Chapter34
ELLIE
A moan escapesmy lips when I roll over in bed, and I immediately turn on my side.Ouch. I reach back and tenderly prod my sore cheeks, feeling the welts that are causing me so much pain. But before I can toss the covers back and get out of bed, Tornn appears in front of me holding the container of orange salve. His eyes gleam with warmth as he removes the lid and sits next to me.
“Turn onto your stomach, sweet human, and let me tend to you.” He begins to work up a thick lather of the salve on his hands.
Though he’s my mate and we share a heartbond, I still can’t help but flush with shame as I turn onto my stomach. He flips the covers off me and cups my stinging bottom, taking a cheek in each hand.
“Oh!” I gasp and wince more at the sting. But thankfully, as he rubs the salve into my tenderized flesh, the discomfort soon fades. “Thank you, Tornn. That feels much better.”
“You’re very welcome.” He leans down to kiss one of the ancestral markings on my arms, then continues massaging my backside for another minute or two. A lump forms in my throat at the care he’s showing me.
Eventually, he lifts me off the bed and sets me on my feet. He gestures toward the closet. “Get dressed. I have an early meeting, and I must leave soon. But there’s something I want to show you first.”
I hurry to the closet, ignoring the protest of my aching muscles—apparently that five-day sex fest took a lot out of me—and reach for the first Darrvason-style dress I see. I slip into the blue gown without bothering to don panties and a bra. While I have no idea what Tornn wants to show me, I can sense his excitement through the bond.
I dash back to his side, and he smiles and takes my hand, leading me out of the bedroom. We travel past the main sitting area to what was once an empty nook in one of the corners.
A small table now rests in the nook, and there’s a large screen mounted on top of it. Beneath the screen I glimpse a flat surface that glows with various symbols.
My heart skips a beat as I realize what I’m looking at—a video comm. He’d promised to have one installed in his quarters, also promising that I would be able to speak with my mother and sister soon.
“Oh, Tornn.” I clasp his hand tighter and bring it to my lips, placing a quick kiss to the back of his hand. Through the bond, I sense his surprise over the gesture, quickly followed by a deep satisfaction.
“You only need to press this button,” he says, pointing at the very first one on the flat surface, “to reach your mother and sister. I had a video comm installed in their quarters so they wouldn’t have to go to a community room every time they wished to speak with you.”
My breath catches, and I place another kiss to the back of his hand. “Thank you, Tornn. That was very thoughtful of you. I’m touched. Truly.”
“I can feel your gratitude through the bond, sweet human.” He helps me into the chair and pats my shoulder. “I must leave now, but please feel free to use the video comm.” He kisses my forehead and sends a rush of warmth down the tether.
Before he exits our quarters, I press the first button and watch as the screen illuminates bright blue. It flashes between blue and red for a few seconds until suddenly my mother’s face appears. She smiles broadly at me and gestures to someone off screen. Jenny appears beside her, eyes wide, a disbelieving grin tugging at her lips.
“Mom. Jenny.” I blink rapidly, overwhelmed by a surge of joy so strong my throat closes up.
“Ellie,” my mother says. “Are you all right?” Her eyebrows lift when she notices the ancestral markings that glow on my arms. After the heartbond finished forming, Tornn had taken great delight in ripping all the sleeves off my various gowns, saying he wanted the entire universe to know that I belonged to him at first glance.
“Yes, Mom. I’m fine. I promise.”
“Is it true you’re mated to the admiral?” Jenny asks. “Admiral Tornn?”
“Yes, I am. How did you know?”
“An overly grumpy Darrvason officer named Brute oversaw the installation of our private video comm,” my mother explains. “After being badgered by your sister for a full hour, he finally told us the name of your mate.”
“Oh! Officer Brute,” I say. “He’s Tornn’s cousin.”
“Really?” Jenny asks, then she shudders. “I certainly hope Tornn is nothing like him. He wouldn’t stop glaring and growling. I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone so disagreeable in my life.”
I bite back a smile. I haven’t met Brute yet, but I would imagine he’s not much different from Tornn. But I don’t want my mother and sister to worry about me, so I say, “My mate is treating me well.”
“Nathan misses you,” Jenny blurts, and my mother immediately shoots her a stern look. “I pass him in the corridors at least once a day, and he always looks like a complete wreck. Disheveled and with dark circles around his eyes.”
My stomach twists and it’s on the tip of my tongue to tell them to stay away from Nathan, but I don’t want to cause them any additional concern, so I press my lips together as I try to think of a neutral response. Thankfully, my mother saves me.
“Nathan is probably tired because he’s been taking extra shifts lately,” she says. “All the security officers have. Not everyone is happy about the alliance and tensions have been high.”
“What’s happening?” I ask, scooting to the edge of my seat. “Are you both safe?”
