Eland and Jeanne (Tales of the Shareem)

by Allyson James

  He knew other Shareem went to the bar—they told him—but Eland and Rees hadn’t returned there. Patrollers had been watching for Rees specifically, he being the dangerous escapee that he was. Eland couldn’t risk leading the patrollers to Rees, or to Jeanne. Better to stay away, much as it killed him.

  Jeanne rarely ventured out after she returned from Judith’s. Tonight, however, she pulled on robes against the midnight bite in the air and moved down the street. Eland stepped out from the alley and followed.

  She went to Judith’s. The bar was closed, but Jeanne walked around to the back and knocked on the door.

  A patroller walked past the alley and saw Jeanne, but turned away without paying attention. Women were allowed to move about the city as they pleased at any time of the night. If a woman was visiting a friend or relation, a patroller had no business interfering.

  The door closed, Jeanne inside.

  Eland waited until the patroller was well away. He could move in silence, and went unerringly to Judith’s unmarked back door and tapped out the special knock Rees had taught him.

  Judith opened the door quickly. Her face fell when she saw Eland—she’d been hoping for Rees.

  “You gonna let me in?” Eland asked.

  Judith stood aside so he could enter. After she closed and locked the door, she said. “Sorry, wasn’t expecting you. But the more the merrier.”

  Whatever that meant.

  Judith took him upstairs to her apartments and they entered the front room.

  Eland knew they were there before he walked in. Shareem—he swore he could smell them. Jeanne was with them, sitting on Rio’s lap.

  Chapter Eleven

  The sound that came out of Eland’s mouth surprised him. Surprised Rio too, and Jeanne.

  The cross between roar and snarl welled up in his throat and he was across the room, yanking Jeanne away from Rio before he knew he’d moved.

  “Hold it …” Rio began, but Eland wasn’t listening.

  He had Jeanne by the arm, propelling her from the room and across the hall into the guest bedroom, the doors obligingly opening and closing for him.

  “Eland … what …?” Jeanne’s words tumbled out. “What are you doing here? Why …?”

  Eland was too incoherent to speak. A mad rage rose into his brain.

  All emotion was to have been programmed out of Shareem. The Shareem knew that hadn’t worked, because they worried, grew bored, laughed, felt sad, and got angry. But each time their emotions heated up, calming chemicals slid through their brains, cooling them back down again.

  Didn’t work this time. All that was savage and animal inside Eland roared to the surface.

  “Eland.” Jeanne wasn’t angry. She was gazing at him in without fear, her dark eyes starry.

  “Mine.” The word clogged his throat. Eland swept Jeanne to him, his hands ripping into her coverall, pulling it from her shoulders.

  She wore a thin tunic beneath, which shredded under his fingers. Eland’s touch fell on her bare skin, which only ramped up the animal in him.

  Eland was too agitated to even kiss her. He ran his hands down Jeanne’s body, stroking her, pulling her to him. The satin softness of her started to calm him, though his anger didn’t die.

  “No Shareem touches you but me,” he growled. “Only me.”

  Jeanne blinked. “What? Oh, Rio wasn’t touching. He grabbed me as I walked by and pulled me onto his lap. That’s Rio. He’s a shit.” She laughed a little, which increased Eland’s rage.

  “You’ve been with him?”

  “No.” Jeanne’s laughter died, and her arms came around his neck. “I’ve been waiting for you to come back.”

  Sweet gods.

  How Eland got out of his robes and tunic beneath it, he didn’t remember. All he knew was that he was naked, his clothes in a pile on top of hers on the floor. He thrust his hand between her legs, letting out another growl when he found her wet.

  And still bare. By this time, her hair would have started growing back, but she must have shaved it again. For him?

  He caressed her, loving the hot liquid that poured over his hand. Jeanne purred and rubbed against him.

  Eland’s cock was too hard and aching to play a slow game. He lifted Jeanne, his hand still against her pussy, and dumped her on the bed.

  She seemed happy to land there. Eland turned away before he could simply take her.

  He’d left the accoutrements Rees and Judith had found for him here. No use getting caught with them out on the streets.

  When he opened the cabinet in the wall he saw that Judith had added to the stash. He was too wound up to even begin going through them, seeing what interesting things were there. He grabbed what he needed and turned away.

  Jeanne parted her legs for him before he asked. He fastened the cuffs to her wrists and ankles, binding her. She arched up, knowing what was coming.

  Eland didn’t have the patience to use any more restraints. He nearly fell to the bed, his mouth on her breasts, her neck, her thighs, tasting, drinking.

  He couldn’t stand it. Eland lowered himself to her, bracing on his fists, and drove his cock straight into her.

  No going slow this time, no readying her. Eland needed her. He’d never felt like this before. He always needed release, but he’d never felt this maddening longing.

  The hunger wasn’t for sex. It was for Jeanne. To have her, now and always. Her smile of joy upon seeing him was doing crazy things to his heart.

  She was hot and wet around him. Jeanne couldn’t embrace him, because he’d confined her, but her body embraced him instead. She rose to him, her nipples crushed against his chest.

  I could love you, Eland had thought last time.

  This time there was no doubt. I love you. You’re beautiful, and funny, and fucking sexy, and I love you. You’ve made a man who can’t love a blithering fool.

  In DNAmo, I learned about beauty, but never saw it, never knew what it truly meant. Now I understand it, because beauty is you.

  Nothing so eloquent came out of his mouth. It was grunts and groans, and incoherent words.

  Jeanne cried out in pleasure, her thrusts meeting his, her fingers clutching him as she lifted her hips to his. She smiled, her eyes soft, her face twisting with the feeling of what he was doing.

  To hell with it. The restraints were designed to give Jeanne the deepest pleasure when he was inside her, but she needed more than that. There was pleasure, and then there was completeness.

  Eland ripped the cuffs from Jeanne’s hands. Instead of looking startled, or asking what he wanted her to do, Jeanne only locked her arms around Eland’s big body and pulled him hard to her. Then everything went blank.

  Eland knew he was coming, buried inside her, she holding him safe in her arms. He kissed her face and throat, cried her name, bit her skin. He couldn’t see or hear, only feel, taste her, scent her. Jeanne bathed him in warmth, and he knew he’d never be cold again.

  “Jeanne!” Eland’s shout rang out, and he fell on top of her in the most profound coming of his life. His seed left him and nestled inside her body, where it wanted to go.

  ***

  “Why are you here?”

  Jeanne asked the question a long time later, after both of them had collapsed, breathless and sweating, and then had plunged into sleep.

  That Eland was with her when she woke made Jeanne’s heart burn with happiness. He looked a bit haggard, his face too pale. He must spend all his days in hiding.

  Eland pillowed his head on his big hands and blinked slowly at her. His irises had returned to normal—or as normal as something that wonderfully blue could be.

  “Why are you here?” Eland asked, the edge returning to his voice. “I saw you, and I followed.”

  “Saw me?” Jeanne asked in surprise. “How? Where were you?”

  “Watching over you. I always watch over you.”

  She stilled. “You do?”

  “Of course I do.” Eland looked irritated she’d aske
d the question. “I’m your Dom. It’s what I do.”

  “Oh.” No one had ever watched over Jeanne before, or showed any interest in making sure she was all right. Showed any interest at all, in fact.

  “So …” Eland shifted in the bed, his gaze sharpening in his hard face. “What are you doing here? With other Shareem?”

  “Trying to figure out a way to get you all off-planet,” Jeanne said calmly.

  Eland opened his mouth to answer and shut it again. He looked stunned. Hadn’t been expecting that.

  Then his dominance returned. “How the hell can you find us a way off-planet? Any pilot would be a fool not to turn us in for the reward. It’s huge. I’m surprised Judith hasn’t turned us in and collected.” He paused, and pain flickered in his eyes. “Or you.”

  “Don’t be an idiot. We have no intention of turning you in. Judith knows people from off-world, I have been searching for pilots who might help, and maybe we can get you out.”

  “And get caught walking to the docks with a bunch of Shareem?” Eland rose on his elbow, glaring. “I forbid you to do something that stupidly dangerous.”

  Jeanne opened her eyes wide. “Forbid me?”

  “You heard me. Women might be in charge of this planet, but in the bedroom, in this relationship, I am. And I’m not letting you go to prison because of me.”

  “Yeah? What are you going to do about it?”

  As Jeanne hoped, the wicked sparkle came back into Eland’s eyes. She didn’t like the misery she saw in him, the lack of hope. He was doing what he could to survive, but he didn’t really believe, deep down, that he’d escape. When she teased him, his attention returned to the present, where she needed him to be.

  She really shouldn’t want what he did in response to the teasing, shouldn’t like it. Wanting him would make things hurt worse when he finally did go.

  Instead, she let what he did fill her dreams at night and her thoughts all day. She’d be bound and kneeling, begging Eland to do things to her body. She didn’t have much concept about all he could do, but she took what they’d already done and imagined plenty.

  Jeanne had already used the things he’d left behind on herself. A vibrating button or wand against her clit at the same time made her come—crying Eland’s name. She’d put on the nipple clamps with the metal chain and thought about how Eland had closed them onto her.

  She and Judith had discussed it quite a bit, Judith telling Jeanne what she and Shareem had done—a ménage with Aiden and Ky, the deft way Rio could tie up a woman, the thorough enjoyment of the ass-fucking the Shareem called Braden liked.

  Jeanne and Judith tried the various wands and vibrators out together, learning to feel no shame being bare in front of each other, talking of Shareem the whole time. The last time Jeanne had decided to shave herself, Judith had done it for her, and she’d done Judith. She and Judith weren’t in love with each other or anything—they simply enjoyed talking about and fantasizing about Shareem together. It was refreshing.

  Eland touched the tip of her nose. “You are way too cute when you look at me like that. I know exactly what I want to do.”

  ***

  Eland made good use of the additional accoutrements Judith had bought. He quickly had a collar around Jeanne’s neck, cuffs on her wrists, a thin blindfold across her eyes. The nipple clamps clung to her tips, a delicate silver chain hanging between them. She was lovely, and ready.

  So he took her out to the front room where the other Shareem were waiting.

  Eland’s heart beat faster as he opened the door and guided her out. Shareem liked to watch the act, and they liked to be watched. Voyeurs and exhibitionists in one package.

  Eland knew the way to ease his jealousy was to let himself do what he’d been trained to. Wasn’t easy, though, when all those Shareem eyes turned their focus on his lady.

  Conversation ceased when he led Jeanne into the room. Five Shareem were there—Rio, Aiden, Ky, Braden, and a big guy who refused to take off his sun-blocking robes. Calder, Braden had said his name was.

  Jeanne halted at the door, knowing they were there, though she remained blindfolded. She was trembling, but her fear held a strong hint of need.

  She stuck out her chin and let Eland guide her out. Brave lady.

  “This is Jeanne,” Eland said, holding the leash loosely in his hand. “She’s mine. No touching unless I say.”

  Nods as the waiting Shareem indicated they understood. They had some boundaries. If a lady belonged to one, the others didn’t poach.

  Eland would go easy on Jeanne tonight. Maybe at some point, when she was comfortable, and Eland didn’t feel like he’d rip the Shareem who touched her in half, he’d let one of them play with her, while he supervised. His job was to give Jeanne as much pleasure as possible, and if another Shareem or two—or three and four—was what worked, he’d arrange it.

  For now, he grabbed a straight-backed, armless chair, sat on it, and pulled Jeanne down to straddle him. She let herself be guided by him, unable to see, having to trust him.

  Eland was aware of every Shareem focused hard on them as Eland lowered Jeanne onto his lap, and started making love to her.

  She was beautiful. Nervous at first, Jeanne let herself calm and open as Eland thrust up into her. He suppressed a moan as she closed around him, squeezing him as he’d taught her. He was going to lose it and come too fast, he feared, and all his friends would laugh hysterically.

  Eland rocked into her, and the rest of the Shareem watched. His skin began to prickle—he enjoyed others looking at him while he pleasured a woman. Eat your hearts out, he wanted to say.

  Jeanne focused on Eland, a smile playing about her mouth. She rested her hands on his shoulders, as though steadying herself, and started to move on him. After a few moments, she was sighing in pleasure, enjoying herself without inhibition, damn who watched. Her entire attention was on Eland.

  Oh, yeah, baby. I’m right here for you.

  He heard the soft sounds of Shareem getting into it. Eland dragged his gaze from Jeanne’s lovely face and glanced around.

  Aiden had his tunic off, his cock in his hand. Rio had availed himself of Judith’s presence. The red-haired lady knelt in front of Rio, her back bare, and took him in her mouth.

  The sight of Judith sucking off Rio—Rio, the shithead, was enjoying the hell out of it—heated Eland’s body even more. One day, he’d have Jeanne go down on him, maybe in someplace even more public, like a hovertrain, or a back street, where the risk of discovery made the act even more exciting.

  Fuck, he shouldn’t think of things like that. Eland’s release was dangerously near.

  Jeanne gave a little moan, the one she gasped out just before her climax hit her. Eland felt her body open and become even more pliant, and then she was ready.

  No matter that there were others in the room, Jeanne let herself go. That’s my girl. Head back, sounds of joy leaving her mouth, toes curling, body rocking, she let her climax take her. The chain between her breasts clinked softly, as did the one between her wrists.

  Eland swallowed his own groans as he came. He kept moving inside her, closing his eyes and pretending it was all in a day’s work.

  Who was he kidding? Eland was lost.

  But no need to let these other idiots realize how stupidly in love he was falling.

  ***

  Jeanne was limp and happy as he carried her into the bedroom. The door closed on Aiden’s voice. “Now, that was nice …”

  Eland stripped off Jeanne’s blindfold but left the cuffs. “You liked that,” he said, his voice broken.

  “I did.” Jeanne sounded surprised. “Why did I like that?”

  “Some do.” Eland shrugged, as though it made no difference to him, never mind his blood was on fire. “I guess you’re one of them.”

  Jeanne’s smile nearly undid him. “So what do we get to do now?”

  Eland loved that she was so trusting of him. It made the nugget of hope in him grow, which was a bad thing. Hope w
ould kill him.

  He forced himself to scowl. “Now I get to punish you for liking that so much.” He leaned over her. “Remember, you’re mine.”

  Jeanne’s smile widened. “Always.”

  Damn, she was going to kill him. Eland turned abruptly away, found the strap he’d used last time, and came to her. “Not good enough. Turn over.”

  Slowly, Jeanne obeyed. Too slowly. Eland wrapped his arm around her waist and flipped her onto her stomach. Then he spanked her.

  He spanked her with the strap until she was laughing and coming. Then he threw away the strap, pulled her hips back against him, and took her. Her coming went on, her noises of joy growing loud and shrill.

  When Eland finished, he fell to the bed next to Jeanne, spooning her against him, arms protectively around her. Jeanne was already falling asleep. He kissed her flushed face and damp hair.

  “What am I going to do?” he whispered, half to himself. “I can’t get enough of you.”

  And that couldn’t happen. He’d try to stay with her, and he’d be caught, and killed. He’d die because he too much loved a lady. The executioner would laugh at him as she pushed the button to turn Eland to ashes.

  ***

  The Shareem met as often as they could after that. Sometimes Eland was with them, to Jeanne’s delight, more rarely—Rees.

  They discussed what they could do, put forth ideas, possible people they might trust. There weren’t many. The search for the missing Shareem was strengthening. Apparently, the security department on Bor Narga had finally figured out just which Shareem had managed to leave the planet—very few—and which were still at large.

  Everyone in Judith’s living room was on the wanted list, for starters.

  “I’m working on it,” Rees said on a night he could show up, his tone hard and unhappy. “We might have to get off the planet one at a time. And not all of us will get away.”

  They knew it. Jeanne saw it in their faces. Already one Shareem had been caught, terminated before Rees had been able to get him free. That failure haunted him, and the other Shareem grieved.