She awakes to warm, gentle touches.
Nihlus has carried her to the shower in his room, seating himself on the floor with her in his lap.
He's settled them on the far back wall just outside the shower's spray so he can clean the wounds he'd inflicted.
His touch is careful at the mark at the crook of her neck.
"Please, don't fuss," she yawns against the back of her hand.
"It is our nature to fuss over our mates. I'm proud that you are mines and bear my mark."
Her eyes are filled with a mischievous light, "Prove it."
"You are insatiable," he growls as she straddles him.
"Sounds like you're complaining Spectre Kryik, I can take my wares elsewhere," she laughs grabbing his fringe.
"Not unless you want casualties on this vessel," he groans as she rocks over him.
She is close, so very close when her omni-tools beeps:
"Commander, you're needed in your office, ASAP," Jokers quips.
"It will keep," Nihlus growls as he thrums within her, "I will not."
"Then take what you need," she purrs, wrapping her legs at his waist when his hands go beneath her ass and he stands, bracing her back against the wall.
He settles her shoulders agains the sweating wall and gives her a wink before he drills into her.
His orgasm hastens her own and they come together with only his strength holding them up in the steam filled chamber.
He purrs in contentment when she shudders against him, her arms falling from his neck.
He bathes her, then himself, dries them off together and helps her back into her pajamas.
"I will see you later or sooner depending on your appetite," he laughs, planting a kiss on her lips before shooing her out the door.
DeClan greets her in the cabin with a mug brimming with coffee.
"In case you didn't get much sleep," he offers, leaving her alone to get dressed.
She has to take her her time undressing as parts of her body voice their complaints now that the after glow has receded.
She stands before the mirror, her fingers and eyes linger over the teeth marks that travel up her neck, to the abraded skin between her thighs.
Her hands trace over the long finger shaped bruises tipped with thin scratch marks that will peek over the waistband of her cargos.
With a shrug she dresses.
For a brief second she worries about the mark at the left side of her neck but once her over top is buttoned, the mark is covered.
She braids her hair and wraps it into an elegant bun against the back of her head.
She finishes the lukewarm coffee and heads to the bridge.
When she arrives Joker has just completed the jump through the mass relay.
Nihlus and DeClan are both over his shoulder.
Each one tossing out their own hard version of a compliment that earns a gimlet stare from Kaidan.
"You're fucking fantastic, Joker. Someone else would have had us all over the place," she offers from behind Kaidan's chair.
Nihlus' mandibles quirk in a smile as his eyes slide over to her on his way out.
Joker chirps the comm, alerting Anderson of our ETA and that Nihlus is on his way.
She coughs into her fist to cover the laugh when the man barks back that Nihlus was already there, "Tell Shepard to meet us in the comm."
"Which one," Joker asks, his face animated with his aggravation.
"Both of them," Anderson snarls before killing the connection.
"You heard him Double mint twins, get going," Joker snipes while watching both Kaidan and DeClan's face twist in confusion.
"Brand of chewing gum from the 20's, their commercials featured two busty, bouncing blondes. Let's go." Adan clarifies before trotting down the throat of the ship.