Catalyst by Viola Grace Page B

and they made it easier for her to sprint across the manicured grass and into the wild grass beyond the cultivated yard. She headed for the tree line. It wasn’t a lot of trees, but it might slow him down if he was tracking her by scent.
    Out of all the strange things to tease him with, sex hide and seek was definitely a bizarre choice. Sadly, it suited her to a tea.
    She ran through the edge of the forest before working deeper and climbing as high as she could. When she had made it into the small canopy of the forest, she watched the house. Sure enough, the lithe, tanned body was naked, and he was walking with his head in the air and a determined stride.
    He was scenting for her. She watched him come closer with her limbs trembling and her loins aching. Just seeing his aroused body was enough to spin her mind into mating mode.
    He rushed for the woods, and he followed the trail she had laid so carefully, giving her enough time to descend from the tree and make a beeline back to his home.
    She was fifty meters from the trees when she heard his howl, and she knew she had been spotted. Mae lifted the edge of the skirt higher and poured on the speed. She heard him behind her, his long limbs loping easily through the tall grasses, and the moment she stopped to check his location, she froze with all the grace of a deer in headlights.
    Snapping into motion, she turned and took three steps before he caught her and bore her to the ground.
    She fought him off, her hands struck his throat, forcing him back, and she quickly turned to get up from her knees, and he gripped her hips with determined force. She was afraid, she was aroused and she was in the mood for a fight. As he lifted her skirt and thrust into her, she howled with outrage but her movements only drew him in deeper.
    He set up his rhythm, thrusting and retreating, rocking into her and withdrawing in turn.
    She was so aroused by the chemical conflict that her body bucked in release and she groaned as she pushed back to take him as deep as she could. He groaned and lifted her, caressing her breasts as he thrust hard and bit down in conjunction with his climax. The shuddering groan went through her body and his release brought hers back in sharp echoes.
    They were both panting as they tried to recover their breath, and he stood, taking her into his arms after he slipped out of her.
    “I believe that as wonderful as that was, your tradition includes a bed at some point.”
    She closed her eyes and saw the claw marks she had just made on his chest in sharp relief in her mind. “I believe it does. Something tells me that this will be one of the more culturally fulfilling matings on Creyar. We will have to document it for future generations. You always have to plan on embarrassing your children. It is the perk to bringing another generation into the world.”
    He carried her into the bedroom and slipped the gown from her shoulders. “Will we have children?”
    She smiled, “One day, you will ask how much I can see and I will have to lie, but for now, yes, we will have children, so enjoy the privacy with me now. It will not last forever.”
    His kiss was sweet as he laid her back and caressed her skin. “Then, I will enjoy our privacy now and enjoy being a parent later.”
    Maeryn chuckled and caressed his face, the scars and followed them down the length of his chest. “I do love a practical man.”
    “And I love a woman who can see things that will happen. It is a good thing that we are accepting or this whole thing wouldn’t work out.” He nibbled at her navel.
    Mae smiled and stroked the soft white of his hair. She would make sure things worked out. It was her job, her talent and her destiny. No one was going to take that away from her.
    She had a future to design after all.

    Epilogue
    Hawikar, navigator of the Cheevan cruiser Argent’s Triumph, sat huddled in the bar on Creyar. The note had been very specific. If he did not bring the ship’s icon to the bar at the