by Sue Lyndon
Whatever technology had allowed the human female to fool the scanner, Kazzon was determined to see it taken from the humans, lest they attempt to trick his people again. Tarrkuan males shouldn’t be risking their lives in the space mines only to receive a false bride, one who couldn’t bear their offspring. The very idea was unthinkable.
Kazzon liked touching Caylee. He continued rubbing her bottom and satisfaction filled him when she finally ceased her struggles. Her compliance sent a heated thrill through him, causing his cock to harden further and lust to surge in his veins. She lay over his lap, breathless from her exertions but otherwise quite still. He peeked at the sweetness between her thighs, at her glistening pink folds, and marveled at her responsiveness to him.
She was responding like a true Tarrkuan bride—a female who naturally craved the authority and protection of her mate. She responded as if she’d always been destined to belong to him. Inhaling deep, he savored the scent of her feminine essence.
Fluxxing divine.
“I could keep spanking you,” he said, “or you could tell me the truth, tell me how Julie was able to trick the scanner.” He prayed it involved a trick of technology rather than something that involved the guards who’d admitted the females onto the Zenallia. If the females had somehow managed to bribe the guards, Kazzon wouldn’t rest until those guards were locked away for the rest of their lives.
“Please.” She tried to reach around to shield her bottom, but he pushed her hands out of the way and eventually grasped her wrists together and pressed her hands down at her lower back. “Please, no more.”
He opened his mouth, prepared to point out that he’d barely spanked her—he’d only given her seven swats—but he quickly decided against it. She was already feeling vulnerable and desperate. Perhaps she would finally answer his questions and tell the truth this time.
“I-I don’t wish for anyone in my dome-city to get in trouble,” she said, her voice breaking. “I don’t want to tell you because…” She fell quiet and sniffled.
To Kazzon’s surprise, compassion once again swelled in his chest. She was lying in order to protect someone. He doubted it was Julie since she was already protected by her marriage to a member of the ruling class. “Someone in New Leesburg helped you and Julie,” he said. “Or was it more than one person? I need to know, Caylee. I need to make sure the guards had nothing to do with the switch and I must also ensure this never happens again.”
“It wasn’t the guards,” she said, and it pleased him that no black cloud appeared. She was telling the truth. Thank the Gods.
He caressed her punished cheeks, waiting for her to say more. When she remained quiet, he decided to give her a gentle prompting. “I will learn the truth from you one way or another, Caylee. I can keep spanking you until you confess what really happened, or you can save yourself some pain and embarrassment and start talking. But remember that I will always know when you tell a lie. Be truthful, little human. Please. Despite what you may think, I do not enjoy causing you pain.”
While he didn’t like hurting her or causing her distress, he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed having her over his lap, vulnerable and bared to his gaze, with her bottom cheeks reddened and her thighs parted to reveal the sweetness within. It was an intoxicating sight.
“If I tell you the truth, I could be putting others in danger,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
“I fear anyone I admit helped us might be punished. I-I can’t risk that happening. Please understand. If I could tell you the truth, I would, but all I will tell you is that the guards didn’t help. The Tarrkuan guards had no clue.”
He considered her dilemma as he proceeded to remove her shoes and then pull her pants and panties the rest of the way off her, leaving her completely naked from the waist down. He turned her over and forced her to sit upon his lap again. She winced when her punished bottom came into contact with his thighs.
He studied her. Tears coated her face and she trembled in place. Fear rolled off her, but not fear for herself. She was afraid for another person, or perhaps more than one person, and he found her determination to protect others quite admirable. But he still wouldn’t allow her to keep her secrets.
“I promised you that no harm would come to the inhabitants of your dome-city, Caylee. Do you remember?” He spoke in a gentle tone, wanting to soothe her. He couldn’t remember a time in his life when he’d sought to comfort another, and this realization left him stunned. As he held this small, trembling human in his arms, he felt as though he were becoming another person entirely.
“I-I remember, but that was before you started asking me questions about who helped us trick the guards and get Julie onto the Zenallia.” Her tear-filled gaze met his.
“My promise still stands.” He tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. She shivered at his touch. “I will not punish the individuals who assisted you and Julie. But I must know the truth. Given what the males of my kind endure to receive a human bride, it is very important that such a switch never happens again, in New Leesburg or in any other dome-city.”
He noticed that her hands were carefully positioned upon her lap, right at the apex of her thighs, as she attempted to maintain some sense of modesty. The scent of her arousal remained strong in the air, once again reaffirming his belief that she was meant to become his bride.
“Swear on your Gods,” she said, lifting her chin.
“I swear on my Gods that no punitive actions will be taken against your dome-city or any individuals within.” Leaning closer, he grasped her thigh and gave her a slight nod, urging her to finally spill her secrets. “Go on, little human. Make your confession.”
Chapter 11
Caylee stared at Kazzon, her bottom throbbing.
And he’d only given her a few swats.
She couldn’t imagine enduring a longer spanking at his hand. Though she wanted to hate him with every fiber of her being, she couldn’t help appreciating that he’d ceased punishing her and was giving her a chance to answer his question again. He wasn’t being overly cruel, as she had expected him to be.
Instead, he was showing her patience and mercy.
If she were being honest, the shame heating her all over was the worst part. She was so utterly embarrassed that her new mate had turned her over his knee for a spanking, particularly on their wedding night, that she could barely look him in the eye. If only she’d told him the truth from the start, then she wouldn’t be in this predicament—naked from the waist down and seated on his lap, her sore cheeks rubbing against the chafing material of his pants.
“Well, obviously my parents and brother know about the switch,” she began, hoping to ease into the part about Wilson being the mastermind behind the fake palm print. If Caylee explained to Kazzon how a multitude of people in New Leesburg knew about the switch, perhaps it would soften the blow when she finally confessed the last part. “And all my neighbors and friends, and Julie’s too, know what we did. Julie’s co-workers, too. I-I had to start pretending I was her, after all, and that meant taking her job at the bakery where she worked.”
He lifted an eyebrow at her, his eyes glinting with amusement. He knew she was dragging this out, but somehow, he found her stalling tactics humorous. “You know what I really want to know, Caylee. Now tell me.”
She blew out a rapid breath and prayed he kept his word, prayed no harm came to Wilson when she revealed all. “Well, Julie had to trick the scanner into thinking she was me, so it was necessary to produce a fake palm print that would identify her as me when she boarded the Zenallia. You see, she looks just like me—honestly, we could be twins—so we weren’t worried about a guard realizing she appeared different from my picture, but it was the fake palm print we needed.”
His hand moved along her thigh, his fingers trailing precariously close to her center, where her hands currently rested as she attempted to keep her privates concealed from his gaze. Not that it really mattered anymore, she supposed. While draped ov
er his lap with her legs spread, he had likely seen everything. Her face heated at the thought.
“Go on,” he said. “Tell me about the fake palm print. I assume the two of you didn’t produce the fake palm print yourself, but that you had help. I want to know who helped you and what kind of equipment they used.”
“You still swear no harm will come to anyone in New Leesburg? Even the person who helped us most?”
“I swear it, and I am a male of my word. Now tell me.” His intense gaze roved over her, making her feel more naked and exposed than she already was.
She couldn’t explain why, but she sensed he was telling the truth. Perhaps it was his uncanny ability to know when she told an untruth, but she trusted that he wouldn’t harm anyone she cared about, even if she did admit they helped her make the switch with Julie.
“My, um, brother helped us,” she finally said. “He scanned my palm and used a very sophisticated printer to create a fake palm print, which he then affixed to Julie’s palm.”
“I see. Thank you for telling me the truth.” He cupped her face in one hand and his eyes gleamed with sincerity as he spoke.
“How?” she asked, a bad feeling suddenly filling her. “How is it you always know when I’m lying and when I’m telling the truth?”
He dropped his hand from her face and appeared uneasy, though he didn’t glance away from her. He swallowed hard and looked as though he were carefully considering his response. She found his reaction to her question quite curious.
“Since you are my mate, Caylee, I suppose it is only right for you to know the truth about me.” He paused again, appearing deep in thought. Suspense hovered in the air and she found herself leaning closer, eager to hear his next words, whatever they might be.
Finally, he continued.
“When a person lies, I can see it. The lie is a black mist that suddenly appears around their head. That is how I know when you speak an untruth. A black mist hovers about your face for a brief time.”
Her stomach flipped at his revelation, but then she reminded herself that it could always be worse. At least he couldn’t read her mind in any way. Though, she supposed if he could, he wouldn’t have had to wait for her to answer his questions.
Her relief was short-lived, however, when she considered the ramifications of his confession. Unless she wanted to risk another spanking, or worse—a thrashing with that leather strap he’d mentioned—she had to be completely honest with him all the time. She peered at the handsome, stern-faced alien who was now her husband, suddenly growing more curious about him.
She tilted her head and studied him for a moment, until her gaze traveled lower to his lips. Up close, Kazzon was unearthly in his beauty. He was truly beautiful, but also very, very terrifying.
“I’ve never heard of a Tarrkuan who possesses the powers you have,” she said, unable to quell her interest. “Are there others like you?”
He drew in a deep breath and appeared to hesitate. She got the sense he didn’t like talking about his powers and she started to think he had no intention of answering her.
But, at last, he spoke.
“I suspect there are others like me, though I am not completely certain.”
“So, you’ve never met another Tarrkuan who sees a black mist when someone lies?”
“No, I have not.” His hand remained on her thigh, caressing her in an intimate manner and causing goosebumps to erupt all over her.
“Do you have any other powers?” She suppressed a shudder and prayed the answer was no.
“No, I do not. The Gods have only cursed me with this one.” His lips curved in a brief smile that didn’t quite reach his dark eyes.
“You consider this skill a curse?”
He glared at her. Hard. “Would you always want to know when someone was lying to you? Your mother? Your father? Your brother? Or your friends?” Bitterness edged his tone in a sharp jaggedness that revealed past hurts.
Oh. She hadn’t thought of it that way. Perhaps his special ability was a curse.
The truth wasn’t always pretty and sometimes people lied. She lied on occasion, even to her friends and family. Like when they used to ask her if she was nervous about leaving Earth, or when her mother casually asked if she’d seen her father speaking to Carol again (the neighbor woman he’d admitted to sleeping with several times).
Lies could spare hurt feelings. Lies could spare worry and heartache.
“I suppose I wouldn’t want your power,” she admitted. To her surprise, sympathy panged in her chest for the huge alien as she imagined all the times he must’ve witnessed people he cared about lying to him. “Does everyone know about your power? I mean, do all your family members and friends know about it?”
His lips formed a thin, tight line. He shook his head. “Only my father knows. When I was a child, he told me not to tell another soul about my abilities. However, I suspect he told someone important in our government about my power, because as soon as I reached adulthood I was appointed to an ambassadorship, an appointment that is usually reserved for much older Tarrkuans.”
Unsure of what to say, she nodded. She supposed his special ability aided him during his negotiations with the dome-cities on Earth. If he knew when a human Leader was bullshitting him, he could more easily get the upper hand.
Silence stretched between them for a while. She rested awkwardly on his lap, still trying to keep her privates covered, acutely aware of her sore bottom. It didn’t hurt as much as when he’d first gathered her upon his lap, but she wouldn’t mind a chance to rub the sting away.
She eyed two closed doors on the other side of the room, wondering if one led to a bathroom. Maybe if she claimed to need the restroom, she could escape for a few much-needed moments alone.
As if reading her mind, he helped her to her feet and said, “You may use the bathroom and wash your face if you need to, little human, but be quick about it. There are two bathrooms in my quarters, it doesn’t matter which door you choose.” He rose to his feet, his huge muscular form towering over her, causing her heart to flutter against her ribcage.
Why did he have to be so big and scary looking?
She turned sideways and attempted to pull her sweater down to conceal her nudity. It covered her mostly, but not enough for her liking, and she could feel his stare on her protruding bottom cheeks as she scampered for the bathroom.
She closed the door and frowned when she didn’t see a lock. Not that a lock would stop Kazzon. She doubted he would have any difficulty kicking down a door.
Immediately, her hands flew to her backside. She rubbed her punished behind, then turned around in order to look at her butt in the mirror. A rosy hue covered her bottom cheeks and she flushed at the sight.
For a reason she couldn’t fathom, seeing the evidence of Kazzon’s discipline, the marks left by his flattened palm upon her backside, caused the persistent aching between her thighs to pulse anew.
What would happen when she exited the bathroom? She eyed the door, her heart racing. Well, she knew what would happen, she just didn’t know how it would happen. The specifics. Would their mating be quick and businesslike? Or would Kazzon take his time?
And would he be rough or gentle?
She splashed cold water on her face and used one of the large plush towels to dry herself off. Then she stood in the middle of the large bathroom, trying to work up the courage to face what awaited her in the bedroom.
A faint tap sounded on the door.
“Time’s up, little human. Stop stalling and come out. We must consummate our mating union. Now.”
Chapter 12
Kazzon backed away from the bathroom door and waited for Caylee to emerge. He heard her moving around inside, as well as her rapid breaths. Just when he opened his mouth to call out to her again, the door opened and she slipped out.
Her hands trembled as she pulled at her shirt, attempting to conceal her nudity. She glanced up at him, her blue eyes gleaming with worry, before lowering her head. Her s
ubmissive stance made his desire swell to new heights. Heat rolled through him and his cock hardened to the point of painfulness. He needed her now.
He reached out to her, beckoning her forward. She lifted her eyes for a moment, then hesitantly reached out, placing her hand in his.
“Are you nervous, little human?”
Another quick glance up. She opened her mouth and tried to speak, but she seemed to have trouble getting the words out, so she finally nodded and immediately returned her gaze to the floor.
“I won’t hurt you, Caylee.” Leaning down to place his lips at her ear, he kept his voice gentle. “Tell me, have you ever done this before?” Perhaps it wasn’t only the new marriage to a Tarrkuan that scared her, he thought, perhaps she was nervous about mating for the first time.
She shook her head. “No-no, I’m a vi-virgin. I-I’ve never even kissed a man.”
A sense of primal satisfaction rolled through him, knowing that he would be the first and only male to touch her. To kiss her. To claim her body.
And to tame her.
He tipped her head up and gazed into her pretty eyes, musing that the shade was similar to the sparkling blue mountain lakes found on Tarrkua. The scent of her womanly essence reached him yet again, and he savored a long inhale of the heady aroma. He dropped her chin and reached for the hem of her shirt.
Her breath caught in her throat and she shot him a pleading look.
He lifted an eyebrow at her and backed away, releasing her shirt. “Would you feel better if I removed my clothing first, little human?” He took off his shirt before she had a chance to reply, tossing it to the floor. His gaze remained riveted to hers as he began unfastening his pants.
Caylee’s eyes widened and she flushed, but she didn’t turn away from him. Her breath hitched again and she fidgeted in place. Kazzon soon realized she was pressing her thighs tightly together.
Fluxx, he couldn’t wait to taste her.
He wanted to throw her on the bed and devour her like the barbarian she took him for.