Page 33 of Offering Herself to Darkness

“Then come. The rest of the People will be waiting for us,” was her mate’s response.

“All right—we’re coming out.”

Twilla led Nora out of the hut and she was surprised to see that Xerex was now wearing a pair of trousers made out of closely woven blue leaves. They were just a shade darker than his dusky blue skin and had a leaf vest to match. His muscular arms were bare and she could see his six-pack abs, since the vest didn’t fasten in the front. All in all, she thought her new husband looked mouthwatering.

Xarex must have been thinking the same thing about her because his silver eyes were suddenly half-lidded as he looked at her.

“You look lovely, ellana,” he rumbled, his deep voice laced with lust.

“Oh…thank you. You look good too,” Nora told him, feeling her face get hot with a blush.

“Whew! Taste that lust! It sets my mouth afire!” Jammu exclaimed, looking at Xarex.

“Come here then.” Twilla beckoned to her mate. “The tender desire coming from our new friend, Nora is sweet as wild Burra honey—it will cool the burning of your tongue.”

“They can taste our emotions,” Nora explained, when Xarex gave Twilla and Jammu a confused look. “Apparently different feelings have different flavors,” she added.

“Is that so?” Xarex frowned. “It seems to me that such people would starve on my planet. We have no emotions on the Dark Kindred home world,” he added, speaking to the Primien couple.

“No emotions? But how terrible!” Twilla almost looked like she might cry. “How did you survive there?”

“I left and came away to a place where I could feel without fear,” Xarex answered honestly. “That is why I live aboard the Kindred Mother Ship now with my lovely bride.” He nodded at Nora who blushed even harder.

“Ah, her embarrassment is so crisp and refreshing!” Jammu remarked. “Truly we are in for a treat tonight, I believe.”

“Come, it is wrong of us to keep all their delicious emotions to ourselves,” Twilla remarked. “Let us go back to the feast.”

18

XAREX

They made their way back to the feast and settled in the circle beside their hosts. Xarex made sure that he was seated with Nora on his right and Jammu on his left. To Nora’s right was Twilla.

The many colored leaf dress that his new bride was wearing looked beautiful on her—the way it hugged her curves made it hard for Xarex to stop looking at her. But he noticed that she seemed uncomfortable and kept tugging at the hem and doing her best to keep her legs closed and her thighs together.

“Is your new garment not comfortable?” he murmured, leaning close to her so that his words were for her ears alone.

“Oh, uh, not exactly. It’s just that they had me take off my underwear before I put it on,” she whispered back, her cheeks getting pink. “I’m trying not to flash anyone.”

Her words brought a mental image that made Xarex’s mouth water. He couldn’t help remembering her soft little pussy—how wet it got for him when he was stroking her and caressing her Goddess Pearl in the shower the night before.

The memory made him shift uncomfortably as his shaft grew almost painfully hard. He really should have finished himself last night, but he’d been so concerned that his W’rx half had frightened Nora he’d lost all desire for a while. Now he wished he’d made some time to have a release so his thoughts wouldn’t be clouded with lust.

“Now you’re the one who looks uncomfortable,” Nora murmured, nodding at him. “Are your new leaf pants scratchy?”

“No, but the thought of you with no underthings on has certainly made them too tight,” Xarex answered honestly.

Her cheeks got even pinker and she put a hand to her mouth.

“Xarex!” she exclaimed, her eyes going wide.

“Forgive me. I cannot help wanting you,” he told her. Which was the truth—but then, he’d wanted her from the very first.

She seemed about to say something else but then Jammu passed him a broad leaf filled with some kind of fruit. They were small—about the size of the Earth fruit called “blueberries” but instead of round, they were square. Also, they were bright pink.

“Try them—they’re good,” Jammu urged him.

Xarex took a few and carefully sniffed them. The poison sensors located in the silver sensor strips along his cheekbones didn’t indicate a problem so he popped one into his mouth. At once a tart, sweet flavor unlike anything he’d ever had spread across his tongue. It was actually quite good and he passed the leaf to Nora.

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