by Cyna Kade
His arm at her waist kept her close while he leisurely explored her moist recess and danced with her tongue. Marissa’s knees went weak as a surge of heat flashed through her body. Kytar ground her close enough to feel his erection—an erection she wanted planted deep inside. What was happening to her? She’d never suffered an attack of lust like this. What was it with this guy? How did her arouse her so easily?
She panted when he broke the kiss, finally whispering, “I want to wait for my father. I don’t want to go with you.”
His lips brushed her hair. “It is too late to retreat. You’ve placed your safety in my hands. You’ll come with me.”
She struggled to escape but his arm was a steel band around her waist, unmovable, holding her tight against his body. His penis throbbed against her, as if demanding entrance. Once more, a wave of arousal swept her body and she longed to surrender to its demand.
Instead, she fought for the breath that his closeness seemed to steal. “No! My father—”
“Your father is not here. I am. I had hoped to bind you in private, but…” He shrugged.
Marissa’s knees weakened under the onslaught of his soft words. Her head shook as if she could deny reality. Eyes burning, she arched her head to look at him.
“You are mine,” he said, smiling down with satisfaction.
“No!” she screamed and struggled to escape his hard grip but he held her easily, even when she tried to kick him.
“Stop fighting,” he commanded.
“No!”
“Stop fighting or not only will I bind you, I’ll collar you here in front of everyone. Is that what you want? A public demonstration of my complete mastery over you?”
Marissa stilled at his words, the lump in her throat preventing any words.
“I’m trying to make allowances for you. But you accepted my offer of companionship when you accepted my offer of safety,” he whispered in her ear.
“I won’t be a slave!”
“I am not enslaving you. I offer companionship.”
“Semantics, slave or companion, it is the same thing.”
“Didn’t your father teach you anything? Companionship is an honorable position on Darinth.”
“Let me go!”
“No, little one,” he replied. “I won’t let you escape.”
Marissa yelped in surprise, as he forced her arms behind her back. Crossing her wrists, he tightly bound them with leather thongs and roughly pushed her to her knees. Stunned by his sudden movements, her lips still burning from his heated kiss, Marissa stared up at him.
His deep, dark eyes met hers. No longer warm and brown, his eyes had darkened to onyx and glittered with cold satisfaction.
“I won’t—” she started to say.
He interrupted by forcing a foot between her legs and kicking her knees farther apart. “You will.” A smile crossed his face. “You have no tools to fight me, no weapons. You are like a virgin on this planet. You don’t know what you face.”
“No!”
Ignoring her protest, he tugged out her hair ties.
Freed, her hair spilled down her back, like a golden waterfall nearly reaching her waist. Then he wrapped her hair around his hand and forced her head back.
Still on her knees, his firm grip extended her neck, forcing her to look up the long line of his body.
“I know you’re not accustomed to our ways. That fact saves you from my anger, but I will not allow this senseless resistance to continue. You are mine,” he said. Taking a deep breath, his voice slowed and deepened. “I claim you as mine. You are my companion. I own your body. I own your mind. I own your spirit. I claim you as mine.”
A shudder ripped through Marissa as he recited the ritualistic-sounding words. She gasped as invisible bands tightened in a ball deep inside. Warmth pooled in her belly, moisture dripped from her pussy and her nipples ached for a hard touch. Her sudden arousal sent flames of need burning through her body. She nearly screamed for the orgasm that seemed just out of reach. What was happening to her? How could simple words nearly send her into an orgasmic frenzy?
Before she could form a protest or a question, he pulled her to her feet and only his arm around her waist kept her standing against the exhaustion and confusion that beat at her.
Holding her close against his broad chest, his heated eyes met hers. “Breathe through the binding.”
Her head sank under the pressure that tightened every muscle in her body. She moaned as her forehead touched his chest, instinctively seeking his help.
“Breathe through the binding,” he said again, moving his hand to her face. And with his movement, she felt the tension ease and begin to seep away.
Illogically, she sobbed as the pressure eased rather than tipping her over the peak. Eyes closed, Kytar’s muscles hard under her cheek, she struggled to regain control of her body. Finally, she whispered, “What happened?”
She felt Kytar’s chuckle, deep in his chest. “We’ve linked and you are officially my companion.”
“No…” she moaned.
“Oh yes, little one. The words are not just words. The words are magic, carrying the weight of thousands and thousands of years. Your response to the binding linked us, no matter how much you might wish to deny it. Welcome to Darinth.”
Chapter Four
Exhausted by her long wait in the arrival center, Marissa didn’t resist when Kytar freed her hands and led her outside. The words he’d recited beat in her mind and oozed down into her very bones. Lost inside herself, it took her a moment to make sense of the scene that greeted her.
Despite the early hour, naked and half-naked women filled the street. Some bound and collared. Some leashed to a man. Horrified, she stepped back, right into Kytar’s arms.
She tried to turn and reenter the building but he held her close, circling an arm around her waist, trapping her arms by her side. The hard line of his body pressed against her back. Placing a hand under her chin, he forced her head up. Lowering his head to hers, he whispered in her ear. “This is Darinth. These customs are acceptable. You needn’t be frightened.”
“Let me go. Please let me go.”
“Look at the women. Look at their faces. Do they seem unhappy?”
His words shivered down her back. His firm hand under her chin allowed no escape from the scene before her. All the women, even the ones bound and leashed, smiled and seemed content. Some even openly laughed up at the men who accompanied them.
Marissa refused to accept that a woman could be happy in such a situation. “They just don’t know any better. You’ve brainwashed them!”
“Or is it you who has been brainwashed? Taught to ignore your sexuality. Taught to ignore your needs. Taught you must be independent and live your life alone. Misled by abstract concepts of equality. Tell me, do you feel equal now?”
His powerful torso scorched her back. His seductive whisper rippled through her. She longed to sag, to lean on his strength. She resisted his allure and tried once more, “My father…”
“Do you really think he doesn’t know about this?”
Marissa’s stomach clenched, nauseated by his words. “What do you mean?”
Ignoring her question, he moved in front of her. “Don’t fight me, little one. Otherwise, I’ll collar you here and now.”
Marissa arched her head to look up at him, trembling so hard that only his arm around her waist kept her upright. “Collar?”
“Collaring is a private act, not something to be done on a public street,” he continued, moving a hand to the neck of her shirt. With a quick downward motion, he ripped her shirt apart.
Marissa gasped, stunned by his physicality. Used to gentle and considerate men, she’d never considered just how strong a male could be and how helpless she’d be before a man who didn’t hesitate to use his strength. Worse, her heart pounded as she responded to his decisive action. She’d never imagined that unrestrained masculine strength might be an aphrodisiac. What happened to her preference for more c
ivilized customs?
But an embarrassing thrill of desire pooled in her pelvis. How could she respond to such brutal treatment?
He smiled as he finished stripping off her shirt and bra. Her cheeks flamed and she cringed, trying to hide her body from his gaze. He pulled her straight and ran his hand over her body.
When he paused over a breast, she held her breath, watching as her nipples reached for his touch.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, fingers grazing her nipples.
She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat, but an arrow of arousal had her gasping for air as her knees buckled.
Her shuddering seemed to have its own life. “What’s happening?”
He chuckled. “Hasn’t any man ever aroused you?”
“I’m not aroused!”
“No?” He worked a finger down the waistband of her slacks and slid a finger into her pussy.
Her thighs clenched.
“You’re very wet for someone who’s not aroused.” He slid in a second finger. Putting pressure on her clit, he started tapping it in a rhythm that forced all her attention to her pelvis.
Ignoring their public position, he held her tight against his broad chest, not letting her squirm as molten heat flooded through her veins. Lost in sensation, she forgot everything except her need.
She moaned as he suddenly pulled his hand free. He chuckled and whispered in her ear, “That was just a small taste of what awaits.”
His voice startled her back to awareness. What was happening to her? How could this bastard arouse her? But, he gave her no time to think.
Using her hair as a handle, he pulled her along the street. She stumbled. Her shock and exhaustion, and yes, she admitted, her arousal, made her clumsy and she had trouble staying on her feet. Her checks flamed.
He didn’t help her keep her feet, instead, he turned and growled in an amused voice, “Keep up, little one. You don’t want me to drag you.”
He went another mile and Marissa stumbled along with him. Tears streamed down her face. Sweat trickled between her breasts in the light of the harsh Darinthian sun. Even dawn was hot. Did nothing cool the planet?
Marissa wanted to scream at the people they passed, to scream for help but it was pointless. She was not the only woman dragged along the street. There were many others and men accompanied almost all. Some women were even collared and leashed. At least she didn’t have to suffer that indignity.
The nightmare journey finally ended. Marissa shook her head in confusion when she saw the beauty of his yard. Filled with lilacs and lavender, the peaceful scent of the grounds nearly overwhelmed her control. How could he live with such beauty and be so ruthless?
Once through the doorway, Kytar placed his hands on her shoulders and forced her to kneel on the cold marble floor. “Stay there,” he ordered as he stepped back, ignoring Marissa’s trembling and his need to comfort her. He needed to cool down, to still his raging lust. He could afford a moment to regain his balance.
He’d accomplished his mission of bringing her to his house. She’d left with him, completing the first part of his plan. But his plan hadn’t included binding her. He shouldn’t go any further. He shouldn’t offer her his collar. But, the magic beat at him.
He could feel her arousal feeding his. Looking down at her trembling body, he realized he didn’t want to stop. He wasn’t certain he could stop. The intensity of their link stunned him. He’d said the claiming words to many other women, but never had the connection locked into place with such strength. No other female had nearly climaxed as the words created the connection. Even worse, he’d nearly been overwhelmed by lust and come close to losing control. Had he done so, Marissa would be dead now. He shuddered at how close it had been and wondered if they’d survive the next linking. No other female had triggered his need like this.
He was rock-hard. He longed to sink his cock deep inside Marissa, to claim her in every way a man could claim a woman. No woman had ever tempted him the way this one did. He longed to subdue her and teach her Darinthian customs. A yearning to complete the ritual flooded him. She would wear his collar.
She deserved his collar. Her bravery combined with her naïveté was irresistible. She was magnificent. If only she realized what an honor he was about to offer.
Marissa huddled on the cold floor. Shivering so hard she could barely stay on her knees, she tried to make sense of her situation. How could she respond to this bastard and where was her father? Why hadn’t he shown up? Had he really abandoned her to this man? Marissa tried to still her trembling limbs. Panicking wouldn’t help. How could she get free?
And why—why, why, why—why did she still feel an attraction to her captor? Why did she still feel safe with him? He’d proven that he wasn’t safe. And what were those words he’d spoken that clenched her insides in an unbreakable grip? Even now she could almost feel him inside. Still trying to sort out her conflicting thoughts, Marissa looked up to see Kytar’s eyes glittering down at her. “Do you accept my collar?”
Marissa raised her head. “What…”
He knelt in front of her. He reached out and held her face in his hands. The ball of tension in her gut loosened a little. He kissed her forehead, and then leaned back a little.
She shuddered under his heated gaze.
“On Darinth, the collar is a symbol of protection. If you wear a collar, no man will hurt you. You may call upon any man for help.”
“I wouldn’t need help if you’d let me go,” Marissa protested, fighting the warmth of his hands on her face.
His eyes turned black and his mouth grim. “I tell myself you don’t understand our customs. If you did, you would not refuse what I offer.”
“You offer slavery. Excuse me, but I’m not interested in being your slave!”
“I offer companionship. You should be honored by my offer.”
Before she could respond, he moved a hand between her legs, opening her lower lips. A finger rubbed against her clit, another one teasing her pussy. “You’re wet. You respond to me. I know you feel our link. Do you really think you can deny me?” He rocked his hand back and forth. “Do you want me to suck your nipples, little one?”
Marissa’s body throbbed and her breath caught in her throat. His words inflamed her and she briefly wondered why she was fighting his touch. Then she remembered what he’d done and where she was. “No! Take your hands off me!”
His black eyes grew colder. He quickly stood, towering over her. “Don’t move,” he ordered.
Marissa watched him enter a room and briefly tried to stand. She wanted to escape while he was gone, but the grip of whatever he’d done earlier still held her. The tight ball deep inside, created when he said those words, seemed to send out tendrils into hidden places, holding her down. Frightened by her responses and his ruthless actions, she had no choice but to stay on the floor. Besides, where would she go? Apparently, her father had abandoned her to this nightmare.
Lost in confusion and exhaustion, Marissa didn’t hear Kytar come back.
He easily lifted her trembling body. Holding her close, he took her to a small room. He sat with her in his lap. His slow strokes comforted and calmed her.
Despite the fire burning in a circular pit, the room was cool. Books lined one wall and buried under a flood of papers stood a desk. No windows brightened the room, the only light came from the fire.
Kytar’s arms held her tight as he continued his light caress. Marissa slowly relaxed, leaning against his broad chest. She stared at the fire, mesmerized by the flickering light and his gentle touch. Tension seeped from her muscles. Exhaustion threatened to overwhelm all her defenses.
Kytar bent and kissed her forehead. One hand slipped to her cleft. Gently massaging, he said, “You voluntarily came with me. You voluntarily submitted to me. Now you will accept my collar?”
The words sounded ritualistic, calling to her, whispering for her to say yes, to submit to this man in every way possible. The intensity of her desire frig
htened Marissa. What was happening to her? How did he control her like this? She didn’t understand. But she was in no shape to figure it out.
Marissa tried to swallow the lump in her throat but her mouth was too dry.
Kytar stared down at her and his black eyes penetrated deep into her soul. The kind man from the arrival center was gone. Left in his place was a man used to mastering females. She thrilled, even as she cursed herself for her position.
She bit back a moan. How could she fight his strength and his knowledge of her body? Maybe she could get him talking. “Why…why are you doing this?”
His hand tightened a little. “You felt the magic. Do you think I have a choice?” Not waiting for an answer, he continued in a lower voice, “Your throat looks naked without a collar.” A little black leached out of his eyes, replaced by deep chocolate. “The collar means you are mine. Accept my collar,” he demanded, “willingly or unwillingly, your choice.”
Marissa stared into his black eyes. Unable to break free of a gaze so weighty it felt like fingers deep inside her body, stroking her need. Her head swam as thoughts circled and fought with her body’s desire to surrender.
She struggled against her desire and finally managed to scream, “No!” She didn’t want to be marked as his. “No! No! No!” she screamed, unable to stop as his words seeped into her bones. “I won’t accept it. I won’t. I won’t.”
“Why not? You know you want to say yes.”
She stared up at him. How did he know that? He must be mad if he expected her to give in and let him control her.
“You’ve done well so far.” His voice slithered inside, weakening her control. “Will you not even try to follow Darinthian customs?”
She shook her head, fighting off the hysteria that threatened her sanity. She had to stay in control. “Your customs aren’t mine.”
He tilted his head, searching her face as if she were an interesting specimen. “I’ve never tried to tame an off-worlder. Your actions anger me. It is not a good thing to anger me.” He paused and traced a finger down her face then across her lips.
