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“There’s my little hellcat.” His lips moved against my skin as he smiled. “Sadly, I can’t make it stop. It’s the proximity alert letting us know we’re about to have company.”
“Company!” I bolted upright, the pillow and sheet falling from my naked torso. “Why didn’t you tell me people were coming?”
“My mouth was otherwise occupied, if you remember.”
My thighs squeezed together. He’d feasted on me on and off all night. And I’d gotten my own taste as well, his come a delicious sweet caramel I’d thoroughly enjoyed.
“At least this time they got here after the knot released,” I said with a laugh. “Even if we are still naked.”
He rolled to standing and pulled me up with him, his voice a threatening growl. “No one’s seeing you naked.”
We hurried, taking three-minute showers and wolfing down protein bars instead of a proper breakfast. But it was worth it, because we were ready by the time their ships sat down in the next clearing over and a large group of people emerged from the trees to surround us and the claiming spike.
All three senators were there, each with an aide. And all the mated couples from the Daredevil had come, too, bringing the pets.
“Friend Viv!”Max ran to me, his body quivering with excitement.“This is my home!”
I picked him up. “I know! What do you think about me making it my home, too?”
His head swiveled to face the other kreecats, and his body went still, but for the twitching tip of his tail. After several moments, his big purple eyes met mine.“You keep away bad aliens?”
“We will.”
“And not make us leave if we no want?”
I hugged him to me. “I promise.” The kreecats had been marketed as exotic pets for the wealthy, but no more.
“Then yes, new friends stay.”
“Max says we can stay,” I announced to everyone.
“I’m afraid it’s not that simple,” the bird alien senator said.
The lizard alien nodded. “You don’t meet all the requirements.”
I sat Max down and turned to face them, hands on hips as my old friend anger sparked in my chest. “Somebody better explain right the hell now.” No way anyone was taking this away from me and my people.
“There are legal concerns.” Devalia stepped forward, her face twisting in a grimace. “As much as I hate to say it, the treaty is clear. To claim a planet, you have to prove you can create a viable colony.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Just what do you mean by ‘viable’? I already told youARK 1has all the equipment and supplies necessary to start a colony.”
“It’s more than that,” she said, her eyes beseeching Wrin.
“She’s talking about the colony’s future,” he said. “Its ability to have future generations.”
“Oh. That.” I rubbed at my lower stomach. “Well, technically,ARK 1has sperm. We could make a new generation of humans.”
Shock jolted through the mate bond.
Wrin’s lips peeled back from his fangs, and a low growl rumbled from his chest.
“What is it?” I placed a hand on his arm. “What’s wrong?”
“The thought of you carrying another male’s kit—” He broke off, shaking his head, and I hated the pain in his eyes when he straightened his shoulders and said, “I will do it. I will do it for you, so you will have the home you desire for your people.”
Oh. I hadn’t thought of it like that—that this would be something that could hurt him. It only made me love him more that he’d live with that pain for me.
I reached for his hand “I—”
