Once he removed it, having left her pussy a quivering, clenching void of need, he held the probe up and eyed the display on the handle. A slow grin lit his face and he said something aloud, turning to her with an expression that made clear the results greatly pleased him.
“Evidently, I’ve passed,” she snapped, irritated from being left on the brink of orgasm again. “Or perhaps it’s a fail, depending on your perspective.”
He laughed, as if he understood. Setting the device aside, he eased her legs onto the bed and moved over her, covering her aroused body with his own as her took her in a possessive kiss.
“Maes eternium,” he growled, staring down at her, his words clearly enunciated as though it would help her understand.
“Bellow it from the mountain tops, big guy, but it won’t make a difference. I don’t understand what you’re saying,” she replied in frustration, both her body and mind on edge, needing resolution.
He hushed her, stroking the backs of his fingers along her cheek, then inverting his hand and threading his fingers into her hair. Holding her still as he eased back a bit, the movement allowed his cock to slide between her thighs.
Stunned, she blinked, realizing at some point he’d stripped off his loin cloth and she hadn’t noticed. As the hard length of him moved over her damp skin and nudged her aching clit, she sucked in a breath. His eyes blazed into hers as he lined up the large, smooth head with her entrance, then he stopped there, going no further, tilting his head at the same time. Was he waiting for her permission?
No, her mind demurred, decisively at odds with her body, which cried out for relief. She gave voice to the words instinctively. “Take me,” she breathed. “I’m so damn turned on I could scream.”
Still, he paused, his dark brows arched over shimmering eyes that stared unwaveringly into her own.
“Damn this communication gap,” she grumbled, nodding her head, at the same time, lifting her hips in what could only be a universal ‘fuck me’ sign.
His head dipped, and she caught a glimpse of his grin reemerging. His lips reclaimed hers with a hunger that surpassed the first kiss as he pressed into her. In one long, steady thrust, he filled her, the path made ready by his touch, his lips on her clit, and that damned vaginal probe. Or maybe it was his overpowering presence. She didn’t know why, nor did she care at the moment as she relaxed beneath him, opening to take the length and breadth of him, as much as he could give to her.
After a few firm thrusts, he sank in balls deep, and if she thought she’d been stretched to near bursting before, she was dead wrong. She longed for a name to call the man who had the ability to drive her body to the pinnacle of desire. For now, he was Him, and she wanted him, harder, and faster until she became a mindless puddle of goo on the sheets, insensate to the fact that she’d agreed to taking an unknown alien into her body.
And she loved every minute of it.
Her hands buried in the thickness of his silky hair, holding on tightly as he moved within her. Something in her brain clicked and on a quick intake of breath, she blinked up at him, caught off guard at being free. Staring up into his golden gaze, she tried to read the meaning behind her unexpected release, kindness, trust, or a simple confidence on his part that he could easily subdue her, but she lost track of her thoughts as he began moving over her, giving her what she needed, falling into the perfect rhythm, hitting all the best spots, his hand moving between her thighs and with his stroking thumb, setting up a cadence on her clit, too.
In minutes, he had her at the peak again, his mouth, hands and body driving her relentlessly over the edge. A long time in coming, her orgasm was powerful and very loud, her cries of ecstasy rising in the heavy air and surrounding them as he too shouted out and found his pleasure, exulting in the joy he’d found in her body, as much as she did his.
Chapter 3
The sounds of the camp stirring the next morning awakened him. He heard several low gruff voices outside his tent and opened his eyes to the dimness that lingered. Early yet, excitement filled him as he recalled the agenda for the day; after breaking camp, it would be time to go home.
A sigh and the shifting of a warm body at his side was a sensuous reminder of her presence and brought back pleasant memories of the evening before. His little captive had resisted at first, struggling with her conflicted feelings until she gradually succumbed to the mounting desire he had aroused within her. He’d struggled too, after seeing her overt response, the erect nipples, flushed skin, rapid breathing and the wetness that had inundated her tight channel. His need to claim her so intense, he’d had a hard time reining in his passion to accomplish what had to be done first. As he instinctively knew they would, the mating tests had deemed her a near perfect match for him and he’d breached her, making her irrevocably his.
Maes eternium. She would know those words soon enough.
Propping up on an elbow, he took in her lovely face, relaxed in sleep. Her wealth of fair hair lay like a frothy cloud around her restive features, the mix of golden colors fascinating him. Her beauty and fairness would draw attention.
His eyes trailed down her body, the curves prominent beneath the thin linen covering as much as the form-fitting attire she’d worn when he’d captured her. A uniform of sorts, the same worn by the other females in her group, as if they were soldiers. Such an idea seemed impossible, considering their diminutive stature, lack of strength, and inferior weaponry. Further, amongst them were nothing except females. Where were the males of her species? Did they not have protectors?
Perhaps, like Primaria, her world had been affected by natural disaster, or some sort of disease, or an attack that had wiped out their males and left them to fend for themselves. They had the technology to land on Ventorcopia, his peoples’ hunting planet, and carried all sorts of gadgetry with them that he yet had time to study, and still they had no apparent means of defending themselves.
For them, his world would require an adjustment. Women were not warriors; they did not go about without male protection, opening themselves up for capture. No, on Primaria, women were always under a man’s guidance and safekeeping, be it father, mate, or male guardian.
In their four-tiered social society, the warrior class — the ruling class — was made up of strong, powerful, dominant men. She would learn soon enough, bonded to the Maxime Princep, that he wielded great power indeed. Beneath the warriors were the merchants, also very capable men who brought necessary goods and services to the masses. Next in the hierarchy were the artisans and farmers, who created or produced necessary goods. Lastly, the dependent class of peasants provided the basic services, but relied upon others for their livelihood, safety, and their very survival.
Females took on the class of their male, and the privileges that came with it. No matter their class though, they were always subordinate to the males. Over the past few decades, following the Rain of Fire, when the asteroid storm had changed life as they knew it, many of the rules also changed. Women, who were the givers of life and necessary for the continuation of their race, had become scarce and laws were enacted for their protection. Abuse, which had always been uncommon, became an egregious crime and treated harshly — although this did not extend to domestic discipline. Acceptable punishments, however, were detailed in the new laws. Closed-fisted correction, or anything that would permanently injure a female, were strictly prohibited. Punishments were encouraged to include no more than an open hand applied to the posterior. For worse transgressions, a lash might be employed, or chemical chastisement that was non-harmful. There was no restriction on physical restraints, as long as injury was not sustained. For severe infractions, which were very rare occurrences, a mate might also petition the council for dispensation that would allow for a flogging, or the use of a whip.
Yes, she was in for quite a surprise, particularly in consideration of her reaction to the light swats he’d given her last night, mostly an attention-getter after she kicked him in the jaw. Probing the tender area beneath his b
eard gently, he winced. His feisty mate had surely left a bruise. In spite of this, he grinned. She was a firebrand, that was for certain, fighting with all her might to save herself from the inevitable. Under his care, she’d learn quickly enough that protection fell under his purview and that fighting would not be necessary — nor tolerated.
“Kerr,” Lothar called through the canvas door. “We’ll be ready to break camp within another cycle.”
“We’re awake, my friend, and will not cause a delay.” He heard him move away as the cuddly armful of woman stirred and stretched at his side. He would have liked to stay in bed and explore her body at his leisure, breeding her again and furthering their connection, but that would have to wait. Instead, he contented himself by watching her come awake.
Much to his frustration, the warmth in her eyes upon waking changed rapidly as she became aware of her surroundings, going from drowsy and slightly disoriented, to alert and wary in a matter of seconds. Before she had a chance to strategize another protest, he bent and took her lips in a thorough good morning kiss. Primarians weren’t shy about touching, whether giving affection with kisses, or discipline with a firm swat on the backside, in private or in public.
Something else she’d need to adjust to.
* * *
Eva barely had time to blink the sleep from her eyes and get her bearings before being kissed soundly, and hauled out of the bed, across the tent — bare as the day she was born — to a basin of water. His words weren’t clear, although his intent for her to bathe was. That he meant to watch was also made plain when he crossed his arms and stared down at her, waiting. Well, if he thought she’d put on a show for him, he had another think coming. She’d glared up at him, mirroring his crossed arms — which served the dual purpose of covering her bare breasts and peaked nipples from his perceptive gaze — and brazenly refused with a shake of her head. After that, he’d proceeded to take care of the task himself, despite her very vocal protests, while slapping at his hands, and squirming.
Subdued easily by his strength, especially his strong thighs, which, when seated on a bench clamped around her body holding her in place, and his broad hand that captured both wrists, he efficiently lathered a sponge and washed her from top to bottom, taking care to clean all of the intimate areas in between. He was discernibly in a hurry, but veered from his business-like manner for several long moments, becoming considerably more gentle, his voice dropping to a soothing rumbling burr as he ran his soapy fingers over the tender flesh between her thighs and bathed her pussy thoroughly. Breathless from more than her physical resistance by the time he set the sponge aside, it didn’t subside when he began to dry her with a fluffy towel. Eva was also chagrined that he had once again aroused her so easily.
She tried to wrest the cloth from him and see to the drying herself, but he’d have none of it. In the end, she was out of breath and flushed — both her face and her lower cheeks — because he hadn’t hesitated to smack her bare bottom when she had resisted his assistance at every turn.
Once dry, he’d pulled a long tunic over her head, cinching it at the waist with a too long leather belt that wrapped nearly twice around her. That was all he intended her to wear, evidently, leaving her fully bare underneath, and uncomfortably so. Because even though the long shirt hung to mid-thigh, if she sat, bent forward, or if a slight breeze happened by, anyone looking on would get an eyeful.
He then surprised her by brushing a gentle kiss and more indecipherable words against her forehead. She sensed affection, or perhaps merely possessiveness, because he turned again on a dime, becoming Mr. Domineering by pulling her along to a curtained off area of the tent. He gave her no more than a few seconds of privacy to see to her bodily functions, which wasn’t easy with him standing nearby, only the thin curtain between them.
After that, he led her out of the tent and returned her to her shipmates. The cage was gone, thankfully, although that didn’t mean they were left to mill about on their own. Instead, they were shackled at the ankle in a long line and he dropped to a knee and cuffed her right along with them. With a few brusque words and a brush of his hand along her chin, he left her there under guard, the first time he’d let her out of his sight since the moment she’d been captured.
Confused, Eva frowned after him as he strode across the camp. A million thoughts ran through her mind, and none of them were good. Was he done with her? He’d had his fun and that was that? Is that what she was, what they all were, sex toys to these barbarians to be used and set aside until the next time? If so, what was that probe all about? Some kind of STD test?
As a prisoner, she had expected to be regarded as such, but after his tender care last night, she hadn’t envisaged being treated like a tramp, dismissed with little thought after a wham-bam one-night stand, either. She fumed, eyeing him derisively as he moved amongst the group of other men.
“Eva!”
She jumped, turning toward the woman beside her. “What?” she snapped. Her curt reply was unusual for her, but after all that she’d been through, her nerves were frayed, her tolerance at an end.
It was Mailynn, the usually timid and extremely quiet microbiologist. “I called your name three times. Are you all right?”
“I’m sorry for being so short with you, Mai,” she grumbled. “I’m fine, other than being imprisoned by barbarians.”
“Were you able to find out what they plan to do with us?” This was asked by Brenna. Petite and round, appearing much younger than her twenty-eight years, she looked more like a college girl, instead of the chemist that she was. And as if she should be cramming for finals rather than on a strange jungle planet in a cage.
Eva cast her a disbelieving look. “How? I don’t understand a word they say.”
“It was worth asking.” Brenna’s shoulders slumped. “No one knows what’s going on. Aside from you and Lana, all of us slept in the cage.”
“Was anyone harmed?” Stepping forward, as much as the shackle would allow, she scanned everyone down the line.
“Surprisingly, no,” Mailynn replied.
“Speak for yourself,” Lana said, rubbing her posterior. “The beast turned me over his knee and spanked me — hard. And this morning, when I didn’t snap to attention at some order I didn’t understand, he did it again. Can you believe it?”
Eva gasped, her hands flying back to her own tenderized backside. Seven pairs of eyes shifted her way, following her motion.
“It happened to you too, didn’t it?” Brenna breathed in a shocked whisper.
With a faint nod, Eva bent her head.
“What else did he do to you?” Lana, her closest friend asked with concern.
“He restrained me, and…” She looked away.
“Oh, Eva,” Lana whispered, tears in her eyes. “Were you forced?”
“Yes. I mean, no... I don’t know.”
“How can you not know?” Brenna asked, her hands clutching her stomach, as though dreading the answer.
“He gave me something to drink—”
“You were drugged!” Thora, their senior biologist gasped, her vivid green eyes widening with horror, her face turning pale, accentuating the freckles across her cheeks. Her dark auburn head stood out amongst the other blondes, except Eryn, whose long wavy hair was a stunning gilded copper.
As she looked around, Eva realized they were all beautiful women, tempting like ripe fruit to their hulking jailors. Why couldn’t they have been plain, or ugly? Then maybe they wouldn’t have been so desirable as captives.
Eva shook her head. “I’m not sure about that either. He was very, um… persuasive.” Her face flamed at the weakness she revealed. How did she explain being seduced by an alien? “Except for the spankings, he was gentle.”
“Spankings?” Brenna whispered. “As in plural?”
She flushed even more fiercely. “Yes. I wasn’t very cooperative.”
“Of course not,” Lana grumbled. “Neither was I. He didn’t require cooperation, the big brute.”
“The probing was rather disturbing; don’t you think?”
Lana’s eyes shifted to Eva, round as moons. “What probing?”
“You mean he didn’t… The man who took you didn’t—?”
“No, he touched me — all over — and kissed me in more places than my mouth. But there was no probing, or, um, insertion of any kind.”
Eva swallowed, wondering why she had been the only ‘lucky’ one probed, tested, and so much more.
Eryn, the sole guard in the group who had been observing silently, finally spoke. “What did he probe you with — and where?”
If she got any more embarrassed, Eva felt sure her face would catch fire. It made her want to kick Him in the jaw all over again. She didn’t want to reveal more than she already had, but they deserved to know what might lay ahead. “It was some sort of digital wand, like a doctor might use. It had gauges as if he were measuring something. And it expanded, once inside, like he was testing to see if he would fit.”
They were all staring at her in collective horror.
Before she could answer more of their questions, a cheer went up from the other side of the clearing where most of the men had gathered. Eva clenched her jaw, seeing they had encircled the golden-eyed warrior, who was apparently sharing something of import with the rest of the men. From their effusive reactions and gestures, the men slapping each other on the back and eying the women, it was very good news. They were also grinning broadly, looking as elated as her captor had after looking at the display on the probe last night. Knowing what followed, she was getting a strange suspicion. The image of a high school locker room with the captain of the football team in the center of a huddle gleefully telling his buddies about scoring with the head cheerleader popped into her head.
The Barbarian's Captive Page 4
