by Leila Brown
“Look at me.” It wasn’t a request.
Taylon opened her eyes into tiny slits and peered down at him. He held her gaze as one of his fingers stroked up and down the sensitive skin lining the outside of her pussy. Slow, lazy strokes pushed her into a frenzied state. Small shocks zipped through her arms and into her hands. Struggling hard and concentrating on those small tingly sensations, she won the momentary battle not to give in and rotate her hips. A low moan reverberated in her throat.
Each stroke intensified her need to have his mouth on her, sucking at her, lapping while she ground down on his tongue.
He bent close to her sex and blew a warm breath across it. A shiver raced down her body, making her crave his touch more. His hands glided up and down the while the flesh between his fingers bumped up against her clit. Each time he touched the engorged bud a jolt speed down her legs. Heat infused the soles of her feet. Sweat broke out along her forehead and top lip. She no longer cared that the others at the table were watching. She lifted her hips, eager for him to push his fingers inside of her.
He slowly inserted one finger and then another. A loud moan escaped her, drowning out every other sound. He pulled his fingers out until only the very tip of one lay inside. He moved it in a circular motion, tracing the tight ring of her opening. Wanting more pressure, she pushed her hips at him. He sank his finger inside of her and pulled out again. A whimper slipped out. She wanted more. She wanted him. More of him.
His tongue traced the same line his fingers had traveled. He pulled at her clit, raking his teeth across it. When his lips closed around the nub, her hips arched off the table. She was so close. His tongue pushed in and out of her pushing her closer. There was no holding her back. Her completion hit fast and hard. She felt the juices run down and coat his tongue and face. When he lifted his head she could see it glistening on his chin.
His hand came up and patted her pelt like a beloved pet.
He’d done it again. He’d stolen her control right from her fingertips. Taylon moved to scramble down off the table without meeting anyone’s eyes.
“Good job. Now you may eat.” His hands indicated the vacant spot between him and the brute Rriodan. Was he kidding?
Bracken lifted an eyebrow at her. Would not sitting where he indicated constitute disobedience? More punishment?
“Sit.”
Sit, sit, sit he says. Sit with the same slime that threatened me last night. She darted a look at the stranger and bit her bottom lip. Was she really that hungry?
“He will not touch you.” Bracken’s exasperated sigh punctuated the statement.
Was he serious? Could she trust him? Sounds from her empty stomach spurred her into making a decision. Inching to the open space, she climbed down to the waiting bench. It took her a tiny bit of time and effort but she made sure not to touch the other man.
One of the serving girls set a circular plate in front of her. A grumbling sounded from the region of her stomach. She should have eaten dinner with the other women last night.
Taylon watched a woman being fed. Looking around the room, she noticed no woman feeding herself.
One of the serving girls set a pitcher of liquid in front of her.
“Taylon,” a voice whispered beside her, so quietly she almost missed it. Her heart jumped into her throat. No. Please, Kylie don’t do this to me. Taylon stared at the wavy black hair of the servant next to her. No. A thousand times no.
“Taylon,” she whispered again. “I found a working gate.”
Taylon’s appetite deserted her. The gate should have been their way out. But now they were both trapped here. What the hell was she going to do? Kylie, here. In a slave’s outfit. A community slave outfit. Hell and double hell. She had to get Kylie out of here. But how?
She reached for the pitcher. Water. She needed water. Her disoriented fingers failed to open and grasp the pitcher’s handle. The sound of metal hitting wood and the coolness of water spilling across her thighs broke her stupor. Kylie bent close, wiping up the water.
“Get out of here, Kylie. Please,” Taylon whispered. She prayed Kylie heard.
“We can get to the gate in less than an hour.” Kylie righted the pitcher in front of Taylon and turned to leave. A feeling of relief washed over Taylon.
“Wait a second. Where are you rushing off to?” Rriodan thrust his hands out and stopped Kylie mere steps from escape.
Taylon’s eyes widened and she flew into a rage.
“Now let’s have a good look at you. I don’t think I have had the pleasure yet.” Rriodan’s hands smoothed back the black veil of Kylie’s hair.
Taylon turned to Bracken, who smiled at the exchange. This was nothing to smile about. She could not sit idly by and let this monster use her sister.
Rriodan lifted Kylie’s head and rubbed his fingers over her lips. “Suck on them.”
She watched Kylie’s eyes widen in alarm. When she didn’t comply a growl erupted from Rriodan. She must protect Kylie, no matter what the cost. Blood pounded in her ears. She resisted the urge to look at Bracken one last time. What she was about to do would garner true punishment, possibly death. Reaching out as if to gather a cup of water again, she closed her fingers over the handle of the pitcher. In a quick swoop she swung it at Rriodan’s head, connecting with a resounding crack. As his head fell forward Taylon grabbed her sister and raced for the door. The sounds of growling erupted behind her. She spun and pushed Kylie behind her back.
“You will not touch her!” Taylon yelled the words loud enough to be heard over the mountain of growls. Every man was watching them, teeth bared.
Why had she dropped that damn pitcher? Now she had no way to defend Kylie or herself. The position reminded her of the previous evening. But this time Rriodan didn’t want Taylon. She was expendable.
“Taylon!” Her sister’s fear was blatant in her voice.
“She will be mine.” The raw statement, uttered in a growling tone, was the only warning she had. Rriodan launched at her, his eyes going to predator red from golden human.
Turning without thought, Taylon pushed her sister out of the way and braced for the coming impact. He hit her hard and fast, knocking her back into Kylie.
Flipping on her stomach, she watched Bracken wrestling with Rriodan. He’d protected her. He’d been watching her the whole time. He’d chosen her over his kind for a second time.
Kylie’s screaming pulled her back to the present. Rriodan’s body rippled as the bones shifted beneath the skin. Golden fur spotted with black erupted, covering him. His face elongated, taking on the features of a large wild cat. Rriodan snapped at Bracken several times before ferocious teeth connected with one of Bracken’s arms. Rriodan knocked Bracken to the floor. Taylon watched Bracken’s body begin to shift and change.
Her breath stopped in her throat as Rriodan’s vicious jaws wrapped around Bracken’s half human, half feline neck. As she watched the jaws clamp down further. Bracken was going to die. Rriodan would kill him before he finished his transformation.
“Taylon, we need to get out of here. We can be through the gate before they catch up. Let’s go.”
Taylon looked at Kylie’s anxious face, but she knew she couldn’t leave. “He saved me, Kylie. Twice now. When I found you I knew you were worth the trouble. So is he. You need to get to the gate. Go home.” Hugging her sister, Taylon turned back to see Rriodan thrown from Bracken. His neck was okay. There was blood, but no gaping wound. That tiny drop of relief helped her suck in much needed air.
This would be a fight to the death unless she could find some way to stop it. The feel of a hand grasping her fingers startled her. She locked eyes with Kylie.
“I can’t leave you.” The firm set of Kylie’s mouth screamed her determination.
“Kylie!” Why wouldn’t she listen? Didn’t she see that Taylon was trying to protect her?
“We’re family. We don’t leave each other. Now let’s do this together.”
“Do what?” Taylon asked in despe
ration. How did two women fight a beast more than three times their size?
“I don’t know.”
There had to be a way to stop them. None of the other Changelings in the room seemed to be eager to stop the fight. They were forming a circle around the struggling pair. The women were left at the tables. The experienced ones finished the food and the new ones sat like stones in their chairs.
Blood flew as teeth and claw met with flesh and bone. One of them was going to die before this was over. As the huge animals circled each other she saw blood dripping from gaping wounds on both golden coats. Bracken had been hurt. He could be the one to die. Her heart seized. She shouldn’t care. She shouldn’t. But she did.
Taylon bounced on the balls of her toes, priming herself to jump, when Kylie grabbed her arm, her brow bunched in concern. “They could kill you! Is he worth it?”
Taylon didn’t want to answer that question. Hell, she didn’t even want to think about it. Less than a week ago she’d been searching for a way off this backwoods planet, and now she was risking her life for a man she’d just met. But she knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she let him die this way. For her. Because of her.
“Yes,” Taylon said before she jumped between the two beasts and latched onto Rriodan’s back. She grabbed hands of fur and wrapped her legs around him. Bracken slashed at Rriodan, catching him on the cheek. As the paw continued its downward angle he slashed her arm. She screamed but didn’t let go. She knew she was bleeding but if she let go she would be screwed.
Rriodan reared up and bucked, kicking out at Bracken. A weaker woman would have been thrown to the ground. The big cat smashed his head down onto her arm. It hurt so much she lost her grip. She tightened her legs, but couldn’t stop herself from falling. The animal swooped left and threw her directly into the path of a pouncing Bracken.
She rolled, but a large paw came down on her leg and she knew she’d been too slow. The pressure of his weight made it feel like her leg was going to explode. Bones cracked. She felt it as the sharp edge pushed through her skin.
By the time she could focus on something besides the pain it seemed that everything stopped. One moment she was on the floor and the next she was in Bracken’s strong arms. Screaming resounded high and loud off the walls of the hall. She looked around to find Rriodan holding a murderous looking Kylie.
The screams were getting louder. Someone needed to shut that fucking woman up.
That’s when she realized she was the one screaming.
Bracken looked down at Taylon’s broken body. No human could survive such injuries. She was going to die. Even if she survived the fever and infection, she might lose her arm, and she would never walk again. His heart lurched at the idea. Less than twenty-four hours ago she’d brought color back to his world. He wasn’t strong enough to give her up so soon. He needed her in his life.
“Leave us,” he told the servant who was bandaging up her leg.
The woman looked from her to him and shook her head. He read the sorrow in Ashta’s eyes.
He was doing the right thing. He was. He took a step toward her and suddenly her sister was there. Kylie. How had he forgotten that she was here? Which meant he’d forgotten Rriodan too.
“Don’t touch her,” Kylie screamed at him.
“She will die if I don’t.”
“She wouldn’t be here now if you’d just let her go this morning.” She didn’t like him. No, Kylie did not like him at all. From the look of her, she wanted to kill him right now. Rriodan stepped forward, clamping a hand on Kylie’s arm, and pulled her from the room. Bracken could hear her screaming insults at him. He would owe Rriodan.
He sat on the edge of the bed near Taylon’s head. “I just can’t let you go.” He elongated his fangs and ripped his wrist open. His blood flowed down his hand, and he pressed the wound against her mouth. She sucked it down at first then tried to spit it out. He held her head in place and rubbed her throat to make her swallow. He had to make her take enough. He wasn’t sure what long term effects his blood might have on her, but he was sure she would heal. Anything else they would deal with later.
* * *
Taylon woke up with a start. Bracken? Where was he? Then she remembered Kylie, the gate, Rriodan and the fight. She moved her leg. Last she remembered, it had been broken, and sliced to the bone. She wasn’t feeling a lick of pain now. What the hell was going on here? “Bracken? Kylie?”
“Kylie is with Rriodan.”
“What?” How could he let that animal take her sister?
“Taylon, how is it that you and your sister can resist us?” Bracken asked.
“I don’t know.” Was Kylie immune? Not that she ever wanted to test it to find out. “Can you get Kylie? I want to see her.”
“She can’t stay long.” Bracken stood from his chair. He went over to the door and opened it. Kylie rushed in and Rriodan followed close behind. “Now are you ready to tell me how you can resist me?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care. Kylie is all I have in this world. And I won’t let Rriodan touch her.” Taylon stared at him defiantly.
“She isn’t all you have.” He motioned Kylie inside. Rriodan followed close behind her. Even as his muttered words reached her she wondered if she’d misunderstood.
“Why do you resist me?” Rriodan moved closer to Kylie.
“Conceit, no manners, all around obnoxious attitude -- really not that hard to resist.” Kylie’s flippant words wiped the smile from Rriodan’s lips.
“Look, Kylie and I don’t belong here. Let us go and I swear we’ll leave. You don’t have to worry about seeing us again.” Taylon watched as Bracken’s eyes morphed from gold to red. She suddenly realized just how close to the surface his beast lurked. Kylie slipped her hand inside Taylon’s.
“You still have four weeks of punishment.”
He still wanted to punish her? She could have left him to his fate, but no. She’d stayed and nearly got herself killed trying to save him. How could he not forgive her debt? “Can my sister stay with me?” Taylon tried to keep pain out of the words. Tried making it sound more like a request and less like begging.
“No.” The sound came from Rriodan as he moved closer to Kylie.
“No one asked you.” Taylon shot a chilling glance his way before turning back to Bracken. “Can Kylie stay with us?”
“If she goes with me, I will forfeit your punishment,” Rriodan said.
“Fuck that… you will never touch my sister.”
“I won’t lay one finger on her.”
“Like I believe you.” He was so close to Kylie. “Get away from her.” Taylon pulled Kylie down onto the bed.
“Can he really punish her?” At Bracken’s nod, Kylie pulled in an audible breath.
“It doesn’t matter, Kylie. You are more important than --”
“I accept.” Kylie’s softly spoken words silenced everyone.
“Kylie, no. He is a lying bastard. He will pounce on you the second you leave.” Taylon watched her sister’s mouth tighten into a firm line.
“Nothing will happen that she…”
Sucking in a breath, Taylon shook her head. “I won’t let you do this.”
“She already accepted.” The need to wipe that damn superior smile off Rriodan’s face burned through her hands.
“Stop. I can take care of myself. I know --” Kylie grasped Taylon’s shoulders.
“No, baby. You are worth so much more. Don’t do this.”
“Stop!” Kylie shouted loud enough to silence her sister. “He said I have a choice, and I won’t be choosing him.”
“Enough!” Bracken’s command echoed in the small room. “I cannot force Kylie to go with you, Rriodan. And yes, he does have the right to punish you, Taylon, if he chooses.”
“He can punish me? You would let him?” Every nerve in Taylon’s body stood on end. The thought alone made her throat burn with bile.
“No, not the way I punished you.” Bracken stared at Rriodan be
fore turning his gaze to Taylon.
“I will not let you be punished for protecting me, Taylon,” Kylie argued. “You didn’t raise me that way. We take responsibility for our actions.”
If she stood her ground she would push Kylie away. Sharp pain stabbed through her chest as she nodded her head in defeat. Tears welled in her eyes. “You promise not to hurt her?”
Rriodan nodded his head.
“No matter what she does?”
“I am no monster.”
She’d be stupid to believe that.
“Let’s go.” Wasting no time, Rriodan ushered Kylie from the room.
“Four weeks, Kylie. Four weeks, and I will come to get you.” The door closed on her words. In four weeks they would leave this place behind.
There was no way she would be able to stay once Bracken discarded her. He’d said there were worse things than Changelings in the world. After four weeks of binding her life to him only to be discarded in the end, she doubted much could be worse.
* * *
Taylon spent the next three days putting up as big a barrier between her and Bracken as possible. She refused his every overture, every nicety. She might not be able to deny him sex, but she fought him each time he touched her. She could not bear the thought of him guessing her feelings, or worse, of her accepting him only to be cast aside for another woman when her time was up.
“Do you know how old I am?” Bracken asked as he turned in bed to face her.
What? How old he was? She shook her head.
“I am over three hundred years old. And do you know how many women have desired me?”
Taylon grunted. No way did she want to find that out.
“Now I want you to guess how many women I have truly desired.”
She shook her head.
Bracken held up one finger. “I have lived over three hundred years and in all that time no woman has inspired desire within me. I have done what I had to, to survive. I have shared their blood, but not their desire… Until you.”
Until you. Until you. The words resonated in her head. She was special to him?
“Each time I look at you, I want to touch you, taste you, fuck you…” He pulled her into his arms. “Seeing you for the first time, just the smell of you drove me crazy. I had to have you no matter what the cost.” He rubbed his hands against her hips and down the contours of her thighs.
