by Raven Dark
“I am on guard duty. I do not need sleep.”
I shook my head. So stubborn. We still needed to have that talk he promised, but I couldn’t make myself ask. If he shut me out now, I couldn’t have born it.
We sat in silence, but it grew comfortable. His closeness wrapped around me like a blanket, warming me without him even laying a hand on me. He was calmness personified, and as my thoughts raced a little, for a moment I envied him.
Fire crackled behind us. A coyote howled in the distance, a high, needy sound. For some reason, the corners of his lips turned up. The coyote howled again, and his smile widened until I saw a few teeth.
His chest rose and fell on a breath before he finally stood and turned to me. I did the same, wiping my palms on my skirt.
Those amber eyes took in my face, his gaze holding mine captive. He lifted one hand and brushed my black hair behind my ear. “You have no idea what effect you have on me, do you?” His voice was soft, and he tipped my chin up.
“Tell me, Master.”
He shook his head. “I will tell you everything, but not tonight. A man can’t stand guard with a woman like you to preoccupy him. One of your other masters needs pleasing, I’m sure. Our time is coming, I promise you that.”
Disappointment and the need to understand him, to really know him warred for headspace, but I nodded and turned to go back to the tents before he could see any emotion on my face.
“Hey.” His hand seized my arm, and he spun me to face him so suddenly, I gasped. Before I could speak, his mouth crushed mine. The kiss was rough and intense and filled with so much longing, my heart pumped wildly in my ears. His palm cradled my head, angling it the way he wanted, his tongue searing mine.
His other arm crushed me to him so hard I wondered how I didn’t break.
I threw my arms around him, the love I still held for him sweeping through me, so overpowering my eyes watered. There was so much longing in him, it threatened to drown me.
When he broke the kiss, my head was spinning. He put his mouth to my ear and his hand slid down to my ass, cupping it, molding me to him until I felt the length of his cock, trapped in his leathers, pressing into my stomach.
“I can’t take you now, but that doesn’t mean I was going to let you get away without letting you feel what you do to me.”
He wanted me, but I had a feeling he wasn’t holding back because he was on guard duty.
“I’m not taking you until you know everything. Do you understand?”
I nodded. I did understand. Respect for him made me smile. I squeezed him close.
“Please get some sleep, Master. After someone takes over for you.”
He pulled back, a half smile making his eyes crinkle. “I should be focusing on watching the camp, not thinking about fucking you. Get gone.”
“Yes, Master.”
I left him at his post and headed back to the tents, but my mind was a tangle of confusion. He wanted to open up. What was holding him back? How bad was the darkness in him that he guarded it so closely?
I shivered. Whatever he was waiting to reveal, I’d find a way to accept it when he brought it to light. I would, somehow.
Minutes later, I found myself in Steel and Pretty Boy’s tent, snuggled in Steel’s down sleeping bag, wrapped in his giant arms. Pretty Boy was off working on the bikes with T-Man. Steel lay on his side, head propped on a pillow reading aloud while I lay with my back to his chest. I’d only started teaching him to read shortly before the assassination attempt on the General, but already he was reading as smoothly as if he’d been doing it for months. He’d pulled another old book out of his bag, a favorite story of mine, one of the few that had carried over from the Old World. It had been transcribed from a book of the time, preserving a story more than five hundred years old.
“‘The woman in the red dress turned to him,’” Steel read. “‘So, you think that just be…ca-use…because…you apologized, I’ll just fall into your arms and—’” He stopped, and I turned enough to look up at him. “This is one of those books, isn’t it?” He looked like he’d swallowed something sour.
“What kind, Master?” But I smiled knowingly.
“A romance. I’m reading a fucking romance.”
“It has murder in it. Keep reading, Master.”
He grinned and leaned into my neck. “If you’re making me read a book about heaving bosoms and kissing, I’ll tan your ass.” He bit my ear.
“It’s not that bad. There’s lots of blood and guts later.”
“Blood and guts. Now you’re talking.” He cleared his throat and lifted the book to read. “‘Before she could fin…ish what she’d been about to say, Raf hah-uled her to him and claimed her mouth.’” He gave me a warning look. “Petal.”
I giggled. “Just keep going.”
He growled.
Outside, someone’s laughter rang over the babble of conversation by the fire, and I wondered if whoever it was was laughing at us.
He cleared his throat again. “‘Raf broke the kiss and dropped to one knee. He pulled a black box out and opened it. A ring spar…kled. ‘Will you marry me, Sasha?’
“‘Her face flushed. ‘Is this how our mar-i-age is going to be?’”
“Marriage,” I corrected him softly. “The I is silent.”
“‘Is this how our marriage is going to be? You’ll rip out my heart, and then say you’re sorry, and it’ll be all right again?’”
Steel stopped again, letting the book fall to his chest. I glanced up at his puzzled look. “What the fuck is a marriage?”
I sat up, blinking at him slowly.
“What?” he cocked his head.
I shook mine. “Sorry. I just…sometimes I forget most people probably don’t know that kind of thing. Damien’s teachers filled my head with stories about the Old World.” I licked my lips, feeling suddenly uncomfortable with explaining something that, the world over, was considered taboo. How to put something so complex into words?
“Marriage is a thing of the Old World. It only happens in books now. A legal one hasn’t happened in over three hundred years.”
“What is it?”
“Before the virus, two people who loved each other sometimes pledged themselves to one another in a…a kind of life-long bond. It happened all the time, back then. But when women were declared slaves by law, marriage became outlawed. No man could marry his slave, lest either forget their place.”
Steel’s brows shot up. “So two people would agree to do something like that? A woman with one man? For life?”
I nodded.
“All of them?”
“Back then, sometimes people married the same gender, if they chose. But yes, it was commonplace to be married.”
His head dropped to the pillow. He looked thoughtful while his fingers started drawing idle patterns on my back. “Weird. And the bond is sealed with a ring? Like Raf gave Sasha?”
“Yes. Now that I think about it, my father always kind of treated my mother more like a wife than a slave.”
He lifted his head. “Do people sometimes still do it? Marry, in secret?”
“There are stories that it happens. Rumors no one can prove. It’s dangerous, though. Couples are supposed to be killed for it, along with the priest who marries them. It’s considered an affront to the law that holds women as chattel.”
“I guess some ruling parties see it as a challenge. Rebellion.”
“Yes.”
Steel’s big fingers traced my lips, and he drew his mouth close to mine. He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he just looked at me, his eyes taking in my mouth, my eyes. “How did I get so fuckin’ lucky?”
“Master.” I flushed.
“My beautiful, brilliant woman.”
“Your slave.” I meant it in devotion rather than status, but he shook his head roughly.
”You are so much more. Setora, PB and I stole you from King Ass Fuck, but everything has changed. You know that.”
“Wh
at do you mean?” But my heart had started racing; I had a feeling I knew.
“We stole you, and now you belong to us, but we belong to you, too, PB and me. Every time you open that beautiful mouth of yours, every word you say makes me realize how much you own me.”
The words sent a little explosion of emotion cracking across my heart. I closed my eyes. Hot tears splashed my cheeks.
“When we almost lost you because of that psycho bitch, I would have killed to get you back. PB won’t say it, but he was ready to do the same.”
“Master, you don’t have to say this. Don’t. I can’t…”
His fingers took my chin firmly. “I do so. Because it’s true.”
“What Pretty Boy’s been through. He can’t.”
“He does. Fuck, you didn’t see him when you were lyin’ there in Sheriff’s bed, half-dead. He knows something of what Hawk did to you, and when Hawk came to see you, he was inches from killing him. He threatened to kick his Yantu ass if he fucked with your head again.”
“Oh, Maker.” I gave a small chuckle. “Those two. I hate that I’ve created a rift between them.”
“You didn’t. They’ll figure it out. They’ll be okay again. Because both of them feel too much for you not to. PB will see Hawk’s line of thinking, he just needs to calm the fuck down enough to see it.”
I shook my head, unable to fathom what he was saying, but his fingers stilled me. “You doubt your effect on me.” His voice was almost hard.
“Yes.” There was no point in lying to him.
“Why?”
“Because.” Because… I tried to think through my racing thoughts. Because my masters were the Dark Legion. They were pirates. Love was for men like my father, sweet and gentle, not rough men who rode the wind like they owned it, who fucked like they were possessed and killed traitors like Patch by ripping them apart.
The thought snuck in that the Legion wasn’t as cold and heartless as I’d once thought. Not when Hawk had chosen to put off taking me until I knew all of him. Not when Steel risked losing face with his Brothers by letting me teach him to read. Not when he looked at me like he did now, as if I meant something a slave wasn’t supposed to be. The thing was, it was too hard to look at that truth right now. Looking into that light fed a hope for more, a hope I dared not allow. All my life, getting close to others had only caused me loss and pain.
“Because,” I finally said, “It’s just not how things work. Not for me.”
“No?” Steel’s eyes blazed with something I’d never seen before in him. Something possessive, but stronger. Deeper. I opened my mouth to reply, but he spun me onto my back and pinned me to his bed. “Do I have to show you?”
“Master…”
His mouth slammed onto mine. Words fled. My senses reeled. Steel’s tongue swept into my mouth, pure heat. His palm angled my head, his lips bruising. I groaned, loving every stroke, every hot, searing breath.
There was so much passion in him, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I clung to him as if he was a lifeline in the center of a storm that threatened to consume me. My fingers clawed at his back.
When his head lifted, I stared at him, panting.
“Petal, I’m never letting you go.”
“I don’t want you to, Master.”
His mouth claimed mine. The next thing I knew, we were tearing at each other’s clothes, stripping them off and tossing them aside. I yanked his shirt up and over his head, running my fingers over every inch of his muscled chest and shoulders, his back, loving the way they bunched and flexed under my touch. Steel dragged my pants off, tore open my top with a single tug.
The moment I was naked, his hand dove between my legs. Wetness coated his fingers and he groaned. “Feel how wet you are, Petal. Fucking perfect.”
“Yes…”
His fingers thrust in, a single deep stroke that made me clench around him and my head toss back.
In and out he stroked, fast and hard, every thrust taking me higher until I lifted my hips and rutted against his touch.
“Open your legs. Fuck my fingers until you come.” His voice was raw, unrecognizable.
My hips rocked, and I panted, fucking his fingers wildly. My nails clawed at the hard floor of the tent until I was sure it had ripped. I tumbled over the edge, crying out, my whole body quaking. Emotions I barely understood soared through me, making me shudder harder.
“Whatever else you are, never forget you belong to me.” He slid his fingers out. It whirled through my dazed mind he was talking about something more than just my status, but I didn’t let myself lose the moment by delving into that.
As soon as he’d taken his fingers away, I sat up and peeled his pants down. His giant of a cock sprang free, long and monstrously thick. The end of it glistened. I got on my knees and wrapped my hand around his length, barely able to close my fist around it. Steel growled approval and stood up, putting himself at face level. I gripped him again, stroked once, twice, and then took him in my mouth. I wanted to devour him, wanted to make him the whole of my world.
“Fuck, Petal.” He pushed my head down and when I gagged a little, he eased his grip suddenly until I moved up and down on him, fast and deep. Letting him know I could take it.
I wasn’t sure if I could, not at his size, but I wanted to, wanted him to take what he needed. He filled my whole mouth, stretching my jaw until it almost hurt, but I wanted all of him.
His hands fisted in my hair, shaking a little as I sucked him faster. He was holding back. Why? I licked his length, urging him on. He grunted, and his control seemed to break. One of his hands slapped something hard near us and the other seized my head. He fucked my mouth almost savagely.
He was close. Just as I prepared for his come to hit the back of my throat, he pulled my head up and shoved me across the sleeping bag.
“Roll over,” he growled.
Dazed with need and lust, I obeyed, laying on my stomach. Before I could spread my legs for him, he was on me, crushing me into the bed.
“Good girl. Let me give you what you need.”
There was something in his voice that made me slightly uneasy. I tensed.
His mouth brushed my ear. “Have any of the others taken your ass, Petal?”
The words sent the memory of the only experience I’d had with anal flooding back on me. That night with Hawk in his meditation cave. The night that made Pretty Boy angry with him. What Hawk had done to me hadn’t been all together unpleasant; it still made me wet to think of it sometimes, but it had done its brand of damage to the connection we’d had, and it had hurt.
“Master, wait.” I tried to turn to face him.
He stilled. “Answer me, Petal.”
My breathing went haywire. “Haw—Hawk has, Master. That night in his cave.”
Tension rippled in him and I could sense the understanding in him.
“He took what he needed from you, did he?”
I nodded, part of me hating that not all of me disagreed with his assessment.
“Did you like it?” Steel brushed my hair behind my ear, a caress he somehow made as erotic as his voice.
“I…” Shame burned in me.
“Answer me.” His hand gripped my ass.
“Yes,” I said in a small voice. “Yes, I liked it, Master.”
“Did he hurt you, baby?” He kissed my neck.
“Yes.” My lip quivered.
“I won’t be like that, I promise you. Hawk is who he is. You will enjoy what I do to you tonight.”
“How? You’re huge, Master. I can’t take you like that.”
“Yes, you can. I’ll make it good. You need this.”
I was shaking, half fear, half want.
Steel stroked my hair. “Relax, Petal. I’ll take care of you, I’ll give you what you need.”
His hands spread my ass cheeks and his cock pushed at my puckered hole.
“Wait, Master—“
“Do you trust me, Setora?”
Maker, my name. The use of
it soothed my fear.
I closed my eyes and made myself nod, willing myself not to be afraid. Why, I didn’t know, but he was right, I needed this. Wanted this.
His cock teased and slid through my folds, lubing him up and making me hot. He slid his fingers inside my core, soaking them with my juices, then they slid out and glided slowly into my other passage. I winced, but volts of pleasure chased away the hint of pain.
“There’s my girl. See how well you take this?” He stroked in and out, then his fingers slid away.
Anticipation and fear fought a crazy battle. Pup’s and Latch’s laughter carried through the night as they passed our tent. They headed for the eastern side of the camp, their voices growing distant. Self-consciousness nibbled at me. Was anyone else awake?
Steel’s cock toyed with my hole, yanking me back to the moment. I wanted to pull away, but instead my hips wriggled into him. He gripped my hip.
“Stay still. Trust your master.”
The possession and command in those words went right to my clit. I moaned.
He pushed in, slowly at first, then sinking in hilt deep with a bass rumble. I would have thought Hawk’s use of me would have broken me in for him, but it hadn’t. Hawk’s cock was big, seeming to fill every inch of me, but Steel’s was wider, stretching me in new ways and touching places inside me I’d never felt.
Instinctively, I tried to pull away from the pain, but his hand came around me from behind, pinning me to him and strumming my clit. Making me wetter.
“Breathe, feel me there. My brothers like their ass-fucking, Petal. You need to get used to it.”
The rightness of his words seeped into me, and suddenly I felt strangely complete. I groaned again and pushed back into him, taking him deep, the incredible pressure and fullness overwhelming my senses.
“That’s better. You belong to us. All of you.” He slid in and out, a few slow strokes, his muscles tense with restraint. His fingers circled my clit, and I panted, meeting him thrust for slow thrust.
Steel turned my head to the side and took my mouth, fucking me faster. I cried out, and he sped up, his hips slapping mine.
“Fuck, Petal. Your ass is so fucking sweet.”