by Ivy Barrett
“This female belongs to Fortar pod.” Rook pulled her up off the table and turned her to face the onlookers. “Does anyone doubt our claim?”
Chapter Twelve
The next three days passed in a blur for Jessica. Despite her rather brutal introduction to Camp Accord, she found the settlement fascinating. The school, which had once been Glenwood Springs Middle School, was now Camp Accord headquarters and a sort of town hall. Common meals were prepared and served in the ‘meeting room’ and many of the unmated pods had taken up residence in the classrooms.
Jessica thought the choice was odd until she learned more about the area. I-70, the primary road into and out of Glenwood Springs, had been completely destroyed by the Skarilians. All of the hotels and most of the houses, especially on the south side of the Colorado River were now rubble. The middle school and the neighborhoods surrounding it were the only areas still habitable. She also learned that the settlement could only be accessed from the air. The isolation made Camp Accord much easier to protect, and many—human and Ventori alike—had objected to a Ventori colony in the middle of the U.S.
The friendly blonde turned out to be Amanda Powell. Her pod also consisted of brothers and they were friends with Fortar pod, so the females had frequent opportunities to spend time together. They were helping clean up the meeting room after the evening meal when Amanda asked, “Have your mates chosen a house yet or are you still sleeping in a classroom?”
“They said they were going to scout out one today, but I haven’t seen them since breakfast.” She straightened from the table she’d been wiping off and stretched out her back. “Sleeping in a real bed, in a real bedroom will be such a treat. Still, it’s hard not to wonder what happened to the original inhabitants.” They worked together to fold up the table and roll it into the corner where it stayed when not in use. “It looks like there are still plenty of houses. Why do so many of the pods choose to stay here?”
“Each house has to be carefully inspected before it’s approved for use. The impact of Skarilian bombs can crack foundations and compromise the structural integrity while the building appears undamaged. It has created a backlog, so they’re giving priority to the pods who have claimed their female.”
Jessica nodded, feeling a little guilty about the preferential treatment.
“So have they?” Amanda whispered, mischief gleaming in her sky-blue eyes.
“Have they what?”
Amanda chuckled. “Has Fortar pod actually claimed you yet? My mates are pretty sure they haven’t. Apparently, your scent hasn’t changed.”
Jessica looked around to make sure no one else was paying attention to them. “There is very little privacy in this place. We fully intend to bond, but we’re holding out for a house of our own.”
“I understand. Hopefully they’ll find one before the ripples of discontent burst into serious problems.”
Almost as if Rook and Dare heard Amanda’s warning, they arrived a few minutes later. Dare was grinning from ear to ear, and Rook’s red and black eyes gleamed with an emotion Jessica couldn’t quite identify. Excitement? Anticipation? Maybe joy? All she knew was he looked happy. They both did.
Dare reached her first and took her by the hand. “We found the perfect house for us.”
“It only took six hours,” Rook grumbled, but the happy light didn’t leave his gaze.
They led her outside through one of the building’s back doors then across an overgrown soccer field. The occasional fence post indicated that the area had once been enclosed, but the actual fence was long gone. Nearly everything that had survived the bombings was quickly repurposed. To her left was a double row of half-demolished townhouses. Straight ahead was a small subdivision consisting of unassuming single family homes. Being led toward a scene so utterly suburban by two possessive aliens was so ironic she couldn’t help but smile.
“There were only four homes to choose from,” Rook explained as they finally reached the sidewalk. “The one we chose was clearly superior to the others.”
“Then why did it take you six hours to decide?” Jessica wanted to know. She gazed around her trying to guess which one they’d chosen, but they all looked very similar.
“We selected the property in a matter of minutes,” Rook clarified. “The rest of the time was spent scavenging furniture and household items. We really want you to feel comfortable and content in our new home.”
She’d been comfortable and content in their cramped cabin, and in a classroom with no privacy. Still, she hesitated to speak the praise, not wanting to add to their arrogance. Instead, she smiled at Dare and said, “I’ll be happy as long as we’re together.”
They led her to a house in the cul-de-sac at the end of the street. She should have realized it would be one of those. They’d landed their shuttle on the rounded pavement in front of the four houses. Theirs was a large two-story with a red brick façade and white shutters.
An odd tension gripped her stomach as they neared. ‘Suburban tranquility’ had never appealed to her in the past. In fact, she’d frequently made fun of soccer moms, claiming she would die of boredom without variety and excitement in her life. Well, there were some significant differences between this situation and the one she used to mock. First and foremost was the fact that she would soon have two demanding mates, ready and willing to make her life exciting in more ways than she could imagine. They had access to spaceships! They could take her to other planets and allow her to interact with other species. They were part of a community working to bridge the gap between two seriously diverse societies. They were pioneers in the truest sense of the word.
The trio entered through the garage rather than the front door, which led them almost immediately to the kitchen. She’d always considered the kitchen the heart of any home. The few warm memories she had of her mother surrounded holidays and cooking. The rest of the time her mom had seemed stressed out and overworked with little time for her daughter. Jessica didn’t blame her mom. She’d always done the best she could. However, Jessica wanted more for any children she might have. She wanted to surround them with love and laughter, and provide a sense of security all but forgotten since the Skarilians first raided Earth.
“You’re so quiet. Do you like it?” Rook sounded adorably unsure.
Jessica wandered from room to room, careful to conceal her reaction. Adjacent to the kitchen was a large family room, complete with home theater. The majority of Earth’s media outlets had been wiped out during the war, so Ventori technology would have to provide content for their entertainment. There was a large dining room and another living space near the front door. If the furnishings had been scavenged from the surrounding houses, her mates had done a remarkable job of making it all flow together.
“It’s lovely,” she finally said, after a long pause. “More than I ever dreamed possible.” In her youth, this sort of life had seemed unattainable. During her brief prosperity, she’d wanted nothing to do with anything this… domestic. But now, after all the uncertainty and trauma, it was perfect. And so were they.
“You haven’t even seen the best part yet.” Still holding her hand, Dare drew her toward the stairs.
“I think we should save the best part until after we’ve claimed her.” Rook hurried up the stairs after them.
“No way,” Jessica tossed the words over her shoulder, her heartbeat starting to race. “I want to see it all now.”
“There are three bedrooms.” Dare pushed open the first door they reached. “This one is empty. We want you to decorate it any way you like. It can be an exercise room or an office, whatever you need.”
“Nursery?” she suggested with a playful grin. The idea had never been such a temptation.
Both males growled and desire erupted in their eyes. Clearly they approved of the idea.
“Hall bath,” Dare motioned toward the room, but didn’t slow down enough for her to look inside. He pulled her into the room at the end of the hall, the master bedroom. The room was large and the bed they
’d created still took up most of the floor space. It sat on a newly constructed platform and the uneven outline suggested several mattresses had been pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle. “It’s very… creative.”
Rook looked irritated. “Human sleeping pads are simply not big enough for Ventori pods. We had to improvise.”
She went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, looking way up into his eyes. “I love it and can’t wait to try it out.”
He immediately reached for the buttons on the front of her dress, but she caught his wrists. “Isn’t there another bedroom?”
“After,” he growled as he lowered his head, clearly meaning to kiss her.
She laughed and twisted out of his arms, heading back the way they’d come. Trying to distract her, Dare had hurried her past a door next to the hall bath. It hadn’t worked. She was dying to see what they were so determined to keep from her, at least for the time being.
Her males followed close behind as she returned to the mystery door and eased it open. One of them turned on the overhead light and Jessica’s eyes widened. They had created a playroom, complete with spanking bench and a variety of bondage frames. She wasn’t familiar enough with the lifestyle to know what each was called, if they’d even originated on Earth. “You salvaged all this from surrounding houses?” That seemed extremely unlikely, but maybe there was more going on in the suburbs than city dwellers realized.
“The spanking bench was given to us by another pod. They had hoped to need it sooner, but they’ve yet to locate their mate. The rest we manufactured on our ship.”
“You’ve been up to your ship and back?” She wasn’t sure why she was surprised. It didn’t take that long to get anywhere in a Ventori shuttle. Still, she was pleased that they’d cared enough to make the trip, and arrange all this for her.
Rook’s expression darkened. The setting seemed to call to the dominant side of his nature. “Are you worth all this trouble, mate?”
She shrugged, feeling confident and powerful surrounded by their affection. “I guess you’ll have to claim me and find out.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Rook pulled her closer and went to work on her dress.
“I thought we agreed she would be more comfortable in bed,” Dare objected.
“She lost that option when she insisted on seeing the playroom.” Rook shifted the dress off her shoulders and down her arms, baring her to the waist. “Now we’re going to do this my way.”
Jessica shivered as heat cascaded through her body. Rook’s way was always demanding and intense. Rook challenged her physically and emotionally, frequently testing the limits of her endurance. Dare tended to be more nurturing. He often let her off too easily. Together they were the perfect balance. Rook alone would have overwhelmed her, but Dare wasn’t challenging enough.
She kicked off her shoes and scooted the dress aside as she stepped out of the bunched material. Both her mates had stripped to the waist by the time she stood there naked. Rook held out his hand and she took it, smiling softly as he drew her farther into the room. He centered her beneath a set of velvet-lined cuffs attached to chains that had been bolted to the ceiling.
“Arms up,” Rook ordered.
She immediately obeyed, desperately wanting to please him.
He fastened one cuff around her wrist and then enclosed the other within the second cuff. She gave each side a firm tug and found herself securely restrained. Her mates circled her slowly, boldly looking at her naked body.
“Move your legs apart,” Dare ordered, his expression growing just as fierce as Rook’s. “Show us our pussy.”
She moved her feet apart, taking step after step until her wrists strained against the cuffs and her folds parted, allowing them to see all her secrets.
“Oh, yes,” Rook muttered. “Much better.” He moved behind her and cupped her breasts in his large, warm hands. Squeezing firmly, he made her squirm helplessly.
Dare pressed into her front, rubbing his cock against her belly. His uniform pants still separated his flesh from her skin, but the shape and hardness was undeniable. “Do you want that inside you?”
“Yes, please. Fill me up!” They’d waited so long to claim her, wanted to make sure she was ready for the permanency of a mating bond. Well, she was more than ready now. She’d been sure for the past several days, but they hadn’t wanted to share this moment with anyone.
Dare reached behind her and squeezed her ass cheeks, much as Rook was doing with her breasts. They surrounded her and handled her, their intention to claim her evident in each movement and expression.
Rook shifted his hands, catching her nipples between his thumbs and index fingers. He pinched and plucked, working the tender buds into pebble-hard peaks. The sensations hovered just short of pain, but she soon twisted and moaned, trying to increase the contact between his fingers and her breasts.
Dare, meanwhile, eased his long fingers between her cheeks. He pulled the rounded flesh apart and teased her puckered little hole. She squirmed each time his fingers brushed over the opening. Her core ached and her clit twitched, both more than ready for attention, but neither of her mates seemed ready to touch her pussy. Dare circled her anus, occasionally stroking her perineum, but stopping before he reached her aching core.
“In me,” she urged. “I need you both inside me now.”
Rook pinched her nipples so hard she cried out and Dare released her bottom and took a step back. “Do you command us?” Rook punctuated the question with another painful pinch.
“No, Sir,” she gasped. “I’m sorry, Sir.”
He released her nipples and wrapped his arms around her, whispering into her ear, “Have we ever left you wanting?”
“No, Sir. I didn’t mean to be impatient.”
“I know. That’s why I let your first comment slide. But you issued two orders, not one.”
She thought back, not even sure what she’d said.
“I asked her a question,” Dare interjected. “All she did was answer me.”
“No.” Rook left one arm wrapped around her waist as he covered her mound with the other. “She answered your question, then ordered you to fill her up.”
“That’s true.” Dare smiled at her, but something dark and demanding stirred within his eyes. “Have you been naughty, mate? Should Rook punish you?”
No longer afraid of their discipline, she returned Dare’s smile. “Yes, Sir. I’ve been very naughty. Rook is right to punish me.”
Rook nipped her earlobe then rubbed her clit until she moaned helplessly. “I love it when you see things my way.”
“She comes harder after a little pain,” Dare pointed out.
“Is that true, mate?” Rook drew back his hand and slapped her pussy, just hard enough to make her gasp.
“Yes, Sir.” Her slit warmed with stinging pleasure, making her long for more of his harsh treatment. “I didn’t understand it at first, but it’s definitely true.”
Still steadying her with his arm, Rook shifted his body away from hers then spanked her bottom with fast, hard swats. Pain spread quickly, then heat sank deep into the muscles. She arched her back, instinctively rolling to the balls of her feet.
“Feet flat,” he ordered. “Hold still and accept your punishment.”
“Yes, Sir.” She forced the words out between her clenched teeth, fighting hard not to clench her butt cheeks. Predictably, her core tightened and released, responding to his discipline. She needed to be filled, needed to pleasure them in any way they demanded.
Dare moved back in front of her and tilted her head back. “Is he making you wet?”
“Yes, Sir. He always does.”
“Always?” Rook challenged. “Even when we fucked you in front of everyone? Did that excite our naughty little mate?”
“I was upset because I’d failed you, but the humiliation was strangely arousing.” She was beyond pretense and denials. She was submissive to the marrow of her bones and she didn’t care what anyone else thought about
it.
Rook slapped her pussy again, a bit harder this time. “Good, because I loved showing off how well you submit. I might find reason to do so again.”
Dare caught her nipples and carefully twisted them, making the sensitive tips tingle and burn. “Would you like that, mate?”
“Yes, Sir. My body belongs to you two. You can use me whenever you choose.”
They both growled and Rook pulled her head around, rewarding her with a deep, demanding kiss. As soon as his mouth released, Dare kissed her just as passionately. “Are you ready to be claimed, Jessica? Do you want this to be permanent?”
“Yes, Sir.” She looked at one and then the other before she added, “I want that more than anything.”
Rook swept her up into his arms. “Release the cuffs from the chains, but leave her restrained.” Dare quickly complied.
Rook carried her back into the master bedroom. Jessica cuddled into his warmth, secure in the strength of his arms. He placed her in the middle of the bed then stretched her arms above her head. She looked up to see what he was doing and found him fastening cables to the cuffs. The cables were secured to the bedframe, allowing her some movement but not much. She wanted to touch them badly, but knew better than to ask. When they were ready to be touched, they’d release her and not before.
They stood at the foot of the makeshift bed, frantically undressing. She watched them, fascinated by the similarities and the differences. They were both muscular, but Dare was leaner than Rook. Their features were similar. It was easy to see that they were brothers. Dare’s beard gave him a rakish appeal, while Rook looked harsher, more severe.
Rook knelt on the floor and grabbed the backs of her knees. He drew her toward him until her arms stretched tight and the cables had no more give. Then he pushed her legs up and out, opening her thighs wide. “You have permission to come. Your pleasure will intensify ours.” Then he lowered his head between her thighs and sealed his mouth over her slit. His tongue pushed between her folds and quickly located her clit.
She was so excited already, it took her about three seconds to come. Pleasure hit her in a short burst. Her inner muscles tightened, then the sensations quickly faded away. “I’m sorry, Sir.”