by Anna Carven
She had the speed advantage, and this guy was no warrior.
Sera kicked him again, managing to hit the same spot, and this time he became unbalanced, falling to the floor, his orange robes swirling around him. A jewel fell from one of his bracelets and clattered across the floor.
“How dare you,” he screamed, as Sera swooped in and snapped the restraints around one of his wrists. He flailed and she lost her grip, the metal device swinging in the air. He was trying to stand, but she scrambled on top of him, pinning him down in a grapple. She didn’t have much time, because as soon as he moved, he would overpower her.
Sera reached across and snapped the other end of the restraint around his ankle, tying him up like a pretzel. She heard a click, and she hoped to hell the device had worked.
Alerak tried to free himself, but the restraint held fast, and he screamed in outrage. “You will die for this, slave!”
He tried to stand, but with his right wrist tied to his left ankle, it was impossible. Sera stepped away, squatting down at a safe distance so she could look him in the eye. “Master told me that no-one else should lay a hand on me,” she said sweetly. “I’m just following his commands.”
To her horror, he had a raging erection. Fucking pervert.
“Besides,” she added, unable to help herself. “You’ve become aroused, just as you asked. You like being treated this way, don’t you, Kordolian?”
Alerak’s yellow eyes burned with hatred. “Release me this instant, Human filth! I will flog you for this!” His jewelry clinked as he thrashed on the floor. With his free leg, he kicked uselessly into the air.
“I can’t disobey Master,” Sera said innocently, picking up the punishment collar and turning it idly in her hands. “And I don’t know how to take them off.”
“You are dead, Human!” Alerak stopped writhing about when he seemed to realize it was futile. The bonds couldn’t be broken. “You just wait until we reach Kythia. The Empress will tear you apart.”
“Hm.” Sera simply looked at him, shrugged and turned away. She was probably in big, big trouble, but this creep had asked for it.
The worst thing about it all was having to spend time confined to quarters with this hysterical, repulsive idiot.
She hoped Xal would get his ass into gear and come back soon.
~~~
When Xal returned to his quarters, he found Alerak trussed up on the ground like a vorchek that was about to be roasted, one wrist bound to his ankle with the slave restraints.
The punishment collar was around both of his ankles, acting as a restraint and rendering him immobile.
Sera sat on the bed, an innocent expression on her face. She didn’t say anything, instead shrugging and pointed to Alerak, who had his back turned to her. She made a questioning gesture with her hands.
Alerak spluttered in outrage when he saw Xal. “Release me, Kazharan,” he shouted. “Look what this Human has done to me! It must be killed. This is completely unacceptable.”
Anger made his hands shake. His gaudy robes were undone, and underneath, Xal saw that he was naked.
Xal instantly understood what had happened, and white-hot rage burned through him. He wanted to tear Alerak’s head from his shoulders.
Instead, he squatted down in front of Alerak. “You are trespassing,” he said softly. “For what reason do you come into my quarters and try to touch my slave?”
“You see what it has done to me,” Alerak hissed. “This is unacceptable and I demand punishment. The High Council will hear of this, Prince.”
Xal slapped him hard. Alerak reacted by blinking, and Xal saw that he had an erection. He shook his head in disgust. “What would I punish her for? She was obviously carrying out my will in my absence. Although I would have been a little less gentle with you.”
“I am a Noble of the Kordolian Empire, and it has dared to raise a hand against me. Even death would be an inadequate punishment for this wild animal. I would demand it, at the very minimum.”
Xal raised his hand again, and Alerak trembled in anticipation. In truth, he wanted to punch him in the face, and it was taking every ounce of his self-control to hold himself back. “Tell me Alerak,” he said, slowly lowering his hand. “What would I list as the official reason for execution? What is the crime? Singlehandedly defeating and restraining a Kordolian Noble?”
Alerak’s pale yellow eyes burned with shame and hatred. “It tricked me,” he spat. “It fought dishonorably.”
“Shall I call the guards to remove your restraints? I’m certainly not inclined to touch your filthy skin.”
“No!” The Councilor desperately waved his only free hand. Of course, he wouldn’t want anyone to see him in this state. The rumors that followed would be brutal. “That won’t be necessary. Just get me out of this, Kazharan.”
Xal looked up at Sera, who was smirking. Clearly, she could handle herself. But he was angry that she’d been put in this situation in the first place.
The High Council publicly denounced inter-species mating, but everyone knew that many Nobles fucked the help behind closed doors, and Alerak was no better.
He’d obviously thought he could have his way with Sera. Slaves were usually too terrified to do anything.
“What should I do with you, Luron? Shall I haul you out into the corridor and leave you for the cleaning bots to sweep up?”
“If you dare to publicly humiliate me I will report you to the High Council, Kazharan. Just because the Infinite Mother wishes to show you mercy does not mean you can walk back into the Court with all your privileges re-instated.”
Xal smiled then, baring his fangs. “I’ll tell you what, Luron. I won’t tell anyone of this if you won’t. If I let you go now, we will resume our usual business and you will forget about this unfortunate incident. In exchange, this shameful display of your incompetence will remain between you and me.”
Unseen by Alerak, Sera winked at him.
Alerak looked up at him in helpless fury. “At least discipline your slave,” he whined.
“What for?” Xal raised an eyebrow. “She has not disobeyed me. You, on the other hand, tried to violate what is mine.” His hand dropped to the hilt of the Callidum sword that hung by his side.
It had been his father’s, and although it appeared ceremonial, it was very, very sharp.
Xal unsheathed the blade. Alerak paled. Sera raised a curious eyebrow.
In a single, fluid movement, Xal sliced through Alerak’s bonds, the blade whispering past his exposed skin. Alerak scuttled backwards, his eyes full of fear.
“Cover yourself, Councilor,” Xal growled, “and get out of my sight.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Am I in trouble?” Sera stood to greet Xal as soon as Alerak left the room. “Have I just blown your cover?”
“Forget about that.” Xal pushed her hair away from her eyes, carefully evaluating her appearance. “Did he hurt you?”
“No.” She shook her head, her eyebrows drawing together. “I tried to hold back, but he wanted me to-” she shuddered, “to pleasure him.”
Xal snarled, looking as if he were about to commit bloody murder. “He needs to be punished.” He went for the door, his sword still in hand.
“Xal, stop.” Sera curled her fingers around his sword hand, stilling him. “You have a bloody temper, don’t you?”
“When it comes to you, I do.” He slowly sheathed the blade, embers of anger smoldering in his eyes. “This won’t happen again.”
Sera wrapped her hands around his horns and started stroking them. That always seemed to calm him. “You need to have a clear head right now.”
Xal closed his eyes and shuddered. “I can try and think things through objectively, but there’s only so much I’ll tolerate when it comes to your safety. It was reckless to allow you to do this. How did you manage to convince me to bring you along, female? You must have put a love-spell on me.” He placed his warm hands around her neck, stroking her soft skin. Electric ripples of pleas
ure shot down Sera’s spine, pooling in her belly, sending out tendrils of arousal that unfurled in her core.
How did he have this effect on her, each and every time?
“You are a fighter; I knew it.” He put his lips to her forehead, leaving a soft, lingering kiss. “You brought that spineless idiot to his knees and trussed him up like a pitiful vorchek.”
“I don’t know what that is, but I’ll admit, I lost my temper. I’m sorry I kicked his ass.”
“No, Sera. Don’t you ever apologize for defending yourself.” He brought his mouth to hers, sucking her lower lip, grazing it gently with his fangs. She kissed him back, now fully aroused. He looked so intimidating and dangerous in his Imperial attire, and she loved it. She’d scored herself a delicious Prince from an evil empire and she didn’t want to share him with anyone. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. I didn’t think Alerak would be so stupid as to come in here.”
Sera yelped as Xal scooped her up into his arms, lifting her effortlessly. “You know,” he rumbled, “it turns me on.”
“What?” Sera curled against him, enjoying the way he held her close, inhaling his spicy, masculine scent. His body was warm and solid, his arms like corded steel.
“The fact that my female can kick ass when she’s cornered. The thought makes me hard.”
“Oh, you like that do you, big boy?” Sera basked in his praise, a warm feeling settling in her belly. Xal looked down at her, his eyes full of wonder.
“What made you learn to fight?” Curious, he inclined his head. Sera took a deep breath, leaning into him.
“You’ve seen my scars,” she murmured, meeting his gaze. The clouds of anger had disappeared, leaving his golden eyes clear. He was focused only on her. Sera sighed. “When I was a kid, I was in this horrible accident. My father was on a diplomatic mission to a small planet called Xaron-3. I was sent to visit him on my school break, but the transporter I was on ran into an asteroid belt and took damage. When they tried to land on Xaron-3, it crashed. Everyone died except me. I felt I should have died that day, Xal. I had the worst case of survivor’s remorse.”
“I’m sorry.” He planted another soft kiss on her forehead.
“They didn’t have proper medical facilities on that planet. When I got back to Earth, I was an absolute mess. I should have lost my arm and half my face, but my father brought in the best specialists from all over the world. The me you see today is the result of years of painful treatment. They told me I would never use my arm again, but then my father volunteered me for a medical trial. They re-grew the muscle and bone from stem cells.”
“Obviously you didn’t let it hold you back.”
“It was hard at first. I was hideous. Half of me was constantly wrapped up in dressings. I was teased. They called me ‘monster’. That’s hard for a kid to take, Xal. Even my own family started treating me differently.”
“They had no right to treat you that way.”
“Just like Kordolians, Humans can be cruel. I was angry. I withdrew into myself. I hated everything and everyone. And then one day, one of my physical therapists showed me how to use a speedball. It’s basically a punching bag. And suddenly, I was able to release all of that anger. I was hooked. I joined a gym. I trained hard. My body healed and my arm and shoulder became strong. In the ring, I started kicking some serious ass. I became the monster they made me out to be, and it felt good.”
“A beautiful monster,” Xal whispered teasingly, sucking on her earlobe. “My monster.”
Sera laughed. “They stopped calling me that a long time ago. These days, it’s ‘queen bitch’. And only ever behind my back.”
“You are strong, my Queen.” Xal moved across the room and lay her down on the bed, climbing on top of her. “Much stronger than I am. I won’t let anyone say otherwise. Remind me to call in on your family when we return to Earth. If they cause you problems, I will deal with them.”
“Don’t worry about them. We’ve reached an uneasy truce,” Sera murmured, although a part of her would love to see her father’s face when Xal walked through the door. And her mother would probably have a heart attack.
She smirked at the thought as she fumbled with the fastenings of his jacket. Xal stilled her hands and ran a finger down the closure. It miraculously unzipped, and he shrugged the garment off. Underneath, he wore a light black shirt with a deep vee at the neck. It revealed the broad muscles of his chest, which gleamed and flexed as he prowled over her, watching her with hungry eyes.
“I must apologize for my treatment of you earlier,” he rumbled, and a thrill coursed through her. She wanted him so badly. “I will make it up to you.”
“Yes, Master,” she said pretend-meekly, but she was smiling.
Xal skillfully undressed her, his hands exploring her body with a light caress that became reverent when he touched her scars. “Now that I know of the pain behind these,” he whispered, “they are even more precious to me.”
He said the damnedest things, that made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Sera fiddled with the opening of his pants. “Why are Kordolian garments so complicated?” she complained. “You’re still in an inappropriate state of, uh, being dressed.”
Xal inclined his head and tore off his shirt, revealing his impressive torso. Sera stared unashamedly at the defined ridges of his pecs and abdominal muscles. She wanted to lick him all over and devour him.
He was silver, alien perfection.
Xal noticed the direction of her gaze and grinned. His smile was adorable. It transformed his face, making him look cute and boyish, only with fangs. “There’s more where that came from.” He unbuckled his belt and threw his sword across the floor. It landed with a dull clatter as he pulled down his trousers, his huge length springing forth.
Moisture glistened at the tip of his cock. Sera pulled him forward, bringing him towards her. He knelt over her, straddling her and she placed her lips on him, tasting his wetness.
Xal moaned as she took him inside her mouth, moving back and forth along his hard shaft. His low, guttural moans surrounded her, and he twined his fingers through her hair, his caress soft and tender.
She sucked him and he voiced his appreciation, the sound of his pleasure washing over her and stoking her own arousal. He let her take her time as she savored the taste of him; the feel of him, running her fingers up his strong, muscular thighs.
Then he drew himself out gently, bringing her forward, and in a single, agile movement, they had reversed positions, and she was on top of him. He lay flat on his back, looking up at her, his pale, silky hair arranged around him in an abstract halo.
He was otherworldly and impossible and she took a moment to marvel at how such a being had become hers. The wildness she had sensed in him brimmed to the surface as he watched her with eyes of swirling gold.
“I’m all yours,” Xal said as she moved over him. He pulled her close and then he was inside her, filling her completely, and Sera cried out with the sheer ecstasy of it as she started to grind her hips.
Xal smiled, content to watch her as a primal rhythm overtook her and she moved faster, her strong, lithe body swaying back and forth.
Sera gripped both of his horns as she fucked him, and Xal closed his eyes, a raw sound issuing from deep within his throat. His hands curved around her ass, guiding her, his movements strong yet gentle. His fingers traveled up her back, tracing its defined contours, reaching the part over her left shoulder where the scars began.
She fucked him slow, hard and deep, and his hands moved over her breasts, his nimble fingers caressing her nipples.
As her rhythm started to become more frenzied and her grip on his horns tightened, he sat up, bringing Sera’s legs around him as she leaned into him.
A wild spirit had overtaken her, and she moved even faster as he wrapped her in his powerful, warm embrace, his voice blending with hers as they moaned and sighed. Sera was driven by the feel of him inside her; every time she thrust downwards along the length of him the ridges
along his cock grazed her clit, sending her into a spiral of erotic bliss.
There was an exquisite tightness in her core that increased the faster she moved, and as the intensity of their lovemaking grew, that sensation built, and she was helpless to it, her body moving of its own accord.
Now Xal took over, placing his hands behind her and easing her down onto her back as he started to move, pumping his hips, gasping as he slammed his body against hers, his movements becoming rough and savage.
She growled as he placed his hands on her hips and fucked her harder, again and again until her legs became like jelly and all she knew was that she was going to come.
He was the perfect combination of brutality and gentleness.
She was overwhelmed with the sheer force of him as he plunged himself into her, again and again.
She was drowning in pleasure.
When he started to go even faster, she knew he was going to bring them the release they both craved.
His strong hands wrapped around the back of her neck. She moved her hands up and down his muscular back. Heat radiated from him, and she was slick with sweat. He brought his head up, closing his eyes again, arcing his back as he slammed into her.
Again and again.
He moaned her name, as if it were honey on his lips.
And then he came.
Sera’s soft grunts became louder and higher, and in a moment she was going to scream as the beginnings of an orgasm started to ripple through her, becoming waves of intense pleasure.
The climax ripped through her like lightning, and as she screamed, Xal pulled her into him, her cries muffled as she buried her face in the crook of his shoulder.
He held her as the tension drained from her body, and the most fantastic afterglow started to seep through her.
His arms were around her, and he smelt so good, and she wished they could stay like that forever.
