The Varkari

Ride

I was shocked. I knew he felt very strongly about their Varkari bonding rituals, but to think that we were more than that, that the connection between us was anything more than a chemical reaction due to his venom was just crazy. Especially because I did not have any warm and fuzzy feelings for him.

"So, let me get this straight. You say that you knew I was your soulmate when I was living with Exer, then hunted me for weeks before running me down and biting me like an animal. After that, you put me on a spaceship, stuffed me in a tank, took me to your home planet, and declared that you were going to breed me against my will. The entire time, I'm scared out of my mind and want nothing more than to go back to Earth and you don't care at all. Does that sound like soulmates to you?"

Yes, I was aware that I was sitting on his lap, surrounded by hundreds of pounds of muscle and sheathed spines that could crush and gore me in a moment, but he offered me another piece of food instead. He sighed, warm breath against the back of my neck which sent a trail of goosebumps down my arms. "It might have been very different if Exer had released you to me without a fight. You still would not have liked it and we still would have returned to Varkar. But, it may have been less traumatic."

"You aren't getting it, Rhaz. The entire point is that I should choose you, right? You feel something toward me, so shouldn't I feel that toward you? If I was your soulmate, we would be in...in..."

"My people do not have the same traditions as yours. If there are special rituals you require, I will attempt to perform them." He nuzzled his nose into my hair and inhaled, purring in approval. "Our females insisted that a male show them their strength. Usually, a male would have to physically best a potential mate. It is why our calls and venom do what they do. This is what I have done with you, if with a little less finesse than I would have liked because of the circumstances and state of the other males."

"But-"

"You watched me as often as I watched you in those meetings, Ellie. You cannot lie about that. Your heart did not lie every time I passed you. Your skin changed colors just for me."

I did not like what he was saying, because there was a nugget of truth in there. How would he understand what I had felt? At those meetings...he was certainly attractive, but I had been intimidated by him, awed. Yet, those cues had come from me just as he described.

His species had a mating language that I unknowingly spoke back to him. This was all perfectly normal to him, but how could I possibly teach him how to date if it was all finalized in his mind. Choices were not a thing to these males. Worse, he may not know what love was or care.

It made me want to cry.

The sound of his contented purring and his embrace had me sagging in defeat. "I like when you call me Rhaz." A large hand skimmed up my neck and clasped lightly under my jaw, tilting it back so that his smoldering eyes could look down at mine. He was ready to go again.

"I like when you let me go," I said.

"Never." He growled, taking my mouth with his.

I hated that I reacted immediately to him. My chest tightened, adrenaline fluttering as his fangs brushed my lips. Rahzgaur kissed me like he was punishing me, hand against my throat the entire time to remind me that he owned me.

"My little, troublesome, angry mate," he growled, tongue flicking against mine with every word.

Ready to fuck despite our irritating conversation, I ground my ass into his growing erection. This was the only language we both spoke. His other hand grabbed my hip bone and forced me to still.

"You need to heal first. You can decide your feelings about our bond while I am away. When I return, you can tell me if you really want me to fuck you or not. I will have no more indecision."