“Are you all right, prima? Should I send for a physic?”
Her head jerked around, finding a man had joined her on the bench. He had snowy white hair and a long beard falling past his chest. Wearing the flowing robes of an elder, to Eva, he resembled Father Time.
“You are quite pale,” he added.
“I skipped breakfast, sir. A mistake, but I’m fine. Already the dizziness is passing.”
“Perhaps I should send for the Princep.”
“No, no! Please, don’t disturb him. I just need to rest here a bit and I’ll be fine.”
A shout went up from the crowd and they both turned toward the sound. She noticed then, it wasn’t a park, but more like a town square. Trees lined the boundaries, along with benches and sidewalks, and busy shops and eateries filled the space. It was like any small town on Earth — minus the blue and yellow trees, of course.
“Your mate will not like that you are here without him. I’ll send for him now.”
“Why?” A parting in the crowd showed a small stage up front. “What’s going on?”
“It is settlement day.”
“Pardon?”
“The Princep didn’t explain about our justice system?”
“He hasn’t had time.”
“Child, you’ve been here over two weeks.”
Her cheeks flooded with heat. “We have been otherwise, uh, occupied.”
Sex three times a day would do that.
Father Time chuckled. “Ah, yes. I remember being young and newly mated. Barely.”
She glanced at him askance; usually sticklers for rules and tradition, the elder cracking a joke was truly a shock.
“You’re surprised that I possess a sense of humor. We elders aren’t nearly as bad as we’re made out to be.” He frowned, his gaze flicking toward the stage, before moving back to her. “Sometimes we are, but most often we are like other males. We’ve just had more years to perfect our scowls and intimidation.”
“Some have that down to a fine art,” she quipped, then bit her lip sheepishly. He made her feel so comfortable, she almost forgot whom she was talking to.
A sharp crack and a cry rent the air, making her jump. Her head whipped around and she peered through the crowd trying to see.
“Come.” He said sternly, sounding and acting much like Kerr as he rose and took her hand. “I’ll escort you home, myself.”
Another crack and a long wail. It sounded like…
Someone being whipped!
“It is settlement day, child. As such, a dispute is being resolved. Once done, the parties will move forward.”
“I know males discipline their females here. Surely the courts don’t dole out physical punishments too?”
“What would you have us do?”
“On Earth, we levy fines, and have jails and prisons.”
“Fines are ineffective,” he scoffed. “The wealthy don’t mind the loss of a few credits — and the humble don’t have the means to pay in the first place. Confinement is costly and negatively impacts society.”
She stiffened, having heard those precise words before. Peering at him closely, she tried to recall if she’d been introduced to him before. Perhaps he had been on the night of the new mate celebration, but with the numerous other males in uniform — or white hair and robes — it was entirely possible she’d forgotten him.
“Warehousing citizens and providing them with a warm bed, three meals, shelter when they should be out being productive?” He shook his head, clearly having had this debate before. “Twenty lashes in the public square, in front of friends and neighbors, guarantees future compliance.”
“It’s cruel and barbaric!”
“And locking someone away from their family, is not? What if they depend upon him for food, shelter, their very existence? Aren’t they all then punished for his crime? Who will work the fields, or run the shop, or in the case of our artisans, create the products we all depend upon?”
“You’d put a criminal back into the family home?” she shot back. “What if he hurts them?”
“Prima!” he said, appalled. “What kind of place is Earth that you have such concerns? Violent crimes are exceedingly rare on Primaria, and only a pathetic excuse for a man, or one with a diseased mind would harm his own children or his mate.”
She blinked. “What do you call a spanking?”
He waved his hand. “A few swats on the fleshy backside doesn’t harm someone.” His eyes narrowed. “Did Kerr not explain our restrictions on that?”
“Yes.”
He grunted, the ire fading from his expression. “At least he found time for that.”
“Wait. You have no violent crimes? No robberies, rapes or murders?”
“Maker forbid!” he exclaimed as he squeezed her hand. “It was truly a blessed day that our Princep found you and took you away from such horridness. Come.”
As he began to lead her away, another cry rippled through the air. “What did he do to deserve a whipping, then?”
He grimaced, shaking his head.
“Sir, please, tell me.”
He stopped and turned, looking down at her from his superior height. Even the elders were strong, and as tall as trees.
“We do have crime, girl. Men have disputes over property, for example, or they indulge in too much vilo and become foolish. Primarily crimes are from disrespect, or violating our societal strictures.” His gaze flicked over her head. “Or, should a female overstep and become unruly.”
She flinched as his meaning took hold. If she’d been able, she would have twisted around to see as another cry, higher pitched than the previous ones made his message clear.
“Yes, Prima. She will not make that mistake again, but I promise you, no blood will be shed or skin broken in the teaching of her lesson.” He was in motion again. “Now. I will return you to Kerr.”
* * *
“No injuries,” Rothke reassured him. “Though there were a few surprises. For all our beliefs that their technology is inferior, they have an impressive anti-detection advancement they call “stealth.” It made the taking of the Odyssey much more challenging.”
“And the females? Where are they now?”
“Jarlan is overseeing their transition. He says it will take weeks to test so many and have them properly matched. He told me to tell you he’d be by this evening with a status report.”
Before Kerr could ask another question, his door was thrown open and Valkerr appeared with Eva in tow.
“What is this about?” he demanded as he rose to his feet, his eyes scanning her from head to toe for sign of injury. Despite looking pale, wisps of her blonde hair loose around her face, she appeared fine.
“I found her in the square.”
His eyes widened, knowing precisely what was scheduled to take place today. She’d likely gotten an eyeful. Still, she didn’t appear overly distressed.
“She hasn’t eaten, Max Kerr. When I found her, she was dizzy and weak, finding ease on one of the benches. She soon became upset over the proceedings. Someone has been remiss in her education, it seems.”
The lecture from their most respected elder hit home. He’d been remiss, but when with her, he was either angry over her continued denial that they were mates, or he couldn’t keep his hands off of her. He had failed in his duty, though. Meeting Valkerr’s disappointed gaze, he nodded.
“I shall see to it right away, sir.”
“Good. And feed her, before she collapses.” As the older man looked down upon her fair head, his expression softened. When his hand came up to her chin, and Eva didn’t pull away, Kerr was surprised and relieved. “I look forward to more debates over the superiority of our culture to yours, imp.” Valkerr then kissed the top of her head, shocking them all before he moved to the door.
“She is a delight, Kerr. I expect you to look after her better. In addition, I’ll anticipate an invitation to dine with you both privately.”
“Yes, grandfather.”
�
��Grandfather!” Eva gasped.
“Yes, child. You’re mated to my namesake.” To Kerr, he said simply, “Soon.”
Then he left.
Blinking, Eva turned to Kerr and repeated, “Grandfather?”
He dismissed his men and took Eva directly to the kitchen. Pointing to a seat at the small round table, he waited until she obeyed his silent command before opening the wall cooler and seeing what was to be had. Immediately, he started pulling out fresh fruit and bread, the latter something he’d noted all the Earth females seemed to favor. He also took out a pitcher of sweet cream, grabbed a knife, bowl and spoon. As an afterthought, he pulled out a pitcher of fruit juice.
“I’m not hungry,” she grumbled as he set everything on the table before her.
“You’ll eat anyway. You only pick at your food at supper, and now you’re skipping breakfast. I won’t have you losing weight or falling ill. From now on, we’ll take meals together so I can make sure you eat.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “I like your curves, and aim to see that you keep them.”
She pulled her hand away, dropping her gaze at his teasing.
“Eva?”
“Please let me go home.”
“We’re not having this discussion again.”
She didn’t look up. Frustrated, he stood and came to her side. He wrapped his hand around her wrist and pulled her to her feet. Her eyes flew wide, but he ignored it, taking her seat and pulling her down into his lap. He then reached for a berry, dredged it through the cream and brought it to her lips.
“Open,” he ordered when she glared at him. Unfazed, he dragged the cream covered fruit over her lips. “Eva,” he warned, pulling his fingers back quickly when she snapped up the fruit. “Now, chew and swallow.” Going back to the bowl for more, this time he took up the spoon.
Holding more to her lips, he smiled when her stomach growled loudly, and she blushed with embarrassment. Wise enough to know she’d appear foolish if she resisted further when she was obviously hungry, she opened and took the next bite.
“I can feed myself,” she said faintly, her fingers going for the spoon. Seeing her intent, he kept it from her, instead scooping up more fruit.
“I am aware, but I’m finding this pleasurable.” His head angled to hers at her snort. The reply on the tip of his tongue forgotten when he saw the glistening residual of cream clinging to her lips. It was too tempting to resist. Lowering his mouth to hers, he licked it off, the sweet taste of fruit, dairy, and Eva a decadent combination.
“Mm…” he murmured, scooping up another bite. Putting her most urgent need first, he tamped down his own yearning to devour her mouth and take her there across the table, feeding her silently instead until the bowl was empty. After slathering a thick slice of bread with sweet honey, he passed it to her, holding her while she ate.
“What were you doing in the square?”
“I went for a walk.”
“Unescorted?”
She didn’t answer, instead, taking a sip of her juice.
“I ordered an escort so that what happened today wouldn’t occur.”
“What? Me seeing something you didn’t want me to?”
“No, getting lost. You were, weren’t you?”
Her shoulders rose and fell in a shrug, but she said nothing, acting indifferent. For all her protests and denials, he knew better.
“There was no purpose in you bearing witness to such a thing. Women are generally excluded from such an event.”
“They were whipping a woman!”
“It was a flogging. She won’t be harmed, and hopefully, the discomfort and embarrassment will remind her next time she chooses to disobey.”
“You knew?”
“I am Princep, Eva. As such, I’m apprised of all public punishments. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it is meted out in a controlled, structured way.”
“What did she do?”
“Openly defied her mate, repeatedly. He tried spanking, a paddle, even non-corporal discipline. Despite this, she persisted. At his wit’s end, he came to the Council for a dispensation for a public flogging.”
“Was it Eryn?”
“No, I highly doubt Ram would take a domestic dispute to the Council, although it is his right. The one chastised today was Willa, an artisan’s mate, who is much like Eryn. Such stubborn inflexibility is rare for a Primarian female, though some of us are beginning to get used to it.”
She shot him a long-suffering look. “You find me stubborn, but how would you feel if our positions were reversed? Taken by surprise, shackled, probed, removed from everything and everyone you hold dear, never having hope of returning home, then mated against your will?”
“My claiming of you wasn’t so bad as all that, Eva. And despite your implication, you have not been abused.”
She struggled to stand, and he let her. “I keep replaying Eryn’s words. I had an important job, Kerr. Many could suffer because we didn’t carry out our mission.”
Regret twinged within him. Now that the entire mission had ended, many, many more could indeed suffer. It seemed unreal, though, their world so far away, until he looked at the distress in her eyes.
“Did you get enough to eat?” he asked, abruptly changing the subject.
She nodded, distractedly.
“Come with me then.” Holding out his hand, he waited, watching her war with herself before she reluctantly took it. He led her to their room, bypassing the bed, and the mate’s helper, taking her to the sitting area instead.
“Bend over the back of the couch and lift your dress. We’ll get the punishment dispensed and move on.”
“What punishment?”
“The spanking for defiance. You were told I required Janus to escort you if you left the building, yes?” He quirked a brow, daring her to deny it.
“And if I don’t will you string me up in the square and beat me?”
“No. Further disobedience will earn double what I had planned. Push me more, and it will be triple.”
She glared at him, fists clenched.
“This show of willfulness is a waste of time and energy, Eva. You will not win.” He took a step forward. “Bend over as I’ve asked, or I will put you there. The latter of the two options will be worse for you.”
With a noise of frustration, half groan, half scream, she moved, bending over the high back and inching up her hem. The furniture designed for those taller than her, she wasn’t quite in the position he wanted her. His hands found her hips and tilted her forward, her feet coming off the floor until only the tips of her toes brushed the tile. Then he flipped her dress up over her back, baring her from the waist down.
“Do not move.” Striding to a cabinet in the corner, he withdrew what he needed for his intended lesson. Back at her side, he admired her smooth, ivory skin, knowing it would soon be warmed to a rosy tint. He’d much rather do so with pleasure as the goal, but she had to learn that he didn’t make arbitrary rules — and that his were to be strictly obeyed.
He drew back his arm, then, without warning other than his hand spread wide on her lower back to steady her, he brought the lash down smartly across her bare buttocks. Her head snapped up in surprise, but he was already bringing the flails down for a second stroke.
“Kerr!”
“Be still, Eva. You have to learn to submit. Life will be easier when you do.”
“For you!”
Again and again, he applied the bundle of leather straps, moving from side to side, up and down, all over both cheeks. After several moments, whooshes of leather, thuddy thwacks, and the occasional whimper or a shuddering breath were the only sounds in the room. Then he paused, his hand smoothing over her cheeks, assessing the heat, the rosy hue telling its own story.
“When I give an order, I expect it followed, mate. I have been lenient”—she snorted—”and tolerant.” He emphasized the last word with another few strokes. “But I won’t have your defiance putting you at risk of harm.”
A bar
k of laughter followed. “You do see the irony in that statement, don’t you, while you’re whipping my ass?”
His hand came down sharply, once on each cheek. “You do see the foolishness in challenging me in this position.” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Spread your legs.”
“What for?” she asked, trepidation making her tone sharp.
“Do it,” he repeated, lowering his voice so that she could not mistake his expectation of compliance. When she separated her thighs a scant measure, he came close to laughing.
Impish sprite.
“Wider,” he said with immeasurable patience, though he wanted nothing more than to rip open his pants and plunge inside her heat.
Again she adjusted, enough to expose her pale inner thighs. He employed the lash again, every few strokes aiming one inward, along the sensitive inside curves, painting her thighs the same rosy hue as her bottom. As she shifted and arched, he could see the moisture glistening on her sex, but he knew that would happen, the same as their prior sessions.
Changing his angle, he began flicking the lash in a circular motion, allowing just the tips to brush against her pussy. He heard a telling whimper, which turned into a distinctive drawn-out moan as he continued, alternating the strokes from cheeks, to thighs, and the plump lips in between until her head came up. She tossed her hair and ground out his name.
She’d already had enough — but they had barely begun.
Tossing the implement aside, he rounded the couch and stood before her. Her eyes flicked up to his, darker than usual and gleaming with fervid excitement. He undid his pants and took his erect cock in hand. She licked her lips and while they were parted, a warm whisper of her moist breath brushed over the sensitive tip.
He nearly lost control, wanting to plunged deeply into her eager mouth, but he steeled himself to go slowly. Rimming her lips with the head of his shaft, it jerked in his hand in anticipation as her tongue slipped out for a taste. “Take me inside, mate.”
Her mouth opened as her eyes shot to his in silent supplication. No other assent was required as he slid inside. Too big for her, he kept a hand at the base, controlling without overwhelming, though delving deeply enough to revel in the wet heat and the eager flick of her tongue with every stroke. Still, he wanted more.
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