by Renee Rose
Seke’s brows drew together. Did Zander really think Lamira would leave? His beautiful human mate loved him as deeply as he loved her. Not to mention she had no other place to go besides the hijacked death pod.
“She will not leave you, Zander. Is that your fear?”
Zander drew in a long breath. “Yes. But I’m mastering it.”
“Good.” He left the struggling prince to his thoughts, before his own yanked him under.
Leora, free.
Out of his chamber. Out of his life.
Yes, this was for the best. Why, then, did his chest feel like it would explode? He walked swiftly toward the battle arts studio. He needed to move his body, free his mind. He stepped into the quiet studio and lit a flame behind a Zandian crystal, sending the flicker and glow of amber crystal-amplified light through the room. Pressing his palms together at his forehead, he drew his unruly thoughts into the center of his head and contained them.
Blessed quiet expanded out, matching the silence of the room. He rotated slowly, stretching his toes to grip the floor, grounding him. With a sudden, percussive movement, he drew his palms apart and lunged to the side, one palm flexed.
In a silent solo dance, he continued, moving energy through his body and out into space, aligning his body with his mind and spirit. His muscles relished the familiar movement, especially after the tension they’d been carrying since...no. He called his thoughts back to the center of his head.
No thought. Especially not about her.
Rotating slowly, he jabbed and kicked, breathed and aligned. He stayed for hours, not wanting it to end. Not wanting to think.
But Ocretion sunlight filled the studio, and sounds of full activity in the pod came through the walls.
As he ended his practice, he expected clarity of mind. A clear, easy decision. But he hadn’t been able to clear his mind of the presence, the essence of Leora. She filled his senses, even when she wasn’t there.
He shook his head, as if the movement might dislodge her from his brain. He was a warrior. master of arms. He upheld the code of honor Zandian warriors had followed for thousands of solar cycles. When he made a vow, he kept it.
Breaking his vow to Becka’s memory had shown a weakness in his psyche—one he now had the opportunity to correct. With a little space from Leora—some distance, he’d be able to master his weakness.
When he gave Leora her freedom, he’d be free of the constant torment of being near her. He could go to the death pod to train the human troops and not have to suffer seeing her in the corridors or wondering what she was doing.
Resolved, he squared his shoulders and marched back to his chamber.
~.~
Lamira lay curled on the sleepdisk, watching an entertainment hologram. Zander had given her a communication device as a gift after they mated and loaded it with things he thought she’d find interesting—particularly, ancient movies and books from Earth. He’d been delighted when she asked for all the Zandian media he could provide, as well. She wanted to understand the planet and species she’d joined.
The door to their chamber whooshed open, and Zander entered, his muscled warrior’s body graceful for someone so large. For the first time since they’d returned to the palatial pod, he gazed directly at her.
Her heart stuttered. She knew that look, and she didn’t like it. His eyes were shadowed with grief; the set of his mouth said he was deeply troubled. The last time she’d seen that face had been when he’d moved her out of his chamber, believing she was a danger to him because she’d refused to tell him how she knew his life would be in danger.
She scrambled off the sleepdisk and stood, one hand dropping protectively to her thickened belly. “Zander?”
“Lamira.” His voice sounded heavy. Defeated, even.
A tap sounded on the door, and Zander hit the panel to open it, as if expecting visitors. Several pod workers came in carrying tools.
Zander pointed toward the cage he sometimes used to keep her, which hovered a few inches from the ceiling. “Dismantle it and place it in storage.”
Panic flapped in her chest.
He was getting rid of her. Setting her aside again.
She skittered to Zander’s side and touched his arm. “Zander? What’s going on?”
He turned to her and spoke stiffly. “You are no longer my slave. After the birth of my young, you are free to go.”
His words struck her, worse than any shock-stick. They nearly knocked her to the floor. She felt the blood drain from her face but managed to raise her hand and slap Zander as hard as she could.
Surprise sprang to his features. Confusion.
If she’d hoped to goad him into his usual domination—force him to grab her wrists or pick her up, or somehow claim her as he often did, the slap failed on every level.
It didn’t even make her feel better.
How dare he treat her like nothing more than the breeder he’d purchased?
He’d vecking mated her. She wore his crystals on her body. She shared his sleepdisk, carried his young.
She’d thought he loved her.
She sure as hell loved him.
Tears blinded her vision, but she whirled before giving Zander the satisfaction of seeing how he’d wounded her. Dodging one of the workers, she ran out of the chamber and down the hall.
~.~
Leora stretched her body, sliding her legs out over the silky bedding. She’d slept longer than normal, exhausted from Seke’s rough and wonderful treatment the night before. She tested her body, slightly disappointed to find she didn’t feel the soreness anymore, though her skin heated just remembering all the ways he’d had her.
Ooh, yes—a sore spot on the back of her pelvis from the vecking against the wall. She smiled, remembering the intense satisfaction of finally consummating their mutual lust. She wanted him to take her again—had hoped he would that morning, but she’d woken alone.
She wanted to learn to please him in every way imaginable. To drive him to distraction. To suck his thick purple cock hard enough to make him bellow.
The door slid open, and Seke entered. His gaze fell on her, lying on the bed, still naked, save for the collar and cuffs. His eyes darkened as the door closed behind him.
Her nipples pearled up when his heated gaze raked across her body.
He walked to the side of the sleepdisk, but instead of climbing on, he held out his hand. She placed her smaller hand in his and allowed him to help her off and bring her to stand before him.
“Leora.” He spoke with reverence, as if this might be a ceremony, of sorts. Reaching behind her, he lifted her hair and unclasped the collar about her throat.
Her belly fluttered with anticipation. Like a fool, she thought he might replace it with something more meaningful, some symbol of his affection, which was evident in the warmth of his gaze, the gentleness of his touch.
He picked up one of her hands, rotated the wrist up and removed the cuff then repeated the action with the other. He lowered her wrist with the same reverential movement then picked up her white robes from the shelf nearby and swung them around her shoulders, fastening the clasp at her throat.
Were they going somewhere? A mating ceremony, perhaps?
Cradling her face in his large hands, he tipped her head forward and kissed the top of it. “Leora, the prince has declared you free. You no longer serve me, except as Master at Arms to your host.”
She waited. There had to be more.
He inclined his head in a small bow. “You may return to your own chamber.”
That was it? That was all? Wait...what?
“You are dismissed.”
Dismissed? What the veck?
Pride made her smooth the confusion from her face. She dipped into a curtsy and somehow made it out of his chamber on wobbly legs, heart rapping against the inside of her ribcage like knuckles on a door.
She held her head high and walked away, down the corridor, blind to the beings she passed. Thoughts broke apart and came
together in different arrangements, like pieces of a puzzle, but none fit.
What had just happened? Was Seke saying good-bye?
Really? After what they’d shared?
Surely not.
And yet, no other answer seemed to fit. She found her way to her chamber, which she hadn’t been in for four planet rotations. The once-familiar room seemed so different now.
No, she was different.
Seke had changed her.
And...left her? Vecking left her? After what they’d been through? The things he’d done to her?
A great trembling started in her core and moved through her body. Like an earthquake, splitting her open, sending cracks and fissures in all directions. She pulled her robes around her more tightly and clamped her teeth together to keep them from chattering.
This couldn’t be.
She felt like a vecking fool. An idiotic, vecking fool.
Falling on the bed, she opened her mouth to wail, but no sound came out. No tears, nothing.
She was broken beyond repair.
Chapter Seven
Lamira marched straight to the loading dock and onto one of Zander’s airships, which seemed to be in preparation for flight. She marched past the workers and guards, plopped down in a seat in the cockpit, and strapped herself in. Wherever the vecking ship was headed, she was going, too. So long as it was away from Zander.
Seke stepped on, stooping to fit his huge body through the frame of the door. He paused when he saw her, then continued, seating himself in the pilot’s seat. He spoke in a low voice into the communication device on his cuff. ”Are you aware your mate is buckled into my airship?”
She heard Zander swear then nothing more.
Seke didn’t turn to look at her, focusing on activating all the screens and controls on his ship for the flight.
A few moments later, Zander stormed onto the ship, followed closely by Daneth, his physician.
Her mate had never looked more crazed. She’d seen him angry, and she’d seen him troubled. Usually, he held himself with great reserve, but the way he dashed onto the ship, eyes wide and barely focusing was entirely new. “What are you doing?”
She folded her arms over her chest. “I’m leaving. Getting away from you.”
“I cannot allow that,” Daneth spoke up immediately. The doctor’s main focus was about monitoring her and the young’s health.
“Shut up,” Zander barked at Daneth. He stomped over to her and unfastened her harness. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“Oh, really?” She surged to her feet, hands on her hips. “I thought you just gave me my freedom? Or was that all excrement?”
Zander’s muscled chest moved with heavy breaths, and he slammed his palm against the ship wall, rattling the entire panel. “Where are you going?” he bellowed.
Obviously, his brain had short-circuited, because she’d already told him that. She had to admit, seeing him so distressed brought a small measure of satisfaction.
“Did you think you could just breed me and set me aside?” she demanded. “Did you think I’d give you your young and just sail happily away? You’re a vecking idiot, if that’s what you thought!” Her voice had risen to near hysterics, and Daneth stepped forward, waving his palms as if to calm her down.
“She’s showing signs of severe stress.”
“You don’t vecking say?” Zander snapped.
Seke had stood and joined the little party, and the three males had her surrounded, but she noted they all gave her ample space. Apart from Zander unbuckling her harness, no one had moved closer or touched her.
“I take it you set her free?” Only Seke’s manner remained unruffled.
Zander didn’t take his eyes from her, and he seemed to be trying to communicate something, but she didn’t know what. “Yes.” Zander swiped a hand across his face. “I attempted to master my fear.” He still stared at her, looking half-mad. “I don’t think it worked.”
“Something was lost in the communication.” Again, Seke’s voice was calm, the words slightly dry. He circled behind Zander and nudged Daneth. “We’ll leave you two to discuss things in private.”
Daneth looked back at her then down at his cuff where the readouts of her vital statistics were displayed. “Calm her down,” he warned Zander as he left.
She turned her back on Zander, walking to face the cockpit, though the view was of nothing other than the hangar door.
“Lamira, you are my mate.”
She sniffed at the word mate, since he hadn’t treated her anywhere close to a mate for the past five planet rotations.
“It wasn’t right for me to keep you as a slave at the same time I called you mate.”
She whirled on him, eyes narrowed. “You said you did so because I…” She choked on her words. Because I love your domination.
The chasm between them seemed too wide. She couldn’t bring herself to mention their intimate play of master and slave—the punishment and commands that brought her to her knees in ecstasy.
“I justified it that way.” His voice was heavy. “But the truth…” He stepped closer but didn’t touch her. “The truth is I was afraid to let you go.”
She whirled and smacked his chest with her open hand. “Go where? Where in the galaxy could I go? Humans don’t roam about on their own in this territory, or hadn’t you noticed?”
He made an impatient gesture. “You left with Rok. You’re connected with the underground human resistance. You could find places to hide just as your sister did.”
“My sister almost died because she was found! And I didn’t leave with Rok—I was goading you into action. Or did you really think I didn’t want you to follow?”
He blinked several times. “I hoped you wanted me to follow.”
“Stupid male! How can you think I could live without you?” She choked on the last words, and the tears she’d held at bay through anger suddenly sprang to her eyes.
Finally, he reached for her. In a flash, he had her crushed against his chest, strong arms wrapping her up tightly. “How could you think I’d ever want you to go?” He sounded choked, as well.
“I’m sorry I left. I shouldn’t have put our young in danger like that.”
He shoved her away from his body and gave her a tiny shake. “You shouldn’t have put yourself in danger like that.”
She gave a hiccuppy laugh. “I knew you wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”
He closed his eyes and shook his head. Then his eyes flew open. “Come here.” He scooped her up into his arms and carried her off the ship.
Seke and Daneth stood at the loading dock, waiting.
“You’re clear for departure,” Zander said to Seke as he carried her past them.
“Lamira, let me try again.” He walked down the corridor to their chamber. The door slid open, and he carried her inside. “You are my one true mate. I don’t ever want you to feel trapped here. Or with me. I would never keep you here against your will. You’re free, in my eyes, even if the rest of the galaxy won’t recognize it.”
Eyes moist, she clung to his neck and buried her face there. “Thank you,” she choked. “I love you, Zander.”
He sat down on the edge of the sleepdisk and eased her to stand on the floor in front of him. When his fingers began to pull up her skirt, she flushed with the knowledge of his intent.
If it was to make love, she’d be on her back on the mattress. This was punishment. And she couldn’t wait. She’d been dying for Zander to punish her and clear the air between them. It always reset them and, as Daneth’s monitoring probes had proven when she first arrived, aroused her. Zander had cleared spanking with his hand or a flexible strap with Daneth as safe during pregnancy.
“And despite what I just said”—he pulled her across his lap so her torso rested on the bed, using a pillow to lift her chest so her growing belly wasn’t constricted—“I forbid you to ever leave me.” His thumbs hooked in the sides of her panties, he tugged them down to her thighs. His han
d clapped down on her upturned ass with a resounding crack.
She wiggled, her satisfaction their game had begun warring with the initial shock of pain. She knew from experience it would wear off as soon as the blood rushed to the area—usually around two dozen spanks.
He stopped and rubbed away the sting, obviously in a forgiving mood. He slapped the other side and massaged.
She loved this—his domination. The closeness. The understanding between them of what she liked and how he liked to give it.
He continued with the slow cadence of slap and rub until she arched her bottom into his hand, eager for him to get on with either more punishment or pleasure. He took the hint and started spanking her in earnest, sending a delicious tingle of pain through her buttocks, which translated directly into heat in her core.
“You scared the vecking life out of me, Lamira,” he said, palm falling in a rapid cadence. “I don’t ever want to feel that way again.”
She let one of her legs slide open and off his lap, angling his hard knee between her legs to grind against. He lifted the knee and pulled her closer, still alternately spanking one cheek then the other.
“I’m going to be turning this beautiful bottom pink every night.”
She sighed in bliss, endorphins kicking in and mingling more pleasure into the mix of pain.
“Every night until I no longer remember the feeling of you leaving.”
“I love you!” she blurted.
He stopped spanking with a laugh. “Little Lamira, you make it impossible for me to punish you.”
She waggled her bottom in what she hoped was an enticing manner. “Keep going, master.”
He slapped her ass. “I’m not your master anymore. Just your mate.”
“You’ll always be my master. I like it that way. Remember?”
But Zander had had enough spanking. With her pregnancy, it was hard to get him to spank her for long or with anything other than his hand. He lifted her off his lap. “Hands and knees, love.”
She obeyed, climbing onto the middle of the sleepdisk with her ass in the air.
Zander growled in approval, following her and stripping off his tunic. He slapped her tingling cheek. “A spanking every night and then a nice long vecking to remind you who will always chase you when you run.”