Free Desert World Savages: The Complete Series by Lisa Lace

had a heartbeat.
    Cax then put her other hand over her own heart.
    "Feel that?" he said.
    It took her a second to realize what he meant, but then she felt it. His heart and hers were beating in the same rhythm.
    "It is a thing extremely rare among my people. It only happens to one in a thousand mating couples. Once we got to the stars, we abandoned the old ways to fit in with galactic society. When I sunk my fangs into your flesh, and mingled our blood, I joined us, forever. I'm sorry. I did this without your permission, and among my people, that is considered very wrong. But it is done. You are mine, Tracy Walsh, and I can't live without you."
    Tracy stared at Ar-Reven.
    "What do you mean? Joined? Like in married?"
    "Marriage is a civil contract."
    "I suppose. Two people agree to live with and love each other, and they make a family."
    "This is not a civil contract," he said very seriously.
    "Good. Because I'm not ready for marriage."
    "It is more than that. This bond can only be broken by death."
    "Death?" She stuck her finger in his chest, "I did not agree to 'join' or 'bond' with you or whatever you call it. In fact, I pretty much disagree with everything that has happened to me, except for the really hot sex, but still, I'm not yours."
    His face fell. "You do not feel it too? The need to be together? The need to touch and not stop touching?"
    Tracy swallowed hard. Yes, he was very sexy. Who wouldn't want to touch him, with muscles to bounce a quarter on, arms so strong he could lift her with ease, lips so--fuck that!
    She broke out of her reverie, knowing she had to keep a clear head during this screwed up situation.
    "What I feel is nauseous."
    "Oh. Oh?" He looked at her with new interest. "Nauseous?"
    "Yeah, probably because I haven't had anything to eat for a long time."
    He nodded his head. "Yes, that's probably it. It would be too much to--"
    "Too much to what?" she said looking at him with narrowed eyes.
    "Nothing. Okay, we need to get you back in the tank."
    "Hell, no. I'm not going back in the tank."
    "That is the best way for me to protect you right now, to act like nothing wrong. If you don't, they'll know something is strange and space all of us."
    Reluctantly, Tracy agreed. He led her back to the tank, holding her hand, rubbing his thumb between her thumb and index finger. She didn't know such a simple movement could be erotic, but it sent tingles down her back. As he led her, she watched the muscles of his posterior move as he walked. She loved a round ass on a man. Moisture gathered between her legs, and against her will, her clit tingled.
    This is ridiculous, her mind told herself. But her body did not agree.
    When they were nearly past the bank of machines that blocked the view screen, he motioned for her to get lower. She fell to her hands and knees, and crawled to the tank.
    With his back to the camera, he put a breathing mask over her face. He helped her into the tank, lowering her reverently into the gel. She looked up him, a beautiful creature, who was gazing back at her.
    "Sleep tight, Tracy Walsh," he said. "I will watch over you."
----
    It was difficult for Rev to look away from the sight of Tracy floating in the tank. His hunger was a kind of madness. He was willing to give up everything for her.
    He hadn't understood this feeling when he read the ancient texts. They spoke of the madness of the heart that consumed bonded lovers.
    They may not know much about each other now, but they would learn everything about each other. He'd do what he could to make things easier for her, even if things wouldn't be easy for him.
    He walked through the problems in his mind.
    First was her declaration that she did not feel the same way about him. It was hard to imagine, but she was a different species and who knew how that worked? Her biology was different. How different, they would have to learn together.
    Second, he bonded with her without her permission. This would definitely have repercussions at home among