Tamed for Their Use

by Ivy Barrett

  Her ivory skin was soon crisscrossed with vivid red welts. This was no attempt to electrify her senses. It was clearly meant to cause only pain. After another full rotation, Oreal held up his hand. “Turn over, April. I want you on your hands and knees.”

  Sobbing softly, the female twisted around and positioned herself as he’d indicated. One of his podmates handed Oreal a tube of lubricant. He smeared it all over his toy, then the helper parted her ass cheeks and Oreal prepared her small back entrance.

  “Please,” she sobbed. “I’m sorry. I really am sorry.”

  Oreal was unmoved by her pleading. “You said that last night too.” Then he pushed his artificial cock into her ass and proceeded to fuck her in slow, deep thrusts.

  Dentar moved up beside him and used his toy to punish her pussy. “You will never divide us. Any attempt will only bring humiliation and pain.”

  As if to prove his point, one of the other podmates shoved his fake cock into her mouth while the other two flogged her dangling breasts and writhing body.

  She cried out around the implement in her mouth while the other two shuttled in and out of her other holes. Her back arched and her cries changed to moans.

  “Don’t you dare come!” Oreal shouted. “You do not have permission to come.”

  April was loving this. The harsher they treated her, the wilder she became. Sintar looked at Nikki. Did she understand the difference in the other woman’s cries? Jessica had her arm wrapped around Nikki’s shoulders. Their heads were close together, likely so Nikki could hear whatever Jessica was saying.

  April cried out helplessly, obviously coming in violent shudders.

  Oreal shook his head with a throaty chuckle and withdrew his toy from her ass. “Have you learned your lesson?”

  “Yes, Sir,” she said as soon as her mouth was free.

  “You’ll still be punished for coming, but this concludes your discipline for what you did this afternoon.”

  “I understand, Sir. And thank you, Sir. That was… invigorating.”

  Half the defenders laughed while the other half shook their heads. Wintua pod only had thirty days to tame their mate. If they failed to reform her behavior, she would be awarded to one of her other genetic matches. This was not some amusing game.

  The crowd started to disperse when someone screamed in the distance. Sintar spun toward the sound and a large projectile crashed through one of the large windows on the perimeter wall of the auditorium.

  He grabbed Nikki and hurried her away from the widows, shielding her with his body. Two more projectiles followed in quick succession, confirming Sintar’s fear that it was an intentional attack, not some bizarre accident. “Get her out of here!”

  Tarlon threw his arm around Nikki as they ran from the common room. Sintar pulled his pulse pistol and charged back across the room. He and two other defenders quickly toppled a table and crouched behind it. Other defenders quickly followed their lead.

  Loax darted across the room and dove for cover beside Sintar. “Those ships are Ventori,” he reported. “What the fuck is going on?”

  “Apparently the rebellion is more widespread than Savator knows.” He fired at the threatening ships, but his pulses fizzled out long before reaching their targets. “We need bigger guns.”

  Understanding unfurled within Loax’s gaze at the same moment Sintar realized what must be done. “Are there any ships in front of the school?”

  “Only three, sir, but one of them is mine!”

  “I’m right behind you,” Sintar assured.

  Rook Fortar beat them to the shuttle lot by a minute or two. His shuttle was lifting off as they arrived. Loax ran toward the newer-looking shuttle, which left the stinger for Sintar. The ship was older than Loax’s, but it had bigger guns.

  Sintar activated the hatch and input his security code to bypass the owner’s hibernation order. The ship came alive with a pleasing rumble. His code, which was reserved for emergencies, also bypassed all pre-flight checks so he lifted off immediately.

  Rook had engaged the largest of the rebel ships by the time Sintar reached the back of the school. Typical Rook behavior. The male loved a good fight.

  Sintar started firing, pelting the remaining ships with a shower of plasma blasts. They countered his attack, but his shields easily absorbed their shots.

  Loax arrived a moment later and their combined efforts quickly turned the tide. The rebel ships, five in all, turned as one and retreated into the night. The attack ended as suddenly as it had begun. The rebels had had a greater number, but his team had newer ships. Even in his head, the justification for their easy win didn’t quite ring true.

  “That was way too easy,” Loax said over general comms.

  “That wasn’t an offensive,” Rook responded. “That was a warning.”

  Unfortunately, Sintar agreed.

  * * *

  Two hours later Nikki asked if she could walk back to their house. The broken windows had been boarded up and the debris cleared from the auditorium. Miraculously, no one had been harmed by the attack. The rebel ships were long gone and she really needed some fresh air. Sintar reluctantly allowed it, but insisted on accompanying her. She didn’t mind the company, was still a little rattled after the attack. Still, she knew he’d want to talk and her reaction to everything that had happened was so conflicted she wasn’t sure she could explain.

  “Are you all right?” He reached over and took her hand, the gesture surprisingly tender.

  She tensed, not sure how to deal with him when he was like this. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy his gentler side. She just never knew when he was going to shift gears and become the indomitable ‘master’ again.

  He squeezed her hand and she realized she hadn’t answered. “I’m fine. No one was hurt.”

  “I know you weren’t harmed physically, but did this bring back memories?”

  She shuddered, then took a deep breath and rose above her fear. The percussive booms and terrified screams. Yeah, it had all been a little too familiar. But she wasn’t curled up in the fetal position under a table somewhere, so she supposed that was a win.

  “I thought we were safe here,” she said quietly. “That no one could reach us because of the destruction all around the compound.”

  “We are safe, sweetheart.” To her surprise, he slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her a little closer to his side. “That was just some rebels blowing off steam. You said it yourself. They weren’t trying to hurt anyone.”

  “But why target us? We’ve done nothing to anyone.” She shook her head. Just like the Skarilians, the rebels had attacked without provocation.

  “Not all of my people are happy about the recent change of direction the high command has taken. The rebels believe we should pursue the Skarilians until we’ve managed to kill them all.”

  “Is that even possible? They had so many ships it darkened the sky. It was like a swarm of locusts.”

  He was silent for a long time, likely debating how much to tell her. “We were instrumental in driving the Skarilians away from Earth and we will defend this planet if they return. However, the amount of damage they had already done played a pivotal role in their leaving.”

  “In other words you’re not quite the valiant protectors most humans like to pretend. The Skarilians had made their point and chose to move on to less troublesome battles?”

  He offered her a rare smile. “You didn’t hear it from me.”

  His honesty pleased her. It would have been easier to offer superficial assurances and to convince her that the danger had past. Instead, he treated her like an intelligent adult, capable of understanding a nuanced situation. “Have the rebels attacked other locations or was this their debut?”

  “I guess you could call this their debut.” He started to say something more, then stopped. “How much has Tarlon explained about his mission?”

  “He only said that they’re trying to figure out if Narrn discovered the link between Rh factor and
compatibility or if he created it. But I heard him mention a traitor when he updated you. How far does this thing go up the chain of command?”

  He glanced at her, then admitted, “We’re relatively sure the rebel leader is on the high command.”

  “Damn. That’s not good.”

  “No, it’s not, which is why we’re trying to use Narrn to identify his superior. The faster we identify the traitor, the sooner we can shut down his network of supporters.”

  “And what happens to Narrn?” She did not want him to wiggle off the hook just because he had important information.

  “He’ll be interrogated once he’s served his purpose. And thanks to you and Tarlon, that shouldn’t be too much longer.”

  They reached the edge of the overgrown athletics field and headed down the street toward their house.

  “Did something specific trigger the attack tonight or did the rebellion just reach the boiling point?” He was being unusually informative and she wanted to know as much as he was willing to share.

  “They could have been angered by Gat Stomptin’s death. He was the first officer on the Lestrra. I’m pretty sure you met him.”

  She’d heard through the grapevine that Jessica had killed him, but no one seemed to know why. “Gat was messed up with this rebellion?” She shook her head, dumbfounded by the news. “He was so nice, so helpful while we were onboard that ship.”

  “He was definitely a rebel, but it’s a long involved story. Jessica can fill you in.” He raised his free hand to the back of his neck. “I’ve had my fill of political intrigue for one night.”

  They reached their front yard and Nikki stopped walking. “Can I ask you a few questions about what happened before the attack?” She glanced into the distance then back into his eyes. He looked particularly Ventori by moonlight. The deep shadows accented the sharp angles of his face and made the blue marbling in his dark eyes gleam.

  “You can ask me anything, Nichole. Please don’t fear me.” It was as close to pleading as he would ever come, and it revealed how badly he wanted to please her.

  “I’m not afraid of you. I just don’t know you well enough to anticipate your reactions.”

  “The only cure for that is to spend more time with me.” He looked a little too pleased with that conclusion.

  “I’m aware.” After a short pause, she said, “About tonight, was I imagining it, or did April get off on what they were doing?”

  Sintar chuckled. “Oh, she was absolutely enjoying herself. You know her, don’t you? Was she one of the females kidnapped by the cartel?”

  “She was, but I didn’t really know her. The skin workers formed a little clique and couldn’t be bothered with us mere mortals.”

  “Thus the milk and cookies reception?”

  She just shook her head. “It was a private joke between Amanda, Jessica, and me. Most of the skin workers didn’t even realize we were making fun of them.”

  “‘Skin workers’? Oh, they were pleasure givers even before the Skarilians.”

  “I think April was a stripper. Most of them don’t have sex with their customers. They just take off their clothes and dance around.”

  He studied her for a moment, silently assessing something she didn’t understand. “Does it bother you that she found pleasure in her punishment?”

  “No. I just wondered how they’ll ever… What sort of discipline works when the female is turned on by pain.”

  He lightly stroked the side of her face with the backs of his knuckles. “You’re turned on by pain, just not to the same degree as April.”

  It was true, but that was beside the point. “You didn’t answer my question. What will they try next if her behavior doesn’t improve?”

  “Their shortcoming was not in strategy, but in execution. They were attempting to stimulate her body without allowing her to come. Her punishment was not the pain or penetration, but being denied pleasure. Obviously, they failed.”

  “What would you have done differently?” It was a wicked question, one that encouraged him to be wicked in return.

  “Why? Are you thinking about trying to turn Tarlon against me?”

  “As if I could.” She waved away the possibility and nervously licked her lips. “That was obvious from the first time you touched me together. I’m just curious.”

  “One of them should have watched her without participating so he could warn the others when she was about to orgasm.” He moved closer, placing his hands on her hips and leaning down so his voice teased her ear. “If I punished you like that, I’d slip my fingers deep into your pussy while Tarlon flogged you. I’d use a vibrator on your clit over and over, but those fingers deep inside would warn me whenever your orgasm neared. It would take hours before we finally let you come.”

  She shivered, refusing to consider that she was turned on by any of this. “Good thing I’m not plotting against you.” She swallowed awkwardly and hurried into the house, Sintar’s sensual laugher echoing in her ears.

  Chapter Nine

  Sintar stood in the middle of the living room with his hands locked behind his back, Tarlon at his side. It had been too chaotic at the school to update Chancellor Savator. His time had been better spent delegating tasks and reassuring everyone that the attack had not been serious. Now it was time for the head of the Protectorate to hear those same assurances.

  Tarlon grabbed Sintar’s wrist as he reached for the control band implanted in his forearm. “It’s just you and me, Sin. How serious was this attack?”

  Sintar looked into his brother’s eyes. “They won’t stop with a warning next time. We’ve got to shut this thing down.”

  “That’s what I thought.” He resumed his nonchalance, signaling his readiness for the holocom.

  Sintar shifted his gaze to the staircase and the hallway partially visible above. “Are you sure she went into our bedroom and not the guestroom again?”

  “I saw where she went. She’s in our room, likely in our bed by now.” Tarlon looked toward the stairs too and his gaze began to smolder. “Make this quick, please.”

  In full agreement with that request, Sintar activated his control band and selected an encrypted transmission, person to person with Bronsen Savator. The chancellor responded almost immediately to the ping.

  “It’s about time. What the hells happened?”

  Sintar wasn’t surprised the chancellor already knew about the attack. He had spies everywhere and they kept him remarkably well informed. It was more surprising that the attack had been arranged without anyone warning the chancellor. Obviously, the rebel leader’s power was growing.

  “Six rebel ships, a ragtag lot I assure you, shot out some windows at our complex. We easily ran them off and—”

  “Cut the bullshit, Sintar. No one was hurt because they weren’t trying to hurt anyone. You might not be so lucky next time. I’d planned to move the rest of the females to Camp Accord at the end of the week. Now I’m not so sure.”

  “I’ll support your decision, as always, but I think you should reconsider.” He raised his chin and looked the chancellor in the eyes. “They caught me with my pants down, sir. I underestimated the rebellion, but it won’t happen again. I’ve already scheduled sky patrols and increased the perimeter sweeps.”

  Savator nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Those females are our most precious resource. Each one must be protected.”

  “I understand and agree. They will be safe here, sir. I’ll make sure of it.”

  The chancellor sighed. “I need to sleep on it, and run the options by LeAuntiez.”

  “Of course, sir.” Everyone knew Savator depended on the Celestian, trusted him like no other. Still, it seemed odd that Savator would seek his approval before making a decision.

  “I’ll let you know what I decide.” And he ended the transmission.

  “Ouch,” Tarlon whispered. “That was brutal.”

  “Nothing I didn’t expect.” He shook his head. “I should have seen this coming. There were all
sorts of warning signs.”

  “Such as?”

  Tarlon sounded so incredulous that Sintar paused and looked at him. “Such as…” He searched his mind and couldn’t come up with a single example.

  “This was an utter blindside, bro.” Tarlon slapped him on the back. “Anyone, even the almighty LeAuntiez wouldn’t have seen this coming.”

  Sintar fought back a smile, but he was relieved by Tarlon’s attitude.

  “What did you two talk about on the walk home? Our little mate looked good and flustered when she rushed in here.”

  “She was intrigued by the demonstration and wanted to understand the dynamics of what went on.”

  Tarlon chuckled. “Did she now? For someone who is opposed to discipline, she sure thinks about it a lot.”

  “I noticed.” Sintar grew intensely serious as he remembered the fear in her eyes. “But this isn’t the night to explore her fascination. She needs comfort. The attack shook her more than she’s letting on.”

  “That’s understandable and I agree. We need to make her feel safe, anyway we can.”

  Suddenly Sintar grinned. “I still need to fuck her before you can actively participate.”

  Tarlon scoffed. “Define participation. I just can’t come inside her until after you do. That doesn’t mean I can’t touch her and taste her and all sorts of other things.”

  Without further conversation they raced up the stairs, only slowing their pace as they neared the master bedroom.

  * * *

  Nikki sat in the middle of the bed naked and trembling with anticipation. She was tired of fighting them, and tired of fighting herself. Their attraction wasn’t rational. It was metaphysical. She might never understand it, but all she had to do was accept it and a future full of wonderful possibilities would open for all three of them. Their problems wouldn’t simply vanish. They still had serious challenges yet to face, but any challenge would be easier to face together.

  She heard them stampede down the hallway and smiled, thrilled by their obvious excitement. But suddenly their footfalls slowed and she listened closely, wondering what had caused the change. The door opened a moment later and Sintar entered first. His eyes widened and he sucked in a breath. Tarlon slipped in after his older brother and had much the same reaction to her nudity.