Ruled: A Dark Sci-Fi Romance

by Cari Silverwood

  “I will return, my princess,” she heard him say from far above, as his boots walked away, taking him with them. He’d gone, left her? After doing that.

  He’d made her come.

  A shiny patch on the floor riveted her. Her face heated. She’d dripped her own wetness onto the floor.

  This was not how queens, or princesses, behaved.

  * * *

  After Drake left, servants entered and brought her a small pallet with a roll of bedding, a free-flowing white dress, and a bowl of warm water to wash with. It was a primitive way to bathe and she felt ill at ease with removing the last bastion of defense from her body. After dithering for a few minutes, she bathed and slipped on the short dress and the underwear provided. Besides, the suit was best against projectile and slashing blade, and was plainly inadequate against claws at groin level.

  The next suit she wore would have plating over her intimate regions.

  Hours later, she was given food and wine. Two guards at the door, which was locked after the servants departed, ensured she had to stay where she’d been put. It was aggravating to know battles were being fought in her name and she could do nothing except worry and stare at the walls.

  It might have been unwise to drink but she was still processing what he’d done, as well as what she’d allowed to be done in her name. Gods, had she been stupid or wise? And so she drank the wine and grew tired, then crawled into the bedding, closed her eyes, and slept.

  Chapter Three

  Walking into his private dining room, Drake found the princess sprawled across a pallet on the floor, asleep. His weariness lifted, though the intervening hours of violence and shouting, of screaming and the cough of guns, still thundered in his brain. He’d left his weapons and armor in his bedroom, but he’d needed to come here and see her before he washed.

  The hour was past midnight. Her foot stuck out from under the sheet and her toes alone stirred him in unexpected ways. How small they were.

  Those and the curves hidden by the bedding drew his heart to take notice.

  For a moment or three, he merely observed the rise and fall of her breasts.

  It had come to this, finally. He had her.

  Soft-footed, he walked closer, pleased at how a nipple peeked from the cover of her dress. His cock rose and turned to near-rock. His nostrils flared.

  There was time for her second lesson.

  The rebellion was essentially won, the enemy simply hadn’t grown the sense to understand they should give in.

  Serving the king was what had brought him into contact with Calliope. That day at the palace when he’d seen her up close, he’d been struck by her beauty and by how she’d seemed different from other females.

  She was also human and the daughter of his friend. He’d vowed to keep his distance. The king wanted her watched and guarded on her secret walks through the city? Done, by others he assigned to the duty. He’d listened to the reports and left it at that.

  Everything he’d heard had raised his appreciation of that eighteen-year-old girl now turned into woman.

  He’d kept his distance until she walked into his house and requested help.

  A princess, potentially the queen, pleading, and then, with a little adept persuasion, he’d had her on her knees. His finger had been inside her as she made that face females made when they came, and she’d trembled in his hold with her fuck-juices dribbling down his hand...

  That moment was the first crack in her defenses.

  It had been agony, guiding her into accepting him. He’d wanted her but not as some screaming thing he conquered by force, and with her being a Dywin he’d had to factor in her pride.

  Pride could’ve made her run.

  One word, wrongly said, and she might’ve run.

  She was a pawn, yes—but one that had no idea as to how highly the people thought of her. Since her wanderings through the city began, at least a quarter of the mauleons had figured out her true identity, and probably a fair percentage of the humans.

  Drake dragged his studded, fingerless gloves from his hands.

  He’d teach her to fuck, then teach her what a mauleon expected of his female. His ways would seem vulgar to a princess, but when he was done, she’d find joy in anything he wished of her.

  Anything.

  He’d wash the essential places then return.

  Chapter Four

  “Princess.” His gravelly voice wakened her with a start.

  When she rolled over to see, Drake scooped her into his arms, then walked with her to his chair and seated himself.

  “Hey!” She wriggled on his lap, but he easily held her down with a hand on her belly.

  He smelled of war. Of dirt and blood and guns. His face was streaked with black though the hand on her stomach was clean. That hand grounded her. Male, big, heavy. Before this day, no one would’ve dared touch her like this.

  “What is happening outside?” Casualties weighed on her mind and whether they could win.

  “It goes well. That’s all you need to know. I don’t want to talk more about it, yet. We win, they are losing. So, Princess, I had to return to rest, regroup, and let my men resupply. I also find a woman on my floor.”

  He didn’t want to talk more. Very well. How could she press him when he looked as if he’d come from the middle of a firestorm? She’d wait.

  “I would have preferred a softer bed.”

  He chuckled. “I wanted you where I could find you. I am your first mauleon and you are my first human. We are even. I’m going to show you what mauleon cock feels like inside your tight little pussy.”

  Disgusting. She should be screaming but while he spoke, he’d slid his hand beneath the dress and hooked his fingers in the top of her panties. Claws dented her belly. He was danger and sex and mystery rolled into one overpowering creature.

  Nevertheless, Calli plucked at his forearm. “My father said to protect me.” The hairs on his arm slid under her fingers. Those claws scraped lower, and she found she was worming her butt about. Minute movements but still. So easily, he made her desire.

  “I plan to.” He kissed below her ear, licked her, while caressing her breast with the arm cradling her to him. “After I fuck you.”

  “Oh. Umm.” She was mumbling stupid things and so very distracted. Where had her badass attitude gone?

  “You will undress for me.”

  “I will n—” He’d lifted his hand and squashed it over her mouth. There was her automatic princess attitude, finally.

  “Shh. I told you I would no longer ask. You agreed to be mine. Does a Dywin princess go back on her word? Or should I show you what mauleon punishment feels like on your rear end? Maybe I should get you to sign a document agreeing to this with your butt imprint?”

  The crudeness of that made her fire up and splutter. His laugh was unexpected, deep, and taunting. But he had freed her mouth.

  “You mock me!”

  “Of course. Answer me. Do you go back on your word?”

  He’d found her personal peeve. She hated lies and people who reneged on agreements. Her brothers had been good at fobbing off her questions with answers she later found to be untrue.

  She squeezed her lips together, then, “No.”

  “Good answer. Stand up and remember that you are mine now.”

  Mine. Was that his favorite word?

  Reluctantly, she wriggled and slid from his lap then stood before him. The dress frothed at mid-thigh, brushing her.

  “Oh, my beauty,” he murmured. “Do you know how long it’s been since I wished for this? For you here, in my hands.” He ran his palm lightly down her side, resting it at her hip, a warm and heavy reminder of her situation. How easily he magicked up that liquid warmth between her legs.

  “No.” She struggled to conceal her arousal.

  “Since I first saw you in your father’s study.”

  Calli blinked. Since then? Seven years ago. His grip firmed on her hip, his long fingers curving partly over her rear. Neve
r before had she felt as if she were a possession. It... bothered her yet in some peculiar way freed her.

  “I’d heard things, even then. You have a dark past.”

  “I do.” He rocked her with that hand. “Mostly because of what I did for your father.” Crinkles spread around his eyes as he smiled. “Being the king is not easy, neither is being a princess.”

  “Surely you lie?”

  “No, I did not. I will never lie to you.”

  Never? That seemed a gift.

  She’d long ago guessed that her father had done terrible things but had never heard it said aloud.

  “Dress,” he reminded her. “Remove it.”

  She hit a barrier. To undress for him was worse than having his hands at her neck while he... ravaged her. It didn’t matter that she had promised to be his. Stripping before Drake was against moral standards drummed into her since forever.

  “I can’t.” She wrapped her arms over her breasts, as if to hide them, to keep the dress in place.

  “Disobedience, already?” The almost hopeful tone of his voice made her twist to step away.

  He snagged her dress at waist level and reeled her in. Then he stood and whisked the dress over her head, despite her shriek, and tossed it aside.

  Now, she was mostly naked.

  “Ahhh. This, I like. Will you wriggle for me when I spank you?”

  “You will not!” she insisted, teeth set together.

  “Shhh. Do not move or I might accidentally cut you.” He roughly cupped her breasts, squeezing them then split the middle of her bra and slid his claws lower, past her navel, dragging them over her skin. They tickled but could do much worse.

  Red marks appeared on her belly.

  “Hey.” Fascinated, Calli sucked in her stomach and watched those sickle-shaped claws of his. She’d promised herself to a living weapon, and she was melting.

  One swift slice—she shuddered excitedly, thinking of the consequences.

  Drake molded his body to hers. The length of his cock pressed at her belly and his hand was squashed against her below. Five more claws sank into her ass.

  “These are expensive,” he said, flicking at her panties. “But if I’m going to eat you, I need them off.”

  “Fuck,” she whispered. “Don’t say that.”

  “You swear? You don’t want to be eaten?” His exhalation heated her neck and ear as his claws sliced away her underwear, her completely sodden underwear. “I think I like undressing you with some violence. It makes you quiet. And look, this has popped up.”

  One claw rested on her clit, stirred that nub, and all her thoughts disintegrated.

  “Um.” Calli wanted to clutch him but dared not. “Please,” she said in a hushed voice, though unsure what she’d meant by that please. She should be protesting.

  “Please?” An evil glint appeared in his eyes, the golden irises shining. The smooth side of his claw played with her, casually stroking—as if he thought he knew everything about her and how to seduce her.

  Maybe he did.

  “You like this.” Drake examined where his clawed hand was below, then her warming, blushing face.

  She tried to be still but had to squirm at what he did, had to gasp. When he pressed on her clit again, a sigh escaped that became the quietest moan.

  “I see you do,” he drawled. “You know I won’t cut you. Your father trusted me for a reason.” He lifted her chin. “And yet you like this. The threat.”

  Mortified, she mumbled, “Mmm.”

  “For some the fear response is pleasurable. Chemicals are released. Is this why you wandered the city? To get high on the thrill? Yes, I know. My men followed you every time, on the king’s orders.”

  Speechless, she could only shake her head. What else did he know? Was her life tattooed on her skin? Naked, she was naked, and he was making her question her reasons for everything, even her morality. She gave in to him at every turn.

  “I don’t know you! And yet I am doing... doing... this! You’re not even my species!”

  “You think I’m a monster? Mauleons are almost identical genetically to humans. Somehow, we share a common ancestor.”

  She didn’t think him a monster, and maybe that was the problem.

  “Enough of this.”

  Had she angered him?

  He peeled the remains of her bra from her, then picked her up by the waist and raised her high, effortlessly. She grabbed his wrists, praying he’d not drop her.

  “Wait, please!”

  “Please again? You will open your legs for me now, so I can fuck you.”

  Not a question. She whimpered, turned on and despairing of herself.

  She was royalty; he was mauleon. She knew almost nothing of him. Agreeing to his original demand had been insanity.

  Then his raw masculine scent hit, and with his claws tugging at her waist, arousal mangled her thoughts and humped her neurons into oblivion.

  She. Wanted. Him.

  Slowly, shakily, she opened her legs.

  “Ahhh. Good girl,” he purred.

  He sat her on his lap and made her part her thighs, then stroked down her mound to her clit, bumping over it. His claws had retracted. Each brush of his finger awakened frissons of lust. Gently, he circled her entrance.

  The pressure made her gasp then arch.

  Sweating, she shut her eyes, grabbing at his shoulder and making noises she should be ashamed of.

  “I want you to say, please fuck me.”

  Her eyes snapped open. Such filthy words.

  As before she let her gaze absorb him. Gods, he was beautiful as well as a savage.

  Her brain kicked in. “I cannot say that.”

  “No? Another no?” One thick eyebrow raised high and stayed there. Several small scars cut across that brow. She wondered fleetingly what fight had caused it. What battles he’d seen. Harshness crept into his smile. “Let’s see how long it takes me to change your mind.”

  Suddenly she remembered she was alone and naked, and weaponless.

  Though she spluttered protests, he manhandled her until she lay belly down over his lap. With her hands scrabbling at his nearest leg, she tried to push herself upright.

  “Stay still.” He swatted her butt, once, and she gasped in horror. From the movement of shadows and his body, he’d readjusted the lamp beside the chair. The wall ahead brightened. “Ahhh. Better. Now I can see your ass properly, and this pretty cunt.”

  The filthiest word of all.

  How dare he use it.

  The first true blow fell on her ass and she let out a shrill cry at the shock then kicked her legs.

  Chapter Five

  Drake raised his hand again, amused at how it dwarfed his princess’s butt. “Move again and this will last twice as long.”

  He pressed his other hand to Calliope’s back to anchor her to his lap then delivered the next smack. Not too hard. Not this time. Once, twice, three times, before he paused to admire how she lay, to recall how her ass felt and hear her little squeals and gasps.

  Her panting and subdued writhing said a lot. When he placed his hand at the join of ass and thigh and thumbed her apart, he could see her swollen and wetly shining entrance. Her cunt wanted this. She did.

  Drake smiled and cruised his finger down her slit then up again. He didn’t mind. There were other ways to punish her if it was utterly necessary.

  She would undo him, if he were younger. He would’ve come in his pants—just at the sight of her, sprawled over him, taking this.

  She wanted it, even if she was confused and had no idea why she responded to him.

  His cock felt enormous, as if it would burst from his pants any second. If he fucked her too soon, she’d tear. A virgin human with a mauleon cock reaming her?

  Ugh. Slow and careful was not normal for him.

  He spanked her several more times, to see her jerk, to feel her soft skin. She settled, taking the punishment and holding his leg through his pants.

  “Three more and
I’m done. You’ve been good. Keep it that way.”

  Her small noise was a cut-off word. He grinned, sure she’d intended to say something bad but had decided not to.

  Already his princess was learning. Fuck though, he had his princess. Gabriel might not have approved of him fucking his daughter. The gods had decided it was good and right, and that was enough for him. Drake rasped fingers over his stubbled chin then applied the last three smacks.

  “Nicely red,” he murmured his approval and circled his palm over her butt, one cheek then the other, before he parted them and slid two fingers between her legs.

  She tensed yet there was a restrained but notable arch of her back. Still trying not to show her arousal?

  She’d leaked all over her inner thighs. The lamplight made her skin glisten.

  “How wet are you? Wetter than before says you liked it.”

  Teasing her amused him.

  “Not. Shush.”

  “You say I lie? Try to quiet me?”

  “I...” She lowered her head. No doubt she remembered the spanking because she added in a small voice, “No.”

  The pain might not bother her much but the humiliation of being over his knee did, or he guessed it was so.

  “You’re soaked.” He swiped the wetness to his other hand, grasped her hair to haul back her head then showed her. “You’re wet for me. Spanking you is going on my list of what makes you almost come.”

  Her breasts jiggled as she struggled to duck away. Drake grabbed one tit, squeezed, pinched the nipple, then did the same to the other breast. She’d propped herself up with her hands, trying to steady herself, but the nipple squeezing made her flinch, until abruptly she stiffened.

  The longer he squashed her nipple, the more her mouth opened...

  “Oh. Oh.” Her breath was ragged.

  He shoved his wet fingers between her lips then leaned down and growled into her ear. “Suck them. This is you. Every time you deny this, I will dip my fingers in your pussy and make you suck.”

  She rolled her eyes toward him and grimaced.

  “Suck.”

  Her tongue swept across his two fingers—timid, soft, and warm. It made his dick twitch, made him wonder how he’d survived without her.