Aldric: A Sci-Fi Warrior Romance

by Jane Henry

  I was shocked at his insistence on saving her.

  If someone took me from him… would he be as insistent on fetching me?

  And now, I am to be punished, as soon as he is ready for me. He doesn’t seem as furious as he earlier was, and at least for this I am grateful. As I await my punishment, I wonder how it will be. Will he take me across his knee and use his hand? Or have me lie across the bed for his belt, as he did before? Oddly, I feel arousal stirring within me again. Though I am not eager for my punishment at all, I cannot help but feel aroused by the vision of him standing, his belt in hand, or the memory of being restrained while over his knee. I feel the pulse between my legs, dampness at the apex of my thighs, a throbbing low in my belly.

  “Carina.” His deep voice carries to my room. I stand, trembling. He is going to punish me. I still remember the licks of the sharp leather he used on me earlier, and I fear the worst, another whipping with his belt. Or perhaps he will use something else, something even more fierce than the leather?

  He is staring at me sternly, his dark eyes serious. “You have disobeyed me, Carina,” he says. There is a thread of regret in his voice. “Come to me.”

  The punishment for my deliberate disobedience will be firm, of that I have no doubt. When I shuffle to him, he reaches for me, drawing me between his legs. He lifts one large finger and places it under my chin, holding my eyes with his. “I told you that I would spank you if you disobeyed me. And you’ve chosen disobedience. The rules I’ve given you were for your own protection and wellbeing. Your disobedience put you in danger. And for that reason, I must punish you.”

  Surprisingly, my throat gets tight and my nose stings. Do I feel remorse for having disobeyed him? How could it be that I care about his displeasure? And even there is something about his firm but gentle declaration that has turned my insides around, my knees shaking, weak.

  He releases me but only so he can take me by the waist and position me over his knee.

  “I was prepared to whip you,” he says. “If it were but one hour ago, I would have. You tricked me. You hit me. And then you tried to escape.” He pauses, his hand on my bare skin as he raises my tunic. “But I’ve changed my mind. Instead, I will punish you with my hand.” His warm palm smooths my skin.

  I am mortified. Oh, the shame! I wriggle on his lap, but a firm hand on my lower back holds me in place.

  “You must be punished bare,” he insists. “I want you to feel every stroke of your correction. My Carina, whether you wish to admit it or not, you are bonded to me.” His voice lowers as he speaks to me. “You know that deep down inside, you do not wish to displease me.”

  Lifting his hand, he brings it down with a resounding smack! He pauses, a few beats between each spank. “Deliberate disobedience cannot be allowed,” he explains, before he gives me another sharp swat. It burns, the sound of his palm striking my bare bottom sharp to my ears. But between strokes, he is caressing, his large, masterful hand roaming my stinging bottom before he continues. How can it be that through all of this, I am aroused? I feel the pulsing between my legs, my nipples hardening as they chafe against his knees. My thoughts churn as he spanks me, each slap of his palm painful yet somehow welcome. After three more swats, he pauses, and I realize I do not wish him to stop. I need to feel more. I am still tense upon his lap, holding onto his leg as he lifts his hand yet again.

  “I have primed you,” he says. “Now that you are warmed and ready, you can take more.” His hand rests on the curve of my bottom. “And now you will.”

  The next slap of his hand on me takes my breath away. It is hard, vicious, biting. Before I recover, he gives me three more searing swats. I cry out, and without conscious thought, try to pull away from him, twisting my torso to stop the onslaught, but he is ready. His hand anchors my waist, bringing me back over his lap, and his leg traps mine. My hands flail out in front of me helplessly, but it is no use. He has me trapped, unable to escape, at his utter mercy. The sound of his palm smacking my skin mingles with my own cries. I close my eyes, the pain of his spanking me my most pressing thought. I must escape the pain.

  “Noooo,” I wail. “My lord, I am sorry.” Could it be that moments before I wanted him to punish me? Now, all I can think of is getting away.

  “You will obey me, Carina,” he growls, applying swat after swat, my thighs burning, my bottom on fire, every inch of my exposed skin in agony. “And though you are sorry now, you will be sorrier when I am finished.”

  I cannot escape the pain. Fighting him has only gotten me restrained further. I have no choice now but to accept my correction.

  “Ow, ow, ohhhh,” I moan as his hand claps down mercilessly. My hands are fisted in front of me now, my eyes shut tight as tears stream down my cheeks. He pauses. Is he finished? Somehow, I know he is not. I feel his palm on my skin, his large hand seemingly covering the entire surface of my exposed bottom.

  “There is no home for you now but with me,” he says, the warmth of his hand roaming my punished skin. “Freanoss is no longer home, Carina. Your home is here. And as such, you will be taught to obey.”

  At the punishing feel of his palm, my emotions are released. They are not coming for me. No one is coming for me. I am exiled, and he knows it. Why has he reminded me of my most painful reality? Does he wish to hurt me with more than a spanking?

  A painful cry echoes in the room, and I realize with a shock that it is my own. Freanossians do not cry like this.

  What has he done to me?

  I do not flinch as he spanks me again, one swat after another landing on my sore bottom. I do not fight him. I accept the punishment, my pain for not being worthy of my home, forever exiled to a foreign land, victim to whatever whims the savage desires. His property. I accept each biting slap of his palm against me as I weep, my tears falling and splashing on the floor in front of me, the pain driving every last tear from me. I do not even realize when he stops punishing me. I feel nothing but the tears that are rent from me as I cover my face with my hands, lying helplessly over his lap. I should not have tried to run from him. He is the only one, this savage warrior, who has ever cared for me, in whatever capacity he is capable. To where would I run now? If I somehow had even managed to get back to Freanoss, what would there be for me? Has my identity been wiped from their record? I am nothing but a useless number to them. All these thoughts and more have me weeping, the wretched sound of my complete loss of control the only sound in the chambers.

  “Come here now,” he says. I have never heard his voice so soft. Never has the strong feel of his hands on me been so welcome as he lifts me, turning me over on his lap and cradling me like a child. I bury my face on his chest as his arms encircle me, holding me so tightly it hurts. He rises with me, kissing the top of my head as he brings me to his bed, lying down with me still cradled in his arms. “Do not hold back, Carina. It is natural to weep as you do. Allow the tears to cleanse you.”

  I do not know what he means, but I have no power to stop my tears now even if I wanted to. They are rent from me, and it takes some time before finally, the tears abate and I am simply lying quietly on his lap as he holds me. He does nothing but hold me.

  It is all that I need. It is like a cocoon, being held like this, against his bare chest, his heartbeat under my cheek. I am enveloped in his scent, surrounded by his strength. He has taken from me the burden of anything but feeling.

  When my tears finally cease, I hear nothing but our breath, mine ragged and his slowed. I feel exhausted. My eyes are swollen, my head throbbing. I close my eyes to drown out the pain, but it does not stop.

  “Do you cry because I punished you?” he whispers.

  I nod. It is that, and so much more, but yes, I do cry because I was punished.

  “Are there more reasons for your tears, little one?” he asks softly.

  “Yes, my lord,” I whisper, my voice a mere whisper. “So much more.” But how can I put it into words?

  Fortunately, he does not wish for me to do so and his
voice is so tender as he speaks in low, soothing tones. “Home is a place where one is safe, Carina, where one is welcome and loved. Was Freanoss such a place for you?”

  He knows it was not. But still, I must answer. In my punished, subdued state I can do nothing but answer truthfully. “No, my lord.”

  His arms tighten. “It is as I thought, then,” he says to himself. “We will speak no more of this for now. For now, it is my duty to minister to you.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Carina

  He releases me onto the bed, and to my surprise, I resist. I cannot have him apart from me. I feel as if he’s dropped me, though he still lies beside me. I reach back for him, not yet ready for him to stop holding me. I am afraid of even lying here without him now.

  “Ah,” he says, nodding to himself. “You are not ready.”

  I shake my head. I am not. I must cling to him.

  “This will be interesting, going about my duties with a half-naked woman clinging to me,” he murmurs to himself. It takes a minute for me to realize he’s teasing me. I lift my head from his chest and look at him curiously as he continues. “They may question why I’m holding you on my lap at counsel.” It seems as if he’s considering his choices. “And I may need a larger horse or at least a saddle if I’m to have you on my back or in my arms the whole time I ride…”

  “My lord!” I protest, and despite trying to stay serious, I cannot help but laugh. “You cannot be serious!”

  “Meals can be taken together,” he says, then he perks up, his eyes twinkling. “And bathing together… yes, I quite like the sound of that.”

  “Aldric!” I say, and my hand comes to my mouth, covering it. I have called his name. In the Wise One’s presence, he allowed his name to be spoken, but I’ve never been given such leave.

  “I’m sorry, my lord,” I say, wishing to take the words back, but he merely shakes his head. “Never in the presence of others,” he chides. “You shall address me as master or lord. But within the intimacy of my chambers, you may call me by name. You are my Carina.”

  “Yes, my lord,” I murmur. I do not know what it is that has transpired between us, but the pain in my chest is beginning to lessen. He leans down, his mouth meeting mine, a tender kiss I lean into. A soft sigh escapes me as his hand wraps around my neck and draws me closer. He lays me on the bed, but I do not protest the release as he is now above me, seemingly entirely covering me, his kisses insistent, his hands at the edge of my tunic. He takes his mouth off mine only briefly enough to remove my tunic altogether. His eyes rove over my body, heated, possessive, his chest heaving as he holds himself back. He leans down and kisses me again, his hardened length against my thighs as his mouth roams mine, then he is planting kisses over my cheek, down to my neck, past my collarbone. My hips rise at the feel of his tongue on my neck. He does not order me to be still, but rather holds my wrists by my sides, firmly pushed into the bed beneath me as he makes his way down from my neck to my breasts. Still holding my wrists, he takes one nipple fully into his mouth and sucks, the exquisite pleasure-pain causing me to moan out loud, my head thrown back.

  “Aldric,” I say, as his mouth travels further, to my bare mound at the apex of my thighs. It seems he’s encouraged by hearing his name spoken.

  His tongue flicks out. I cry out from the intensity. He releases my wrists, and my hands fly to his hair, the dark length of it falling around me as I anchor myself to him. He sucks my nub into his mouth and I cry out loud before he flicks his tongue against me. He knows exactly how to bring me pleasure, stroking firmly with quick flicks of his tongue. It seems my pulse has gone between my legs now, my sex throbbing, aching with each thrust of his tongue. He cradles my sore bottom between his hands as he lifts my sex to him, hungrily lapping at me. To my dismay, he removes his mouth from me just seconds before I’ve reached climax.

  “Ask me,” he growls, his eyes burning dark and heated as he meets my gaze. “You ask me for permission before you give in to your pleasure. If you do before I give you leave, I will punish you.”

  Oh, the sweet torture.

  “Please, my lord!” I beg, my hands gripping his hair so tightly I fear I will hurt him, but he does not flinch.

  He shakes his head and returns to the sweet, delicious torture. I am going to lose control, and what will happen if I do without his permission?

  “My lord,” I moan, “pleeease.”

  His bearded mouth grins wickedly as his tongue strokes my nub, his eyes glittering. He smiles so rarely, that the unabashed way he does so now undoes me. He nods his head. It is all I need. The next stroke of his tongue has me toppling over the edge, riding the waves of ecstasy as he pleasures me. I writhe beneath him. My eyes shut tight, I am dizzy with pleasure and it goes on for what seems like forever. He finally takes his mouth off mine and straddles me, removing his clothes quickly, the soft pile tumbling to the floor as he releases them. He is hard for me, his length full and intimidating. He leans down to me and nudges my legs apart with his knees. I open for him as wide as I can. I do not fear him. I yearn to feel him in me.

  Slowly, he enters me. “Shhh, my little one,” he says. “Does it hurt?”

  I am full, stretching for him, but I shake my head. “It is a pain I can bear, my lord,” I whisper. He is hesitant, filling me but not moving any further. I place my hands on his broad shoulders, pleading. “Please, Aldric. I want to feel you.”

  His eyes warm at that, and he lowers his body to mine, the heat of him like a blanket of warmth as he holds me, driving his cock into me. It hurts, but I welcome it, part of me welcomes being this for him, being his with which he will seek his pleasure. He wants me. He needs me, not the way I need him, but he needs me. He growls in my ear, his breath catching, spasms of pleasure shooting through me with every thrust of his hips, before he climaxes, a deep sound that rakes across my chest and through my core. Both of us sated, he rolls to his side and holds me. I still do not wish to be separated. I need him with me.

  He holds me close, until my breathing slows. I no longer care about the Freanoss rules about physical contact and mating. I am saddened and alone, but I feel more with this man than I ever have. I realize in wonder that I once though he’d enchanted me, but the true spell has been broken. All these years… my whole life, I have been asleep, and he has awakened me.

  “Stay with me,” he instructs. I am not sure exactly what he is asking of me. Stay with him now? Or stay with him… forever? Never to return to my people, my planet?

  I do not respond. I merely grasp him tighter, closing my eyes, willing sleep. I cannot think of this. Not now. For now, I must rest. He holds me close to him until slumber takes me.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Aldric

  The next day when Carina rises, she is quiet. There has been much for my little one to process. I was gentler with her last night than I should have been. Her infractions were worthy of a thrashing I should have given her. Though I didn’t show her total mercy, and did punish her, I fear I was lenient. If I am too gentle with her, she may feel too free to disobey me, and such actions will threaten her safety. She must learn her place. She must learn to obey me if I am to keep her safe. She has had the evening with which to nurse her wounds.

  Carina returns from her room where she has freshened up, and eyes me sitting by my desk.

  “Good morning, Carina,” I say. “Come here, please.”

  She comes to my shyly, her eyes cast down. I wonder what she is thinking as she approaches me. When she is in front of me as I sit at my desk, I gesture for her to turn around. “Lift your tunic, please.”

  Flushing slightly, she lifts her tunic. She is only slightly reddened from the spanking I gave her last night.

  “Bend over the desk, please.”

  She obeys, eyeing me curiously, her tunic lifted above her bottom, her legs splayed out. I shove my hand between her thighs, running my fingers along the inside edge of the soft, sweet skin there. She gasps, trembling slightly, and I can smell her sc
ent, her arousal in the air between us. If I were to touch between her legs, I would find her wet for me.

  “This is mine,” I say, my hand moving between her legs. “All mine.” When I reach the lips of her sex, I pause. She is no longer smooth as she once was. She gasps as my fingers rake across her mound. “Tsk, tsk, Carina. I like you smooth and ready for me.”

  “My lord,” she hisses. “I am… what have you done to me?”

  I chuckle. “It is not of my doing, Carina,” I say. “As Isidor explained, your body is beginning to respond the way it should without the manipulation from Freanoss. You were sedated, and your body muted against natural inclinations.”

  She stiffens. I slide my hand over her bottom and lower, dipping my finger to her sex. My finger easily glides in and out, as I stroke her. She is already primed with arousal.

  “Tell me, Carina. Before you met me, did you know anything of sexual pleasure?”

  She shakes her head. I continue pumping my finger inside her.

  “Freanoss didn’t allow for this,” I murmur. “Your body has been hidden from its true purpose, confined to chastity and sterility. It will be my pleasure and duty to denude you,” I say, moving closer to her. I open my mouth, my teeth sinking into the soft skin at her lower back. She gasps, but as she straightens, my hand comes down with a sharp crack that makes her yelp. I take her hands and push them forcefully on my desk. My tongue flicks back to her skin, tasting her, the sweet, salty, seductive taste of her enchanting as I drag my tongue down her back. I kiss her reddened skin, my fingers pumping in her core. Her eyes close and she moans. I stroke her, gradually bringing her closer to orgasm, but just as her chest begins to heave on the desk, I remove my fingers.

  “My lord,” she groans, her voice garbled.

  “You will not be allowed pleasure now,” I say, as I pull away from her. My voice is hardened, my tone corrective as I address her. I must teach her. “Today, I will not pleasure you unless you please me. Now, you will lie there while I prepare for the day. Do not move. Do not speak.” I stand, and walk to where my sword belt hangs. I take it from the peg, the sound of the metal buckle clinking as I walk back to where she lies. I double it over and slash it against my hand, the sound of the leather striking my palm like a gunshot. She jumps, but maintains her position. I straddle her from behind and lean over her, my entire body flush against hers, my legs on either side of hers as I envelop her, my mouth coming to her ear. I place the folded belt in front of her. “If you disobey me, I will punish you.” My hardened cock against her backside throbs. I press up against her, and she pushes back against me.