by Jessica Snow
The outer perimeter is simple wire fence, with motion sensors that are effectively useless in this weather, the wind is kicking up too much debris. While Taven and I move around to the north side, Rebbie goes to the west, where she's going to breach the fence once we get the slavers attention. It's supposed to be a small outfit, family based like a lot of slaver companies, six people total.
“Ready?” I ask Taven, who nods, grinning. “Let's go.”
We go right up to the front door, kicking in the door of the main building, setting off an alarm. There's a single Tamarian man at a monitor panel, but he doesn't have time to do anything before the powerlance in my right hand it pointed at his head. “Let's not, and say we did.”
The man nods, holding up his hands. “We're just a small group, we won't cause any problems. Just don't hurt anyone.”
“That's my idea too,” I reply. “Now, get everyone down here, wake them up if you have to.”
“My son's going to be out on the perimeter, checking for any friends you might have brought,” the Tamarian says. “I'll need to get on my radio.”
I nod, thumbing my power switch. “PA only.”
The man hits the switch, getting on a microphone that's on his desk. “Everyone, please come to my office. My office, please.”
Rebbie's right by the door when another four people come in, two women and two men. “Where's the sixth? We were told you have six people in your crew.”
“Ah, my sister went into town on the hoverbike, she's got a boyfriend there,” one of the younger Tamarians says. “The weather went bad, so she's staying the night.”
“Let's hope you're right,” I reply, stepping back. I holster my left hand powerlance and trigger my collar radio. “Rebbie?”
“Yeah?” Rebbie says, the wind whistling on her end. “I've got half of them out.”
“Good. Keep your eyes peeled, there might be one more in the area. Family says she's in town, but still.”
“Gotcha. One minute, and I'll have the rest of them out.”
“Keep me up to date.” I turn to the slavers, and look around at the family. They look like any other normal family, maybe slightly work worn, but I've seen farmers who look similar. So what brought them into this line of horrible work? “Advice: get out of slaving. Take what you've got, go sell used hover transports or do farming, something other than this.”
“This is all we know,” one of the women says, fright and anger mixing in her voice. “What are we supposed to do, starve?”
“At least you haven't been raped by a noblewoman who years before was saying she was your friend,” I tell her. “You have your dignity, at least. Now, don't come after us. We've got more than powerlances.”
The Tamarians say nothing, but I can see them getting angrier. When Rebbie beeps three times, the signal that everyone's out, I tap Taven on the back. “Come on, let's go.”
We back out, running down the short hallway towards the front door. I'm in the lead, Taven right behind me when I hear the spiraling whine of a railgun being fired, and suddenly I'm covered in wetness. The concussion of the hypersonic round ripping through the air right behind me makes me stagger forward, and I turn, seeing carnage filling the doorway. All that's identifiable from Taven's body is his lower legs, both of which stand fixed to the ground in a grisly sense of irony. The Tamarian woman who'd asked me what they were supposed to do is holding the gun in her arms, anger and horror written on her face. I doubt she's ever fired that fucking thing before, and even she didn't realize the results.
I'm not even thinking, I'm just angry as I fire my right handed powerlance, the plasma charge burning into the woman's chest even before I have my left handed lance out of its holster, this one fires seeker projectiles. I keep pulling the trigger on my right hand, the plasma balls shooting out and booming through the air as they crackle and impact on people, on equipment, everything. It isn't until my right lance stops firing that I realize I've drained it. The room looks like... I turn and puke, stumbling out into the cold wind and running towards the shuttle transport. Once on board, Rebbie comforts me as best she can as we lift off, but I'm the mission commander, there's nobody here that can comfort me.
“He was a good man.”
I look up from the picture on the desk in front of me, seeing Tauren standing in the doorway. I'm using the former base commander's office, after telling Jensen about what happened and getting a shower, I haven't wanted to see anyone. Even Jensen, when he came by, left after I told him I didn't want company.
Tauren though... for some reason he's different. “Taven was the first person I spoke to at the mountain base, he brought me a coat and escorted Mathias and me from the royal transport to the base itself. I didn't talk with him much after that, but when Jensen asked for volunteers, he was right there, even if it was my first mission. And I got him killed.”
“I talked with Jensen, and with Rebbie. They said that you did everything exactly according to plan. You wanted to go in surgically and get the slaves out with no loss of life. You did everything exactly right.”
I pick up the display flexi with Taven's picture on it and hurl it across the room at Tauren, where it bounces off his chest. “Tell that to him. Tell that to his family. He's got a sister in another cell, over by the ocean. It's a miracle really that they both escaped slavery, but it's true. Jensen confirmed it for me himself. I wrote her a letter... but... but....”
The emotions are too much, and the room double, triples as tears well up in my eyes and I start to cry. I've held it in for the whole shuttle ride back, and through the shower, and through the letter to Taven's sister. But now, I can't be strong any more. Instead, I howl my anger, sadness and sorrow into my hands, wishing only to have it all go away. “There wasn't enough to even bring back!”
“I know,” Tauren says, coming over. He lifts me to my feet and holds me, his warm skin and body so close. “I know, my beautiful Audra. When the first reports came in that someone had gotten killed on the mission.... I was so worried.”
“I... I killed them all, Tauren! The whole fucking family, I killed them, no thought, no mercy, just.... dead!”
Tauren rubs my back gently as I sob again, his breath warm against the top of my head. “I know,” he finally says. “I would have done the same thing. If anyone hurts you, Audra,” Tauren says breaking off mid-sentence.
I wrap my arms around Tauren, needing his strength and comfort. I don't know who makes the first move, I just know that the next thing I'm aware of is his eyes, calm and powerful, and I reach up, kissing him. His lips are soft, but his hands strong as he lifts me under my hips effortlessly, setting me on the desk and kissing my neck.
I have never been kissed the way Tauren kisses my neck and body, his mouth hungry as he peels away my tunic, revealing my upper body to him. He drinks me in with his eyes, and before I can hide my scars or even shift he kisses me again, pushing me onto the desk and crawling on top of me. He pins me to the desk, ravishing my lips and neck before kissing to my breasts, undoing the clasp on my bra and freeing them.
I've never thought my scars were sexy before, but Tauren's tongue is magic on each one of them, tracing them up to the star between my breasts before he kisses over, wrapping his tongue around my left nipple and tugging. I never realized how long a Tamarian's tongue is, or maybe it's just Tauren's, but I'm moaning thickly, my sadness being burned away or maybe just overshadowed by the heat of the fire building inside me. I pull at Tauren's tunic, and he shifts back, sitting up on his knees and unzipping it, sliding it off to show me for the first time his naked skin.
Heaven and stars he's flawless, the dusky rose of his natural color outlining each muscle, supple and firm. I'm surprised when I see a tattoo on his chest, wrapping from his heart up and over his shoulder, intricate and artistic. “I... I thought only slaves wore tattoos.”
“I chose this for my own reasons,” Tauren says, pulling me up. His hands go to his belt, and he discards his powerlance while I do the same, undoing o
ur pants at the same time. He's not wearing anything underneath, his cock surging out deep red and warm. I reach down and wrap my hand around him, stroking his velvety soft skin, amazed at how powerful and soft he is at the same time. My pussy is flooding with arousal as Tauren takes my hand away and reaches for the button on my pants, undoing the clasp and with my help easing them down my legs along with my underwear and boots. Tauren blinks, looking at my smooth pussy. “I thought only nobles shaved themselves.”
“I chose this for my own reasons,” I echo in reply, and Tauren's eyes literally sparkle as he leans down, kissing the inside of my thighs before his tongue traces the lips of my pussy. I cry out softly, but pull back, causing Tauren to look up in question. “I want that cock.”
Tauren's smile as he slides onto the desk, pulling my hips above his devilish tongue makes my stomach flutter. His cock is right in front of my lips, and as I lick him, he licks me, my body shivering it feels so good. We make love to each other with our mouths, when I suck him deep his tongue snakes deep inside me, impossibly deep to twist and taste my deepest folds, and when I let my tongue flutter around the thick mushroom head, his tongue tickles my clit until I'm groaning, grinding down on his mouth as his hands squeeze my ass. I've never felt anyone, even Mathias with all his sexual training, do anything like what Tauren's doing, and I ride his mouth, his tongue making me cry out softly, over and over, moaning deeply as my legs start to shake.
My first orgasm crashes on me like I've never felt before. Other than touching myself I haven't had a lover since escaping six months before, and I'm primed, my body racked with spasms as Tauren keeps licking, his tongue fluttering over my clit until I'm sobbing it feels so good. I can't breathe, but Tauren doesn't let up, only shifts as he pulls out from under me and pulls my nearly limp body to the edge of the desk.
“You still want my cock?” he growls, his tone of voice changing. He's in command here, not because of him being Tamarian and me human, but because he's Tauren. He's a Prince even without the crown, and as he doesn't wait for my answer but sinks deep into me, I submit to his command.
He's not rough, like I thought he might be after the rumble in his voice. Instead he takes his time, long slow strokes followed by short ones, our hips slapping together as he takes my body. When I arch up at one of the deep thrusts he pulls me to him, his skin warm and his breath rasping as he tastes the sweat on my skin. “I've wanted you for weeks now. You're beautiful.”
“You... I want you too,” I admit, my eyes fluttering shut as he cups my breasts while his cock thrusts in and out. I'm rolling, caught in the wave of passion between us as he rides me. We start to speed up and he pushes my upper body back onto the desk, his hips moving faster, with deeper, driven intent. I push back into him, squeezing down on Tauren's cock as we both give in to each other. I'm moved, opened up in a way I've never had before. Tauren is giving as much as he's taking, fully in command of me but not dominating, not hurting me. Instead the pleasure is so deep and huge that I'm crying, smiling and moaning all at the same time. “Tauren... oh stars yes... deep, so deep....”
Tauren's hips move faster and harder, my eyes flying open as electricity shoots through my body. He's powerful, more than any other man I've had, and my heart stops in my chest for a moment before I'm coming again, my pussy clamping around his thick cock as Tauren hammers into me once, twice, a third time... and then he's coming too, his cock hot and deep inside me, filling me with his come. Oh stars it's never been this good, never.
I don't know how long it is before I'm aware of things again, but I know that Tauren's pulled me down onto the floor with him, his skin warm and slightly damp from our sex induced sweat as he cradles me in his arms, his cock limp now. I can feel a little bit of his come leaking out of me, and it for some reason makes me a little sad. “Audra....”
“Shhhh....” I whisper, closing my eyes and resting against his chest. “Whatever is going to happen will happen. But give me this moment, please. Just this moment, if nothing else.”
Tauren nods, and kisses my forehead. “Rest, beautiful woman. I will protect you and keep you safe.”
I sigh happily and settle against him, knowing that he's lying, but that it's not his fault. And I have this moment, I'll take it.
Chapter Fourteen
Tauren
I don't know what I was thinking. Regardless of how much I've been attracted to Audra, to take advantage of her when she was sobbing? Heaven and stars (now there's a phrase I've picked up from her!), she'd just finished scrubbing the blood of her friend off her own skin and out of her hair!
And I go and seduce her. Even now, a day after the fact as we eat breakfast, I'm racked by guilt. It isn't that I don't want her. I still do, and she's the only woman who has seen my tattoo outside my family or the household slaves of the royal palace. I've always worn a regular undershirt before. But Audra, it never crossed my mind to not show myself fully to her. To show her the symbol of my independence, my symbol of my own rebellion against my parents and the symbol of my desire to stand on my own.
I seduced her, I held her and instead of just offering comfort, I had to let my hands do what they wanted. I had to kiss her, I had to.... I had to go and take advantage of her, just like Tamarians have been taking advantage of humans since time immemorial. Fuck, she even told me about what happened to her! She told me about Mathias, and what Neyilla did to her..... and I go and seduce her.
But I didn't fuck her, I know that much. That knowledge, more than anything else, twists in my gut as I look across the dining hall at Audra, who gives me a hesitant smile while I get my food and intentionally head out of the dining hall, going back to the scene of my crime to eat in silence. After I finish, I take my plates back to the dining hall, dropping them off before I decide to help out washing up, relieving the people on duty with my offer. With the new recruits that the raid yesterday brought in, twenty-five in all, the process takes nearly an hour.
“What are you doing?” Audra asks softly behind me as I wipe my hands clean. “I didn't take you for the dishwashing type.”
“I... I just wanted to help out. Other than when Jensen's got a question for me, I seem to spend most of my days either working out, thinking, or trying to avoid getting shot by one of Mathias' people.”
Audra steps in closer, her eyes full of feeling. “Tauren, you're much more than that.”
She reaches for my face, but I step back, I don't want to take advantage of her again. “Uh, I think I'm going to go get a workout in. Jensen showed me some stuff that he found, and then I'm going to try and get in touch with Mogar, find out what in the world's going on with the Noble Council and my father. Excuse me.”
I leave the kitchen and head back to the small gym, stripping off my tunic as soon as I'm inside. I start with the movements of the gentle way, they are both a meditation and can be a good warm up for me. The problem is, even as Audra reached for me in the kitchen, I wanted to lean into her caress, to pull her close. But she doesn't understand how dangerous that is. She doesn't understand the murderous glares that I get from Mathias and his band of blacksuits. I wasn't joking when I told her that I've started to use techniques to avoid being cornered by groups of blacksuits. I might be able to take any man in this base in a fair fight, but I'm not superhuman, I'm not going to avoid a severe beating from five people at once.
On the other hand, my feelings.... I've told Mother, Father, and everyone else who is willing to listen that I would only bring a woman into my bed if I had feelings for her, and right this second, I'm considering Audra the finest woman I've ever known. She may be human, but she's as beautiful as Neyilla or any Tamarian woman I've ever met, and even more. She's strong, she's smart, she's sensitive and tough at the same time. If she were a Tamarian noblewoman, I'd have found my Queen, search over, book the cathedral.
Wait, did I just say that I would take Audra as my Queen? I stop my warmups and think for a few moments, and decide that yes, if given the option, I would bring Audra with me to th
e throne. “I think that even Mogar would shit himself if he heard me,” I laugh to the empty room. “Maybe he can give me a little bit of guidance.”
I go back to my warmups and when they're finished, I go over to the bar that's attached to the overhead beam, doing pullups. Without Jensen or someone else here to ensure my safety I cannot do any exercise where I could get pinned underneath a bar, so chest movements are mostly out, but I've always found the back to be so intriguing for exercise. There's so many muscles, and they move the back and body in a lot of different ways. I start adding weight, adding ten kilograms at a time until I get to fifty kilograms, and then keep going in sets until I can't do them anymore. I drop down before stretching out, putting the plates away when I hear the door open, and Jensen comes in.
“How's that compare to doing those with grav pods?” he asks, but there's tension in his voice. I wonder, does he know? I know that I tried to clean up the desk in the office just outside this gym after I helped Audra get dressed last night, but.... maybe I made a mistake?
“I have to be more careful with dropping off the bar,” I reply, trying to keep my cool. Jensen doesn't have to know, if he doesn't already. “The attachment for the plates makes them jerk on the hips when you let go. The grav pods I'm used to have a safety override on them, if I'm falling they actually shut off.”
“I've used sets like that,” Jensen says, shrugging off his tunic. “Hey, what's going on between you and Audra?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, keeping my nonchalance. I've played this game before, at the noble court, and while Jensen might be good among the Resistance, I'm a master at it from the toughest place on Tamaria to learn the game, the royal palace. It's a skill that most people don't have, the ability to keep everything behind a calm face. Most of the members of the Resistance are no good at it, although I can tell who had more severe owners than those whose owners were more forgiving, or those who came from free backgrounds. Jensen though has been living a double life for probably close to ten years, or at least as long as the Resistance has been in existence, and he's been trained and educated by Mogar. It's another form of sparring between us, although I think I still hold the advantage.