Braden had come across all the information in Laszlo’s records shortly after he’d taken control of The Lair. He, Braden, and Kam had always shared data whenever possible, and Braden had thought it important for him to know what he’d found.
None of them had known about her scars though. Braden wouldn’t permit viewing of the video and never watched it himself. Leila deserved that privacy, he’d said. Laszlo hadn’t noted her specific injuries in the files, only that he’d watched the rite, had seen physical abuse, and reported it.
Laszlo kept many secrets, it seemed.
Hearing a familiar voice from the bedchamber, his thoughts switched to another who kept secrets—Kam. No wonder Laszlo and Kam worked so well together. They were two of a kind.
Kam had always been a good friend, but each year he changed more and more, withdrawing into himself so much that Erik barely felt like he knew the man any longer. Kam’s actions tonight proved that once again.
Hewas the one who was supposed to initiate Leila with the dildo. Kam purposely arrived early to do it himself. His excuse of her needing a more tender touch didn’t fly with him. He knew how to show and give tenderness when needed. The man simply wanted a chance to fuck her. The discovery of Leila’s scars was the only thing that had stopped Kam. He should have ripped the guy’s head off, like he’d threatened, for overstepping the bounds already set down on how they were going to deal with her.
These last few years, so many changes and tragedies had plagued Xylon and its people. Sometimes he felt like taking off and never returning. Then he wouldn’t have to deal with the shit anymore. Though he looked at Braden like a brother, he had no real family here, no personal ties. Except his feelings for Leila.
He needed to decide one way or the other what he wanted to do with his life, and not look back.
Continuing to argue with himself in his head, he paced and grumbled. Who are you kidding, Rhodes?
He had responsibilities. And he could never leave Leila, no matter what. He knew that above everything else. No further decision or thought was necessary.
He vowed right then to do anything and everything to protect her, to give her all the pleasure she’d missed out on, and see to it she felt secure and cared for. The idea of other men touching her didn’t sit well, but he’d be in control, directing the action, and if their combined efforts brought her more pleasure, all the better.
Braden’s argument about the necessity of the lot of them staying tonight seemed valid, he supposed.
Time would tell. Braden had signaled his wishes, and he’d finally, though reluctantly, agreed. She did need to be put through the entire ceremony again. He understood that. More so, she needed to break through this fear and mistrust during sex that she still harbored, or her life would be overshadowed by that fear from now on. For Xylons, sex was a major part of life. He wanted her to feel free to enjoy that sexuality. But he would be the one to decide how the others participated tonight. He’d do this for Leila.
Only for you. He’d do anything.
* * * * *
Leila watched Kam walk past Torque on his way to the bathing room. She hoped he and Erik didn’t end up in another confrontation. She hated when they argued. Noticing that Torque seemed suddenly distracted, her gaze settled on the man. He was up to something.
She felt it, and that made her nervous.
Torque glanced over his shoulder and scooted toward the end of the chair. When Kam disappeared into the bathing room, he stood up and swung his gaze over to her. Their eyes locked, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
As he approached, she shrank back a little. I knew it. He wanted something all right, and she feared asking him aloud what, like she didn’t already know. The hungry look in his eyes gave him away.
“You’re frightened of me.”
His low, deep voice rumbled through her. “I’m wary.” With reason. As a trained Warrior, she could normally protect herself if necessary. But Torque was a Class 1, and a renegade, which made him more dangerous than simply any Xylon inhabitant. At least she knew Kam and Erik remained near, as long as they hadn’t dematerialized out. She wished they were still in view, so she could be certain.
“Why wary?”
“I’ve heard rumors.” To say the least. Some female Warriors gossiped endlessly after Joining Parties. Or maybe bragged was a better word. Torque almost always made it into the conversation. She couldn’t help but overhear the talk, from time to time.
“Sexual rumors?”
She nodded.
A huge smile crossed his face. “All true.”
Her pulse jumped. She’d expected a don’t-believe-everything-you-hear response. But Torque never responded as expected, from what little she did know about the man. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”
“It wasn’t meant to.” His eyes darkened and grew more intense, turning almost black as he looked at her. “What you heard about me makes you hot. I see it in your eyes.”
She averted her gaze, settling it somewhere in the vicinity of his massive chest. “Torque, you’ve got a mouth on you. And a huge ego.”
“And an even bigger cock. I know. But I excite you sexually. As does Erik. Yes?”
She couldn’t help lowering her gaze to the front of his pants. The large bulge caused more panic than intrigue. He looked huge. She quickly glanced away. He wanted her sexually stimulated. That was why he’d said what he had, instead of putting her mind at ease. She knew that, but she wasn’t about to admit to anything. Not with him.
He sat down next to her. “You just don’t want to acknowledge that danger makes your pussy wet.”
She shook her head in disbelief. The man was incorrigible. He never stopped until he got what he wanted. Well, she wasn’t playing.
He gripped her chin, turning her head toward him and commanding her complete attention. “What women fear sexually is often what they secretly crave the most.”
“That makes no sense.” She pulled her head back, out of his hold.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Are you certain? Think about it, my dear.” He reached out and tugged at the sheet, but she wouldn’t release it. “I just want another look at your gorgeous breasts, and maybe a small taste before the others return.”
“Are you serious?” He had more nerve than any man she’d come across in a long time. Even more than Erik. She ought to slap him, but no telling what his reaction might be.
“Yeah, I’m serious.” His hungry gaze raked her body.
Still clutching the sheet with one hand, she waved her other hand toward the far side of the room. “Go back and sit in the chair.” His words about her fear and cravings disturbed her. Could he be right? Her vagina was indeed soaked right now. She’d never been fully satisfied with her lovers. Maybe they’d been too tame and too submissive to excite her sufficiently. Even so, Torque was overly dangerous, in her opinion. She wouldn’t want to be completely alone with him in a sexual situation. Erik possessed the right amount of untamed sexuality and heartfelt caring. Her body throbbed just thinking about the man. All she needed to do was trust him enough to let go with him. Maybe, in the future, she’d even feel comfortable enough to let him know how she truly felt about him.
“I’m going to see your breasts eventually.” Torque leaned closer and whispered, “I’ll be touching them, licking and biting your nipples, sucking them deep into my mouth until you scream over and over for me to fuck you like an animal.” His lips grazed her ear. “Once that happens, the things I plan to do with your pussy—”
“Torque.”
They both jumped and looked over to see Braden standing by the door. She hadn’t seen him materialize back in. Instantly, she felt more at ease.
Torque frowned and stood up. “Just setting the mood.”
“Try dimming the lights.” He glanced around. “Where are Kam and Erik?”
“In the bath,” Torque answered. “Taking a group piss or something, I guess.”
Braden set a small black case on the f
loor. He walked over to the bed, a concerned look in his eyes.
“Are you ready to start, Leila?”
“You’re staying, right?” She needed to double-check, just to be certain. Now that some time had passed, and he’d had a chance to think over his decision, he might have changed his mind.
Reaching out, he allowed the tips of his fingers to stroke her cheek. “Yes, I’m staying. It’s going to be all right, Leila.”
She tried very hard to believe that. “Are you going to…touch me, tonight?” Just because he intended to stay, didn’t mean he intended to participate.
His eyes never left hers. He didn’t immediately answer, only looked at her with sympathy and compassion. Finally, he asked, “Do you want me to?”
She turned her head and lightly kissed his fingers. She felt his surprise, even before the look crossed his face. He always treated her so gently, and as Erik’s best friend, and a friend of hers too, she didn’t fear him. Sexually, she wasn’t completely sure about any man. But she knew Braden only wanted the best for her. Her learning to trust in all aspects of life, including sex, needed to start somewhere. “I will trust you, Braden, and the others.”
A small smile appeared on his face, and he pulled away his hand. “Well, our participation, specifically mine—if any—will be up to Erik.”
She nodded, understanding. She felt good that Erik would be in charge. Still, anything could go wrong as far as her emotions went. Once the rite began, she hoped to relax enough not to go into a panic attack.
“Alexa?”
“I talked to her. That’s why it took me so long. We came to an understanding, and she’s accommodating us only because it’s you.”
“I see.” She didn’t ask for details. And he didn’t offer any.
Worry worked its way into her mind. Sometime after this was over, she wanted to speak with Alexa to make certain everything was indeed all right. She didn’t want to be the cause of any problems in her and Braden’s relationship. They were an ideal couple, with one of the strongest commitments she’d seen on Xylon.
Xylon’s born-and-bred women understood Alliances, but Alexa’s perspective as an Earth woman would differ. Though if she were Branded to Erik, she might not be so understanding if he wanted to continue participating in Alliances. Her thoughts weren’t politically correct for Xylon’s society. But then, she’d never actively tried to conform to society standards.
Her thoughts registered. Branded to Erik. Not Branded period, but she specifically chose Erik in her mind. A big difference existed between attraction and Branding. Her visions definitely had made an impression on her psyche. She needed to speak with Erik, and see if the same visions plagued him. She watched Braden glance over at Torque, who was leaning against the wall and looking sullen.
“Don’t worry about him,” Braden told her. “He has a soft spot. He just doesn’t like to show it.”
Staring at Torque’s expression, she wasn’t convinced of the truth of those words. She’d never noticed anything soft about the man. She didn’t believe he’d purposely hurt her, not with the others around to make sure he didn’t get too wild, but that didn’t mean she felt comfortable enough to allow him total access to do anything he might want to her, sexually.
Braden pulled a small tube out of his pocket, flipped open the top, and dispensed a tiny, brown pill into his palm. “I want you to take this.”
Leila looked at the square pill. She didn’t recognize it. “What is that? Medication? Medication counteracts the Initiation chemicals.”
“Not these. They belong to Laszlo. We found them in his quarters, along with the research on them.
They are only used in extreme cases of Initiation fear, and only on special high-level breeders.”
“Am I high-level?” Alexa, as a super breeder, would be considered high-level. But her?
“You are in my opinion, and that’s all that matters right now. They’ll make you more accepting, let’s say, of what we’re going to do to you.”
“A relaxant?” From his words, she gathered the Council wouldn’t agree with his assessment of her status. Not a big surprise. If she wasn’t close with Braden, Erik, and Kam, she wouldn’t be privy to many perks, including special medical equipment received over the last couple of years, for use in her research studies, which she knew they’d arranged.
“A relaxant of sorts. And a sexual stimulant of sorts. The chemicals affect the mind more so than the body.” He handed her the pill. “Take it.”
A mind-altering drug. Dangerous, especially since the Initiation itself already altered one’s brain waves.
“Why wasn’t I informed of these and allowed to run tests on them?”
“You don’t have high-enough clearance.”
Irritation grated along her spine. “I’m in charge of the medical facility. How high up do I need to be?”
“Sorry. Council regulations. Only research specialists with a crypto clearance qualify, in addition to certain Xylon Council members. Since we already possessed the research results on them, I didn’t fight the decision. I’m making an exception by showing you these now and telling you what they are for, because I think you need the help tonight. If you mention you know about the pills or have taken one, all of us will end up banished.”
Somehow, she doubted that. The Council would never banish Braden or Erik. No other Warrior qualified to lead and control The Lair.
She didn’t normally like to take medication she wasn’t familiar with. She trusted Braden though. And Laszlo had apparently tested them. If the medication helped her get through the ceremony without incident, she’d be grateful. “All right. I’ll take it.”
“Do you need some water?”
“No, the pill’s small enough.” She placed the square on her tongue and swallowed. She wondered how long before the effects kicked in and whether she’d realize what was happening.
“Remember, Erik’s going to be in charge tonight. You’ll enjoy everything we’re going to do to you.” He leaned forward, and his voice lowered. “You’ll come all night long.”
Leila laughed, but her humor was halfhearted at best. “You sound confident.”
“I am.” Braden kissed her cheek. “Trust us. Trust Erik.” He straightened and turned around. “Erik, Kam. We’re ready to start.”
Leila’s heart rate kicked up a notch. Here we go. She squirmed beneath the sheet.
The two men strolled out of the bath.
She studied their faces. They didn’t look angry. Maybe they’d formed a truce. The two of them had been friends for a long time. She’d hate herself if their friendship ended over something involving her.
Erik sat down on the bed. Just looking at Leila made his heart ache even more so than his dick, which said a lot, given how much he wanted her. Finally, tonight, he’d know what it felt like to be inside her.
An Initiation wasn’t how he’d pictured their first time together. He hoped to find some private time with her later. Kam had agreed to follow his instructions tonight. At least that was one less worry.
He took Leila’s hand in his and laced their fingers. Her skin felt cool to his touch. “You know there are certain things we have to do to your body with the dildos to inject the protective elements inside you.”
Her fingers squeezed his. “Yes.”
She was trying to be so brave, his beautiful and sexy Warrior. She’d been through this before, and she had enough sexual experience. And she was a strong woman. Still, he worried about how she’d handle the ceremony. “Don’t fight us. Just let it happen.”
Braden leaned down and whispered in his ear. “I gave her the pill.”
Erik nodded. “Good.” He felt better. The medication would help keep her mind open sexually. He didn’t want her to fear sex, or even be uncomfortable with the act, but crave all that a man, that he , could give her. He released her hand and tugged on the sheet. “Let me pull this off you. You have no reason to hide, Leila. Your body is incredible.”
Slowly,
her fingers loosened, and she let go of the sheet. He slid the cover off her, exposing her naked flesh to all of them. Erik had never seen a woman more beautiful. Her long, silky hair and sultry eyes alone made him ache with need. Along with a perfect face, her breasts were full and round, her stomach flat, nicely flared hips for cradling a man, a gorgeous pussy, covered with satiny-looking curls, and long, shapely legs.
The men surrounded the bed, looking down at her like a group of sex-starved youths. When she tried to cover her breasts, he stayed her hands. Erik glanced at each of his friends. “Give us some room.” He didn’t intend to let them just jump on her.
Torque frowned and returned to the chair. Kam leaned against the wall. Braden perched on a padded.
Without their intimidating presence, Leila seemed more at ease to Erik. As his appreciative gaze roamed over her flesh, a blush covered her body. Xylon women rarely blushed. He found the reaction endearing.
She smiled slightly, looking more nervous than happy. “I guess this is it. Do what you need to do to me.”
His emotions turned to mush. Her eyes held such trust. Trust in him. He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. “Give me your tongue, baby,” he whispered.
She opened her mouth and gradually eased her tongue forward until it touched his. He groaned at her sweetness and wondered whether the flavor was natural, or if she’d artificially enhanced her taste.
She sighed and sank into him.
His hands cupped her breasts. Full and soft. Her tender skin aroused every nerve ending in his body. His cock stirred in his pants and grew semi-hard. When his thumbs grazed her nipples, she gasped, and he captured that gasp in his mouth, slanting his lips across hers.
Erik felt the heat building on her skin. If they gave her what she really needed, instead of what she normally allowed, her emotional healing might move along faster, whether she agreed with the process or not. He’d already spoken to one of the other Healers about the situation, presented in the hypothetical, of course. And the Healer had agreed. He’d never force, if she absolutely refused, but he planned to push her to her limits tonight.
His Carnal Need (Xylon Warriors 2) Page 7
