Silver Ch. 03

"Accident," Theophilus insisted as he kissed Uist's cheek before obeying his mate.

"I will speak to you later," Tristam whispered into one of Xavier's aural depressions, although fairly certain that his second-in-command wasn't aware of what was going on around him. He received a nod of understanding from the lizard as Tristam ushered Uist from the room. He was, however, then frustrated to find he could elicit nothing from the other male to explain the ferocity of his brother's actions. Uist was incapable of explaining himself. All he could say was he had perceived Lachlan to be a threat to Theophilus and had effectively staked his claim to the blond in an extremely primal way for which he would also seek Xavier's pardon. Tristam watched the bowed head of the cat-man as Uist walked away. He intended to discuss the events with Xavier, but not when he was tending to his hurt mate. Tristam sighed. He hoped nothing else could go wrong.

He hoped in vain.

The next day Sholto came to the bridge to monitor communications. Tristam could see the normally ebullient young human was tired and drawn and clearly upset although said nothing. He gasped at the furious response to a gentle enquiry as to his health from Theophilus. He saw the shock and sorrow in the golden eyes and the depth of remorse in oceanic orbs.

"Sorry, Theophilus, I'm so sorry," Sholto muttered rising to his feet and backing to the bridge doors. "I can't stay here, Tristam," he said turning anguished eyes to the man who was both commander and brother.

Sholto rushed from the bridge and went to engineering. He felt the hairs on his neck rise, but before he could react a large male body had powered him to the floor. The cat-man's ravenous mouth plundered his ruthlessly, a tongue thrusting inside to possess and claim. As he was kissed breathless, strong hands tore at the cloth barrier to his nudity, exposing him to a famished amber gaze. Sholto tried to speak, to try and communicate, but to no avail. The lack of air as he was kissed and kissed again caused a grey mist to descend and robbed him even further of the ability to resist. Insistent, slick fingers pushed inside him as his mouth was ravished. They teased at his sweet spot causing his arousal to rise as a prelude to long thick flesh breaching his body. He moaned into the demanding mouth as powerful hips drove a rock-hard shaft into his quivering sheath at a punishing pace. Within moments, hot essence flowed into him and a roar echoed throughout the chamber.

"MINE," Uist bellowed as he came into Sholto's body. Almost immediately, awareness of his actions swamped the cat-man and he pulled out of Sholto's body to a hiss of discomfort from his mate. "Sorry, mine. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry."

"No, Uist, please," Sholto sobbed as his mate vanished. His untouched erection deflated as his husband ran from him and Sholto knew he could no longer deal with this alone. He tried futilely to pull the remnants of his suit together as he crawled to a ship's intercom and called Tristam.

Within minutes strong comforting arms wrapped around him, to carry him from the chamber. He sat, cradled in Tristam's lap, with Rayner hovering anxiously a few feet away. Sholto haltingly explained that from the first day aboard Silver, Uist had avoided him after taking him as roughly in their quarters as he had after their meeting with Lachlan. How he had not returned to their room. How upset and frightened Sholto had become.

"I don't understand," he sobbed. "Does he still love me?"

"Of course he does," Tristam said emphatically. There was no possibility that Uist had fallen out of love with his mate. There was something else; the same something that had him and Xavier edgy, but for which he had no name. He hoped the reptilian would be able to supply answers soon. However, his first priority was to see to Sholto, his second to locate Uist.

"Rayner, take Sholto to our room. I'll find Uist."

Rayner led the distraught man to the room he shared with his husband and sat Sholto on the bed. He removed the tattered remnants of Sholto's clothing. He believed it would hinder the smaller man's recovery as it would serve as a reminder of the incident. He tenderly stroked the long auburn tresses from Sholto's tear-stained face.

"Would you like Theophilus here, too?" he asked and was horrified at the renewed tears.

"I was horrible to him, Rayner," Sholto cried. "He'll hate me."

Deciding their blond brother would not hold on to any kind of anger, especially in the view of Sholto's obvious distress, Rayner called the bridge. Within moments two dark heads lifted as the blond entered. Theophilous hadn't hesitated beyond securing the bridge so only one of his family could enter it and leaving the ship's AI to pilot the craft. Concern for his beloved brother his priority. Without a word, the blond simply wrapped his arms around his brother as Sholto sobbed further apologies. Rayner sat and watched as Theophilus crooned melodically and rocked the upset younger man.

"It is all right, my brother," he whispered. "I love you."

"Love you, Theophilus, you too, Rayner," Sholto added tearfully as he raised an arm and then gave a watery smile as Rayner joined in the hug.

Slowly the trio sank to the bed; Sholto holding tightly to the slender blond, his head to Theophilus' chest, Rayner pressed against Sholto's back. Sholto felt loved and comforted and began to relax for the first time in nearly four days. Their arms and legs unconsciously entwined and the three slipped into sleep.

Uist was on his knees; his head bowed awaiting the punishment he deserved from the powerful male standing before him. He had injured a much-loved brother, one he had sworn to protect. He had hurt his young husband, more than once. He was a danger to the young men he loved and who were under his Protectorate. He would accept whatever punishment Tristam deemed appropriate and would then request he be placed in solitary confinement until they could establish what was wrong with him. He started as a gentle hand rested on his shoulder.

"Come with me, Uist," Tristam said softly. "Let us see if Xavier has any answers to this situation."

The two men walked slowly to the sickbay, Uist's shoulder slumped with a mixture of sadness and shame. Tristam silent, not wanting to raise Uist's hopes until certain of what Xavier would say.

Xavier looked with concern as they entered his sickbay.

"I am a danger to our young ones," Uist said disconsolately.

"Come here," Xavier replied. He produced a hypodermic and gave the puzzled cat-man an injection. He waited a moment or two. "Scent Tristam," he ordered softly.

Uist frowned but obeyed the command. He scented at the junction of neck and shoulder, just where his own musk glands were situated. His body lost much of his tenseness as the scenting gave him the comfort it normally engendered. He gave a guttural whimper and pressed closer, relishing in the familiar scent, the strange unease passing. He lifted his head and gazed at Xavier with awe.

"How?" he asked.

"Your sense of smell is greater than Tristam's. Mine is nearly as acute, but mammalian pheromones affect me less, unless they are those of my mate. I have become sensitised to Theophilus', but would be less likely to react to those of another mammal. That seemed, therefore, to be the most likely way in which you could be badly affected with Tristam and I only marginally discomfited. I have had AI perform a ship's scan down to molecular level and confirmed my hypothesis. The problems you have been suffering from are pheromones at a subliminal level. You are picking them up subconsciously and reacting to them.

"What pheromones?" Uist asked.

"Arousal. More specifically, Lachlan's arousal."

Uist gave a low dangerous growl, but was stayed by Tristam's hand on his shoulder.

"Can we demonstrate he has done this deliberately?" Tristam asked.

"I know of no PrideHomer able to do this at such a microscopic level," Xavier replied. He tilted his head at Uist and received a shake of the cat-man's shaggy head. "That's not to say it isn't deliberate," Xavier added. "The greatest concentrations are on our husbands. He has touched all of us, except you, Uist, yet there are no pheromones on Tristam, Denthor or myself."

"When I scented Sholto, it made me more unsettled instead of less and I wanted to take him to make him mine. I knew I'd been rough and was afraid I'd be such again, so I tried to keep away from him," Uist said.

"By distancing yourself, you desired him more and the subliminal scent of another male's arousal on those you love, especially your own mate, drove you to a primal mating frenzy," Xavier added.

"So when Uist became aware of his actions because his scent overwhelmed Lachlan's, the circle began again?" Tristam sought confirmation from the reptilian scientist.

The lizard nodded.

"I still betrayed Sholto's trust. I took what was not offered..." Uist began.

"Did Sholto ever try and stop you? Did he fight you? Or did he accept you needed him but then try and get you to talk to him?" Tristam said. "Your biggest hurt to him was here," the blond said gently as he placed a hand over Uist's heart. "He doesn't understand and his heart aches. Go to him, Uist. Let him know what's happened and show him how much you love him."

Uist groaned as he realised the truth of Tristam's words. He had been so consumed with his shame; he'd run from his lover. What must have gone through Sholto's mind to have been roughly taken and then left?

"Let us all seek out our mates and assure them of our love," Xavier said gently. "You will need to come back for further injections to keep your system from recognising Lachlan's pheromones, Uist" he added as they moved as one.

****

Three powerful males stood in silent awe at the tableau before them. Their mates lay sleeping in Tristam's bed and looked completely angelic. Tristam saw the look in Uist's eyes and reached out through his psychic bond to gently awaken his personal sleeping beauty. He smiled as drowsy, dark eyes opened and Rayner carefully disentangled himself to drape at Tristam's side. The movement, as light as it was awoke the lissom blond and he gave an incandescent smile at the nod from his husband. He nuzzled at Sholto's temple.

"Sholto, your husband needs you," he whispered.

Sleepy blue eyes opened and saw the look of love and yearning in his mate's eyes. The haunted look was gone.

"Please," Uist begged hoarsely and was rewarded by Sholto reaching wordlessly for him. He choked back a cry as he scooped the smaller man to hug tightly as slim arms wrapped desperately around his neck. He gave a soul-deep moan as he scented his beloved and there was no taint marring Sholto's natural fragrance. He heard the soft whimper of need and gave a purr at the burgeoning arousal from the small body.

"I love you," Sholto whispered.

"I love you, mine. Let me show you how much." He smiled at the tiny nod and then at his family before striding from the room.

As Uist left he heard Tristam and Xavier begin to explain what had happened, but all Uist cared about at that moment was the sweet smelling, trusting, precious bundle in his arms. As he entered their room, he laid his naked lover on their bed. The smaller man was half hard, but his eyes still held a residue of apprehension.

"Let me love you?" he pleaded. He needed to explain to his lover, but felt they needed to connect on a physical level first.

"Please love me," Sholto begged.

Uist stroked at Sholto's inner legs and inclined his head. Slowly, the lightly furred limbs parted and the bigger man knelt reverently between them. He bent and took his mate's mouth in a gentle exploration. He licked the full lips and darted his tongue into the warm wet cavern beyond to taste his lover's unique sweetness. He kissed down Sholto's throat to root through the soft fur of his young mate's chest. Locating one irresistible cinnamon nub with his teeth, he teased the other with gentle fingers. The tender cries of pleasure from Sholto were all the more joyous to Uist's ears for having been absent during the rougher mating. Reluctantly abandoning the aching peaks, he licked his way down the furred abdomen to sweep desultorily across the small pool of liquid desire, swallowing his lover's tribute to his lovemaking. He slid lower and touched the inner thighs.

Sholto's eyes still held a fragment of apprehension and Uist could understand why. Even in the dimness of their quarters, the cat-man was able to see the slight swelling and superficial bruising around his mate's entrance. With butterfly lightness, Uist kissed the small opening and let his tongue lave in a slow circle. As Sholto's moaning intensified, Uist felt the smaller man try and take the slick muscle deeper and pushed his tongue inside the velvet channel. Uist's purr of pleasure vibrated though Sholto's body and the younger man writhed and mewled.

"Want you, Uist, Please," Sholto begged.

Uist had no intention of entering his mate until Xavier had healed Sholto. Instead he swung round and straddled Sholto's chest, his arousal pointing to the younger man's mouth. He yowled as Sholto's wet heat engulfed his sensitive flesh, sucking and licking with a passion that matched Uist's but that the cat-man had striven to keep under firm control. His mate's tongue probing insistently inside the slit on his engorged arousal fractured that control. Purring deeply, he engulfed Sholto to the root, inhaling his mate's sweet smelling musk as he stroked the skin between furred sac and hidden entrance. The action caused Sholto to buck upwards and Uist growled his approval as hard flesh pumped in and out of his eager mouth. A muffled wail heralded the outpouring of his mate's sexual nectar and Uist swallowed it all voraciously. As he devoured the last precious drop, he could no longer deny his own completion and his hot seed flooded Sholto. He felt the smaller man swallow repeatedly before he was finally sated.

As Sholto panted, trying to catch his breath, Uist moved to cradle his lover to his chest. He petted at the golden-brown curls and in a quiet voice began to explain recent events as Sholto nested closely.

Back in their quarters, Tristam and Rayner also sought to reaffirm their physical connection. They had abstained from anything beyond mutual touching due to Tristam's edginess. Now that the reason was established, Tristam reigned in his sense of smell, so that the subliminal odour was eliminated. Instead he focused on bringing pleasure to Rayner and himself. His dark beauty lay widespread beneath him, sable curls whipping unrestrained as Rayner thrashed in throes of passion. Tristam suckled on one coffee-coloured nipple and then the other, whilst three of his fingers were buried deep in molten heat. Rayner writhed and mewled incoherently at the pleasure that seared him. Tristam made certain his fingers repeatedly caressed Rayner's jewel until his mate was riding him and almost at his pinnacle. Tristam grinned savagely at the whine of distress as he withdrew his fingers and sent a psychic caress to soothe his lover as he re-positioned their bodies.

"I want you riding me, my love," he crooned, "but not my fingers."

Rayner panted harshly as he straddled the bigger body. He swept the oil over the large, thick organ jutting proudly from his mate's nest of red-gold fur. He reached behind himself to press the broad head of Tristam's sex at his prepared entrance. Both men groaned in harmony as Rayner bore down slowly and the first inch of Tristam's rod breached the smaller man. Incrementally, inch-by-inch, Rayner took Tristam inside him, the bigger man resisting his body's demands to thrust upwards into the tight, slick heat. Finally Rayner's weight settled on Tristam's groin and the younger man began to rotate his hips. Gradually he progressed to undulations and then a shallow rise and fall.

Tristam's eyes took on a feral glow. As Rayner dropped on to his shaft he began to thrust upwards burying himself deeper in the quivering sheath that grasped him so tightly. His thrusts increased in time with Rayner's movements until the young man was riding his husband hard and fast. Rayner's head tossed to and fro as he lost himself in sexual abandon. Each movement up and down the flesh impaling him struck his sweet spot, his mate's hand stroked his own arousal and the psychic tendrils of love and passion wrapped them in an ever-spiralling ecstasy.

With a bellow of Rayner's name, Tristam gripped his lover's hips hard and pulled him down as he simultaneously thrust upwards. His release erupted into the rippling scabbard sending pulse after pulse of wet heat into the slender channel. At the feeling of his mate's seed in his body, Rayner threw back his head and screamed as his own climax thundered unrestrained throughout his body. Tristam licked greedily as drops of liquid passion anointed him as high as his chin. As Rayner convulsed on Tristam's shaft, the spasms within the slender form milked the older man's erection ruthlessly to leave both men fully satiated. Uncaring of the seed cooling on his muscular torso, Tristam tenderly eased the spent young man off his softening shaft and curled his body possessively around him. Rayner craned for the kiss he craved and which Tristam was only too willing to provide and then settled snuggling back against the big, warm body.

"I love you," he murmured.

"Love you, angel," Tristam avowed.

****

The suspicion that Lachlan may have been purposefully spraying his pheromones seemed borne out by the other PrideHomer's surprise that Uist was unaffected by his presence as everyone met. Denthor had gathered them together as he wanted to outline his proposals for what would happen once they were on the planet.

"Lachlan will accompany me along with a couple of your crew," he addressed Tristam. "We will have my stun guns and I will have recording equipment," the scientist said enthusiastically. "Ideally we will get footage of the panthursa chasing down prey, which would be both exciting as well as valuable footage." Denthor looked at the two young dark males and the blond. He'd already spoken to them and each of the three had been prepared to accompany him.

"I don't think I'm quite up to making one of the team," Sholto said. He still hadn't fully recovered from the recent strain.

"Rayner and I are willing to accompany you," Theophilus confirmed.

"If you go then I go," Uist growled menacingly. "I will not leave you without your own Protector."

Tristam and Xavier nodded. With the injections from the reptilian, there was no adverse reaction by Uist to Lachlan and he was the best suited to jungle terrain.

"Well then," Denthor grinned, "all that's left is for me to collect my gear and down we go."

The group made the landing in their shuttle without incident and they left it to take in the beauty of the world around them. The visor worn by the scientist was a complex mix of digital recorder and binoculars picking up all the man saw, both near and far. After a few minutes, they heard a disgruntled huff from Denthor.

"I need to return to the shuttle. Stay here, Lachlan," He instructed the bigger PrideHomer. "I'll be gone just a couple of minutes."

On his return, they moved deeper into lush foliage, Denthor taking digital recordings as they walked. Rayner smiled at the look of delight on Theophilus' face as he examined the local flora. The blond had demonstrated a keen interest in botany, as well as healing, that Xavier had been quick to encourage. They all stopped suddenly as a fearsome cry rent the air.

"It would appear we have been scented," said Denthor. "I'm glad it has been so quick. I rather thought a group of this size would attract the attention of one quite rapidly." Denthor adjusted the visor he wore to focus on the distance, but the location of the beast remained elusive. "I think a more direct stimulation is now called for," Denthor muttered as he rummaged in his clothing.