by Ivy Barrett
“Trust doesn’t come easy to me.” She licked her lips and held out her left hand. “I want this.”
Obviously pleased by her decision, he kissed the center of her palm then nibbled on each of her fingertips before he wrapped the wide cuff around her wrist. The velvet lining felt soft against her skin and the buckles created just enough pressure to make her feel secure.
He extended her arm along the mattress and unhooked a chain from the backside of the bedpost. After fastening the chain to the wrist cuff, he rubbed her arm and bent to kiss her nipple. “Your breasts are damn distracting.”
The change in him was captivating. He was in his element now, commanding, controlled, yet unbelievably gentle. He caressed and reassured her as he had never done before. What had brought about this change?
Submission, a tiny voice whispered from the back of her mind. He had become the tender master when she surrendered control.
He repeated the ritual with her other hand, the kisses, the teasing nibbles and the gentle touches. He never seemed to stop touching her. Like a rain-swollen river, desire rushed through her veins, speeding sensations along in their path. She wanted his touch, needed his kiss, wanted everything all at once. With a soft moan, she pressed her thighs together and turned her face to the side.
“No.” He brought her head back around. “Don’t hide from me. Never be ashamed of your desire.”
He crawled back onto the bed and stretched out beside her. “Gods, you make me ache just looking at you.” His hand touched her knee and she trembled. “Relax. Let me touch you. Let me ease the ache.”
“I want you inside me. I need more than your fingers.” She released the tension in her thighs and let her legs fall open. His palm pressed over her mound for a moment, the heel of his hand massaging her clit. She rocked her hips, pushing up against him. It didn’t help. “Please.”
Slipping one arm beneath her neck, he silenced her with his mouth while his hand went to work between her thighs. She wanted a hard, fast orgasm, thought that’s what she needed, but he had other ideas. He touched her gently, building the urgency to the brink then pulling her back. She whimpered and moaned, unable to do more than accept what he gave her.
His fingers slid over and against her, parting her folds and circling her clit. When he finally pushed into her core, she clasped her thighs around his hand, determined to keep him there until she came.
He chuckled, momentarily releasing her mouth. “Let go.”
“You’re killing me. I’ve never needed to come this bad in my life.”
“You’re very impatient. The pleasure will be even more intense because you’ve had to work for it. Now let go and I’ll fuck you with my fingers.”
Her thighs gradually relaxed and his hand slid back, dragging his fingers nearly out of her passage. She licked her lips, forcing her legs to relax even more and he pushed back into her. The slide felt wonderful. His fingers were long and surprisingly substantial, but the fullness didn’t come close to what she imagined his cock would feel like.
“Better?”
She tightened her inner muscles, pushing the pleasure higher. “Yes.”
He repositioned his hand, allowing him to swipe her clit with his thumb at the apex of each rotation. Tension built, her nipples echoing the distinct pulsation of her clit. Close. So blissfully close.
“Look at me.”
She forced her eyes open and met his gaze. “I can’t… My eyes… close when I come.”
“Don’t let them. I want to watch the pleasure take you. Look into my eyes.”
She stared into his eyes, lost in the rush, amazed by the intensity of the sensations coursing through her body. His fingers drove inward and she squeezed him hard, imagining the thickness he denied her. So fucking close! She canted her hips, taking him deeper, needing more.
Without warning, he thrust his fingers deep and rubbed her clit with firm pressure. The sudden absence of motion focused her attention on the sensitive cluster of nerves. Completion remained just out of reach until he caught her clit beneath his thumb and slowly rolled it from side to side.
She cried out at first, the intensity unbearable. His thumb remained persistent and her cunt clenched, the muscles locked in a continuous spasm. She gasped, a keening cry tearing from the back of her throat. The pressure swelled until one final flick sent her over into release. She shook beneath him, coming in hard, dizzying waves.
“You closed your eyes.”
Blinking repeatedly before her eyes would focus, she realized he was right. “I don’t think it can be done. The harder I come, the tighter they close.”
“We’ll have to keep trying.” He slipped his arm out from under her neck and slowly withdrew his fingers from between her thighs. “Your cunt is nice and strong. I can’t wait to feel it gripping my cock.” He licked her essence from his fingers as he studied her lower body. Was he debating whether or not he really needed to wait for Ceddrik’s report?
His features tensed and he raised his head, staring off into the distance. What was he doing? Did he have an audiocom in his ear, or some implant that allowed him to communicate with his people?
“Is something wrong?” She still felt warm and tingly from the spectacular orgasm, but this intermission was rather awkward.
“I was just thinking how glad I am that you aren’t a virgin.” He sounded distracted and annoyed, but why would he be annoyed? She couldn’t keep up with his moods!
“What would you have done if I had been a virgin?”
He paused, his gaze returning to her face. “I’m within my rights as overlord to demand sexual tribute from anyone in the United Territories.” Shit. The autocratic bastard had returned. “Only those who are not yet sexually active are exempt from this rule.”
“Anyone?” She drew her legs together. “What about those who are married or mated or whatever you do on this planet?”
“Sexual tribute is a temporary arrangement, usually just one encounter.”
Okay, that was just wrong. “So, if you see a woman you want to fuck it doesn’t matter if she belongs to someone else? You just crook your finger and she’s required to bend over and let you do it? Does her husband watch, or do you fuck him too?”
He had the audacity to laugh. “My sexual encounters with men have been few and far between. But having a resentful husband watch while I fuck his wife has a certain appeal.”
“How often do you demand sexual tribute? Every day? Once a month? At every large gathering?” She could picture him standing on the gallery, watching as his guests arrived, deciding which of the wives or daughters would warm his bed for the night. Kings had been indulging their libidos since time began. Why should Kellan be any different?
Pushing to his knees, he glared down at her, hair wild about his face. “Part your thighs. Your overlord gave you pleasure, now you will offer him your wet cunt.”
“You’re not my anything!”
He caught the underside of her knees and spread her legs, ignoring her attempts to kick him. “Settle down, princess. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re disgusting.” He moved between her legs, her flailing only making it easier for him to get her thighs apart. “Don’t even think about it! You do not have permission to—”
Catching the backs of her knees with his forearm, he rocked her legs up toward her chest. Then he spanked her still pink bottom with hard, fast smacks. She gasped, then cried out as indignation turned to pain. Her bottom pulsed and her core seemed to echo the rhythm, making her feel empty and desperate. After several more resounding spanks, he released her knees and opened her thighs.
She just lay there stunned and horrified. How had her life been reduced to this?
“I’m not asking permission, little girl.” He draped one leg over his shoulder and pinned the other against the bed. “You’re my prisoner until I say otherwise. Have you forgotten that fact? You’re not in a position to deny me anything.”
> With a bold swipe of his tongue, he parted her folds as his mouth settled over her pussy. The smoldering embers of her arousal burst back to fiery life. She clenched her fists and stared up at the ceiling, trying to ignore the pleasure of his torrid kiss. She would not give him the satisfaction of responding to this forced seduction.
He took his time, exploring her with bold licks and careful nibbles. Heat gathered in her belly, churning and curling beneath his lips, stirred by the clever motion of his tongue. God in heaven, the man knew how to use his tongue.
She pressed her lips together, fighting back a moan. He considered this sexual tribute, an insignificant pleasure he could demand from anyone at any time.
He raised his head and waited until she looked at him. “Do you really want to start a battle of wills with me? I doubt you’d enjoy where it would lead us. You asked me to bind you. You knew I wanted to taste you when you got in bed with me. I’ve made no secret of my intentions.”
“I said no.” She sounded petulant and breathless. “That means you should let me go.”
“You don’t want to be free any more than I want to free you. Now stop resisting what we both want.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Like hell you don’t. Are you picturing dead kittens or your parents having sex?”
She couldn’t quite hide her smile. Those were both very good ideas, guaranteed mood killers. “I was picturing all the other women you’ve demanded sexual tribute from. There’s no telling where that mouth has been.”
“You’re adorable when you’re jealous.” He shifted both her legs to his shoulders and grinned. “You don’t need to worry about where my mouth has been. Just concentrate on where it’s going.”
His head lowered and his tongue pushed right into her core. His arms wrapped around her hips, one hand cupping her breast, the other pressing low on her belly. He found her clit with his middle finger while his tongue began to move in and out of her passage.
The cuffs caressed her wrists, holding her firmly while his mouth ravaged her pussy. She was lost, taken, devoured, all the things she’d longed to be. Pleasure rushed up through her, summoned by the skillful strum of his finger and the bold stroke of his tongue.
Energy flowed into her mind, creeping, sinking, saturating. Cloying and cold, unwanted.
She fought against the flow, sensing danger and… something dark, something malevolent and twisted. Warnings exploded through her mind, instantaneously eclipsing the pleasure and shattering reality.
Darkness engulfed her, sucking her deeper, then deeper still.
She screamed, but no sound escaped.
She flailed, but sensed no movement.
Everything within her resisted the dank, clammy feel of the intrusion. It insinuated itself into her, infused and inundated her. She shuddered and shrank into the nothingness surrounding her, willing the void to swallow her whole.
“Who are you?”
Nothing.
“Where am I?”
Helplessness crashed over her, amplifying her fear. How could she combat an enemy that didn’t seem to exist? What good did it do to devise a strategy when she had no body with which to fight?
If ever I needed a knight in shining armor it’s now! The thought echoed through her mind as darkness gave way to oblivion.
Chapter Four
Sean held out his arms, allowing one of Kellan’s guards to pat him down. Specters could pull energy out of the shadow dimension and use it as a weapon, so he was never truly unarmed. Three of his spybots were hiding, waiting for his signal before returning or revealing their position. Stealth was his customary strategy. This situation, however, called for a bit of drama.
He’d paused in the shadow realm and used his spybots to locate as many of the guards as possible then he’d gathered energy around himself so the veil crackled and flashed as he stepped through. If the reaction of the guards had been any indication, it had all been very impressive.
“Did you tell him I’m here?” He focused on the only familiar face. Tanner not only knew who he was, he knew what he was and how badly Kellan would want this opportunity.
“The overlord has been interrogating one of our prisoners. I’m not sure he’ll welcome an interruption, even from you.”
“I thought interrogating prisoners was your job.”
Tanner just glared.
“Send the message. If he insists, I’ll wait.”
“Stubborn as always.”
Tanner motioned and the guards led Sean through a small opening beside the razor-wire gates. “I love what you’ve done with the place. Last time I was here there was landscaping and a lot fewer guns.”
“Last time you were here we had a lot fewer enemies.”
So stop making enemies. Sean managed to stop the sarcastic response from passing his lips, but something in his expression must have given him away. Tanner stopped walking and faced him, clasping his hands behind his back.
“You’ve been away a long time, so I’ll give you a quick word of advice. Kellan won’t put up with your bullshit like he did before. He has too many people depending on him now. I don’t know why you’re here, but don’t play games with him. He will kill you.”
Sean accepted the information with a stiff nod and they continued toward the front door. He hadn’t doubted Kellan’s ruthlessness. In fact he was counting on it. Hopefully whoever had Brianna was one of Kellan’s least-favorite subordinates. The overlord would demand her release and the warlord would have no choice but to obey. And all Sean had to do was convince the overlord to act on his behalf.
The interior of the house was even more shocking than the grounds. Windows that had once filled the halls with warm sunlight had been barred and any hint of civilization had been trampled beneath the heel of brutality.
War.
Sean heaved a frustrated sigh. He couldn’t escape its ravages, not in the Underground, not on Stilox, and not here.
Tanner led him to the shell of a library, motioning him inside with an exaggerated gesture. “Have a seat, if you can find one. He’ll either join you or he won’t. Stay as long as you like. Just don’t expect me to entertain you. I’ve got prisoners to interrogate.”
One turn around the room proved there was nothing worth stealing. So what was all the security protecting? The overlord. Kellan was the centerpiece around which a remarkable metamorphosis had taken place. As Kellan stepped into power, he had built upon a foundation laid by his father and succeeded where so many others had failed. He’d secured a ceasefire from the warlords and formed an uneasy peace.
Sean might have relocated to the Underground, but he’d kept track of developments here at home. Home? He shook his head, startled by the thought. Did he still consider this place home?
“Slumming? What brings you back to this charming location after all these years?” Kellan stood in the doorway, or lounged actually. With his shoulder leaning against the frame and his knee bent, foot resting on the toe of his boot, he gave the appearance of calm indifference. Of course the illusion was shattered as soon as Sean glanced into his eyes. Kellan’s gaze gleamed with predatory interest and a hint of wariness.
“Would you like me to kneel? I know that’s customary now that you’re overlord.”
Kellan chuckled, pushed off the doorframe, and moved into the room. “You almost managed to make that sound respectful, but we both know better. Don’t we? My accomplishments are irrelevant because you can melt into shadow and shoot lightning out your ass.”
Sean laughed, warmed by an unexpected pang of nostalgia. Kellan had been part friend, part brother, part mentor, and part rival. He’d thought of him frequently down through the years, but mutant animosity made it hard to reminisce with anyone but Sarah, and her memories of the black zones were far less pleasant.
“I have very little time, Sean. Why are you here?” He leaned against the desk and waited.
“Howyn built a lab
out in Zone 11. I suspect you already know that. I was in the process of rescuing a young woman when one of your warlords snatched her from me. I need her back.”
“Who is this young woman and why the fuck should I help you?”
“The young woman is merely a pawn, but she is important to…” He threw up his hands and shook his head. “This is all such a damn muddle. Brianna was a hostage, not a participant. I want to make that very clear.”
“Is she a mutant?”
“No. She’s not even from this star system. She’s from a planet called Earth.” Kellan’s only reply was a throaty, noncommittal sound, so Sean went on. “Her sister was taken from Earth as well and she is now mated with Mal Ton Adoha.”
That caught Kellan’s attention. His expression remained impassive, but speculation flashed within his gaze. “Then the alliance was solidified. Fane has joined forces with the Stilox rebels?”
“Not officially. They’ve cooperated on some missions, but there is no formal alliance.” Kellan offered another semi-verbal mumble. Sean chose his next words carefully. He needed to pique Kellan’s interest without revealing too much. “Do you know who has Brianna?”
“I might. Is Mal Ton willing to pay?”
Sean tensed. “There are many forms of ransom. We have access to some, not others.”
“What is Howyn’s interest in these women? What was he cooking in that lab?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Then I suggest you start talking. I’m losing interest fast.”
Sean hesitated. Was anyone endangered by explaining the Chrysalis program to Kellan? He shook away the resistance with a sigh. It had been Howyn’s project, not theirs. He needed to stop being so suspicious. “Howyn was programming nanites to control and amplify psychic energy. He needed hosts who were free of mutation and the human women possess a certain characteristic in their DNA he was hoping to incorporate into the programming.”
“What characteristic? Are they psychic?”
“They all have a higher aptitude for such skills, but that wasn’t the main draw.”
