Dree agreed to stay and was given quarters in a long servant’s home, broken down into small apartments for each of the workers under Marla and Trev. For the first time in her life, she slept alone, in a small room assigned to her. Never had she had to sleep without others around her, and it was more than unnerving. When someone knocked on her door, she stared at it, startled. Her entire life people had walked into whatever room she was in. Her own privacy, respect… What else would she have to learn to accept?
Her fingers shook when she opened the door. Submitting had been so easy. Being assertive was taking a lot out of her. But if she was going to make it on her own, and not end up an underpaid servant, or sold back into slavery, she needed to figure out how to do this.
A young boy, about the same height as she, stared back at her, unimpressed, when she opened the door. He flung a lock of black hair out of his eyes before speaking. “Borna says no one brings you food around here. You want to eat, better get your ass over to the fire and get your share.”
Dree watched him walk away without saying anything else to her. Stepping out of her apartment, she saw that he joined a group of people standing around a large stone cauldron, laughing and carrying on.
“There’s the one we picked up wandering in the field.” The man who had yelled at her to get in the shuttle earlier, gestured with his hand for her to join them. “I see they got you looking normal now. Must say you looked prettier in that dress.”
“Shut up.” Borna glared at the man and then turned away from the cauldron, taking a bowl of something over to a large rock where she perched.
“She ain’t yours, Borna.” The man laughed, his belly jiggling.
“I don’t belong to anyone.” Dree stepped up to the caldron, smelling a rich meaty broth that teased her stomach to life.
“Don’t mean she won’t try to get you.” Again the man laughed.
“I said shut up.” Borna sounded fierce as she yelled at the man.
“I can defend myself.” Dree guessed that Borna probably led the servants. Usually there was some kind of pecking order. But she needed to show this woman, and the others, that she wouldn’t be bullied.
Borna raised an eyebrow, watching Dree over her bowl. “You ever been in a fight? You even know how to shoot a laser?”
Dree smiled at the man when he offered her a bowl of the thick soup, its aroma almost making her sick with hunger.
She turned to face Borna, and the woman let her gaze travel down Dree and then up again. Borna looked at her the way a woman looked at a woman when she was interested in her sexually. Fortunately, that was territory that Dree was comfortable in. She didn’t bat an eye at the obvious once-over the other woman gave her.
“I’ve never had the opportunity to shoot a laser,” she told her.
Borna stood, putting her bowl on the rock. Walking up to Dree, she took her bowl and placed it on the rock. “Well now is your chance.” She pulled her laser from her belt and handed it to Dree. “Shoot that tree over there.”
“Borna, leave her alone,” one of the other servants said.
Dree ignored the comment and so did Borna. Taking the laser, Dree’s hands shook when she pointed it at the tree. She pulled the trigger and not one branch on the tree moved. Several servants behind her snickered.
Borna took the laser from her. “That’s what I thought,” she muttered, returning to her rock, and her meal.
Dree looked at the backside of the woman, her black hair balled up and secured with a narrow stick at the nape of her neck. She had an athletic build, her legs thin but appearing muscular through her snug-fitting trousers. Borna wore the same shirt the rest of the people around them wore, but hers was untucked and tied at her waist allowing a small amount of colorfully tattooed skin to show.
“Did you learn to shoot the first time you fired a laser?” Dree asked her.
Borna sat down on the rock and just stared at Dree for a moment. The rest of the servants grew quiet. Her heart began pounding while nervous energy rushed through her. Apparently, not many spoke out to Borna.
The woman didn’t smile, and this time her dark eyes stayed on Dree’s face. “Eat your supper. Later I’ll give you another lesson.”
It was almost too dark to see the trees, and still Dree didn’t want to stop with her lesson. Borna was patient with her, but harsh with her words. Her actions countered her tone though.
“Hold your arms straight.” Borna stood behind Dree, her breath thick with the scent of their supper, as it brushed hot against Dree’s cheek.
Borna’s breasts pressed against Dree’s backside, her nipples aroused like hard pebbles caressing Dree through her shirt. Although she’d been with women before, usually it had been as a show to entertain the men. Dree didn’t know how to react to a lady being turned on while alone with her. She blew out a breath of air, focusing on keeping her arms straight.
Borna’s fingers glided over Dree’s arms, barely touching her, the sensation rippling through her giving her shivers. Borna was seducing her while teaching her to kill.
“That’s it. Look straight down the nose of your gun, aiming it at your target.” Borna’s words were no more than a soft whisper, as if their target was alive, a terrifying creature that might be alerted if they made a loud sound.
Dree pressed her finger against the trigger, the metal indenting her skin.
“Fire,” Borna breathed into Dree’s hair.
Dree pressed harder against the thin strip of metal.
Borna glided her hands over Dree’s shoulders, the heat from her touch traveling over her body, until Borna gripped Dree’s hips. The large branch Dree aimed at fell to the ground with a thud.
“I did it.” Dree stared through the darkness while delight surged through her.
She turned around, smiling. Borna ran her fingers over Dree’s cheek, the touch gentle. Her dark eyes were clouded with emotions Dree couldn’t read though. A warrior’s look with a lover’s touch. She hadn’t experienced behavior like this from a woman before.
Borna brushed her lips over Dree’s, soft yet demanding. “You’re a quick learner,” she whispered, ending the kiss without ceremony.
Borna was actually quite pretty when she smiled. Dark satisfaction appeared in her expression causing nerves of unease to tingle through Dree. The smile was a mere curve of her full moist lips. Yet Borna had the look of a satisfied predator. Dree wondered why she was being hunted. Was it sexual attraction, or something else?
“Thanks.” Taking a step backwards, she turned from Borna when the woman didn’t reach for her. “It helps to imagine your enemy while firing.”
Dree had spent the past hour imagining blowing the King’s head off while firing at the designated branches on the tree. Granted she’d missed most of them, but she was more comfortable with the weapon than she had been when she first fired it. But now something new drifted through the air, a feeling she got from Borna. She just couldn’t quite read what it was.
“If you are really going to learn to defend yourself, you need to be able to fight, and use more accurate weapons for one-on-one combat.”
Dree put the laser down on the table, understanding what Borna meant, but not having a clue what to do about it. She looked into the woman’s face, seeing no emotion there, just those dark orbs that watched her intently. A thick sensuality swarmed around the woman, her sultry moves a distraction.
Without warning the woman leapt, lunging into Dree, taking her down. Borna landed on top of her, the hard ground underneath knocking the wind out of her lungs.
“Lesson number one.” Borna didn’t move off of her, but braced her arms on either side of Dree’s face, her body pinning Dree’s to the ground. “Never trust a fucking soul.”
“Don’t hurt me.” Dree could barely breathe. “You know I can’t hurt you.”
Borna raised herself off of Dree so that just her legs trapped Dree’s lower half. Her dark lashes fluttered down, taking in the deep inhales that pressed Dree’s breasts agains
t her shirt. Borna moved one hand, brushing strands of hair away from Dree’s face. This was new territory. All she could do was lie motionless waiting to see what this female warrior would do next.
Borna cocked her head, tracing her finger along Dree’s jawbone, down her neck, blood pulsing so hard through her veins she could hardly catch her breath.
“Yes. I know that you can’t hurt me.” Borna wasn’t looking at her face, her gaze appearing to follow the path of her finger.
“What are you going to do?” Dree sucked in her lower lip, nibbling it between her teeth.
Borna adjusted her weight, the ground underneath Dree digging into her back. She ran her fingers over the material that covered her breasts, sucking in her breath while she did so.
“You are so damned beautiful. I’m sure I could think of many things to do with you.” Still Borna didn’t look at her, those long thick eyelashes hooding her gaze.
She ran her tongue slowly over her lips, enjoying herself while she brushed her fingers over Dree’s hard nipples. When Dree sucked in a breath, those eyes that were the color of night gave her a hard look.
“And I have a feeling I would enjoy every minute of it,” she added.
Borna moved her body slightly, easing some of her weight off of Dree, but keeping her legs trapped with her own. She reached for Dree’s shirt, lifting it, the night air rushing over her too warm skin. Borna pushed the shirt up, exposing Dree, her breasts rising and falling with every nervous breath she sucked in.
“You are very beautiful too,” Dree told her, her mind racing to think of something to say so that Borna would let her up. She didn’t know this woman well at all, and had no clue if her words would outrage her, or simply get her more excited. She had to take the chance. “But I don’t imagine for a moment that I could do whatever I want with you.”
Borna puckered her lips, almost appearing to hide a smile. She lowered her head, her shiny black hair falling in strands over Dree’s white skin. Dree closed her eyes, feeling the moist heat from Borna’s mouth cover first one nipple, and then moving to the other. A staggered breath escaped Dree. Borna was good, not only at fighting, but at arousing a person too. She tugged on Dree’s nipple with her lip, letting it go and then licking it with a slow, graceful swipe of her tongue.
“Borna.” Dree had no idea what this woman wanted from her. If it was a relationship, Dree had nothing to offer her. If she wanted Dree’s body, it wasn’t for sale. “Borna…I…”
“For the sake of the gods, woman.” Borna grabbed Dree by her shirt, pulling her to her feet as easily as she had knocked her down. “Don’t you think I damned well know that? You were trained to fuck. And I’m sure you are mighty good. I was trained to be a warrior, but I learned how to be a damned good fuck. Now let’s see if you can be trained to fight.”
Borna ran her fingers down Dree’s arms, her touch gentle even though her actions had been rough. Dree took a step backwards, swallowing her nerves, allowing the large lump to settle uneasily in her stomach, while she straightened her shirt.
“I was born a sex slave. Doing anything else never crossed my mind.” She didn’t know about this. Attacking someone the way Borna had just attacked her, how would she know if they would fight back or not, or if they were a better fighter?
“And I was born a warrior.” Borna held her hands out, palms up, on either side of her, her dark eyes glowing with passion. “Yet look at me. Now I farm.”
Dree didn’t understand. She shook her head. “What does one have to do with the other?”
Borna stepped closer, her movement slow and quiet, like a cat, very feminine, yet somehow putting Dree on the defensive.
“I know how to kill, but that doesn’t mean I can’t grow things, too,” she said, her tone soft and low. “And you know how to offer pleasure, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also offer pain.”
Something in her tone chilled Dree’s blood. Icy fingertips seemed to trace patterns down her back while she studied the dark-haired woman. Borna was beautiful in a deadly sort of way. She definitely wasn’t someone Dree would want to piss off.
“I’m not into pain,” Dree told her honestly.
Borna smiled. “Neither am I. I’m into survival.”
That made sense. Dree had no idea what this woman’s story was, but something had brought her here, just as it had Dree. And like Borna, she too would survive.
“Will you teach me to fight?”
Borna smiled, running her knuckles over Dree’s cheek. “I already am,” she whispered.
Borna was aroused. Whether it was lust, or a true attraction, Dree couldn’t tell, but she knew arousal when she saw it.
Walking into her, Borna kissed her again, this time not touching her with her hands. Just their lips touched, Borna opening her mouth slightly, a fiery heat rushing through Dree.
Thoughts of Marc touching her, his fingers tracing patterns on her skin, his body pressed to hers, brought her senses to life. A sexual awakening and a passion to learn what she could from this woman, use her knowledge to grow, to be stronger—Borna offered that. What she wanted in return, Dree didn’t know. But she did know that there was always a price.
When Borna’s hands gripped Dree’s waist, her fingers seemed to brand her right through her clothing. Borna pulled her closer, meshing their hips together. A low groan escaped her lips and she deepened the kiss, wrapping one arm around her shoulder.
Dree returned the kiss, not wanting to offend Borna. She let her imagination draw up an image of Marc, his aggressive manner so unlike Borna’s, yet oddly similar, too.
She gasped when Borna slid her hand into her pants, running her rough touch over her belly and down to her most sensitive area.
“You are so damned wet.” Borna was breathing hard when she broke the kiss, licking her lips while she thrust her fingers deep inside the heat of Dree’s pussy. “Do I turn you on?”
“I enjoy sex,” Dree admitted, wondering if she should feel ashamed that kissing Borna had aroused her.
“And that is it?” Borna ran her teeth over her lower lip while her fingers spread inside Dree’s cunt, soothing a growing itch that formed deep inside. “Anyone could make you hot like this?”
“No. Not anyone.” Dree knew the King would never get her aroused. The Bortan would never fuck her without a fight.
“Then why are you wet for me?” Borna cocked her head, licking her lips while she moved her fingers slowly in and out of Dree.
“You want something from me.” Dree sucked in her breath.
“Yes, and?” Borna’s fingers began creating a new itch, a craving for something more than this woman could offer her.
“Well I want something from you, too.” Dree could hardly catch her breath. Fear and arousal pumped through her so hard she thought her heart might explode.
“What do you want?” Borna asked, slowly pulling her fingers out of Dree’s cunt, and then running her wet fingers, soaked from Dree’s come, up Dree’s belly.
“I want to learn to fight, to defend myself, to attack when necessary.” Dree met Borna’s gaze, wondering if her confession that she would allow Borna to do what she wanted in return for getting something out of the warrior would piss her off.
“You would give me your body in return for learning how to fight?” Borna whispered, her sultry tone more than unnerving.
“If I had to.” And it was the truth.
The only way she would survive on this planet was if she learned how to protect herself. And Borna wasn’t the only one with skills. Dree just needed to fine-tune hers in order to be as deadly as this warrior woman.
Borna didn’t say anything for the longest time. Then slowly, she walked around Dree, not touching her. Dree wondered if this weren’t another act of intimidation, since she had no idea what Borna’s next move would be, whether it would be aggressive or intimate.
“Hit me.” Borna’s words brought her out of her meanderings, slicing through her as if she’d pulled out a knife and punctured he
r skin.
“What?” Dree brushed her hair away from her face, her elbow burning when she bent it.
“Attack me the way I just did you.” Borna put her hands on the curve of her hips, her flat tummy appearing hard as rock between her shirt and her pants.
“I don’t know how.” Dree studied her, seeing how tense the woman was, her legs parted, her feet planted firmly on the ground. Her shoulders were thrown back, her nipples pressing like hard beacons against the material that stretched over her breasts.
“Imagine I’ve done some hateful thing to you. Fill your heart with anger.” Again Borna spoke in that sensual whisper. She could just as easily be whispering erotic promises, her voice was so low and beckoning.
The distraction was unnerving. No woman had ever turned her on before. But this sensuality of Borna’s was her best weapon. If she had this kind of impact on Dree, just imagine how she would be when fighting a man.
Dree filled her mind with images of King Sorale, his beady eyes filled with evil, his thin lips pressed into a sneer. Closing her eyes, she let her emotions fill her, focusing on how ill-treated they had been since arriving on Benox. She took a deep breath, peeking from underneath her lashes, and ran into Borna.
The woman threw her to the ground.
“Again,” she said. “If you fail, I will kill you. Attack me.”
Fear lurched inside Dree. Borna sounded like she meant it. Her hands and knees burned from the rough impact, but she forced herself to stand. This time she didn’t wait, but ran at Borna, raising her fists to strike the woman’s face.
Again she was knocked to the ground.
“Jump to the side when I strike back. Don’t let yourself fall to the ground.” Borna stood over her. “I could take you while you are down. Don’t let me do that.”
An hour later Dree was in tears. She was no match for this trained warrior. She refused to get up this time, her legs and arms screaming in pain from bruises and cuts.
Sex Slaves 2: Waiting For Yesterday Page 12
