The Alliance - 14. Lovers United

Itumak wasn’t sleeping. Lian felt sure it wasn’t something he had done. The bed was warm, and his master said he had plenty of space. He seemed against Lian leaving the bed.

When Thaelin had been unable to sleep, Lian would hold her. But he couldn’t do that to his master. The very thought of it disturbed him.

The bed squeaked slightly as Itumak rolled over. The neko’s eyes stared at Lian. Beautiful eyes, those topaz orbs. Maybe holding him wasn’t so disturbing.

A hand reached out, running lightly over Lian’s arm scales. He could feel the warmth of it passing into his body, the gentleness of the touch.

“You don’t want me to remove your collar.”

Was his master asking? Did he want an answer?

“If you take my collar, I won’t be yours anymore. I won’t be anyone’s, until someone takes me again.”

“You will always be mine. We’re bound together,” Itumak said quietly.

No, that wasn’t true. Lian and Thaelin were bound together too, but she was gone.

“If I get hurt, you could die with that collar on.”

“You want me to live without you?”

He could sense Itumak’s hesitation. He was already without Thaelin. Itumak may be his master, but already Lian was certain he wouldn’t want to live without him.

“I can see your point. But there will be rules if you insist on wearing the collar.”

Rules. Yes, he had been waiting for the rules. Finally his master was setting boundaries.

“First of all, tell me if I’m poisoning you. I had no idea that stuff could kill you.”

Lian understood that now. Itumak didn’t know much about him. But his master would take care of him.

“Second, if you need to do something, tell me. I want you to eat and to sleep when you need to. Don’t ever feel like you need to be quiet around me. And this goes for things you don’t want to do. If I do something you don’t like, tell me.”

Lian nodded slowly. It was different from how he was used to doing things, but he would do as Itumak wished.

“I’m serious Lian. There are certain things I want to do with you, but I can’t do them unless I know you are okay with them.”

Itumak moved over Lian, straddling him.

“Things like this,” he said quietly, leaning down to kiss the Daknar. “Is it okay if I do this?”

“Yes...” Lian breathed, the weight of his master bearing down on him.

This was how souls were meant to be together, in love. His hands felt down Itumak’s sides, his master letting out a quiet hiss at the touch. He was still serving his master, pleasing him. It wouldn’t be wrong for him to take pleasure in it too.

Itumak’s mouth trailed to Lian’s throat, teeth scraping at the scales above his collar. The Daknar let out a quiet moan, his body responding to the bites. He could tell Itumak was being gentle, but he could take more than this. His scales wouldn’t break.

“There is something else…” Itumak whispered. “It’s something some werewolves do, to put their scent on their mates…”

He rose from the bed, pulling Lian with him. The Daknar felt fingers probing at his loincloth, the fabric slipping from his body. Itumak’s clothing followed, both of them now bare to each other. Itumak led the Daknar into the bathroom, turning on the shower. Lian smiled slightly; he had enjoyed the shower with Itumak before, marred as it was by their troubles communicating.

Itumak’s fingers reached for Lian’s neck, brushing over the collar.

“I’ll put it back on you after we’re done,” he said gently, searching Lian’s eyes.

Hesitantly, Lian nodded, the collar falling off with a soft click.

They stepped into the shower together, Itumak standing under the water. He smiled at Lian almost nervously.

“Remember, if you don’t like this, tell me,” he stressed. “I’ve never done this to anyone before…”

Lian nodded, smiling at Itumak. He was starting to trust the two soul more and more. His master wouldn’t hurt him.

Itumak pressed down on the Daknar’s shoulders until Lian was on his knees. His body crunched, growing into his other form, his other soul. Lian stared at the creature’s groin, admiring the rod that stood stiff inches from his face.

Urine shot out of the rod, dousing the Daknar as it fell over his body. Lian closed his eyes, luxuriating in the warm liquid. He could smell it, smell the stench of his master, and it filled him. This was just another way he would be claimed by Itumak.

As the stream ended, Lian opened his eyes, looking up at Itumak.

“Are you okay?” the werewolf asked.

Lian nodded, liquid dripping from his head. He was more than okay. He felt loved.

The fox wriggled under Aaron’s attentions, a small pink tongue licking at the elf’s hands. Mateio never imagined he would love being petted this much. He felt a little foolish, his body wriggling around on Aaron’s lap, but Aaron’s hand just felt so good…

“You know, I never thought I’d find someone like you,” Aaron said quietly.

Mateio looked up at the elf, his body morphing back into his bipedal form. Aaron held him in his lap, gazing down at the fox.

“I don’t mean the fact that you’re an alien,” he said. “I just… never thought I’d find someone who was willing to make the sacrifices I make, to share my burdens.”

“I was surprised you never asked Itumak. He likes you,” Mateio said, resting his head in the crook of Aaron’s arm.

“I know. And we have been together. Once. But we knew we weren’t right for each other.”

Aaron let out a quiet sigh, gently scratching behind one of Mateio’s ears.

“I’m glad he found Lian, even if I don’t seem like it. I know Lian had nothing to do with the invasion.”

“I don’t think I ever asked how you are doing,” Mateio said.

“My planet is overrun by aliens and my daughter could be dead. My mate turned out to be an alien and my best friend is in love with another alien. How am I supposed to feel? Because honestly, I just feel kind of numb inside. This morning I woke up thinking it was all just a dream, that I wasn’t about to beg for help from an alien civilization.”

“I’m sorry. I never should have come to your world,” Mateio said quietly.

“I feel horrible for saying this, but… but I’m glad you did. Because I got to meet you. And now I know how love feels. For years I have felt like I don’t deserve happiness, that the needs of my people need to come first. But with you… maybe I can do both.”

He stroked Mateio’s head, the Faro’s tail gently swishing over his arm. It amazed the elf how small his mate was.

“I just can’t believe you are willing to give up all of this for me,” Aaron whispered.

“For you, I would do anything,” Mateio replied, gazing up at Aaron’s face. “You deserve all I can offer and more.”

An alarm went off, Mateio’s head swivelling toward the desk beside the bed. With a quiet sigh, he slid out of Aaron’s arms. Shutting off the alarm, the Faro dressed quickly, his new white bracelet disappearing into the left arm of his robe.

“Again, I’m sorry for lengthening our stop here,” he said quietly.

“I enjoyed the time here,” Aaron interrupted, bending down to kiss the fox.

Fully dressed, the two left their room, Mateio knocking on the door to Lian and Itumak’s room. It took a minute, but the door opened, Lian blocking the entrance. He still wore his collar, and Aaron briefly wondered why Itumak hadn’t removed it yet. He could smell the werewolf on the Daknar, a strong scent, and his wolf acknowledged the scent. This was a mated being.

Silently Lian stepped aside, letting the two into the room. Itumak was pulling a shirt over his body, the fabric hiding his chiselled torso.

“It’s time,” he said, standing.

Aaron nodded. Time for them to head into space once more.

Mateio ran through his pre-flight check, making sure they had food, water, and fuel. There was a week’s travel between here and Oyhaf, and he wanted to make sure they wouldn’t be stuck in the black without supplies.

“Reinard, open communications with dock control,” he said, starting the ship’s engines.

“Communication established.”

“Grathur Dock Control this is Com- er, Captain Mateio requesting permission to take off.”

The Faro chewed on his lip as he waited for the reply. It would take some time to get used to the demotion.

“Permission denied Captain. You are ordered to remain station-bound for the next six days.”

Station-bound…? But he needed to get Aaron back to his world.

“Is there a reason I am being confined to the station?”

“Commandant’s orders Captain. She did not explain why. Please shut off your engines.”

Mateio let out a quiet sigh.

“End communications,” he said, shutting the engines back down.

“Communication ended.”

The fox stood up, exiting the cockpit. He found Itumak and Aaron talking quietly in the vehicle bay, Lian nowhere in sight.

“Is something wrong?” Aaron asked, looking at Mateio.

“Command has grounded me for six days. We can’t leave,” Mateio said.

“Why would they do that?”

“At a guess, to keep me from rushing back to Astara and sparking a war with the Empire,” Mateio said. “They probably sent another ship out there to scout.”

“So we are stuck here?” Itumak frowned.

“For now.”

Aaron sighed quietly.

“Well, perhaps we can turn this to our advantage,” he said. “Mateio, your Alliance seems to be pretty advanced in the medical field as well as space faring. I’d like to see if they can solve a problem we have on Astara.”