Sold to the Warlord (Astral Heat Book 2)

by Ashley Hunter

  The need in him awakened a deep pulse of sensual desire inside Zalla. Here in the ethereal grotto, she was seeing a new side to him, a softer, more sensitive Draz. There was something in him that was better than the cold warrior, she was sure of it and a part of her wanted to bring that out of him.

  “I won’t pretend I’m not attracted to you,” Zalla said, “but this is so very hard for me. You have used force and guile to try and bed me now, I don’t know if I can trust you.”

  Draz lowered his head. “You are right to feel that way. I behaved shamefully, but the Warrior Caste is used to getting what they want. After the Kama Wine didn’t work on you, I was so angry I could have killed you myself.

  In fact, my cousin Navan wanted you executed as an example to the other slaves. Much defiance is not good for keeping order. As soon as he said this, I panicked. The thought of your death frightened me.

  Fortunately, later that day, Navan was called away on urgent business in the capital or I would have been forced to carry out his wishes. That’s when I decided upon a new plan.”

  Zalla frowned. “What new plan?”

  “Your rejection of me was so adamant, that I decided to let the fates decide what happens between us. Did you think I didn’t notice you looking at the sand-flyer when we were sitting on the balcony?

  I ordered away all the guards and waited to see if you would try to escape. When you did, I took it for a sign, but I still followed just the same. I don’t know why, I couldn’t help myself. Lucky for you I did, or you would have been devoured by the Mauler.”

  “When you saved me,” Zalla said, now understanding why it had been so easy to get away, “you were glowing with light. It was as if you had supernatural powers.”

  Draz nodded. “In a way I do. It is a gift of all warriors, an inner power that gives us super-strength when we are in an extreme emotional state. We call it the Fury Force, and it is rare that it surfaces. Seeing the Mauler about to snatch your life away triggered the Fury Force in me.”

  Zalla was strangely flattered at the revelation. Her body tingled with pleasure as she looked at him. His physical attractiveness was growing into something deeper. There was more to him than she had first realized. “I didn’t know I had that effect on you,” she replied, trying to smother her tremulous feelings with humour.

  His burning eyes fixed on her, raking her face and body with its intensity. “You know the effect on me,” he said meaningfully. “I don’t know what this hold is you have on me, and your stubbornness drives me insane, but I can’t resist you.

  You have bewitched me, and last night, when I thought you were going to die, I couldn’t just leave things to fate. I knew then I had to save you, had to protect you from all the horrors this world holds.”

  Zalla swallowed. “If you wanted to do that, why not let me leave this planet and go back to Earth?”

  “Is that what you really want?” he demanded, his voice rising. “What have you got to go back to? You have no family, no one to miss you, don’t try and argue otherwise. You are not the first reckless human who has travelled into the Rogue Zone looking for adventure, for meaning to their empty lives.

  This sector of the galaxy exerts a power over the lost souls and the misfits of the universe. They come in their droves, not knowing what they are looking for. Well, you came looking too Zalla and you found me. Am I not good enough for you?”

  Zalla tried to argue with his logic but she couldn’t. He was right. She had come here because she was a lost soul. She needed something else, hungered for a new life. “It’s not that you’re not good enough, but I can’t just be taken Draz.

  I can’t give my body to anyone,” she faltered, then went on, “I – I’ve never been with anyone, not another human or an alien. I was waiting for the right person.”

  Her words hung on the fragrant air and Draz fell silent for a long while. Across the cavern, the indifferent females went about their endless circling in blissful serenity.

  “I am not the ‘right person’ by any stretch of the imagination,” Draz said at length, staring out at the ethereal creatures that had created him and his brutal society. “I would have taken you without a second thought if I didn’t care so much about hurting you.

  I want you, but you must want me back. Tell me now that that can never happen and I will take you back to Canx Spaceport and arrange your safe passage out of the Rogue Zone.

  It will mean a tremendous loss of face on my part, but I don’t care. That is how strongly I feel about this, about you. Tell me now and that will be an end to it.”

  Zalla stared at him, not believing what he was saying. This was the chance she’d been waiting for, but something stopped her from saying that she didn’t want him. Her feelings got the better of her. “I can’t tell you that,” she said, her voice quivering.

  “I can’t deny that I don’t want to know what it’s like to have sex with you. I’ve built up so many defences that I ended up not being able to let anyone in. That’s why I came to the Rogue Zone, to find adventure and a man who would love me. I was being naïve though. If you still want to be with me, I won’t resist.”

  He snapped his head up, his eyes alive with hope. His look of obvious pleasure brought a warm feeling from between her legs. “You really mean it?” he said in an uncertain voice. It was the first time she’d seen him lacking confidence.

  She nodded slowly, and he edged towards her. His tangy, musky scent filled her senses and her desire grew stronger. She met his gaze and parted her lips invitingly.

  He leaned forward and gently kissed her mouth. The feathery touch of his skin made her nerves burn with new vitality. He brushed his face against hers, and began kissing the corner of her mouth, stopping her from deepening the kiss between them. The teasing tactic heightened her excitement.

  Eventually, he brought his lips to connect with hers, and she opened her mouth to let his exploring tongue meet her tongue. She had kissed deeply before, mostly pimply teenage boys from when she was in High School, but it was never like this. His hand went down to caress her thigh and she crooned with pleasure.

  Remembering her surroundings, she parted from the kiss and shot a wary glance at the females. “Not here,” she said anxiously.

  He grinned and got to his feet, taking her hand and pulling her up with him. “Come, I know a place.”

  Walking hand in hand across the grotto, he took her to a moss-covered alcove and they went inside. It glowed with a cosy blue light and the moss was wonderfully soft underfoot. He turned and looked at her meaningfully and she kissed him again, passionate and hard.

  He enveloped her in his strong arms and she revelled in his strength. She clung to him tightly and ran her fingers down his broad back. The thick swell of his erection grinded against her and she brought her hand down to touch it.

  They remained like this for a while before surfacing from the kiss. His fiery gaze held her captivated and she fondled his balls through his leather thong. He let out a little sigh of pleasure, and squeezed her tighter.

  “Suck it,” he ordered, and the tone of command in his voice made her even wetter.

  Tentatively, she sank to her feet before him and started hitching down his thong. His huge cock sprang out of its container and bounced off her face. Her mouth watered at the sight of it and she took his girth in her hand and started pulling back the foreskin.

  “Yes,” he said huskily. “Oh yes, Zalla. Put it in your mouth.”

  Her tongue danced along its wet tip before she opened her mouth wider and swallowed him. He grunted and his hands came down to hold her head. He pushed forward with his hips feeding her his manhood.

  She almost gagged at first, but took it to the root, eager to taste every inch of him. She caressed his manhood with one hand while she stroked his iron hard buttocks with the other. She soon got into a comfortable rhythm and he fucked her mouth faster and faster, his fingers bunching in her hair.

  “Yes, Zalla. That is so good,” he murmured and she th
rummed with pleasure at his words of approval. His dominance was now utterly irresistible to her and she longed to be conquered by him. She might be making the biggest mistake of her life but she didn’t care. She wanted to live before she died.

  He let out a sharp breath, and slowly pushed away from her willing mouth. “Not yet,” he said. “I don’t want to get too close. Lie down.”

  She obeyed without question, the moss beneath her as soft and warm as a comfortable bed. He leant over her and kissed her tenderly on the mouth and down along the curve of her neck, sending sparks of sensation along her spine.

  Very slowly and almost with reverence, he began to undress her. She lay where she was, letting him take her clothes off, unwrapping her like she was a Christmas present.

  They maintained eye contact as he undressed her, and her heart fluttered in her chest as he removed her tunic and revealed her bare breasts.

  He leaned down and kissed each of her erect nipples in turn before trailing gentle, sensual kisses down her abdomen. Hitching down her leggings, he revealed her swelling wet pussy and gazed at it in naked awe.

  “You are more beautiful than I could have imagined,” he whispered. “You are so perfect. I will worship you for hours.”

  She trembled at his sultry words, and pulling off the leggings over her bare feet, he spread her legs and ran his fingers along her thighs. She moaned beneath his touch and writhed around on the soft bed of moss.

  Now eager to begin, he pulled off his own clothes, revealing the magnificent, Adonis-like body underneath. As he pulled off his sandals, the fingers of his one hand moved up between her legs to gently fondle her quivering outer labia.

  “Oh Draz,” she moaned. “Oh God! Yes!”

  He crouched between her open legs and let his hand explore her. His fingers pushed deeper into her wet folds and he teased with her clit. Zalla bucked under his attentions, losing herself in sweet oblivion.

  He brought his head down and his tongue slipped insider her, exploring her deep folds. Zalla threw back her head and let out a ragged cry as he brought her to climax.

  He surfaced from her pussy; his face wet with her precious juice and kissed her hard. Then, holding her tenderly, he eased his cock inside her.

  She groaned as he filled her void, relieved that it was not as painful as she feared. She wrapped her arms around him as he ploughed into her, their bodies slapping together in a building crescendo of desire.

  He grunted and kissed her hard, heartbeats before his load exploded inside her. The intensity of his passion made her orgasm again and she shuddered beneath him.

  For a long time, they stayed in the little alcove and the outside world melted away. Draz held her in his arms, silent and powerful. He had been a good experience for her first time and as she gazed down at strong legs and long bare feet, the fire of lust kindled inside her again.

  She wanted him to fuck her again and again, and if it meant she remained his slave to have him inside her, then so be it. She started kissing his chest and he stirred back into life for a second round.

  Chapter 5: An Ugly Secret

  A month went by and then another, and life changed a lot for Zalla. The intense spark of sexual power grew steadily stronger and she and Draz had sex every day.

  His body was magnificent and he took her to heights of pleasure she had never dreamed of. He, in return, seemed smitten by her and exalted her to a high position amongst the household. Even Seon showed her a fraction more respect now that she had succumbed to Draz’s charms.

  She spent much of her time in his apartments waiting for him to return from his various duties, and sometimes tried to improve the lot of the other slaves by teaching them how to read and write, though Seon tried to limit her activities as much as possible.

  Navan was still away at the capital, and he would not take kindly to her interference when he returned. She had to be careful, he warned her, even with Draz on her side, she was still a slave and Navan’s word was law in the palace.

  Zalla heeded his advice, not wanting to upset things with Draz. It struck her that her feelings for the warrior were growing.

  The bond developing between them was deeper than sex, at least for her. She wasn’t sure, but it seemed to be developing into love. She never vocalized her feelings as she feared Draz did not feel the same way.

  He loved fucking her, that was for sure, but he loved sex. Sooner or later, he would get tired of her and move on to another slave. She didn’t like to think about what would happen to her. Her rule for life now was to enjoy the moment. She had made her choice and had to take the joy with the consequences. It was the way of things on Vakrall.

  Then, one night, something truly amazing happened.

  Draz had returned to the palace after another stressful day, and Zalla was on hand to relieve him. After they had enjoyed a luxurious bath together, he lay naked on the bed face down, and she had slowly massaged his toned body with scented oils. She loved touching him like this, rubbing his muscles and feet, easing away the tensions and strains of the day.

  “Go lower,” he said softly, “that feels amazing.”

  “I aim to please,” she replied, gently rubbing the small of his back.

  “You succeed, my goddess,” he sighed. He shifted his body and moved onto his back. His huge erection waited for her. Smiling, she smeared oil along the bulbous cock head and down the shaft and positioned her own naked body on top of him. She bit her lip as she slid onto him.

  “Oh, Draz,” she sighed as he filled her. “Fuck me, baby.”

  Staying beneath her, he slowly pushed upwards, fucking her in the way she liked. She dug her fingers into his solid pectorals and dragged them down his chest, making him groan with pleasure. His hands squeezed and fondled her peachy buttocks as his cock pounded her pussy.

  “Ah, Zalla!” he moaned. He stared at her with raw, aching need and the intensity of his gaze made her come. He soon followed her, shooting his load as his back arched.

  They held each other in their arms as they always did after sex, and Zalla was just about to drift off to sleep when Draz tilted her head so she could look at him.

  “Zalla, I have something important I need to tell you.”

  Dread knifed through her. This was it, she realized. He’d grown tired of her. He’d found a younger, thinner slave to please him. She shouldn’t be surprised of course, but the fear of losing him strangled her emotions. “What is it?” she asked, keeping her voice deliberately neutral.

  “It is time things changed between us,” he said with some difficultly, his face clouding.

  This was it. “I understand,” she said. “You’re getting tired of me. Don’t worry; you don’t have to be nice about it. These last couple of months have been the best in my whole life and I thank you for that, but now you want someone else.”

  Draz frowned at her. “What are you blathering about woman?” he replied brusquely. “I don’t want anyone but you, that’s why I want you to be my life-mate.”

  Zalla stared, trying to take in what he was saying. “Life-mate?” she said in a confused voice.

  “It is tradition amongst the Warrior Caste to take a life-mate of our choosing. On Earth, it is called marriage, I believe. Vakrallan females do not marry for obvious reasons, so we take women of other races.

  Unlike a slave, a life-mate must consent or the arrangement is void. You would no longer be a slave, but my consort, enjoying equal rights. I have thought about this for a long time, and I cannot imagine my life without you in it. I. . . I want you to be my life-mate.”

  “I’d be your wife,” Zalla said, putting it into terms that she could properly understand.

  A look of vulnerability crossed his face. “Only if you consent. You must want me as much as I want you. That is the only way this can work.”

  She didn’t even need to think about it. She hugged him tight and kissed his face over and over again. “Of course, I’ll consent, you stupid warrior! I can’t think of life without you either!”<
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  Relief washed over him and he returned her hug. “Oh Zalla! I’m so pleased!” he exclaimed, becoming boyish and carefree. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to ask you. I have worried about it for so long.”

  “That doesn’t matter now,” she said, gently stroking his cheek. “So, how we do this? Is there some kind of official ceremony?”

  Draz nodded. “Oh yes, the proper forms must be observed. We will have it here at the palace and Seon will make all the arrangements - if that is all right with you?”

  “I’m happy if you’re happy,” she replied, “but when will we do it?”

  A slight frown creased his forehead. “It can’t be yet,” he said gravely. “I just found out today that an extensive drug smuggling operation is at work on the Sapphire Moon. I have orders to go there and smash the crime ring behind it personally.”

  Zalla grimaced. “I don’t like the sound of that. You better take care of yourself out there.”

  “Don’t worry. You can’t get rid of me that easily, when I return, we will perform the ceremony.”

  “Wonderful,” Zalla said, genuinely excited. She had never dreamed she would meet anyone who could make her feel like Draz did, or that he would feel that strongly about her. She had finally found a place to belong and she couldn’t be happier.

  * * *

  The next day, Draz left for his mission on the Sapphire Moon. Zalla was worried but understood that Draz had to do his duty and resolved to wait patiently. By coincidence, Navan sent a message to the palace from the capital, ordering Seon and the best of the sex slaves to join him.

  He was holding a great feast for the elders of the Warrior Caste, which was to culminate in a massive orgy, and Navan wanted to make sure his guests had a night to remember.

  Draz had explained it was all part of the warrior’s attempts to ensure he became the next Despot or regional governor when the old one died, which wouldn’t be long now by all accounts. The dying Despot had named Navan his successor but there were many rivals for the title and Navan needed the support of the elders to ensure a smooth transition.