Barbarian Lover (Ice Planet Barbarians #3)

Her bottom is smooth, no hint of a tail to interrupt the sweet curve. I realize that if I press the false cock into her, there is nothing to stop me from sinking it all the way inside her. Entranced by the thought, I push my fingers between her thighs to stroke her cunt, and she moans hard, pressing her face into the furs.

She’s wet and slick and ready, and I remove my hand and push the head of the false cock at the entrance of her cunt. Her wriggle of encouragement is beautiful to see, and I press it deeper, inch by inch, until it’s halfway into her. She moans as I begin to work it slowly, pushing deeper into her with each stroke. I’m fascinated by the sight of the cock – my cock – pushing into her and my own cock jerks in response.

“Aehako,” she moans, and her hips wiggle as I push it deeper into her. As I do, the spur presses up against her backside, and she lets out a squeal. “What was that?”

“That was the spur.”

“Oh,” she breathes, and relaxes again. “Oh, God, I don’t know how I feel about that.”

“Is it bad?”

“No, and that’s the problem.” She moans and pushes her hips higher again, encouraging me to give her more. I thrust it into her again, deeper, nudging at her bottom with the spur with every stroke of the cock.

And as she cries out, a stab of jealousy shoots through me. Stupid to be jealous of a carving, but I want her moans and cries for my cock. I want her cunt squeezing tight around me, her juices soaking my cock, not a bone carving.

I pull it out of her and toss it aside, ignoring her cries. But when I get up and adjust her hips, raising them into the air, her protests change to needy sounds, and she encourages me with her body. I run my hand over her smooth ass, my tail flicking. I never realized that a lack of a tail could be so…utterly erotic. I spread her thighs for me and sink into her in one fluid motion, watching as my spur penetrates her bottom.

Kira’s cry of pleasure reverberates in the cave. “Yes!”

The growl escapes my throat and I grip her hips. It’s been too long since I touched my mate and claimed her for my own. I can’t hold back. I thrust into her again, rearing back and sliding deep into her once more, and Kira cries out her excitement. She can’t contain herself. The more I stroke into her, the louder she gets, and the closer together her wails become until she’s making one long keening noise as she comes. Her cunt clenches around me like a mouth, and then it becomes even more difficult to retain my control. I thrust three more times before I spill inside her, my entire body feeling as if it’s emptying between her thighs. I don’t stop pumping into her until I’m completely spent, and when I pull my cock from her body, I feel a slight sense of loss. Already I want to return.

But she sighs happily and collapses on the furs. “Oh, Aehako.”

“Mmm,” I say and lie down next to her, tucking her smaller body against mine.

“It should be criminal to be as happy as I am.”

I chuckle. “Do we not deserve a bit of happiness?”

She’s thoughtful as I pull the scattered clothing over her naked body to act as a blanket. I don’t want her to get cold. “I don’t know,” Kira says after a moment. “I just worry that the other shoe is going to drop.”

“You are not wearing shoes.”

She laughs. “It’s an expression. It means things are going so well that they are going to herald something bad.”

I kiss her smooth shoulder. “You worry too much.”

Her smile is soft as she looks back at me. “Maybe I do.”





KIRA


The move to the new cave is not what I expect, I suppose. In my limited experience between dorms and my own apartment, packing to move involves boxing up everything at a furious rate, and days of unpacking and placing items in their new homes. But the sa-khui people don’t have as much junk as your average American girl does, and once it’s decided who is moving to the new caves, everyone’s packed and ready to go that afternoon.

It’s a little shocking, but also exciting.

Aehako and I are taking the painted cave. I have to admit I’m excited to have my own cave, especially one that’s already decorated and comes with a makeshift tub. Aehako loads his furs, his hunting tools, and his carving utensils, and he’s ready to go. Me, I have even less than that. My worn leather dress, a pair of snowshoes, and my blankets. I think Aehako’s mother Sevvah takes pity on me, because she fills his arms with a few baskets and utensils from her own cave, clucking over her baby bird finally leaving the nest.

Coming with us to the new cave is a mixture of old and new. Maylak and her family will be staying in the primary cave, since she is the healer. Vektal and Georgie, and all of the newly-mated couples will also be staying with them, since no one knows exactly how a sa-khui/human pregnancy is going to go. Elder Kemli and her mate Borran and their young daughter Farli will be coming with us to the new caves. The elders – all men – will be coming and split into two of the caves. Tiffany, Josie, and Claire will be joining us, along with several of the bachelor hunters who now get to split the big, roomy caves at the front of the South Cave system. There’s a bit of grumbling because the South Caves are full of the single and the elderly, but Vektal wants the elders to teach the humans the way of life here, and who better to do that than someone who’s already lived a hundred turns of the season and is still going strong?

The only couple coming with us that Aehako’s unhappy about is Asha and her mate Hemalo. While they’re a mated couple, they also don’t have a small child, which means they’re a natural pick to come to our cave, and all of the other caves back at the tribal complex are now back to their original uses. One of the hunter caves is now meat storage once more, and there’s an empty cave that Vektal wants set aside in case Liz’s pregnancy progresses faster than expected.

It’s a good group heading to the South Cave, despite Asha’s annoying presence. We hug all around – even though we’re only a few hours walk – and then set out. Claire’s happy as could be, now that she knows Bek is also heading to the South Cave, and Tiffany’s eager to learn more crafts from the elders. Josie’s chattering happily to Kemli and Farli, even though neither can understand her. Haeden’s coming to the new cave as well, and he looks rather irritated at Josie’s talking. Part of me thinks that Josie’s blabbering is good for Haeden, who’s entirely too self-contained and lost in his own thoughts most of the time.

When we make it to the South Caves, people exclaim with happiness and for the next few hours, there’s a lot of eager running around and exploring, checking out each other’s caves, and setting up. A large fire is built in the central area, for lighting as well as to give the area a homey effect. It’s nice and toasty warm for us humans, though I do notice that several of the hunters strip down due to the heat.

“Can’t say that’s a terrible side effect of things,” Tiffany murmurs at me as I gawk at Aehako’s brawny, sweaty chest as he sweeps a branch over the floor, ridding it of debris.

“No,” I say, distracted as another near-naked hunter strolls past. “I can’t say it is.”

At that moment, Asha stomps forward and puts her hand on my mate. “I want to talk to you, Aehako. I don’t like my new cave! It’s too small.”

Tiffany rolls her eyes. “Here we go. Princess is going to lobby for your cave, just you watch.” She saunters away. And she’s probably not wrong. It’s clear that a long, long time as one of the few single women in the sa-khui tribe has made Asha rather spoiled and demanding. Of course, she’s mated now.

Of course, I am, too. And she’s touching my mate’s arm and pretending to cry, and the sight of it irritates me. I watch as Aehako reaches out and pats her shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Your cave is one of the nicest. I promise.”

“It’s small,” Asha pouts.

Oh, for Pete’s sake. She doesn’t have to share with anyone except her mate, which makes it twice the size it would have been if she’d had another mated couple squeezed on top of her. I sigh with irritation as she takes Aehako’s hand and tries to pull him toward her new cave, as if to give him a personal tour.