.

  "Fuck." His eyes were glued to the sight. The contrast of brown and white was beautiful, and her skin hot and soft. His tip yielded more cum, and she sped up, providing more friction.

  "Mmm, I can tell how much you like this. Move your hips, I won't break." He obliged her, rocking upward. The pull of the invisible bonds that still held him heightened his pleasure with their pull.

  "Come on, General, you can do better than that. Fuck ‘em the way you do my pussy." His words hit him like a shot fired at the beginning of a race. He bucked, tugging on the invisible ropes as he gritted his teeth. The muscles in his back clenched.

  "Shit. I'm going to come."

  "Do it. Come on, spray all over me."

  "Fuck!" Her words were the clincher, and he let go, spewing his blue goodness all over her chest and himself. The warm liquid glistened on her skin like blue jewels. Her moans of satisfaction were the perfect crescendo to the moment she'd built up. His lids lowered, and he groaned when she brought her hands up to massage the creamy substance on her breasts before she brought one up to her mouth and sucked it dry. "Savory."

  "That's the sexiest thing I've ever seen in my life."

  "I have a lot more up my sleeve." She snapped her fingers, and the bonds holding him broke. "Let me help." She moved over to the edge of the bed by his head and massaged his wrist. "Let's get the circulation going again. They weren't that tight, but better safe than sorry."

  "You make a habit of tying folks up, Riv?" she paused.

  "No, but by far you have been the most fun."

  "Good, because Ima need you to do it again."

  She threw her head back and laughed. "I think that can be arranged." She ended her kneading. "Other wrist, please." He leaned over and gave her the other hand. "As much as I'd love to go into a round two, we need to hit the showers and head out. I have an appointment to plan another mating ceremony, and you have a boys’ night."

  "I would ditch my brothers any night of the week for just a second longer with you."

  She placed his hand on the bed and smiled. "Okay, that's sweet." Rivka leaned down and cupped his cheek. His heart soared at the intimate gesture. Progress! She dropped her hand to her side and stood. "Shower time."

  He studied her as he moved to follow her into the bathroom. She woke things in him he hadn't realized existed. He'd liked what she'd done to him just now, and every time she took command of his body worked like an aphrodisiac. They entered the bathroom, and he started the shower up with his mind. They played down their powers a lot in public, but in the privacy of his home he could relax and be himself.

  "Keep your hands to yourself, or we'll never get out of here," Rivka said as she removed her outfit with her powers, tested the water with her hand, and stepped inside the stall.

  "Those words don't match the look in your eyes." Bastien stepped in behind her.

  "Wants versus responsibilities." She ducked under the water’s spray, and he grabbed his body wash from the shower rack behind her. Pouring an ample amount into his hand he replaced it, rubbing his hands to get a good lather as he fixed his gaze on the sandstone tiles. If he looked at her body glistening with water they'd never make it out of here. Fifteen minutes they were dressed and walking out of his room. Phelan and Zasha paused when they caught sight of them.

  "Rivka?" Zasha whispered.

  "Hi." Rivka waved.

  "Wait, you two?" Phelan gestured toward them with his index finger.

  "Yes," Bastien said.

  "What? When?" Phelan’s eyes were wide, his face twisted into an expression of bewilderment that made him snort.

  "Awhile ago," Bastien said.

  "How? You've been around each other before … The Purge?"

  "The what?" Zasha asked. Her query broke the tension that had built in the hallway.

  "A very risky, idiotic, procedure that blocks The Wanting along with a good seventy-five percent plus of your emotions." Phelan kept his gaze fixed on Bastien as he spoke. This was not the way I wanted him to find out.

  "You owe me a conversation later," Phelan said. His lips were stretched into a line, and his jaw was tight.

  "I know. I need to walk Rivka out first."

  "I can find my—"

  "No. Now that the secrets out, there's no reason to sneak around." He was proud to have Rivka as his mate, and now everyone would know. A thrill of excitement zinged through him. In a lot of ways this was perfect timing. Phelan was going to be pissed off no matter how he broke it to him. Now it was one less obstacle in the way of a solid relationship with Rivka.

  "My office in fifteen?" Phelan asked.

  "I'll be there."

  They parted ways, and Rivka glanced up at him as they walked. "I didn’t mean to cause any trouble."

  "It had to come out sooner or later, and I always prefer sooner."

  "Do you think he's really upset?"

  "Phelan takes everything on himself. Like a parent trying to bear the brunt of pain for their child. He's been that way since Mom and Dad were killed. It's too much weight on one man's shoulders. Having Zasha has changed that a lot, but I can see we've still a ways to go."

  "What do you think he'll do?"

  "Lecture me until my head wants to explode."

  She snickered.

  "You think I'm kidding?" he asked.

  "It's hard to picture you getting lectured by anyone."

&nb
sp; "Despite my outward appearances he is still very much the elder brother."

  "Oh to be a fly on the wall."

  "You're enjoying this a little too much, Riv. I had no idea a Star Maiden could be so bloodthirsty."

  "Just me, I'm quite special, you see. There's never been a maiden quite like me, longest reign and all of that."

  He risked a glance over to see if the comment was a dig. She caught his gaze and winked. Nope, it was a joke. If you told him a few months ago his perfect match would have a wicked sense of humor he never would've believed it. Just one of the million ways his perception had been turned on its head.

  "Well, this is my stop." Rivka gestured to the door behind her.

  "I feel like if I say thank you, you'll slap me."

  "Hmm. I might."

  He liked this playful side of Rivka that emerged more with the time they spent together.

  "Then I won't say it." He opened the door. "Be safe."

  "Of course." She stepped through, and he watched her until she got into her car. Now to get chewed out.

  ****

  Phelan sank down in the chair at his desk. Have I been remiss in my duties to my family? Am I so caught up with Zasha that I’ve missed things? Does this extend to my people? He was walking a thin line, new wife, a baby on the way, and the biggest crisis he’d seen during his run as King looming over him and threatening to explode at any moment. I'm exhausted. Phelan ran a hand over his face and released a deep breath. A knock sounded on the door.

  "It's me."

  "Come on in, Bast."

  Bastien walked in and sat down in the chair across from him. His back was rigid, his muscles were tense, and his mouth was curled down at the corners.

  "I know you're waiting for me to yell at you. Trust me, I'd really like to, but it wouldn't change things, and to be honest I'm tired as hell. What I want to know is why?"

  "Why did I undergo The Purge, or why didn’t I tell you about Rivka?"

  "Both, in detail, please."

  "I was seventeen with a lot to live up to. I didn’t believe I could do it on my own power. I needed an edge. I knew The Purge would provide that."

  "How in the hell did I not see it?"

  "Most of the time we spend together is in a work setting, and that doesn’t make my lack of emotion that noticeable. You have a lot on your plate, Phelan. I wouldn’t worry about it. Besides since we've been on Earth the effects have started to fade."

  "Sad that it took us coming to another planet to become a close knit family."

  "Agreed," Bastien said. "Rivka … she was unexpected. I passed her coming into the house when she was leaving one night, and it was like a punch to the kidneys. I'd never reacted to anyone like that. I knew it meant one of two things. She was my mate, or The Purge was fading."

  "Is that why you've been hanging out with Mars so much! I thought you were trying to get yourself a girlfriend."

  Bastien laughed. "After all this time?"

  "Hey, I figured better late than never." Phelan shrugged.

  "It was an experiment. My date, Beckey, was lovely, but there was no spark. The next time I saw Rivka a jolt of pure energy coursed through me. I didn't have any doubts after that."

  "Why keep it to yourself though? We would've celebrated with you."

  "Oh, there wasn't any celebrating. She was pissed, and to be honest I can't blame her. When I decided to do The Purge I made the decision for her."

  "I don’t even know what to say…"

  "Yeah, that was my feeling too. We're working our way through it now."

  "You looked plenty cozy out in the hallway."

  "We've come a long way."

  "Good. No more secret keeping, Bast."

  "No promises. This didn't directly affect you. I know you're used to bearing the brunt of the responsibility in the family, but it's time to let go. You have Zasha, the new baby, and this Tavel situation to deal with. We're all adults, who are very appreciative of all the things you've done for us, but ready to make our own mistakes."

  The words made his chest ache. He knew they were his brothers, but in a lot of ways they felt like his children. It wasn't until recently they gained that brotherly camaraderie between them. For Kade and Mars especially he'd been a father figure for a long time. It was a hard role to step down from.

  "You're going to be an actual Dad soon enough, Phe. Relax, we'll come to you if we need help."

  "What else have I missed?"

  "Nothing, I promise."

  "Do the others know?"

  "Yeah, Mars figured it out, and I had to tell Kade, because I needed his help."

  "With what?"

  Color blossomed in Bastien's face.

  "Research. I'm new to the whole dating scene. I wanted to get it right."

  Phelan choked back laughter. To go from feeling nothing to being in the throes of The Wanting had to be difficult.

  "Is there anything I can do now?"

  "Nope, now I'm trying to dig myself out of the ginormous hole I made over the years."

  "What's the Star Maiden like?"

  "Riv? She's nothing like what you'd expect. She has a wicked sense of humor, a lot of attitude—I mean that in a good way."

  "Really?" he asked, shocked.

  "I promise, she's a take charge kind of woman … I like it."

  "The General and the Star Maiden, it has a ring to it. Will she be moving in now?"

  "Nowhere near asking that question yet, bro. She's barely letting me take her on dates."

  "Ouch. How do you handle it?" He knew all too well what it felt like to hold yourself back from your mate.

  "One day at a time."

  "Best way to go at it."

  "Any news on Tavel?" Bastien asked.

  "Nothing, it's like the man disappeared off the planet. Mars said his contact wanted to meet up with him. So I'm hoping we'll get something there. Zash wants to bring a special geneticist onto the team to help fill in some of the gaps we may have in our theories. I've okayed it. At this point I'm half desperate."

  "His quiet is making me antsy too. Is he trying to think up a new plan or succeed in his old one? It's like searching for a bomb that's ticking down." Bastien scowled.

  "My other question is what happens to him once he's caught? There's no way I trust humans to contain him indefinitely. He's crafty, powerful, and patient."

  "We also don't know who he's working with," Bastien added.

  "Yeah, that's been bothering me. Are they walking among us, collecting info that keeps him one step ahead of us?"

  "You think we have a leak?" Bastien sat up and leaned over the desk. "Have you seen anything that would indicate a security breach?"

  Phelan shook his head at his ability to go into General mode in less than sixty seconds. "No, I'm grasping at straws."

  "He's been hiding for years. Most of the trails we're exploring are dead-ins. It's only a matter of time until we stumble on one that's a valid lead."

  "Yes, but who knows what he'll be doing by then."

  "We'll get him, Phelan. We get a little closer every day."

  "You're right. I need to look at it as a glass half full, or I'll lose my mind."

  "I've never seen you this uptight before," Bastien said.

  "I've never had so much to lose. It feels good to say out loud. It's been rattling around in my brain for months. This family hasn’t been known for its happiness, part of me feels like all of this." He gestured around the room with his hand. "As soon as we all get settled on Earth and find a bit of happiness, Tavel emerges. Kind of hard to believe it's just a coincidence."

  “Maybe fate just assured you were in the right place at the right time to stop Zasha from being hurt. If she hadn't been your mate no one would've been there to stop Tavel from doing whatever he wanted."

  "Why didn't I think of that?" he asked.

  "Because you're too close to the situation."

  "Good point. This whole thing has got me off my game," Phelan said.

 
"It hasn't shown."

  "Thanks, bro, I needed to hear that." The feeling of hunger hit him, and he sighed. "I should get going, duty calls."

  "Zasha?"

  "Yep, she's hungry again. The baby’s metabolism is hell on her." He pushed up from the chair. "I'll see you at work tomorrow."

  "Later, Phe."

  Chapter Nineteen

  Today the ball was in her court. Rivka walked her condo one last time making sure things were in place. Going with the theme of laid back fun from their first date she was having Bastien over to make pizza and watch a movie. It wouldn’t require a lot of deep conversation, and she got the feeling cooking for himself wasn't a regular occurrence. She liked keeping the man on his toes. It made her feel like she was meeting him on equal footing. Besides, he claimed to want to get to know her, and cooking was a huge hobby. This was his first time visiting what they referred to as the compound. The Priestess of the Stars owned multiple properties where a number of condos were grouped together. Most of the girls lived two or three to a place, but she was afforded her own as Star Maiden. The doorbell rang. Showtime. Rivka opened the front door, and her stomach did a flip. The man was gorgeous.

  "Hi."

  "Hi, come on in," she said. She moved back, closing the door behind him once he cleared the threshold. "Can I take your coat?"

  "Sure." He shrugged out of the black wool button up to reveal pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved, navy blue sweater he wore over a simple white collared shirt. The cut emphasized his muscular arms and gave him a polished yet casual look that made her want to skip the get-to-know-you and take him to bed. They were brilliant together when it came to that. Focus, woman. She placed his coat on a hanger in the closet and turned to face him.

  "I thought we could make some pizza and watch a movie. What do you think?"

  "Sounds great. I've never made pizza before though."

  "I figured as much. One of my guilty pleasures is the Food Network. I start watching it, and time seems to slip away from me."

  "We have a cook and unless it's something simple I'm an awful cook."

  She laughed. "I suppose you can't be good at everything. Come on, let's wash our hands and get started. I haven't eaten since lunch."