Eland and Jeanne (Tales of the Shareem)

by Allyson James

  Jeanne still didn’t know what this was, until Eland gently placed each clip around her nipples.

  The clamps tugged her with something not exactly pain. The chain was cool where it fell between her breasts.

  Eland rubbed the tip of each nipple with his broad fingers. “If I could give you what I wanted, you’d be wearing a collar caked with diamonds, a leash of silk, cuffs of beaten silver. I’d take care of you so well you’d never have to work again.” He brushed the palms of her hands where they were bound above her, tracing the work-worn lines of them. “These would grow soft and pampered.”

  He wanted to treat Jeanne like a highborn woman, he meant. And yet, a slave at the same time. The contradiction intrigued her.

  “But for now …” Eland said. “We can pretend.” He straightened up. “Shit. I sound like a level two.”

  “Who sounds like a level two?” A male voice said.

  The door had hissed open and Rees walked in, his feet making no noise on the floor’s matting. Rees was dressed in a sleeveless tunic that reached his knees and carried robes over his arm. He’d either been out, or he was leaving.

  Jeanne’s entire body went hot as Rees stepped to the foot of the bed and took in Jeanne lying there. Yes, she’d walked out bare in front of Judith and Rees, but she’d been upright, cocky, in control.

  Now she lay sprawled on the bed, bound to it hand and foot, a gag in her mouth, her nipples adorned with the clamps. She was so obviously ready for sex and nothing else.

  Rees’s eyes began to grow bluer. Jeanne couldn’t see his cock behind the fabric of his tunic, but she knew he was hardening.

  She felt a strange lassitude come over her, and also a tingling excitement. Perhaps he and Eland would pleasure her at the same time. Why did she like that thought?

  “Want a third?” Rees asked.

  Eland gazed down at Jeanne with possessiveness in his eyes. “Not now. She’s barely ready for me. She sure as hell isn’t ready for you.”

  “Mmm.” Rees nodded, as though what Eland said made sense. “Let me know.”

  Judith’s voice joined them as she did. “Now what are you up to in here? Oh …” She trailed off as she saw Jeanne on the bed, as much interest in her eyes as in Rees’s. “Wow.” She looked at Eland, gaze dropping to his ready cock, and said, “Wow,” again. “Mind if I watch?”

  Eland shook his head. “I don’t think she’s ready for that either.”

  No, Jeanne was not ready for either Rees or Judith to look at her as they were doing. Her heart pounded like crazy, a hot dampness on her thighs.

  The others must have noticed her getting wet, because they shifted their gazes to her spread legs, all three of them. That’s why Eland wanted her shaved, Jeanne realized. Nothing was hidden.

  “One day we’ll feast,” Eland said, without looking away from Jeanne. “But right now, she needs me.”

  Judith shrugged. “That’s all right. I have Rees.” She dragged her gaze from Jeanne and turned it to Rees. “Who looks like he’s leaving. Why are you leaving?”

  “Many things to do,” Rees said. He and Eland exchanged a glance, and Eland gave him the slightest nod.

  “Oh,” Judith said in disappointment. “Leave a girl unfulfilled, why don’t you?”

  Rees touched Judith’s cheek. “I saw Rio downstairs. Black hair, full of himself. You can’t miss him. He’s always horny. Tell him I sent you.”

  “Rio, eh?” Judith perked up. “Yeah, I’ve met him. Sure, I’ll go see if I can find him.”

  She hurried out. Rees, after another approving glance at Jeanne, followed, and the door closed.

  “Good,” Eland said. “Time to begin.”

  ***

  He’d never be able to get through this, Eland thought. He’d never be able to keep it impersonal, just a Shareem and his client, as he’d been trained.

  Jeanne was beautiful spread before him, the slender chains adorning her. She’d gotten hot when Rees and Judith had offered to stay, her nipples tightening and her pussy growing wet. Lovely.

  Eland climbed onto the bed, carefully not jostling her, knelt between her legs, put his mouth to her opening, and began to drink down her sweet cream.

  Jeanne’s body shifted. She moaned, the sounds muffled by the gag.

  Eland didn’t explain to her, but she’d learn it on her own—that the restraints would enhance everything he did. She wouldn’t be able to roll away from the feeling of his hands, his mouth, or his cock. She’d stay in place while Eland brought her to her highest pleasure, eased her down, and brought her back again.

  But slowly. He’d taken her too fast last time. This time, Eland would savor her.

  He drank until she was coming apart, rocking to him so hard she was lifting on her ankles and wrists. Eland went on licking, nipping, thrusting his tongue inside her.

  She was sweet, sweet. He could drink her forever. Stay with her always.

  The DNAmo programmers must have messed up, because Eland wasn’t supposed to hunger for a specific woman—at all. He should become aroused at the right time, pleasure the lady, and then pack up and go away when she was finished.

  Eland’s pleasure, and his emotional needs, didn’t come into it.

  Yep. They’d totally screwed up.

  Eland wanted to do everything with Jeanne. Now. Today. Fall asleep with her. Wake up and do some more. Stay with her as long as possible, become her permanent lover. A forbidden thing, but the knowledge that he could never have Jeanne as a normal man came to a woman made his hunger all the sharper.

  He’d have to enjoy what he could. Eland drank Jeanne down, but he backed off well before he was satisfied. Too much at once could rub her raw and take away her enjoyment.

  So Eland did other things. He used his tongue on her nipples, making them plenty hard. He licked every inch of her body, from her face to her toes, which curled as he nibbled on them, and she laughed around the gag.

  Beautiful laughter, warming his heart.

  Next, oils. Eland slicked his palms with them and drew his hands down her breasts, her abdomen, thighs. The oils were scented with some off-world spice Eland didn’t recognize, but he liked it. Jeanne hummed her pleasure.

  The scent of oils enhanced the scent of Jeanne, making Eland’s cock harder still. He kept up the pleasure, so he wouldn’t give in to the temptation to simply fall on her drive himself into her, as he had earlier.

  Once Jeanne was relaxed under his massaging, he drew out a small wand and carefully inserted it into her pussy. A control made it vibrate, and Jeanne sucked in a breath, her eyes going wide.

  “It likes you,” Eland said, placing his hand on her lower abdomen.

  “I ’ike ik,” Jeanne said through the gag.

  Eland chuckled. “You want to get spanked, don’t you?” He touched the cloth in her mouth. “That’s there to keep you quiet.”

  “Mmm.” Jeanne’s eyes closed, her body responding to the vibrator inside her.

  She was moving in pleasure, fingers curling, her hips rocking a little. Eland rubbed his oiled thumb over her clit, first slowly, then faster.

  It didn’t take long before Jeanne was at her peak, squealing her joy from behind the gag.

  When she came, Eland’s control finally deserted him. He was burning, his body roasting. He had to release before he collapsed. The rules went that, if the lady decided she wasn’t ready for him all the way, Eland had to use his hand to relieve himself.

  To hell with it. He wasn’t a DNAmo slave anymore, and he was about to die.

  Eland could barely see as he reached down and loosened the gag from Jeanne’s mouth, drawing it away. Freed, Jeanne’s cries of pleasure echoed through the room, mixing with her laughter.

  “Gods, help me,” she begged. “Eland. Don’t stop. Never stop!”

  His fingers shaking, Eland gently drew the vibrator from her, replacing it with himself. He caught her pleas on his lips as he kissed her, then thrust himself inside her once more.

  Chapter Ten
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br />   When Rees entered the room a long time later, Eland raised a hand, warning him to stay quiet.

  Jeanne was asleep, curled beside Eland, her restraints gone, a light sheet over her body. Her chest rose and fell as she slept without fear.

  Rees pitched his voice low, expert at not waking a sleeping lady. “We need to go.”

  The darkness that Eland had been able to push away since he’d come here and found Jeanne came rushing back. “I know,” he muttered. “Damn it.”

  He could stay here forever, hide out for the duration, doing nothing but loving Jeanne and sleeping.

  “Patrollers are starting to search this section of the city,” Rees said. “We can’t risk that one of Judith’s customers won’t mention the weird-looking guys who came to her back door. If we’re found, shit could rain down on Judith. And on Jeanne.”

  Rees was right, though Eland didn’t want him to be.

  Reluctantly, and carefully, Eland got off the bed. Jeanne slept on, oblivious. Exhausted. She was strong, but what they’d done today had worn her out.

  “I know. It sucks.” Rees’s expression was hard. “But don’t worry. Another woman will come along and want you. Maybe she’ll be as pretty, and as much fun. They always want us,” he finished with a cynical twist to his mouth.

  Eland paused in the act of pulling on his tunic. Then he settled the garment and thrust his feet into shoes.

  “Rees,” Eland said, passing the man on the way to grab his robes. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

  Ignoring Rees’s frown, Eland strode out of the room, looping the robes around his body as he went.

  ***

  Ten days passed. Jeanne made herself go home and then back to work, to continue with her everyday routine. The tedium of her existence, however, did nothing to assuage the certainty in her gut that she’d never see Eland again.

  But she’d have to live with letting him go. Eland couldn’t be caught—getting himself off-planet was his best chance. She’d started discreetly inquiring about pilots that might be amenable to smuggling Eland and other Shareem off world. She didn’t find many.

  Though Jeanne was careful to make these inquiries through go-betweens and was never specific about what human cargo they’d transport, what she learned was that such pilots would charge hideous fees to smuggle outlaws off-planet.

  If Eland never came back to Jeanne, it would be a moot point. She wouldn’t know how to contact him to tell him she’d arranged transport for him anyway.

  He was somewhere out in the city, lying low. Or he might have found another woman better able to hide him, and he’d do with her all he’d done with Jeanne.

  She didn’t like to think about that either.

  Jeanne took to heading to Judith’s bar after work every day, hoping against hope that Eland would be upstairs waiting for her. But every time Jeanne plopped herself on a barstool and ordered an ale, Judith would shake her head ever so slightly. He hadn’t come.

  Patrollers wandered in and out of the bar from time to time, not asking questions, just looking around. They didn’t seem particularly interested in Judith, so they must not know she’d harbored Shareem in her upper rooms.

  Fortunately, none of the patrollers were the one who’d questioned Jeanne at her apartment. Must be a different jurisdiction.

  Finally, the patrollers moved their search along. Jeanne saw them on the streets around the neighborhood, but they stopped coming into the back alleys and to Judith’s bar altogether.

  Once the patrollers quit dropping by, other Shareem started turning up—surreptitiously, never more than two at once. They’d be covered in concealing robes, or wearing off-world clothes. Those who didn’t know about Shareem might take them for off-worlders, but Jeanne recognized their Shareem-blue eyes at once.

  Apparently word had spread that Judith’s bar was a fairly safe place, so they came in, had a drink and a little food, and disappeared into the darkness again. They came late, after most patrons had gone, but not too late, so Judith didn’t risk getting caught serving after hours.

  Sometimes, a Shareem or two would go upstairs with Judith. Rees and Judith didn’t have an exclusive thing going, and she was happy to oblige the others. She’d invite Jeanne to join in, but Jeanne always said no. She was waiting for Eland.

  Why, she didn’t know. But she wanted to wait.

  Rees didn’t appear. Only a few Shareem seemed to know him, or even be aware of his existence. Judith had warned Jeanne not to speak of him, and Jeanne, though she was curious, agreed.

  The one who knew Rees best was the Shareem called Rio ...

  Rio had black hair and deep blue eyes with a dangerous glint in them. “And who might you be?” he’d asked Jeanne the first time she saw him.

  Rio’s look said he offered wicked, wicked pleasure that could last all night, and he’d be ready for more in the morning. A lady would be thoroughly satisfied and thoroughly worn out when Rio was finished with her. Jeanne got all that with one sinful glance.

  “No thanks,” Jeanne told him. “I’m waiting for Eland.”

  Rio leaned on the bar next to her, his body heat blanketing her. “Yeah? That big lug?”

  “Yeah, that big lug. I like him” Jeanne rotated her glass, feeling suddenly shy.

  Rio studied her with a puzzled expression. “Right. Whatever. So while you’re waiting, how about I teach you a few things maybe he forgot to show you?”

  Jeanne started to laugh. She should be offended, but Rio’s grin and sparkle in his eyes was hard not to like. “Thanks, but no.”

  Rio spoke into her ear. “He might not be able to come back, sweetheart. I’m not saying that to hurt you—I’m saying it to be fair to you. We’re hiding and trying to save our asses. He might be holed up and unable to come out.” Rio straightened again and took a long drink of ale. “If he can’t see you again, I might just have to step into his big shoes.”

  Rio was trying to make her laugh again, but Jeanne was numb. Her chest went tight, a hollow feeling nestling in her belly.

  When she looked up, Rio was watching her, his teasing look gone. “You really like the shithead,” he said in surprise.

  “Yeah.” Jeanne blinked back tears. “I really do.”

  “Aw, sweetie. You can’t fall for a Shareem. It’s too fucking dangerous.”

  “I know.” Jeanne tapped the side of her head. “In here, I know that. The rest of me isn’t listening.”

  Rio rested one arm on the bar. “Back at DNAmo, when a lady volunteer decided she liked one of us—or we liked one of them too much—that lady was fired. And the Shareem in question punished. I’m thinking it won’t be too different now that we’re outside the factory. Hell—me standing here at this bar having an ale is a new and wonderful experience. But if I’m caught, I am so screwed. If you’re caught with Eland, because you can’t let him go … you’re screwed too.”

  “I know,” Jeanne repeated. “Doesn’t change how I feel.”

  “Huh.” Rio regarded her closely once more. “Eland’s a lucky bastard. But don’t wait for him, honey. You’re too pretty to be thrown into a cell.” He set down his glass and wiped his mouth. “I’d better go, in fact. Can’t stay in one place too long. You ask Judith to find me if you change your mind about me teaching you a few things.”

  Rio touched Jeanne’s cheek, then before she could protest, he planted a kiss on her lips. He drew back, grinning, swatted her on the ass, and walked out, pulling robes up to cover his face before he stepped out into the night.

  ***

  Rio came back more than once, and so did other Shareem. Jeanne still had not found a pilot willing to even talk to her without her paying, but she let Rio know she was trying. As she got to know more of the Shareem, she wanted to make sure they all were all right. Rio promised that, once she had good news, he’d pass on the message to Eland and Rees.

  Not long after Jeanne had met Rio, a pair of Shareem who’d fallen in with each other in their quest to stay aliv
e came into the bar. One had blond hair and the most perfectly formed male face Jeanne had ever seen. He was called Aiden, and his wink and quiet smile had her filling up with heat in two seconds flat.

  The other was black-haired, like Rio, but without Rio’s good humor. Ky was a level three as well, but Rio said he took being a Dom too seriously. Ky’s subs obeyed, and the woman was rewarded with screaming pleasure. Or so Rio claimed.

  Judith sampled the delights of all the Shareem who came in. Aiden and Ky specialized in ménage, she told Jeanne. Aiden was level one, meaning he knew erotic massage, how to use oils, and slow goodness. He’d soothe the lady first, then Ky would have her in restraints, while he went level three on her. Then Aiden would ease her down again.

  Her description bordered on the graphic, and Jeanne had to go home, stand in her shower, cup her hand between her legs, and fantasize about Eland before she calmed down.

  “So this is life outside DNAmo,” Aiden said one night, rolling a mug between his skilled fingers. “Skulking in the back streets, our only refuge a bar with a generous hostess.” Aiden caressed Judith’s backside as she came to the table to refill his ale—Shareem seemed unable to keep their hands off a woman’s ass.

  “At least it’s better than the shithole we live in,” Ky grumbled.

  “Hey, you picked it,” Aiden returned. “So whose fault is that?”

  Ky, with his lighting change of mood, grinned. “Bor Narga’s.”

  Aiden laughed, and even that was sensual.

  The Shareem looked good to Jeanne, but she had no interest them, no matter how tasty. She wanted Eland. And worried for him.

  When the patrollers started increasing coverage of Judith’s neighborhood again, the Shareem vanished like ghosts. One week they warmed the bar, the next, they were gone.

  ***

  Eland watched from the shadows as Jeanne left her apartment in the small hours of the night. His eyes narrowed. Where the hell was she going?

  He watched her most nights, pulling sun-blocking robes across his face, fading out of sight when even the hint of a patroller came along. He knew Jeanne went to work at the docks every day, then stopped at Judith’s for a drink before heading home. She did this every night.