A Pet For The Commander: The Complete Series

by Hollie Hutchins

  Between my thighs, I could feel his erection grow. The stiff cartilage rings of his penis slid into place one at a time. My hips ground against his stiff mound. I mindlessly rocked my hips back and forth, seeking relief even though I knew it was only making the situation worse. I was careful to avoid his inner thighs, where his venomous quills waited to turn me into a drooling sex slave.

  Not that I would mind.

  “I should go,” I moaned.

  His head dipped in response, his extended tongue flicked against the heated tips of my breasts, daring me to defy him. His grip became rough on my arms, bruising the flesh beneath them. His breath was ragged, and the faint sheen of his skin told me that he was close to losing control and giving in to the needs and desires of his dragon’s nature.

  P’tah’s warnings about the volatile nature of dragons echoed in my head. They could be unpredictable and territorial. They could be savage and brutal. Knowing all of that only added to the excitement. I ran my hands down his spine, feeling the smooth texture of skin that was quickly taking on the properties of scales. I let my fingers dig into the muscles and sinews along his spine and across his shoulders. The feel of his skin and the scent of his need dissolved my resolve to put some distance between us. I became oblivious to the dangers and engrossed in the joy of his hands on my body.

  His teeth scraped along the outer curve of my breast. His tongue followed suit, soothing the chafed skin. He rubbed his face against my belly, making my womb clench. I leaned back, tucking my knees under his armpits, and giving myself over to his care.

  His tongue, now elongated and slightly forked, flicked out, tasting my skin with heightened senses, causing a painful groan to escape him. Rakesh dragged his hands down my body, making me flinch as sharp nails replaced the soft fingertips. Blood dripped down and pooled on the floor, but I was too far gone to care. The pain warred with the pleasure of his wicked tongue and the feeling of his hard cock pressed against my crotch.

  It wasn't until his tight embrace became suffocating that I realized something was wrong. His hands bit into my skin and pressed me until I thought my bones would crack. I opened my mouth to complain, but only managed a sharp, high-pitched sound of distress.

  I closed my eyes, trying to calculate my next move. I couldn’t breathe, and I was bleeding. I knew that as my life’s blood dripped out of my body, so did my ability to survive this moment. Strangely, despite the panic in my mind, I wasn’t angry. I knew I was playing with fire. I’d been warned.

  “Leave me.”

  His voice pierced through the haze of lust and fear in the room. I looked up at him and blinked several times, unsure of what I’d just heard.

  “Leave me!”

  His voice reverberated off the walls as he violently pushed me off of his lap and onto the floor. I looked into his red eyes, now glowing as he faced me. He stood up to his full height; his chest heaved as he drew in one breath after another. His gaze locked on my exposed breasts and for the first time, I felt fear. I clutched my shirt closed and scrambled to my feet. He watched me move, his muscles straining as if he was waiting to pounce.

  I backed out of the room slowly, keeping my eyes on him. He tracked my movements with his eyes but did not move at all. I didn’t dare to turn my back to him until the door between us closed. Then I turned, and I ran. I wasn’t conscious of where I was heading. I didn’t think about where I might hide. I just ran until I found myself standing outside of the lab.

  “Diem?”

  P’tah’s voice startled me, and I physically jumped, turning to face her, tears in my eyes.

  “What happened, Diem?”

  I couldn’t speak. I just shook my head.

  “You should be resting. Your body needs to rest.”

  She led me into the lab, lifting me easily onto an examining table and examining me.

  “I forget that you are so much stronger than I am,” I said, trying to force a smile.

  She gave me a wolfish smile and then slowly opened my still gaping shirt. The wounds on my side looked much more painful and raw than they felt. Maybe I was still in shock. Maybe the nanites were shutting off my pain receptors so that I could run away. Either way, P’tah looked shocked.

  “Did he do this to you?”

  There was no need to ask who “he” was. We both knew there was only one male on the ship who would dare touch me, and only one who could get close enough to rip open my flesh without ripping my shirt as well.

  “I had an accident,” I said.

  She didn’t say anything else. She sprayed filled a small bottle with a sweet-smelling liquid and sprayed my sides with it.

  “Luckily the lacerations aren’t very deep. You should heal without any real aid. Your nanites should help as well. You’ll be sensitive in the area for a while, so be careful.”

  P’tah’s distant, clinical tone only revealed the depth of her concern.

  “He didn’t mean it, P’tah. It was an accident. Really.”

  Why did I feel like a battered girlfriend in a made-for-tv movie?

  “Why are you here anyway? Don’t you also need to rest?” It was a cowardly move, but I didn’t want to talk any more about Rakesh or me. I still wasn’t sure what came over me or why I insisted on playing with fire when it came to that male. Nothing about the relationship between us was simple. Every step was fraught with danger, and yet I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I was a glutton for punishment. Or maybe I was just addicted to the danger. Either way, it couldn’t be healthy.

  “I was thinking about you?”

  “Me?” it was my second great shock for the evening.

  “Believe it or not, you are the greatest piece of scientific work that I have had the pleasure of doing in years. What I am learning about your species and the endless possibilities... I mean the thought of a possible hybrid alone is just…”

  I rolled my eyes and exhaled loudly.

  “I’m doing it again, aren’t I?”

  I nodded.

  “I’m sorry, Diem. But, I am a scientist. And you are the best specimen that I’ve had a chance to work with in my entire career.”

  I sighed. I was too tired and too rattled to try and explain anything to her.

  “Can I stay here a while?”

  P’tah opened her mouth to speak and then thought better of it. Taking a step back, she nodded her head. I climbed down from my perch and walked over to the observation cell. It wasn’t a private space. Hidden cameras recorded everything that happened inside, but it was close enough.

  As soon as the wall became opaque, I sat on the bed and cried.

  Chapter Four

  “We have been given clear orders. We are to report to the Outer Rim Station before continuing to the homeworld.”

  The Grand Marshal wiped the sweat from his brow with an impatient hand. Today’s training was vigorous and a welcome escape from both of our troubles.

  “I will be prepared.”

  “I don’t know what will happen once we arrive.”

  He stood up straight, watching my reactions. I wasn’t sure what he expected from me, but it was clear that the things that he didn’t know worried him more than the things that did.

  “I am afraid.”

  I tripped over the words. One didn’t speak about fear among the Troiken warriors. It certainly shouldn’t be something that a warrior embraced.

  “It is wise to be afraid if you value your head.”

  I had questions. Who gave the order? Who had enough power and respect to be able to hide things from the Grand Marshal? Why would somebody that powerful be interested in the Chronos?

  “You can assume that you are part of the reason,” he said, putting his weapon away.

  “Me?”

  He spun around with a warning growl. I lowered my gaze and took an unconscious step backward. I’d just managed to convince myself that the growling and snarls from the Troiken were mostly just posturing. After the previous cycle’s incident, I wasn’t so sure.

 
“They will come for you. Be ready,” he said. The Grand Marshal’s teeth snapped together as he spoke. I nodded, mute, and stood still as he spun on his heels and marched out of the room.

  I couldn’t shake the feeling that nothing was what it seemed. Everything on the ship seemed to be orderly, and well regimented, but the closer I looked the more I could see the cracks in the facade. The restlessness of the younger crew members and the fatigue on the faces of their seniors were proof that everybody needed some time off. I had no idea how long they’d been on this ship. I’d only been here a few weeks, and I was already missing the smell of city streets and the feel of cool breezes against my skin.

  How much more difficult must it be for a race of people who were bred for combat and used to physically strenuous play?

  I told myself that I was safe. I was protected by my association with Rakesh. Nobody would risk being dismembered by him just to blow off some steam. But, the more I thought about it, the less secure I felt.

  Could I still count on Rakesh to protect me?

  I passed a group of warriors in the corridor on the way back to the lab. They stopped talking when they saw me, stood the side and bowed respectfully. I passed without saying a word. As soon as I was out of sight, they resumed their conversation.

  “Are you sure?” The incredulous tone of the speaker pricked my ears and prompted me to stop and listen.

  “That’s what the rumors say. I mean, who really knows? How long has it been since we’ve seen a real dragon?”

  “I thought it was all just old myths and legends. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes…”

  “That’s what I’m saying. Could it really be true?” the first speaker asked again.

  I turned around and walked back to the three young warriors, whose eyes grew wide with shock as I presented myself in front of them.

  “Is what true?”

  The three of them looked at each other, none sure whether they should speak. The tallest of them, a deep purple haired male, pushed the smallest of the group forward. The female’s hair was nearly pastel pink. Her features were soft, even for a female. Even the way she wore her beads and uniform had a distinctly feminine flair, which was rare among the Troiken. She looked like the Troiken version of a Korean pop-star.

  “It’s true that you are the Dragon’s mate? That he can’t be separated from you for long?”

  I crumpled my brows and looked at her.

  “I am Diem. The Commander is my –” I hesitated. What was he to me? If I were his mate, shouldn’t there have been a ceremony of some sort? If he couldn’t be separated from me for a long time, wouldn’t I know? And if it was true, how safe was that information in the hands of these Junior crew members.

  “There is no Troiken word for our relationship.” I turned to walk away when another of the group, a male with dull red hair and murky colored eyes stepped forward.

  “Is it true that the High Council is trying to take you away?”

  Alarm bells rang in my head. I examined their uniforms again. These weren’t high ranking warriors. The Chronos was probably their first real assignment. How did they know?

  “Don’t worry, Diem Sava.” The pink female spoke again, trying to reassure me. “We won’t let them take you from the Commander. The dragon must have his mate. If he doesn’t, he’ll go mad.”

  The other two nodded in agreement. All three tails swished in the air behind them, betraying their happiness at being acknowledged despite their stoic faces. I almost smiled at them. Sava was a title given to an important female, who didn’t have an official rank. It was a sign of respect.

  Even though any one of them could break me in half, they felt familiar to me. They looked like any group of well-meaning teens from back home. They were idealistic and loyal, still unaware of how dangerous such sentiments could be.

  “Whatever you think, don’t spread it too much,” I said.

  They nodded in agreement again.

  “What are your names?”

  “Meck,” said the dull eyes male, bowing slightly at the waist.

  “Detack,” the tall purple male grunted.

  “And I am Puva. I work with the ship’s communication array,” said the female, smiling as she put her hand on her chest and bowed deeply. It was an old-world gesture that was strangely ingratiating.

  “Don’t hesitate to find me if anything unusual happens,” I said, careful with my words. I constantly reminded myself that nothing was truly private on this ship, especially when it came to me. Everything was recorded somewhere, and the problem of the spy still loomed over us. The three of them looked at each other and nodded again, the relaxed look on their faces melted away as they understood my warning.

  I nodded curtly and left them standing in the corridor. I couldn’t say it out loud, but I was as happy to be acknowledged as they were. I knew the only reason they bothered talking to me was Rakesh, but I was hopeful that I could win them over on my own. Loyalty to Rakesh was important, but I needed people who would be loyal to me.

  I rounded the corner and headed back to the lab. If “they” were coming, I needed to know who “they” were. The High Council? A group of researchers keen to play mad scientist with my brain? Some other sinister group? I needed information and going to Rakesh didn’t feel like an option now. There was still a lot for us to discuss before things could go back to the way things were.

  “Oh, great, you’re here!” P’tah greeted me enthusiastically.

  “We should be docking soon. I can’t wait for you to meet my colleagues on the space station. I’ve told them all so much about you?”

  “About me?” I felt like I’d just run into a brick wall.

  “Yeah, you’re the most exciting thing in the field of xenobiology,” P’tah grinned.

  “How do they know?”

  “What do you mean, how do they know?” The innocence in her voice was almost too much to bear.

  I rolled my eyes and sat down on the ground. How else would they know? She told them. Isn’t that what scientists did? They shared information. They swapped notes. They were interested in truth, not politics. Why hadn’t I thought of that?

  “Are you okay?”

  “They’re going to kill me, or your brother,” I said.

  “What?”

  “The mandatory docking, that was your doing, right?”

  “It was suggested, but they only want to examine you. They won’t harm you. This isn’t the High Council. They’re from the Academy.”

  Her blindness left me breathless. How could she not see that there was no such thing as a system that operated independently of all the others? She was a scientist for fuck’s sake. Even in nature, there was no such thing as a truly independent organism.

  “Right, and the Council will use the Academy to separate me from the Commander. And then, what do you think he will do when he realizes that I’m gone? Hmm? Have you ever thought of that?”

  I saw the realization light up in her eyes, but she quickly shook her head in denial.

  “It’s not like that, Diem.”

  “Then what is it like, Doctor?”

  “The Academy has always maintained a balanced approach to dealing with the Council and the Crown. They don’t take sides.”

  “This isn’t about taking sides, P’tah. The Academy is only concerned about achieving its aims. Whether that is to examine me, cut me up for tissue samples, or have me run through mazes all day long, they don’t care how it affects others. They damned sure don’t care how it affects me. And both the Council and the Crown are going to jump at the chance to exploit your brother because of it.”

  I pounded the ground with my heels, wishing that I was strong enough to make a dent in the lightweight metal. I wanted to rip the whole room to shreds and slap P’tah until she woke from her dreams.

  “My brother is too smart for that. He won’t allow himself to be manipulated like that?”

  “Oh really, “I stood up and walked over to P’tah, who was just beginni
ng to look worried. “What wouldn’t he do to protect the female from his house from the clutches of the powerful?”

  P’tah’s tail swished back and forth, agitating the air as she began to admit the truth to herself. If there was one saving grace in having a scientist for a friend, she couldn’t hide from reality for any length of time. We stared at each other from opposite sides of the room, but it might as well have been a thousand miles. Our aims were too different for there to be any reconciliation.

  The lights all over the ship began to flash green.

  “We’ve arrived,” she said.

  Chapter Five

  “I need a weapon,” I said.

  She looked at me with mild disgust. I snorted and began looking around the lab for anything I could use to defend myself. I needed something lightweight, easily concealable, with the possibility of being lethal. My eyes landed on the jar holding Nedan’s new eye. It was nearly ready.

  “You can’t run from them, and you won’t be able to fight.”

  “I don’t plan to run or fight,” I said.

  I jumped to my feet, snagged the jar and fled the lab, moving faster than I thought possible through the corridors until I was back in the medical bay. The Healers were all strapped into their stations, having secured all of the patients and medical equipment for docking.

  “You can’t wander around here,” barked one of the Healers.

  “This is for him,” I said, holding up the cannister. “I just wanted to let him know. Is he alright to talk?”

  The Healers looked at each other and then shrugged. Bedside manners were an unknown concept, I guessed. Life and death, scars and burns, they were irrelevant to a warrior. But, there was no use in offending the silly human and risking the wrath of the Commander.

  I made my way over to Nedan. He seemed nearly healed, save for the gaping hole in his skull where his new eye should be. Both of his eyes were closed when I approached, and his breathing was deep and even. I reached out to touch him, and his strong fist snagged my wrist before I could make contact.