over her, around her, the broad head of his cock nudging against her folds, the slight pressure enough to make her tremble uncontrollably once more.
Now he didn’t move.
“Will you stay with me, mate?” he growled.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her, for a moment tasting herself on his lips before she lost herself again in the pleasure of being held in his arms.
Finally, she broke away, and fell into the dark hunger of his eyes.
The needing, the knowing.
The claiming of her body and soul, the offering of his own.
“Yes,” she breathed. “Mate.”
At the final word, his hips rocked against her, filling her with one deep thrust, and as he brought her up to yet another climax, sensation echoing through them both until there was no telling what was her pleasure and what was his.
And together they were complete.
Epilogue
Esme tapped the elegant bangle that hung from her wrist, still feeling foolish speaking into thin air.
“Ship, where would I find Gavin?”
“Gavin is in the ready room. I will show you the most direct path to reach him, Mistress Esme.”
She might feel foolish, but it was useful - even if being called Mistress did make her feel remarkably old.
Following the pale lights through the corridors, she finally entered a room where Gavin, Nic and Kennet studied a picture of the garden that floated effortlessly in the middle of the table between them.
Of course.
She shook herself, then forgot about the floating issue when she saw who the subject of their observation was.
“Why are you spying on Nettie?” she asked, hurrying to Gavin’s side.
“Not spying,” he answered, wrapping one arm around her waist to pull her close. “Wondering what we’re going to do.”
Esme watched as Coracle sauntered up to where the woman, now clean and her wounds healed, sat in the grass, closed eyes turned up to the sun.
He butted his head against her leg until she pulled him into her arms, burying her face into the soft fur.
“The Alliance wants her to testify against the Council,” Nic explained. “Even with the records we were able to salvage, she’s the eyewitness who was there for the longest.”
“You can’t let them do that!” Esme’s hands flew to her throat. “She’s barely said a word since she’s been here, she can’t face strangers so soon!”
Gavin’s arm tightened around her. “Unless she wants to. We’ll let it be her choice. Today is the first day she’s gone outside by herself. The question can wait until tomorrow, or the next day. Whenever she’s ready.”
He was right.
Choices.
So many choices had been taken from Nettie.
But not anymore.
Not here, not with these strong defenders.
“It is as well that you are here,” Kennet said. “We’ve just received information that I believe you will enjoy.”
Esme fought back a smile. The stone faced scientist was always so serious, so formal.
But she’d found him entertaining the clan’s children late into the night, every night after Layla had drifted off to sleep. They’d traced the strange marks on his skin, curious about their new playmate, while he told them stories of adventures across the stars.
They’d been gone for three days now, and he probably missed them almost as much as she did.
Maybe.
The image of the garden faded to be replaced with another one.
“That’s Roddy!”
A cap of short dark hair already covered this scalp, but most of the image was taken up with his broad smile.
He perched on the back of a caravan, one arm around little Tela, back resting on Brynlee’s side.
Another image flashed up, this time of Freya holding Pia while Layla looked on, and another and another.
Silly images and ones that pulled at her heart.
Daily life of the clan, as seen through the eyes of a young boy.
All of her family, and their new family.
“How did you get these?”
“Well, I…”
Nic laughed at Kennet’s rare loss of words.
“He broke about sixteen Alliance regulations and gave advanced technology to an inhabitant of a non-spacefaring world.”
“I object to that characterization,” Kennet looked away, shrugged. “The colonists originally had the technology. I simply made a small bit of it available to some of them again.” He looked back at the rotating images, allowing a fraction of a smile to cross his face. “The boy needed a distraction.”
Excitement bubbled through Esme’s chest. “Can we go see them? Just for a quick visit?”
Gavin glanced at Nic, who nodded. “We’re done here for now.”
Esme tugged at Gavin’s hand, wishing he’d move faster, then shook her head at herself.
He could move faster than anyone she’d ever seen. Especially