Free Cosmic Bliss by Stormie Kent Page A

eye to latch onto him then turn to
her. They would suspect a mating, but there was no way for them to know without
asking.
    “Come in, Shunyuan. I need a favor.”
    He stepped warily into the room before halting, feet braced
widely apart, hands at his sides. His posture was exact, as if each part of him
was prepared for absolutely anything. She almost sighed. He was so wary of her
when she could never hurt him.
    “It seems we have a client whose wife is from Earth. We may
need you for a while longer to consult. We know nothing of your customs or
Earth’s terrain.”
    “How does he have an Earth woman for a wife?” He neatly
avoided her offer.
    “Apparently he married his slave,” Cheris said.
    Shunyuan’s eyes widened considerably. “Is this common?”
    “No, and the man is a powerful noble as well. I would love
to meet the woman who inspired him to it,” Ruvia said.
    “We’ll all meet her. You too, Shunyuan, if you will stay awhile
longer. It would mean not leaving with your people when we meet the Defiant .
I believe our journey may take us back to your planet.” Acia’s heart squeezed
at the thought of losing her mate.
    He blinked as he stared at her. “Let me think about it. May
we go now, Acia?”
    He’d asked a question, yet Acia sensed the command
underneath. He knew she was deep in fervor and he’d come to get her. She arose
slowly. Whether he knew it or not he was thinking as a mate would.
    All eyes were on her as she crossed to him. She wanted to
sing. She hadn’t felt the urge to broadcast her joy in song since she’d been a
child. Even the tightening of his mouth as he felt her elation through the mate
link didn’t dampen her spirits. She followed him from the room with a lighter
heart.
    * * * * *
    The fervor abruptly ended two risings later. Acia awoke to
Shunyuan packing all the things he’d been given to clothe and groom himself in
the bag Cheris had provided him. Her body chilled as the blood ran cold in her
veins. Shunyuan stiffened. He stuffed a shirt into his sack.
    She shackled her emotions deep inside, shoved them down then
tamped down on the link. She arose and pulled on a loose pair of pants and top,
sans undergarments. This wouldn’t take long. He spoke as she was lacing up her
boots.
    “If there is room, I’ll bunk with the rest of the men.” He
lifted the sack off the bed and swung it over a broad shoulder.
    She stood slowly. “As you wish, Shunyuan.”
    Acia held her body as rigidly as possible. It felt as if she
moved wrong she would shatter into a million pieces and beg him to stay.
“Follow me.”
    “Acia.”
    She turned back from the door.
    His beautiful jaw tightened and his hand flexed. “Nothing.”
    She led him down the corridor. “If you decide to help us
with the Ordanian situation, you will have the room to yourself after tomorrow.
We meet the Defiant right before our meeting with the Ordanians.”
    Acia stopped in front of a room near the cargo bay. “Lay
your hand on the pad and you’ll be admitted.”
    She didn’t wait for a response, simply turned and made her
way back to her quarters to shower and change. Then she slowly walked to what
she and the crew called the “war room”. It was really just her office.
    “There she is, our girl back from her first fervor. Can you
think, or did he pleasure it out of you?” Berisa asked. She flipped her indigo
curls.
    The crew laughed and Acia knew she turned as red as her
hair.
    “Where is your mate now? We all saw how he was able to tell
you were in need and find you through the bond,” Cheris said.
    Acia took a seat, not meeting anyone’s eyes. “Shunyuan
believes I’ve bewitched him and rejects the mating. He has gone to stay with
the Earth men.”
    “Didn’t you explain it to him, Acia?” Juni asked.
    Acia shook her head.
    “Well, do so,” Cheris insisted. “This is your entire life
we’re talking about. Someday you may want to stop floating this junk heap
through space, settle down and raise a