Keely wiggled, tearing his thoughts away from Zander with a twist of her full, delectable ass. Kosmas groaned in reaction, partially from lust but mostly from the knowledge that he didn't have time to take her again. “Tease,” he accused her in an aroused voice, his hands locking onto her hips to hold her in place against his turgid flesh. “As much as I'd like to take you again, we both know I have to oversee the unloading of the space plane.” He didn't sound very enthused, and he felt even less.
But as leader of Golden Harbor, it was his place to be there. As Keely's mate, it was essential that he be there. His list had been quite extensive, and he wanted to make sure his guards had collected everything he needed... especially when it came to the mistletoe. After hearing of its use, he planned on hanging it
everywhere
.
“That's okay,” Keely replied, shooting him a coy look over her shoulder, one guaranteed to make him sizzle with lust. After mating her, Kosmas had quickly learned that she had a few weapons of her own. With just one glance, she could arouse him beyond belief, rendering him incapable of thought until he possessed her curvaceous body.
And the little minx knew it.
She pulled herself up into a seated position as she let the comforter drop beneath her full breasts. Kosmas watched with a slack jaw, enjoying the show. Keely then stretched, the action forcing her breasts to pop out. Her hardened nipples just begged to be suckled. Kosmas clenched the comforter in his hands.
“I think I'll take a bath while you're gone,” she informed him, a mysterious little smile playing about her plump lips. “A long soak. I'll be mighty lonesome in that big tub all by myself, but I'll just have to make do, I suppose. I've been wanting to try out that hand held shower head you had installed. Surely one of those jets can relieve this tension that I'm suddenly experiencing.”
Her voice had dropped with each sentence, her words husky and seductive. Kosmas' swollen shaft twitched, his imagination kicking into overdrive as he pictured her directing the shower head over every inch of her body. Would she linger between her legs, in the area he adored so much? As erotic as the thought was, he quickly found himself growing jealous. He refused to allow her to orgasm without his participation, he wasn't selfless enough to ever deny himself that kind of pleasure.
“Oh. Hell. No,” he growled out, leaning forward to swirl his tongue around one taut nub. “I order you to wait until I return. I'll bathe you then, and I promise you, by the time I'm done you'll feel boneless.”
Kosmas anticipated taking her as much as he had in the beginning. Time hadn't dimmed his lust. With Keely, everything still felt fresh and new. His body still thrummed with the thrill of the chase, his shaft still hardened by the thought of her curves. He would never give up trying to win her, a day would never pass them by that he wasn't as flirtatious and bossy as he'd been from the beginning. It was his way of showing he cared. He was obsessed with his mate, and he wasn't too proud to admit it. To himself, at least.
“Well, since you say it so temptingly...”
Keely's words were cut off with a gasp, as she suddenly pressed her hand against her stomach, her face pale. Kosmas immediately leaped up on his knees, his own hand reaching out to her stomach. Leaning forward, he hissed, “What is it, Keely? Is it the baby?”
His body filled with cold terror at the thought. There were no words to describe just how much he wanted his son or daughter, and everything that her pregnancy represented. Kosmas couldn't bear the thought of their happiness being ripped away from them, he couldn't take the thought of losing that tiny fetus growing within her. Nothing in his life had ever prepared him for the horror that engulfed him. Kosmas would rather face a horde of the biggest, deadliest vampires in existence than see the worried expression across his mate's face.
Keely didn't answer him immediately, but her eyes flitted up to meet his as she frowned. She looked puzzled. Spreading his fingers wide across her stomach, Kosmas felt the tension in her abdominal muscles. “Do I need to summon a doctor?” he pressed her, but a small movement against his hand stopped him.
“No,” she replied, her frown dissolving as her lips spread into a large smile. The sheer happiness on her face took his breath away. With her long, tousled red hair, pale skin, and pink cheeks, she was the most beautiful female he'd ever seen. He never tired of watching her. “I'm pretty sure it's nothing more than our child making his presence known.”
Kosmas lowered his eyes to her stomach, as emotion flooded him. He'd anticipated this day from the moment he'd discovered she was pregnant, and feeling his child's movements against his hand was an incredulous, humbling experience. “He's kicking,” Kosmas muttered in a low, hoarse voice. “Our baby is kicking.”
Keely made a sound that was half-sob, half-laugh. Her eyes filled with tears, her voice reflecting her own wonder with the moment when she agreed with him. “He is, and from the feel of it, your son is going to be just as strong as you are.”
“Of course,” Kosmas replied, filled with pride as he moved his palm in a circular motion against her skin. “After all, he comes from good stock.”
Kosmas stood to the side of the space plan, crossing off items from the clipboard in his hands as his guards continued to carry items out. It was a mundane task for a man that thrived on danger, but none of the men around him would have ever been foolish enough to comment on it. At least, not if they wanted to survive the night.
A loud crash came from within, immediately followed by the sounds of cursing. The guards around him exchanged uneasy looks before quickly finding something to do. He wasn't known for his patience with mistakes. Kosmas lifted his eyebrows as he waited for an explanation. It wasn't long in coming.
Silver walked out with an impatient expression on his face, holding a box filled with shards of colored glass as he grumbled to himself. Stopping in front of Kosmas, he dropped it on the ground in front of his feet. “Nobody ever told me these balls were made of glass,” he hissed, in way of explanation, crossing his arms as he looked at Kosmas. “What moron came up with the idea of glass balls? Now, I've got a huge mess to clean up.”
“They are not balls, you ingrate,” Kosmas replied, bending over to scoop up the small cardboard box. He quickly perused it before holding it out to Silver. “These are ornaments, and you use them on the Christmas tree. If you ever bothered to use your brain, you would have seen that it says to handle with care.”
Silver shrugged, an offended expression on his face. Kosmas pointed at Evan, a guard known for his practical personality. “I want you to oversee the rest of the ornaments as they are unloaded. Make sure that none of them are broken, or there will be hell to pay.”
“Yes, Kosmas,” Evan replied, in an even tone of voice. He disappeared in the plane to do his bidding.
Kosmas turned back to Silver, his eyes narrowing as he decided where to send him. They were in a large warehouse, an area that was often used to store their space planes. His guards had taken two of them on their trip to Earth. The cargo plane had arrived before the passenger plane, which had worked out perfectly for him. The newest concubines were due in at anytime. Kosmas wanted to have the unloading done before then.
In the distance, he spotted Bran struggling with the Christmas tree as he attempted to pull it to the amphitheater without damaging it. The other man had already felt Kosmas' wrath when he'd been ordered to locate one, no matter how difficult it was. Bringing one back from Earth would have been unreasonable, considering the size that Kosmas wanted to present Keely with. So he'd sent Bran out with clear instructions on what he wanted. Considering it had taken him ten hours to return, it hadn't been an easy task, but then again, Legionnaire was a big world. At least he'd found one.
Kosmas turned back to Silver. “Go help Bran with the tree, and this time you better be careful. If even a branch is broken, I'm going to kick your ass. I promise you that.”
Bran gaped as he looked past Kosmas, to the forty-foot tree that Bran was pulling. “What if he has already broken one?” he asked incredulously, his voice rising in pitch. “In fact, I'd be surprised if he hasn't. God only knows how far he has pulled it.”
Rolling his eyes, Kosmas exhaled in irritation as he struggled to remain patient. Instructing the guards outside of the battlefield was much harder than he'd expected, but unfortunately the task had fallen upon him. He hadn't decided on a replacement since sending Zander to Diabolos. He would have to and soon, especially with his mate's pregnancy.
And his sanity.
“Just. Go.” he growled, his hands clenching the clipboard so hard he thought it would break. “Bran can carry it alone, but he will need some help installing it at the amphitheater. Follow his lead, as he already knows how I want it. Once it's up, it will need to be decorated, but for now,
just get it in place
.”
Silver nodded before turning away, his lips compressed into a tight line. He shot Kosmas an outraged look over his shoulder, but he took off before Kosmas could comment on it.
Good riddance.
He was going to have to watch Silver closely. His manner bordered on insubordination, something that couldn't be allowed.
Too bad Arania didn't have a sister,
he mused silently. At that moment, he would have loved to have mated Silver to someone just like her. A whip across his ass would have done wonders for the other man's disposition.
“Problems?” a cool male voice asked, as Zander made his presence known. He stood across the room, but his voice carried to him easily. Kosmas watched him approach, studying his face intently. The other man looked the same, but there was an edge to him that he hadn't had in the past. He seemed leaner and older than he had when he left Golden Harbor. Whatever was bothering Zander had left a major chip on his shoulder.
Kosmas chose to ignore his question. “I wasn't expecting you to arrive until tomorrow night.” It was a bland, simple statement. Although they'd parted peacefully, things weren't easy and comfortable between the two men, and they wouldn't be until Zander was mated. Keely was his, but it was difficult for Kosmas, knowing that she'd once taken the other male into her bed. As territorial as he was, the thought of it made him crazy. He hated that another man knew what she looked like when she came, that another man had experienced the bliss that could be found between her sweet thighs. A muscle ticked in his jaw. He was two seconds away from decking Zander's smug ass, and the idiot didn't even realize the danger he was in.
Several guards walked out of the space plane, their arms full of plants. Zander stopped beside him, arching an eyebrow as the men passed them by. “I decided to leave Diabolos early. It's not as if I will be missed. They haven't exactly been welcoming.” He stopped as even more bundles were brought out, taking a step back to give the guards more room. “What the hell is this?” he asked, his voice still cool but with an undertone of amusement that hadn't been there before. “It looks like a damn nursery in here.”
“It's called Christmas,” Kosmas retorted, unwilling to explain the plants. He wasn't about to share his romantic intentions toward his mate. “It's Keely's favorite holiday, and she wants to introduce it to us. So that's what all this is for.”
Zander looked skeptical. “Well, it seems like an awful lot of trouble, especially if you're having to bring in supplies from Earth. What exactly are we supposed to do to celebrate this human holiday?”
“Nothing,” Kosmas replied, with a shrug. “We don't do anything except have a good time and exchange presents with our friends and family members. On Earth, they celebrate with a dinner. Here on Legionnaire, we'll do the same, though our meals will be a bit different. We'll have a blood fountain and a table set up for the mortals amongst us, so they can eat, too. We'll also have music and dancing.”
Kosmas marked off the mistletoe on his list. “I don't fully understand this holiday, but I'm willing to try. In Keely's eyes, it's a big deal. That's all that matters to me.”
Zander looked uncomfortable, as if he didn't like the direction the conversation was taking. “Have the concubines arrived?” he asked, his eyes slowly scanning the large area around them. “Or were they already taken in?”
“Why? Are you interested in finding a mate?” Kosmas hid his smile, his voice dry. He knew a mate was the last thing that the other man wanted. His amusement fled, though, when one of the guards stepped out with a snowman, wrestling with it as he struggled to keep his arms around its wide girth. It didn't look heavy, but it looked very awkward to carry. A power cord trailed on the ground, the guard stepping on it an instant before he nearly tripped. Zander chortled next to him, as Kosmas looked down at his clipboard with a frown.
Where the hell had that monstrosity come from?
He sure hadn't put it on the list. Finally, he just shrugged it off. The more, the merrier, or so they said.
After watching the guard walk away, Zander sneered as he answered his question. “Hell, no. The last thing I want is a mate. I was just curious after seeing all of this stuff. It makes me glad that I'm no longer in charge of picking up the concubines. I would have hated this trip.”
He wasn't the only one.
Kosmas felt as if here were stuck between a rock and a hard place. His guards were sullen and unhelpful, and he was tired of putting up with their shitty attitudes. If Santa had helpers like his, Christmas would have never happened.
Thinking of Santa reminded him of another item he was really looking forward to. “Wait here,” he ordered Zander, before disappearing into the space plane. He was relieved to see that most of the cargo had been unloaded, which made his task much easier. Stopping the closest guard, he pointed to a specific line on his list and asked, “Did you get it?”
The guard nodded. “We haven't unloaded it yet. I can see it from here, though. It's the large bundle wrapped in plastic.”
Kosmas grinned as he spied it. “Well done,” he replied in glee, clapping the man on the back before turning away from him. He quickly picked it up to take it out to Zander, his problems temporarily forgotten in his anticipation of seeing the other man's face.
“There's one more thing,” Kosmas told him, when he stepped out. Zander shifted his large frame from one foot to the other, as if he were uncomfortable. He waited silently as Kosmas approached him, with a bored look on his face, but he knew the other vampire was curious. His eyes kept flickering to the bundle in his hand.
Kosmas slapped it across his chest. “Open it.”
“What is it?” Zander grabbed the bundle, staring at the unappealing packaging with a look of revulsion in his eyes. He held it like one might hold a sand dweller, as if it might attack at any moment.
“Open it, and you'll see.” Kosmas rolled his eyes. Zander's delays were ruining his enjoyment of the moment, and he didn't have all night. Cajoling the other man into opening his gift wasn't Kosmas' idea of fun.
The guards were closing up the space plane. Finally, it was unloaded and just in time. The sounds of the second space plane whistled over the warehouse. The concubines had arrived.
Zander exhaled heavily before ripping into the packaging. In his preternaturally strong hands, it only took seconds to open. Some of the guards stopped to watch them curiously, no doubt wondering why he'd decided to give the other male a gift. Zander pulled out the red and white material with a frown, stooping over to pick up the fake beard and hat that had fallen to the ground.
“What. The. Fuck. Is. This?” he growled out each word slowly, holding it all up in clenched fists. Some of the guards busted out in laughter, at least, the ones that knew what the outfit symbolized. The other ones just looked curious, as if they didn't understand what the fuss was all about.
Kosmas couldn't help grinning. The look on Zander's face was priceless. “That's your uniform for Christmas,” he informed him, lowering his clipboard down to his side. “But you probably shouldn't crush it up like that,” he continued, stepping around him to walk toward the exit. “I'd hate for you to wrinkle it.”
*
True to her word, Keely did take a bath. It wasn't quite as fun as it would have been, had Kosmas joined her. She didn't linger long, deciding instead to seek him out. As her pregnancy progressed, so had her need for her mate.
Was it the same for every woman?
she wondered, as she dried herself off. There were so many questions she had about pregnancy, and nobody to ask.
Suddenly she missed her mom, wishing she could have been with her. Kind and loving, she would have made a wonderful grandmother. Keely hated that her child would never get to know his grandparents. On either side, considering the fact that Kosmas' parents were deceased, too.
Despite his mother's recent death, he'd remained rather quiet about it. It wasn't surprising, though. As strong as he was, it wasn't easy for him to speak of his feelings. Keely knew that, and it made her love him even more for it. Kosmas wasn't the type of man to love easily, but when he did, he loved deeply. Keely accepted him as he was. She'd be there for him when he was ready, if he ever was.
She quickly dressed in a simple outfit, not wanting to ring Cara to assist her. It would have taken too long, and she was eager to join him. Surveying herself in the mirror, she ran a hand in a circular motion on her stomach. Soon, she was going to have to order more clothing. Already, her newest dresses were tight around her midsection. Keely grinned at herself wryly. If her child was anything like Kosmas, he was going to be a big baby.
Leaving their room behind, Keely walked through the wing that belonged strictly to them. Two guards followed at a distance, so silent that she quickly forgot them. It had taken awhile, but she'd finally grown used to their protection, even learning to appreciate it.
As much as she missed her mate, she didn't anticipate the location of where she'd find him. It would be the first time she witnessed the arrival of a shipment of women, except for when she'd been considered a captive herself. Keely had been careful to avoid any part of the concubines, choosing instead to distance herself away from anything that had to do with them. She was conflicted about her feelings when it came to their purpose.
If she were completely honest with herself, she could admit that it was a win-win situation for both sides. The vampires got mates, and the human women avoided certain death. And since she'd been on Legionnaire, Keely had yet to hear a complaint from any female about being taken. Even she was grateful. Yet it still disturbed her. Could it be because she felt as if she should be outraged but wasn't? Probably so. Sometimes, it was difficult for her to discard her mortal way of thinking. Just because she was now a vampire didn't mean her perception of right or wrong had been converted, as well.