A Civilized Mating by Marie Harte Read Free Book Online Page A

giving them some space, and thought she heard him sigh.
    “Now, Maht,” he ordered, “tell us what happened earlier today.”
    Skye said, “I—”
    Xav placed a firm hand on her knee, and the contact sizzled before he removed it. “No. Maht must answer for his actions. And he will begin with why he took an offworlder from the West, that place from which we must never raid for fear of breaking an age-old treaty.”
    Maht looked nervous. For a guy who seemed to have broken his tribe’s main law, he hadn’t been too repentant while banging her best friend. Lisa held onto his hand while he spoke, and Skye had a bad feeling she wouldn’t be taking her friend anywhere without Maht by their side.
    “I was stationed as security at the resort.”
    “This we know.”
    Maht nodded. “I spent my time like I normally do. The visitors and attendants always want a ride, but they do not trigger the instinct.” Ride? Instinct? “Until I saw Lisa. She had been transferred to act as liaison to our guard. The first moment I looked into her eyes, we connected.”
    “ Phelthar ,” Lore murmured, and Zhen agreed.
    “Perhaps this is only your body lonely for a female,” Xav offered. “She is most comely.”
    “No. I know the difference between release and phelthar . This, with Lisa, engages all of me.”
    Xav stroked his chin. “I was afraid you’d say that. Considering that even from here I can sense your mark, I do not think Talzec will part the two of you.”
    “Thank you.” Maht bowed his head.
    “But… I am not sure if you will be allowed to stay. Breaking the treaty is not something we can hide.”
    “But she wants to stay with me. She is here of her own free will.”
    “Yeah?” Skye cut in. “Then why am I here? She sent me a message to come rescue her.”
    Maht turned a stricken gaze to Lisa, and for a moment Skye actually felt sorry for him. “Is this true, sweetling?”
    Lisa sniffled. “I’m sorry. It’s just… This is so confusing. We haven’t been together long, and you were talking about keeping me here. I mean, I’m from Earth. I work at Welcome. I don’t know anything about your culture. Heck, Maht. I barely know you.” She absently rubbed her belly, and Skye wanted to groan, because the satisfied look on Maht’s face was impossible to miss.
    “Ah, now I understand. So much so soon. It threw me as well. We do not normally take to offworlders. Finding you, as much as it is a joy, is a shock as well.”
    The intimacy building around the couple felt real. Like a force field of affection and protection at the same time.
    Skye frowned and stared harder at them. In the light of the fire, she could almost see lines of light connecting the pair. She blinked and concentrated, wondering if perhaps this planet was enhancing her psychic abilities. That or the weird meat she’d consumed had the same effect as certain hallucinogens at home.
    Maht continued, looking away from Lisa to Xav again. “The needs were pressing. I confess I could not wait to arrive home. We settled into the yernax point and I lost myself between her soft thighs.”
    “TMI, buddy.” Skye didn’t need to look at Lisa to feel her friend’s discomfiture, so she focused on her stick of meat.
    “And then?” Xav prodded.
    “Then the noise of intruders distracted me. I heard the female—” he nodded at Skye “—talking with warriors I did not know. I felt danger, and then a Nasuhl entered our post.”
    “This means war,” Zhen muttered.
    Lore nodded.
    “When I left the hut fighting the intruder, I saw Lisa’s friend fighting another of the warriors.” He sounded surprised, which didn’t help Sky’s ego any. “She took him down.”
    Lore gaped at her. “She did?”
    “It wasn’t you?” Zhen asked Maht.
    “I fought the one, but she defeated the other. Then she came after the one I was fighting with.” He frowned at her. “She defeated him too. Enemies so close to my new mate triggered the instinct even more. I have