by Aubrey Ross
Her eyelids drooped and her lips softly parted. She was so ready to be seduced. And he was more than ready to seduce her.
“Won’t a genuine attraction make our roles more believable?”
“Undoubtedly, but I don’t want the outcome of the mission to taint what we’re feeling.” He didn’t kiss her, though she obviously wanted his kiss as badly as he craved her lips. They were teetering on the brink of something unique, something special. He wasn’t willing to risk extinguishing the spark before it had an opportunity to burst into flame. “If I take you with me tomorrow, you’ll have to do a whole lot more than dress the part. You’ll have to become my submissive.”
Submissive. The word whispered through Colette’s soul, a silken temptation stimulating nerve endings and igniting sparks of anticipation. Max was right. Her experience was pretty damn vanilla, but in her fantasies she abandoned herself to pleasures she’d never been brave enough to try. This was her excuse, her justification. She could silence her mental objections and indulge every naughty impulse that had ever flitted through her mind.
“Yes, Master.” She delivered the line with a cheeky smile and Max laughed. His gorgeous eyes lit with amusement and tenderness, momentarily stealing her breath.
He stepped back, leaning against his desk, his hands braced on either side of his lean hips. “Do you have any idea what being a submissive entails?”
“Trusting your partner enough to give them complete control over your body.”
“Trust is fundamental to submission, that’s true, but I’m not the only one you need to trust.” She started to sit back down. He shook his head, his expression suddenly grave. “Stand.” The change in his demeanor was inescapable. He radiated authority even with his semi-casual stance.
“Who else will I need to trust?”
“Yourself. Your instincts and desires. True submission can’t be forced and it can’t be faked. It can be taught to a willing partner, but we have very little time for your transformation.”
“Maybe we should consider a different cover?”
“We’ll be investigating flesh peddlers in the vampire underground. No other cover would be believed. Vampires are dominant by nature.”
“You’re going to try and pass yourself off as a vampire?”
His features morphed right before her eyes. His brow creased and his cheekbones jutted as his incisors distended into sharp-looking fangs. “I don’t have to try.”
More fascinated than afraid, she reached toward his face then snatched her hand away. “But you’re not nocturnal. I’ve even seen you in direct sunlight. Are you a shapeshifter, like me?”
He released the transformation, returning his features to their earlier appearance. “I’m a mutt, like you. You’re clearly more than a human/Dichotomy hybrid. Somewhere in there you’re Fae.”
“My grandmother was a Faerie. Many of my abilities come from her. When my parents fell in love, they were warned that it was doubtful they could have children. Too many incompatibilities in their DNA. My grandmother used Fae magic to help my mother conceive. But she died a few years later, so my father never got his son.”
“Neither one of us is supposed to exist. You were formed by magic and I was created in a laboratory. Imagine the chaos we can create together.” His tone was distracted, as if he was lost in memory.
“It doesn’t have to be chaotic. It might be wild and wonderful.”
His gaze returned to hers and a sexy smile parted his lips. “I say we find out.”
He took her by the hand and led her to the door on the far side of the office. She’d nosed around sublevel three enough to know his quarters weren’t located with the other apartments.
Lights activated automatically as he pushed the door open. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but the utilitarian accommodations made her sad. This was his haven? Where he spent his off hours? Compartments and drawers were built into the walls and the neatly made bed dominated the room. Organized with military precision, the room mirrored the expressionless mask he wore so often. Neither offered even a glimpse of the man beneath the professional façade.
“Privacy protocol, authorization brigham394.”
She returned her attention to Max. “Security monitors in your bedroom?”
“I have enemies.”
“Isn’t there anywhere you can go to escape the microscope?”
“Occupational hazard.”
Another pang of compassion tore through her. She averted her gaze, afraid he’d interpret the expression as pity. She had so many questions, so much she wanted to know about him. She’d observed him in his work environment. He was confident and respected, intelligent and ambitious. Still, in many ways Max was a mystery.
“Do you have family?” She tried to sound casual, conversational.
“Not anymore.” Pain flashed in his eyes with unmistakable intensity. “We don’t have a lot of time. If you can’t pull this off, I need to find someone else.”
Wow. Talk about the wrong question. She squared her shoulders and met his gaze. “I’ll do whatever needs to be done.”
His expression softened and he brushed his knuckles across her cheek. “I’m sorry. There’s an element of this mission you probably need to understand. Taerok was my half-brother. I can’t help feeling responsible for his obsession and all the people who were harmed because of it.”
The vampire who’d been hunting her people was Max’s half-brother? Another tidbit of information that had certainly not been in the council brief.
“If this changes your—”
She placed her fingers against his lips. “We don’t choose our relatives. You’ve been hunting your brother all this time. I can’t even imagine how horrible that must have been for you. Let’s find his lair, so you can put all this behind you.”
He smiled, his lips parting beneath her fingers. “My thoughts exactly.” He nipped her fingertip then kissed the center of her palm. “Vampires offer no mercy and accept no compromise. Once we enter the underground I won’t be able to offer you the security of a safe word. However, we can use one tonight if it will make you feel more comfortable.”
“Tonight is a rehearsal for tomorrow. I’d rather know what to expect. How actively will we be expected to participate?”
“That depends on our reason for seeking out a slaver.”
She shuddered. Even in the human world sexual slavery was a problem. Children were sold into prostitution by their parents, runaways were victimized by everyone, and young girls were snatched off street corners and advertised on the internet by ruthless pimps. Even so, she’d never imagined herself “seeking out a slaver”. The entire concept repelled her.
“What are our options?”
“A temporary third would be the most obvious motivation.”
Heat rolled from her head to her toes in an intoxicating wave. Now there was a concept that was anything but repellent. Had he guessed or was it just a common fantasy? Her nipples tightened and her face flamed.
His wicked chuckle compounded her reaction. “That shouldn’t be hard to sell. Maybe you’re not as vanilla as I presumed.”
She brushed her hair off her forehead, feeling restless and awkward. “So we’ll pretend to be a couple looking for a temporary third. In what way will the slavers expect us to interact?”
“No vampire is going to buy merchandise they haven’t sampled. If the slave can’t arouse us, I’d be wasting my money. And the slaver isn’t going to leave us alone while we play.”
“That makes sense on some twisted, depraved level.”
“They’ll need to believe we are twisted and depraved. Are you starting to understand the scope of our cover?”
“I understand the set up, but why would a Dom allow another man to touch his sub? Aren’t Doms…well, territorial?”
“I can’t speak for all Doms any more than you can speak for all women. And who said the third would be male?”
She gaped, trying to imagine another woman touching her, k
issing her, licking… “I don’t think I can respond to another woman. I’m—”
“Hopelessly vanilla.” He grinned. Sitting on the end of the bed, he openly assessed her. “It’s a Dom’s responsibility to guide his sub, to find ways of intensifying the pleasure for both of them. His strategies might include other people or unusual situations, depending on the sub. In return the sub surrenders control and offers herself without reservation. Communication is vital to the relationship. Unless the Dom is psychic, literally, the sub has to let him know what she wants.”
“What if she doesn’t know what she wants?”
“Then they experiment together. But she has to be honest with herself and with her Dom.”
She smiled, fiddling with the hem of one sleeve. “There’s a lot more to this than handcuffs and spankings.”
“Infinitely more.” His tone turned smoky and hushed as his gaze focused on her eyes. “We’ll start with the basics. Are you ready to begin?”
“I think so.”
“You will not speak unless I ask you a specific question. Also, I’m not technically your Master, so you will address me as sir. A Master/slave relationship is different from the dynamic we’re establishing. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Take off your clothes, fold them neatly, and stack them beside you.”
Holy shit. This was it. She either obeyed without hesitation or ended their relationship before it began. Kicking off her shoes, she started undressing as her mind continued to process. This was preparation for tomorrow, but part of her understood the arrangement had nothing to do with the impending mission. Max was clearly Dominant with a capital D. If she wanted to explore her feelings for him, this is where she had to start.
She wasn’t ashamed of her body, yet she’d never been comfortable naked. Her breasts were too small, her legs too short, and her hips were rather boyish. She was tiny, fragile looking, anything but feminine. And Max was so damned big.
Her camisole joined the growing stack of folded clothes. She unfastened her bra and slipped the straps off her shoulders. His gaze moved openly over her body, making her skin tingle and tension mount.
“Turn around as you take off your panties. That tight little ass has been tormenting me all week.”
Emboldened by the comment, she took her time, slipping one side down and then the other until her bottom was bared. She pushed them lower, bending from the waist as she reached her ankles. He exhaled in an audible hiss and feminine power rushed through her. It felt so good to know she’d triggered a reaction in the ever-composed Commander Brigham. She stepped out of her panties and placed them on the stack.
“Spread your legs and bend over again. Don’t rise until I give you leave.”
A secret smile curved her lips. The pose should be humiliating, so why was anticipation zinging through her veins? She moved her legs apart and locked her knees, bending forward until her fingertips touched the floor. The blood rushed to her head and her pussy lips parted, offering him an unobstructed view of her core.
Take me. Thrust your fingers inside me and pinch my clit. Squeeze my ass cheeks then pull them apart and…
Excitement gathered as her imaginings grew more graphic. Would he spank her? Would he fuck her ass? She’d only done that once and her partner had been so apologetic, he’d ruined the experience for her. Max wouldn’t apologize. Of that she had no doubt. Whatever he did, he’d do with authority and confidence. Her pussy tingled and her heart fluttered. She’d never wanted anything more.
Chapter Three
Mesmerized by the beauty of Colette’s naked body, Max allowed himself to stare. Her legs were toned, her ass delightfully rounded. Her pussy looked soft and moist, the delicate pink folds just starting to flush. He pushed to his feet and approached her, forcing himself to take his time.
He traced her slit, dragging his fingertip from her clit to her anus in one sustained caress. She shivered and her breath hissed out in a tense sigh. Resisting the urge to penetrate her, he removed his hand and said, “Stand up.”
She glanced back at him as she obeyed, disappointment clear in her eyes. Good. Let her wait. Let her simmer, until her lust equaled his. “Lift your arms and lock your hands behind your head.” He ran his hands along her upraised arms. “This is what I wanted to do in the hallway.” His hands explored every inch of her skin, lingering on the softest spots. “I pictured you naked and trembling while I touched you everywhere.”
He cupped her breasts and pressed against her back. Her nipples were pebble hard, poking against his palms. “My men were watching, wanting you, knowing they would never be allowed to have you as soon as my hand touched your flesh.” Rolling and tugging, he worked her nipples into diamond-hard points. “So delicate. So responsive. And all mine.”
One arm crossed her torso, fondling her opposite breast, while his other hand moved lower. She squirmed, murmurs and gasps revealing her agitation. He covered her mound and absorbed the heat of her pussy.
“Be still. Feel my fingers. Accept my touch.” She stopped wiggling, but her thighs still trembled. He pushed his hand between her legs and her head tossed against his shoulder. “Relax.” His middle finger rubbed her clit and her entire body jerked. “Why are you so tense?”
“I’m not sure.”
She tried to turn around. He tightened his embrace. He’d help her work through her anxiety, but she had to accept his authority. “Are you frightened?”
“No, sir. I want this. I just can’t seem to relax.”
“Was it the thought of being watched that upset you?”
“I’m not really upset. I’m… I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
He bent and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. “Nothing is ‘wrong’ with you. This is new, perhaps a bit intimidating.” He didn’t want to kiss her until she came the first time. They were teaching her body new ways of responding. Kissing was intimate and tender. He often used slow, deep kisses as a reward for surrender.
He lifted her against his chest, dragging her to her tiptoes. She gasped and clutched his forearm as his fingers resumed their movements between her thighs. “I’m in control, Colette. We can’t move on until you accept that fundamental truth.”
Her folds surrounded his fingers, hot and slick with her earlier response. He pushed deeper. Hotter and wetter, her passage awaited him. “Surrender, sweetheart. Let me guide you.”
Gradually, she relaxed in his arms. His hand moved more smoothly. The tension eased from her thighs and she canted her hips. He pushed two fingers deep into her pussy and her inner muscles tightened around him. “So hot.” He slid in and out, massaging her mound with the heel of his hand. “Let go, love. Come for me.”
She moved with him, rocking her hips to deepen each thrust. Her nails bit into his arm and her passage pulsed around his fingers. She bent her knee, lifting one foot off the ground so he could finger-fuck her more easily.
“That’s it.” He spread his fingers, stretching her sheath as he rubbed the heel of his hand over her clit. She tensed then shuddered, grinding herself against his hand. She came in long, slow pulses, her core caressing his fingers.
Reluctantly withdrawing his hand from between her thighs, he turned her to face him. “That was the first of many. I promise you.” He drew her bent knee higher and angled her leg around his hip. Their lower bodies aligned, his aching cock pressed snugly against her warm belly.
She licked her lips, her gaze still clouded with passion’s haze. His free arm supported her shoulders and his mouth claimed hers, the kiss both demanding and tender. Her lips were parted and soft, waiting for him. He rubbed his mouth across hers, introducing his tongue slowly as she wrapped her arms around his back.
He curled his tongue around hers, drawing her into his mouth. She responded eagerly to his kiss, while her hips subtly rocked against his body. She tugged on his shirt, trying to loosen it from his pants. He caught her wrist and broke off the kiss. “You do not have permission to undress m
e. Think of this as a dance. You must follow where I lead or we’ll step on each other’s toes.”
The longing in her eyes told him how much she wanted to see him naked, but the fundamental lesson was not yet learned. No vampire would put up with an aggressive lover, unless they had intentionally driven their partner to the aggression.
“Kneel before me and clasp your hands behind your back.” She took a moment too long before she obeyed, but she lowered her weight to her knees and bent her arms behind her. He unfastened his belt and lowered his zipper. “Close your eyes and open your mouth. You’re going to suck me, but you haven’t earned the privilege of seeing my cock.”
Her long lashes fluttered as she lowered her lids, her hesitation just as apparent as her willingness. The conflict challenged and fascinated him. It wasn’t easy for a strong-willed, independent female to submit, but the reward was all the sweeter for the struggle. She licked her lips then opened her mouth. Max smiled even as his cock hardened painfully. Fuck, she looked amazing with her hair tousled and her face flushed. He was mesmerized by her fragile beauty.
His dark nature surged, wanting to claim her, demanding release. He wanted to fuck her mouth and cover her in his scent. He wanted her writhing beneath him while he pounded into her tight, wet core. With years of discipline and determination, he reined in his feral desires. She wasn’t ready for the full force of his darkness. She’d barely glimpsed the full scope of his hunger.
Rather than thrust his cock into her mouth, he scooped cream from between her thighs and rubbed it across her tongue. She shivered and her eyebrows scrunched together over her nose. “Suck it off, Colette. I want your taste fresh in your mouth when I fill you with mine.”
Her lips closed around his fingers and her tongue swirled, tentatively at first, then with more assurance. He slipped his fingers from her mouth and fed her more cream. Only when her lips were shiny and she accepted the essence without hesitation did he free his cock. He wet his fingers one last time and brought them to his own mouth as he pushed his shaft past her parted lips. His heart thudded in his chest as his body absorbed her essence.
