“Whatever I deserve.”
Dumb-ass wish. She couldn’t say that, so she went quiet, pretended to study the rising moons. Their light brightened the ground, silhouetting trees on the far side, revealing details of the trucks. None of them matched – riveted, bolted, welded. Some had odd extra bits, a few had guns attached, like the war trucks at the battle. Quite a few were multi-colored. Perhaps they used up each paint color then moved to the next.
The war against the off-world Mekkers had nearly destroyed civilization on Aerthe. Much of the tech here was borrowed, scavenged, or assembled from both new and old.
“What’d you do on your world, Blue?”
“Um.” Staring might be rude but this was the first time he’d asked about her life, before here. Memories could be a talisman to cling to or a stone to drag you down.
“I worked as an acrobat.”
Incomprehension muddied his face.
“I did aerial circus tricks, on wires, trapezes, stuff like that.” Her mother had been a circus performer. Some of her words came out in English. They mustn’t have equivalents here.
Didn’t they have time for fun?
“Why?” His frown added a deep furrow between his eyes. She had an urge to touch him there.
She really needed to escape ASAP. Maybe a bit of her mind vaporized whenever he spanked her? She’d not be surprised.
“Fun. To celebrate things. People laugh. Clap.” How did she explain this better? “I got paid to do it.”
“I see. Then it must have been good to see. Show me.” He unlocked her ankle from the chain.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
In front of these people? The moons were up high, the tendons on her hands stood out bold.
When a perverse need to shock Sassik arrived, she smirked. She put her hand to the truck, jumped to the hood, avoiding the WILL TRADE sign, then leaped onto the roof. The metal was thick and should hold.
If she caused a fucking riot, serve him right.
Blue did a handstand, felt her little leather skirt flip and the lower edge touch her stomach. Men cheered. Even wrong-way-up she could see Sassik was annoyed at the ruckus. He folded his arms. A man in gray, followed by another man, weaved through the crowd and tapped Sassik on the shoulder, then said something.
As if her performance was insignificant, Sassik stood and half-turned to talk.
Well then. She somersaulted, nailing a perfect ten landing with a bang as her feet hit the roof. Then Blue reached down and untied her skirt, tossed it aside. It fluttered to the ground. There.
No one dared fuck with Sassik?
She’d happily cause a riot. He wanted to keep her. Wanted her to do a show? This was what he got. Petulance and rebellion. She did some more backflips then proceeded to slooowly undo her top while undulating her hips like a snake in heat.
The whoops and whistles reached a crescendo. The tide of men heaved closer.
Maybe this was petty and a little dangerous, but she was up to here with Aerthe, with being owned, with Sassik.
He ordered her down before she could slip off her panties. She did a somersault dismount.
He grabbed her, yanked the back of the truck open, and pushed her inside. Sprawled on her back, she went to rise on her elbows, only to have Sassik wrap his hand about her throat and push her to the riveted floor.
“Ouch,” she croaked, panting in spite of his hold. He wasn’t quite choking her.
“Hurts?”
Bastard. She pursed her lips and slowly moved her head from side to side, as much as allowed. “Nope.”
“Then the gods must want me to choke you today. Lucky for you I traded the truck while you showed off your tits. You pulled in a buyer. So I don’t have time to truly discipline you. He wants this now. He wanted to buy you too.”
“Oh.” Fuck.
“He’s a whoremaster and a perversion specialist. He’d have you on your back, tied upside down, any which way his clients wanted you, probably getting fucked with spiked dildos in both holes, and you just showed him how flexible you are.”
Her face heated.
“I told him no. Get dressed and behave for the rest of the time we’re here.” He paused to check her body, his gaze drifting lower. “I should fuck you for this.”
Squirming her ass almost happened. He wouldn’t, though she wished he would. Didn’t mean she was his, just her hormones were damn well killing her.
When he released her, she muttered scathingly, “Neanderthals aren’t my type anyway.”
“Neanderthals?” he drawled. “Don’t know what that is, but I can see you aren’t cowed.” He grabbed both ankles and flipped her onto her stomach, wrenched her hands from the floor where she’d planted them, and held them at her back.
He stripped her panties to mid-thigh level.
“On your knees. Stick your ass up if you don’t want me to sink myself into your asshole. And that would hurt. I’m in too much of a hurry to bother with lubrication.”
Stunned, she hesitated.
“Move!”
Clothes rustled.
When his cock poked the inside of one ass cheek, she hurriedly pulled her knees up, scraping them on the metal. Sore knees seemed nothing compared to Sassik’s cock reaming her below. The man was big.
His fingers found her pussy and without asking he delved into her with at least two. Slipping deep, fast, then sucking them out. He finger-fucked, pistoning, making her twist and gasp.
Her forehead pressed on the floor. Her moan was involuntary but god, this felt amazing. She needed this.
A bad thing to admit.
He rammed in three at once and she squealed. The liquid sounds of her arousal drove her further into that lust-ruled realm where getting cock was her one and only aim.
The fingers left her then he stuck the head of his cock in just the right spot. Her entrance expanded, slipped around him.
The fractional in-and-out progression of cock teased her. She sobbed then stopped. Don’t. She couldn’t want sex that much. There’d been days of him beside her, smelling of man.
He wanted her, and she him, was it so awful?
He shoved into her some more, but still not far enough, and her pussy, her thighs, tensed.
“Fuck!” She wriggled.
“Going to beg, Blue? Let me hear you.”
Something pushed her entrance wider and she realized he’d wormed a finger in beside his cock. The stretch blew her mind.
“Fuck.” Moaning, with her head to the side, her lips half-kissed metal.
“Can’t hear you.”
He withdrew, paused, then shoved in a tiny distance, barely parting her.
“More,” she whispered.
He released her hands, grabbed her hair, fed fingers into her mouth as he leaned over her. His cock slipped deeper.
Warm breath sifting in her hair. She eyed him, pouting. Nasty man. Though spaced out, Blue was aware of how he manipulated her.
Wet slippery fingers tasting of her. He hooked them at the side of her mouth and she grunted, eyes closing, as cock nudged her again.
The feels...
“Yes. More. Please.”
“You begging me to fuck you, Blue?” He tugged her hair.
A fragment of hesitation trawled her throat before she choked out a “Yes?”
“Finally.”
Then he jackhammered into her, holding her down with little consideration for the hardness of the truck floor, the grit on her face and belly and breasts, or her need to come. She braced herself with her arms plastered to the floor beside her head. The onslaught slid her forward inches, then back, then further forward. After a nirvana of being treated like he was nailing her to the metal, she ended up with her head buried in a discarded blanket. He speared in, as deep as he could go, and she felt the magnificent swell as his cock expanded. He came, filling her.
That precious sensation only a man could create.
Her eyes rolled up and stayed there. Dark here and she liked
the languid sensation of drifting.
Panting into the darkness, she decided possession wasn’t nine tenths of the law; it was ten tenths of Sassik’s cock, his cum in her, his hand marks on her aching ass, and her cunt feeling as if a rhino with a steel dick had screwed her in mating season.
Her tangled hair fell over her face as she managed to climb halfway onto her shaking arms and knees.
He levered her all the way up and pushed her around until she kneeled before him. “Get dressed, and clean the floor. The buyer didn’t pay for cum and whatever else you dripped.”
Asshole was on her tongue. Wise, this time, she stayed silent. She hadn’t even had an orgasm. Begging for one seemed likely to result in him actually punishing her. She sighed and resolved to do it herself when no one was watching. The memory of this would keep her in happy, one-handed O’s for days.
Chapter 5
By morning his feelings about what he’d done hadn’t settled.
An owner should be able to fuck a slave without getting concerned or confused. He sipped his cup of steaming tava and studied Blue where she lay curled in her bedding. The sun was barely rising. She was the most rebellious and annoying slave he’d yet seen. Dancing on the truck half-naked after protesting over her clothes being too revealing? Why he was attracted to keeping her was a puzzle. She needed strict training before she’d be trustworthy.
What owner would want to be chaining her every day? Not him.
Besides, he didn’t know what he’d discover at the Chasm.
The man who dressed in gray arrived and perched on the back of the old truck.
“Thanks for the help with the trade.” He raised the cup. “Like some?”
“Sure.”
As he poured a second cup, Sassik asked what had been bothering him. “I’m Sassik. Are you following me?” He nodded at Blue. “Us.”
“My name’s Zerlin. Following you? In a way. I made a secret vow, and you’re the beneficiary. I’m bound to help you.”
Secret? He raised a brow, sure his skepticism was written on his face.
He tipped out the dregs of java, watched it soak into the ground.
“I appreciate the help but you’re not to follow us anymore. Understood?”
Zerlin sipped from his cup. “Of course. May I ask where you’re going?”
He chuckled. “No. But if I see you I may shoot you.”
“You won’t see me. Your buyer comes.”
The whoremaster, Worat.
Sassik rose. He fished two coins from his pocket, tossed them to Zerlin. “For your help.”
“As I said, I’m bound to. One last thing. Sometimes going slow is the fastest way to get places.”
“Noted.” He waved goodbye. Strange man.
Worat arrived and put out his hand for Sassik to shake.
With Blue securely fastened, he could walk away and examine the new, smaller truck without worrying she’d vanish. They exchanged details then he paid Worat. Caring for Blue meant he needed extra money for provisions. He ended up purchasing equipment from Worat anyway. It was well-made and at cost.
Training the girl to be more amenable was good for her.
Hopefully he’d sell her before the Chasm. He ambled over and lightly kicked the base of her foot where it stuck out through the blanket. He knew she was awake though she’d barely stirred. Had she thought he’d say some secret if she listened in?
“Up. We’re leaving. You can eat as I drive. Pee somewhere outside the campgrounds.” He smiled thinly. She had issues with being seen peeing. One of those weirdnesses he guessed humans came with, ready-made. “When you come back, I’m locking this to you.” He raised the chastity belt he’d bought.
Her eyes nearly popped out. “What the f... What is that, Sassik?”
“It goes on your lower half, stops you touching your pussy. From now on, I’m training you. If I sell you to a man, I don’t want him returning you because you bit him.”
“How’s that stop me biting?”
“It doesn’t.” He opened the passenger door on his new vehicle. Pretty red, most of it. What a lovely target it would make them. “In. It’s a chastity belt. Stops you getting fucked and stops you playing with your female parts. Need to repaint this damn thing brown.”
“Oh.” Her nose wrinkled up but she slid into the smaller truck, watching as he connected her cuff to the dash. “I like red.”
“Also not your choice. I noticed you masturbating last night. Next time, I get to watch.”
“Fuck,” she whispered. “You can’t be serious?”
“I am.” He noticed she didn’t exactly protest, and gave the swear word a pass.
This was training, pure and simple, though there was nothing wrong with enjoying watching her. From the corner of his eye, he saw her do a subtle wriggle.
Had to admit life was more interesting with Blue around.
“Tell me more about life on your world.”
“Are you trying to depress me?”
“I’m just curious. How did you get here?”
She sighed. “Also depressing. I was asleep in bed, heard something, woke, then there was this weird compulsion to look at something I thought was in my room. I got out of bed and walked over. That was it. I was here, blind, naked. I stayed blind for days.” He heard the shake in her voice and her next words were soft. “I want to go home.”
“Of course you do.” Sassik frowned. He couldn’t help her with that. “You need to forget. Only the Mekkers know what they did to get you here.”
“Yeah. I know that. Sucks.”
He reached over and squeezed her thigh. “You’re better with me. The Mekkers are evil.” So were some Scavs.
“Yes.”
The quiet grew.
Blue cleared her throat. “Tell me about your life here. Something less scary than my past.”
“Okay.” He massaged the wheel with his hands. Not scary? “What about the time I...”
As he spoke, she settled into the upholstery and curled against the door. She mustn’t have slept well last night because she fell asleep while he drove. Since the road was almost nonexistent here, watching her was difficult, but he managed, now and then. Next stop, he’d put the belt on.
Chapter 6
Blue couldn’t remember the town’s name, though he’d told her. She ate too much, apparently, so here they were, prowling a small market. A busy, small market. The stallholders sold more than food.
There. A faded purple cloak with a hood, and some black gloves, lay beneath a pile of clothes. Her heart stuttered, reminding how reckless this might be.
She’d pickpocketed from Sassik’s pack when she’d seen they were coming here. Grab your shoes, he’d said. She’d grabbed shoes and coins.
This was her chance. He was haggling for food with a boy at the next stall. Kindly haggling. He even smiled at the kid. So strange.
Though she wore cuffs, she wasn’t leashed – it would’ve tangled in this crowd. The road coming in had been edged by forest. If she reached it, she could hide.
Do it.
The stall holder looked suspicious but shrugged and gave her the clothes when she handed over coins.
Walk.
She walked fast, around the corner into a new aisle, past the last stall, and she kept going, shrugging on the cloak, tying it, pulling up the hood to cover her hair. The gloves were tight but concealed her nails. Short of amputating her fingers and going bald, this was her best option.
Her stride lengthened.
The houses thinned further down the street. There was the edge of town. A side street would be safer. If Sassik sprinted after her, he’d not see her easily. She took the left turn and began to jog, until the next turn brought her into a short street that doglegged back onto the main one.
If she cut through someone’s yard?
Blue glanced over her shoulder and spun. A man followed; Worat, the whoremaster. Cold slid into her veins. The man eyed her, grin widening.
“Hello, pretty th
ing. Want to leave your master?”
“He’s not my master.” She whirled and took off at a run, only to find another man before her – lean, scarred of face, and brandishing a knife.
Do the unexpected. Her uncle had taken great pains to teach her knifeplay, how to defend herself. Pretending she couldn’t stop, she ran at the man, arms outflung. He lifted the knife skyward to clear her.
She pivoted and slammed a boot into his groin. He screeched and doubled over. Plucking the blade from his limp fingers, Blue ducked to the side. Worat was drawing a handgun of some sort. Without time to consider the ramifications, she threw the knife and watched it sink into his chest, hilt deep.
Missed the ribs. Gone straight in. Oh, fuck. But she’d meant to do something deadly.
He staggered then collapsed, wheezing and plucking at the knife. Blood flooded his shirt.
“You little bitch!” The second man seized her wrist. Though Blue tried to pull her hand away, his grip was iron. She kicked again but he laughed and jerked her off balance.
“Let her go.”
Sassik.
She snatched her head higher, despite being dragged sideways.
“Who’re you?” yelled her captor.
A blast from Sassik’s long gun smacked into Worat’s prone corpse and the knife bounced free. She looked away, grimacing. Death was ugly.
“I’m the man with a bigger gun than you have, who just shot your boss because he was stealing my slave. Let. Her. Go.”
Her hand was freed and she fled a few steps. Sassik beckoned, his gaze locked to Worat’s man. Panting from the struggle, she walked to him, feeling scared and annoyed, but mainly relieved that she no longer had to deal with this alone.
“Go!” Sassik jerked the purple long gun. Footsteps sounded behind her, fading. “And remember not to fucking steal! Assholes,” he muttered, before he looked at her. “You, girl, are in big trouble. Put this on.” He dug in a pocket and handed her the end of the leash, waited until she’d attached it to her collar before striding off.
She hurried so the leash didn’t jerk on her neck.
“What about –”
“He’s dead. Leave him. The local provosts will deal with it.”
Damn. She followed, heart paining her, migraine threatening. Big trouble was not good.
Fated Possession: The Machinery of Desire Page 3
