Bound at the Ball (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Lea Barrymire

  She stood frozen on the floor as her mind worked through the fact that one of the males who’d seen her come, listened to her moans, felt her body shudder in release stood next to her. All she had to do was look up and she’d see his face, be able to put an identity to the voice.

  “Rella, move now.” She jumped at the gravelly growl from the male.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled, shuffling forward. He led her by the arm toward the darkness. She wanted to raise her head and look around, but she didn’t want him growling at her again. She could tell by the long strides he took that he was very tall. He forced her to walk quickly to keep up with his pace. The grip on her arm wasn’t painful, but it was tight enough that if she dallied or stumbled, she’d be bruised.

  He led her past a maze of legs and feet, always with a warm hand wrapped around her arm. She felt like a docile animal being led to slaughter. She could be taken, killed, mauled in an instant, and she wouldn’t see anything coming because she had her head down like the good little submissive. Did she dare look up, though? The male hadn’t hurt her and seemed to be dragging her through a sizable crowd without allowing her to be bumped or harmed. For the moment she felt better following directions and keeping her head down.

  They passed through a doorway, and instantly it was quieter. They must have passed through a sound-disrupting barrier because she hadn’t heard the sound of a door closing. She took the chance to tilt her head and look at as much of the room as she could. Shock froze her steps. There were multi-colored pillows piled on the floor in one corner and a low platform along one wall. The item that caused icy dread to flow through her veins was a padded table that had shiny chains dangling above it.

  He means to torture me.

  She twisted quickly from the hand holding her arm and backed toward the wall. Fighting from the male’s grasp was a bad idea, but if she was to be tortured, she’d fight him as much as she could. Fear raised her heart rate, and she could feel the effects already working through her body. Her arms shook as she raised them in defense. At least there was only one male in the room. If she’d torn away while in the crowd, she would have seen hundreds of eyes boring into her before they hurt her. Slowly she brought her eyes up, cringing in anticipation of the anger she knew she’d see in the male’s face.

  What she found was a staggeringly masculine male staring with a smirk on his lips. No anger shown on his hard face, but his green eyes held something so much more than laughter. She flinched from the look, but her body understood it. She could feel her belly warming and fear crept through her mind. She shook it off. There wasn’t much she could do about the way her body reacted to him. If she was honest with herself, he was the most delicious-looking male she’d ever seen. His hair was a dark amber color, long and pulled away from his face with two long braids that dangled over his shoulders and rested against a very wide chest. His jaw was hard and square, but she could tell that he smiled often by the small lines around his eyes and mouth.

  She couldn’t stop herself from looking him over. The fear she was battling faded some when he didn’t do anything but look at her with amusement. He was dressed in black pants and a dark gray shirt. The piece of his chest that she could see gleamed slightly in the light. He was either bronzed from being in the suns or was naturally darker skinned. Whatever caused the coloring of his skin was to be commended for creating such a beautiful shade. The bit of skin she could see was smooth and hairless. She fought the crazy urge to lick him, to snuggle against him and bury her face against his chest.

  A low chuckle brought her eyes back to his. A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “Are you going to fight me, little girl? Think you can take on a warrior of my size?”

  The question reminded her of her stance. She jerked back up and hid her eyes behind her hands at the idea. She’d be punished enough to put her in bed for days if she actually fought him. Females never raised a hand to a male, ever. She shook her head, unable to find the words to save herself. She swallowed the whimper that threatened to escape. She’d made the mistake of pulling away from the warrior and now she’d take her punishment. They wouldn’t get the satisfaction of hearing her cry about it.

  Long moments crept by, and her curiosity got the best of her. With slow movements she peeked, picked her head up and opened her eyes. She expected anger on his face. What she found was more of the same amusement and perhaps a touch of pity in his eyes.

  He watched her with knowing eyes and sighed loudly. “Don’t fear me. I was just kidding. I know you wouldn’t fight me. You were surprised by the items in the room and reacted. You won’t be punished for that, I promise.”

  Could she believe him? He could be lying to get her to trust him, but even if he was lying there was nothing she could do about it. He was so much larger and stronger than she, and there were hundreds of other males outside the doorway. She couldn’t flee, couldn’t stop whatever was going to happen. A flare of anger tried to take hold, but she pushed it down. If he saw that flash across her face, she’d be in more trouble. Anger tended to make her look defiant, and from what little she had understood of her introduction lecture, defiance would not be tolerated. In the end she did the only thing she could do. She clenched her teeth against the position she was going to take, knelt and bowed her head, placing her hands behind her back in the most submissive position she’d been taught and waited for whatever was going to happen. Swallowing back the anger took all of her energy, but she did it, breathing deeply after the emotion was mastered. She’d show him what he wanted to see because she had to, but he couldn’t make her want to.

  * * * *

  Sabar silently cursed. This wasn’t going the way he wanted. Once again, the stupid teachings were interfering with his plans. If the Tropustyr people would just teach their young about love and submission instead of hiding it all from them, the matings would be so much better. For the young to attend this event with no knowledge of what would happen was cruel, even to a warrior’s mind. He sighed. At least Rella wasn’t cowering and crying as so many of the first timers did. She was strong in both body and mind, and it drew him to her like a nocturnal insect to a fire.

  Before she knelt he’d seen the flash of anger, and it gave him a thrill. He’d been waiting many seasons for a female to be strong enough to keep him happy. He didn’t want a timid female that took everything he said or did as law. He wanted an equal in his life. Someone to share with, to discuss matters with, and perhaps even bicker with. The females he’d seen so far were too docile. Genetics and teachings had stripped any willpower from them long before they attended a ball. Rella was proving to have more backbone than most. She’d tried to fight them the night before. She silently fought him now. He grinned, knowing she wouldn’t see the look with her head bowed. He was going to have fun with her.

  Before he approached her, he signaled the overseers with a flick of his hand. She was his for the night. He wasn’t sharing and wouldn’t let her go until she’d accepted his promise as mate. It was just one more thing the young weren’t told. The males had the ability to claim a mate before the females were even told. Guilt tried to sneak into his heart, but he knew deep down that she was his. He’d known it from the moment that he told her to allow her first orgasm to crash over her body. She had been absolutely beautiful when she came. The look and sound of her release had haunted him all night. He hadn’t slept well and couldn’t concentrate on his drills. Every moment had been leading up to now. He’d hoped for a smoother introduction, even going as far as talking to a magistrate to see if he could just go to her home and collect her. The governments didn’t allow that type of thing. Instead they forced the terrorized unmated to attend compulsory events like the ball. It took the males hours of coaxing to calm the uninitiated until they would allow any type of bonding to occur.

  He was pulled from his thoughts when a quiet sigh echoed in the room. He finally brought his attention back to the female waiting so perfectly and noticed her shoulders hunched. She was awaiting his r
eaction to her defiance, and he hadn’t even noticed. He swore under his breath and watched her wince at the words.

  “Please, Warrior. I meant no disrespect. I’m sorry I pulled from your hand and didn’t immediately position myself for punishment. I have no excuse to offer.” Her voice was so quiet he had a hard time hearing. It sounded thick with emotion and it pulled at his heart.

  “Look at me.” He put some command behind the words. There was no reason why he couldn’t start training her now, even with all the misunderstanding between them. Eyes pinched with rebelliousness rose slowly to meet his, and he didn’t stop himself from moving forward and cupping her cheek. He chuckled and smiled down at her. “Good girl. Now, I think we need to start over before either of us does something else we’ll regret.”

  Sabar turned and walked to the low table and sat on the edge. He beckoned to her and patted his lap. He caught the quick look of surprise and concern before she blanked her face. She was good at hiding her feelings, but he was better at reading body language. He waited patiently for her to finish her internal debate and smiled encouragingly at her when she finally stood.

  It was his turn to close off his face. He hadn’t really gotten a good look at her outfit earlier, but when she stood and he could see the chain of beads threaded between her bare pussy lips, he nearly came in his pants. She was beautiful with clothing or without, but the slave clothes enhanced her beauty. The breast binding was sheer and pressed her small breasts together, creating the slightest of cleavage. Her body was bare other than the bracelets and chastity chain. The copper of the belt flashed with each movement and drew the eye to her perfect pussy. Even now, with her exuding fear, he wanted to bend her over and take her. His cock throbbed with need.

  Graceful steps, even if they were hesitant, brought her to him in a few heartbeats. She was looking through him, holding her shoulders stiff. When she was standing within arm’s length, she started to turn and bend over his legs. The movement surprised and confused him for a moment until he realized that she was going to put herself over his legs for a spanking. The thought send lust screaming through his veins, but he tamped it down. That wasn’t what he’d meant when he had patted his legs at all.

  “Stop. Look at me, Rella. Focus on me.” He watched her jerk upright again and bring her attention to his face. “Better. Now, I didn’t mean for you to be punished. You are going to sit in my lap, and we are going to talk.”

  Again he patted his legs and watched her eyes flit quickly down to his hands before focusing on his face again. She was so wary of him. He waited a moment, then two. When she didn’t move he gently wrapped a hand around her arm and pulled her onto his lap. She was so stiff, fighting against him, but he was stronger. With gentle pressure he maneuvered her exactly how he wanted her. Her legs hung off his, dangling above the floor, and he snuggled her into his arms. How to get her to trust him? A thought came to him that spread a grin across his face. He wasn’t sure how much she’d like the plan, but it should get her to open up to him.

  “Lean into me. You aren’t going anywhere for a while, so you might as well relax.” He pressed on her shoulder and head, chuckling at how stiffly she sat. She finally relented and rested lightly against his shoulder. “Relax. I’m not going to punish you or do anything to you right now. We are going to sit here and talk.”

  Chapter 6

  Rella couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She’d disrespected him a number of times in the last few moments and he was going to do nothing about it? She tried to do as he instructed, but willing her muscles to relax wasn’t something she could do just then. She was tense for a multitude of reasons, and a few of those were bodily needs she didn’t want to focus on too long.

  “Now. You and I are going to play a little game. I will ask a question, and you will answer. Truthfully. If you answer without hesitation you will be rewarded.” She could feel a smile in his words and by the slight chuckle under her cheek. “If you hesitate too long, or try to lie, you’ll be punished. Do you understand?”

  Did she understand? Sure. He was going to ask her impossible questions that she was sure she wouldn’t want to answer. A sharp pinch on her ass made her yelp. She turned and glared at him before she could stop herself.

  “I asked you a very simple question, Rella. If you can’t even admit to understanding the instructions of this little game, how are you going to fare when I start asking more difficult things?”

  She wanted to wipe the grin off his face, but she held still, schooling her face to hopefully hide the anger that was starting to boil in her gut. Passive. Be passive. Don’t show him your true feelings.

  “I will ask you again. Do you understand the instructions I’ve given for our game?”

  She looked away and nodded. Of course she understood. No one seemed to care if she wanted to do any of these things, though. Why couldn’t that be the question he asked her? Did she want to be sitting on this male’s lap while he asked her personal questions? Did anyone actually ask her if she wanted to be oiled like a roasting animal and put on display for unseen eyes? No, because she was the female, the submissive, the Tropustyr. If she’d been born a warrior, she’d be the one playing silly games and still clothed.

  A firm finger under her chin brought her head back around, and she found dark eyes watching her with unmistakable interest. “What has you thinking so hard? Your brow is all scrunched and you are clenching your teeth. Do you not want to be here with me?”

  She sighed. “No, Warrior. I will obey as you’ve instructed.” She tried to look away, but he kept her chin captive, forcing her to maintain eye contact. “I will try and school my face so you are pleased with me.”

  “Fuck.” The venom behind that one word was enough to burn her alive. She couldn’t help the flinch when he swore. The word was taboo in her culture, and only the most disrespectful people used it. She was shocked that he’d use it in a public event, but he was a warrior and stronger than anyone else she’d met. Perhaps he didn’t care what others thought of him, or he was actually a troublemaker and enjoyed shocking others. Whatever the reason, she blushed and closed her eyes, waiting for his next move.

  * * * *

  The string of vulgarity he wanted to spew was swallowed when he felt her reaction to his outburst. Her eyes had widened before she closed them. Hiding again from me. Her cheeks had paled markedly, going from a flush of pink to sickly white. Her heart was racing, and she’d stiffened in his arms. He knew that some of the Tropustyr people didn’t swear because it was too aggressive. Could he screw up with her any more than he already had?

  “I’m sorry. I’m not angry at you or at your behavior.” He tilted her head up again and waited for her eyes to open. “Let’s do this right. My name is Sabar. You may call me that while we are together tonight. Say it, Rella. I want to hear my name on your lips.”

  She hesitated for just a moment and then blushed a beautiful pink, erasing the ghostly white she’d turned when he had sworn. Her lips opened, and she licked the bottom one nervously before whispering, “Master Sabar.”

  He almost groaned. Hearing that on her lips was music to his ears. He’d meant her to use only his first name, but adding the title was too much. He wouldn’t stop her from calling him master, not when it sounded so sweet on her tongue.

  “Beautiful, Rella. I like how my name sounds when you say it. Now, anytime you want to ask me for something you will use my name. For example. Please, Master Sabar, let me kiss you.” He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face at the almost hidden indignation that flashed in her eyes at his example. “Now, you say that so we can practice.”

  She hesitated, and he pinched her ass again to spur her on. She tried to hide the shiver that went through her body, but he felt it clear to his spine. Apprehension or desire, he wasn’t sure, but he would find out.

  “Please, Master Sabar, let me kiss you.” Her words carried a hint of fear, but her eyes had locked on his lips. She was so sweet in her denial of what she w
anted. Perhaps she didn’t even know she wanted it. From what little he saw of her last night, she was innocent of the greater responses of a female to a male. Maybe she was innocent of the lesser intimacies as well.

  He leaned into her shoulder slowly, closing the distance between their faces. Her eyes widened and then closed. A breathy sigh left her lips and brushed across his cheek. He waited, watching her, feeling her tense as the moments ticked by. Finally she opened her eyes. She didn’t voice the question, but he could see it in her face.

  “You asked me if you could kiss me. I have neither given you the approval to do so, nor told you that I would kiss you instead.” He smiled at the glint of frustration in her eyes. “Rella, if you ask me for something, I promise I will agree or disagree quickly, but you must learn to wait for my decision. Now, ask me again, and this time wait for the answer.”

  She was quicker to get the words out this time, less timid. It pleased him greatly that she wanted to kiss him and was angry that he hadn’t done so already. She was proving to be exactly what he wanted in a mate. If he could just keep this progress going instead of pushing her back into her concerned cocoon, he’d be doing well.

  “Master Sabar, please let me kiss you.”

  “Oh, that was beautiful. Yes, you may kiss me.”

  * * * *

  Kiss him? Rella had no idea how to kiss a male. Sure, she’d kissed her father on the cheek each day when he left for work. That didn’t count as kissing. She knew what type of kiss Sabar was talking about. He wanted lips on lips, moving against each other. The picture in her head made her belly warm and she squirmed slightly on his lap.

  She’d dreamt of what it must feel like many nights after catching Lena being kissed by her mate. Her sister had been visiting their father with her mate and they’d taken a walk to the back garden. Rella followed them and hid behind the shed while Porat ravaged her sister. Lena seemed to love it, at least if you took all her moaning and pleading as liking something.