Surrender [Coalition Mates 4] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Sarah Marsh

  “Oh! I’m so sorry, sir!” Sally’s tone was mortified as she gave a dirty look in Benic’s direction.

  Ark could see the other apprentice with his head down, trying not to laugh. He made a mental note to let Galen know his protégé needed a little discipline later. As soon as his eyes saw Sally in the magnificent gown, her skin glowing with a rosy blush and her hair upswept in a loose style, he almost forgot himself for a moment. She was a goddess.

  “Well done, Benic, you may go,” was all he said, trying not to give his weakness for her away, instead letting her see only the heat in his gaze as he looked her up and down in the dress.

  * * * *

  Sally was completely mortified when her slipper almost hit Arkenon in the head as he walked into the room. Then when he dismissed Benic, she was even more embarrassed when she couldn’t stop her nipples from beading and the moisture pooling in her cleft as he looked at her like he was going to rip the dress off and fuck her hard on the floor. When she noticed his hard cock straining against the front of his pants, her pussy actually clenched. She wanted him inside her so bad. Now that she had a clear picture of his cock in her head, there was nothing to stop her from imagining dropping to her knees in front of him and taking that hard, perfect dick out only to suck it into her mouth until he was moaning her name and coming down her throat instead of Benic’s. Oh God, imagining that was a mistake, as now her breathing was even more pronounced, and she had to struggle to clear her head.

  Arkenon was still standing there looking at her, his hands clenched to his sides. By the gods did he want to throw this woman on the bed and fuck her until neither of them could move. Making it through dinner was going to be a struggle of self-control, and then knowing he still couldn’t have her unless a miracle happened and she agreed to submit, which he doubted, was torture. All he had to look forward to was that Benic would be here to slake his lust on. He prayed that Sally would cave before he lost the battle and ended up taking her anyway.

  “You look beautiful tonight, Sally,” he said, finally able to take another breath. “Shall we go?”

  Sally stared for a moment more as Ark extended his hand for her. She had known that her unslaked lust from the men’s performances all this week would make resisting her desires all the more difficult when she saw him again each evening, but still she wasn’t prepared for it. Sure, Sally had considered sneaking off to the ladies’ room at several different times during that week to scratch her itch and finally take the edge off, but for some reason, she kept on remembering Arkenon’s words to her about not making herself come without his permission, and somewhere inside herself she didn’t want to disappoint him. She was certainly paying for it now as his warm fingers weaved through her own and pulled her close enough that she could smell the warm, mouthwatering scent of his cologne. Her eyes were locked with his as he moved his lips to mere inches away from her mouth. Oh God, he’s going to finally kiss me, she thought as her mouth began to water at the idea of tasting him, and as she slowly blinked, his head continued to move lower, and he placed a long and lingering kiss on the side of her neck that had goose bumps skittering down her body.

  “Come,” was all he said as he slowly raised his head and led her back toward the elevator. “I’m famished.”

  * * * *

  As they walked through the building and then into a waiting shuttle, Sally was still heated from their earlier exchange, and the guild master had yet to release her hand, idly stroking his thumb back and forth along her fingers as though he didn’t even realize he was doing it. This man was getting uncomfortably under her skin. During the classes she and Benic had together that day, she’d casually tried to ask a few questions about her patron, trying not to seem too interested. The knowing smile the younger man had given her, though, insinuated that he knew exactly how well the guild master dominated all things…including her thoughts. She got her answers, though, an afternoon filled with tales of all the crazy and rambunctious things Galen and Arkenon had gotten up to in their wild younger days. It was nice to imagine a more carefree side to the serious man beside her. He often looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

  Neither one of them attempted to make small talk. Both seemed content to regroup inside their own thoughts, until the shuttle came to a stop outside of a busy establishment. As Arkenon helped her out of the vehicle, her eyes went wide at the glamorous couples entering. It was obviously some sort of exclusive restaurant, and Sally was suddenly very grateful for Lady Samal’s etiquette class.

  Chapter Twelve

  The staff inside seemed to fall all over themselves to make sure that the guild master had everything he wanted, and a few times Sally could have sworn she saw Arkenon roll his eyes. It became clear that he didn’t dine out publicly very often, with the surprised looks and murmurs coming from the other diners.

  “Thank you for bringing me out, sir. The meal is lovely,” she said, thoroughly enjoying her second course of a salad of some type.

  They’d made some small talk, but most of the time since they’d been seated had been taken up by various colleagues or guild members stopping by the table to say hello, or to snoop more likely, as they seemed curious as hell to find out who exactly Sally was. Several had even topped off her creep-o-meter by running their fingers along her arm or touching her hair. It was super weird, and by the look Ark gave those two men, it was clear he didn’t appreciate the advances either.

  “I wanted to take you someplace nice, but I can see that this may have not been the best of ideas,” he sighed as another rather odd couple approached them.

  The male was fairly old—Sally assumed he was at least sixty-five—and clearly not Sirotian, from the oddly lavender tinge to his skin and the bone ridges along his cheeks and forehead, but it was his cold black eyes that gave Sally the willies. He looked at her like he wanted to eat her up…and not in a good way. The woman with him was beautiful, and Sally assumed she was Sirotian from her bright-green eyes and red-tinged tan. She was also obviously familiar with Arkenon given the way that she leaned down to kiss his cheeks and, quite frankly in Sally’s opinion, lingered way too long. Tramp. Couldn’t she see that he was here with someone else? No need to throw herself at him like a two-cent hooker!

  “Guild Master Quinn, how lovely to see you out and about! I was just telling the good senator here all about those poor human females that were rescued and how one of them thought to apply to join our guild. How adorable!” the woman said in a clearly fake tone that had no doubt been fooling men for years when combined with her boobs practically falling out of her expensive dress.

  “Senator Ballort, nice to see you. I had not realized that you were on Sirus. Are you here on business or looking to contract?” Ark nodded at the older man, not liking the interest he was showing in Sally. There were rumors that the Renquen senator had dangerous tastes in the bedroom. Nala, on the other hand, was completely ignoring Sally’s presence on purpose. He had never had much patience for the posturing games of females, and one as petty as Nala was a master at belittling others.

  “A bit of both, Guild Master,” the other alien said in a gravelly voice. “Lady Nala and I were just going through some possible contract negotiations over dinner. Who is your companion tonight? She is rather lovely.”

  Sally shrank back a bit as the senator’s hand reached out to touch her, and when the pretty brunette realized that both men at the table were looking at Sally instead of her, she could see the veiled rage roll through her eyes and toward Sally. Awkward.

  “This is Sally Owens. She is one of the human refugees that were recovered, and she is apprenticing with the guild. I am mentoring her myself actually,” Ark replied as he gave Nala a pointed look that implied she should contain her emotions better when she gasped at his declaration.

  “Excellent!” the senator said with obvious lust in his voice. “I look forward to you completing your training, my dear. Now if you will excuse me, Guild Master, I simply must say hello to the Terti
an diplomat over there.”

  Nala hesitated to follow the creepy little man for a moment, looking angrily at Sally and then back to Arkenon.

  “Nala, I hope you are taking proper precautions with Senator Ballort. You know his history and the rumors about the abuse of his consorts. I haven’t been able to deny his ability to purchase a contract without proof, but you should not take him on,” Arkenon warned, looking at the woman carefully.

  “I’m sure I can handle myself Arkenon, unless, you’ve decided to renew our contract and want me to yourself? I would of course deny him for your bed, my guild master,” she purred back at him, briefly looking to Sally to see if her words cut her any.

  “I’m simply concerned, as you are a member of my guild, Nala. Don’t overstep your bounds,” he answered in obvious dismissal, which had the other courtesan furiously stomping away.

  There was silence for a moment as the waitstaff brought their meals and refilled their wineglasses, but when Sally looked up, Arkenon’s gaze was firmly upon her.

  “I apologize for Nala’s behavior, Sally. It was highly inappropriate,” he said quietly, looking a little embarrassed by the woman.

  “It was a little awkward. So she mentioned that you two had a contract. Is she your ex?” she inquired casually, trying not to sound as jealous as she felt.

  “We had a previous contract, yes, but to describe her as an ex would imply that there was some type of relationship between us, which there was not. She had hopes of something that would never have happened,” he answered, looking more irritated now that he was explaining the abrasive nature of her attitude.

  The rest of their meal passed relatively uninterrupted, Arkenon asking all about her life back on Earth and Sally trying to avoid the more personal questions about her parents and childhood. All in all the evening was rather nice. She saw a completely different version of Arkenon when he interacted with others outside of his home. He was charismatic and charming, much less intense than what she had previously experienced with him, but she found herself smiling as he doted over one of his mother’s friends who said hello as she and her sister left the restaurant. Damn it, how could anyone expect a woman to resist an utterly devastatingly hot man flirting shamelessly with a couple of sweet old ladies?

  As they were finishing their dessert, Sally excused herself to visit the restroom before they left. While she was in the bathroom stall, she heard two other women come in after her and was quite surprised to hear them gossiping about how the guild master had never taken another courtesan out to a public venue before and how she must be something special to him.

  Of course this information made her both panic and preen in equal parts, but despite her best efforts, she was smiling when they left and she opened the stall door to walk out. Well, she was smiling for a moment anyway, until she saw the scowling face of Nala waiting for her by the sinks.

  “Don’t look so pleased with yourself, you Earther whore. Once Arkenon tires of the novelty of you in his bed, he will dispose of you just as all the rest. You and your kind don’t belong on our planet and certainly not tainting the reputation of our guild. Once you’re gone, I will take my place beside him as guild matron, and I’ll make sure you are broken and in the ground myself if I have to,” Nala spat at her before turning and leaving Sally staring at the door.

  Of course Sally had run across more than her fair share of jealous women and irate exes with her robust dating history, but there was a fanatical hate in Nala that she couldn’t just brush off. This woman wanted Arkenon, and she had just convinced Sally that she would go to desperate lengths to attain him. Sally was smart enough to fear what she may be capable of.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ark noticed a marked changed in Sally’s mood as they left the restaurant and headed back home. She was clearly distracted by something.

  “Sally, are you all right? Is something wrong?” he asked, hoping that she would actually open up to him and be honest about how she was feeling.

  “I’m sorry, what?” she responded obviously distracted, snapping her gaze back to him from the window of the transport.

  “You’re clearly distressed about something. What is it?” he repeated, looking at her expectantly.

  “It’s nothing. I’m fine,” she said and then smiled a clearly fake smile to try to appease his interest.

  All it did was make him more frustrated. He had been very clear when he first brought Sally into his home and began her training that to progress she needed to trust him and open herself, and though he knew that Benic had won her friendship, it seemed that she was still being stubborn when it came to him. Logically his knowledge and experience told him that it was because of her attraction to him that she was keeping this emotional distance. He’d seen the heat in her eyes when she looked at him. While she appreciated Benic’s attractiveness, Ark could also see that she did not consider the younger man as a sexual threat or potential mate, and that is why she was able to give her trust to him. But even knowing the why didn’t stop the primal beast inside him from raging at the thought of her denying him anything. He would not be denied. Tonight she would learn exactly why he was guild master.

  * * * *

  Sally knew right away that he was pissed about her giving him the “I’m fine” brush-off. Sheesh, most guys, in her experience, loved to hear that, knowing that they could stop pretending to be interested in their woman’s feelings. But Arkenon was seething by the time they were back home, and by the time they’d reached the top floor in the elevator, Sally was getting a little nervous as his anger seemed to settle into a seductive intensity. She could feel his eyes roaming over her as if he was cataloging all the deliciously dirty things he was going to do to her when they reached the bedroom. With how wet her pussy had gotten in the last five minutes of his determined staring, she was now really hoping that his anger would overshadow his control and he would take her to the heights of bliss she was craving without her having to submit anything. The sexual frustration from the two men’s show this morning came flooding back with a rush, and she knew he could clearly see her nipples come to attention under the silk of the dress. Damn traitorous boobs, she thought as she cast her eyes sideways and saw his mouth turn up in a smile once he noticed her chest. Sally stilled as he took a step closer, and had to stifle a whimper when she felt his hot breath along her neck as he leaned further until his lips were brushing her ear.

  “Are you cold, love?” he said in a low whisper as he ran the back of his fingers lightly up her arm, leaving goose bumps in their wake.

  Sally had learned in one of her classes that Sirotians had a type of pheromone control that was frequently used in their seductions. Initially she’d disregarded the possible effects, thinking that she had superior self-control and it wouldn’t affect her, but as Arkenon’s warm, spicy scent became stronger and stronger, all she wanted to do was roll around in it…and on him. So much for her super self-control. Her policy of lying to everyone, including herself, was once again coming back to bite her in the ass.

  “Hmm, yeah…cold. I am a little cold now that you mention it,” she answered, unable to stop the shiver that rolled down her body and settled firmly in her now-very-wet pussy.

  “You can lie to us both, little one, but I can smell your desire,” he answered with a throaty low laugh. “If I were to run my hand up your thigh right now under this beautiful dress, I know I would find your pretty little pussy dripping with honey just for me.”

  Sally’s legs almost buckled as she imagined him doing just that and then pushing her up against the elevator wall and fucking her hard and fast. She knew that when the doors opened and Benic stood there taking in the scene before him that she hadn’t come anywhere close to masking the look of desire on her face. Damn it! She needed to come so badly Sally was starting to shake with the lust that was overtaking her. She assumed that this overwhelming feeling could only mean that Arkenon was cheating and using his Sirotian pheromone mumbo jumbo on her, freaking cheater. But as sh
e turned her head and saw his heavy-lidded look and felt his massive erection straining against her thigh, she thought that perhaps he was turned on enough that he’d forget their terms and just fuck her already. Might as well try, right? After all, he was still a man, and most of the men she had experience with would cut just about any corner when it came to getting a little action. Now it was time to see if she could give his self-control the little shove it needed.

  “Why don’t you see for yourself then, sir?” Sally asked in a low, raspy tone as she widened her stance, inviting him to do just that.

  She tried not to look away from Arkenon’s face as he slowly backed her out of the elevator and up against a wall in the foyer, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see Benic raise an eyebrow at her taunt, then smile and shake his head as he came closer to them.

  * * * *

  Arkenon wasn’t surprised that Sally was trying to tempt him into losing control of the situation. It was a tactical move that he’d assumed she’d mastered throughout her previous relationship history with submissive males. But he couldn’t say that he didn’t have a stronger reaction than he’d expected, making him want to dominate her even more. He had a plan, however, and he was sticking to it, and it started with Sally not keeping any secrets from him.

  He pushed her back against the wall and slowly pushed her arms up above her head as he held her wrists in one of his hands, which he could see made her pulse jump.

  “Benic, please see that Sally’s arms stay right where they are,” Ark said as the younger man stepped up to place his hand on Sally’s wrists.

  Then he took a half step back and smiled as he saw a conflicted set of emotions run over Sally’s face. Her breathing was even more erratic, and she struggled with herself to relax and let Benic bind her. Ark could tell that she’d never let anyone restrict her movement before during foreplay or sex. Her reaction was genuine, and the dominant male in him reveled in the battle she was going through. When eventually he saw her mild panic move from confusion into lust, he was satisfied to continue, and he stepped back up to her, running his hands lightly along the sides of her breasts as he gently kissed her neck.