by Sue Lyndon
Finally, they reached his abode. The front door automatically slid open upon their approach, and he ushered her inside and set her suitcase down, but he didn’t release her arm just yet. He was not entirely sure she wouldn’t try to run from him, and he had no desire to spend his evening chasing down his new mate.
“Luchunna amor-hel.” He gave the verbal command for the front door to lock, and only then did he loosen his grip on Nova’s arm. He didn’t have a security system in his house, but at least the front door locked and wouldn’t open unless he gave the command. If she tried to run now, she would not make it very far.
“You-you have a beautiful home,” she said softly, but avoided making eye contact.
Zylonn stepped back and stared at her, waiting to see if she would offer an apology for her disrespectful comments, but she pressed her lips together and said nothing more. She wrapped her arms around herself and shifted awkwardly in place.
“Nova, I understand you don’t wish to be here, but you must never again speak as you did earlier. I will not stand for it.” He stepped forward and placed a finger beneath her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Yes, you were bought and paid for, in a way. But remember, it was your people who sold you to me, and that makes me your master, little human. You had best not forget it.”
Defiance flashed in her eyes and her jaw clenched, but still she said nothing. No apology, and no hint of acceptance for her new place in life. He took a deep, calming breath, and tried to expel his building anger. But as she persisted in her stubbornness, glaring at him in silence, his rage began to simmer anew.
Didn’t she realize the price his people paid to maintain the TEC600 reactors on her home world? Gathering the materials needed to fuel the reactors was a dangerous undertaking, and many Tarkkuans had lost their lives while mining on the Feshinga Asteroid Belt. Zylonn had spent years there, living on a crowded ship in the cold darkness of space, until he’d reached his quota and mined enough reactor material to earn his retirement and his human bride.
During those bleak years, never once seeing the sun rise over the Tarkkuan mountains or breathing fresh air or hearing the rain splatter on the leaves in the forest, he’d watched many friends die in mining accidents. But every Tarkkuan male went to the space mines once they reached adulthood, unless they were ruling class members lucky enough to find themselves betrothed to one of the half-blood females, because the survival of their race depended on it.
Zylonn growled and jerked Nova against him, letting her feel the fullness of his arousal. Despite his frustration with her, her feminine presence, and the heady knowledge that she belonged to him, made his cock harden and his balls draw up tight. She gasped and all the defiance left her eyes, to be replaced with fear. But Gods, he didn’t want her to fear him. Not truly. Instead, he wanted her respect and her obedience, yearned for her to surrender her body and soul to him.
“You speak English very well,” she said. “I-I did not realize any Tarkkuans on this planet would have learned any Earth tongues. I mean, when I spoke so boldly outside before the marriage ceremony, I had no idea any of the Tarkkuans might be able to understand what I was saying.”
When Zylonn reached for her, she flinched, as if fearing he was about to strike her, but he simply wished to stroke her hair. Gods, it was soft. Her skin was soft, too. He let his fingertips trail over her neck, and a shudder ran through her.
She flinched again when he lifted his hand to resume stroking her hair.
“Nova, I will never strike your face. An honorable Tarkkuan does not hit his mate in anger.”
A sheen of tears formed in her pretty blue eyes, and she blinked hard and took a deep breath. “I suppose that is a relief, but I am still afraid of you, and I very much wish I could take back the words I spoke earlier. I-I did not mean them. Well, not entirely. It’s only that I miss my family and friends. I miss Earth.”
He appreciated her honesty and felt the rage draining from him. He continued combing his fingers through her hair and reveling in the silkiness of each individual strand. He tried to understand the situation from her perspective and felt a pang of sympathy for her. Though she’d been preparing for her journey to Tarkkua her whole life, having been taught his language and about his people’s customs by an elderly Tarkkuan teacher from an early age, he supposed even the knowledge that she would leave Earth couldn’t erase the pain of leaving behind everything she’d ever known. Friends. Family. All that was familiar and comforting.
Though he understood why she’d spoken out against his people, even going so far as to call them barbarians, he could not ignore the fact that she’d said it—and in a public setting, no less. He still had to punish her for speaking out of line, and he steeled himself to be firm with her.
“Nova, it is time we go upstairs.”
Chapter 5
The first thing Nova noticed when she walked into Zylonn’s bedroom was a leather strap hanging on the wall near the bed. From her studies of his culture, she knew Tarkkuan males typically kept an implement of punishment on display near the marital bed, the sight of it meant to serve as a daily reminder to their wives of the consequences of disobedience.
She gulped, remembering Zylonn’s words from earlier in the night.
If I heard my mate speaking as you just did, I would punish her severely for disrespect.
Oh, God. Would he really whip her before he claimed her? Her heart pounded and pounded, and she could scarcely catch her breath.
She turned, ready to bolt from the room, but Zylonn blocked her path with his huge body. His face was set in hard, resolute lines. He stepped closer, and she glanced at the bulge of his erection tenting the front of his pants. Would he claim her before he punished her, or vice versa? She wasn’t sure which option she preferred. Perhaps if she offered him a more heartfelt apology than the one she’d attempted downstairs, he might be swayed to forget about the strapping. She could only hope.
She swallowed hard and met his dark, penetrating stare. God, she felt stripped naked from the intensity of his gaze alone. She couldn’t imagine actually taking her dress off in front of the man, and she crossed her arms and dug her fingers into the fabric of her clothing, as if clutching onto the material would keep him from disrobing her when the time finally came.
“Pl-please, Zy-Zylonn,” she said, her voice shaking. “Please know that I am very, very sorry for the way I spoke about the Earth–Tarkkua trade agreement. It was a foolish and rude thing to say, and I realize it’s forbidden to speak out against the agreement our worlds have. I understand that your people are helping mine to survive, and I should have thought more carefully before I spoke.” Her eyes danced to the intimidating strap before she once again looked at her mate.
“I appreciate your apology, Nova; however, I cannot simply let you off with a warning.” He stepped forward, cupped her face, and stroked his thumbs along her cheeks. “You committed a serious infraction, and you will be punished for it.”
Severely punished. Those were his exact words from earlier. Fear clutched her heart and she started to tremble. How much would it hurt? How many times would he bring the strap down across her bottom? Her lips began to quiver, and tears burned in her eyes. Would he remove her clothing and whip her on the bare? She trembled anew.
She hadn’t been looking forward to her wedding night with her new Tarkkuan mate, but now she was dreading it even more. Would Zylonn really be such a beast to punish her before he claimed her? She couldn’t fathom it, and though it hurt her pride, she decided to plead for leniency.
“Please, Zylonn.” She took a deep breath. “I am truly sorry, especially for any upset my words might have caused you. I promise I will be more careful about what I say in the future, and I swear I’ll never speak ill of the trade agreement again. I give you my word. But please, please don’t punish me.”
“Have you ever been physically punished before, Nova? Spanked, perhaps?”
“No, never.” The very idea of physical punishment was foreign to
her.
“Well, then perhaps this is long overdue,” he said, an odd hint of amusement in his voice.
He dropped his hands from her face, then grasped her upper arm and led her toward the bed. She had no choice but to walk with him, though her level of dread increased with every footstep. Once again, she eyed the leather strap and shuddered.
“Wait!” She spun and faced him, craning her neck to look up and meet his dark, inhuman gaze. “I-I will do whatever you want tonight. In-in bed, that is,” she said, softening her voice. “I won’t spurn your advances at all. I-I’ll submit to you, I promise. Just please, please do not punish me.”
Panic swelled in her chest when his eyes darkened further.
“Are you trying to manipulate me, Nova? Are you saying that if I punish you, you will not willingly consummate this marriage?” A growl rumbled in his throat. “I suggest you bend over the bed before you get yourself into any more trouble.” He turned her around and pressed on her back, forcing her to assume the vulnerable position of being bent over the bed.
Remorse swept down upon her. Now that she considered it, her last plea had sounded as if she were planning to resist consummating their marriage. She hadn’t meant it that way—only that she would try her best to please him tonight, no matter what he wanted. Not that she had any experience in these matters, as she had never even kissed a man before, let alone slept with one, but she supposed if she followed his lead and didn’t resist, her capitulation would no doubt please him.
Oh, how had she made such a mess of things?
While she’d promised herself she wouldn’t develop tender feelings for her Tarkkuan mate, that didn’t mean she wanted there to be discord between them. She tried to think of something to say to soften Zylonn, but she worried anything she said would come out wrong again.
“Nova,” he said, cupping her bottom over her dress. “I will not stand for a disobedient mate. You belong to me now, and you will respect and obey me, or suffer the consequences. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Zylonn.”
“No, not Zylonn. By the laws of my people, I own you now. I think it will better help you to remember your place, little human, if you address me as ‘Master’ from now on, as that is what I am to you.”
Her breath left her in a rush and her mouth went dry. He gave her ass a light squeeze, and heat commenced gathering between her thighs. Shame coursed through her, that she could feel any amount of arousal in this moment, when he was preparing to whip her soon.
“Master,” she said, and the word felt strange on her tongue. “I didn’t mean that I would refuse to consummate our marriage if you punished me. My words came out wrong, and I’m sorry. Again. I only ask that you take into consideration that I have never been struck before, and I am quite afraid of you right now.”
Perhaps there was no avoiding the thrashing. Perhaps she could only mend the rift between them if she accepted her punishment. Then, afterward, she would be sure to never disobey him again. Tears burned in her eyes. This was not how she’d envisioned her wedding night at all.
He sank down on the bed next to her and continued stroking her backside. He leaned over her, coming closer until the heat of his breath wafted against her face. “You need not be so scared of me, little human. I will never punish you in anger, nor will I cause any permanent damage to you. I give you my word. But when you misbehave and are in need of correction, nothing you say will sway my mind on the matter. You cannot talk your way out of a thrashing once you’ve earned one, not with sweet words, and especially not with threats. Now, let’s get on with it. I am going to spank you using my hand, and then we’ll finish up with the strap. You will survive it, I promise.”
He gave her bottom an affectionate pat, before rising to fetch the dreaded strap off the wall. Nova peeked up at him from her spot on the bed, not daring to move out of position. He placed the implement on the bed and came to stand close to her, again touching her ass. She couldn’t repress the whimper from escaping her throat.
“Do you understand what would happen if the wrong person, such as a member of the ruling class, were to overhear you speaking badly of the arrangement our people have?” His voice was stern, but she also detected a note of sadness that she didn’t understand.
“I-I understand. I know I might be arrested and sent away to reeducation. Again, I would’ve never spoken so boldly had I realized some Tarkkuans spoke English.”
“Most Tarkkuans do not speak English or any other Earth tongues, which is why all chosen brides are required to learn all dialects of Tarkkuan. However, there is always a chance the wrong person might overhear your rebellious words and I will not allow you to risk arrest, little human. You are mine now and I mean to keep you safe. It is a Tarkkuan male’s sacred duty to ensure his female is always protected.” There was a touch of warmth, perhaps even affection, in his voice that left her confused and somewhat shaken. For a reason she couldn’t quite grasp, her throat suddenly burned, as did her eyes. She blinked fast and tensed as she heard him moving behind her.
To her mortification, he made quick work of baring her bottom, lifting her dress up and peeling her panties down to rest at her ankles.
“Spankings and strappings will always be delivered on your bare bottom.” He stood at one side of her and pressed a hand down on her lower back, as if worried she might move out of place.
The heat that had been gathering between her thighs smoldered to a full-blown blaze, the constant pulses of sensation making her breaths come in rapid puffs. She pressed her legs tight together and hoped the quickening in her core soon ceased.
“Spread your thighs, Nova.” He tapped the back of her leg, and she had no choice but to comply. “Wider. A bit wider. Good girl.”
Her shame deepened, knowing he now had an unhindered view of her pussy. She quivered in place and closed her eyes, willing him to get the punishment over with, and once again cursing herself for her unruly tongue, as well as her ill-timed building desire.
He trailed his fingers up her inner thigh and over the smooth folds of her pussy. Like all the Earth brides who came to Tarkkua, during the journey here she’d received laser hair removal treatments all over her body, including her privates, and she wasn’t yet used to the feeling of the bareness between her legs. She whimpered and tried to move, but he pressed down harder on her back, forcing her to remain in place for his explorations. He slipped one digit between her folds.
“I thought it was your arousal I smelled, Nova, and it appears I was correct. You’re soaking wet.”
“No, Master, I’m not.” She shook her head against the covers and wished she could disappear, her shame was so great.
He withdrew his hand from her center and gave her ass a hard slap. She gasped and twisted around, but it was no use. He had her pinned firmly down.
“Don’t you dare lie to me, little human.” He returned to touching her pussy, gliding his fingers beyond her folds and into her scorching heat. “The evidence speaks for itself. So wet, and so naughty, my sweet little human mate.”
Chapter 6
Though he knew he should get on with her punishment, Zylonn couldn’t resist stroking through Nova’s wetness. The heady scent of her arousal drove him wild, causing his blood to heat and his cock to harden painfully in the confines of his pants. He couldn’t wait to pound into the sweetness between her thighs, couldn’t wait to make her his.
He withdrew his hand from her pussy and moved his gaze to her bottom. Yes, he had better get her punishment over with soon, for both of their sakes. Even if she was aroused by the prospect of a spanking, it didn’t dampen the fear he still sensed from her. Rather than use the strap for the entire duration of her chastisement, he had decided it best to start with his hand in order to warm her cheeks up for the heavier impact of the leather implement, with which he would only give her a few well-placed strokes.
Admiring the swell of her bottom cheeks, he raised his hand and prepared his aim. He brought his palm down with a resounding s
mack on her right buttock, then quickly delivered a blow to her left cheek. She gasped and squirmed a bit, but didn’t try to escape her position. But by the time he delivered the tenth blow, she was whimpering and clutching at the covers.
He paused and stepped back to gaze upon her reddened cheeks, then ran a hand over her bottom. The scent of her arousal thickened in the air, a sweet pungent temptation, and he had to steady himself to continue her punishment, when everything inside him burned to claim her now. Soon, he thought. Soon he would be buried inside her, showing her what it was to belong to a Tarkkuan male.
In rapid succession, he gave her ten more sharp swats to her bottom, thus ending the spanking portion of her punishment. She still had a dose of the strap coming. That couldn’t be helped. If a member of the Tarkkuan ruling class discovered she’d spoken out against the trade agreement, there was a good chance a judge would sentence her to reeducation. The thought of having her ripped from his arms and sent to a facility on the other side of this planet, where she would be retaught the value each of their worlds brought to one another, until she wholeheartedly professed that the trade agreement was for the benefit of both their races, left him seething with rage and preemptive despair.
No. He would not let that happen. He would keep an eye on her and make sure she never did or said anything to rouse the suspicions of the ruling class. Though he hadn’t officially claimed her yet, he took the marriage blessing very seriously. He was her mate, her master, and it was his duty to protect her, even from herself. He stroked her enflamed backside before reaching for the strap.
He’d expected her to start pleading when he picked up the implement, but she remained silent, aside from the occasional whimper. She fisted the covers tighter and took a deep breath, though, as if bracing for the first searing thwack of the leather across her already punished bottom cheeks.
“You’ll receive five,” he announced, once again pressing a hand to her lower back. He raised the strap and brought it down across her ass.
