Deep, Hard, and Rough

by Jenika Snow

  “Shit,” Raimi said as a fresh wave of her fear slammed into them.

  Her gaze flicked over him and then to Genet and Raimi.

  “Fallina.” He held his hands out in front, hoping to appear non-threatening. He noticed the way her throat worked as she swallowed. “You remember us from the tavern?” She swallowed again, but did a firm, and quick nod of her head. “Good, that’s real good, Fallina.”

  “That’s not my name.” She took a step back. “What does that mean? Slave?”

  Slave?

  He looked back at his brothers, saw their identical looks of confusion, and faced Luna again. Then it clicked into place that she had initially thought they meant to keep her as a slave. Whether they were royalty or not, her fear had her thinking the worst. Of course he couldn’t blame her, not when it was clear she had been living a nightmare. “No, no. It is just an endearment in my language. It means dearest one.”

  Her brows dipped low, and she glanced at the ground. Her mouth moved, but he couldn’t hear what she said.

  “Luna?” She snapped her head up and looked at him. Her eyes seemed so very blue compared to her too pale face and the dark circles directly below them. He took a step closer and was thankful she didn’t move away. “You should lie back down, and give yourself time to heal. That is all we want, to have you whole again.”

  She took a step back when he moved forward this time. “We have no intentions of hurting you.”

  “We only want to take care of you.” Genet stepped beside Erak, his voice coaxing and gentle. Genet had always been the calmest out of the three of them, whereas Raimi was the outgoing and playful one. Erak had been called many things: ruthless, commanding, domineering, but never had he been gentle, not like his brothers. But the longer he was in Luna’s presence he wanted to give her everything he had.

  He held his hands out further, and took one more step closer. They were only separated a body length apart, and the saccharine scent of her filled his lungs as he inhaled deeply. “You have nothing to fear. We will not harm you.” He told her again, hoping that if she heard it enough times maybe she would understand they spoke the truth. But Erak didn’t blame her for the wariness she felt. She was from that fucking rotten planet, and who knew the horrors she had seen on a daily basis. He tried once more to soften his voice, to not be too rough in speaking. Just the fact his mate was right in front of him, had the primal part of him rising and wanting to go to her. He felt guilt for his physical reaction to her, that his dick was harder than the steel that surrounded them, because the state she was in should have had the fucker inverting. “You remember what we are called?”

  Her brows knitted again, and he realized asking her too many questions right now would be draining for her. “I am Erak.” He heard her heart beat faster, but not from being frightened but because she remembered. Pleasure over that filled him.

  “Yes, I remember.” Her voice was nothing more than a whisper. “And you are Genet, and you Raimi.” His brothers both shifted, and he sensed their pleasure as well. Their mate knew them, called them by their names, and that was one fucking heady sensation. “What…” She licked her lips. “What do you plan on doing with me? I won’t be sold. I’ll fight until I’m dead before that ever happens.”

  “Fallina, I told you that is not our intent.”

  Her strength and resolve were commendable, but it didn’t stop the possessive side of him from shifting violently inside of him. Just the thought of someone thinking they had the right to sell her, of another male touching her, and being with her, had an animal instinct in him needing to kill something. Thinking of another male that wasn’t one of his brothers just being in her presence had him curling his hands into fists. He breathed out harshly.

  “You are not being sold, Fallina.” His words were too harsh, because she flinched. Taking a deep breath, he spoke again, softer this time. “I just mean we would never let anyone harm you.”

  “Why? I am a stowaway on your ship, a thief.” Her eyes grew wide again as she looked at them. Tears started to gather in her eyes, and he cursed. He was in uncharted waters here, and he didn’t know how to proceed and not make things worse.

  “You’re ours, Luna, but not in the way you I know you’re thinking. We don’t want a slave, do not want a robotic female to do what we say.”

  Genet put his hand on his shoulder, urging him to stop without words. Erak should have given her time to recoup, but her fear for them had something inside of him snapping, and all he could think about was making the declaration that she was their mate.

  “Brother, you’re pushing too fast. Give her time.”

  Raimi’s voice didn’t pierce the determination inside of Erak. He shrugged off Genet’s hand and took another step forward. She still had the wide-eyed look on her face.

  “Do you understand what I’m saying, Luna?” She didn’t respond, just stood there with the sound of her little heart beating a frantic tattoo and filling the small space. “You’re our mate, all three of us, and the only thing we want to do is protect you, cherish you, and make sure you are always protected.”

  He took yet another step, and another, until he was only a foot from her. The wall was right behind her, so even if she wanted to escape she couldn’t, but strangely enough there was only a deep rooted confusion over the situation, and rightly so.

  “This is fast, and I know very hard to accept and understand, but even being a human you know when a male of any species finds his mate, there is nothing that will make him leave her side.” They breathed the same air, shared the same body heat, and stared into each other’s eyes. Genet’s and Raimi’s presences were fierce behind him, and their worry that he pushed her too fast and hard beat at his back, but they didn’t stop him, and smartly so. They may be physically matched in height and strength, but they lacked the ruthlessness that consumed Erak.

  “Tell me you understand what I am saying, Fallina. Even though it is hard to accept, tell me you understand that from this point on. The three of us will never allow anyone to harm you, and if they do, blood will bathe our bodies as we destroy them.”

  She stared at him, and her expression was one of understanding even if she didn’t respond right away. “Yes, I understand what you’re saying.”

  “Tell us who hurt you.” Genet stepped beside Erak. His brother’s fists were clenched tight at his sides.

  She licked her lips, and he couldn’t help but feel his groin tighten at the sight. “I don’t understand why you care.” She looked at all of them, and it was apparent she was honestly surprised they wanted to know.

  “We want to know so we can make sure it never happens again.” Genet spoke between gritted teeth.

  It took her a moment to answer, but when she did her voice was strained. “It doesn’t matter. Not anymore.” An emotion he couldn’t place laced her voice. “I’m pretty sure I killed the male who hurt me.”

  Chapter Seven

  The only thing Luna could do was stare at Erak. Oh, she remembered all three of them very well, but never had she felt such intensity come from another being. Erak’s words not only held firm, but he made them sound like what he said was law. He was royalty, the eldest and next in line for the throne of his people, so she had no doubts he got what he wanted when he wanted. And what he wanted was her, all three of them did. They also wanted to know who had harmed her, but she didn’t see the point in it now. Maximo was dead, of that she was sure. She had told them, and all three of them just stared at her. The silence stretched on and on, and she shifted on her feet. The last thing she remembered seeing was his blood seeping from his throat and making a grotesque pool around his head.

  She had run away from imprisonment, but what Erak was saying was that she was their mate, and she did know what that meant to any species. She couldn’t taste freedom and have these huge warriors that she was theirs. If she knew anything it was that when a male found their female they were possessive and territorial, and she could look into all three of their faces
and see that was how they felt toward her. No, she couldn’t be anyone’s mate. She wanted her own life, and that meant wherever they landed she would be off this ship, and finding her own way in the world. She didn’t need a male, and didn’t even know these three before her. They were the biggest, most powerful beings she had come across, and they were right before her, telling her everything she didn’t want to hear.

  “You killed the male who did this to you?” Erak lifted his hand and gestured to her. She nodded because her throat was suddenly so tight and dry. He stared at her, his violet eyes so piercing she couldn’t seem to hold his gaze for long. A muscle under his jaw ticked, as if he was angry at her words. “Good.”

  That certainly wasn’t what she expected him to say. He took another step closer. The smirk he gave her made her think of an arrogant male, and whatever he was thinking about had her insides tightening. She could only imagine what they were. He may set her blood on fire with just a look, as did Genet and Raimi, but she couldn’t be theirs, ever. And that was exactly what his expression spoke of.

  “Fallina.” His eyes dipped down to her lips, and she couldn’t help but lick them. This wasn’t her, to melt for a male with just a look, to want their hands on her when she should be running away from the possessive gleam in their eyes. “You’re so strong, yet so fragile.” Erak’s voice was low, his eyes still on her mouth. “You’re ours, Luna.” She looked over at Raimi and Genet, and at least they had the decency to look wary, like they knew Erak was going too far.

  “I am not a possession.” One of his dark eyebrows arched at the last part. She meant to sound fierce, but her voice had come out soft.

  “I never claimed you to be a possession. I told you that you’re our mate, and that is not something we take lightly.” He let his eyes travel up and down her body, and a shiver ran up her spine. “We tended to you because it was our desire, need, and duty as your mates to care for you, and we couldn’t have done it any other way.” He took a determined step toward her. “We will watch over you, care for you, and treat you like the treasure you are.” He lifted his hand and brushed the very tip of his finger along her bare shoulder. A shiver raced up her spine at that very gentle touch. “Luna, tell me what I want to hear, surrender this one thing to me and I promise you, we all do, that everything will be okay. Just give us what we want, what we gave, little one.”

  She couldn’t hear past the pounding in her ears. “And what is it that you want?”

  He stared into her eyes, and she watched in awe as the violet irises appeared to spark to life, becoming a rare crystal of intensity and power. “Your submission. Your acceptance. But most of all … your trust.” His words could have been so sweet and she would have melted right then over them, but the way he said them, as if he had no doubt she would just accept what they said, didn’t set well with her.

  “I just escaped from a life of servitude, and don’t have any intentions of belonging to anyone but myself.”

  The bastard smirked at her, actually smirked. He took a step back, and she couldn’t help how her eyes widened when she saw how aroused he was. His erection was huge as it pressed against his leather pants. She had just told him she didn’t belong to anyone, yet he was still aroused.

  “Erak, you’re pushing her. Ease up, brother.” Genet’s voice was calm, but Erak just grinned broader.

  “Genet, I am what I am, and I am who I am. And the sooner our mate realizes that, the better.”

  “Erak, she is still healing, and the things you’re saying—” Erak held up his hand and stopped Raimi from finishing. “Luna, is what I’m saying making you uncomfortable?”

  Was it? She was uncomfortable, but it wasn’t because he was directing those statements at her, but because she was feeling her body betray her from hearing them. The corner of his mouth kicked up, and she knew she wouldn’t have to answer, because he knew.

  “You see, Luna, your body knows that you were born to be our mate, even if your mind is having trouble realizing that right now.” He smiled, his straight white teeth reminding her of the predators their species truly was. “And when it comes to my mate standing right before me, her body knowing what it wants, but her mind being stubborn, I will do everything in my power to make you realize and understand what you want here.” He placed a large hand on her chest, right over her heart. Luna was so stunned by his actions all she could do was stand there and stare at him. “Right now your heart beats wildly, because you can sense who and what we are to you.” He leaned in ever so slightly until their lips were an inch from each other. “And you can run from anything you want, but never from us. You are our mate.” His eyes lowered so that he was staring at her mouth. “And when the time comes when you come to us, accepting what is inevitable, it will be the sweetest of all things.”

  Luna held her head higher and stared Erak in the eye. Shame and desire warred within her, and self-disgust that she was so very wet between her thighs moved inside of her like another entity. They could smell it, smell how much she wanted them even though she was furious, and that had humiliation filling her. His cockiness was astounding.

  “I could never be yours, not in the way you want me to be.” Her voice was soft, but she made sure to keep her words clear and to the point. Maybe she was being ungrateful, but there was a part of her that refused to bend to this male that expected everyone to bow before him.

  A low, deadly rumble left his chest, and she swallowed roughly. Had she pushed him too far with her defiance? They had saved her, after all, but she couldn’t go back to living as something that was ornamental. She wanted her freedom, but would these alpha males allow it?

  Forcing herself not to cry from her turbulent emotions, she licked her lips and flicked her eyes to the other two men standing stoically behind Erak. Genet and Raimi were just as physically superior as their brother, but unlike Erak they could actually wield a gentler disposition and not be so intimidating and blunt. “I just want to be free.”

  The muscles under his cheeks ticked as he ground his teeth, and she knew she should have kept her mouth shut. They had saved her, and made it clear she was their mate and would stay with them, and here she was acting ungrateful. But in her defense she felt she had every right to feel this way, to not bow down and let another dictate how her life should be. He may say she wasn’t a prisoner, but a treasure to them, but in reality how much leeway could they give her when she wanted nothing but freedom?

  Erak moved back, and she could see his unrestrained anger. She knew he wouldn’t harm her, could feel that he wanted to do the opposite … protect. That didn’t mean the aggression and testosterone that came from him didn’t frighten her all the same.

  “You think we mean to keep you in a cage like a pretty little bird?” His voice was low, deadly, and she pressed herself fully against the wall. Genet and Raimi glanced at each other warily, and their reaction had her growing even more uncomfortable. They moved closer to their brother and each laid a hand on his shoulder.

  “Brother, calm down,” Genet said softly, but Erak shoved their touch off and lowered his head but kept his eyes on her.

  “Well, Luna, answer me. Is that what you think, Fallina, that we intend to keep you our unwilling little captive, to have our wicked, filthy alien ways with you?”

  God, did she? She looked between the three brothers, and knew, in her heart, that Genet and Raimi would be gentle, coaxing, if she ever agreed to any such acts with them. It was strange, to say the least, because she didn’t know these males, and certainly had no way of knowing what they were capable of. Then she looked back into Erak’s powerfully pulling violet eyes, and knew that if she ever gave herself to a male like him, she would be ruined, but in a way that would make her scream out in pleasure and beg for more. Did she really want to let herself be consumed by male like that? She hadn’t even touched them, or let them touch her, yet she just knew that if she ever did, that would be the end of it.

  The thoughts that played in her mind had her feeling disgu
st and hatred for herself and for Erak because he made her feel this way. How could these men confuse her in such a way that thoughts of her independence, running in an open field without the fear of being followed, and enjoying the sun upon her face, vanish so quickly?

  Luna knew about different species finding their mates, going territorial and possessive and carrying the females back to their lairs. And even if the Aktullas weren’t like that, she couldn’t allow that, wouldn’t allow her mind or body to be taken. Even though her body was on fire, and the image of being under these three powerful built and physically superior men played through her like a broken hologram recording, she refused to back down. The escape had changed something inside of her, forced her out of the victim role and into a survivor.

  “Yes, that is what I think, and I won’t let it happen.” She straightened her shoulders and made herself appear strong and warrior-like even if she didn’t particularly feel that way at the moment.

  Erak took a step forward, and when Genet and Raimi followed suit as if they meant to stop him, he held up his hand. They halted immediately, but she didn’t miss how their bodies were tense, waiting for what would happen next. Erak stepped closer to her, so close that she felt his body heat surround her, and smelled the scent of him wash through her. Placing his massive hands on the wall on either side of her head, he leaned in so close she swore their lips brushed together. He may look human, but that was the only thing their kind had in common. In front of her was an animal, one that smelled her every emotion, felt her every tremble, and wanted all of her, whether she agreed or not. His cockiness infuriated her, but she would be lying if she didn’t admit it also had her growing wetter. He closed his eyes, and the way he inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring slightly, let her know he was very aware of what his presence did to her. When he opened them again a gasp left her at the way the purple of his eyes glowed brightly, and of the way his pupils dilated right in front of her.