Commanded to Dream

by Jennifer Leeland

“Not for anyone else,” he said. “For me, you will be. You are mine.”

  A tremor shook her body, and he noted the arousal and the fear in her face, her features tight. Abruptly, he grabbed her under the arms and threw her over his shoulder. She squeaked and fought him. “What are you doing?”

  “Proving my ownership.”

  She squirmed and struggled, but it only inflamed him. He restrained her against a St. Andrew’s cross, an item he’d seen in a vid stream ages ago. Shasta fought him right until he restrained her ankles.

  There was a frantic expression in her eyes, and her lips were pressed together. He slid his hands over her skin, a soothing touch, avoiding the erogenous zones. Her breathing slowed down, and he sensed the panic that had risen to the surface begin to dissipate. He pressed his lips to the crease of her arm, the swell of her breast, the curve of her neck. He planned to claim every inch of her.

  They’d never played these games in their dreams, although he was aware she had tendencies she ignored. The bond between them only emphasized what he already knew. She met every need, touched his heart, his mind and his cock.

  Yet, their connection was stronger now, and somehow Tylan was part of that. Andev met her gaze. “You want Tylan here.”

  A wary expression crossed her face, her eyes hooded. “Yes. He…” Frown lines marred her forehead. “I want you both.”

  He stroked her neck, and she shivered. “You don’t have to explain it.”

  Her gaze was intense, holding his. “Does it bother you?”

  Andev smiled and increased the pressure of his touch, sliding his fingers over her nipples, preparing them. “On the contrary. I’m relieved.”

  When his mouth closed over her breast, she moaned, a sound that shot straight through him. A myriad of ideas, of needs, cascaded through his mind. This was the thing they’d both missed in their previous encounters. Each of them had been afraid of the tenuous thread that connected them, afraid that it would break if they pushed it.

  But Andev knew he would never allow the connection to be broken, that he would keep Shasta with him at any cost.

  He backed away from her and produced nipple clamps. “I always wanted to put these on you.” She gasped when he sucked hard on her right breast, reveling in the way her flesh responded. He pinched the now aroused tip and placed the first clamp on and then did the same to the left.

  She panted, and her eyes were wide, frantic. “Andev, please,” she begged.

  His fingers flicked over her clit. “What do you want, Shasta?”

  “You know,” she whispered.

  He teased her, lightened his touch, watched her skin flush with need. “Then you know what to call me.”

  “No,” she groaned.

  “Yes,” he insisted.

  Those years together had been nothing compared to the explosive tension between them now. All the times they’d collided, it had been mutual, vanilla, two bodies seeking release. But this? This was their true natures brought out by circumstances, by their bond in the real world. He needed to hear her admit it, to name what he was to her.

  He tugged on the nipple clamps, and she gasped, a flush of sweet wetness dampening his fingers. It was torture for them both since he desperately wanted to taste her, but needed her to submit to him first.

  Her head thrashed back and forth. “I’m not a submissive,” she insisted. “I’m not.” Her voice cracked.

  “You are to me, bilana.” He managed to keep the desperation from his tone. “Give yourself to me and you’ll have everything.”

  Tears leaked from her eyes, and he licked one away. She held his gaze, her breath hot on his face. “No,” she whispered and groaned when his fingers slid inside her. “No,” she said louder.

  Her resistance almost sent him over the edge, but he wanted her to come first, wanted her to come while she was restrained and at his mercy. He drove his fingers deep inside her, knowingly hooking his fingers along the walls of her heated channel. She convulsed around him, her muscles rippling along his sensitive fingers.

  Her body strained against the restraints. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Her skin flushed, her nipples dark from the clamp’s restrictions, and her pussy swollen and red combined to create a vision that sent his cock into overdrive.

  “Again,” he demanded, and quickened the pace of his hand’s movements. His gaze was riveted to her face. She’d given herself to him and resisted nothing. His pleasure and hers were all mixed up.

  “Andev!” she screamed and arched off the wooden cross.

  She still shook when he released the restraints and pressed her on her knees in front of him. His hard length seemed to stretch toward her mouth, seeking its own relief. But he needed to taste her, needed to be inside her.

  “On your back and spread your legs,” he ordered.

  When she complied immediately, he almost came all over her. He took several deep breaths and then, leaned down to take his fill.

  Her pussy was wet and glistening. When he flicked his tongue over her clit, she thrust toward his mouth to get closer. He clamped his hands on her hips. “None of that. You stay still.”

  He tortured her, sucked her, tasted the sweet salty flavor that he loved. She trembled, and her hands fisted, but she didn’t move. The keening cry that filled his ears combined with the rush of nectar in his mouth, and he moaned. Yes, that was what he wanted. She was his, all his.

  When he loomed over her, his cock just inside her slick channel, his hands clamped around her wrists, he held her gaze and reveled in the glazed look of arousal on her face. “Say it, bilana. I’ll never get tired of hearing. What am I to you? You know.” He slid the tip of his cock inside her and pulled out.

  “Master. You are my Master,” she sobbed finally, her fingers curled under his.

  Her admission, said with such conviction, destroyed any control he had at that moment, and he slammed inside her, going deeper, driving her higher. Faster, harder, he drove her back to the brink and over it. When her pussy squeezed around him, he streamed his hot cum inside, his release seeming to go on and on, starting from the base of his spine to his balls and out the ends of his toes.

  She belonged to him, to care for, to protect. Forever. She’d acknowledged what he’d known the minute he’d touched her on Asberek. He was her Master. Others had submitted to him, but only one other had made him lose control.

  The cascade of pleasure seemed to multiply as they both shouted. He didn’t stop but kept thrusting even as his cock was spent. Tears streamed down her face, and he kissed them away. She’d driven her nails into his hands, and she continued to tremble beneath him.

  “Andev,” she whispered.

  He wanted to tell her he loved her, how he would make it up to her that their real life had to be so awful. But before he could say anything, she was gone.

  The dream was over.

  * * * *

  When Shasta woke up, her inner thighs were sticky and her mind was in turmoil. Her Master. He’d demanded she admit what she knew. Shasta didn’t submit to anyone, but she submitted to Andev.

  It seemed that they dreamed but never seemed to talk about important things, like the rebellion, Andev’s relatives, and what the hell they were going to do about Tylan.

  Tylan.

  He belonged to Andev and protected her. Even now he snored in a chair in the corner of her room. Even when her mate possessed her, connected intimately, she sensed he rarely let others see the wild, uncontrolled side of him. But she thought Tylan probably had.

  They were like two sides of a coin for her. One dominated her both violently and passionately. The other coaxed her, tempted a side of her she didn’t pay attention to very often. How often had she allowed the dominatrix side to surface? Almost never. The truth was she had indulged her submissive side and ignored her dominating side.

  Confused, she shook her head. Right now, she wanted to go for a walk. She was restless, anxious. Quietly, she crept out of bed and dressed without waking Tylan
. He’d probably sat up all night.

  She closed the door behind her softly and strode out into the yard. Several of the men were by the corral feeding the yakkas. One of them was Tad, and she lifted a hand to wave to him. He immediate hurried over to her. “Where’s Tylan?” he asked abruptly, a dark frown on his face.

  The guy towered over her, but she was nobody’s pushover. Well, maybe Andev’s, but that was different. “He’s asleep. Why?”

  “You shouldn’t be out here alone, my lady.”

  She raised her eyebrows. My lady? What the hell was that about? Andev wasn’t royalty. “I’m just taking a walk. The Finders will probably follow me, but I’m used to that.” She started for a well-worn path.

  Tad followed her.

  She stopped and glared at him. “I wanted to have a moment alone.”

  He shook his head. “Not gonna happen. Boss’s orders.”

  Shasta gritted her teeth and stalked up the path. Bastards. Not that she didn’t understand it, but she should be safe here, on Andev’s property. But reason eventually prevailed. Walking out in the woods alone was stupid.

  Okay, so Andev had a plan to expose these rebels who wanted to exterminate humans on Dormrela, and it involved using her for bait. Neither of them liked it, but that was the plan. And he had to pretend to go along with it.

  The woods were beautiful, with the sunlight just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow around her. The trees loomed in tight clusters, and she loved the way graceful plants covered the forest floor with bright greenery. She wondered what they were, but there was no way she was going to ask Tad.

  Suddenly, the sound of pounding hooves thundered behind them, and Tad grabbed her arm, yanking her into the cover of a grove of trees off the path.

  Her heart beat hard in her chest, and she stared down the path. Tad, tense and determined, drew a small blaster from some hidden holster. His gaze was intense as he stared down the path.

  Two yakkas and Tylan appeared. Tad stepped out and waved his arms. Tylan pulled the animals to a halt and glared at Tad. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

  “She wanted to take a walk. What was I supposed to do? Tackle her?”

  Tylan’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think so. You don’t touch her.”

  Shasta stared at Tylan. He almost sounded…possessive. “It’s my fault. I—”

  He shot her a dangerous look. “I’ll get to you in a minute.”

  “Now, hold on—”

  “Shasta,” Tylan growled, and she froze. He was seriously pissed. She heard Tad gulp. It appeared her thoughts that morning had been mistaken. Tylan had that Dom voice, and Shasta responded instantly to it.

  Tylan focused on Tad. “Get back to the house.”

  Tad nodded and headed down the path. Shasta watched him for a moment and then she confronted Tylan. “Listen. He was just following me to make sure I was okay. You shouldn’t—”

  The man swung off the yakka and backed her up until she was trapped between him and a tree. “You’re lucky Andev wasn’t here. But since he isn’t, I’ll give you the punishment you deserve.”

  She tipped her chin and started to step around him. “I don’t think so.”

  His hand shot out, and he yanked her against him. Her gaze clashed with his, and he dragged her to a fallen log. He sat down and dropped her over his knee. She struggled and fought, but the excitement ripped through her too. When his hand connected with her ass, she hissed in a breath.

  It shouldn’t have turned her on. But it did. The second strike made her moan, her butt burning. The next three pushed her higher. Oh stars, she was going to come if he did it again. But he stopped and lifted her to her feet, frustrated and on edge. She reached her fingers down to finish the job, and Tylan gripped her hands. “No. You don’t get yourself off. You wait until Andev comes home to do that job.”

  “Fuck you,” she spat.

  “If Andev tells me to.”

  She gasped and then gritted her teeth. “So you’re more to him that just a childhood friend and occasional lover.”

  Tylan’s face had no expression. “I didn’t lie to you.”

  “And here I thought you would be a fun playmate,” she sneered.

  “I’m no one’s toy,” he said calmly. “But if you mean I can play both sides of any dominant/submissive relationship, then yes, I can. But when Andev isn’t here, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you in line.”

  Seething, she spat, “So you’re his enforcer? Does he know you’re a pervert?”

  He grinned. “Does he know you are?”

  Fury whipped through her, and she swung her hand at him. He caught her arm mid-strike and jerked her it behind her back. He put his lips near her ear. “If you were mine, do you know what I’d do?”

  “Let me go. I’m not yours.”

  “Not yet.”

  She went still. What did he mean? She was afraid to ask. Besides, part of her knew, longed to know. He whispered the answer in her ear. “Andev and I share on occasion, but he doesn’t want to share you. I wouldn’t either.”

  There was nothing she could do to stop the shiver of excitement that slithered down her spine. His tongue flicked out and touched the shell of her ear. “I could touch your clit right now and you’d explode. Do you know why?”

  She fought him grimly but wasn’t able to make him budge. “Because I’m horny?” she snapped.

  He chuckled. “No. You’d come because you know Andev told me to do this.”

  She almost whimpered. He was right. Having Tylan touch her, turn her on, was more potent because Andev told him to do it. He yanked her over to one of the yakkas. “Next time you want to take a walk, let me know.” Without much gentleness, he helped her up onto the animal’s back.

  “You were asleep.”

  “I can show you the best way to wake me up,” he said with his characteristic grin. He swung his leg over the other yakka’s back, and she couldn’t help but admire his muscles.

  She raised her eyebrows. “Oh, you think there’s something you can teach me?” She snorted. “Please.”

  Whatever smartass remark he was going to say died on his lips. Tylan’s yakka stopped, and the warrior sat up straight, no trace of his usual grin. Shasta tensed. It wasn’t what she heard. It was what she didn’t hear. All the animals, the birds, the yakkas, and everything else were too quiet. Tylan’s hand rested on his blaster, his gaze focused to their left.

  Then, something exploded from the trees.

  “Get down, Shasta!” Tylan’s shout was the last thing she heard when the bomb blasted somewhere in front of her.

  A flash of bright light blinded her, and she threw up her hands instinctively. Her ears were bleeding, and her yakka collapsed beneath her, blood spewing from its mouth. She hit the dirt, the landing taking her breath away.

  Weakly, she tried to get to her feet. About six feet in front of her, Tylan’s face, bloody and still, turned toward her. Too much blood. She stumbled to her feet and fell near him, touching his face, her ears ringing.

  Her mind screamed silently. Andev!

  Then, several Dormrela appeared, and when one of them reached her, she screamed and screamed.

  But couldn’t hear a sound.

  Chapter Nine

  “Andev!”

  In the middle of the capital city traffic, Andev heard Shasta’s mental scream. It shredded through his walls, blasting through his brain.

  Her thoughts were scattered, frantic. He caught that she’d been attacked, that Tylan was hurt. He squealed his hoverbike’s tires, changing direction toward home, and sped down the road.

  “Shasta? Answer me! What’s happening?”

  Again, the mental static was loud and jumbled. Andev realized her previous trauma had created a shattered response. Her telepathic scream made him cringe in agony.

  Immediately, he used his port vid, touching the earpiece in his ear.

  Councilwoman Patel answered on the second beep. “What is it?”

  “They’ve m
ade their move. I think they used a shatterbomb.” He sped faster. A fucking shatterbomb. It deafened anyone within fifteen feet and caused brain damage at close range. They were small, easy to detonate, and hard to detect. He should have seen it coming.

  “Your cameras are out,” the woman said, her gaze on a screen to her left. “They took Tylan too. Why would they do that?”

  “I don’t know.” What if Andev hadn’t fooled his grandfather at all? What if he lost them both? He gritted his teeth.

  “Is it possible that your traitors on the council knew this was a trap?”

  “No,” she said flatly. “There were three of them, and they stood out like neon lights when this went down. All three have been detained.”

  “So, my grandfather has some other game in mind.” But what? Tylan was a full-blooded Dormrelian, wasn’t he? By Councilwoman Patel’s silence, she knew more than she was telling. “You know something,” he said.

  She tightened her lips. “Tylan is one of the extreme few who have human DNA but looks Dormrelian.”

  Andev cursed. “How is that possible? And do the rebels know this?”

  “They have a full genetic profile.” The woman licked her lips. “All the scientific files were hacked last night, before they attacked your mate.”

  He glared at her image on the vid screen. “If she dies, Councilwoman—”

  “She will not die,” she stated firmly. “But we must find her fast.”

  “They may kill her,” he said, trying to keep the despair, the desperation out of his voice.

  “We will find her.” The woman tilted her head. “How did you know she’d been taken?”

  He’d hoped the politician hadn’t noticed that. “I knew.”

  The councilwoman’s eyes widened. “You are bonded. We were never sure. You only dreamed of her, so we thought—” She shook her head sharply. “When did you know?” she demanded.

  “We’ve communicated telepathically since the moment we met.” He didn’t mention that this communication had been without touch.

  “Contact her. Find out where she is. And don’t let her get away until we can rescue her.” The politician signed off.

  Andev reached out, his mind searching for Shasta’s voice, anything.