“I'm sorry, Aria,” Jack said.
She waved his apology away. “You not know. I never tell you that much of story.” Aria looked back at the portrait, a wistful smile on her face now.
“...You loved your mother a lot, didn't you?”
Aria nodded. “Very much. She reason I join the military...Always wanted to be like mother...”
Jack and Aria didn't talk for the rest of the meal. He had the feeling that she wanted to be alone with her thoughts, and he was content with that since he had the desire to be alone with his food. When everyone had as much as to eat as they wanted, the servants cleared away the meal. One by one, the family began to leave the table, until only Aria, Sami, and Jack were left behind. Jack felt completely full for the first time in a long time, and now that his stomach had been taken care of he realized how extremely tired he was.
At a yawn from Jack, Sami stopped her conversation with Aria and said something to her in Ailian. “Oh...Jack. You like child, yes? Not know when to go to bed without being told?” Aria asked him. She jabbed him in the ribs with one finger, teasing him.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jack said, yawning widely again. “I just haven't had a decent night's sleep in a week, is all.” He got up from his chair. “Ah...If you girls don't mind, I'm going to go turn in.”
“Yes,” Aria agreed. She took his hand, holding it for a warm moment.
“Ha'lani.
Have good dreams.” She squeezed his hand, and then Jack pulled away from her. He walked out of the dining room, making his way through the halls, heading for his guest quarters.
******
When Jack had arrived back at his room, he'd immediately disrobed and crawled into the massive bed. Designed with an Ailian in mind, the bed was easily large enough for two or three humans, and it was soft as feathers. Laying his head on the pillow, he'd been asleep in minutes, his belly full of hot food and his mind dulled by days of little to no rest.
Some hours after he'd first dropped off, he drifted awake again. Squinting through the darkness of his room, Jack lifted his head off the pillow, trying to figure out what might have woken him. He noticed a crack of light at the door, slowly growing larger. Sitting up in bed, he stared at the doorway, still slightly groggy. Then a tall figure slipped inside. The door snapped shut, and as the person moved closer to the bed Jack's eyes started to adjust to the dark, and he was able to make out who it was: Aria, dressed in a flowing, satiny nightgown.
“Aria?” Jack murmured, rubbing his eyes. “Is something wrong?”
“Nothing wrong,” she said. She walked towards him, her hands clasped behind her back. “I sneak out of my room. Wanted to see you.” Her tail was waving back and forth quickly.
“You did...,” Jack said. His eyes widened in the dark as she slipped the nightgown from her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. She wore nothing underneath. Aria reached the side of the bed, and she slid underneath the covers. In a moment her furred body was curled up next to Jack's, and she took him into her arms, hugging him to herself.
“Missed this,” Aria whispered, nuzzling his cheek. Jack could hear her purring, the low, slow rumble vibrating through him. Her tail curled around his waist. For a long while she just cuddled him, and Jack relaxed with her, resting his head on her pillowy breasts.
“Me too,” he said. The human draped an arm over her, running his hand up and down along her side, stroking her downy soft fur.
Aria made a quiet sound of contentment. “I mean to ask you something...” She paused for a second or two, hesitant. Jack waited for her to continue, curious about what she wanted to ask about. “When we rescued...you...say something. Before they take me.” Aria bit her lip. “You say you...love me. You mean that?”
Leaning back from her slightly, Jack blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected her to ask something like that. Didn't she know that he'd meant it? And it wasn't at all the sort of thing he would have expected someone like Aria to be concerned about in the first place.
Seeming to have read his mind, Aria made a huffing noise, as though reproaching herself for her moment of weakness. “I sorry,” she hissed. “Acting like a baby...Forget I-” Her words were cut off as Jack pushed himself up and captured her lips in a deep kiss, his hand cupping her cheek. The Ailian melted into him, wrapping her arms fiercely about him.
“I absolutely meant it,” Jack said, parting lips with her. “I think it's the only thing I've ever been sure about in my entire life, Aria.”
Aria nuzzled his face again, her purr starting up once more.
“Se le ch'aa ara...,”
she sighed, a note of serene pleasure in her voice.
“You've said that a few times now,” Jack mumbled, resting his head against her breasts again, “but I don't know what it means.”
“Mmmm...Is difficult to translate.” Aria thought about it for a moment, tracing a hand up and down Jack's chest thoughtfully. “Like I say, is difficult, but close to...'one who travel through my dreams'.” Her hand was drifting lower, flirting just above his groin now. Jack shifted a little against her. He knew what Aria wanted right now, and he was intensely tempted.
Jack lowered one hand, catching her wandering fingers with his own and bringing them back up. He kissed her hand. “This is the craziest thing I've ever said, and I really hate to say it,” the human said, half-regretting it even as he knew it was for the best. “But I'm completely wiped out right now, and I really need to sleep. I don't want to be a disappointment to you.”
Aria blinked, then smiled at him. “I understand,” she assured him, even though he could hear the disappointment in her voice. She very much wanted him right now, but she also knew he'd been through a lot for a human. The Ailian kissed him, and then held him close. “Sleep now.” She injected a little command into her next words. “But you make up for it later, yes?”
“Oh yes...,” Jack agreed, starting to drift off to sleep again. “Definitely...”
- 5 -
Jack woke up the next morning before Aria did. When he opened his eyes, he was astounded at how good he felt. For the first time in a long while, he was waking up in a warm home, in a soft, real bed. He wasn't sure how long he had slept, but he could see what looked like early morning light filtering in through the window, and he felt like a million bucks. Yawning a little, he rubbed his eyes and sat up on his elbows, the covers sliding a little down his chest. Right now, it didn't even matter to him what planet he was waking up on; he'd had a full night of sleep, and that was more valuable than anything.
He looked to the side. Aria was still asleep next to him, looking rather peaceful as she breathed regularly, her chest rising and falling slowly. Her long, fluffed tail was still curled around his waist and she had an arm over him. Every so often her fingers would flex slightly in her sleep, as though she was subconsciously assuring herself that he was still there. Jack smiled. The Ailian looked almost adorable, which was saying something since she usually looked quite dangerous and deadly. Still beautiful, though.
As he watched her sleep, Jack began to recall the events of the previous night. Specifically, what had happened when he'd gone to bed, and Aria had joined him. She'd seemed quite disappointed when he'd been too tired to do much of anything other than go to sleep, but she hadn't pressed the issue. But now he was rested, and he remembered that she'd challenged him to make up for lost time. And she had the audacity to be asleep when he was ready to do just that!
Well, I'll show her a thing or two...
Carefully, so that he wouldn't wake her up too soon, Jack extracted himself from underneath her arm. He put one hand underneath her and another on top of her, and he slowly rolled her from her side to her back. Aria made a quiet noise in her sleep, but she didn't wake. He ran a hand down her belly, feeling her taut abdominal muscles underneath his palm and the thin, ragged trail of the long battle scar that ran down her torso. Smiling to himself, he shuffled underneath the bed sheets.
******
Aria shifted in her sleep, her eyes fluttering as she became aware of her surroundings. She'd been in the middle of a terrible dream, one that she'd been having almost every night since her rescue. In the dream, she was locked in a glass cage that wasn't even large enough for her to sit down, so she had to remain in a half-crouched position. No matter how hard she pounded on the walls of her cage, she couldn't break out. Through the walls, she could see all of the members of her family, standing in the room outside and looking in at her. She was terrified because she knew she was about to die, and her father, brothers, and sisters were going to have watch it.
What happened next in the dream was always the same, but it was always a horrible surprise. A bell sounded inside the cage, and then hatches opened in the walls of the outer room. Green smoke began to pour in through the hatches. Aria watched in horror as her family began grasping their throats, shuddering and collapsing to the floor outside, their bodies twitching in the final moments of their lives. She was forced to stare at their corpses for an eternity as the gas cleared from room. Then one of the walls of her glass cage swung open, letting her out.
Aria was glad that she had woken up before that point this time. But she wondered what had caused her to wake up. It was at that moment that Aria realized Jack wasn't at her side anymore, and she had a moment of panic, thinking that maybe she was back in her shipboard prison again. She almost leaped up from the bed, but then something made her stop.
“Ka...ah...Ka're te pureh a'lai...,”
she moaned, her breath catching in her throat.
Jack was underneath the covers at her waist, his hands firmly planted on the insides of her thighs, pushing them apart. His head was nestled between her legs, his lips pressed against her sex. He kissed and suckled at her, his tongue dipping out to slip inside. When he heard her talk, he lifted his head up for a moment.
“I'm not sure what exactly you just said,” he whispered up to her, “but I'm pretty sure it means you like it.”
“Cha le te na...,”
Aria hissed back at him. She reached down, placing a furred hand on the back of his head. Her fingers teased through his hair, getting a grip, and she pressed his face back down. “Yes...No talk...Not stop...”
Jack was more than pleased to obey her orders to him, so he went right back to work. Now that she was awake, he wasn't worried about waking her up. He pushed her legs further apart, raising one arm to throw the covers off the pair of them, tossing the sheets in a tangled pile on the floor next to the bed. The tall, strong Ailian laying in front of him was gorgeous, but right now all that he wanted to focus on was the task at hand.
He pressed his face in hard, the soft, silky fur that framed her sex tickling his cheeks. As he breathed through his nose, he caught her scent, that subtle musk and hint of spice that he'd come to know well. The smell was captivating, and it filled him with a hunger that needed to be satisfied. Jack let his tongue slide out from his mouth, and he licked along her nether lips. He probed them apart, then slipped inside, pushing his tongue inside her warmth. Aria moaned softly again, and he felt that low, steady rumble as she began purring.
“Ah, Jack...,” Aria breathed, her fingers tightening on the top of his head. She moved her hips in a slow circle, feeling the sensations rising up within her. As she was quickly learning, this human was very talented with his mouth. He was hitting all the right spots, sending trembles of pleasure through her body. She tensed her back up, arching up from the bed. Aria had been completely ready for him last night, but he had been too weary to satisfy her. She was already very tense.
Jack could tell that Aria was ready to cum. His hands went underneath her rear, cupping her buttocks and holding her. She was trembling now, her breathing quick and shallow as she undulated against him. He deepened his kiss into her, reveling in her alien taste, letting his tongue play around inside of her. Before much longer, he felt her body give a great shudder, and she mumbled something unintelligible as she began to tremble. Jack held her close against his face, letting her ride the waves. Her legs clamped down around his head, and he suddenly found himself unable to breathe.
When she finally calmed and relaxed the vice grip of her thighs, Jack didn't have a chance to pause and catch his breath. As he took a welcome breath of air, she reached down and grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him up. Aria hugged him to her chest, her breasts creating a welcome, comforting pillow for his head. She nuzzled the top of his head, licking at his ears affectionately. Her soft fur caressed every part of his body, making him feel like he was surrounded with feathers.
“You ready?” she asked him, her voice throaty with desire. One of her hands slid between their bodies, and Jack shuddered as he felt her fingers wrap around him. She teased him for several long, torturous seconds, and then gripped him firmly and pushed him down a bit. Her legs hooked around his waist. “Yes...You ready...”
“You're a greedy one, aren't you?” Jack remarked, stifling a groan as she guided him inside of her. Her warmth spread from the point of their joining to the rest of his body. He relaxed against her, and she put her arms around him, hugging him. The feline felt so good inside, and he was reminded sharply of just how long it had been since they had been together.
Aria seemed to remember that very well, too, because she lowered her head to hiss in his ear. “Not let you relax...,” she said. Her voice carried a firm tone of command. She put a hand underneath his chin, tipping it up so he could look into her hungry eyes. “You going to mate me. Understand?”
“Oh, I understand...”
Pushing himself up on his arms, Jack braced himself against the bed. Aria's golden eyes widened as he suddenly began thrusting in and out of her, surprising her with his energy. Her tail began lashing against his legs. He felt her claws digging into his back, the stinging pain barely overcome by the extreme delight he took in her relinquishment of power. Jack grit his teeth, leaning back from her. Her claws slid along his back until her arms fell to her sides.
Aria gasped, her arms coming up and crossing behind her head, underneath the pillow. Her human lover had his arms around her waist now, pulling her tight against his hips. He was deep in her, kissing her womb with every movement he made. Unable to keep herself quiet, Aria was crying aloud now, her eyes closed as she gave him encouragement in her own language. She knew he couldn't understand the words, but he understood the meaning behind them.
“Damn, Aria,” Jack managed to say. He was struggling to keep it up, but he knew it was a losing battle. He was pent up, and he was with a beautiful woman who had spent the night with him, who he'd desperately wanted to make love to last night. He couldn't last much longer.
The Ailian opened her eyes, looking up at him lustfully. “Come,” she said. She curled her tail up and around him, her tailtip tickling underneath his chin. “Mate me...”
That was all that Jack needed. He bit his lip, a muffled groan coming from the back of his throat as he surrendered to the sensation. He leaned low over her, his body shuddering as he pressed deep, his seed flowing into her womb. Aria came up to meet him, catching his lips with her muzzle. They kissed fiercely as she took him for all that he was worth. For long minutes, it felt like all of their problems were gone, and that they just had each other without any other cares in the world. They could just be a normal couple, if a human with an Ailian could be considered normal.
Aria refused to break the kiss until she felt Jack go limp, all of his energy expended. A pool of warmth sat deep in her core, and she purred pleasantly as she sank back onto the bed, bringing him down on top of her. Jack rested his head on her breasts again, looking up into her eyes.
“Did I make up for last night?” he asked her, a sloppy grin plastered on his face.
“Mostly,” Aria said, her voice teasingly critical. She brushed the back of one hand against his cheek, then leaned her head down and licked his forehead. “You get more chances, yes?”
Jack smirked at her attitude, though his spirits did raise with that implication for the future. “If you allow me the honor, I suppose,” he said. He rolled from on top of her, settling on his back on the bed. When his weight settled on his back, he hissed with a sharp intake of breath as he felt a stinging pain. “Damn, that hurts!” Reaching back to feel himself, his fingers came away with tiny streaks of red on them. Apparently Aria's claws had cut a little deeper than he'd thought. “You must have really wanted it bad this time. I think you scratched me pretty good.”
Aria rolled her eyes, making a little noise of contempt. “Being a baby. Roll over.” Doing as she told him, Jack rolled onto his stomach, resting his head on his arms. He felt a sense of relief as the pressure was taken off the scratches Aria had put on him. The Ailian ran her fingers gently along the striations her claws had created. “Is not bad. Besides...” She leaned down to speak into his ear directly. “I like scars.”
With that, she stretched languidly out beside him, draping one arm over his back. As he wondered why she'd asked him to roll over, Jack suddenly felt a warm, damp sensation, and realized that she was licking at the scratches on his back. At first it stung, but as her rough tongue continued to lap at his flesh, it began to feel quite soothing. He relaxed, letting out a sigh of satisfaction. Aria noticed how much he seemed to be enjoying it, and she laughed quietly, continuing to groom his back.
“Speaking of scars,” Jack said, as something occurred to him, “I've been meaning to ask you. That scar on your belly, how did you get that?” Her licking paused momentarily, and for a second he thought he might have offended her. “Um, if that's too personal a question, you don't have to answer. I was just curious.”
Aria set his fears to rest when she laughed quite hard at that statement. “'Personal?' You share bed with me, and mate me. Is not much too personal now.” She flicked her tongue at him a few more times, then rested beside him, apparently finished. “Is not very interesting story, really...but I tell you.
“When I first starting out in military, go through training and get first assignment. Was assigned to ground combat unit, stationed with fleet in deep space, near border with human territory. Deployed on several missions, survive combat, and start to feel invincible.”
“Ah, that young recklessness,” Jack said. He laid a hand on her side, rubbing her orange fur. She gave a purr, her tail sweeping up to lay across his back.
“Yes,” Aria agreed. “Was very foolish back then. Still, maybe. But well trained. So...One day, fleet come under attack from humans. Not much for soldier like me to do, until human soldiers board my ship. They infiltrate, go to plant explosives near the engines. My unit assigned to find and stop them. We kill the human soldiers, but not before they plant charges. I have training with explosives, a little, so I go in to disarm them before proper people for that arrive.”
“Not the smartest thing to do.”
“No. I try my best, manage to disarm most of them. Last one go off while I working on it...Badly injured.” Aria shivered a little, feeling a phantom shadow of the pain from that injury. “Large piece of metal from engine room go right through me, stick in my body. They think I dead when they find me, but...not die. And managed to keep hull from breaking apart, saved the ship. When I recover from injury, give me award for bravery, and promotion. But I learn good lesson. Everyone have job, and best to let them do it.”