by Terri Pray
She scowled. He hadn't been joking about the pack. And it was no lightweight. Did he expect her to carry everything? Turn from a proud woman into a slave and a beast of burden?
Asshole. I'll skin him alive the first chance I get!
"I'm not going to wait for you and you truly don't want to make me angry, slut.” He glanced back at her, looking pointedly at the pack. “Unless you want to feel just what that control band can do to you?” His full lips curled into a hungry smile.
"No, sorry. I was just trying to figure out what you had stuffed into that thing, sir.” Shannon yanked the pack off the floor and tried to shoulder it. She frowned, struggling as she eased it into place on her back.
"Quit complaining.” He scowled, his dark gaze narrowed on her face. “Get in front of me, now. We have a long way to go before we can call it a night."
Call it a night? She'd lost all track of what time of day or night it was. There had been no time piece in the room she had been locked in, and no window, or glimpse of the outside. Fine, she'd find out soon enough, which would give her a better time line to work with. She had to have been missing well over a night and into the next day by now, enough to put the ship on first level alert and the town searched, discreetly but searched nevertheless.
What had he put in the damn sack? It felt like metal, sharp edges, heavy items wrapped up with softer ones. His clothing and something else? What about her? Had he picked up anything she could use or was she just supposed to go around wearing the same clothing day after day?
Men.
They never thought about anyone other than themselves!
Light filtered in from the end of the cave system. Faint, but there, the soft pink tinted light of a day's end. Had she really been in his care that long already? By now they'd be searching the town fully, discretion would have been tossed out of the window and demands would be made, answers sought and their anger would be building.
Would they check her quarters?
It didn't matter, she'd destroyed the discs and programs, made sure that every trace would be lost. She knew the drill, and one thing she had always been aware of was leaving the ship, even for a bit of rest and relaxation meant her quarters were open to be searched. How many had she seen dragged off because of contraband in the past?
Well she'd learned before they could do the same to her.
"Where are we going?” She glanced back over her shoulder as they stepped out into the fresh air. Mountain air. So they were some distance from the town. And it was warm, despite the elevation and end of the day, so they weren't ... hold on they'd taken her to the other side of the planet then. It was cool, the town had been cooler, late autumn. Here it felt more like late spring.
Shit.
She could have been out for a couple of days then. She had no way of knowing if he had shot her full of drugs to keep her knocked out!
"There's a friend of mine who has a ship we can use. It's a day or so on foot, less if you keep up. Once we find him we can get off this rock.” He laid his hand against the pack and pushed. “So no slowing down, it won't help you. Unless you want to see those kids back there killed because of you?"
"You mean because of you, don't you. I didn't exactly come here of my own free will.” Even so she picked up her pace, hurrying down the narrow pathways. The mountains trailed off towards the sky, a sky turning pink and purple even as she watched. How long did they have before it turned completely dark?
Not long at all if she had any guess.
"You and your kind are behind all the problems I've ever heard of, so drop that attitude bitch. I'm not about to deal with it, is that clear?"
"Very.” Shannon sucked in her bottom lip and lowered her gaze. The footing could be awkward, especially as she didn't know the area at all. Slipping and breaking her neck wasn't exactly what she had in mind. Not even if it would piss him off.
She glanced down into the gorge, barely able to see the bottom because of the mist. Just what was the ecology of the planet? She'd not paid that much attention to the reports, after all she was just going to spend an evening in town and have dinner with an old friend.
Beautiful.
Even with the man pushing her further down the trail the area was stunning. Long cliffs climbed upwards on either side of the path. Tiny plants grew along the cliff's nestling on small ledges offering the yellow or purple flowers to the insects. The path had been carved out, adding to a natural ledge that have might once been the walkway for animals, whatever grazers lived in the mountains, now it was wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
What else existed out here?
Animals?
Caves?
Waterfalls?
Would she even have the chance to learn about the area?
All this wild beauty and she'd miss it. Goddess, she'd never even known it existed. And all because she had taken a wrong turn and bumped into a man who only knew how to be a complete bastard.
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Yes, of course, sir.” She shook her head. Hadn't he heard her the first time around?
"Good, because I've no interest in repeating myself.” Aaron walked close behind her, nudging her every couple of steps. “And we won't be stopping for some time, so pick up the pace. There's only one area I'm willing to use for a breather, so just put your head down and hurry up. Gods, women. I should have never picked you up. Decent lay or not you're still trouble. If I had any sense I'd kill you and burn the body, or chemical dump it so the scanners wouldn't pick up the remains."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Killing a woman because you made a mistake and grabbed her? Shit, you could have just left me alone, but no you had to go and prove something. Even your friends tried to warn you."
"Shut up!"
"What's up, can't you take hearing the truth?” The buried rage she had barely kept under control since she had woken up in the locked room now threatened to break free.
"I told you to shut up bitch!"
Something in his voice warned her to dart forward.
His boot scraped past her left hip, followed by a growl of fury. “Stand still when I kick you!"
Shannon turned, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. “What in hells name do you think I am? Some beast you can order around and abuse? I thought you were a man not a coward!"
"What?” He took a step back, staring at her.
"You steal a woman off the street, well fine and good. Then you decide that women need a lesson, that we should be begging, crawling at the feet of men because of all the terrible things we've done to you. Okay, I can agree that women haven't been nice and fluffy with men in a long time. We got fed up of being treated like shit. So to prove your point you have to kick me? Beat me up? You're such a strong, powerful man that you can't get me to do anything without threatening my life? Even the men of old weren't as obnoxious as you've been!"
His face lost all traces of color. His chin clenched, the muscles across his shoulders knotted as his hands turned into tight fists.
"Come on then, be a real strong man and beat me. Hit me! I can't stop you. You've locked a fucking control band about my throat! If I fight back you'll shock me. What have you got to lose?"
Her heart pounded against her rib cage, breath catching in the back of her throat as she stood there, watching him. It wouldn't take long, he'd lose control and she'd be dead, hit or shocked so she'd stumble into the gorge.
Sweat coated her upper lip. Was he going to move or not?
"You think that I'm just a bully? Someone who can only get a woman to obey him by hitting them? Using force? I know how you behaved under my touch, slut. I saw it for myself. How you clung to me, pleaded with your eyes and body alike. So how can you say that I'm a bully?"
"I pleaded with you because you were threatening my life you ignorant asshole!” Did he really think that she'd want anything to do with him if she had a choice?
"You're so certain that I don't have an affect on you wi
thout threatening you?"
"Yes."
"Prove it then, kiss me."
"Are you out of your mind?” Shannon scowled, shifting the pack on her back. “Why would I kiss you? You're horrible!"
"Oh, am I? Your body said something different yesterday. Your tight little cunt was milking me as if your life depended on it."
"It did!"
"So kiss me and prove yourself right. If I'm really nothing more than a bully to you then you'd have no fear in kissing me. It won't affect you and I'll know that it was just your desire to live that had you moaning under me.” Aaron smirked.
What was it with this man? Didn't he understand that he was delaying things? The longer they stayed here the greater the chance that someone would stumble across them. And the men and women in the caves would pay the price for his stupidity.
Men!
He wanted to put everyone else at risk for a kiss that would only prove she found him disgusting.
"And when I prove that you're mistaken then what? You'll just stop hitting me?"
"No, I'll do more than that. I'll see you to safety and let you go."
Shannon blinked, her jaw dropping. He was willing to risk that much on a simple kiss? She'd be an idiot not to take the chance.
She didn't feel anything towards him but loathing and she'd learned a hard lesson on distinguishing the differences between the fantasy of the holo deck and just how cruel men could be when they fought their rightful place in life.
"You'll unlock the control band and let me go back to my ship."
"Not just let you, I'll take you there myself."
"Knowing full well that you'll be caught if you do that?"
"Yes.” Aaron folded his arms across his chest.
Confident. Well it would just make it all the sweeter when she showed him just how foolish he was. There had to be something she was missing.
Of course.
"And if I fail, if I end up liking it?"
"Then you submit as my slave, fully."
"What!” A cold hand tightened about her heart. “Are you out of your mind?"
"Ah, so you're willing to see me put up my freedom but you don't have the courage to do the same. Maybe you know you'd fail..."
"Bastard.” She hissed.
"Coward.” He grinned, not moving away from her. “Submissive little coward, to ashamed of her own desires to face the truth. You'd rather just jab at me. Oh I know I haven't exactly been acting like your dream master, have I. Hitting you, threatening you, but now you have the chance to break free and you're too scared to even try."
"Fine, you're on. One kiss and it's done.” She'd win, she'd have to. Why would she even doubt it? There was nothing attractive about him. He was a thief, a bully, someone who would push to get his own way and never think, for a moment, about the consequences of his actions. Well he'd learn the hard way now.
Once she had shown him that there was no reaction to his touch then she'd be free of him and he could die for all she cared.
"Put the pack down.” He nodded to the pathway. “If we're going to do this then we do it properly. I remember just how it felt to have you squirming under me. You're a sweet little piece and I'm going to enjoy showing you that. Every day, every hour if I have to and you'll enjoy it, yes you'd deny it now but I can see it in you, the hunger to belong to a man."
Shannon dumped the pack on the ground. “Let's get this over with."
"I'm ready when you are."
Arrogant asshole, she'd enjoy seeing him cut down to size. He'd find himself chained up as a ship slave. Yes, that would fit him, nothing more than a slave at the whims of the women on the ship. She'd be able to enjoy watching him turned into a slut, a toy for everyone. And then laugh the entire way.
She shivered. The sun was dropping rapidly now.
Aaron waited for her, watching her closely. The smug smile had shifted. His eyes lit up as she walked towards him. A glow touching his gaze, turning his eyes almost amber for a brief moment. The shift in light played over his face, shadows caressing his skin as he stood there, his hands moving slightly away from his body.
She took a step closer to him, inhaling deeply.
What was that?
Sweat?
A soft tremble ran through her body. There was something wrong. Maybe she was just tired. It had to be something simple like that. Just over tired.
"So are you going to stand there or kiss me?"
Shannon frowned. All right, so she was supposed to be the one doing the kissing. Fine, then she'd have even more control over the situation. She looked up at him, for the first time realizing just how much taller he was. A few inches shouldn't have made a difference but he had to be closer to six inches taller.
What was she supposed to do now?
Touch him? Well he wasn't bowing down, that gave her no other choice but to lean against his chest and try to touch his lips. Quietly she cleared the distance between them, pressing her hands against his chest as she lifted up on her toes, trying to brush her lips against his.
He didn't move.
What the hell was going on? He wanted her to do this kiss, had made it clear she'd be affected, and then wouldn't do anything to help her get this over and done with. Maybe he wanted to lose?
Well she was going to show him just how well she could kiss and not be affected.
With a low growl she reached up, wrapping her arms about his neck. He didn't fight her as she pulled his head down until his lips finally touched hers.
Soft, firm, sensual and frightening all at the same time. His lips parted beneath hers, a low growl ringing out in the back of his throat, vibrating through her lips, down into her soul. It didn't make sense, she couldn't understand it, but she had no way of fighting what was going on.
This was ridiculous. It was just a kiss, and with a man who needed to be beaten down into place. She'd be able to show him, teach him, and when the challenge was done she'd...
He pressed the kiss deeper, tracing the tip of his tongue along her lips, teasing at first, then his touch changed, prying between her lips with a low snarl. Her own lips parted wider under the touch of his tongue. A gentle and demanding caress that her body couldn't ignore. She could feel the beat of his heart through his chest, his heat, taste him, smell him, as he wrapped his arms about her body, holding her close.
Her nipples hardened, crinkling beneath her shirt. Her core tightened, moistening until she could no longer ignore how her body now arched against him.
No! This wasn't happening.
But it was.
Her body melded against his, seeking his warmth, his touch, thought fled as her body took over. She couldn't stop it, or deny it. Her sex tightened, relaxed only to tighten again. His cock hardened beneath his pants, throbbing against her mound through two sets of clothing, a full rock of hips driving home to her just how aroused she now was.
His hand tangled in her hair, pulling her lips back from his, eyes alight, feral, hungry as he stared down at her. “Tell me now that you're not affected by my touch, my kiss, my presence. Tell me now that you don't want me, lie to me, I dare you."
She couldn't. The color drained from her face, she couldn't find a way to tell him no, to lie to him, to deny what they both knew was true.
His smile chilled her soul as he let go of her hair. “You know what to do."
Shannon swallowed hard, trembling as she eased down onto her knees, bowing her head. This was wrong, but she'd agreed to it. She'd accepted the consequences if she failed the challenge and now she had to live up to it.
"Is there something you want to say to me?” Aaron spoke quietly.
"Will you have me as your slave, sir?"
For a moment he didn't speak. Her heart skipped a beat, her throat tight as it threatened to close. What if he said no? He'd have every right to kill her, or give her away, he could do the right thing and let her go, forget this happened. At least then she'd be able to find a way to escape the cruel fire he had brought to life in
her soul.
"Do you understand what will happen if I accept you as my property?” No insults, no snide comments, just a calm voice and a simple question.
"Yes, I do. You will own me. I will cease to have rights as a human being. My own people will look on me as less than a person if they find out. I will have betrayed my gender, my family and my oath."
He cupped her chin, lifting her head up. “More than that."
"I'll belong to you, in all ways.” She murmured, her pulse racing as her chest felt tight. “As your property, if you will accept me as such."
If? Why would he turn her away now, isn't this what he wanted?
How could she have agreed to do this, to give up everything that she knew was important in life? It was a kiss, just one damn kiss, not the end of the world.
He caressed her cheek, sliding his fingers up into her hair until he forced her head back. “You are mine, my property, my slut, my beast to do with as I wish. If you fail me then you will be punished, you will be subject to my discipline, my desires, yours will have no meaning unless I decide otherwise, as such you will not try to escape. If we meet your people you will tell them the truth about your status, even though it will mean that you are mocked and humiliated for that acknowledgement. Is that clear?"
Her body shook, fear, desire and acceptance ran through her limbs, wrapping tightly around her heart. Wrong, right, it didn't matter, she'd agreed to this, accepted it, staked her freedom in a bet that she had lost.
Shannon looked up at him, into the eyes of the man whose kiss had sent her to her knees. Her throat tight, tears slipping down her cheeks as she forced herself to speak. “Yes master, I understand."
THE END
(Watch for Book Three—Escape Plan)
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