by Renee Rose
“We’re here.” He stops in front of a sleek modern craft, and within seconds, I’m on the starship floor in a graceless naked heap, and he’s seated at a high-tech control console. “Stay there and don’t veck this up. We can die any moment,” he snaps.
I’m about to reply when the g-forces hit me, pushing me into the wall with such immense pressure that my lungs empty of air, and I’m positive my stomach is touching my backbone.
I can’t breathe—I’m going to pass out—when the craft suddenly goes weightless, and my body relaxes back into itself. I gasp out a long whistling burst and suck in oxygen, greedy for it.
My whole body is a wreck, full of cuts and bruises, but I’m alive. Safe. Away from the Kraa and the auction.
I glance up at my savior. His smooth purple brow is wrinkled in concentration, and the powerful muscles in his arms move as he taps and touches controls. I’m mesmerized by his face, stern and handsome; it evokes feelings I don’t understand.
I struggle to sit up. “Who are you?” I shake my head. “What do you want with me?”
He finishes one last maneuver, then pushes his chair back from the screens and observes me closely. His purple horns gleam in the light, and his eyes darken.
Then he smiles. “Who am I?” He raises a brow and crosses his arms. “I’m Khrys. I’m a Zandian warrior… and your new master, at least temporarily.”
Khrys
The little warrior doesn’t appear to like this answer. She pushes to a sitting position, wincing. “I belong to no one but myself.” Her voice is haughty and at odds with her subservient position. She grabs a silver foil blanket from her side where I tossed it and pulls it over her torso and lap.
My mouth twitches with a smile—an unfamiliar sensation. “What, for all of…” I pretend to count on my fingers. “One, two, three whole minutes?”
She glares at me. “I could have escaped by myself.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Not without your medicine. Without my assistance, you’d likely be back in chains. Or dead.”
“Well, without my help, you’d be nothing but a pile of purple goo on the auction floor.”
My lips tug again. “Doubtful.” I like her spunk.
She sticks up her chin. “And right about now, they’d be washing your organs out the door with a power hose for all the vermin to enjoy.”
I stifle a full smile. “Perhaps you played a minor role in my escape.”
“Our escape. And if by minor you mean major, then yes. I agree.” She narrows her eyes and glances around the craft area.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warn.
“By it, do you mean save your life again?” She puts a hand down to brace off the floor and gets slowly to her feet. “Ow.” She winces and drops the cover as she reaches for her largest cut. “Oh, ow.”
I’m up in a flash and at her side. Mainly to prevent her from doing anything rash, but I’m also concerned about her health. Super-engineered she may be, but she’s still mortal—and humans are far more fragile than Zandians. “Let me see.”
“Don’t touch me.” She shoves my hand away from her leg.
I catch her gaze, raising a stern eyebrow. “Behave yourself, little warrior. I will do what’s necessary to see to your health. You will not fight me.”
My breath hitches when I notice her nipples stiffen at my admonishment. I shouldn’t be surprised. Our species learned great compatibility with the human females due to their love of our sexual dominance. Her breath quickens.
My horns stiffen and lean in her direction. “I’m your master now. You will submit and obey.” Veck, those words make my cock rock hard. This beautiful slave is my ward for the moment. “But don’t be afraid. A good master takes care of his prize.”
And this one is a prize indeed. Beautiful. Bold. Incredibly strong and fast. Highly intelligent.
I wish I could keep her for myself—mate her and see what sort of halflings we could produce together. But halflings are the reason we need her. She’s not for breeding. She’s my offering to Zandia to get back into King Zander’s good graces. To prove myself worthy again after my recent failure.
I keep one hand firm on her left shoulder and run the right hand over her calf, stopping before I touch the wound. “I have a medical kit that can help.”
“I’m not a prize...not a possession,” she asserts, but she sounds breathless. Her pupils are dilated, and her gaze keeps sweeping over my chest, shoulders and arms. “I don’t need your—oh. A med kit. That sounds acceptable.” Her cheeks flush, and she looks away.
I retrieve it from the side of the station and apply the salve and bandages and give her a fluid tube. I show her how to attach the upper-arm patch that seeps nourishment and medication through her skin; it will time-release the right dosage, so she can heal and regain strength. “This will help until we get back to Zandia. Dr. Daneth can make sure—”
She flinches. “No doctors. Where are you taking me?” Her voice rises with fear. “No—I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Oh, you’re not?” I smirk. “How do you plan to get away? And then where exactly are you headed?” I quirk a brow. “And how will you get there? Perhaps you have a secret craft in the pocket of your—oh, but you’re naked, aren’t you?” I tsk. “
Ah, yes—she’s vecking naked. As if I weren’t acutely aware of that delectable fact.
Now that we’re safely hidden in the vast expanses of hyperspace, away from our pursuers, and the craft on autopilot, her beauty hits me with full force.
Her dark curls fall in front of her slender shoulders. Her body is lean and muscular with perfect round breasts and pink-brown nipples that make me want to grab her and do unspeakable things right here on the floor of the craft. My cock and horns get hard, and I turn aside for a moment to gain control.
When I look at her again, she has the blanket back and has wrapped it around herself in an ad-hoc gown. Her golden skin is flushed. “I could have managed.” She looks around the area again.
She’s clearly assessing my craft even as I have the total upper hand. I’ll have to watch this one—she probably has escape plans already forming in her beautiful head.
“You have no chance against me,” I advise.
“Didn’t my assessment skills save you not once but twice from a long-range weapon?” She raises her brows.
“You were incredible,” I admit.
She blinks as if she’s never received a compliment before. Her color returns to normal again, and her breathing evens. Her own strength and the med kit have clearly helped her recover. “Well, then. Let’s call it even, and you set me loose on the next habitable free planet.” She glares at me and taps her foot.
“No chance, little warrior.”
I didn’t think she’d show abject submission and adoration, crying meekly and agreeing to my every suggestion. But she’s far feistier than I could have predicted.
A fact that for some reason makes my balls ache. I need to regain the upper hand. There’s no way I can get us safely back to Zandia unless she’s docile.
“Let’s get something clear.” I step forward. “I recognize your part in my—our—escape. But humans are not free in this galaxy. You are currently under my protection—and command. There’s nowhere for you to go without a master, and I am your master.”
I stare at her. As before, she turns pink under my gaze, and her thighs squeeze together. Veck—is she aroused? Yes, I believe her change in scent indicates arousal. I don’t have intimate knowledge of human females, but these are universally understood tells. If I’m not wrong, this little warrior wants me as badly as I want her.
My voice gets husky. Perhaps I should apply a little gentle punishment to cleave her to me as master. “You will do as I say.” My voice thickens with desire. I step forward another inch.
Her breath quickens, and her chest heaves. “I won’t.”
“Think logically.” I make my voice silky, persuasive. “You have no other options. Things will b
e more pleasant if we get along.” For a split second, my brain rushes to imagine just how vecking pleasant it could be. Thoughts of my lips on her pert nipples, my tongue in between her thighs, her pretty pink lips on my cock—
“I’ll find a place where I can live as a free human,” she retorts. “I’ve heard of some such planets.” There’s a slight quiver in her voice. Then, to my utter delight, she attacks.
“Hiyah!” she shouts and launches herself at me, twisting midair, so her fist gains momentum.
When her knuckles connect firmly with my jaw, I see stars. Veck, she’s got moves! I grab for her body, but she’s already danced away on the balls of her feet and dropped down into a warrior stance.
“Stop.“ I bark the command as my skin throbs where she hit me. I’m not angry—she’s a marvel to watch, and a little pain means nothing to a warrior. I’m more fascinated by her abilities. Delighted that I actually found this spectacular little warrior for Zandia.
She yells a battle cry and jumps again, but this time I’m ready. Even with her extra-human strength and her clever knowledge of body mechanics, she’s no match for a Zandian warrior at full alert. I easily block and parry her strikes. I let her continue for a few more moments because, well, it’s highly arousing. The blanket is on the floor, so she’s fully naked and throwing herself at me.
“All right, that’s enough, Kailani.” The next time she strikes, I yank her into my body. I wrap my arms around her and pull her body tightly against mine, pinning her arms at her waist. I use one leg to wrap around hers and lower my head to lock hers against my chest.
She’s completely under my control now.
My hands press against her bare skin.
“Bad girl,” I murmur against her silky hair. “You must never raise a hand to your master.” I hold her tightly.
Oh veck, now it’s time for punishment. I shouldn’t be so excited, but I am.
“Apologize for attacking me,” I advise. “Swear it won’t happen again.” My body responds to her presence, and my cock gets iron hard once again, despite my best intentions to remain neutral. The urge to veck her is so powerful that I can barely stand it.
“You’re not my master,” she grits as she stamps on my boot with her bare foot. She kicks backward at my shin.
I bite back my chuckle. I’m supposed to be firm as her master. “You’re going to be sorry you did that.” I squeeze her against my chest as she wriggles in vain. “When you disobey me, you will pay the consequences.”
She freezes, her head swiveling to look in the direction of the cabinet where I locked her medicine. Veck, her Kraa masters really did use it to control her.
“No, not that,” I soothe. “I think you’ll find my punishments quite a bit more palatable. For both of us.”
Veck—I can’t wait to teach her a lesson in obedience. Zandians know there is one easy way to tame an unruly human, and usually results in both master and female feeling satisfied, even if the female ends up a little sore. I’m about to give it a try.
“Come, little warrior. Take your punishment.” My voice is low and seductive as I walk her backward toward my flight chair.
“I’m not little warrior,” she says, but her voice warbles. The sexual innuendo in my voice has confused her. Already, I sense the tension in her melting, as if her body is incapable of resisting.
“My name is Kailani.” She sounds breathless. “Let me go or else I’ll...” her voice trails off when I sit and tug her down—not too hard, but firmly—across my lap and put one hand on the small of her back.
“What are you doing?” She pushes and shoves at my body. In her alarm, she seems to have forgotten to finish her threat.
I’m already accustomed to her crazy strength, so it’s easy enough to hold her in place. “I’m going to show you how human females are punished on my planet.”
I raise my hand and bring it down on her pretty little ass with a hard crack.
“Oh!” she cries out, twisting and kicking her legs.
I adjust her to tuck her legs under one of mine. “Don’t try to get away.” I spank her again, hard, in the same spot. A patch of pink blooms on her taut skin. “I’ll just spank extra.”
“Um…”
I’m sure she’s shocked by the sexual nature of the punishment. That seems to be the reason it works so well. No real harm is caused to the females, and their bodies are aroused by the submissive nature of it.
Still, this one fights her nature. “Stop it,” she hisses, clawing at my calves.
I answer with a flurry of spanks on her ass and upper thighs.
“Oh! Ow. You— You—”
“My name is Khrys.” I spank her again, right in the middle of both cheeks, over her glistening sex. “Remember that for your apology. Whenever you’re ready, of course.” I bring my hand down over and over until the pink turns deeper. “Keep your hands down. Scratching me means I double the punishment.”
In response, she digs her nails into my skin so hard that she draws blood.
I hold her still with one hand and grab for a pair of magna-cuffs with the other. As the being with the upper hand, I find it easy to snap them onto her delicate wrists. “No more of that.”
She starts to speak, but it comes out as a yelp as I commence spanking once again. I’m not using my full force, of course, but a hard Zandian palm can do a lot to a pretty little warrior ass.
“We will get a few things straight.” I spank for emphasis. “You will listen to me and do as I say—our lives depend on it. I am your master and starship commander. If you refuse to comply, you will be punished.” I spank again, nice and hard.
She squeals and tries to kick, but I’ve got her legs locked.
“Your bottom must be getting sore.” I stop and rub her heated skin. Squeeze her lovely buttocks. “When you’re ready to say you’re sorry, I’m listening.”
She doesn’t answer. I hear the sound of her rapid breathing. “Fine,” she mutters after a moment. “I’m sorry.”
“For?” I squeeze her soft ass again.
She rolls her hips and lets out a little moan. “F-for attacking you.”
“And?” I squeeze and rub some more. When she doesn’t answer, I deliver a few more swats. Her buttocks clench and release. “For expecting you to be a decent being. I’m sorry I thought you’d do the honorable thing and set me free.”
I stifle a chuckle. She’s adorable. Quite mouthy for a slave—but she wasn’t owned by Ocretions. She wasn’t bred to serve, she was engineered by Kraa to fight.
My cock presses insistently against her hip, and I’m dying to move onto the more pleasurable part of punishment. Still, she hasn’t surrendered yet. “Do I need to use my belt?”
The thought is enough to make my body come alive with pleasure. Disciplining this human is even more arousing than I’d expected.
“No.” Her voice is suddenly quiet. “I won’t do it again.”
“And?”
“What else do you want?” Her tone rises in frustration. “Should I somehow bring you the universe on a platinum platter?”
I smile. Oh, stars. What I wouldn’t do to own this little warrior and battle with her like this on a regular basis—of course, that’s a ridiculous thought. She’s not meant to be my mate. I’m going to deliver her right to Dr. Daneth and King Zander...once I get her back. That thought makes me uneasy. I expected a grateful human, happy not to be put into service by Ocretions. All the humans on Zandia are thrilled to be there.
This one, though? She already had plans to be free. Granted, I doubt she would have accomplished it without my help, but I’m not sure she sees it that way.
Well, setting her free isn’t an option. I wasn’t lying when I said she wouldn’t survive without a master. Humans are not a free species in this galaxy. Without a benevolent master, she’d live a far worse life.
Besides, If I don’t bring her back with me, I will certainly face serious consequences for going on this mission without leave, on top of my already prec
arious position with the king.
She moves her body and her taut breasts push into the side of my thighs. The nipples are hard, and I have the urge to ease her down and take one into my mouth.
“Say my name.” I bark the order.
“I forgot it. It wasn’t memorable.” She sniffs.
I grip a handful of her ass, squeezing roughly, then deliver, a nice sharp slap on her right cheek. “Yes, you do.”
“Khrys!” she squeaks. “Khrys.”
And suddenly the thoughts in my head change from just sexual to ones of protection. In an instant, just hearing her say my name brings up the fiercest protection instinct I have. I’d do anything to protect this little being from harm.
I rub her ass, soothing away the sting I inflicted. “Good girl.”
She squirms on my lap. I pull her up to a sitting position and check her lovely face. “I’m the only thing between you and that.” I point to the starship window, where the blackness of space is immense. One of my arms curls around her back, my hand strokes the place where hip meets thigh. “Look, there aren’t even any stars in sight here. You can’t survive right now without me. I don’t care how smart you are—you can’t operate this starship by yourself. You have nowhere to go. Attacking me would be death for both of us. Understand?”
She nods then breaks our gaze. “I understand.” She sags against me, and my body revels in the sensation of her soft skin against mine. “Just, for a second there, I thought maybe…” she shakes her head. “Never mind.”
“You thought what?”
“I thought maybe I had a chance to get away. That maybe my life could be different from what it was.” I can barely hear the words.
Guilt burrows into my chest. Humans lead such difficult lives in this galaxy. On my planet, it’s far better than anywhere else, but she couldn’t possibly know or believe that.
“It will be different.” I touch her chin. “Kailani.” Her name feels good on my lips. “I’m not going to do to you what your previous masters did.” I look into her eyes, so she can see my sincerity. “That I swear to you. I won’t withhold your medicine. No harm will come to you.”
