by Ivy Barrett
He caught her upper arm and drew her to a stop. “We’re headed that way.” He motioned behind them. When she didn’t immediately take off in the other direction, he drew her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. “I don’t know the answer to many of your questions. We’ll have to figure them out together. But the attraction we feel is not just sexual. Once our ridonous cycle fades we’ll still be fascinated by you. We’ll want to spend time with you and do everything in our power to keep you safe and happy.”
In most cases, safe was easier than happy. “Why would a Mexican drug lord kidnap a bunch of possible mates for the Ventori? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Sure it does.” He stroked her hair, his body warm and firm against hers. “Above all, drug lords are business men. As Dr. Baytor said, they care about wealth and power. My people are doomed to extinction unless we find compatible mates. Knowing how much we’re willing to pay for carnal companions, can you imagine what we’ll be willing to sacrifice for a potential mate? It was a new revenue stream, nothing more.”
She eased away from his chest and looked into his eyes. “But how did he know about us? We didn’t even know.”
“Clearly we, the Ventori, have a traitor or network of traitors in our midst.” He took her hand, entwining their fingers as they started walking again.
“What does this mean for the other females? Will they be released to their contracted pods?”
He glanced down at her then shook his head. “We need to find their best possible mate. This is too important.”
“I understand why it’s important to you, but this isn’t what we signed up for. Each of us believed we were making a temporary commitment with defined parameters. We were going to indulge in a very naughty adventure then return to our lives on Earth.”
“Their mates must be given the opportunity to change their minds. The future of our species depends on it.”
She sighed. How could she argue with that? “But the final decision must be the females’. They cannot be forced into a permanent union that they don’t want.”
His brow furrowed and his lips thinned. “Have you learned nothing from Rook and me? The Ventori do not force ourselves on anyone. We have given you choice after choice, every step of the way.”
“True, but mating fever blurs the lines. It makes us vulnerable to your appeal.”
He chuckled, giving her hand a little squeeze. “We are equally vulnerable, sweetheart. We’re going through this together.”
Jessica was surprised to find all four of the captive females in one of the cabins. They lingered around the small table, dirty dishes stacked on a tray nearby. Relieved to find them all looking rested and in relatively good spirits, she moved farther into the room. They also wore uniforms identical to hers, so they’d likely been allowed to shower sometime since she’d last seen them.
“Jessica,” Erin cried. The young redhead pushed back from the table and ran across the room to give Jessica an enthusiastic hug. “We’ve been so worried about you.” She looked at Dare with obvious suspicion. “Did they hurt you?” She whispered the question close to Jessica’s ear.
The frustration in Dare’s expression told her he’d heard the question. Jessica pushed Erin back and smiled. “I’m fine. Really. And we have some information that helps explain why we were taken.”
They found spare chairs and pulled them up to the table, which forced everyone to scoot closer together. Dare quickly explained what they’d learned from Dr. Baytor. “The final decision is up to Chancellor Savator, but it’s likely your contracts will be put on hold until you’ve had time to interact with your potential mates.”
“Mates, as in more than one?” Nikki asked. “The Ventori mate in groups? I thought that had become the practice because of a lack of carnal companions.”
“Potential mates are much harder to find than carnal companions,” Dare pointed out. “Besides genetic compatibility is usually consistent within the same bloodline.”
“Only twenty percent of human females are Rh negative,” Laura told them. She was a curvy blonde who didn’t speak unless she had something important to say. Jessica didn’t know her as well as she knew Nikki and Erin, but Laura seemed likable, if a bit secretive.
“Why do you know that statistic?” A hint of challenge crept into Nikki’s tone. All of the unexpected changes were clearly taking their toll.
“I worked at a women’s health center. The Rh factor can be a problem during pregnancy, or actually delivery.”
“Sorry.” Nikki’s dark gaze reflected her frustration. “I honestly thought they were here to tell us we’d be released to our pods today. Instead, we’re trapped in an entirely new situation.” She turned back to Dare, her features hardening into a disapproving mask. “What if we don’t want a mate or mates? Can we just go back to Earth?”
“You will not be forced to do anything,” Dare assured them, but his next statement deflated the hope. “However, humans are the first species we’ve encountered that are capable of breeding with us. None of us are going to be willing to give up a potential mate without a fight.”
“Is that what’s going on with Jessica?” Nikki became almost belligerent. “Is she your potential mate?”
“Yes.” His response was unapologetic and absolute, discouraging further discussion.
Olivia, Laura’s roommate, was even quieter than Laura. With golden brown hair and hazel eyes, she had a soft sort of beauty that was easily overlooked, yet endearing once one noticed her. “Let me make sure I understand this. Because I don’t have this protein in my blood, I could be able to carry a Ventori baby. But my compatibility is different with every Ventori male. Am I right so far?”
Jessica thought she was, but looked at Dare rather than answer.
“Exactly right,” he told Olivia.
“So, a perfect genetic match is given a ten on the—what did you call it? Compatibility index?” She waited for his nod before she went on. “And anything above an eight point three will trigger mating fever?”
“Correct.” He didn’t elaborate.
“So if none of the men who are interested in finding a mate score high on the compatibility index, can I go home?”
Before Dare could answer Olivia, a flurry of questions bombarded him from all around the table.
“What happens if we have more than one high scoring match?”
“Would the child belong to me or the pod?”
“What’s the Ventori equivalent of divorce?”
“Can I refuse to become a mate even if the males score really high?”
“How are the matches determined?” The last question came from Nikki. “Do I have to meet every male who’s interested in a mate?”
Dare smiled, finding some sort of humor in her question. “There are over two million of us, and I predict most will be interested in claiming a mate. If we don’t breed, our species will end with this generation. So no, you don’t have to meet them all. A simple blood test can determine compatibility and Dr. Baytor already has samples of your blood.”
“And all the other questions?” Nikki persisted. “Do you have answers for those?”
“Not yet,” Dare admitted. “As I said, humans are the first species we’ve encountered that is genetically compatible with us. The high command will need to establish procedures for all of this.”
After a long, silent pause, Erin spoke in a soft, uncertain voice. “What’s going to happen to me? I didn’t agree to any of this. If you’re honestly not going to force this on us, I want to go home now.” Her lips trembled and tears gathered behind her lashes. “I’m not ready for a serious boyfriend, much less a mate.”
Jessica reached over and squeezed Erin’s hand. The poor girl had never been with a human male, much less a savage, dominant Ventori. She must be terrified.
Dare sighed, obviously torn. “It’s not my decision to make.”
“Sure it is,” Jessica challenged, protectiveness surging inside her. “Just put her on a shuttle and
send her on her way. The high command doesn’t need to know she was ever here.”
“Tracy and the strippers know,” Nikki muttered. “And Tracy is such a bitch. We all know she’ll cause trouble.”
“And what about Kyla?” Erin’s voice grew stronger as she focused on her missing friend. “Has she been found? Is anyone even looking for her? What if the Mexicans still have her? I keep asking, but no one seems to give a damn.”
“Have you or Rook asked around? Someone has to know something.” Pretty sure she knew the answer, Jessica shook her head. All either brother had thought about last night was sex. Of course, that wasn’t fair. She’d momentarily forgotten about everything else too.
Dare pushed back from the table and stood. Tension hardened his features and irritation made the blue marbling in his eyes gleam. “Clearly I have work to do. I’ll return when I know more.” He held out his hand toward Jessica. “Come.”
The autocratic snap in his tone made Jessica cringe. An audience made any power struggle worse and clearly Dare was angry. “I’d rather stay here.”
“No.” His hand remained out, a silent demand for her obedience.
She was already in trouble. That much was clear. Did she really want to start an all-out war in front of the others? She glanced at Erin and had her answer. The younger woman was unusually pale, her blue eyes massively round. With a frustrated sigh, Jessica slipped her hand out of Erin’s and scooted her chair back from the table.
“You don’t have to leave,” Nikki insisted. “He has no right to boss you around.”
“He does if she’s going to let him claim her,” Laura said then quickly looked away.
“Are you?” Nikki persisted, her expression morphing from annoyance to concern in an instant.
“I haven’t decided yet.” Jessica looked at Dare. He’d lowered his arm, but he was watching her intently, his expression blank.
“Let’s go.” He didn’t raise his voice, but his eyes warned her that he was not nearly as calm as he appeared.
She waved to the other females, then headed for the door.
They only made it to the corridor before Dare unleashed his anger. She’d taken two steps toward their cabin when Dare grabbed her upper arm and spun her around. “Never challenge me in front of others. If you disagree with my decisions, we will discuss it in private. It is not your place to berate me.”
“Yes, Rook.” It would have been smarter to lower her eyes and apologize, but she was angry too. The desperateness of the Ventori situation justified detaining the carnal companions, but he had no reason to refuse Erin’s plea. She was blameless in all of this.
He pushed her against the wall and collared her throat with his hand. He wasn’t hurting her, but the move was so overtly dominant that she trembled. “Do you want me to act like Rook? Rook would have bared your ass and spanked you in front of the others. Then he would have made you walk to our cabin with your ass on display so he could continue your discipline in private. Would you like to hear some of the punishments he likes to use on disrespectful females?”
“I’m sorry I called you Rook.” She looked at him long enough to deliver the apology, then she averted her gaze. She was still glaring and her rebellion would only anger him further.
“And the rest? Are you sorry you contradicted me and challenged my authority?”
“I asked a few questions. Is your ego so delicate it can’t stand up to an alternate opinion?”
His hand moved from her throat to the back of her hair and he sank his fingers into her braid. Again, it didn’t really hurt unless she tugged against him. Without a word, he drew her away from the wall and urged her toward their cabin. She’d never seen him like this. He was seriously pissed.
He scanned open the door and pushed her inside. “Undress.”
“I’m sorry I contradicted you. You’re right. I should have told you my opinions in private. I didn’t mean to make you look bad in front of my friends.” She fought to keep her voice even, respectful.
“I said undress.” She’d heard the uncompromising tone before, just never from Dare.
“I don’t think there’s a reason to—”
He released her hair and ripped open the front of her dress. He hadn’t manufactured undergarments so the one violent movement bared her breasts. And he didn’t stop there. He tugged the ruined garment from her arms and snapped the drawstring rather than bothering to untie it. She yelled, punched, and kicked, but he didn’t seem to notice. Soon her dress and slip-on shoes lay on the deck and he dragged her toward the table where they’d had breakfast.
He stopped a short distance away. “Bend over.”
“No. I want to talk about—”
He interrupted her objection with two hard swats on her naked butt. “Bend over now, or I’ll increase your punishment.”
Her exasperation boiled over and she yelled, “I hate you! I hate you both!”
Disappointment flashed through his gaze, then he urged her down over the table and held her there with one hand while he spanked her with the other.
Each hard slap sent pain radiating through her bottom. She squirmed, wiggling her hips and rubbing her thighs together. Already heat was gathering in her core, making her restless. But her anger still simmered.
He spanked her again and again, alternating between her bottom cheeks. The heat became a buzzing cloud of discomfort from mid-thigh to the small of her back. She expected this sort of thing from Rook, but Dare was supposed to be the nice brother. Her defender.
Unwanted emotion welled inside her again. What was it about being spanked that turned her into a blubbering idiot? She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, as harsh sobs made her shoulders quake.
His hand paused, resting on her throbbing behind rather than delivering another swat. “Why am I spanking you?”
She hated this part. It forced her to analyze her actions and admit what she’d done wrong rather than wallowing in her misery. “I was disrespectful.”
“How were you disrespectful?”
Had Rook given Dare lessons, or did all the Ventori know how to ruthlessly shift the blame back onto the female? “My questions made it seem as if you didn’t care about Erin.”
“And?”
“I argued with you in front of the others.”
The slight pressure of his hand left her bottom and she heard him step back. “Turn around and get on your knees.”
Now what? Her sore behind protested every movement as she slowly faced him and lowered her weight to her knees.
He stared down at her, blue lines in his eyes literally glowing. “You’ve mistaken my compassion for weakness. It will not happen again.” He unfastened his pants and took out his cock, revealing the nature of her next punishment.
Jessica tensed. She’d begged both Rook and Dare to let her suck them off the night before, but this was different. This wasn’t sexual, it was punitive, and she wasn’t sure she could make herself do it. “Not like this, Dare. Please.”
She saw indecision in his gaze, thought he might relent. Then his chin lifted and he moved closer, slipping one hand into her mussed hair. “Open your mouth.”
Her gaze dropped to the floor, sweeping past his massive erection in the process. He was long and thick, the shaft pale gray, the flared head vivid black. She wanted to touch him, taste him, but not without tenderness.
He’d given her tenderness, held her while she slept and seen to all of her needs. He’d been patient and kind—and she’d repaid him with disloyalty.
Shame washed over her, hot and uncomfortable. She’d refused to undress, refused to bend over, resisted her punishment every step of the way. Now he wanted her to submit, to willingly participate in her discipline. He needed it. That much had been clear in his expression.
Slowly, her heart thudding wildly in her chest, she squeezed her eyes shut and opened her mouth.
“Look at me.”
Damn it. She pressed her lips together, anger sparking within her regret. He e
xpected her to face her failings, to atone for the wrong she’d dealt him by willingly giving him pleasure.
Nervously licking her lips, she opened her eyes and looked into his. The blue light was softer now, though still brighter than the black. He rubbed the plush tip of his cock against her lips, coating her skin with pre-cum. “Open.”
She parted her lips and waited for the brutal thrust of his shaft into her mouth. Instead he eased just past her lips.
“Suck me, lick me, make me come.”
She’d never been a fan of dirty talk, but her defenders had it down to an art form. She sealed her lips around his shaft and circled his tip with her tongue, capturing the drops of pre-cum clinging there. His salty-sharp taste spread through her mouth and she shivered, wishing he’d caress her face or touch her breasts, anything to indicate affection.
His gaze locked with hers as he moved closer, pushing his cock deeper into her mouth. The hand in her hair tightened a bit, anchoring her in place. He slid in and out for a time, content with the sensual slide. But restlessness soon set in, speeding his pace and twisting his expression.
He looked angry, almost feral, as his need escalated. But her desire built right alongside his. She swiped his tip over and over, ravenous for his taste. Each warm drop sent a zing of pleasure straight to her clit.
She tilted her head back, taking more, wanting all of him, even if it gagged her. He groaned, clearly pleased by her efforts. She raised one hand to the base of his cock, fisting the portion that didn’t fit in her mouth.
His hips rocked and her breasts swayed. She felt restless and achy, her penance all but forgotten as her body reacted to the hormone-laced fluid leaking from his cock. He felt so good sliding against her lips, yet he’d feel even better deep inside her.
With a throaty cry, she moved both hands to his hips and tilted her head farther back. He slid deeper, each thrust sharper, more demanding. He momentarily blocked off her airway as he filled her mouth completely. She relaxed her throat and timed her breathing to his out-strokes. It made her dizzy, yet exhilarated.