His to Command (Alien Masters Book 1)

by Kallista Dane

  “You are the one they dragged from the market.”

  AJ kept her head down. “Yes, Sister.”

  “You dressed as a man and walked among them.”

  She nodded but didn’t speak, setting the tray down on a small table near the bed.

  Sophia waddled over and sat down on one of the wooden chairs drawn up to the table. “Come here.”

  As she had learned to do, AJ knelt in front of the woman, eyes downcast. Sophia took AJ’s face in her hands. Something she saw there must have intrigued her.

  “What was it like?” she whispered. “Strolling among them. Was it… was it exciting?”

  AJ heard the yearning in her voice and seized the opportunity. “It was wonderful,” she gushed. “Throngs of people packed the market, dressed in unusual garb from all over Neodyma. And the goods piled high on the tables—exotic spices, hammered teapots and vases of silver and brass, beautiful woven rugs in every color and design.”

  Sophia’s eyes lit up. “It has been years since I walked freely outside these walls.”

  “If we had the time, Sister, I could tell you all about it. And about my journey across Neodyma by caravan as well. Perhaps if I…” Her voice died off and Sophia pounced, as AJ knew she would.

  “Yes, child?”

  “If I were assigned to the gardens, I could tell you stories of my travels while we work.”

  AJ knew she was taking a risk. Years in the Lyceum surrounded by females surely taught Sophia to recognize manipulation when she heard it. But starved as the woman was for entertainment, this suggestion might suit her purposes. Sophia’s shrewd eyes held a trace of humor as she lifted AJ’s chin to look her in the face.

  “I’ll tell the other Sisters I found out you have a knack for growing succulent melons,” she said. “They all have a fondness for that fruit and I haven’t mastered the skill to their satisfaction.” She gave AJ a conspiratorial look. “I’ve heard you are struggling with your music lessons. Unfortunately I must insist that you miss the first part of those lessons every day if you’re to be of any help to me.”

  “I will work doubly hard the rest of the time to please Sister Hester,” AJ murmured.

  “I’m sure you will,” Sophia replied. The hint of a smile played at the corners of her mouth. “Join me in the garden today right after lunch.”

  “As you wish, Sister.”

  * * *

  Over the next few weeks, those hours in the garden provided the only bright spot in AJ’s days. Sophia was good-natured but demanding. AJ left the garden every afternoon with her back aching and her hands stained with dirt. But she reveled in the fresh air, the sounds and smells of life outside the walls of the Lyceum.

  Living on Neodyma had awakened all her senses. She was acutely aware now of the pungent odor of damp earth, the color and texture of new leaves as they unfurled. And the tastes—AJ realized she had never really tasted food before. The chemically grown fruits and vegetables on Earth bore no resemblance to those she picked and dug here except for their shape. Sun-ripened berries exploded in her mouth when she bit into them. Lemons fresh from the tree bore juice that puckered her lips. Even the colors were more vivid.

  Sophia taught her which plants to nurture and which to pluck as weeds. But even the weeds were a marvel. Some had prickly stems that left a painful rash where they touched the skin. One bore butter-yellow flowers that matured into filmy wisps of white, each with a tiny seed attached. Sophia showed her how to blow on them, sending the seeds on the wings of the wind to soar far beyond the stone walls of the garden.

  Every day as they worked together AJ told long, rambling stories, embellishing yarns collected on her trip. She brought her tales to life—the crackling of the nightly campfire, the shock of cold clear water on her skin when she bathed in a mountain stream after a week on the back of a smelly camel. AJ learned to draw pictures with her words, describing the old Bedouin trader’s skin, tanned to leather by years of heat and dry desert winds. She had no doubt that she could entertain Sophia for months if she ever shared the story of her Earthly origin. But as pleasant as Sophia seemed to be, she didn’t dare trust the woman with that secret. Shrewd as Sophia was, if she began exchanging confidences with the woman, she feared a slip of the tongue might give away her real purpose in coming to Petra.

  One afternoon, Dianna came to the garden to get fresh herbs for the evening meal, and she brought Sophia a cool drink. The Sister took the opportunity to sit in the shade for a short rest and sent both girls to the rear of the vast garden to pick them.

  Dianna began as soon as they were out of earshot.

  “Are you all right? I heard you’re still being required to wear the device every night. I know it’s horrible at first, but eventually you get used to it. And wearing it does help later when you’re made to do other—things.”

  “Yes, I’m all right. What about you?”

  Dianna looked around, then whispered. “I hate this place more every day! I’d do anything to get away from here.”

  “How did you end up in Petra?” AJ asked. She’d been wondering how someone seemingly as intelligent as Dianna had been lured into slavery here.

  Dianna sighed. “The usual story. There was a man. He was charming and I was young. My father forbade me to see him. Said I was naïve and didn’t recognize how evil he was. I refused to listen. Amir professed his love and asked me to run away with him. He said he’d show me the world. I snuck out of the palace one night and met him down at the harbor. We got on a boat leaving for Alexandria.”

  “At first it was wonderful. But then…” Dianna’s eyes filled with tears. “He tired of me quickly. Even gave me to the crew one night, so he could watch.”

  AJ put her hand over Dianna’s. “How horrible! I’m so sorry.”

  Dianna shrugged. “It was good preparation for this place. I had no money, no friends, no way to get away from him. Once we docked in Alexandria, he tied me up and tossed me in the back of a wagon with two other women. We came here to Petra and he handed me over to General Tok. I found out later he was one of Tok’s scouts. Amir collects a bounty for every woman he delivers.”

  Dianna gave her a quick hug. “Enough of my sad story. I need to warn you. Your training is nearly completed. Tok usually claims the right to be first with the new Harlots. Be careful. He will be looking for any excuse to send you back to the square for another public Correction. He enjoys the spectacle. He gets free entertainment for all his men while reminding the rest of us what is in store if we show any hint of disobedience.”

  AJ realized she’d have to act soon. Over the next few days she used any excuse she could to linger in the gardens, hoping to overhear scraps of conversation from the other side of the walls where Tok’s men patrolled. From bits of gossip she got in hasty conversations with the other Harlots, she learned Tok was preparing to receive special visitors. According to a supervisor who’d been plied with drink by one of the Harlots, the men had been working overtime in the mines. A convoy would be arriving soon, bearing a huge deposit for the Treasury in exchange for tons of rare minerals.

  * * *

  A few nights later, she was summoned once again to Miriam’s quarters.

  “Tonight you will undergo the final phase of your training before taking your place as a Harlot. I’ve been told that General Tok himself will test your readiness. I suggest you use every trick you’ve learned to satisfy him. Now bend over the bench, pull your gown up to your waist and spread your legs.”

  This time when Miriam prepared the device she didn’t use the lubricant infused with fiery spices. Probably because Tok would also suffer unpleasant consequences if he invaded her nether region. After so many nights, her bottom hole had been stretched often enough to take the widest part of the tool without discomfort. But the idea of having to submit to such shameful treatment from the nasty little gnome filled her with revulsion.

  Once Miriam worked the device part way inside her, she ordered AJ to remain bent over in the humiliating po
sition while she fetched the paddle again. Although AJ had done nothing to deserve punishment, the Sister delivered half a dozen sharp whacks to her bare bottom, driving the device in deeper with each stroke. The sting of the paddle heightened the stirring she felt inside as the cold hard metal slid in. Her vaginal canal grew hot and wet. She flushed with shame as she realized that after weeks of defilement, she now responded like a wanton slut to being spanked and then violated in her rear passage.

  “Tok likes to see a nice red bottom sticking out of that slit in a Harlot’s gown,” Miriam remarked. She stroked AJ’s burning cheeks a few times while fastening the leather straps that held the Device in place, leading AJ to suspect the general wasn’t the only one who enjoyed a freshly spanked behind.

  Before they left the room, Miriam poured a generous dram of the potent honey liqueur and insisted she drink it all. AJ gasped as it burned its way down her throat. Strong spirits had long been outlawed on Earth for the volatile effect they had on human behavior. She’d read about the irrational actions their use provoked and she’d seen evidence of it firsthand here on Neodyma. But she’d never experienced the effects herself.

  By the time they reached the Great Hall, her head was spinning. She could barely stay upright on the high platform sandals and her steps got even smaller. The tail swished back and forth, rubbing against her stinging bottom. The part of her brain still capable of rational thought registered the fact that these physical sensations were causing wicked images to flood her mind. Images of all the erotic acts she’d watched the Harlots engaging in.

  Maybe it was the effect of the liqueur. Maybe it was due to the fact that she hadn’t received an injection regulating her biological indexes for nearly two months now. Her body was young and healthy and with all the physical stimulation she’d received, it was now pumping out hormones the way women’s bodies had done for thousands of years.

  Whether it was the drink or the hormones or the constant stimulation from the device at every step, AJ felt a surge of lust. Not all of the men who visited the Lyceum were old and ugly. Many of the younger ones had well-developed bodies, their muscles tight and sleek from hours of hard physical labor. Unlike Elias, they were able to sustain an erection for a long time. She’d watched a number of sessions where the Harlots seemed to take pleasure in the act themselves.

  Throughout her training, AJ had been denied release, told she would be punished severely if she were caught pleasuring herself. The need had grown, building into a sharp craving. Now she ached to feel again the wild waves of passion she hadn’t felt since the night she spent with Kaden.

  Miriam led her past the Great Hall to a room she’d not seen before. A suite similar to the one she’d been in on her first night in Neodyma, more opulent than the others.

  “Get in the center of the room and face the far wall. On your knees—with your forehead touching the floor and your ass high in the air. I know Tok. Seeing that red tail sticking out from between your rosy cheeks when he first walks in the door will please him. And believe me, the more you please him, the more privileges you’ll be granted along the way.”

  AJ hated the idea of putting herself in such an embarrassing position, especially in front of Tok. And she’d known her trainer long enough to suspect that it was Miriam who would be granted extra privileges if Tok enjoyed this evening. When she was slow to respond, Miriam grabbed her long braid, jerking her forward. The gold collar woven into her hair tightened around her neck. She dropped to her knees. Miriam pulled on her braid, keeping up a steady pressure. AJ was forced to lower her head until it touched the floor.

  Miriam walked over to a table on one side of the room and picked up a long wooden paddle.

  “I need to bring a fresh blush to those cheeks,” she announced, sounding smug.

  AJ could feel Miriam pulling the tail up to nestle in the cleft in her bottom so it wouldn’t get in the way. Then she drew her arm back and delivered a hard swat. The paddle was wide enough to cover both cheeks with one stroke. AJ gritted her teeth as the now-familiar bolt of fire seared her bare skin.

  Miriam took her time, allowing the pain of each stroke to set in before delivering the next. The woman had obviously been on the receiving end of many spankings. She was a master at dragging out those moments of fear mixed with dread, as her victim waited for the next harsh blow to land.

  The door flew open. Tok strode in. From the sound of the footsteps, he was once again accompanied by his ever-present guards. AJ heard a low grunt of approval.

  “My dear Miriam, you do know how to prepare a delight for the eye! Tell me, how has this one performed in her training?”

  Miriam’s voice was low, seductive. “My general will be pleased. This Harlot is easily aroused. And by now I assure you she will be eager to please you in any way you may desire.”

  “Excellent. Now get out. All of you.”

  AJ heard footsteps receding, then the thud of the heavy door closing behind them. She couldn’t suppress a shudder of revulsion when Tok reached down and ran his hand from the tip of her tail all the way down to where it strapped onto the device.

  “Come over here.” Tok pulled on her tail, making AJ crawl over to the bed. He let go of her tail only to grab her braid. Yanking her head up so she could watch, he slowly slipped his robe off his shoulders. Although short in stature, the general had a wide chest and powerful arms packed with muscle. He let the robe drop to the ground and she drew in a breath. She’d seen many men’s bodies over the last few months, in every stage of arousal. For such a little man, Tok had an enormous penis. It stood out proudly, as thick and hard as the rest of his body.

  He kept one fist wrapped around her braid, reaching down to stroke his length with the other.

  “Open your mouth, Harlot, and worship your Master. Then this rod will test the readiness of your ass to receive it.”

  AJ closed her eyes as he took a step closer. Suddenly the door burst open and she heard a familiar voice.

  “General! I thought I’d find you here.” Kaden’s voice was slurred, as though he’d had too much to drink.

  “Guards!” Tok’s voice rang out.

  Kaden laughed. “Don’t worry. They won’t be bothering us. They’re investigating some sort of disturbance on the other side of the Great Hall.” Kaden moved closer. “I’ve come to collect, General. Last week you said you were in my debt. My men mined more minerals than any other squadron. ‘Anything you want, boy. You have only to ask.’ I believe that’s what you said.”

  “Yes, I did.” As always when he found himself alone with Kaden, Tok’s attitude was less autocratic.

  “Well, I decided what I want. I heard the female you gifted me with awhile back is ready to take her place as a Harlot. I’ve been hungering for a treat lately.” Kaden came even closer, his gait unsteady, his tone suddenly aggressive. “I’ll take her. Now. Tonight.”

  “Tonight? Impossible. As you can see, she is with me tonight.”

  “Oh, come now, General. You have your pick of the most experienced, most beautiful Harlots here. Surely you don’t want to waste your time with this one. She’s big and ungainly—not to mention a troublemaker, if I recall.”

  The General’s erection had begun to wilt. “Then why do you want her?”

  “As I said, she’s big. I grow weary of these delicate flowers, no matter how lovely they are. I need a woman my size. I like it rough. And if she tries to give me any trouble…” His laugh rang out, sounding nasty rather than pleasant. “Well, that will only make it better!”

  Tok bent to grab his robe. AJ breathed a sigh of relief. She’d rather have to service Kaden, drunk as he was, than spend another minute with Tok. The man made her skin crawl.

  Tok headed for the door, then stopped. “Take care, Atlantean, lest my patience with your antics wears thin.”

  “You are truly a man of your word. My cock and I are now in your debt, General.” Kaden grabbed his manhood through his tunic and bowed, sweeping the other hand out. But the grand gestur
e made him look like a drunken fool when he lost his balance and half-fell onto the bed.

  The door slammed. AJ kept her head down. Kaden sat up on the bed and lifted her chin with one finger.

  “So. You are now a Harlot.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “You have been in training. And you have not been touched by any man since we were last together.”

  “No, my Lord Master.”

  “Tonight you must do my bidding in all things—or face the Instrument of

  Correction once again.”

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  His voice deepened, all trace of intoxication gone. AJ realized it had been an act, a performance put on to ensure that the general left rather than challenging a drunk nearly twice his size.

  “Kiss me.”

  AJ cringed. She hadn’t been subjected to that kind of intimacy since the last night they spent together. He came closer, so close she could feel the warmth radiating from his body. She squeezed her eyes shut. His lips covered hers, his mouth stopping her breath for what seemed an eternity.

  He drew back, sounding annoyed. “Open your mouth, woman. It’s a tongue, not a poisonous serpent.”

  She parted her lips, keeping her eyes shut tight. The tip of his tongue traced the curve of her upper lip. Softly. Gently. She breathed out a sigh of relief, shocked when he sucked it in and then sent his own breath slowly back into her open mouth.

  His tongue delicately probed between her lips. He tasted sweet, like the honey liqueur she’d had earlier that night. He coaxed her mouth open wider, his tongue darting in and out, swirling around hers like a partner leading her through the steps of an intricate dance.

  AJ flashed back to how his tongue had felt on other parts of her body. Hot. Moist. Insistent. Demanding that her body respond to it. Her nipples began to tingle and a tremor shot through her, straight down to her core of pleasure.