by Ivy Barrett
She froze for an instant, then reached for his wrist, but his touch was so gentle, the caress coaxing rather than demanding. She sighed and drew her leg up even higher, giving him more room between her thighs. The horrific memories were still so clear. She wanted something to drive them away, to make her feel desired and adored rather than degraded. Violated.
Instead of pulling his hand away, she slid hers up onto his chest, thrilled by the strength so obvious in his body. He was still dressed, which frustrated her, but she also found it comforting. He’d been trying to keep his promise not to touch her. She was the one draped across him. And the need was only getting worse. She wanted to run her hands all over his naked body, to feel all those muscles covered by nothing but skin.
Suddenly he rolled up onto his side and moved her leg to his waist. “Look at me.” The directive snapped with authority, yet there was plenty of warmth in his tone.
She slowly met his gaze, dreading his refusal. Would he chastise her for being so shameless? He’s the one who crawled into bed with her.
“Are you awake enough to understand what’s happening?”
Nervously licking her lips, she tried not to sound like a frightened schoolgirl flirting with her first crush. “I’m naked in your arms and you were about to touch me.”
“Who am I?”
She searched his strange Ventori eyes. Even in the dimness of the moonlit bedroom, the green lines gleamed. “You’re Chancellor Savator and I’m losing interest fast.”
He chuckled. “Is that so?” He pushed her over onto her back.
She gasped and instinctively raised her free arm above her head. There was something about him that made the action seem appropriate. Her other arm was trapped between their bodies. She didn’t even try to yank it free.
His warm palm settled over her breast as he propped himself up with his elbow. He stared into her eyes, his gaze hot and penetrating. “My name is Bronsen. Say ‘touch me, Bron. Please make me come.’”
She’d never been much of a talker in bed. Still his imperious expression made it hard to refuse. That and the persistent ache between her thighs. “Please touch me, Bron. I really need to come.”
“Open your legs. If you want my fingers inside you, offer me your pussy.”
That wasn’t all she wanted inside her, but they’d start with this. Slowly, hardly believing her own boldness, she bent her knees, then let her legs fall open, offering him her pussy.
He slid his hand down her body and covered her mound. “We’ll have to do something about this.” He lightly tugged on her pubic hair. She kept it trimmed, but apparently that wasn’t good enough. “LeAuntiez and I both prefer a bare pussy.”
His casual words revealed several things at once. She tensed as she sorted through the implications. Bron and LeAuntiez had shared women before. That wasn’t surprising. That’s how it worked with all the Ventori pods. But it also reminded her that they’d be sharing her. She wouldn’t have to choose between them. She could have them both—likely at the same time. A violent shiver passed along her spine and he pulled his hand away from her sex.
“Look at me, Kyla. Keep your eyes open so you know who’s touching you.”
He’d misinterpreted her shiver, but she didn’t correct him. She was a little afraid the memories would intrude and looking at him seemed like a good idea.
His gaze narrowed, searching hers then slowly moving over her face. “Maybe we should wait until you’ve—”
She took his face between her hands and pulled his head down to hers. “I need this,” she whispered as her mouth found his. For just a moment he allowed her to explore, then he took control of the kiss. His lips rubbed against hers as he repositioned, searching for the best angle. When he finally found what he was looking for, his mouth sealed over hers and his tongue pushed between her lips, spreading his taste all through her mouth.
Groaning deep in her throat, she slid her tongue over his, intensifying his spicy/sweet flavor. Her nipples beaded and her core clenched so tightly it made her groan. God above, she needed his cock buried deep inside her. It usually took her forever to warm up. Many of her lovers had just given up. One kiss and she was on fire for him, needy and ready for anything.
He didn’t stop kissing her, but his hand returned to her sex. She pushed up against his warm fingers, wild with desire. His fingers slowly pushed into her aching core, but the fullness was insufficient to assuage her demanding need. She rocked her hips, driving his fingers deeper as she squeezed him with her inner muscles.
Lifting his head, he looked into her eyes, watching for something she didn’t quite understand. He slid his fingers in and out, his thumb brushing over her clit with each pass. She came with a sharp cry, but the need only escalated.
“More,” she cried. “I need you, all of you.” He sped the movements of his hand, fucking her hard with his fingers. “Please. I need your cock. I need it bad!”
He crawled between her thighs, but instead of freeing his cock, he slid down and covered her slit with his mouth. She came again with the first pass of his tongue and the urgency ebbed just a little. Then he draped her legs over his shoulders and devoured her pussy. There was no other word for it. He licked and sucked and fucked her with his tongue, then sucked on her clit while he fucked her with his fingers. She came over and over; each time the calmness lasted a bit longer.
His fingers slid in and out, more of a caress than a penetration. He lifted his head and met her gaze as he licked her juices off his lips. “Need more?” He grinned. “I’m happy to oblige.”
She shook her head, too worn out to speak. He used his thumb to trigger one last orgasm, then slowly removed his fingers. He crawled out from between her thighs and spread out on his side as he’d been before.
“What just happened?” she whispered. “I’ve never felt like that before.”
He couldn’t seem to stop touching her. His hand skimmed across her belly and onto her breasts, caressing one and then the other. “We’re damn close to a perfect match. It’s going to be intense.”
She licked her lips, feeling strangely shy even though he’d spent the better part of an hour with his mouth on her pussy. “Why wouldn’t you… give me what I begged you for?”
He chuckled, teasing her nipple with his thumb. “Because you didn’t know what you were saying. I’m not going to fuck you, really fuck you, until you’re ready.”
“And you get to decide when that is?”
“I do.” He bent and kissed her, sharing the taste of her pleasure, reminding her how well he’d managed her need. “Your body belongs to me now. Well, me and LeAuntiez. Savator pod has chosen you as their mate. We will fight to the death anyone or anything that tries to take you away from us.”
She stilled, excited by the idea, yet intimidated too. Unlike Erin, Kyla had accepted that she’d be claimed by a Ventori pod. She’d actually been excited about the courtship. Life as it had been before the Skarilians was gone and nothing could bring it back. But the Ventori offered commitment and stability, family and community. Those things had always been important to Kyla. She was ready to mate with a Ventori pod. She just hadn’t guessed that the pod would consist of the two most powerful males in the entire Protectorate.
“Does that include me? Am I stuck with you regardless of how I feel?” Mostly she was just teasing him, but she watched his reaction carefully.
“You didn’t seem to mind being ‘stuck with’ me a few minutes ago.”
“You’re very good at that and your pheromones were making me crazy, so don’t let it go to your head.” Her feisty words clearly surprised him. He looked as if he couldn’t decide whether to smile or swat her ass. Secretly, she hoped he’d do the latter. She found the idea of being spanked incredibly arousing. “What if I don’t want to mate with you and LeAuntiez?” She suspected that wouldn’t be a problem, but she was drunk on endorphins at the moment. She might feel differently tomorrow.
“Then you reject our claim.” His voice sounded tig
ht and disapproving. “I know Erin doesn’t believe me, but nothing will be forced on you.”
She already knew that was true. She’d literally begged him to fuck her and he’d still held back, knowing she wasn’t ready. And LeAuntiez had been even more protective, swooping in like an avenging angel. “How long do I get to decide?”
“Thirty days. If you reject us, each subsequent pod will have thirty days to court you.”
She sat up and found her blanket, pulling it up to cover her breasts. “Do I have to sleep with all of them?”
His gaze narrowed. “We’ve barely begun to court you. Are you dissatisfied already?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m just trying to understand the process.”
He sighed, but explained, “I presume you mean fucking, not sleeping, and the answer is no. You don’t have to do anything with any of us unless it’s what you want.”
His behavior confirmed his claim. She controlled how far things went. At least, until she lost control and begged him for things she barely had the nerve to dream about.
“How many pods matched me?”
“They all did, but only eleven scored high enough to trigger rut.” He was using his chancellor voice now. All warmth and tenderness was gone. He was stating facts. “Our score was higher than the rest. As I said, we’re less than a percentage point off perfect.”
Time to stop torturing him. “Which is why I enjoyed that so much?” She glanced at him and smiled as a hot blush spread up her neck. “I’m still tingling, by the way.”
“You enjoyed it because I’m damn good at it. Would you like another demonstration?”
He grinned and she smiled back, though they both knew he’d meant every word. “Maybe later.”
The tension in his features eased and his voice softened. “Can you go back to sleep? I have some transfers needing my attention.”
“I’m pretty sure I can, but I have one last question.”
“Is it about another male?” He narrowed his gaze in a playful glower.
“Does LeAuntiez count?”
“I’m even better at eating pussy than LeAuntiez.”
Her blush darkened even more. “Good to know, but that wasn’t my question.”
He ran the back of his fingers down the side of her face. “What did you want to know?”
“Did LeAuntiez do something to me? Did he put me to sleep?”
“LeAuntiez is a pureblood Celestian. They are extremely powerful beings. But you don’t need to fear him. He would never do anything to harm you.”
“Is that a roundabout way of saying yes?” She hadn’t been afraid of him when he flew her across the night sky, but mind control was terrifying. Could he make anyone do anything?
“He knew you were overwhelmed and desperately needed rest, so he put you to sleep.”
“With his voice.” She wasn’t really asking, just clarifying the situation in her mind. “He rendered me unconscious with nothing but the sound of his voice.”
Bron pulled her into his arms and kissed her with such aching tenderness that her anxiety melted away. “I’ll be just downstairs if you need anything.” He eased her down onto the bed, then quietly slipped from the room.
* * *
The following morning, Kyla woke up alone in the bed. She stretched out her arm, hoping to feel Bron’s bare chest. Instead she found empty space.
“Bron had a meeting that couldn’t be delayed. He sends his regards,” LeAuntiez told her from somewhere in the room.
Steeling herself against the power of his appeal, she slowly opened her eyes. He lounged in an upholstered armchair across from the bed. He’d stretched his long legs out in front of him and crossed them at the ankle. The chair was tall-backed and oversized. He still managed to make it look small. He’d pulled his golden hair back and bound it at the nape of his neck, which only drew attention to his angular features and vivid blue eyes. The man really was too damn handsome. Looks like his should come with a warning label, Dangerous for female peace of mind.
She sat up, forgetting that she was naked until the blanket slid to her waist. She reached for it, but he said, “Don’t. I want to look at you.”
“You saw me yesterday.” Despite her objection, she placed her hands on her lap and left the blanket bunched around her hips.
His gaze moved boldly over her body, the blue of his eyes appearing to deepen. “I was too worried about you last night to enjoy the view, but I admit I’ve been remembering ever since.”
Her lips felt dry, so she licked them and immediately his gaze shifted back to her mouth. “Am I allowed to know where you went?”
“Of course.” He seemed genuinely surprised by her question. “I thought I had a lead on Zapt, but it led nowhere.”
“Who is Zapt?” Was that the mystery backer who’d been enabling the two rogue doctors? She’d heard rumors that someone on the high command had been helping them. She’d just never heard the name.
“Zapt is a dead man.” LeAuntiez’s voice was rough and growly. “Or he will be as soon as I catch him. He’s the former minister who has been locating and selling compatible females,” he confirmed her supposition. “Come here. I don’t want to waste our time on talk of useless traitors.”
He expected her to get out of bed and walk across the room buck naked? Was this where the obeying without question started? “You don’t happen to have a robe on you or a clean uniform?” That wasn’t really a question, more like a suggestion.
“You’re my mate,” he said firmly. “I want to look at you.” When she still hesitated, he arched his brows. “Were you this shy last night with Bron?”
She gasped and covered her breasts with her arms. “He told you about that?”
“He didn’t have to.” A lazy smile curved his lips. “I could smell you on him.”
She shuddered. “Don’t the Ventori brush their teeth? Talk about morning breath.”
“Mouthwash didn’t help. He’d ingested too much of you.”
“That makes him sound like a vampire,” she muttered. But LeAuntiez wasn’t talking about blood. He was talking about her wetness, natural lubrication. Bron had lapped at her pussy like a cat devours cream. “Can everyone smell it?”
“Likely.” His gaze narrowed and he quirked his finger at her. “Stop stalling. I won’t ask again.”
For just a moment, she thought about defying him. If she wanted to find out how a spanking felt, here was her opportunity. She cleared her throat and met his gaze, but inside she was shaking. “I don’t want to.”
His eyes narrowed and his brows drew together over his nose. “Defiance is a punishable offense. Bron wouldn’t have warned you. I’m only making an exception because of what you suffered last night. Now drop the blanket and get over here.”
“I think it’s ridiculous that—” That’s as far as she got. He bolted across the room and dragged her off the bed, then sat on the edge and positioned her face down over his lap. “You were warned about your attitude.” His open palm smacked down across her ass.
Kyla gasped. It hurt much more than she’d expected.
“You knowingly defied me.”
He spanked the other side even harder and an alarmed cry squeaked out of her. “That hurts,” she yelled. “That really hurts!”
Four more swats followed in quick succession. By the time he paused, her entire bottom throbbed with heat and discomfort. “This is punishment, Kyla. If it didn’t hurt, what good would it do?”
He spanked her again and again, rubbing her skin in between the firm swats. Heat spread across her bottom and sank deep into her abdomen. Soon her core was throbbing in time with her reddened behind. He must have smelled her arousal or anticipated it. As soon as he’d delivered the last swat, he slipped his hand between her legs and pushed two fingers into her pussy.
“Now you’re going to come all over my fingers while I finish your discipline.”
“Finish?” She twisted around and looked at him, but he was watching his finger
s disappear into her core.
And then the stinging swats started all over again. He reached across her body to spank her now so each swat landed at a different angle than before. Kyla had never been so confused. Shame and anger twisted through her, yet she was still on the verge of orgasm.
“I said come.” He slapped her butt really hard and sure enough her body obeyed. Hard, pulsing spasms tightened her inner muscles, squeezing his fingers like a vise. She moaned and shuddered, then moaned again. How the hell had he done that? He’d never even touched her clit.
He stopped spanking her, but didn’t stop touching her. He pulled his fingers out of her core and ran his hand down the back of her thigh. “Your skin is so soft. In fact all of you is delightfully soft.” He reached beneath her and lightly squeezed her breast.
It was mesmerizing the way he was fiercely commanding one minute then gentle the next. “I promised Bron I’d wait. We want to fuck you for the first time together.”
She reared up and tried to twist off his lap, but he easily wrestled her back into position. “I’ve never done double. In fact, I’ve only had one small toy back there.”
“Judging from how easily you blush, I’m surprised you’ve experimented with anal pleasures at all.” His fingers, still slick with her juices, circled the opening they were discussing. She wiggled and squirmed, but it made no difference. His long middle finger pushed inward until her reluctant body allowed him through.
She gasped, unable to stop him and no longer sure she wanted to.
“Very soon it will be my cock sliding in and out, so you might as well get used to the sensations.”
His other hand pressed against her back, holding her down over his legs. Her butt had to be bright red and now he was finger-fucking her ass. Was this what it meant to be the mate of a Ventori? Would one or the other of them be fucking her night and day? Her pussy quivered at the thought and LeAuntiez sped the motion of his hand.
“That’s right, love. Let go. Your pleasure belongs to me now and I want you to come.”
