“So you admit you bought her just to anger me!” Drung roared, all three of his heads glaring at the big Kindred. “How dare you take the female who should be carrying my heir? If she was mine, her belly would already be swelling, so it would! I’d keep her in my rooms so she could cook only for me and breed her every hour on the hour!”
Need pushed back from the table, his eyes blazing and blood-red.
“You three-headed son-of-a-bitch,” he growled. “If you say one more thing about my female—”
“All right, all right. That’s enough!” Captain Glo’ll’s cool, smooth voice broke into the argument. “Drung,” he said, turning to the angry Trollox. “How many times must I tell you that Lan’ara belongs to Needrix? I am not a meat-based organism but even I know that it is rude to speak of ‘breeding’ another male’s female. You must cease this talk at once or I will be forced to censure you.”
The Trollox pushed back from the table. For a moment he just stood there, towering over them all, with all six of his piggy eyes trained on Lan’ara.
She stared back, unable to help herself. She felt like she had swallowed a fist-sized piece of ice and it was sitting in her stomach, refusing to melt. Gods and Goddesses, if he came after her now…
But then Need was in front of her, shielding her with his body and glaring fiercely at the Trollox.
“Go on,” he growled. “Get out of here. And don’t let me hear you talking about my female again!”
For a moment Lan’ara was sure the two males would come to blows. And though Need was nearly seven feet tall, the Trollox was almost nine feet and he out-massed the Kindred as well. The coldness in her stomach seemed to spread, filling her veins with icy water that displaced the warm blood. What was she going to do?
But at last, Drung seemed to think that the confrontation wasn’t worth it. With a disgusted snort, he turned and lumbered out of the dining area, leaving the rest of the crew to sit in stunned silence.
Twenty-Eight
“Well, that was quite a scene at Last Meal tonight,” Need remarked.
“It was, my Lord,” the girl agreed in a low voice.
She still looked shaken after the confrontation with Drung and Need supposed he couldn’t blame her. The Damn Trollox was fixated on her to a worrying degree. Need couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen the big idiot so focused on one thing—not that he usually paid much attention to Drung. As much as he could, he tried to ignore his Trollox crewmate—though that was impossible where Lan’ara was concerned.
“Last meal was lovely up until the end though,” she said, cutting into his thoughts. “Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal we made them.”
“You mean they enjoyed the meal you altered to make it new and delicious,” Need pointed out. “And those desserts were amazing too—you really have a flair for cooking, girl.”
“Thank you, my Lord.” She blushed prettily and dropped her eyes shyly. “And thank you for protecting me from the Trollox,” she added softly. “He was terribly frightening but I felt safe with you shielding me.”
Need had the sudden urge to promise that he would always shield and protect her—to take her in his arms and swear that she was his and he would never let her go.
No, he told himself sternly. No, can’t do that. Have to let her go!
“Well,” he said, as heartily as he could. “You’ll be glad to hear you won’t have to worry about Drung much longer. I put in a call to Genu Six today to let Senator Pouncenblast know that you were safe and available.”
“You did?” Her voice was flat and her face fell, almost as though he’d given her bad news instead of good.
Need frowned at her, perplexed.
“Aren’t you happy? This is what you told me you wanted, girl. And it certainly gets you out of Drung’s way. Not to mention the fact that you’ll be living in the lap of luxury on a private island on Genu Six for the rest of your life.”
“Oh, yes. Yes, of course, my Lord.” Lan’ara made an attempt at smiling, which didn’t look very convincing to Need. “Thank you,” she added. “For being thoughtful of my future.”
“You’re welcome,” he said and wondered why he felt deeply unhappy at the thought of losing her. He ought to be glad he was getting rid of the girl who threatened to take and break his heart, just as Cleah had when she died and left him. He should—
“…tonight?” Lan’ara’s soft voice brought him out of his reverie.
“What was that, girl?” he asked, frowning.
“I asked how I am supposed to bathe tonight, my Lord,” she said. “Considering that the wash blossoms seem very…attracted to me and the blasts from the sonic shower are so…er, stimulating.” She cleared her throat and looked embarrassed as she spoke but Need understood what she was asking. How could she bathe without being molested or stimulated by either the bath or the shower?
It was a ticklish situation to be sure. Need frowned as he thought. At last he said,
“Maybe I’d better just bring you a bowl of hot water and a cleansing cloth. You can have your bath out here.” And he indicated the living area.
“Yes, my Lord. As you wish.” Lan’ara nodded submissively. “Whatever you think is best.”
The more he thought of it, the more Need was certain he’d solved the problem. A big bowl of hot water and a cleansing cloth—the kind that instantly dissolved and absorbed any kind of dirt or impurities and left the skin squeaky clean—sounded like the perfect solution. The girl couldn’t be molested by the wash blossoms or stimulated by the sonic waves that way, which meant that, for once, he could keep his vow not to touch her again.
Feeling like he had unraveled a very tangled problem, Need went to the food prep area and found the largest bowl he could. He brought it back to his quarters, filled it with steaming hot water, added a cleansing cloth, and placed it on the low table beside the couch.
“There you are, girl,” he told Lan’ara. “Have your bath and then I’ll dump the water and we can get some sleep.”
Then he started to leave the room to give her some privacy. But Lan’ara’s soft voice stopped him.
“My Lord, would you stay?” she asked softly.
Need turned his head and frowned at her.
“Stay? Whatever for, girl?”
“To help me reach areas I cannot reach myself. Like my back,” she added innocently, when he narrowed his eyes. “Please, my Lord—I cannot sleep properly unless I’m clean all over.”
“Well…” Need hesitated. He knew he ought to go, ought to keep his distance and keep his vow to himself not to touch her. But as he considered the matter, Lan’ara was already undressing.
She untied his best neck cloth from around her waist and began unbuttoning the bronze uniform shirt she wore. As her creamy, light-brown skin was revealed, Need felt his shaft hardening in his flight leathers. Damnit—why did the girl have to be so fucking irresistible?
“All right,” he heard himself say. “I’ll stay to lend a hand if you need me.” Then he settled on the couch to watch her undress, well aware that he was doing something he really shouldn’t be doing. Not if his ultimate plan was to give the girl to another male.
And yet he watched anyway.
Lan’ara couldn’t believe she was doing this. Couldn’t believe she was performing a seductive striptease for the big Kindred who was watching her with lust in his half-lidded bronze eyes.
But what other way could she show him she wanted to stay with him—that she didn’t want to go and belong to Senator Pouncenblast after all?
All that day she’d been thinking about it—wishing that Need would keep her instead of selling her to the Senator. She supposed her earlier conversation with Laxah and Psoas had put it into her head but once the idea of staying with Need was there, it was difficult if not impossible to dislodge.
But maybe he doesn’t know I want to stay, she thought. Or maybe he needs to be convinced that I’m worth the forty thousand credits he spent for me.
Either w
ay, she hoped to convey her feelings through her actions tonight.
She started by slowly pulling off the bronze shirtdress, which went so well with her creamy brown skin tones. Gradually, she revealed her full breasts tipped with their berry-dark nipples and then her pussy mound as well.
Her eyes never leaving Need’s, she dipped the cleansing cloth into the steaming bowl of water and began to slide the cloth slowly over her arms, feeling the tingling sensation of the cloth doing its job as it slid over her exposed flesh.
She heard him draw in a ragged breath when she washed the under-curves of her breasts, thrusting the nipples out so that he could see the beads of amber nectar beading on their tips. His breath grew even more ragged when she parted her thighs and ran the cleansing cloth over her pussy, which was becoming puffy and wet with desire.
Lan’ara felt confused and aroused at the same time. Was putting on a show for the big Kindred actually turning her on? She had only intended to try and convince him to keep her—not to make herself all hot and bothered. But somehow the intimate, erotic act of bathing herself while he watched was affecting both of them.
At last she could wait no more.
“My Lord,” she said softly to Need. “If you could just come wash my back? I find it very difficult to reach on my own.”
“I suppose I could help,” he growled and stood up to come to her. When he did, Lan’ara couldn’t help noticing the massive bulge in the front of his trousers. Yes, this was definitely affecting them both, she decided. It wasn’t just her imagination—the big Kindred wanted her as badly as she wanted him.
“Thank you, my Lord,” she said and handed him the cloth. Then she turned and braced herself with both hands on the arm of the couch with her legs spread.
Lan’ara was well aware of the image she projected in this position. Bent over the couch as she was, with her legs spread, she must look more like a woman who expected her man to take her from behind than like a girl who simply wanted her back washed.
But she liked the provocative pose—liked the way her bare breasts hung down like ripe fruit and the way her pussy spread to reveal her slippery inner folds. She hoped that Need would like it too.
From the way he touched her, rubbing the cleansing cloth in long, smooth strokes from the nape of her neck all the way down to the tops of her buttocks, he did.
“So just your back, girl?” he murmured in her ear as he bent over her. “That’s all you need help with?”
“You…you could wash my breasts, my Lord,” Lan’ara murmured breathlessly. “The…the nipples especially seem to have gotten dirty again.”
“They’re just slippery with nectar.” His voice was a deep growl in her ear as he reached around to cup her bare breasts in his hands and roll the stiff nipples gently between his thumbs and forefingers.
“Y-yes, my Lord,” Lan’ara stuttered as shivers of pure pleasure ran straight from her tight peaks to the soft place between her thighs. Gods, all night she’d been longing to have his hands on her, and now she was finally getting her wish. The hungry flower had opened inside her and Need was feeding it with every tug of her nipples—feeding the touch cravings that tormented her whenever she was in his presence.
“Trying to clean you off, girl,” he murmured, still stoking her full breasts. “But you just keep making more of this sweet nectar.”
“I can’t…can’t help it, my Lord,” Lan’ara whispered. “When you touch me, you make me flow. Everywhere.”
As she spoke, she parted her thighs even wider and tilted her pelvis back, giving the big Kindred an even better view of her pussy.
“Gods,” he groaned softly and then one big hand was sliding down her hip to cup between her thighs. “So wet,” he said hoarsely and Lan’ara felt two long, strong fingers part her outer pussy lips so that a third fingertip could stroke inside her.
“Ohhhh,” Lan’ara moaned, widening her stance even more and pushing her ass out and back, giving him better access to her. “Oh, my Lord, please don’t stop,” she begged softly as he continued to circle the aching bud of her clit.
But that was exactly the moment when Need did stop, pulling his hand away as though he’d touched something hot.
“No,” Lan’ara heard him mutter hoarsely to himself. “No, I can’t do this. You’re going to Senator Pouncenblast in a few days.”
His words gave Lan’ara another idea.
“If…if he wants me,” she said, turning her head and looking over her shoulder.
“What are you talking about? Why would he not want you?” Need demanded, his eyes devouring her body. “You’re fucking gorgeous—all curvy and soft with your full breasts making nectar and your pussy making honey…”
“He might not want me because my maidenhead is gone,” Lan’ara whispered.
“Well…” Need frowned. “His secretary did say he preferred to have ‘undamaged property.’”
“You see?” Lan’ara asked. “I fear that he will not want me, my Lord.”
“But you’re still technically a virgin,” Need pointed out, frowning. “No male’s shaft has entered your pussy, girl.”
“No, that’s true,” Lan’ara acknowledged. “It depends on which method he uses to verify my virginity—that will determine my worth or worthlessness to him.”
“Which method?” Need’s frown deepened in evident confusion. “What are you talking about, girl?”
Rapidly, Lan’ara explained about the two ways to be certain a girl was still a virgin—the presence of the maidenhead or the instrument which, when inserted into the inner channel, could tell if a male’s seed had ever been inside a girl’s pussy.
“If only I could be certain which method the Senator will use, I could feel easier about my eventual fate,” she told Need. “If he uses the instrument that detects seed, all will be well, for of course I have never had any in me. But if he goes by the maidenhead, well…mine is gone.”
“So it is, Gods damn me,” the big Kindred muttered. “I should have bought you before that blasted slaver used the damn stick on you.”
“I do not blame you, my Lord,” Lan’ara hastened to tell him. “Though it was a traumatic experience, you did all you could to free me and bring me away from the males who were abusing me.”
“But I didn’t do enough.” He looked so upset that Lan’ara had another idea.
“My Lord, do you think you could restore it?” she asked softly. “My maiden barrier, I mean? Your essence healed the torn flesh of my entrance beautifully. Do you think it could restore that which I lost on the auction block?”
He frowned thoughtfully.
“I don’t know, girl. It’s possible, I suppose. But I don’t think just milking my fangs for their essence and then putting it inside you would work. It looses a bit of potency that way.”
Lan’ara bit her lip.
“What…what way would you have to do it, then?” she murmured, feeling her belly grow tight with desire.
Need’s bronze eyes were half-lidded and glowing with equal desire as he answered.
“I’d have to bathe the wounded area with my tongue, girl. Have to spread your sweet thighs and lap your soft little cunt and press my tongue deep inside you to get the essence where it needs to go. Would you be willing to let me do that?”
Lan’ara felt like she was melting from the waist down.
“Yes, my Lord,” she whispered, her heart pounding. “I…I’d be willing. If you would be so kind as to try.”
“It’s a long shot,” Need told her. “But yes, girl—I’ll try if you want me to.”
“Yes, please, my Lord.” She straightened up and looked at him. “Should I go lie on the bed with my thighs spread so you can reach me?” she asked, wondering where she got the nerve to be so bold.
The big Kindred seemed to consider for a moment—then shook his head.
“Better out here,” he said, pointing to the couch. “Easier to reach you. Here.”
He lay down on the couch, his head pillowed on the
low, broad arm. Then he gestured to Lan’ara.
She came but looked down at him doubtfully.
“I don’t understand, my Lord. What do you intend for me to do?”
“I intend for you to ride my face, girl,” he growled hoarsely. “Now straddle my head and lower yourself down.”
Lan’ara wasn’t too sure about the position he was describing, but by that time the touch cravings inside her had grown so bad she was desperate to have him touch her. The hungry flower inside her was clamoring to be fed and if the only way to satiate it was to feed the big Kindred her pussy, well, she was willing to do it.
Straddling his head, she braced her knees on the padded arms of the couch, feeling both sensual and vulnerable at the same time. She could feel her pussy lips parting, showing the big Kindred her slippery inner folds and the throbbing bud of her clit.
“Lower,” Need commanded, wrapping his muscular arms around her hips and urging her down. “I need to get my tongue really deep into your soft little pussy if I’m going to try and heal you.”
“Yes, my Lord,” Lan’ara whispered and allowed him to pull her pussy down to his mouth.
The moment his lips met hers, the big Kindred gave a groan of pure desire and began to lap eagerly, running his tongue between her outer pussy lips to taste her secret treasures.
Lan’ara moaned and arched her back, feeling as though her whole body was on fire with pleasure. The feeling of his warm, wet tongue bathing her sensitive clit and her inner folds was almost too much to bear and yet she needed more.
“My Lord Need,” she moaned, working her hips to rub against his mouth and tongue. “Oh, that feels so good!”
Need didn’t even try to answer her. Instead, he urged her even lower and then Lan’ara felt something warm and wet breach her entrance and slip deep into her pussy.
His tongue, she thought feeling as though she might fly apart into pleasure at any moment. Gods and Goddesses, that’s his tongue entering me. He’s licking inside me like he promised—trying to heal me with his essence.
That seemed to be exactly what Need was doing, but he didn’t stop there. As his tongue continued to explore her depths, his long arms reached up so he could cup her full breasts and tug on her nipples once more.
The Kindred Warrior's Captive Bride: A Kindred Tales PLUS Length Novel Page 19
