“Hallie.” Her voice wobbled. Her hands now free, she wiped at her face. “And you?”
He wrapped some of her silky brown hair around his fingers. She wore her hair a bit shorter than most women on this planet, the wavy locks only reaching her shoulders. “Vicious.”
“Oh god.”
Her eyes widened in terror. He tried not to chuckle at her unfounded fear. The name he’d been given at his pinning ceremony had been one bestowed upon him by the staff of the military academy and wasn’t of his own choosing. Every graduating class had a theme of names. His year had been a particularly violent theme.
He touched her face again, his black gloves so stark against her paler skin. “Don’t fear me, Hallie. I may be vicious on the battlefield but you will never know that side of me.”
She eyed him warily. She didn’t believe him. That much was clear. Vicious vowed to show her that he could be kind and gentle.
She worked up the courage to ask, “What happens now?”
He reached down, grasped her by the waist and hauled her off the ground. She stiffened when he draped her over his shoulder but didn’t fight him. Her submission pleased him greatly. He rubbed her lower back and settled his arm across her thighs, clamping her in place as he carried her. “We go home.”
Chapter Two
Hallie officially hated her new home. She struggled against the cuffs holding her in place but it was futile. The cold metal table under her back was just so hard and unyielding. She tried to shift and find a more comfortable position but it proved impossible. Resigned to her fate, she let her limbs relax as much as possible.
After being allowed a quick five-minute shower, she’d been placed on this table in a darkened room in his quarters. A leather strap across her neck and another across her waist restrained her to the table. The one at her neck wasn’t very tight but the one across her waist had no wiggle room left in it. Vicious had placed cuffs around her ankles and wrists. Her arms were now secured straight out to her sides. Her legs were up in the air. The ankle cuffs had been attached to metal poles that could be raised and lowered along the sides of the table.
She tried not to think about why she’d been placed in this ridiculous position. Naked and vulnerable, she was completely at the mercy of Vicious. Whatever he wanted to do to her, she couldn’t fight him.
Vicious. What the hell kind of name was that? Wasn’t it fitting? When he’d carried her back to the processing area, everyone had given him a wide berth. She’d seen the looks of fear in the eyes of her village councilors when they’d seen the man who had caught her. She didn’t blame them. One look at him and she wanted to cry.
Oh, he was handsome enough. She’d grudgingly admit that to herself. He had the strangest blue eyes. That white hair he wore so short seemed odd against his tanned skin. He had a strong jaw and chiseled features. She supposed his roguish good looks were some small comfort. It was easier than being carted off by someone as ugly as homemade sin.
Compared to the other men she’d glimpsed since arriving on the sky ship Valiant, Vicious seemed so much bigger and terrifying. It was no wonder he’d managed to catch her in that grassy field. She’d really never stood a chance against him.
The other soldiers aboard the transport ship had seemed skittish around him. During the ride on the surface-to-sky shuttle, they’d been given a set of seats near the front of the craft. They were far away from the other couples. Part of that she put down to his rank. Most of it, though, seemed to be respect and fear. After the way he’d actually growled at one of the medics trying to examine her during the intake procedure, she understood why the soldiers gave him so much space. Who would want to invite that kind of wrath?
He hadn’t made any attempts to chat her up, either. She’d found his lack of conversation incredibly grating. The man had just stolen her away from her home and other than asking her basic questions, hadn’t offered much else. She didn’t know what he did, how old he was, where he’d come from or even what he wanted from her.
Judging by her current predicament, he wanted things she’d never given any other man, and in ways she’d never even imagined. It appeared the rumors of rough sex, of bondage and beatings and all other perverse behavior, were true. Soon enough, she’d have firsthand knowledge of it. Vicious hadn’t placed her here in this dimly lit room on this uncomfortable table, her limbs shackled and her skin bare, so they could play board games. No, he was going to claim her body whether she wanted it or not.
She choked back a sob of frustration. A petty voice in her head hoped Bernie was enjoying her new life in the colonies. Hallie wouldn’t have even been in the Grab this morning if it hadn’t been for her older sister. She wanted to be angry with Bernie for putting her in this position but honestly wasn’t. Bernie had done a bad thing—by their village’s standards, at least. If that information had become public knowledge, Bernie would have been a marked woman.
Smuggling her off the planet the same way Hallie had been helping others was the only way to save her sister. It had cost Hallie her savings and forced her into her sister’s spot in the lottery to satisfy her family’s quota, but it was worth it. In four months or less, Hallie would be an aunt. Protecting that precious, innocent life was worth all of this.
Heavy footsteps echoed in the silent room. She held her breath as tears rode the curves of her cheeks. Even though he hadn’t made his presence known to her, Hallie had suspected Vicious waited nearby the entire time she’d been in restraints. He didn’t strike her as the kind of man to take unnecessary risks like leaving her alone in a dark room with a leather strap across her neck, even if it was loose.
Humiliation burned her face. She’d never been naked in front of a man before this day. She sure as hell had never shown that part of herself to any man. Now it was on display, her thighs spread so wide that the lips of her sex were parted for his enjoyment.
She flinched at the first touch of a rough, warm hand on her foot. He poked her flesh in various spots. It occurred to her that he was probably checking her blood flow. That was something, at least. If he was thorough enough to worry about injuring her, surely he wouldn’t hurt her too badly tonight?
His hand slid down her calf and along her inner thigh. Panic seized her lower belly. She sobbed loudly as the realization of what was to come hit her hard. This man, this stranger, was going to take her, probably brutally, and there was nothing she could do to stop him.
She squeezed her eyes shut as Vicious climbed onto the table, insinuating himself between her thighs. The stiff fabric of his pants scratched her tender skin. She gulped but kept her eyes shut, hoping with every fiber of her being that she would be able to block out this horrible memory someday.
His bare fingertips trailed her cheek and jaw. There was such softness in his touch. It confused her greatly. She didn’t understand this man or his world.
“Why do you cry, little one?”
Her eyelids parted at his question. His icy-blue eyes displayed concern. He looked almost as confused as she felt. How in the world could he possibly be surprised by her near hysteria?
Finally, she found her voice. “I’m scared.”
“Of me?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t fear me, Hallie,” he urged, his voice silken. “You are precious to me.”
“Precious?” She pulled on her wrist restraints. The tugging made her wince as pressure was applied to the spot where he’d had her new identification chip implanted during the intake procedure. “You’ve got me chained up like a dog.”
“To protect you,” he explained. “I feared you would try to run away. Was I right?”
She glared at him. “Of course!”
“That would be dangerous, Hallie. Women who abandon their mates during the bonding period are available to the first man who catches them. Do you understand? I know you think I’m a monster but you must believe me when I say I will protect you. No other unworthy man will touch you.”
She didn’t doubt that. Con
sidering he’d growled at a medic who was just trying to take her blood pressure and listen to her heart, she couldn’t imagine what he’d actually do to someone stupid enough to try to touch her in a sexual way.
Vicious dipped his head. His lips hovered above hers. She could feel his warm exhalations on her skin. He teased his mouth across hers. “Don’t fight me, Hallie. Submit to me and you’ll know only pleasure.”
She didn’t get a chance to tell him to go to hell. He claimed her mouth in a punishing kiss. The air rushed from her lungs as his lips moved against hers. She’d been kissed a few times but those stolen moments of excitement in barns and behind the bleachers at the annual harvest festival dance now paled in comparison.
Vicious might be a ruthless soldier, but the man could kiss.
He nibbled her lower lip before sucking it between his teeth. His tongue touched hers, just briefly, and disappeared again. When his tongue returned with more insistence, she surrendered to his invasion. He swiped the roof of her mouth and sucked the tip of her tongue. She shivered beneath him. He kissed her again, deeper this time, and let his tongue thrust in and out of her mouth. The similarity to another sex act wasn’t lost even on her virginal mind.
Vicious breathed hard when he abandoned her mouth. He seemed as if he were trying desperately to maintain his control of the situation. Was it possible that she affected him as much as he did her?
Her breasts ached in the strangest way. They felt heavier than usual and her nipples stood erect. At his slightest movement, his shirt grazed the stiff peaks. She gasped when his mouth lowered to her neck. His hand pressed her face to the side, baring her throat to his attention. She shuddered beneath his big, hard body as he licked and nipped at her neck. He sucked a certain spot until it was tender, then laved the area with his tongue as if to soothe her.
“So beautiful,” he murmured. He cupped her breast in his hand and captured her nipple between his fingers. He squeezed lightly, not enough to cause pain but enough to cause little darts of sharpness. She gasped and tried to twist away but there was no escape. “Don’t fight me, Hallie. Let me show you how good it can be between us.”
“Please,” she begged, her face burning with shame. “I don’t like this.”
“Are you sure?” He traced her nipple with his fingertip. “Look how your body responds to my touch.”
He dropped his mouth to her breast and traced her pink flesh with his tongue.
There was no stopping the moan that erupted from her throat. Her entire body vibrated with a new awareness as he teased her nipples with his tongue. He moved from breast to breast, his tongue twirling and his lips suckling gently. His fingertips pinching lightly. Her lower belly wobbled as wild frissons of white-hot heat fluttered in her core. She’d never imagined a man could evoke these kinds of sensations.
Down below, her clitoris throbbed. Every swipe of his tongue across her nipple seemed to transfer to the pink pearl hidden there. She could feel wetness seeping from her core. The unwanted evidence of her arousal would no doubt be visible soon. With her legs in the air and her thighs pulled wide open, there was no hiding her shame.
“Don’t,” he ordered, his voice soft but firm. He placed a hand against her cheek and forced her gaze to meet his. “Don’t ever be ashamed with me, Hallie. There is nothing between us that is improper. I am your mate now, your husband. This body,” he swept his hand down her stomach, “is mine to enjoy. And this body,” he touched his chest, “is yours to enjoy.”
Surprise rippled through her at his last statement. He chuckled and nipped at her chin. “What? Do you think I’m the only one who gets to have fun?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t know what you want from me.”
“I don’t either,” he said after a long moment’s pause. “I thought…”
She waited for him to finish the statement but he never did. “You thought what?”
He smiled and kissed her tenderly. “Later,” he whispered. “No more talking.”
“But—” He silenced her with another kiss, this one so wildly erotic it made her toes curl. His warm hand caressed her belly and slid along her hip to her upper thigh. His tongue danced with hers. He’d said his body was hers to enjoy. She decided to do just that. Thinking about what-ifs and whys wasn’t going to get her anywhere right now. Restrained beneath him, her only choice was to feel and enjoy.
His hand moved to her inner thigh and stroked toward her secret place. He cupped her bare mound and she gasped. He lifted his head and trapped her with his gaze. She tried to look away as her cheeks blazed with heat but he wouldn’t let her.
“Look at me, Hallie.” His thick fingers parted the soft folds of her sex. “You’ve never been with a man.” It wasn’t a question. He’d been with her during the intake procedure and had heard her answers to the extremely personal questions asked. “I’ll be gentle with you.”
He kissed her again but she tore her lips away when his fingertip tapped her clitoris. She gasped against his cheek as he expertly manipulated the little nub. His lips drifted along her throat to her breasts again. His short hair rubbed her chin and cheek as his mouth teased her nipples and his fingers explored.
“Kitten, you’re so wet,” he whispered, his voice tinged with awe. “So hot and slick.”
She’d never been called a pet name like that and had definitely never had someone remark on her degree of arousal. His fingertips swirled in the slippery wetness. He lifted his gaze to hers as he slowly penetrated her virgin entrance with one finger. Her body clenched in protest. Her heart raced with excitement and embarrassment.
“Relax. Let me inside you.” He kissed her gently. “Let me show you pleasure.”
“I—”
“No.” He shook his head. “I don’t want to hear can’t. I want to hear one word, Hallie. Just one.” He eyed her seriously. “Yes.”
She gulped. “Yes.”
His expression softened. “Good girl.”
The finger inside her slid a little deeper.
The feelings he awakened amazed her. Living in a small house crammed with sometimes as many as a dozen people hadn’t provided her with much privacy to discover her own sexuality. The few times she’d been brave enough to touch herself in the shower had ended quickly and without ever realizing the full depth of an orgasm.
But this? Oh god. Vicious had touched her intimately for less than a minute and already she trembled.
Every nerve ending below her waist buzzed. His thumb circled her clitoris in a slow rhythm while he thrust in and out of her at a leisurely pace. She tugged at her bonds, her fingers curling into tight fists as he worked her body with the knowledge of a skillful lover. Her nipples were so hard now. She inhaled a shaky breath as his thumb moved a little faster and that finger sliding in and out of her curved. He touched a spot inside her channel that made her cry out.
Chuckling against her breast, he touched that spot again and again, his fingertip gliding over it as he penetrated her. “Do you like that?”
“I—oh! Oh!”
His fingers stilled.
She wanted to scream at him. Her body was on fire now. She needed something, needed him to keep going, to show her what ecstasy felt like.
“Tell me, Hallie.”
“I like that,” she whispered. His finger plunged inside her again, harder this time and deeper. “Oh! I like that. Please! Please!”
“Please, Master,” he countered, his thumb resting against the side of her clitoris. “Ask nicely, Hallie, and I’ll show you everything.”
Master? Vicious wanted to be her master? Saturated with arousal and burning with desire, she realized that she didn’t care what he wanted to be called. “Please, Master.”
Vicious groaned and captured her lips. He plundered her mouth with his kisses while his hand drove her higher and higher toward the precipice of ecstasy. His thumb swirled over her clitoris and that finger inside her stroked and thrust until she thrashed against her bonds. Back arched, she expl
oded beneath him, her hips lifting off the table so hard the leather strap at her waist bit into her flesh. “Oh! Oh! Vicious!”
His name burst forth from her lips as wave after wave of rapturous wonder crashed down upon her body. He groaned loudly and attacked her mouth, his tongue lashing hers even as his fingers continued to massage her into a frenzied state. She rocked under him, her bare breasts smashed against his shirt. When he finally showed mercy, she dropped back to the cold, hard table and struggled to find her breath. He cupped her sex and suckled her nipples. She whimpered at his erotic touch, her entire body so sensitive, each lick and nibble inspired brief, sharp pangs.
“I have to taste you.” He practically growled the words as he rose on all fours above her and moved down her naked body. At first she didn’t understand what he meant, but when he slid into position, his broad shoulders touching her wide-open thighs, she figured it out.
“No!” She desperately tried to close her legs but those damn restraints refused to budge. “Please don’t do that.”
“Do what? This?” His tongue swiped her clit. She bucked hard, her shoulders rising from the table at the sheer shock of it all. “Mmm.” He made a hungry noise. “Love the taste of this sweet pussy.”
His tongue slithered between her folds. It dipped inside her channel and penetrated her in the same way his finger had. She saw stars and couldn’t breathe. His fingertips held her open as his tongue waggled side to side, licking her from the opening of her sex to her clitoris and then back down again. Even though it felt so damn good, she knew it wasn’t right. “Please…Master…stop.”
Saying the words hadn’t been easy but it did stop him. He lifted his head and stared at her with surprise and amusement. “Master says no.”
“But—”
“Hallie, you enjoy my tongue on you. Why are you protesting so much?”
She glared at the ceiling. “It’s not right. You shouldn’t put your mouth there.”
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