by L P Peace
She opened her eyes to find Daris standing at the door, his body shaking, his shoulders moving in violent bursts. She walked over to the bed and picked up the collar and leash. It was a simple collar the same colour as the underwear she was wearing. The leash was silver. This was made for and meant to be worn by sapient beings. It was probably made especially for the slave races.
‘Aavani, Zavi, Ualha, Mvari. It’s not just us, Zoe. They take homeworlds and exploit the resources; we have everything to lose. Tell me you’ll sign on. I need the best crew, and you’re the best astronav in the fleet. I want you in charge.’
Of course, Kessler had job-blocked her.
Walking over to Daris, she touched his arm.
‘Would you help me put this on please?’
He looked from her to the collar and back again. ‘Are you sure?’
Zoe gritted her teeth. ‘No. I hate this. Loathe it. But what other choice do we have? This isn’t about you and me,’ she said. ‘The faster we get off this ship, the faster we can save my people.’
Daris searched her eyes. Satisfied about something, he took the collar and leash from her.
He walked around her. she jumped when he placed a hand on her shoulder and removed the shirt. ‘Close your eyes, Zoe,’ he instructed. Zoe did as she was told. She heard something hit the table and realised he’d put the wretched collar down. Both hands rested on her shoulders and he began stroking down, then up her arms. ‘Relax,’ he whispered.
Zoe forced herself to relax, feeling this was more for his benefit than hers. His fingers swept across the bare skin of her shoulders. Bit by bit, she felt her muscles give under his touch. He swept his hands down her back, and up again. A minute or so passed, and finally, he slowed, his hands moving up to her shoulders. One disappeared, and she heard a noise, the collar being lifted.
‘I’m going to put the collar on you first and give you time to adjust to it.’
A moment later, she felt the cold touch of the animal hide. She hissed in a breath and let it out. Daris’s hand stilled.
‘Are you all right?’
She felt the collar tighten around her neck, the contrasting sensation of Daris’s warmer-than-human fingers against her skin as he buckled it. His fingers disappeared, but Zoe stayed still, her eyes closed as she became accustomed to the feel of the collar on her neck.
‘Yes,’ she said, letting out a deep breath.
It wasn’t nearly as bad as she thought it would be. It felt like a choker, which she’d worn in the past when going out with Sophia and Tara. She could handle that.
When she opened her eyes, Daris was looking down at her, an intense look on his face.
‘When—’
‘Go on,’ his voice was rough.
She swallowed. ‘When you were talking to Tolomus earlier, you were talking about training me to submit to him.’
‘Yes,’ he said, his voice raw.
‘What’s happening here?’
Daris’s breathing had increased. His lips drew back from his teeth, and his fangs stood out against his dark skin. Zoe looked from them to his eyes.
‘Domination is in my blood,’ he said. ‘It’s an instinctive drive to sexually dominate my mate.’ He drew in several ragged breaths and continued when his breathing had steadied. ‘My instinct recognises my mate, and a part of that is her need to be dominated.’
‘I don’t have a need to be dominated,’ she said quickly.
Dark humour filled his eyes. ‘Oh, yes you do, my ahdali,’ he growled low in his throat. ‘Maruzen instinct is never wrong.’ He stepped closer to her. ‘You need to be dominated. You need to give control to someone else so that you can become stronger.’ He reached for her, jerking her against his chest and placing a hand against her throat. For a moment, his eyes looked at the collar with annoyance. ‘And it is my privilege to be the one to show you this.’
‘I’m not weak,’ she whispered, trying to put more strength, more denial into it than she felt.
‘Giving up control is strong,’ he said. His teeth grazed against her shoulder. She gasped but resisted the urge to close her eyes. ‘Give control to me so that when I return it to you, you can be stronger, my Zoe.’ His teeth clamped on her shoulder with a snarl and were gone. The sensation was so intense, so sudden and unexpected that her pussy clenched, suddenly close to the edge. She cried out in a mix of need and horror.
What is wrong with me? I’m not this person. I’m not this person. I can’t be this person. I’m not weak.
‘Why do you confuse need with weakness?’ he said, as though reading her mind. He stood to his full height and looked down at her, his eyes connecting with hers. His features were serious as he looked down at her, a dangerous look crossed his face before it softened. ‘If you need food, is it weak? Water? Love?’ His fingers stroked down her face and throat. His eyes followed the movement and while she felt his knuckles across her skin it was his eyes that left the most intense sensation behind. ‘Why is this any different? Don’t be afraid of your needs, Zoe. I am not afraid. I am not afraid of mine, or of taking care of yours.’ He bent over and gently kissed her neck. ‘I am going to take care of you. I am going to guide you through this and show you the beauty of it.’
She stood in front of the door, shaking. This seemed so much easier minutes ago as she walked around the room with the silver leash in her hand. Now that she was about to hand it over to Daris, now that she was about to walk out of the door, she stood, staring at the grey metal door, terrified.
I can’t do this. I have to do this. Please don’t make me do this. Oh, god.
Warm hands caressed her shoulders. ‘When you’re ready, my ahdali,’ Daris murmured. She nodded, but still couldn’t hand him the leash. They stood there for another minute.
‘Zoe—’
‘Just give me a second,’ she said. She focused on her people, down in the cages, who would be facing another auction later. Every moment she delayed, more of her people would disappear into a life of horrors. ‘I just have to focus on who I’m doing this for. Tara, Sophia, Addison—’
‘Addison,’ Daris said. ‘I’m sorry, Zoe, I forgot to tell you.’
‘Zoe stiffened. ‘Tell me what?’
‘Your friend Addison. She’s disappeared.’
Zoe turned to him. ‘Oh, god, Daris, what did he do to her?’
Daris smiled. ‘She escaped the Ledaan, Zoe. Almost immediately. They believe she’s holed up somewhere in the bowels of the station, but they can’t find her.’
‘The Tessans can send someone in to save her?’
‘Once we get out of here. But to do that…’ he trailed off.
Zoe handed him the leash. ‘Let’s do it.’
‘Just like we practised. You in front. I’ll give verbal instruction and back it up with gentle tugs on the collar.’
A thought occurred to her. ‘Daris.’
‘This collar is Tolomus’s claim on you,’ he said. ‘You are my mate. I will never expect you to wear something you do not like.’
Zoe relaxed. ‘Let’s go,’ she said, pulling on the edges of the shirt to reassure herself of its presence.
He stepped closer to her, his hand reaching for the door control. ‘Remember, when we come across Tolomus, you must act angry and resentful, or he’ll decide the training is done.’
‘It won’t be an act.’
The hallway outside of Daris’s room was empty. A rushed breath of relief was quickly stifled when she remembered they were going to go around the entire ship.
‘I told Tolomus we’d be on the main corridor shortly. From this point on,’ he got closer to her, ‘I’m not your mate. I’m your dominant, and you’ll do as I say, no matter what it is.’ Dread knotted Zoe’s stomach. ‘I’ll be forced to prove my control. Act angry and resentful but do it. Tolomus must feel as though there is progress.’
Zoe nodded again, unable to speak.
‘Restrain your reactions though. If he feels you’re too strong-willed, he’ll put you back i
n the cages and I’ll be forced to fight over a hundred males to save you.’ He cupped her face and angled it to look at him. ‘I will fight over a hundred males to save you,’ he whispered earnestly. ‘But—’ A chagrined look appeared on his face. ‘I’m good, but,’ he grimaced.
Zoe smiled. ‘I get it.’
‘When all of this is done, I’ll make it up to you.’
‘I’ll hold you to that.’ She smiled.
The sound of a door opening separated them. Zoe looked around to find the winged alien who had taken Commander Davenport days earlier.
‘Vrok, Maruzen, how did you get a slave so quickly?’ He stepped closer, staring at Zoe.
‘She is not for me,’ Daris said, gently pulling on the collar. Zoe took the cue and stepped back. ‘I am training her for Tolomus.’
The alien stepped closer to her and took in a deep breath, his eyes tracking down the small gap in her shirt. ‘I thought he liked males.’
‘Athon,’ Daris growled. ‘Step away. This isn’t your property.’
‘I can’t look?’
‘You can look from further away.’ Daris stepped forward, pulling Zoe back by her arm. ‘If she breathes in, she’ll be touching you.’
For a one terrible moment, Zoe thought the alien was going to fight Daris. A snarl curled his lip, and he looked Daris up and down. The winged alien was bigger than Daris, despite Daris’s brag that he was as strong, if not stronger. She was certain size must have advantages.
The winged alien reached out, lightning fast, and grabbed some of Zoe’s hair. Daris’s hand snatched out and grabbed the alien’s wrist, he pressed something into the side of the creature’s neck. A knife. The winged alien let her go and backed away.
‘I prefer the orange hair anyway,’ he said. A moment later, he was gone.
For the first time since the alien had laid eyes on her, Zoe breathed.
‘All is well, Zoe.’ Daris put an arm around her. ‘I won’t let any harm come to you.’
Zoe swallowed. For some reason, she’d been more concerned for Daris.
‘Come.’ He stroked her shoulder. ‘Let’s get this over with.’
Daris led her through the twisted corridors of the ship, giving her signals to follow. It wasn’t too bad until the alien males appeared.
They lined the halls, calling out obscene things to her and telling her to remove the shirt. When that didn’t work, they tried to have Daris command her to lose it. One male, who was only slightly larger than a tall human male and covered in cybernetic implants, snatched out at the top trying to rip it from her. He jerked her towards him, the fabric pulling and friction burning her shoulder. She cried out, and Daris set her right and continued forward. A cacophony of laughter and whoops hailed from the assembled crowd. When she looked back, the male was lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Had Daris done that?
By the time they reached the lift, Zoe was shaking. A crowd assembled behind them.
‘We’ll be catching this lift alone,’ Daris warned.
When the lift came, there was an alien inside. He was huge—butterscotch in colour with four horns on his head, a thick tail lashing behind him. Digitigrade legs ended in three huge toes. He grinned at Zoe before Daris snatched at him, pulling him from the lift and guiding Zoe inside. When males tried to push in, he pushed them back and snarled, baring his teeth. They backed off. Some disappeared towards another lift, the others watching, narrow-eyed as the doors closed.
As soon as the lift began to move, Daris pulled her into his arms.
‘How are you doing, my Zoe?’
‘Not well,’ she admitted. ‘They’re afraid of you?’
Daris chuckled. ‘Many races believe might is right and that if a race is smaller, they must be weaker. Many test that theory out. When I came aboard, a Keddor male attacked me. They’re one of the bigger races. I put him on his back, and many have avoided me since.’
‘What was the winged one?’
‘Athon.’
‘Athon?’ Zoe checked. Daris murmured an affirmative. ‘Athon.’ She committed the word and image together in her memory. ‘What about the one that grabbed me?’
‘Surilan.’
‘Surilan?’ she checked again. A small smile appeared on Daris’s mouth. ‘Surilan. And the one in the lift?’
Daris laughed. ‘Tensa.’
‘Tensa?’
He nodded, still laughing.
‘Tensa.’
‘My Zoe,’ he raised her head with a finger to her chin, his eyes lingering on her lips for a moment, ‘you charm me,’ he murmured.
The lift drew to a stop. Daris set her away from him with a sigh. ‘This part will be harder. Be strong, my ahdali.’
The doors opened and Zoe stifled a gasp. Word must have spread. There were dozens of aliens here.
‘Forward,’ Daris said in a cool tone, though Zoe could hear his voice shaking beneath.
Zoe steeled herself and stepped out onto a huge concourse. It went still as dozens of intense gazes turned to her, her scalp prickling with awareness of them and her vulnerability to them. Immediately her face flamed, and her breathing became shallow. The shaking started a moment later, and Zoe became hyper-aware of her bare legs, even though Daris’s shirt covered her to her knees.
‘I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.’ Tolomus appeared in her vision. He looked down her body and scowled at the shirt. Zoe clutched it tighter to her body, afraid he would try to rip it from her.
‘What is that?’ The slaver looked angry.
‘Our Zoe is sensitive,’ Daris said, stroking her hair. ‘I made her wear this at your insistence, but things got bad in the room and she was only willing to come out once I gave her the shirt.’
‘She should come out in it whether she wants to or not,’ Tolomus hissed.
‘Light touches,’ Daris said. ‘Gentle pushes forward. We want her to bloom, not wither.’ Daris leaned forward. ‘When she cums on your cock, you’ll understand why we did it this way.’
Zoe couldn’t help it. Her eyes dropped to the floor, her face burning with humiliation. To hear Daris say that, it hurt, and it added to the wrongness of this whole situation. The shaking increased, her breathing grew quicker and shallower, and the edges of her vision began to dim.
‘Zoe?’ Daris’s hand fisted in her hair and he turned her face to look at him. ‘Breathe, Zoe.’ He took in a deep breath and she followed his guidance. Tolomus stepped into her view and she glared daggers at him for a moment, before her eyes dropped again.
I’m not weak. I’m not weak. I’m not weak.
‘Zoe, you will be happy when you give in to this nature.’ Daris moved closer to her. ‘This is what you are. Accept it and you will find peace, even pleasure in it.’
Her eyes moved to Tolomus, who was watching her with raw need. She shook her head. ‘I’m not this person,’ she hissed.
‘You are exactly this person.’ Daris’s voice was harder now.
Again, the edges of her vision began to dim and breathing became more erratic. Zoe looked at the faces of the aliens gathered around her. They watched eagerly, grins wide, eyes filled with open lust. The room began to spin.
‘What’s wrong with her?’
‘It’s too much,’ Daris said. ‘I need to take her back to my room. Pushing her now will only cause a setback.’
From the corner of her eye, she saw Tolomus look from her to the aliens gathered around her.
‘Get back to vrokking work,’ Tolomus shouted. His voice so loud and harsh it caused her to jump.
There was a moment before several males began to repeat the call, pushing at the crowds and herding them, until the room began to clear.
‘I must take her back,’ Daris said, pulling her. At some point, he must have called the lift because they were stepping inside. Tolomus followed.
When the lift opened back on Daris’s floor, there were still some of the males from earlier still gathered. They scattered when they saw Tolomus.
He wal
ked them back to Daris’s room.
‘I’ll send shirts. If she’s to wear them, they’ll be mine.’ Tolomus’s voice sounded possessive.
‘Understood,’ Daris said. The door opened, and Zoe bolted inside, feeling the faintest tug of the leash before it became slack. Standing in the centre of the room, Zoe wrapped her arms around her shaking body.
Behind her, the door closed.
‘Zoe.’ Arms wrapped around her from behind. Zoe cried out and pushed him off her, crossing the room and turning to glare at him.
‘I don’t… I can’t…’
‘I’ll never make you do that again.’ Daris’s voice filled with raw pain. ‘I’ll find another way.’
Zoe closed her eyes and saw the cages on the slave level. She saw Tara being pulled down from the stage by her throat, Pyri and Elaine sold to a red-skinned alien. Davenport pulled from the cage by the winged alien. ‘There isn’t another way.’ She hated how whiney her voice sounded. ‘There isn’t another way.’ She shook her head. ‘I can’t…’
Daris crossed to her and pulled her into his arms. She struggled for a moment before giving up. His arms were like a vice. Her body was still shaking violently, and she couldn’t seem to get control.
‘I can make this better Zoe,’ he whispered.
‘I have to…’ she said, barely listening.
‘Zoe,’ she looked up at him. there was a desperate urgency on his face. ‘I can make you feel better,’ he said. His tail brushed the top of her thigh. ‘Let me make this better for you.’
Zoe stared up at him. The screams of her shipmates as aliens dragged them from the Endurance. Tara grabbed by the throat. Davenport shouting at Abrami to be better. Sophia, in a fighter, alone, the fate of the human race on her narrow shoulders. Addison hiding in the bowels of a station of criminals.
‘I can make it better,’ he stroked her hair. She wanted him to make it better.
I’m not weak. I’m not weak. I’m not weak.
The screams of her shipmates. A green hand grabbed Tara’s throat. Sophia in her fighter. Addison alone.
I’m not weak. I’m not weak. I’m not weak.
