He’ll be the end of me, she thought numbly. He’ll break me in two! His fist is bigger than my entire head!
The Clopsian snatched at her again, this time ripping her dress down the middle to let her breasts spill out of the tight red feather fabric. Her nipples immediately tightened in fear and Yandor’s eye widened as he saw them.
Neh’sa gasped and tried to duck out of the way of his next grab but one huge hand landed on her shoulder and his thick fingers wrapped around her arm. With the other hand, he fisted his huge, pulsing cock. His single eye was glued to her bare breasts and his thick-lipped mouth fell open as he grunted one word.
“FUCK…”
“What? No!” For the first time in all her years as a Mistress, Neh’sa felt herself begin to panic. She couldn’t allow herself to be penetrated by this beast! He would kill her and even if he didn’t, the shame of being publicly taken by a male…it would be the end of her. She couldn’t—
“Get your hands off her you fucking bastard!” a low, hoarse voice growled.
Neh’sa felt her heart skip a beat and she looked up just in time to see Thorn rushing through the crowd, dodging around the bewildered, frightened party-goers to confront the massive Clopsian.
As tall as he was, the single-eyed beast had a good two feet and probably several hundred pounds of muscle on her new slave but Thorn didn’t hesitate. He lunged forward and punched the other male in the jaw.
The Clopsian howled angrily dropped her arm to grab for Thorn with both hands.
“Thorn!” Neh’sa gasped, not certain what to do.
“Get back,” he shouted, sparing her a single glance over one broad shoulder as he and Yandor circled each other. “Get someplace safe—I’ll handle this big bastard.” The motes in his eyes were whirling so fast his mismatched eyes seemed to be almost glowing and there wasn’t a trace of fear on his face.
Neh’sa bit her lip and ducked out of the way, getting away from the pool and the angry Clopsian. The other guests had also backed up, making a space with the two males in the center.
This is no good, Neh’sa thought wildly. Thorn may be brave and strong but the Clopsian is huge and Lady Wraith’neck has gotten him so angry he’ll want to kill. I have to get the stunner!
She ran for her office but a collective gasp from the assembled guests made her turn to see what was happening.
Thorn was landing a volley of blows on the big, lumbering beast of a male, who was howling in anger and pain as he snatched at the Kindred.
Neh’sa’s eyes widened. She had never seen anyone move so fast—Thorn’s hands were like a blur as he punched and danced away. A red blur. She frowned—were his fists actually glowing?
Before she could get an answer to her question, Thorn landed another punch, this one squarely in the Clopsian’s single eye. As the beast howled and clutched at his face, Thorn grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around so he was facing the ornamental pool filled with Banda fish. With a strong shove, he pushed the giant face-first into the pool.
Such a massive person falling into the water should have made a huge splash but in fact, the Clopsian was so big that his head hit the golden bridge and his feet were still on the lapis lazuli tiles at the edge of the pool. So in fact, only his midsection and exposed shaft went into the brilliant aquamarine waters, causing relatively little of the liquid to slosh out.
But that small amount of exposed skin in the water was enough. The Banda fish had scattered from the strange object splashing into their pool but the moment they smelled flesh, they all came swimming towards what must have looked like a long, meaty snake dangling down into their watery home.
The Clopsian howled and thrashed as he struggled to get out of the pool. It took him less than a minute to get away from the water but that was long enough for the sharp-teethed fish to do their job.
As the giant got to his knees and then his feet, still howling, Neh’sa saw with horror that he wasn’t just wet with water. Blood gushed from between his fingers as he clutched at his now empty crotch and the remains of his once-proud shaft still floated in the pool, being devoured by the ravenous rainbow colored fish.
Clearly Lady Wraith’neck saw the damage the same time that Neh’sa did because she gave a cry and ran forward, the remote still dangling uselessly in her hand.
“My slave! My Yandor! What have you done to my Yandor!” she screeched.
“Lady Wraith’neck, please—” Neh’sa began, stepping forward.
The other Mistress rounded on her.
“You!” she spat at Neh’sa. “You did this! I brought my perfect, lovely slave to a party you invited me to and you ruined him!”
She drew back her arm and slapped Neh’sa as hard as she could, the heavy rings on her fingers making it feel more like a punch.
Neh’sa staggered back, her eyes wide. Though she’d never liked the other Mistress and she knew Lady Wraith’neck didn’t like her either, she hadn’t expected the other woman to become violent with her.
She stumbled back another step, her head ringing, and her high heel caught on the edge of the Banda pool. With a gasp she teetered backwards. She reached out a hand, trying to find something to hold onto and she saw Lady Wraith’neck reach out as well.
But the other Mistress wasn’t trying to pull her back from the edge.
Instead her hand connected with Neh’sa’s midsection and she favored Neh’sa with a cruel little smile just before and she gave a strong shove.
Goddess! Neh’sa thought wildly, tipping backwards. I’m going to die! I’ll be eaten alive right here in the middle of my own home!
“Neh’sa!” A strong hand grabbed her and pulled her roughly back from the edge.
Thorn wrapped one muscular arm around her and pulled her close, keeping her safe from both the pool and Lady Wraith’neck’s fury. Then he strode forward, bringing Neh’sa with him and pointed a finger in Lady Wraith’neck’s angry face.
“Listen Lady, and listen good” he growled at her. “I don’t usually hit females but if you ever lay a hand on Neh’sa again you’ll be picking your teeth up off the fucking floor. Understand?”
“Why…I…you…” Lady Wraith’neck clearly didn’t know what to say to his threat. “Do you know who I am, slave?” she demanded at last.
“Don’t know and don’t fucking care,” Thorn growled. “Just stay away from Neh’sa. In fact, I think it’s time you and the big idiot you brought with you get the Seven Hells out of here.”
“Thorn, no!” Neh’sa shook off his heavy arm. Throwing another Mistress out of your domicile—no matter what mischief or damage she had caused—was a snub that couldn’t be ignored. If she kicked Lady Wraith’neck out it would start a feud of epic proportions—one which might well be fatal to both her social and her business standing in Yonnite high society. “Lady Wraith’neck—Malisha—”she began.
But Lady Wraith’neck’s narrow eyes were blazing—it was clearly too late to take the dis-invitation back.
“Don’t try to stop me, I’m going,” she exclaimed loudly. “I’ll leave at once. But first I want to know who this male is that you’re allowing to kick me out of your domicile, Neh’sa!” She glared at Thorn who glared right back, meeting her eyes instead of dropping them respectfully as a proper slave would have.
“This is Thorn,” Neh’sa answered as calmly as she could although inside she felt like screaming. “He’s my new submissive. I haven’t started his training yet,” she added.
“Clearly he doesn’t need training in offering offense,” Lady Wraith’neck declared. “How dare he speak to a Mistress without being spoken to and look me in the eye as though he was my equal?”
Thorn snorted derisively.
“As if I’d want to be considered your equal. You brought a dangerous, half-wild male into Neh’sa’s home and let him run wild and nearly kill her. Only an idiot would do that.” He glared down Lady Wraith’neck who gasped and looked at Neh’sa.
“I take offense to that!” she proclaime
d. “You will hear from my barrister! And I’ll tell you something else, Neh’sa—I don’t believe you’re training this male at all. I don’t think he’s your new body-slave—I think he’s your new lover.”
A muted gasp rose from the assembled crowd. All eyes were fixed on the two Mistresses—all but the single eye of Yandor. The huge Clopsian had slumped in a heap to one side of the pool and the house droids were working to bandage the stump of his once proud male-hood.
Neh’sa drew in a breath—there was only so much she could forgive. Only so far she was willing to go to avoid a feud with the other Mistress.
“What exactly are you saying to me?” she asked in a low, even voice.
“I’m saying what everyone here is thinking,” Lady Wraith’neck declared. “I’m saying you allow this male to penetrate you. To fuck you like the savage beast he is!”
There was another gasp and some voices were raised in protest but Neh’sa said not a word.
“We all know what kind of a business you run,” Lady Wraith’neck continued, warming to her subject. “We know what these little ‘Devotion ceremonies’ are really about! You’re spreading your perversion to our community—to our society! You’re—”
“That’s quite enough.” Neh’sa’s voice was soft but strong and it carried to the furthest corners of the living area. “I will not stand here and be insulted in my own domicile any longer,” she continued coolly. “Lady Wraith’neck, I am formally dis-inviting you to my home. Please collect your slave and leave.”
Then she turned on her heel and strode away, leaving Lady Wraith’neck to splutter and gasp behind her.
Chapter Six
Neh’sa kept her cool admirably considering the circumstances, Thorn thought as he watched her walk out of the living area. Despite the fact that her gown was torn, exposing her breasts and the other Mistress had offered her what was clearly the worst insult possible in Yonnite society, she kept her head up and her shoulders straight as she walked regally out of the room.
The party was breaking up, the Mistresses shuffling around nervously with their body-slaves in tow. There were shocked looks on many faces and from the whispered remarks he heard, Thorn was beginning to get the idea that what had happened was more than just a spat.
Were there going to be legal repercussions for Neh’sa to deal with? Had he made the matter worse by his intervention?
But what the hell else could I do? he asked himself. That bitch, Lady Wraith’neck, had sent her massive Clopsian on a rampage—he’d been about to rape or kill Neh’sa. And after that, Wraith’neck had slapped Neh’sa and tried to push her into the pool of flesh-eating fish.
When he’s seen the nasty intention in the cruel Mistress’s narrow eyes as she shoved Neh’sa, the fire had risen so fast and hard inside Thorn he’d actually almost flamed-up—a loss of control so extreme he hadn’t experienced it in nearly twenty cycles. He had lost it a little while he was punching the Clopsian, but though his fists had heated, the fire hadn’t actually escaped—though it had come close.
Have to get control of myself! he told himself grimly as he watched the party guests leave in bunches until only the Mistress and her body-slave who had been joined in the ceremony remained.
Well, them and the giant Clopsian. The house droids had managed to stop his bleeding and had pasted tight pressure bandages over what remained of his shaft but he had slumped into a stupor by the pool and couldn’t be revived, no matter how often the ancient male who served Neh’sa as a butler patted his cheeks and begged him to rise.
At least the blood smeared on the big body hid most of the burn marks where Thorn’s fists had landed. He hoped the male healed fast or that the marks were just singes instead of actual deep burns. It was hard to tell—the fire inside him had been very close to the surface when he fought the Clopsian.
Again he reminded himself that he had to get back some of the control he had lost the minute Neh’sa had touched him—but how?
* * * * *
Somehow Neh’sa made it to her bedchamber before she lost her calm outer demeanor and started shaking and crying.
Calm—be calm, she tried to tell herself but she couldn’t help it—the tears came out, hard and fast as bullets and she couldn’t stop them—could only let them come.
Goddess, she’d nearly died. Would have died if Thorn hadn’t disobeyed her and come running to her rescue. It was something her first beloved body-slave, Heloth would have done and for a moment Neh’sa missed her old lover so badly she felt like she was being torn in two.
If only he was here now—if only she wasn’t all alone. She had kept herself so isolated since his death, only training body-slaves for other Mistresses and never taking one for herself. She’d learned to live a lonely, loveless existence because she couldn’t bear that pain again, the pain of loss, of love gone forever.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she sat on the vast, empty bed where she slept alone every night and let the tears come. She wept for the past and for the future—the vast, lonely future she saw stretching out before her. She was thirty-three cycles old but before she knew it she would be forty-three, then fifty-three, then a hundred and three and still all alone with no one to hold her at night, no one to love her…
Stop it! she told herself sternly. Stop this maudlin display, you’re a Mistress—a dominant female who doesn’t need anyone to be happy and fulfilled but herself.
Normally that was true—Neh’sa was actually quite content with the life she’d made for herself. But sometimes—times like this when something awful happened—she just wanted someone to hold her. Did that make her weak or less in control of herself?
Neh’sa didn’t think so.
“It just makes me lonely…so lonely,” she whispered brokenly. “Goddess, I wish…” But she couldn’t even finish the thought. The sad fact was, she had better get used to loneliness—it was part of her life and nothing was going to change it.
With a sigh, she swiped at her streaming eyes with the sleeve of her ruined dress. Time to get a grip. She would take a brief, refreshing shower, change clothes, and go back out to her living area. She was pretty sure most of the guests were gone—she hoped so anyway—but Lady Tandy and Lo’im would still be there. Neh’sa was certain of that because Lady Tandy had asked her for something in strictest confidence—something only Neh’sa could provide.
Sighing again, Neh’sa got off the vast bed and went to the waterfall shower in her private bathing room. She might be lonely but she was strong. She would make it through this and persevere just as she always had before.
She had to—there was no choice.
* * * * *
At last, after watching the butler and several droids try in vain for ten minutes to get the giant Clopsian up, Thorn went to help. Mistress Wraith’neck had left in a huff ages ago, taking the remote to his pain collar with her. They couldn’t have the huge male, who might become dangerous again, lying around the domicile.
“Oh thank you, er…” The butler-slave looked at him uncertainly.
“Thorn,” Thorn supplied. “The new, uh, body-slave.” It felt funny introducing himself that way although he supposed he ought to get used to it.
“Oh, of course. I’m Maximus, Lady Neh’sanna’s butler-slave these many years. I’m very grateful for what you did—saving her from this beast and from being pushed into the Banda pool,” the other male said.
“What else could I do?” Thorn said lightly. “Couldn’t let my new Mistress be killed—it would just be right back to the auction house for me, right?”
“I suppose…” Maximus looked at him doubtfully and shook his graying head. “But for whatever reason you acted, your actions were very brave. You saved our Mistress and I will be forever grateful to you for that.”
“Thanks,” Thorn muttered, feeling uncomfortable. “What are we going to do with him when we get him up?” He nodded at the Clopsian.
“I’ll go call a transport to take him back to his Mistress,” the but
ler promised and trotted off, leaving Thorn with the task of lifting the huge male.
As he took the massive Clopsian under one arm and started to heave him to his feet—Goddess but the male weighed as much as a small vehicle—his new Mistress finally came out of her bedchamber.
“Neh-sa? I mean, Mistress?” he asked, studying her as she came towards him. She was wearing a silk dressing gown of deep green that made her skin look soft and creamy. Her large, dark eyes were red-rimmed and Thorn wondered if she’d been weeping. His heart fisted in his chest at the thought but he couldn’t tell if she had or not from the serene look on her face. On one cheek was a dull red mark where Lady Wraith’neck’s slap had landed but Neh’sa still carried her head high.
“Thorn,” she said in that low, feminine voice which seemed to carry a hint of steel under the velvet. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to get this big bastard out of your domicile.” He gestured at the Clopsian who sagged heavily to the floor the minute Thorn let go of him. “He’s deadweight though. I can’t tell if he’s drugged or just out of it from blood loss.”
“Possibly both.” She sighed and to Thorn’s surprise, stepped forward and placed one hand on the Clopsian’s broad forehead. For a moment he thought he saw a soft pinkish glow coming from under her palm. Then the giant’s single eye fluttered open and he gave a weak grunt.
Neh’sa stepped back and nodded.
“He’ll live,” she said. “And you’re right—we need to get him back to Lady Wraith’neck or she’ll have even more to charge me with.”
“Charge you?” Thorn demanded. “How can she charge you? She’s the one who brought a fucking wild beast into your house and set it loose! He could have killed you and everyone else here!”
Surrendered Page 7
