Stephen stopped himself from glaring at Dave, who was doing quite well with his herd of cattle but one of the most tightfisted when it came to donating to the church.
As the mutters and nods followed other similar calls, Father Stephen cast about for a way to calm them all down. Before he found the words that would bring his co-conspirators back to their senses, Borl spoke again.
The Kalquorian said with a half-smile that struck the priest as more than a little condescending, “Let’s look at the bigger picture, shall we? The Basma appreciates that despite our differences, both our sides want the same thing. The mixing of our species is against your beliefs and ours. He is certain that if we work together, we can stop this travesty.”
Hoover scowled. “But how?”
“Intimidation by burning crosses and ostracizing of those who refuse to see reason is a good start. However, it’s time to show the Empire you are serious about this. You must target those of your people who flaunt their disregard for the purity of our races.”
Father Stephen wasted no time responding to that. “Target how? I’m not going to approve of hurting people.”
Blaine gave him a black look. “Some people you just can’t save. Like that Jenson woman, or whatever her real name is.”
Keeping a hand on his temper, Stephen answered, “I prefer to see the sinners repent in time to save their souls. To find their way back to God.”
One of the Nobeks standing behind Borl sneered at him. “This is exactly why we don’t want our strong Kalquorian blood watered down by nervous Earthers.”
Borl shot him a glare. “Quiet. We are allies, and we will not devolve into petty insults against one another. Whatever benefits the revolution benefits us.”
To Father Stephen, he made his tone mild. “No one has said anything about harming your people, priest. But they haven’t been made nearly afraid enough. If we use stronger measures against one of our own clans to show the way, then perhaps you won’t quake so much.”
Hoover blinked. “Really? You’ll see fellow Kalquorians put to task?”
The Nobeks standing with Borl exchanged dark smiles. Whatever Borl was proposing, they already knew the particulars and seemed to look forward to it. Stephen’s insides curled to see those unmerciful expressions.
Borl looked every bit as anticipatory. “Indeed we will see those who would harm the Empire punished. Our target is Clan Amgar, which has taken up residence with one of your women.”
Hoover’s face lit with recognition. “Sara Jones.”
Sara was another woman Stephen hadn’t been able to help as much as he’d wanted. Guilt filled him, as well as terror for whatever Borl and his men had planned. “She has three young children. They were hit hard when their plot started to fail and forced to rely on charity. Amgar’s clan saved their crop as well as Sara’s life.”
Borl answered easily. “The woman and children will not be targeted. They will be safe, I assure you.” He grinned at the more agreeable Hoover. “This will be a joint venture, a clear signal to the Imperial Throne that the resistance comes from both sides. We will help you get close enough to their home to attack, and you will have the pleasure of giving Amgar’s clan your disapproval. Best of all, you will send a signal to Ospar himself. Amgar’s Imdiko is on his household staff.”
Father Stephen looked at his fellow E.I.K. members. Every face to a man was avid with enthusiasm. It made him feel sick inside. Sara and her children had already endured so much. Jesse Jones, Sara’s husband, had died soon after reaching Haven. Then the family’s crops had begun to fail because a very pregnant Sara and her two children didn’t have the experience to farm. Working on the co-op fields had been out of the question when the second oldest child fell ill during the growing season. Then the baby had come early, putting even more strain on poor Sara.
Amgar’s Imdiko, piloting his shuttle down the travel lane that ran next to Sara’s home, had been stopped by her son. The nearly hysterical child alerted Imdiko Utber that though emergency services were on their way, the baby was already in the process of being born. Utber had raced into the house to discover Sara on the floor, blood pouring from the birth canal. Utber made the emergency delivery of Sara’s baby and kept her from going into shock long enough for medics to save her life.
Alerted to the family’s struggle, his clan had swooped in, taking very good care of the four Joneses and salvaging their crops. Weeks later Sara joined the clan. The men adopted her three children as their own.
The blended family seemed happy and the children appeared to be thriving. That didn’t change the fact that the arrangement was a sin. A terrible sin. Father Stephen knew he couldn’t stand in the way of retribution for such, especially if Sara and the children were not to be harmed. Still, he couldn’t shake the terrible feeling he had about the coming attack.
He tried to console himself, though his heart cried against the plan as Borl outlined it. God’s judgment could be harsh. Stephen had to trust that this penance would balance the scales and Sara would repent her evil.
Chapter 9
Iris sat on the side of the guest room’s sleeping mat, reading to a sleepy Thomas from her handheld. The vid beaming over it showed a smiling blue engine rolling down a mountain. He stared at it beneath half-lidded eyes. Ospar, Jol, and Rivek stood at the foot of the bed, watching and listening as she finished the story.
“...I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could!”
Thomas added, “The end.”
“The end,” Iris echoed. It was time for the last part of their nightly ritual. “Sweet dreams.” She leaned over and kissed his forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning.” She kissed the tip of his upturned nose. “I love you.” Her lips brushed his slightly smiling ones. “Good night.” The last kiss landed on his chin.
“Night-night, Mommy,” Thomas said in his sweet, piping voice.
Iris rose but paused when she noticed Thomas frowning. He stared at the men standing nearby.
Uh-oh, Iris thought. She’d thought he wouldn’t mind the men being there for his nighttime ritual, but perhaps she’d been wrong.
However, Thomas smiled at the clan. “Night-night, Jol. Night-night, Rivek. Night-night, Oxbar.”
The Kalquorians all grinned, delighted to be included. They bowed to Thomas and each murmured ‘good night’ to him.
Iris was amazed and happy that her son had acknowledged the three. She decided not to make a big deal out of it as he was cuddling with his large stuffed bunny that he’d had since he was a year old. Rivek dimmed the lights, leaving a small amount of illumination so that Thomas wouldn’t be confused about his surroundings should he wake in the middle of the night.
Iris took Ospar’s hand as they left the room, and he smiled at her as he gently squeezed. That Thomas had made the clan part of his nighttime ritual so quickly made Iris think more than ever about fate and destiny.
They went into the clan’s sleeping room with Jol and Rivek following. Iris’ pulse sped up. She was going to bed with the Kalquorians again. The exotic nature of sex with three aliens probably wouldn’t wear off anytime soon. She felt like a giddy virgin, discovering sex for the very first time.
Curiosity of a different nature had been nagging at her all day, however. She turned to the Dramok who was looking at her. His handsome face shifted from child-friendly openness to that of a man thinking about the woman in front of him. The gaze made Iris’ stomach heat, but she wanted to know what was going on in the colony.
“Has anyone noticed I’m not home yet?” she asked.
Ospar exchanged a look with Jol. The Dramok said, “Governor Hoover took exception to you staying here with us. He is quite angry that we are sticking our noses in Earther business.”
Jol added, “It may be quite some time before you are able to return to your home. Not that we mind having you here.”
Iris drew in a breath. “Oh boy.”
Ospar brushed her cheek with his fingers. “Your presence along with Th
omas’ is quite agreeable. Don’t for one second think we are not happy to have you with us.”
Iris chewed on her lower lip. “I’m sorry he broke that vid today.”
The men drew around her. Rivek caught her chin and tilted her head back so that she looked him in the eyes. “He is a child. These things happen.”
Jol agreed. “You should see how destructive Nobek children are. Just a week before I was sent to training camp, I broke every door in my parents’ home. I was angry because they told to stay in my room and meditate, which was punishment for another offense I’d committed.”
Iris’ eyes widened. “For heaven’s sake. You broke all the doors?”
“Every one, by throwing myself bodily against them. It was a wonder I didn’t break me while I was at it.”
That didn’t change the fact Thomas was determined to pull things off walls when he didn’t like them. The vid that he’d destroyed had been showing the magnificent but violent eruption of a volcano, and he’d gone after it, determined to make it stop.
“I’m still sorry he broke something of yours,” Iris said.
Rivek snorted. “It is a thing. Things are not important. Like fine art, the vid wasn’t permanent in the first place.” His eyes twinkled, and Iris knew he was thinking of her reaction to Master Nis setting his paintings on fire.
Ospar gave her a mock scowl. “Will you please stop worrying over such things? I will give Thomas a dozen vids to break if it will make him happy.”
Iris laughed. “Let’s not encourage his destructive tendencies, now!”
The Dramok chuckled too. He took her in his arms and Iris sank into the shelter of him. His kiss was a gentle thing, warming her from head to toe as the other two stroked up and down her back.
I think I could get used to this, Iris thought as she sucked delicately on the tongue stroking the inside of her mouth.
When Ospar moved back, that dark promise shadowed his eyes once again. “Now, my lovely little lifebringer. Are you ready to test a few more sexual limits tonight?”
Just like that, Iris’ insides turned to jelly. Her stomach tumbled, both with nervousness and excitement. “Um. Like what?”
One side of Ospar’s mouth curled in a slow, dangerous smile that made her knees shake. “Telling you ahead of time wouldn’t be any fun, would it?” He stared at her, as if he would discover all the thoughts in her head. “Iris, I want your trust. The instant I ask you for something, I want you to be able to give it to me without questioning my motives. I want us to build a level of confidence so unshakeable that it never occurs to you to wonder if I have your best interests at heart.”
“Do you?” She couldn’t help but ask.
He nodded slowly, his expression now serious. “I do. We all do. Perhaps we will make you nervous from time to time, especially here when we do private things. Perhaps we will test your faith in us. Maybe we will even push you farther than you can stand to go on a given day, and you will have to tell us to stop. But you never have to fear we will let you come to harm, that your welfare is not the most important thing to us. I want you to know that deep in your soul.”
Iris bit her lip. She wanted it too. To know that no matter what, she didn’t have to fear men ever again. That she could put her heart in another’s hands with absolute faith that it wouldn’t be trampled.
Were these the men who could rescue her hopes? Iris didn’t know, but she wanted to find out.
“All right,” she said, her voice not nearly as strong as she wanted it to be. “I’ll – I’ll try whatever you like.”
“Good girl.” Ospar bent to kiss her lips, and Iris clung to him for reassurance. She really was afraid, though every instinct swore that the clan would take care of her.
The Dramok released the kiss and stepped back so that they no longer touched. The other two also made room.
“Take your clothes off, Iris. Slowly, so that we may enjoy seeing your body revealed to us.”
Iris nodded. Her mouth was suddenly dry, however. The way they stared made her feel almost as if she was already naked. Not just her body, but her very soul. Vulnerability crashed over her, making her hesitate before beginning to unbutton her blouse.
What is with me? They’ve already seen me naked. Why does this feel so much more ... more?
It made no sense, but Iris felt exposed to her very core, even before she finished unbuttoning the blouse.
Trembling all over, she made it slide down her shoulders and arms, finally draping from her wrists. She slipped the shirt off to let it fall to the floor.
“Lovely,” Ospar told her. “Now stand still for a moment while we enjoy this gift.”
They closed in on her, and three pairs of hands caressed the skin she’d bared. They did not touch her breasts, still encased in her soft cotton bra. Yet the warm touches made arousal thick in her belly, and her breath came faster.
“Her skin is so soft,” Jol said, his thunder voice deeper than ever.
“Look how her stomach quivers when I touch it,” Rivek said.
“Can I touch back?” Iris asked. It felt so strange to stand there doing nothing. Yet she couldn’t shake the notion that she had to have permission to do anything.
“No,” Ospar told her. “You will be still and allow us to enjoy you as we will.”
Jol added, “You have nothing to do but surrender and enjoy.” He grinned. “Or suffer, as the case may be when the enjoyment grows beyond comfort.”
Iris wasn’t sure how something like pleasure could be distressing, except for this bit which was both awkward and exciting.
At last the men were satisfied with their explorations. They stepped back once more and Ospar said, “Now the pants. Remember, slowly.”
Iris opened the resealable seam that went from her waist to her crotch. She peeled the pants down her legs, acutely aware that Jol was behind her as she bent way over to take the trousers off. She wondered if he could see from his position how wet the crotch of her panties had become.
She took the pants all the way down to her ankles, then slowly straightened back up. Stepping out of them made her once again aware of how wobbly her legs had gone.
“Your bra,” Ospar said.
Iris reached behind to find the snaps. As she did so, she thought about how the men loomed over her. She wasn’t small for a woman by any means, not at slightly over five feet eight inches. But the Kalquorians were so damned big, exuding strength and power with not just that phenomenal height but also their muscular bodies. She couldn’t escape a feeling of helplessness as she stood in the middle of them, slowly disrobing.
The bra closure came free, and Iris moved her hands so that they covered the cups over her breasts. One shoulder strap fell down her upper arm. Using the other hand and arm to keep the bra cups in place, Iris shrugged the strap free. Then she switched arms, doing the same with the other strap.
She peeked up at Ospar in front of her, and Rivek to her right. Their eyes were intent on her chest where she remained concealed from their sight. The scent that made her think of cinnamon spice, which she had learned was the aroma of their arousal, had grown thick in the air.
Iris slowly drew her hands down, taking the bra with them. Her breasts were revealed a bit at a time. At last, the rosy tips appeared, tight and flushed with blatant arousal.
“Yes,” Rivek sighed.
The men moved towards her again. “You will remain still for our pleasure,” Ospar told her as he reached for one mound.
They rubbed, pinched, and fondled, making Iris’ respiration quicken. Wetness pooled thickly in her panties as her body responded to the jolts of pleasure from the men’s caresses. Iris stood there shaking as the clan played, taking turns testing the weight of her breasts and moistening their fingertips in her mouth to rub her nipples into hard, pebbled nubs.
Jol tightened his fingers around one until it ached. Iris drew in a hard breath and looked up at him.
“Does it hurt?” he asked.
“A little.”
/>
“Do you find pleasure in it? Or in giving me the power to inflict a slight bit of pain, if I wish?”
Iris swallowed. The small twinge hadn’t been much. Giving into it for Jol’s sake made something within pulse agreeably. As if his pleasure meant more to her than her own.
“I, I guess...” she faltered, unable to verbalized such things. Like the words they’d made her say the night before, speaking of intimacies was taboo.
Jol grasped her chin with one hand, making her look him in the face. His fingers closed like a soft vise around her nipple once more, and she groaned at the small spasm that wasn’t quite bad. In fact, it twisted into something pleasurable, creeping down to her lower gut.
“Tell me how it feels when I take a harsher enjoyment with your body, Iris,” the Nobek demanded.
Iris cringed. “It – it feels – um...”
He bent down, putting his face only inches away from hers, filling her vision. His thundery voice was intense. “You do not think. You answer. How does it feel when I do with you as I please, including a small amount of discomfort?”
“It feels right,” she said, the words popping out under the weight of his fierce stare. “It feels wonderful to belong to you this way.”
“In what way?” When she hesitated, Jol ordered, “Answer now.”
“Sexually.” The admission flew from her lips.
Ospar’s tone was approving. “Once more, words have not brought punishment raining down on you.”
Jol released her chin so that Iris could look at the Dramok. “They used to.” She shuddered.
“From your husband?” Rivek asked.
Iris nodded. “He was very high up in the scheme of things on Earth. His business was so important that he ran a lot of public policy behind the scenes. That meant we were often surrounded by government and holy leaders. If I said anything the least bit untoward, even out of their presence, he’d beat me.”
“Even if they were love words spoken in the privacy of your bedroom? In the heat of passion?” Ospar scowled.
“Even there. Conrad said all it would take was one slip of the tongue in front of everyone, and trouble could happen. I was to always be on guard. When I forgot, he had to teach me a lesson.”
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