by Hope Hart
“I won’t do it,” I say through numb lips.
He looks bored, and a tiny part of me wishes he would turn back into the man who gazed at me like I was the pot of gold at the end of his rainbow. “You don’t have a choice. You may not appreciate this gift, but I won’t risk losing the only thing keeping me sane.” He scans me up and down. “No matter how unappreciative she is.”
It doesn’t escape me that he just referred to me as a thing.
“So I’m supposed to give up my life for your sanity?”
“You’ll live a life of luxury without compare. Hardly giving up your life.”
“It is if I don’t want it.”
He shrugs indolently, and I scowl at him.
“Enough,” he says suddenly and reaches a hand out to the wall, which lights up with strange symbols under his hand. “A bath is running for you, and you will get in it. Now.”
I bare my teeth at him, certain he knows exactly how much I hate him ordering me around. But the truth is, I’m covered in hay, I smell like horses, and I would really, really like to get clean.
I sniff, but stalk into the bathroom before I let out a low whistle. No wonder he was never satisfied with our human ‘accommodations.’ This place is incredible. The bath is more like several jacuzzi tubs, easily fitting his huge body. A weird shower-type box dominates an entire corner, while lighted panels display options in a language I can’t read.
The bath is already almost full, and I search for a way to switch off the water. It must have a some sort of sensor, because it automatically turns off when the water is a few inches from the top.
I’m attempting to close the bathroom door when a deep voice freezes me in place.
“No need to close the door, mate. I’ll bathe with you.”
Chapter 17
Varian
Harlow eyes me distrustfully, and it makes my nostrils flare in offense. Does she think I would hurt her? I’ve never done anything to harm her. She was the one who left me crawling on the floor like an infant.
I scowl at her, and she curls her upper lip at me. This woman drives me mad. I think back to the euphoria I felt when I found that my mate lived on this strange planet, and how I pictured our lives together. Now, I’m filled with bitterness, despair, and guilt when I see how much she longs for her freedom.
“Disrobe,” I order, and watch her eyes dart. There are few things more fascinating to me than seeing the way my mate reacts to any number of situations. Her thought processes are different to any female I’ve ever met- and I never know how she will respond.
She surprises me once again, by raising an eyebrow and turning her back to me. I grind my teeth at her disobedience, but my breath leaves me in a rush when she pulls off the strange hooded covering and reveals smooth lines of her back. I can see the bumps of her spine, and I’m shocked anew at her fragility. I remember how soft her skin is, unlike the hard, tough skin of our people. Humans will be considered prey to many of the warrior alien races in the universe, and I’m once again consumed with thoughts of protection.
Of course, this is the female who tricked me into lowering my guard, poisoned me, and left me lying on the floor. Maybe the humans’ small stature and weak appearance is just camouflage for their treacherous ways.
I snort, realizing that my mate has shown me time and time again that she can’t be trusted. Harlow jumps at the sound and looks over her shoulder wide-eyed, but I steel myself against her innocent face and gesture for her to continue.
She narrows her eyes at me and complies, and I almost groan as she pulls of the thick blue leg-coverings that humans love to wear. Her ass is smooth and round, and large for one so petite. I want to bend her over and—
Harlow climbs into the water, still wearing her under garments. I narrow my eyes but allow it. Let her think she has some small protection from me. I strip, and hear her choked sound as my cock springs free, feeling it harden further at her gaze. She turns away, reddening, and I smile.
I climb into the water with her, ignoring her squeak. Harlow immediately moves away, and I lift her onto my lap, staring down at the vision below me.
She struggles, and when I hold tight, pulls her hand back, hitting me in the gut with a thump. She instantly gasps and cradles her hand.
“Fuck, what are you made of? Rock?”
I frown, displeased that she has hurt herself. “Why would you hit me with your tiny hand?”
Harlow sends me a chilling look. “It’s not tiny, jackass, and I know how to punch. You could at least have the decency to get hurt when I hit you.”
I stare down at her, confused. “If I was vulnerable, I wouldn’t be able to protect my mate.”
Once again, she gives me a look that tells me I’m too stupid to live. Her nose wrinkles, she tilts her head to the side, and she raises her eyes to the ceiling.
“Newsflash, asshole. You and the rest of the Arcav are the only thing I need protection from.”
She moves away again, and stills when I send her a warning look. “You are the one who left me almost paralyzed, mate. Maybe it is I who need protection from you.”
She reddens and glances away. “That was an accident. I told you, I thought you’d just go to sleep for a few hours.”
Something inside me relaxes slightly at the knowledge that Harlow wasn’t trying to kill me. She said as much at the time, but I couldn’t trust any word she uttered. I remember how she leaned down and brushed her lips with mine and harden even further.
Her wide eyes tells me she can feel the hard length of me up against her ass, and she once again leans away.
“I will forgive you on one condition.”
“What?”
“You kiss me again.”
“You know, forgiveness usually doesn’t have any strings attached to it.”
I reach out and take her chin, holding her gaze. “You left me crawling and screaming for my mate in front of my people.”
Her eyes search my face. “And if I kiss you, you’ll forgive me?”
“Yes.” I’ll forgive her, but I won’t forget. Never again will I let down my guard. I may want my little mate with every bone in my body, but I have learned a valuable lesson. If Harlow has the chance to escape, she will always take it.
Her chin juts out, but she leans forward, and I feel my every muscle tense. This time, when she kisses me first, I will be able to respond.
She casts me a wary look, and sits up straight.
“You need to lean down, big guy.”
I comply, and she places one of her warm hands on the back of my neck, pulling me closer. I let her lead, and groan as I finally feel her soft lips on mine once again.
Every moment leading to this was worth it. Now I finally have Harlow in my arms, right where she belongs.
Harlow
I hate to admit it, but Varian’s lips feel like heaven against mine. I groan as he takes the kiss deeper, and then yelp as he wraps my legs around him and stands, water pouring down off us. He holds me close, clasping my butt in his massive hands, and steps into the large, clear box next to the shower.
Within a second, we’re dry, and I blink as my hair falls around my shoulders. I squirm and order Varian to put me down, and he snorts, striding back into the bedroom.
“Now, little human, you learn why you were made for me.”
I snarl at his declaration and push back against his chest. It’s like trying to push against a bolder, and he pays my hands no attention, dropping me onto the bed.
I immediately crawl away, and hear his low laugh behind me. He snags my ankle and I face plant as he drags me back until I’m facedown over the bed.
“Let me go!” Sure, I may want to bone him, but his high-handedness is making me want to haul back and punch him.
“I don’t think so. You will take your punishment, and learn to never run from me again.”
I freeze. “Wh-what?” My voice is small, and my whole body begins to tremble. Varian wants to hurt me?”
“Don’
t worry, female. You’ll enjoy it. Eventually.”
I kick out, taking him by surprise, although I’m certain I’ve done more damage to my foot than to his thigh. It’s like the guy is made of steel, and I’ve never felt so weak and ineffective in my life.
He leans over me and runs his teeth along the back of my neck. I throw back my head, hoping to headbutt him, and he growls, the rumble of his chest sending vibrations through my whole body. He reaches down and strokes one huge hand over my naked back, and I shiver in fear and arousal.
“Leave me alone, Varian!”
“Why do you pretend you don’t want me?” His voice sounds confused, with a thread of hurt running through it, and I’d feel sorry for him if he didn’t choose that moment to slip his hand underneath me. He chuckles at my wetness, and I buck into his hand, unsure if I’m moving closer to him or further away.
“Lie to me, mate. Tell me you don’t want me to fuck you.”
My cheeks heat, and I press my lips together. He laughs again, fingers slipping straight to my cunt.
“No other man could make you feel like this.” His fingers plunge inside me, and I moan, low and long. I’m on the edge when he pulls back, and I curse him. “But you distract me.”
Fire rips along my ass with no warning and I jump. “What the fuck!”
“You left me to die.”
“You said you forgave me!”
He slaps my ass again, and I struggle wildly, but he’s holding me in place effortlessly with one hand.
“I forgive you for your actions toward me, although I will not forget how it felt to be so helpless and watch you walk away.”
Slap
“Ow!”
“But time and time again, your determination to flee has risked your own safety,” he says over my cursing. “Never again will you run from me.”
Slap
I buck, rage filling every inch of my body. “I’ll kill you for this.”
Slap
“This does not sound like you are remorseful, mate.”
“Fuck you!”
Slap
“Ahhh!”
My ass is burning. His hand is so large that he manages to hit an entire cheek with each slap. He catches the spot between my butt and thigh, and I howl, wishing with everything in me that I still had my gun.
Slap
“Stopppppp!” I beg, and he does, only long enough to slip his hand back underneath me, where he fingers my wetness. I burn with shame at the sloshing sound as he hums with pleasure. I’m soaked.
“It pleases me that you enjoy your punishment, mate.”
“I don’t enjoy it, asshole!”
Slap
He strokes my clit and laughs as I moan, and I’m more confused than I’ve ever been. My ass feels like he has set it on fire, but my nipples are so hard they feel like they could cut through the bed, and every part of me is desperate to come.
Slap
I yelp, frustrated tears leaking from my eyes. “Stoppp. Please!”
He ignores that, and I let out a sob as his hand meets my ass again, and groan as he again fingers my clit.
Slap
This time he has removed his hand, and I moan at the feel of his large hand smacking my skin.
“Again?”
I’m silent, and yet I can feel him grin behind me as he slaps my ass again.
I lift up into it, silently asking for more, and he complies.
Slap
He circles my clit, and everything in me clenches as his hand rains down on my ass.
“Holy shit,” I groan as I come, hands clenching as I grind into his hand.
Varian flips me over, and I stare up into his face, blinking away tears. Daring a glance down, I gulp. His very erect penis is larger than any human man’s. The Arcav seem to have very little hair and it juts out from scarce black pubic hair, heavy balls hanging between his huge, powerful thighs.
I’ve just orgasmed, and yet the sight of him reignites the lust in my belly.
“Tell me you want me.”
I sigh, exhausted. We both know that any other answer would be a lie.
“I want you.”
Satisfaction shines in those otherworldly eyes, and he leans over me. With one thrust, he’s inside me, and he freezes as I wince at his size. His mouth finds my nipple while his hand slips down to my clit, exploring with feather-light strokes. I gasp , and he slides deeper, until he’s pressing against my cervix and I yelp as I push against his chest.
“Shhh,” he says. “This is happening, little mate.”
He pulls back and thrusts forward again, lifting my legs around him until he’s grinding against my clit with every stroke. I feel my eyes roll up into my head and groan, distantly hearing his low chuckle.
My sex is squeezing him, and for a moment my whole body trembles before the biggest orgasm of my life washes over me. He doesn’t stop, but instead thrusts harder, and I pant as somehow, inexplicably, I’m hit with another orgasm.
He wrings two more orgasms out of my body before he groans, body shaking as he stares down at me, triumph written all over his face.
Chapter 18
Harlow
I’m staring into space when Varian stirs behind me the next morning. He held me to him as if I was a teddy bear all night, pulling me close and stroking my hair each time I woke.
I’m not used to sleeping with a man, and I’m tired and cranky. At one stage, I began to inch away from Varian, wondering if I could make a last-ditch escape attempt.
“Do I need to tie you to me, mate?” he’d asked, pulling me closer, his thick cock hard against my butt.
I’d ignored him and eventually fallen into an exhausted sleep.
Muscles deep within me ache, and I blush as I think about why. Varian was right about one thing: Sex with him has likely ruined me for all other men.
I push my hair back from my face and freeze as my wrist glints at me. The bands on my wrists have changed from a dark black to a blinding silver- matching Varian’s exactly. I can feel them humming, almost contentedly, and I frown, only to feel Varian’s eyes on me, pleasure glinting within them. It’s his emotions I’m feeling, I realize, and grit my teeth. He narrows his eyes, obviously feeling my own irritation, and that irritation quickly begins building into anger.
It’s not enough to have weird matching tattoos- now I have to feel his emotions as well?
He shifts suddenly, rolling me onto my back, and stares down at me.
“Why are you unhappy?”
I roll my eyes. The guy constantly asks me this, and the answer is the same each time. I open my mouth and he frowns down at me warningly.
“Do not say because of me. Your emotions darkened suddenly. I want to know why.”
“Because of exactly that! I don’t want you to be able to feel my every emotion. This mating stuff is bad enough already.”
His nostrils flare at my declaration, but he chooses to ignore it.
“Those feelings are normal for all mated couples. I’m told the effect begins to dampen with time, and will only be noticeable we concentrate on each other.”
“Whoopee.”
“If I’d paid more attention to the mating bands, I would’ve sensed each time you were being untruthful. Now it will be easy to know.”
I send Varian a dark look at the satisfaction in his voice. Feeling what he is feeling is incredibly invasive.
He leans down, nibbling his way along my neck. I arch in spite of myself, immediately dampening. Jeez, my body has no chill when he touches me.
He lifts my t-shirt, pushes my bra to the side, and scrapes his teeth along my breasts. His mouth makes my mind blank, and I’m holding his horns, pulling him closer when a knock sounds on the door.
I yelp and push him away, ignoring the displeased look on his face. He glares at the door, turns his head back to me, ignoring it, and leans his head down again.
“Uh, Your Majesty?”
The knock sounds again, and I pull my t-shirt down, pushing ag
ainst Varian’s chest. He heaves a sigh and rolls off the bed, strolling naked to the door.
“Varian!” I let out a strangled sound as he turns to face me, dick bobbing all over the place.
He raises an eyebrow.
“Pants!”
He sighs and pulls on a robe, and I get out of bed, still wearing the t-shirt and shorts from last night. I duck into the bathroom as he opens the door, and I’m washing my hands when I hear Varian in deep conversation with another male. I fumble for the button to turn off the tap, then press my ear against the door, hoping to hear something interesting.
Unfortunately, their voices are too low to hear, and I give up, opening the door.
I meet Jaret’s eyes, and we sneer at each other while Varian looks on, amused. I know he’s amused, because I can feel it vibrating through the stupid bands, and I want nothing more than to rip them off.
I was weak last night, I realize. Before we’d had sex, the bands were an embarrassing irritant. Now, they’re a gleaming silver sign that I’ve done the dirty with the Arcav King, and worse, a sure-fire way to kill any chances of escape since he can sense my deception. My shoulders slump. Will I always be able to feel Varian’s emotions, even if I escape?
Varian frowns, and I know he can feel my rollercoaster of emotions. I bare my teeth at both men, reaching for my backpack so I can find some clothes.
Varian eyes me. “Clothing will be delivered soon. You need to wear something appropriate for your coronation.”
I nod and head back into the bathroom. I’m not sure how to operate the shower-like box, so I wave my hands around the tap of the bath until it turns on.
I’m relaxing in the warm water when I feel Varian looming over me. I open one eye and blush as Varian’s hot eyes scan my body.
“What?” I snap.
He begins to strip, and I sigh. Obviously bath time is now a joint activity. He slides in beside me and immediately reaches for me. I put up a token resistance but allow him to pull me onto my lap where he immediately pours a sweet-smelling shampoo into my hair and begins lathering it.
