Captive

by Hannah Steenbock

  He pressed harder. “Is this better?”

  “Yes.” Her voice was a whisper.

  He turned his hands into claws and gently scraped his nails along her thick skin. A shudder went through her.

  “This is… exciting,” she mumbled.

  “Good.” He tried different spots on her body and found some that made her breathe faster.

  “It feels good. And forbidden.”

  He nibbled on her skin, surprised at the salty taste. “It’s perfectly fine with a Human, you know.”

  “I suppose.” She let out a sensuous hiss when he reached for the inside of her legs. There were no folds to fondle for him, but the skin around her entrance seemed too soft for nails. He tapped it with his fingertips, and she writhed for the first time.

  “Dear Ances…, this is…”

  He kept doing it, and her body’s reactions made his own member rise. Then he remembered Ssasssal and what Girma had said about hard parts.

  “There is something I need you to know,” he said urgently. “You see, I don’t possess any ridges. Please don’t hurt me when I enter you.”

  She blinked a few times, stared at him and then pushed herself up on her elbows. “Show me.”

  Zell moved so she could see his swollen member. She reached out and stopped just before touching it. With a glance, she asked for permission, and he nodded.

  Her cool hand enfolded his member, and Zell felt desire pulse through it.

  “It is soft,” she said, with wonder in her eyes. “How can you make a Chooman happy with that?”

  “Well, we consider this fairly hard,” he answered with a grin. “And the trick is not just penetration. It is preparing the female body and making her ready for receiving me.”

  “Oh. Which you have been doing.”

  Zell nodded.

  Ssheyrra took a deep breath. “In theory, during a Rraussha mating, the male and female ridges interlock, and hold the partners together long enough for the seed to pass from one to the other. This state can last for hours, and is said to be highly pleasurable.”

  Zell felt himself blanch. “You would probably crush me.”

  She nodded. “The ridges are under voluntary control. Rape is not possible for our species. We can literally lock the males out. I promise I will not use them.”

  Zell laughed, out of sheer nervousness. Then he forced himself to focus on Ssheyrra’s body, and resumed his scratching and patting. Soon, she was almost purring under his caresses.

  He could feel her well softening and open. It felt slick, and slightly cool. For the first time, he thought of it as somewhat inviting. He dared to touch his member to her skin.

  “You are hot!” she exclaimed.

  Zell smiled. “Yes. That word has several meanings for Humans, by the way. It also denotes a man or a woman who is sexually attractive.”

  Ssheyrra laughed. “I would like to feel you inside me.”

  “My pleasure.”

  Zell carefully entered her well. The walls were smooth, and she lifted her hips encouragingly. There was no resistance as his member slid in all the way. He shivered, withdrew and entered her again. This time, he reached the end of her well.

  “I like it,” Ssheyrra said breathlessly.

  Zell gathered his courage and began his dance of thrusting and withdrawing. Soon, she caught the rhythm. Moments later, he noticed that her well shifted, and narrowed. Her walls were massaging him. His desire mounted rapidly, and moments later they were panting together, the bodies moving, slamming, his nails raking her skin, her hands tightening on his body in spasms, claws drawing blood. The slight pain added to his desire, somehow.

  His mouth found her throat as they neared their release. He bit her more forcefully than Girma. Ssheyrra arched her back and gave a throaty roar. Zell couldn’t hold back a moan as he plunged one final time into her throbbing well before his body writhed with a release of his own.

  They both collapsed on the bed. Zell was covered in sweat, while Ssheyrra was still shuddering, tweaking his member. He moaned through a second release almost immediately.

  Finally, they regained the ability to speak.

  “Now I know what Choomans can offer to Rraussha, in addition to their intelligence and wisdom,” Ssheyrra said slowly, her fingers stroking Zell’s skin. “I had no idea. And I apologize for clawing you.”

  Zell smiled at her and ran his knuckles over her cheek. “I take it you enjoyed this.”

  “Very much so.” She grinned. “And I feel that a part of me that I didn’t even know was missing has finally been filled. I thank you very much for your gift.”

  Zell took a deep breath. “I share Girma with Shabs. I’m sure both would not mind at all if we do this more often.”

  She blinked a few times. “Is that an invitation?”

  “Yes.” Zell smiled.

  She cocked her head in a tilt that he thought indicated pure delight. “I never imagined that my research would become this intimate.”

  Chapter 16

  “So you have joined our mission,” Shabssam said when they returned to the yard. Girma was sitting in his lap, her face flushed, and Zell knew they had been inspired by their example.

  “Yes.” Ssheyrra smiled. “I can see how a world where Rraussha and Choomans could pair up as they please would be a very nice world indeed.”

  “Of course, we’d probably lose some very interesting Breed lines,” Shabs said with a wink.

  “What have you been Breeding for?” Girma sounded curious.

  “Looks, primarily. A lot of research has gone into that. And someone like Zell should be impossible.”

  “Oh?”

  “A tan never goes with red hair. Which is why I got interested in him after the Hunt Master caught him and described him to me.” Shabs’ skin showed dark blotches again. “I apologize, Zell.”

  Zell took a deep breath. “Who knows, maybe it was fated. I know that we wouldn’t be talking about changing this world if I were still running with my Tribe. And you have been good to me and Girma.”

  “Ssheyrra had been filling my ears with tales about Choomans and how smart you are. I wanted to prove her wrong, which is why I chose Girma. I hadn’t had a pet in a long time. I could not have been more stupid.”

  “Let’s stop apologizing.” Girma sat up and skipped off Shabs’ lap. “Let’s talk about what we can do.”

  “What do you think, Girma?”

  “Well, we could educate your Studs. So they no longer hurt your Breeders. And maybe we can have sex in the Sanctuaries.”

  The dark blotches on Shabssam’s skin got more pronounced for a moment. “That is a very good idea. Zell, would you teach them? They might take it better from a man. And I can reinforce what you say with a command.”

  “That could work. We may have to keep Breeders longer, though, to make sure they are with child when they return to the Sanctuary. Or make the men inside the Sanctuaries infertile.” Zell chewed on his lower lip.

  “I very much dislike neutering males. It does change their character, and they no longer enjoy sex in the long run,” Shabs objected.

  Zell blinked and his voice shook when he was able to talk again. “There must be better ways than that.”

  “I can do research. After all, Human anatomy allows easy access to testicles. Maybe we can just block the tubes carrying the seed and keep the rest intact.” Ssheyrra rubbed her hands.

  That did make Zell wince, and Girma patted his arm. “Better than the other way,” she said quietly.

  Ssheyrra suddenly had dark blotches on her skin, as well. “I’m sorry, Zell. I will find out a way that’s acceptable for all. But if we let Choomans breed as they will, we could run into trouble.”

  “I don’t think we will,” Girma said slowly. “Because we’ll have to care for the children, and that’s not easy. And there are already implants for women.”

  “Yes, but we want Breeders with child.”

  “Maybe the whole concept of Breeding is… unhealthy
,” Ssheyrra said after a while. “How do the Tribes handle this, Zell?”

  “We have as much sex as we want to,” he said after a while, thinking through how much to say. “And partners can change, it depends on who is willing and how their relationship is working out. Sometimes, people fall in love.”

  “Love.” Shabs sighed.

  “The women decide whether they want children. They have ways to not conceive. Most children are born in summer, when the weather is good and food plentiful. Winter children don’t always live.”

  “What happens when a child is born?” Ssheyrra asked.

  “Well, their parents take care of them. And of course, the whole Tribe watches out for children. They are most precious to any Tribe, because they are the future.”

  “That is how Rraussha treat their children, too.”

  Girma smiled. “Of course. Now just imagine if our children and your children could grow up together.”

  “Our…” Shabs’ color paled, then shifted to dark blotches. “I do not know if I’ll ever have children.”

  Girma shot Zell a look, but he shook his head very slightly. Of course, she had the same romantic idea he had, but the two Rraussha were not at all aware of that possibility.

  “That’s for the future,” Zell said easily. “We can start working with your Breeders and see how that turns out.”

  Ssheyrra took a deep breath. “And I will publish my new study on Chooman brains and their intelligence. It might make some people think. I hope.”

  “I have an idea,” Shabs said eventually. “But that depends on your willingness, Zell.”

  “Oh?”

  “We can study how Breeders react to different Studs and you, and how it influences their pregnancies and how they treat their children. And show the evidence to others who own Breeders. And we’ll retrain my Studs no matter what.”

  “You want me to have children?”

  “Only if you’re willing. I think you might sire interesting children.”

  Zell’s heart missed a beat, and he was torn between wanting children so much it twisted his heart, and hating helping a Dile produce more slaves. He balled his fists.

  “I will make sure your children are safe.” Shabs gave Zell a long, encouraging look. “I might even be able to send them to your Tribe.”

  Zell closed his eyes. Could he trust Shabs with his Tribe? He trembled all over.

  “They live on my territory most of the time. Only I decide what happens on my lands.”

  That explained a lot. Zell took a deep breath, telling himself that even if he would sire children, any decisions about them would not be made for another year or two. Much could happen in a year or two.

  “I agree.” His voice still broke on those words. “I’ll do this for you.”

  Chapter 17

  A few days later, Shabssam, Ssheyrra and two well-restrained pets entered an aircar, for all to see. As soon as they were seated, however, Shabs removed their restraints. “I am sorry.”

  Zell shrugged. “That’s how things are right now. And we don’t need any nasty suspicions.”

  “True. I’m being called a pet-lover anyway.” Ssheyrra shrugged as well. “The brain study is already creating a stir. It’s only the second time I’m getting hate mail.”

  “People don’t like the idea that their pets have brains?”

  Ssheyrra laughed. “No, they don’t.”

  “I’m not surprised. It means they should change their ways, and they don’t want to.” Now it was Girma’s turn to shrug.

  Zell looked out of the window and was stunned by how quickly they were riding among trees. And even more surprising was his intense longing to run among them. He closed his eyes.

  The journey ended after a while, with the aircar pulling up near a low building. Shabs didn’t bother putting the restraints back on.

  “This is the hub building for three of my Sanctuaries. I rotate my Studs through them, and I also rent them out for others,” Shabs explained, then bowed his head. “So far, it made business sense. Now it feels… strange.”

  He led them inside.

  It was a nice, bright building with skylights to bring in natural light. Shabssam thumbed a door and it whooshed open to reveal a room very similar to the one Zell and Girma had met in. It held a large bed with restraints, a bathroom and a galley.

  “A Breeding room,” he said simply.

  At the next door, he used a different panel, and a window opened to let them see an occupied room. A man with black hair was taking a woman who had been tied to the bed.

  “When he’s done, he’ll be removed from the room, and she will be untied. For Breeding, sex happens twice a day, for at least six days. The crew here knows which Breeders need to be restrained.” Shabs tried to sound casual and failed. He closed the window again, with both Humans in the room completely unaware of having been watched.

  “Have you ever looked at the restraining rate per Stud?” Girma asked.

  Shabs stared at her. “That’s a good question. I will bring up that data in a moment. Here’s the office.”

  He ushered them into a large, central room dominated by various screens. The Rraussha sitting at one of the three desks looked up and then jumped to her feet.

  “Master! That’s a surprise.” A moment later, her eyes widened even more. Shabs smiled.

  “Yes, Rresha, these are my pets. And they are here to help me improve the Breeding process.”

  She blinked several times. “I can see they are Choomans. I can also see they are not restrained.”

  “That is fine, don’t worry about that.”

  The Rraussha took a deep breath and then nodded. “If you say so, Master. What can I do for you?”

  “Please pull up restraining data, sorted according to Stud. Which ones are here right now?”

  “We have Black, DarkSkin and PaleHair here right now.”

  “Thank you, I’ve seen Black already. I’d like to talk to all of them as soon as they are available. Have them brought to the meeting room, and join us there. Oh, and let me know if there is a Breeder or two who would match well with Zell here.”

  The Rraussha blinked again. “I have to admit he is quite stunning. I have an idea who could match him for hair color, although it would be a bit early for her. She should be at the right time of her cycle, but she’s always one to restrain…”

  “Bring her in.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  “We might as well let Rresha do her job,” Shabs said and waved them back into the corridor. Moments later, they had reached the meeting room. It held a desk, several chairs, a metal restraining frame, and was adorned with images of nature. Once again, they pulled at Zell’s heart.

  “I want all of us up here,” Shabs said.

  Zell shook his head. “I’d rather not. You’re the Master here, Shabs, and remember, they see you as Dile. If we’re up there with you, they will hate us. It’s bad enough we’re not restrained.”

  Shabssam nodded thoughtfully. “All right, you and Girma sit to one side.”

  “Let me do the talking,” Ssheyrra suggested. “I can be the scientist, and then Zell can demonstrate his technique on your orders. Maybe you can lock him up with the Breeder, and we can watch it from here.”

  Zell swallowed at the challenge. “That sounds reasonable. I’ll do my best.”

  “And your best is very good.” Ssheyrra grinned at him.

  The door opened and the three Studs were brought in, two Rraussha leading each of them. They took them to the back wall and chained their collars to it. Zell winced inside. This was not a good start.

  Shabs shook his head. “No, bring them forward. This is not about punishment.”

  He waved the Rraussha to the chairs. They moved the Studs to a chair each, shackled their feet to them and tied the leashes.

  “Thank you. Sit down, all of you, this is important information concerning everyone.” He bowed to Ssheyrra. “Meet Ssheyrra, a neurosurgeon and scientist. She has new informa
tion on Choomans, and it is important to how we do our work here.”

  He looked at each Stud in turn, and then at the Rraussha guarding them.

  Ssheyrra stood. “You may or may not have heard of me, but I have been studying Choomans’ anatomy and behavior for several decades. And Shabssam, the Master, has offered to support me with more research.”

  Zell listened with interest. That was a clever approach.

  “It is possible that Breeders work more efficiently and their children are doing better if they conceive under pleasant circumstances. Choomans are emotional beings and put great store into love. We want to test our hypothesis in these Sanctuaries here.”

  The Studs looked at each other. One of them grinned. “Coddling the bitches, eh?” he mumbled.

  “Love?” Another one sneered.

  Shabs raised his hand. “As of now, I want you to put the Breeders’ pleasure first. This is an order which will be enforced, just so you know.”

  The Studs looked dismayed.

  “You will now watch a demonstration of the pleasant circumstances I mentioned.”

  The Rraussha from the office came into the meeting room. “Everything is arranged, Master. The Breeder awaits her Stud.”

  Shabs nodded. “Thank you, Rresha. Please take Zell to her, and bring him back when he’s done.”

  Her eyes went to Zell’s free hands and she frowned.

  Zell stood. “Do not worry,” he said quietly. “I’m quite tame.”

  “Trust him,” Shabs said, and the Rraussha’s eyes opened wide.

  “Yes, Master,” she whispered.

  Zell followed her out of the meeting room, very much aware of the fact that she hated having her back to an unrestrained male Human. She stopped at a door and whirled to face him. Then she opened the door and pointed in. “There.”

  Zell gave her a smile and a slight bow, which obviously confused her. “Thank you.”

  That confused her even more. Zell hid a grin, walked into the Breeding room and lost his grin immediately. The woman had been tied to the bed and watched him with wary, blue eyes.

  She also looked tired and underfed. Zell sighed again, then stepped up to her.