“Let’s test this. It should be fully charged.” Theo looked up at her. “Ready?”
She eyed him back dubiously. Hands bound, her breasts bare, and some weird contraption wired to her. If she lit up like a chandelier, he’d find out what she could do with her hands and a skinning knife. Or maybe she’d just zap him with something.
“Sure.”
He let her dress folds fall from where he’d bunched them to her waist and stood. With one hand at the small of her back, the other higher up, he kissed her, bent her backward in an arc.
Well, now, this she could do. She trusted him not to let her fall and let him have his naughty way with her. Surrendering seemed to be something that got easier with practice.
Then…the little cogwheels shifted and bit; the dress fabric and the pearls, caught between Theo’s body and hers, rubbed against her clit and bare nipples. Something whirred at her waist…and lightning seized her, a buzzing in little bursts at her breasts and groin that zapped her straight into a mini-inferno of pain and pleasure.
“Mmmh!” she gasped, eyes wide open, and let out a small whine. The landship walls were spinning. “Ah.” The inferno died away. Theo made sure she stood balanced and let her go. “What…was that?”
The aftermath left her body humming. If her clit could have talked, it would have begged for more. Excruciating and ecstatic all bundled into one. She couldn’t walk around with this on.
“Voltaic energy. A small dose. Each time you move it will generate more energy. You’ll get used to it. I tested it on myself, and I do believe Henry has outdone himself this time. It’s a little random, so you can’t quite tell when it’ll happen.” Smiling, he rubbed at his chin, then held up a finger and circled it. “Turn. I’ll untie you.”
“Henry? That Henry?” Crazy, maniac Henry? “Untie me then. I’ll take this thing off.” She turned to let him undo the knots.
“Take it off, Claire, and I’ll make you walk about with your hands tied.” He reached around and set his fingers to doing up the little buttons on her bodice.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
Hungrily, she watched his mouth—those lips just inches away. Go up on her tiptoes, and she could… No. Her body wanted him, but after this, no, she’d not clutch at him. Maybe he expected her to. This silly contraption and the corset had her body so high with sensation, floating might be easier than walking.
His mouth was set in a hard line even if his eyes hinted at merriment. She bit her lip. Right. Every time she moved, it charged up? She could stand it. If having orgasms was punishment, she’d choose it any time over that paddle. Still—
“Better keep Henry away from me if you want him to live.”
“Was that a joke?” Theo chuckled. “It was?”
She tried fixing him with a hard glare, but…it was a joke, and she didn’t make jokes. Not out loud. A smile sneaked onto her lips. “I’ll get my revenge on you both. You just wait.”
He leaned in, murmured in her ear. “I like this new feistiness, but don’t get your hopes up. You have no idea how inventive Henry and I can be.”
She shivered, peeked sideways at him. This could be bad, in a very exciting, sexy, sort of way.
On the way to the firing range, the device discharged twice. Each time leaving her body a little more limp, her muscles and sexual parts tingling. Heck, as far as she could tell, the thing had even made her fingertips throb with pleasure. As long as she didn’t come in front of anyone…
At the firing range, Dankyo was instructing four house guards in the art of long-range shooting.
Another jolt hit her. She bit her lip and screamed silently, holding herself stiff as that excruciating wave rolled through her. Pleasure. Pain. On the edge of orgasm, though not quite there. That little taste of pain kept it out of reach. She closed her eyes.
Opened them to find no one had noticed. Even Theo ignored her—occupied with talking to a guard about his weapon. Thank the Lord. Her pussy was so wet her pubic hair must be sodden. If she’d been alone, she would have put her hand down there. The ache subsided. She stood very still, careful not to set it off.
A breeze riffled her hair, drying the thin film of sweat on her cheek. She watched the men practicing in the prone position with the rifles spitting out shots at a slow pace. A puff of dust flew off the distant straw-backed targets whenever a projectile hit the mark.
She gnawed on her lip and resisted interfering.
At Theo’s suggestion, Dankyo sent the guards off on a training run.
Theo turned to her, put a hand to her back. “Come. We’re all going into the indoor range.”
She didn’t like the sound of this at all.
The indoor range was deserted. At ten, twenty, and fifty yards, there were circular targets. While Dankyo waited at the door—legs shoulder-width apart, hands by his sides, and a bland expression on his face, Theo led her along to the ten-yard line. She stepped slowly, trying not to set off the little engine.
Theo leaned back onto the wall and gathered her to him so she stood between his legs.
Something—the evenness of his brows, the line of his mouth, something told her bad news was coming. “Are you about to tell me something I don’t want to hear?”
“Yes. This is the true punishment.”
She narrowed her eyes.
He rearranged some hair above her eyes. “The paddle—that I meant. You do have to mend your ways.”
“I will—I mean I have.”
“Good, but there’s one other problem—you and Dankyo. Shh. Wait.” He put his finger across her lips. “He’s my second in command. You don’t respect or trust him, and he doesn’t trust you, though I know he has a very healthy respect for your skills.” He gripped her with his thighs.
“You are going to bend over and let him smack you once on your bottom.”
She felt blood pour into her cheeks and down her neck. “No!” She shot a look at Dankyo. “No! Never. The man hates me.”
“You are going to do it, because I know you, and I know him, and this will work.”
She shook her head, looking down. “No. Don’t ask this. Please.”
“Claire. Do you know what would have happened to any of the guards if they had done what you did? Struck a fellow guard, endangered others, disobeyed a direct order? You’d be whipped in public. Discharged from the house guard.”
“I’m not a house guard.” She looked imploringly at Theo.
“No. You’re not. You’re my mistress, and you’re a deadly weapon all rolled into one. And I love you for it. But I can’t have you here if you disrespect Dankyo. What is your answer?”
“I don’t know. This feels”—she swallowed—“sexual, not like discipline.” “I can’t have you here?” No. Oh, hell, no. This was an order, really. She couldn’t stay with Theo if she didn’t say yes.
“In a way. It’s a dominance thing. A little like with you and me.” He cupped her chin. “And I know Dankyo. This will settle you into the pecking order.”
“You think? What if he says no?”
“I doubt it. Let’s see.” He set her on her feet then walked to Dankyo.
She chewed her lip. Did I say, yes? Oh, hell and heavens and frick. Dankyo is going to smack my bottom. Only once, though. Once…isn’t that bad. No underwear. Frick again.
The two of them strolled back to her. She could see in the way Dankyo looked at her that he’d said yes. No smugness there; that was good. Curiosity? She pulled herself up straighter, taller, and returned Dankyo’s appraisal.
Theo studied them both. “Let’s get this done. After this, I expect both of you to be civil to each other. I expect you, Claire, to respect Dankyo as my leading officer and head of security. And, Dankyo, I expect you to trust that Claire is who she says she is and can be trusted. Yes?”
Dankyo inclined his head. Theo looked at her, raised his eyebrows.
“Yes,” she said a tad hoarsely. Though, of course, a little voice spoke up. You’re not tha
t, though—not who you say you are.
“Turn around, dear. Put your hands on your knees.”
She shut her eyes once, opened them, then turned and bent over with her hands braced on her knees. When Theo gently folded up her dress and bared her bottom, she flinched. She had her knees tight together. There was nothing to see, just bottom. Dankyo wouldn’t get much joy from that, would he?
For the first time Dankyo said something. “One hit only, sir, with the flat of my hand?”
“Yes. Not too hard.”
“Of course, sir. May I say something, sir?”
“Yes. What is it?”
“Thank you, sir.”
Thank you? Oh that was smug!
He hit her, palm slamming down, and it hurt like blazes.
“Uh!” Eyes watering, she couldn’t help saying, with a touch of annoyance, “Done?”
Silence. Then she recognized from the sound and a glimpse of clothing that Theo had stepped to the side.
She almost sprang upright only to find Dankyo had his hand on her back. To stand, or not? Wasn’t this done with? The lack of reply to her question stirred thought. No. Disapproval radiated from Theo. Damn. She stayed in position. Dankyo’s hand rested across the burning area on her bottom. So hard to not squirm away. Embarrassing. Intolerable. He’d be looking at her bottom like it was a target, and maybe at where the line of pearls disappeared between her cheeks.
And, oh… Realization dawned.
This was meant to impress on them both their respective places? She hadn’t let it, though, had she? And they knew that. She gritted her teeth, clawed her fingers into her knees. “I’m sorry.”
“Two more, Dankyo. Please. Ready, Claire?”
If Theo wanted her to do this…she had to give to Dankyo a little of what she allowed Theo every single day. She sighed, let her head and shoulders slump the slightest amount. “Yes.”
The device gave a halfhearted buzz as if down there something nibbled on her clit. Not now. Nooo. If it triggered when he hit her, she’d die of humiliation.
The next two smacks were hard enough to sting, but she said nothing. Only waited. For an infinitesimal moment Dankyo left his hand there. The pressure of one finger trailed across her skin before he let her up.
When she straightened Theo was by her side and curled his arm about her waist. “There. Not so bad, was it?”
“No.” She willed her heart to slow. Then she turned to Dankyo. Raising her eyes was difficult, and she had to brace herself inside, found herself bemused by her own reaction. Where’s my courage? She looked up. “Theo said you respected my skills.”
His eyes glittered a second. Not malevolence for once. Appraisal, like he saw her in a new light. Damn him. That had hurt. The man had a hard hand and could snap her in two if he so decided. She felt off-center and took some more slow breaths.
“Are you okay?”
She blinked, amazed.
“Uh, yes. Look. The weapon you’ve got your men using, the sights are inferior.”
For a while, he said nothing. The man could have given a statue lessons in being inscrutable. Then he clicked his tongue twice.
“Very well. What do you recommend?”
“There’s a new parallax sight, experimental, but it’s for night use also.”
From an inner pocket, Dankyo whipped out a notebook and pencil, and gave it to her. Having scribbled down the manufacturer and model, she handed the notepad back. Still expressionless, he tucked it away.
She smiled nervously.
This time he raised his eyebrows a quarter inch.
“There’s something else,” she said, then rushed on before he could do his statue impersonation again. “I noticed from the gyrocopter that you have a problem with the firing arcs of the roof cannons. The trees to the north are in a bad spot.”
Dankyo’s left lower eyelid shimmied.
“Claire,” Theo muttered, “that one’s my fault. I’ve told him they have to stay. My great-grandmother’s buried there.”
“Oh. Really?” She nodded to Dankyo as Theo steered her away and back toward the house. “Uh, thanks for listening,” she called back.
“My pleasure, I assure you.” He flashed a mouth-stretching smile that for a millisecond touched his eyes.
Compared to Dankyo, she was an expert at small talk.
“How are you holding up?” Theo inquired, voice calm and unexcited.
“Perfectly. I think I see what you were getting at. He’d never have listened to me before. It’s changed things.”
He stared. “And how do you feel about him now?”
“I know he can hit hard.” She thought for a few seconds, twisted her mouth. “Truthfully, I guess I do respect him a bit more.”
“Good.”
The device triggered. She hung in limbo for a full minute while Theo waited with hand on her elbow, steadying her. She’d managed a quiet gasp and shudder that time. Taken to the heights yet again by that pulse pulse pulse.
They seemed to take the long way back to the house, past the gardens and the laundry. She learned that just before it triggered, there’d be a little miniature sizzle of energy, and would brace herself, though never quite enough. The shock wore her down. Yet her body wanted more—each time requiring that little extra stimulation, and each time, instead, she teetered, agonized, on the brink of ecstasy. The effort in keeping still and not making a sound exhausted her and made her focus inward. Every part of her body sharpened and fizzed, her nipples swelled, it seemed, to twice their size, and down deep, she caged all the sounds she died to make. Only now and then, a tiny moan escaped her lips. Half the time, over the last hundred yards, she didn’t see where they trod.
Chapter Sixteen
The sun had descended low on the horizon, changing the clouds to a vibrant purple and orange. The winds swung round to come from the east and then died to a sibilant breeze. Theo at last reentered the main back doors. At the sight of the massive curving staircase, Claire slowed, stopped, and found herself shivering. No farther. Not a step.
“Take this off, Theo,” she whispered, her head bowed. She’d withstood forced marches, marathons, but never anything like this. Her feet seemed a long way down.
“Dankyo and all my staff call me sir. I think it’s time I made that a rule for you also.”
“Sir.” It was too much effort to stop and think about that. She swallowed, only seeing his black shoes before her on the polished timber. “Please.”
“Here? I think not.” He swept her up into his arms with ease and began to climb the staircase. Beneath the tiredness, she marveled at his strength. It was a long staircase, and she wasn’t light. But she clung to his neck and enjoyed the tranquility of resting in his arms.
The doors to his bedroom swung open. She heard the creak, saw nothing beyond the woven fabric of his shirt, embraced by his male scent. The doors shut with a slam. The floor lightly thumped under his boots. He lowered her to his bed, and she gazed up, unable to stir a finger, imagining all the things he might do to her, wanting…
“Ah. You need to drink.” He rummaged under her clothes, unclipping and removing the voltaic device. She didn’t stir, only glad that the tiny claws of that horrible yet irresistible thing were gone from her body. If she lay here for a little longer, perhaps her body would forget it completely. The hunger quieted.
“Mmm. Thank you,” she muttered. Silence screamed at her. Peeking with one eye, she saw his stern expression. “Sir.”
She felt herself raised by his hand at her back and drank as a cool glass pressed at her lips. He stripped the dress off her, then the corset, guiding her tired limbs. Another sip from the glass, and she lifted her head, feeling revived, and put her arms back to prop herself against the bed. Theo moved his thumb against her clit. She stiffened. At that single touch, every time she’d almost orgasmed surged to the fore, clamoring at her again. Her arms collapsed, and she slid to the bed in a boneless heap, whimpering.
Theo chuckled. “That’s more like
it.” The glass chinked as he put it aside.
She shuddered and rolled onto her side, curling up around where his thumb resumed massaging, revolving round and round on her clit. Almost, but not quite, enough pressure.
“Maybe not ropes, but this—” He clipped a wide cuff around each wrist, buckled another pair around her ankles, leather on skin, and dragged her up the bed. Though she knew she had muscles, they weren’t working right then, and she didn’t want them to. Just let him maneuver her into position—kneeling, with head down against the pillow and turned a bit sideways so she could get air. She panted, mouth open, needing, wanting only one thing—him inside her, fucking her.
“I’ve wanted you like this since I first saw you. Bottom up, held down, with your legs apart.” He rumbled the words against her ear, licking at the lobe, then fastened her wrists together and chained them to the headboard. Strapped her thighs against her calves so her heels pressed under her bottom. She let him. She was his.
“Nice.” He slicked a finger along the line of her wet slit, and just when she thought he’d penetrate her…and put something inside her…
He carefully flipped her until she looked up at him, lost in the haze of lust and the pounding ache. He knelt between her legs, planted his arms either side of her chest, lowered his head, and applied tongue to her nipple.
She arched, her toes under her bottom, digging into the quilt. “Ah!”
The spark from his wet tongue spread, sending fire-laden streaks to her pussy. The stubble on his chin scraped. His hand was on her, down there. His fingers dancing, pressing everywhere…delicious and conjuring liquid heat. So stirred to the heights, she grunted each time he touched those vital places—clit, nipple, or his fingers in her pussy and ass. In and out, around, slicking, teasing her as her wetness spread. Flesh against tantalizing flesh. She groaned and tightened, felt everything roil together and explode in a blast of light.
A little choking noise came from her throat. Released at last. “Ohh, thank God,” she said softly. As her memory replayed the sensations, new reverberations rocked her body.
“You’re not getting off that easily, agapi mou.” He lightly bit at her nipple.
Iron Dominance Page 16
