Chapter Seven
Conflicted was a good word for describing Hallie’s current emotional state. She kneeled on all fours at Vicious’ feet. He sat in a chair just to her right and enjoyed the lavish dinner that had been prepared for the officers. Two glass dishes had been placed in front of her on the floor. One held room-temperature water. The other some kind of poultry mixed with rice.
When she’d seen the other wives, some more enthusiastic than others, lapping at their food, she’d tried to do the same. The mask she wore and the newness of it made her attempts less than successful. Vicious seemed happy that she’d at least tried. He reached down every now and then and stroked her hair. To be petted by her new husband wasn’t exactly the way she’d hoped to spend their second night as mates.
So far, this bizarre party hadn’t been too awful. It wasn’t an experience she was keen to repeat but just this once was all right. Some of her fellow wives seemed to actually like this role-playing game. Others clearly hated it and made only the tiniest effort to embody the role of feline. Hallie wasn’t having the time of her life but she chose to give it her all, even if it did make her feel incredibly stupid and embarrassed.
Upon arriving at General Thorn’s spacious quarters, she’d been led to a gated area where the other wives played with various toys. At first, she’d been outraged by the idea of batting around a ball of string or chasing after a stuffed mouse dangling from a stick. She’d lifted her gaze to Vicious’ and seen the flicker of guilt there. Not wanting him to feel any worse than he already did, she’d thrown herself into the game with gusto. They’d shared a private smile as she’d batted the ball of string between her hands. It wasn’t ideal but she was trying to make the best of it.
Knees aching and arms burning, Hallie tried to think of anything but her uncomfortable position. Why in the world was she putting herself through this? It stunned her that Vicious already meant this much to her. He’d gained her loyalty remarkably quick. It shocked her that she’d come to trust and care for this man so much and so fast. Surely, she wasn’t right in the head.
Maybe those orgasms were warping her mind. It had to be the flood of hormones from each climax that had made it so easy for Vicious to convince her to do this. Two days ago, if a man had come up to her and asked her to dress up like a cat and a put that thing in her backside, she would have punched him in the face. Vicious had given her the choice to say no and yet still she’d agreed. What the hell was wrong with her?
Vicious stroked her skin, his fingertips gliding from her shoulder to the small of her back. Goose bumps blossomed under his touch. This was what was wrong with her. His very touch made her shiver with need. Desire burned low in her belly. His fingers tightened in her hair, just enough to lift her head a bit. Playing the role of cat, she nuzzled her cheek against his leg.
He glanced down at her and rewarded her with an approving smile. A second later, he lowered a juicy piece of fruit. She accepted the tasty morsel, making sure to suck his fingers clean. She could feel his leg muscles tensing as she teased him. Two could play this game. She might be new at this sex stuff but she was a quick study.
Vicious caressed her face. Her lower back burned but she remained in place, holding her position as perfectly as possible. The general’s earlier attention hadn’t escaped her. He seemed rather interested in her, and she hoped it was merely curiosity and not something else. There were a lot of things she was willing to do for Vicious but that wasn’t one of them.
When dinner ended, Vicious took her leash in hand and led her away from the table. She took advantage of the movement to stretch her tight muscles. They crossed the living area to another room, this one darker and similar than the one where Vicious had restrained her. Were all the apartments equipped with this strange space?
She was suddenly very glad for the cat mask that hid most of her face. She gawked at the odd pieces of equipment lining the walls. She spotted the cuffs and heavy duty rings many of them sported. It didn’t take her long to figure out the equipment was meant for restraining—or worse.
Her belly flip-flopped. Fear gripped her hard. Her gaze flitted around the room. She saw a set of black couches. Oh please. Please let Vicious lead her there and not one of those scary metal X’s.
The low, heavy thud of music filled the room. Vicious tugged on her leash. She hurried to keep up with his long strides. Her breath caught in her throat when he neared some kind of sawhorse-looking contraption, but when they walked straight by it, she let out a sigh of relief. Vicious took a seat in the corner of one of the couches. He pointed to a spot at his feet. Even though her knees ached and her palms were sore, she did as instructed.
She kept her gaze fixed on the floor, certain she wouldn’t like what she saw if she lifted her head. From a far corner came a passionate moan. She swallowed and licked her lips. Vicious had promised she only had to play the part of his kitten. She trusted him to keep her safe.
Two shiny boots came into view. She didn’t dare lift her gaze. It was the general.
Vicious rose from the couch and snapped to attention next to her. She held perfectly still. “General Thorn.”
“Well, Vicious, I’m glad to finally see you at one of my get-togethers.” They shook hands. “She’s a tiny little thing. I would have figured you for the sturdier, thicker type.”
The general wasn’t the first one to make a comment like that. Terror had mentioned that she wasn’t what he expected either. Why in the world had Vicious chosen her then?
The general crouched down in front of her. His long fingers touched her chin and forced her gaze to meet his. He was an older man, older even than her father. He had the palest blue eyes, even lighter than Vicious’, and salt-and-pepper hair. His harsh features frightened her but his touch was gentle and soft. Like Vicious, he seemed a contradiction.
General Thorn pushed her mask up until it sat atop her head. A slow smile curved his mouth. “Ah. I see now why you chose this one, Vicious. Well done.”
“Thank you, sir.”
The general moved her mask back into place and stood. He gestured to the couch and both men sat. Vicious pulled on her leash and she moved even closer to his legs. He stroked her hair and upper back. She placed her cheek against his thigh and tried to maintain her role of kitten while Vicious and General Thorn talked business. She honestly couldn’t get interested in the topic at hand. Military maneuvers didn’t make sense to her anyway.
From behind the safety of her mask, Hallie surveyed the room. That scary metal cross now had a woman strapped to it. She’d been stripped completely naked and had two things dangling from her nipples and—oh my—her labia. Hallie had never even imagined clips like that existed! Did they hurt? Apparently not enough to impede her ability to feel pleasure. She studied the woman, who moaned as her lover slid his fingers through the folds of her sex.
One station down, a man reclined in a comfortable chair while his wife lavished him with oral attention. His glistening cock pistoned in and out of her willing mouth. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen a man receiving oral sex. Once, during one of her night runs for the Red Feather, she’d caught a couple engaging in that particular activity. She’d recognized it as a skin trade and had quickly darted back into the shadows.
Did Vicious like that? Would he want her to take all of him into her mouth? She wasn’t even sure she could. He was so long and thick, after all. She’d probably choke.
But the idea of giving him the same kind of pleasure he’d shown her excited Hallie. Her nipples tingled and her clit throbbed a little as she imagined her lips and tongue moving over his massive erection. Would he make the same sounds she did when he lashed her with his tongue? The idea of Vicious whimpering and begging for release filled her with longing. What would it be like to master a man so strong and virile?
The appearance of a man and two women pulled her from those deliciously naughty thoughts. She wondered if they would strike up a conversation with Vicious and General Thorn but quickly rea
lized they had other plans. No, they just wanted to use the empty couch and low, wide ottoman across from them.
Hallie’s eyes nearly popped from her head as the two women dropped onto the ottoman and began making out passionately. One of their husbands took a seat on the opposite couch and watched the women caressing and kissing. She didn’t see the other husband anywhere. Perhaps he’d found something even more interesting to watch.
Her face burned with embarrassment. Seeing people engaging in sexual acts from a distance was weird enough but having it happen just a few feet away was too much. She could hear the smack of wet kisses and the soft, low sighs of pleasure. It seemed so intrusive. She shouldn’t be seeing this or hearing this intimacy.
“Are you going to share her, Vicious?”
General Thorn’s question snapped Hallie out of her momentary stupor. She stiffened under Vicious’ big hand. He wouldn’t change his mind, would he?
Vicious tangled his fingers in her hair. “No. I fought hard to capture this little rabbit. She belongs to me alone.”
“Pity,” the general remarked in disappointment. “She is so lovely.”
“Yes, she is.” Vicious rubbed her neck now. She dared to lift her gaze to his. He winked down at her and then turned his attention back to General Thorn.
“She’s new to all of this,” the general continued. “Give her time, Vicious. My Leda was terrified at first. Six months into our union, she became curious.” He gestured to the ottoman, the movement revealing a thick red cuff on his wrist. “Now look at her. She’s never enjoyed herself more.”
Hallie’s gaze moved to the two women on the ottoman. The older blonde woman had pinned the slightly younger brunette to the top of the furniture. Around her neck was a collar in the same shade of scarlet. That blonde woman was the general’s wife!
He didn’t seem the least bit bothered by his mate behaving so carnally with another man’s woman. She snuck a glance at General Thorn. Lust radiated from him. He seemed enthralled by the sight of his wife taking her pleasure from the brunette.
The idea of sharing spouses didn’t make sense to Hallie, but she was willing to concede her upbringing in a rigidly moral society where infidelity was cruelly punished had something to do with that. This kind of thing, two women or even two men enjoying their bodies together, would never have been allowed in her village. There was a reason the smuggling ships had such long waiting lists. For people born differently from what the elders accepted as right and true, there was no chance of happiness or even safety in her world. Leaving for the colonies, for a place where any man or woman could live life freely, was the only answer.
But here it seemed all sexuality was encouraged and accepted. Nothing was off-limits or deemed wrong. She’d assumed that this lifestyle, this submission and slavery business, was all about control and pain and subjugation. Maybe she’d been wrong. Leda, the general’s wife, sure as heck didn’t look as if she was being subjugated. She looked…free. She looked happy.
Hallie’s head tilted to the side as she watched the two women. Leda kissed and suckled the other woman’s large breasts, her movements mimicking those Vicious had used on her. She kissed her way down the brunette’s body, her tongue dipping into the other woman’s navel. Her lips peppered light kisses right down to the woman’s thatch of pubic hair. Was she going to—?
Hallie gasped at the sight of Leda sliding her tongue through the delicate petals of the other woman’s sex. Was that how it looked when Vicious put his mouth on her? Her belly trembled as she watched Leda licking and nibbling on the other woman’s pussy. Judging by the sounds the brunette made, the general’s wife was very good at that particular skill.
Vicious sat forward and grasped her waist. His big hands glided along her sides to her shoulders. He pulled back gently, lifting her into a sitting position. The cat’s tail still embedded in her backside made the position a bit awkward. She leaned forward a bit and widened her bent knees to make it more comfortable.
She recognized her mistake the second Vicious’ hand followed the subtle curve of her waist to her lower belly and then dipped between her thighs. She tried to close them but his hand prevented it. Lips against her ear, he whispered, “No.”
She could feel the heat creeping into her neck and cheeks. The general shifted in his seat, no doubt so he could get a better look at her. When Vicious tugged aside the thin scrap of panties that had been keeping her somewhat modest, she almost died. Her pussy had just been bared to anyone who wanted to see it. His cheek rasped hers, the slight stubble scraping at her softer skin as he slid off the couch behind her, his hard body framing hers. “No,” she begged. “Please…Master.”
“Stop,” Vicious ordered gently. “Just feel, Hallie.”
“I can’t. I—” He silenced her with a punishing kiss, his other hand turning her head so he could claim her mouth from the side. His fingertips delved into her pussy. He groaned as he encountered the wetness seeping from her. Whatever her denials, she was aroused by all that she’d witnessed. Now Vicious knew just how much.
His lips dropped to her neck. His arm slid around her waist and clamped her to his body. She tried to escape him but his grip was too much. The mask that protected her face provided some semblance of safety. The man on the couch opposite her had torn his gaze away from his own woman to her. The general’s wife lifted her mouth from between the brunette’s thighs to smile encouragingly her way. Hallie closed her eyes, unable to stomach the thought of all those eyes on her.
“Ah!’ Vicious penetrated her a bit roughly, his two fingers using her slick nectar to ease their way. He nipped at her throat and let his other hand drift to her breast. He squeezed her flesh through the fabric before shoving it down and exposing her hard nipple to the room. She inhaled a shuddery breath as he pinched the pink peak and caressed her naked skin.
His thumb brushed her clit with just the right amount of pressure. She reached back and gripped his thighs in a desperate search for something to hold onto as she felt her world quaking. His body heat warmed and soothed her raw nerves. He thrust inside her pussy with his long fingers, curling them at just the right angle to make her cry out. The plug in her backside amplified her nerve-endings. Everything felt so much more sensitive and wicked. Vicious strummed the little nub there until she could hardly breathe.
“Master!” At the very last moment, she’d caught herself. His name had almost fallen from her lips. Here, in this strange place where rules of conduct seemed paramount, his name was the last thing that should escape her throat. No. Here, right now, he was her master.
His fingers continued to torment her. When he reached down and wiggled the tail, she shuddered even harder, her climax sailing into a newer, even wilder level of pleasure. She rocked and jerked between his spread thighs as ecstasy burned through her. When she went limp in his arms, he gently removed his fingers and cupped her mound. His lips trailed her jawline and pressed to her temple. In front of her, the two women gyrated and panted. The brunette was so close to orgasm. She watched in awe as the woman climaxed. Had she looked like that just now?
Still trembling and awash in afterglow, Hallie noticed the general shoving to his feet. He paused at her side and bent to grasp her chin. He smiled at her. “Lovely.”
Humiliation soured her belly. Had she really just let Vicious touch her in front of all these strangers? Had she so wantonly exposed herself? Shame left her shaking and cold.
As if understanding, Vicious scooped her up into his arms. He stood with her held tightly to his chest. She buried her face against him. His words were muffled as he made their excuses and left the general’s quarters, pausing only long enough to grab the long jacket he’d draped around her before they’d left his apartment.
Relief swamped her when Vicious draped the jacket over her, shielding her from the outside world. Her troubled mind raced as he carted her down a hallway and into an elevator. The ride down to their floor was short. The walk to their door was even shorter. Once inside his qua
rters, Vicious carried her straight to the bathroom. He tossed aside the jacket and lowered her to the ground. With gentle pressure, he turned her until she faced the mirror.
They spoke no words as he removed the mask and lingerie. He put a hand on her upper back and pushed her forward ever so slightly, then grasped the tail and pulled it free with excruciating slowness. She whimpered as her bottom throbbed with an achy emptiness. Vicious embraced her from behind, his arms crossed above and below her breast. “Look at me, Hallie.”
Their gazes clashed in the mirror. She was momentarily taken aback by just how tiny he made her look. Her head barely reached his chest. He stroked her jaw. “You’re beautiful. You’re sexy as hell and you’ve pleased me a great deal. What happened back there wasn’t dirty or wrong. It was sensual and normal. Do you understand?”
Hearing Vicious say it somehow made it so. Her voice still a whisper, she answered, “Yes.”
“Tell me, Hallie.” He brushed his fingers across her shoulders. “Say the words so I know you believe it.”
“What happened at the party wasn’t dirty or wrong. It was sensual and normal.” She repeated what he’d said. “And…I liked it,” she added for good measure.
He smiled and chuckled against her cheek. She shivered when his lips touched her ear and he said, “I’m sexy and beautiful.”
Feeling a bit mischievous, she said, “You’re sexy and beautiful, Vicious.”
He laughed and bit her earlobe hard enough to make her gasp. “Funny.” His hand caressed her breast. “You’re sexy and beautiful.”
“Am I?” She wondered at that statement. “I’m not blonde or voluptuous though. From what I keep hearing, that’s what you find sexy.”
He grunted and kissed her neck. “I used to think that was the height of sexiness.” He clasped her waist and spun her around. Their lips touched as his hands moved down to her ass. He squeezed her cheeks and kissed her long and deep. “I know better now. You’re the height of sexiness to me now.”
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