Read Determine for Free Online Page B

say my name.”
    “I will try to keep it to secure situations.” She licked a drop of water off his neck.
    “Thank you.” He smiled and helped her out of the water, the bite on his wrist had healed already, but unlike his earlier injuries, it had scarred.
    Hydra grabbed his wrist, and she ran her thumb along the scar. “Why did it scar?”
    “Mating marks are meant to scar, at least among my people. What do your folk do?” She shrugged. “It differs from social group to social group, but the most common where I was born is a plain ring on the left hand third finger.” He frowned. “It can be removed by deceptive partners.”
    “I am aware of that. It is an antiquated custom of possession.” She shrugged. She looked at her right inner wrist, and the marks he had left were healed and a shocking pink. “This works.” Starburn grinned and ran his hands inches from her skin, drying her. He paid special attention to her inner thighs, and she was feeling more wet than dry when he ran his hands down to her ankles.
    She pressed her thighs together and smiled, “This does beat a solar shower.” He grinned. “I think so too, though you are wet again. I love how that happens when I look at you.”
    She blushed. “Well, you seem so intent on me that it would be impolite to ignore your interest.” He laughed. “Nice try. My particular bloodline is made of reactive arousal. If you don’t want me, nothing happens.”
    She blinked and her cheeks caught fire again.
    “Oh. Well, that is embarrassing. So, that is why you seek out companionship so often?”
    “Not anymore. You are the only companion I want. Now, shall we go to dinner? I am sure Warp has confirmed that we engaged in all portions of the ceremony.”
    Hydra looked toward the base and blinked.
    “Can he see that far?”
    “Oh yes. He was the witness to our union. At all points.” Starburn pulled on his loose trousers and slipped on his vest.
    “Why did we have to rush it?” She shifted the dress and put the belt back on, lifting the hem an inch.
    “Guardians do not have long lifespans. We work our ten years for the Imperium and then get a retirement plan. If something were to happen to me, I didn’t want you going down as my latest conquest. I want you protected by law and provided for.” He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his cheek to hers.
    She gripped his arms as he flew them back to the base. The greenery below blurred past, and the wind flapped her skirt in a very unsettling manner. It did cool the heat between her thighs though, so that was a bonus.
    He was right about the nature of their jobs.
    They were halfway through dinner when a call came in. A coastal region needed assistance as a tsunami bore down on them.
    After a savage kiss, Starburn left her to suit up, and he re-joined her, looking all serious and ever so sexy in his uniform. She grabbed a hank of snow-white hair and pulled his face down to hers.
    “Come back as quick as you can, husband.” She pressed a kiss to his chiselled lips, parting them with her tongue and licking at his sharp teeth. He tasted like the fruit juice that Breaker had prepared, and his leather and metal creaked as he crushed her to him.
    Warp and Tangle pulled him away, and she smiled and waved farewell.
    The shuttle took off, and Hydra held her anxiety while she tidied up the remains of dinner.
    The next day, she woke and checked the newsreels. The Guardians were still hard at work, so Hydra felt she had time to get her cookie recipe right.
    By the third batch, she was satisfied with the result and the newsreel was showing Tangle creating fencing for the animals that were straying, Breaker was finding people trapped in destroyed buildings and Warp was extricating them.
    Starburn was drying the essential areas and generating power for the volunteers.
    Hydra’s smile faded when she saw a local woman sidling up to Starburn, but he smiled politely at her and said something quietly. The woman blinked, smiled