Page 71 of Captured By The Alien Barbarian
Then, he flinches. I pull back, horrified. I hadn’t noticed earlier the marks on his chest, the ravaged and inflamed skin showing obvious signs of having been zapped by a laser pistol—multiple times—surely all for my sake. How many times has my mate nearly died in the last couple of days?
“I heal fast, remember? Much faster than your species,” Taccit says.
My once barbaric mate then pulls out a futuristic-looking jar of poultice from a pouch on his hip. This strange little remedy can mend just about any wound. Where did it come from?
I shake my head. If only he knew how fast I healed the other night. I still don’t have an explanation why, but it doesn’t seem so relevant right now.
“If it disturbs you so, we can use the last of my poultice. It can heal almost any wound. But I would much prefer to keep it in case you need it.”
He puts the small jar in my hands, and I look down at it, baffled. I shift my gaze between the jar and my primal companion. He’s all about leather, bones, and axes, but the jar is a sleek piece of metal, so flawlessly crafted that I can’t even discern the seam between the lid and the base. This is space age. This isn’t some weird plant that he’s ground up and put over the fire. I knew he had some crazy type of medicine… but not something like this.
“Where in the galaxy did you get this?”
“I traded it many cycles ago with Melvall. He charged me a fortune for it, too. At the time, I thought I had wasted so many resources. But now I see its value.”
Taccit takes the jar from my hands and twists it open. Inside is a shimmering, glittering gel. He dabs a small portion on the tip of his finger and proceeds to rub it over his blistered skin like a luxurious space moisturizer.
I watch, mesmerized, as the gel glitters for a moment before soaking in. Within seconds, the inflamed skin shrinks and returns to normal. It’s like some sort of magic trick.
“What the hell?” I shake my head, my mind awhirl. This is a level of technology I have never heard of. Being able to heal so fast should be impossible, yet I just saw it with my own eyes.
“That’s something you don’t see every day. I still can’t believe you used it on me.”
Taccit’s eyes cloud over. It takes me a moment to realize why. His childhood. How he had tried to heal his father when he’d been injured while hunting, only to be screamed at. Only for his father to die. He thinks I am blaming him.
“Yes,” he says, then repeats the word with more determination. His face hardens with resolve. “I used more poultice than usual to heal you back then. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. You, my love, are worth the astronomical cost, even if I think Melvall charges too much for it.”
I have so many questions. Where did this mysterious medicine come from? How did my barbarian mate get it? But those can wait for another day. Despite Taccit’s conviction, I can see the fear in his eyes. He believes I’m rejecting him after everything he’s done.
I lean forward and kiss him softly. “Thank you, Taccit. Thank you so much for saving me.”
“I will always come for you, Nika. You are mine. I won’t allow anyone else to have you.”
I look up at my mate’s face. I know by now that expression means he’s made up his mind. He can be incredibly stubborn. But so am I. Maybe that’s what makes us perfect for each other. Taccit once called me his soul mate, and I’m starting to believe it. Neither one of us will break beneath the other’s will.
As tough and wild as Taccit is, he never hurts me. He struggles with the right choices sometimes, especially when my safety is involved, but he always listens to me when I have an opinion. And if anything ever truly means something to me, I won’t ever back down. He’s given me that.
“I love you, Taccit. I don’t ever want anyone else. Just you and your over-protective ways,” I reply.
“I am not overprotective,” he says.
I giggle at his scowl before reaching up and cupping his cheek. “We might need to work on your communication skills, though. You can be a bit demanding, and you do have a habit of giving me orders without asking for my opinion.”
“I am sorry, my mate. I will try to be better.”
And I believe him. Taccit has always shown me that he tries. He genuinely wants me to be happy. He’s not perfect, but neither am I.
Taccit’s lips spread slowly, turning into a sly smile. “Besides, I thought you liked it when I gave you commands.”
I can’t help but yelp when his tail playfully grazes my nether regions. And as quickly as it appears, it’s gone, leaving me with goosebumps dancing across my arms.
Oh, trust me, I know what Taccit can do with that tail of his. It was nearly unbearable thinking I’d never experience it again when I believed he was gone for good. But now that I have him back, I’m not going to take my mate for granted anymore.
With determination, I grab Taccit’s head and pull it towards mine. Our lips collide in a ferocious kiss. He tangles his fingers in my hair, tilting my head back at an angle that allows him to deepen the embrace. When his tongue boldly parries with mine, I’m treated to his earthy taste, which sends my senses into overdrive. Desperate for more of... everything, I moan against his mouth. I need him—badly.
Frantically, I try to release the knots keeping his pants in place, but Taccit chuckles, murmuring, “Calm, my mate. We have time.”
But I’m not having any of that. I push his hands away and actually whine, “I need you now.”
