Mission: Planet Biter (Veslor Mates #4)(46)

Every Veslor female had fought with Roth before copulation. And it hadn’t been because they wished to test a mating. He wasn’t a male they deemed worthy of considering as a father for their cubs, or to spend the rest of their lives with him. No. Females sought him out for the exhilaration and novelty of being pleasured by a fighter.

Those Veslor females had made him battle hard for the right to pin and pleasure them when they had approached him. He had always attempted not to hurt them. It hadn’t been the same for the females. They’d sliced his body with their claws, not holding back and attempting to cause as much damage as possible. It meant being bloody and in pain when he won—and he always won.

But deep down, those victories had always left him feeling bitter and used. Those emotions, along with his physical injuries, had greatly reduced his pleasure.

Copulating with Vera was drastically different. She gave of herself freely, seeking only to give him pleasure, not pain.

Vera’s body sagged under him, and he gently withdrew his rod from her tight sex, pulling her with him as he sat, placing her between his spread thighs. He hugged her torso, holding her close. She leaned against him, resting the back of her head on his chest as they both tried to catch their breaths.

Her small hands wrapped around his wrists, loosely clinging to him. He inhaled deeply, taking in her scent—and the urge to mate her hit Roth hard. He resisted. She might have bravely boasted that his battle form wouldn’t frighten her, but he wasn’t willing to risk it. He needed to give her more time to learn to trust him.

Vera turned her head, the side of her face pressing against his chest. He smiled and held her tighter. She fit perfectly in his arms.

This was something else new. She wasn’t immediately shoving him away and leaving. Veslor females always did so the moment he’d brought them to release.

“That was the best sex ever.” Vera lifted her chin and peered up at him with a lazy smile.

The air froze inside his lungs for long heartbeats as he silently willed her to ask him to mate her. He wanted to claim her as his.

When she didn’t say anything, he forced himself to breathe again. Part of him grieved the loss of the opportunity. “Yes,” he whispered.

“So we’ve tested a mating, right?”

He gave her a nod.

Her smile faded as her pale blue gaze seemed to study his face. “Do you think you’d ever want to make me your mate?”

His heart beat faster. “Yes, Vera. I would. You only have to ask.”

Her smile returned. “Roth…will you please keep me? I’d really like that. I know mating is for life. I’m willing to sign up for that, but only with you.”

“Yes,” he growled, excited.

“Really?” She wiggled in his hold.

He reluctantly released her. Vera got up on her knees, turning before throwing her arms around his neck.

He enclosed her in his arms. Vera would be his female. His mate.

Roth felt utter happiness.

For about five long seconds. Then reality intruded into his mind.

Abby had refused to fully mate to Drak. She claimed it was due to her not being willing to have a child yet. What if Vera balked at the idea of sealing their bond?

“We need to discuss many things.”

She nodded against his neck. “I’ll quit my job with New Worlds. I’m pretty sure that the fleet always need extra drone operators. They sent me a few job offers when I graduated. I went with New Worlds because they paid way more. Abby gave me the impression that you’re all going to be on this ship for a while longer, and that’s not a problem for me. I have a lot of money saved, so I won’t be a financial burden on you until I find work.”

Roth chuckled. Vera amused him. “You could never be a burden to me in any way.” Then he sobered. “Do not join the fleet. They demand years of your life in service. As soon as our king allows it, we plan to leave Defcon Red.”

“I’ll ask the fleet for a civilian contract. That’s no problem. I won’t enlist.”

Roth adjusted his hold around Vera and lifted her, scooting down on the mattress until she ended up sprawled on his chest, with him on his back. It allowed them to be face to face as they talked.

He dreaded saying the words, but they needed voiced.

“I want to mate you, Vera. But you could carry my cub afterward. Only two Veslors have completed the bond with a human female, and each pairing had a cub.”

Vera inhaled deeply but didn’t break eye contact with him. “Do you want a baby?”

“Yes,” he admitted. “With you.”

She nodded. “I always wanted kids. I just thought I’d be way older when I had them…but meeting you has changed things. Hell, the idea of never becoming a mom was one of my other huge regrets while I was trapped in the pods, thinking that I’d die there. I have to be honest with you, though…”

He tensed under her, waiting for Vera to tell him she wished to wait to complete bonding, the way Abby did.

“Will you be okay if I don’t work for a while if we have a baby? My mom raised me alone and always had to work while I was growing up. She said she missed out on all the important firsts of my life. A babysitter got to hear me say my first words, and witnessed the first time I crawled and walked. It made her sad. I’d like to at least raise our baby full time for a couple of years. That’s why I hadn’t planned on having kids for a long time. I was going to wait until I’d earned enough money to retire before starting a family.”