Their Defiant Human

by Ivy Barrett

“Because I understand what’s at stake better than anyone on Stilox or Protaria.” He sounded anything but proud of the claim. “Wake her up.”

  Roark filled a mister with the counteragent to the one Mal Ton had administered. Even with a transpace jump, the trip from Earth to Stilox took forty-three hours. A splitting headache frequently accompanied this combination of chemicals so he added an analgesic to the mix. He grabbed his portable bioscanner and studied the readouts before he administered the mist. Everything appeared normal.

  “Is she all right?” Mal Ton asked. “She has been out quite a while.”

  “She’s fine. Be ready to grab her if she tries to run. Stranger things have happened.” After spreading Mal Ton’s coat back over her body, Roark held the canister under her nose and expelled the mist. She moaned and turned her face away. He watched the readouts carefully. Her heart rate increased and her respiration accelerated, but both remained within the acceptable range.

  * * *

  Pain forced Andrea from the darkness. Her brain seemed to buzz within her skull. Raising both hands to her head, she groaned and pulled air into her lungs. “Where am I?” Her voice sounded raspy and thin.

  “Just relax. Let the compound work. Your head will clear in a moment.”

  She didn’t recognize the man’s voice so she tried to open her eyes and light stabbed into her brain.

  “Lights down fifty percent.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered automatically, trying to clear the cobwebs from her mind. “Who are you? Did you bring me here?” Images rolled through her memory, disjointed and confusing. The gala. Smiling faces and sparkling champagne. Had she drunk too much? Mal Ton stood behind her on the transport, thrusting his fingers deep into her pussy while she clutched the seatbacks and cried out in pleasure. And he’d spanked her. No one had ever dared to lay a hand on her before. It was humiliating and disconcerting, yet… She refused to dwell on her confusing reaction to his aggression.

  “Is your head clearing?”

  She tried to focus on the stranger. What was his connection to Mal Ton? “Are you avoiding my questions?”

  “Apparently so.” He offered his hand and helped her sit. “Would you like something to drink?”

  “I’d like some answers.” She clutched a heavy black coat against her breasts and panic shot through her system. She was naked! Where were her clothes? Her gaze swept the room. She had never been here before. The bed was rather large for the small space and the sleek furniture contoured to the walls. She spotted Mal Ton lounging against the wall to her left and another spurt of adrenaline sent her heart racing. He’d crossed his arms over his chest and a salacious smile curved his lips. “That man drugged me! Where the hell am I?”

  “Lights full.” She blinked repeatedly while her eyes adjusted. “I’m Doctor Roark Talbot. Commander Adoha posed as your bodyguard in order to—”

  “Drug and kidnap me!” Andrea finished for him. Despite the pounding in her head, she crawled off the other side of the bed and searched for anything she could use as a weapon. “I want him arrested.” Her gaze darted to the door and the room spun in a sickening rush. She reached blindly for support, the dizziness not hindering her tirade. “If you return me to the Medicort space station immediately, I won’t bring charges against you. Mal Ton on the other hand…”

  She wasn’t given the opportunity to complete the threat. Mal Ton bounded across the bed and pinned her against the wall with the weight of his big body. The doctor watched in uncomfortable silence, disapproving of the commander’s actions perhaps but unwilling to interfere.

  Information came back in muddled fragments. Mal Ton had introduced himself as a commander. She still didn’t know what he commanded.

  Anger burning through the fog in her mind, she turned the full force of her hostility on Mal Ton. “There is no way you’ll get away with this. I have family and friends. Director Sanchez will call the president when Medicort security can’t locate me.”

  “You’re allowing professional arrogance to cloud your thinking.” He held up his hand to ward off her instantaneous objection. “How was I able to walk into a top secret facility and fly away with you?”

  Realization kicked her in the chest and she sagged against the wall. No one was going to rescue her. This wasn’t the start of an interplanetary incident. She’d been traded to these aliens like chattel.

  “I was set up.” Tears stung her eyes so she quickly averted her gaze. “Sanchez won’t call the president because they both know exactly where I am.”

  “You’re beginning to see the picture.”

  “Who are you?” She could no longer tell which was pounding harder, her heart or her head. The wall was cold against her back and his body was incredibly hot. “Am I still on Earth? How long was I unconscious?”

  He shifted his stance, fitting his hips more tightly against her belly while leaning back so he could look into her eyes. “You know the answers, Andrea. Think back. None of this is really a surprise.”

  “You’re one of them, one of General Bryson’s Protarians?”

  “General Bryson doesn’t represent the Protarians, he is a Protarian. He allowed you to believe he was human to make you feel more comfortable until he could determine what your decision was likely to be.” Brushing his knuckles across her cheek, he teased her with feather-light touches. “But you’re on the right track.” He chuckled. “You’re even in the right star system.”

  Her anger swelled with a far different focus as he soothed her with his touch. She’d been betrayed by her own government. The people she trusted for protection and representation had traded her like a commodity for land grants and renewable energy.

  “Where does my family think I am?”

  “They were told you accepted the Protarians’ offer and that your cooperation will result in a colonization opportunity that could well save your planet. They realize everything about the project is classified. Any mention of your whereabouts or the nature of your assignment will be considered treason.”

  “Such a tidy little trap.” She shook her head, disgusted by her gullibility. “How could I have been so stupid?”

  “Why are you being so stubborn?” Roark drew her attention away from Mal Ton. “That’s a far better question. I don’t condone kidnapping, but I don’t understand why you’ve withheld your assistance from us.”

  Shifting her gaze to the other man, she ignored the heat swirling through her abdomen. What was it about these men that made her pulse race? The doctor’s appeal was more subtle than the commander’s. Roark’s features were less exotic, but his skin possessed the same warm caramel tone. He could easily pass for human if it weren’t for his jewel-bright eyes. His dark hair was shorter than Mal Ton’s, flowing away from his face in distinct waves.

  “I won’t be bullied into giving you what you want. So you’re both wasting your time.”

  Mal Ton caught her chin and guided her face back around. “You’ve only begun to understand the situation. Reserve your decision until you have all the facts.”

  “Give me back my clothes.” Fear, anger, and desire twisted through her gut. She needed to shove him away, get some distance between their bodies, but she didn’t trust herself to touch him. No man had ever ignited her senses as easily as Mal Ton.

  He leaned in close, his warm breath teasing her skin. “You’re in no position to make demands.” To further illustrate his point, he dragged the coat out from beneath her clutching fingers and tossed it aside. He captured both of her wrists and pushed her arms against the wall. His knee pressed between her thighs and he stayed back just far enough so he could see her entire body. “I’m not Protarian, sweetheart. I’m a ‘savage’ Stilox. How did Bryson put it, we pride ourselves in our brutality and share our women?”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I know you don’t. So listen carefully. The Protarians were desperate enough to negotiate with your government—without your consent—and I’m ruthless enough to steal you from the Pr
otarians. You are now a prisoner of war. Life as you knew it ended when I walked into your lab. The sooner you adjust to your new reality, the longer you’ll survive.”

  Everything within her rebelled against his claim, but she couldn’t ignore the logic. The ease with which he’d made her disappear was evidence of her helplessness. “You need me too badly to kill me. That alone ensures my survival.”

  “It ensures your survival.” His brows arched, accenting the challenge in his tone. “It doesn’t ensure your safety. You’re currently in a military complex housing roughly two hundred men, many of whom have not seen a female in several years.”

  Her gaze darted to Roark. He was trying not to look at her, but she recognized lust when she saw it. How long had it been since he’d been with a woman? “Why did you bring me here?”

  “Where else would I bring you? The rest of our planet was abandoned a long time ago.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I know what the Protarians expect from me. What do you hope to gain?”

  “Our needs are much the same.”

  Roark made a sound suspiciously like a snort and Mal Ton turned on him without releasing Andrea. “If you’d been able to find a cure, she wouldn’t be here! Don’t provoke me with your Protarian pride.”

  “The mutations on Protaria have been a fraction of what you’ve seen here on Stilox. You can’t pretend the situations are similar. Stilox is lost. Everyone knows it. Let her go.”

  “Even if I wanted to help you, I couldn’t,” she objected. “Everything I need for genetic transcription is in my lab at Medicort.”

  With a guttural sound, part growl, part curse, Mal Ton turned back to Andrea. “While you were dancing at the gala, my men packed up your lab. As soon as you’re ready to cooperate, you’ll have everything you need.” He searched her gaze for a long, silent moment, then asked, “Are you a woman of your word?”

  The absurdity of his question made her laugh. She couldn’t help it. “I don’t see how that can possibly be relevant. You don’t have to trust the word of your prisoner.”

  “Just answer the question. Do you honor your word?”

  “Under ordinary circumstances, yes.”

  “Good.” His gaze narrowed as he said, “By your own vow, you are my pleasure servant and I intend to enjoy your body for the duration of your stay on Stilox.”

  She stared into his shimmering eyes, too stunned to object as he pulled her arms above her head. “What are you talking about?”

  “I told you all contracts on Stilox were verbal and legally binding. I told you I wasn’t a gentle lover, that I was dominant, that I’d fuck you hard and fast and I wouldn’t stop until we were satisfied.”

  “Then you drugged and kidnapped me! Ever heard of duress?”

  “You didn’t pause to consider my ulterior motives while my fingers were—”

  “You’re insane.” She recovered enough to tug against his hands. “You can’t expect me to honor that agreement. I had no idea… You’re holding me against my will.”

  “Commander.” Roark’s sharp tone drew both of their heads around. “If you intend to continue this, would you please take her to your quarters? I’d rather not watch you tame her.”

  Mal Ton pulled her away from the wall and dragged her arms to the small of her back, turning her to face the doctor. “Would you like to help me tame her? I know your taste in women. She pretty much fits the bill.”

  Lust flared in the doctor’s gaze and Andrea went wild. They couldn’t mean to take her at the same time. It was too horrible to consider—wasn’t it? She’d been kidnapped because of her mind, not to be fucked like a common whore! Her nipples hardened and heat crawled across her skin. What the hell was wrong with her? She was a scientist, but she was also a woman and these two seemed far more interested in her gender than her occupation.

  Holding both her wrists with one hand, Mal Ton caressed her breasts with the other. “Just look at her. How long has it been since you touched a real woman, never mind one this fine?”

  “Stop it!” Roark took a step toward them, a muscle working in his jaw. “She doesn’t want this and I will not be a party to rape.”

  “You will be whatever I tell you to be,” Mal Ton snapped. “Don’t forget your place. The choice is simple. Lick her pussy or taste my lash.”

  “I’m not afraid of your whip.” Roark raised his chin and glared at the commander.

  Mal Ton laughed. He twisted his hand in her hair, pulling her head back against his shoulder. “What about our spitting Terran kitten? Do you think she’ll enjoy being whipped?”

  “You depraved Stilox fralt! There’s no reason to hurt her.” Roark moved closer, resentment radiating off him in waves.

  “If you do what you’re told, all she’ll suffer is an orgasm. She’s angry and confused, but she’s starting to cream.” Mal Ton nipped her earlobe. “Aren’t you, little wildcat? Would you like Roark to lick your pussy? He’s been my ‘guest’ here for almost a year. I’m sure he’s good and hungry for fresh, silky cream.”

  “Is this why you brought me here?” She trembled as she watched the battle raging in Roark’s gaze. Why should she care if he was a prisoner too? They were going to fuck her. “Earth has plenty of sexual companions who would be happy to meet your needs.”

  Mal Ton ignored her words as easily as he suppressed her struggles. “I’ll even let you choose. Do you want Roark to make you come or would you rather feel my lash?”

  She licked her lips and looked into Roark’s angry eyes. “Will he do it?” The doctor nodded stiffly, his lips pressing into a grim line. “Do you want to or are you just…?”

  With two long strides, he stood before her and framed her face with his hands. “If you welcome my touch, I want nothing more.” He lowered his head toward hers and his exotic scent filled her nose. Clean and subtly spicy, the smell sent heat cascading through her body.

  “No kissing.” Mal Ton stepped back, taking her with him. “Her mouth is mine.”

  Roark didn’t argue. He brushed his lips along her jaw and nibbled his way down her neck. This couldn’t be real. She was dreaming or in some drug-induced altered reality.

  “Why are you doing this?” Each brush of Roark’s fingers eroded her desperate denial.

  “Because you need to submit and submit quickly,” Mal Ton whispered into her ear.

  Shaking with reluctant anticipation, she faced the truth. She could react, she could make choices but she was no longer in control.

  Mal Ton held her breast while Roark sucked. She closed her eyes against the rush of desire his firm lips released. Mal Ton moved his fingers to her other breast, rolling her nipple while Roark descended. She could hardly breathe. If Mal Ton weren’t holding her upright, her knees would have buckled.

  She’d never been impressed with sex before Mal Ton insinuated himself into her life. Work had given her the perfect excuse to keep herself isolated. She knew she was wet. Her pussy had melted as soon as Mal Ton pushed her up against the wall. This was madness. She couldn’t just stand here and…

  Roark sank to his knees and pressed his face against the juncture of her thighs. She turned her head to the side, shocked by the sight of a stranger touching her so intimately. His hands grasped her hips as his tongue pushed into her slit. He explored for a moment before curling around her swollen nub. She whimpered and shame threaded through her pleasure. How could she enjoy this? She should feel horrified and abused, but those feelings were lost in the searing heat and tingling pleasure.

  “Does she taste as delightful as she smells?” Mal Ton continued caressing her breasts while the doctor circled her clit.

  “I’d forgotten…” Roark urged her thighs apart and delved deeper. “So soft. So hot.” His tongue slid into her core and he wiggled his head back and forth, drawing her cream directly into his mouth.

  Tension gripped her abdomen. Distinct pulses spiraled along the walls of her passage and she shook against his mouth. Her body was trapped between surrender and dem
and. She luxuriated in the pleasure yet was desperate to be filled. As if sensing her frustration, Mal Ton reached down and pinched her clit. She screamed as a violent orgasm tore through her. Hard spasms contracted her core and bowed her back.

  Roark kept his mouth centered over her opening and Mal Ton used his skilled touch to drag shudder after helpless shudder from her tingling body. By the time Roark struggled to his feet, she had just about caught her breath.

  Mal Ton spun her around and raised her face until she looked into his eyes. “Your body is no longer your own. Submit to pleasure or submit through pain, it makes no difference to me. If you cooperate with Roark while I’m gone, I will allow you to choose between pleasure and pain. If you refuse to assist him in anything he requires, your reward will always be pain. Do you understand?”

  “Can he require me to fuck him?”

  “Andrea, I would never—”

  “You will submit to anything he requires of you because he must submit to anything I require of him.” Mal Ton’s gaze never left hers as he explained.

  “And it might entertain you to watch Roark fuck me, knowing he doesn’t want to?”

  “His pants can barely contain his cock. I don’t think wanting you is a problem. You both belong to me. Roark has accepted his role. I suggest you do the same.”

  * * *

  Roark watched Mal Ton walk from the bedroom and released his pent-up breath. Andrea’s taste still lingered in his mouth. The soft texture of her pussy against his lips had been the most arousing sensation he’d experienced in… perhaps ever! Her skin was flushed and her wide hazel gaze flew back to him as the door shut behind Mal Ton.

  “We have to get out of here,” she cried.

  He shook his head. “Don’t you think I’ve tried? Even if we escaped the complex, Stilox is a wasteland. We’d have to steal a ship. They’d shoot us out of the sky before—”

  “There has to be something we can do.” She crossed her arms over her breasts, her expression reflecting her misery. “I will not give in to that… that cretin!”