Fierce Radiance Read online

  “Pretty bad. My right leg’s fucked. They sent a captain for a recovery mission?”

  The other captain’s brow wrinkled. “Would you prefer a lesser rank? I can leave and return with my yeoman if you would prefer.” Then he slowly smiled.

  Despite his pain, Sammuel laughed. “Holy crap, you’ve got a sense of humor, don’t you?”

  The Act’huran put down his bag and removed a medical scanner. “I try, Captain. I try.”

  “Sammuel.” He caught a whiff of a scent, almost like wildflowers in bloom with an undertone of tangy musk, but not cloyingly overpowering.

  His cock hardened despite his pain, shocking the hell out of him. That’s when he realized the delicious scent wafting to him came from the Act’huran.

  “If we are to be informal, you may call me Ker.” He smiled. “Until such time you can bring yourself to call me Master.”

  Sammuel laughed, sure Ker was joking, but he didn’t push it.

  Ker scanned his leg and grimly nodded. “It is bad, but nothing we cannot take care of on my ship. However, it will hurt as I carry you to my lander.”

  “You don’t need to carry me, just help me walk.”

  “No. It is too badly broken. I can electro-splint it to stabilize it, but you cannot walk on it.” He ripped Sammuel’s trousers up the leg, being careful not to jostle the appendage. At the feel of Ker’s warm hand on his flesh he shivered, his cock screaming bloody murder for a good hard fucking despite his pain.

  What the everloving fuck?

  He’d never been interested in guys before, ever!

  Ever!

  And especially since he felt the worst pain of his life, the last thought on his mind should be his goddamned cock!

  “I will give you medicine for the fever.” He prepared a hypo and injected it into Sammuel’s arm. “Your leg is shattered in several places. Infection is already trying to set in. But we should be able to save it.”

  “I hope so. I’m sort of attached to it.”

  Ker’s lips curled again in another smile. Sammuel hoped his pounding heart was due to the medicine and not in reaction to the man’s expression.

  “It is a very handsome leg.” Ker glanced at him, his green eyes nailing him. “It would be a shame to not have a matching pair on an equally handsome body.”

  Ooookay, that should freak him out. So why the hell did it make his cock throb even harder?

  “Relax while I splint your leg. Do you want pain medicine?”

  “No. I need to stay alert.” Sammuel closed his eyes and tried not to imagine if this guy’s cock was as largely proportioned as the rest of his body. After what felt like forever, Ker had his leg securely splinted.

  “I do not dare give you any healing accelerant in case the leg is not perfectly straight. They would have to break it again to repair it.”

  “No problem. Greatly appreciated, dude.”

  Ker packed his supplies and slung his bag over his shoulder. “Let us go, Sammuel.”

  I’ll follow you anywhere.

  Ker helped him stand on his good leg, then carefully stooped and turned, hoisting Sammuel piggy-back. Almost immediately, Sammuel realized there was no way in hell the Act’huran couldn’t feel his throbbing cock digging into his back.

  Then again, maybe from the comment he made earlier, he didn’t mind.

  * * * *

  It was slow-going back to Ker’s lander. The rocky terrain stymied even the sure-footed Act’huran.

  It didn’t help that Sammuel didn’t want to be let down, despite not understanding the urge. The nearly intoxicating smell of the Act’huran didn’t help tame his cock either. Screw a cold shower, he needed to sit in a bucket of ice for a week to get rid of this boner. With every breath he took the man’s scent filled his lungs and made Sammuel want to crawl under his skin and be a part of him.

  By the time they reached the lander, Sammuel’s pain was the least of his problems.

  Ker gently lowered him into a seat as if he weighed nothing. When he turned to look at Sammuel there was no mistaking the blatant need painted on the Act’huran’s face.

  “Tell me what you feel, Sammuel,” Ker said, his voice almost sounding choked.

  “I’m…not gay.”

  Ker arched his eyebrows at him. “Neither am I. That label is a human invention, not one my race even has a word for because it is inconsequential. Love is love.” He reached out and touched Sammuel’s chin. “So you feel it too. That is very good. I had hoped you would.” With that cryptic comment, he lithely slid into the command chair and prepared for their launch.

  “Feel what?”

  Ker didn’t look away from his command console. “The connection. Buckle your harness.”

  Sammuel didn’t want to ask any more questions. He buckled in and held on as they lifted. His leg hurt, but the splint kept it immobile. It took them four hours to reach Ker’s ship. Upon their approach, Ker spoke over the com in Act’huran. Once safely docked in the hangar bay and the hatch slid open, med techs stood there waiting with a gurney. Ker barked orders at them and they hurried inside the lander to help Sammuel out.

  Ker walked beside him the entire way to their medical bay with his hand on Sammuel’s shoulder. When the doctor arrived to examine him, he tried to get the captain to leave.

  Ker growled one word in Act’huran. “T’arn.”

  The doctor’s eyes widened.

  Sammuel might not understand a damn word of their language, but body language he could interpret. “What? What’s going on?”

  Ker’s voice turned soft, gentle. “Nothing, Ki’ran.” He squeezed Sammuel’s shoulder. “The doctor will take good care of you.”

  * * * *

  Sammuel awoke in a dim cabin, lying on a damn good bunk. They gave him sedatives while they set his leg, which was fine with him at that point. Safe on a ship, he didn’t mind getting knocked out. In fact, he preferred it.

  He realized he was now¾he looked under the sheet pulled up to his chest¾naked. But his leg felt a hell of a lot better even though it still ached somewhat. The splint had been removed.

  Ker’s voice startled him. “Do not worry, Ki’ran. I did not undress you until I got you to my cabin.”

  He looked in the direction of the voice. Ker sat at his desk in the dim light. No longer in his uniform, he wore a loose dressing gown.

  He looked even larger, if that was possible.

  And why the fuck did he have to smell so goddamned good? When Sammuel’s cock stiffened again, it pushed the sheet up into a tent over his hips. He quickly sat up and pulled a pillow into his lap to hide the offending member. “Why am I in your cabin?”

  “Where else would I take you?”

  “Well, you could have left me in the medical bay, for starters. Guest quarters, VIP cabin, hell, even put me in with the enlisted men. Why…here?”

  Ker smiled and leaned forward in his chair. “Why would I want you any of those places when I would rather have you here in my bed?”

  “What the hell’s going on, Ker?”

  The Act’huran stood and walked over to the bed. “Tell me you look at me and feel absolutely nothing.” He leaned close, their eyes inches apart, Ker’s green gaze daring Sammuel to lie.

  His mouth went dry. When he finally choked words out, they sounded weak. “I’m not into guys.”

  “And still you hang on to that. I am going to kiss you. And hopefully more. You can fight all you want, but unless you say stop, I will not stop.”

  Before Sammuel could decide if he was kidding or not, Ker leaned in and kissed him.

  His heart felt like it would rip out of his chest. The Act’huran tasted even better than he smelled. Sammuel’s right hand automatically lifted and wrapped around the back of Ker’s neck. He pulled him closer, tighter, wanting Ker’s tongue deep inside his mouth.

  When Ker finally lifted his head from Sammuel’s, he smiled. “I did not hear you say stop.”

  Sammuel couldn’t talk, wouldn’t have known what to say if
he could. He opted for what seemed to be the best course of action, leaning in and kissing Ker again.

  After it felt like Ker sucked the breath from his soul, Sammuel threw himself backward, onto the bunk. “No! This…I can’t…I’m not…”

  Ker sat on the edge of the bed and with two fingers tugged the sheet down and off Sammuel’s body. “It is all right for you to feel fear and confusion. That is a normal reaction for you since you do not understand our ways.”

  “What the hell?”

  “We mate for life, Ki’ran. There is so much I have to teach you. I can give you hundreds or even thousands of years of happiness and love and pleasure. But only if you are willing to release your fear and let me.”

  “Mate? Did you say mate?”

  “So you are paying attention. Very good.” He leaned in and kissed him again, and this time Sammuel wrapped both arms around him, not wanting to let him go.

  Ker pulled away and stood. He unbelted his dressing gown and let it fall to the floor. His tanned, nearly hairless body looked practically flawless, well-muscled, including his huge cock…

  And there went his own cock again, throbbing and leaking and traitorously betraying him.

  Ker noticed. He arched an eyebrow. “Some things cannot be lied about.” He knelt on the bed next to him. “You are my t’arn. My mate. We feel an attraction to each other because we are meant to be together.”

  “Whoa. Not looking for a boyfriend, buddy. Sorry.”

  Ker smiled. “I am not looking for a boyfriend either. I am looking at the one I am meant to spend the rest of my life with.”

  Sammuel swallowed hard.

  His body wanted it, wanted to lie back and let this man possess him, no matter how it went against everything he ever thought about himself. Ever.

  His brain wanted no part of it.

  Well, on general principles.

  He didn’t know what to say.

  Ker’s eyes traveled his face, his hair, down his body. “Your eyes will change color, to mine, as will your hair.” He reached out with one finger and drew it down Sammuel’s chest to his cock, where he stopped. “Certain other changes, like you will most likely become larger, at least slightly.”

  He knew his cock was above average to begin with, even if Ker’s massive frame dwarfed him in comparison.

  “Tell me to stop, and I will. Once I reach that point of no return, I suspect you will not want me to stop either.”

  Sammuel couldn’t make his lips form any words, much less that one word. His mouth watered as he watched a glistening drop of pre-come form and swell at the tip of Ker’s gorgeous cock.

  Okay, so he never thought he’d be calling another guy’s cock gorgeous, but if the adjective fit…

  Ker reached out and lightly rested his hand on the back of Sammuel’s head. “You will grow your hair like mine, so we can braid it. That is traditional as well as functional.” He started guiding Sammuel’s face down to his groin.

  He knew he should fight, or at least make a token resistance. “I can’t do this.”

  “Then tell me to stop.”

  His body tensed against Ker’s hand, but he didn’t fight. “No.”

  “That is not the word I told you to use.”

  Sammuel got another strong whiff of Ker’s natural scent, sweet and deeply tangy. His eyes never left the drop of pre-come just begging to be licked off his massive cock.

  “I’ve never done this before.”

  “Neither have I.”

  Closer still.

  “You can reach out and touch it, you know. It will not bite you.”

  Sammuel groaned, need and passion and will all battling each other.

  Ker released him, lay back in bed, and crossed his arms behind his head. “We shall be here a very long time if you cannot make up your mind.”

  Sammuel felt part of his sanity snap, but his desire overruled and exiled his mind to a deep, well-locked section of his brain for the duration. With a strangled cry, he fell on Ker and grabbed his cock. He could barely wrap his hand around it.

  He closed his eyes and engulfed it with his mouth, moaning again when he found not only did Ker taste awesome, his own body seemed to crave as much of it as he could get when his tongue tasted Ker’s nectar. As fucking stupid a word as that was, it was as close as he could come to describing the warm fluid now rolling down his tongue as fast as he could suck it from the source.

  One of Ker’s hands settled on the back of Sammuel’s head. “That is it, Ki’ran.” His voice sounded hoarse. “Just like that. Take as much as you need.”

  Sammuel didn’t know how long he lay there, sucking, eventually curling up on his side with one arm draped over Ker’s hip as he continued to suck and lap at Ker’s cock. At one point, Sammuel realized Ker’s cock was only semi-erect and he couldn’t be coming that entire time unless Act’huran physiology was totally different than humans.

  He felt better than drunk, a buzz without the loss of senses. He knew he could lay there forever and do that to Ker. Every time he thought about sitting up and trying to talk his body rebelled, refusing to give up this delicacy.

  Eventually, Ker’s other hand also caressed the back of Sammuel’s head. “It is time for me to start this, Sammuel. If you wish me to stop, this is your last chance to tell me so before I cannot control myself.”

  Sammuel took him even deeper into his mouth in response.

  Ker chuckled, his grip growing more firm as his cock hardened against Sammuel’s tongue. “Get ready then,” he grunted.

  That was all the warning Sammuel had before a hot flood filled his mouth, even sweeter and thicker than before. Just when he thought it couldn’t get any better, this was, he realized, much better. Sammuel happily moaned, greedily swallowing as Ker climaxed.

  After several minutes, Ker’s cock finally softened back to its former semi-erect state. Despite his own cock almost painfully throbbing, Sammuel couldn’t bear to stop.

  Ker patted him on the head. “Come here, Ki’ran.”

  He held on tighter, not wanting to let go of Ker’s hard body.

  Ker tapped harder. “Now, Sammuel.”

  Something in Sammuel’s brain recognized the harder edge in Ker’s tone. Finally, reluctantly, he let go and allowed Ker to pull him up the bed so he lay nestled in his arms.

  “What’s happening to me?” he asked Ker.

  Ker rubbed his face in Sammuel’s hair. “Do not bother trying to make sense of it. You will understand one day, when you find and mate our t’wren.”

  “What?”

  Ker chuckled. The warm, deep rumble stirred Sammuel’s insides. “Act’hurans usually mate in triads. While it is uncommon for us to mate with a humanoid other than our own race, it is not unheard of. One day, you will most likely meet someone you react to the same way I reacted to you. You will claim them, if they are willing, and then our triad will be complete.”

  Even though Sammuel’s mind still tried to wrap itself around the concept of being mated to this guy, he rebelled against the idea of sharing him with anyone. “I don’t want anyone else!”

  Another low, rumbling chuckle. “You will understand, one day. This is why the t’arn always finds and selects the other t’wren. There will be no jealousy that way, and I will automatically love them the way you will. For now, let us take care of something else.” He sat up and smiled. “Relax, Ki’ran.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “My love.” He fisted his cock, stroking it, milking it, coating his hand with that delicious juice that Sammuel struggled not to jump up and suck down again. Once he coated his hand, he reached over and grabbed Sammuel’s cock and began stroking it. “I will teach you so many things,” he promised.

  Sammuel’s head dropped to the pillow as his hips bucked in time with Ker’s strong grip. Wordless sounds escaped him as Ker brought him close to release time and again without bringing him over. “As your body changes, you will learn how to master climaxing upon command, as many times as I desire
you to. You will find many benefits to this new life. That is just one of them. For now, come for me.” Ker squeezed hard, drawing a cry from Sammuel as his cock exploded his own juices all over Ker’s hand. And he kept climaxing, harder and longer than he ever had in his life, pearly ropes of come spurting from him. Finally, Ker released him and lifted his hand to his mouth. He licked his palm, smiling as he tasted Sammuel’s seed.

  “Very nice, Ki’ran,” he mumbled with his eyes closed. He let out a deep, relaxed sigh. “You have no idea how long I have hoped I would find you.”

  Sammuel felt a wave of emotions he instinctively knew came from the other man. “What other changes?” he asked. “You said I would change.”

  His eyes still closed, Ker lay next to Sammuel and gathered him into his arms again. “We will soon start to feel each other’s emotions, be able to read the other’s thoughts, talk without opening our mouths.” He nuzzled Sammuel’s head. “Truly connected at every level.”

  They dozed for a while. When Sammuel awoke, he felt a deep craving to have Ker’s cock in his mouth again. When he tried to slide out of Ker’s grip, he held him tighter.

  “Where do you think you are going?”

  Sammuel felt his face redden. “I…I need to…” He couldn’t say it.

  Ker laughed and loosened his hold. “For a few minutes. Then I must get down to the business of properly fucking you.”

  A wave of conflicting emotions hit him. He’d never fucked or been fucked by a guy before. Then again, before today, he’d never been remotely interested in a guy before. He didn’t know how to process the conflict—his body craved being fucked by Ker even more than wrapping his lips around Ker’s cock again.

  “Fucking me?”

  “To complete the mating.” He looked into Sammuel’s eyes. “The first time hard and fast to properly complete the connection.” He stroked Sammuel’s chin. “The second time long and slow and meant for your enjoyment. I shall make you come until you beg me to stop.”

  Sammuel’s cock hardened even more.

  “The third time, Ki’ran, is to teach you the beginnings of what you must learn, how to hold back when I tell you to, how to climax when ordered. You will beg me for release by the time I am finished with you.”