by Regine Abel
Jorluk shrugged. “She’ll be banged up on the first day. Your healers will fix her and she’ll be good to go.”
Febus looked at his female, guilt, pity and horror plastered on his face at the thought of what he would involuntarily do to this innocent girl. He bent his head in shame, shoulders drooping.
“Absolutely not!” Clarissa said, her voice booming in the tense silence of the room.
“Slave…” Jorluk said in a warning tone.
“I will trade places with her. I can handle it,” Clarissa interrupted.
Without waiting for his approval, she walked up to the younger female and hugged her. Placing a kiss on the virgin’s forehead, Clarissa gently pushed her towards her former private room and stood in front of Febus instead. Hands crossed over his heart, he inclined his head in the formal Korlethean greeting. His eyes shone with gratitude—although they were beginning to glaze over from the effects of the drug.
“Suit yourself,” Jorluk mumbled, walking away.
With a stiff nod, Clarissa entered the private room and Febus silently followed her in, giving the signal for everyone else to proceed. The protectiveness Veredians showed each other never ceased to amaze me. Their compassion and devotion for their people were some of the reasons the Settlers—the Korlethean scientists who had studied the other ‘lesser’ species—had experimented so heavily on the Veredians. Few races with such phenomenal combat affinities proved as peaceful and empathic as they. We had screwed over so damn many races, no wonder our own now paid the consequences.
My soulmate stared at me, wide-eyed, shaking slightly. I approached with slow, careful steps, as if she were a frightened animal, and opened the door to our private chamber. She swallowed hard and cast a wary glance at the other Veredians guarding the dorms before entering our room. I followed her in and closed the door behind us.
The automatic locking mechanism activated. We wouldn’t be allowed out for two hours or until we submitted a satisfactory blood sample confirming we had done the deed.
CHAPTER 3
Sevina
So this was a Korlethean… My Korlethean. I didn’t quite know how to feel right this instant. Awe, fear, excitement, confusion all warred within me. When they’d first walked in, I’d felt an instant attraction to him and something strange had happened deep inside me, as if we knew each other. It was impossible, of course, and yet… Then he sang that song. Well, not sang… I couldn’t quite describe what he had done; not quite a hum, nor a whistle, but a voice modulation that struck me right in the heart.
My entire body had trembled and my blood ignited. Entranced by the haunting melody, time had slowed down and the world around me had ceased to exist. Nothing mattered anymore besides the two of us and the powerful pull drawing me to him.
His voice had faded as the hands of his brethren touched him. Everything slammed back into reality, leaving me shaken and disoriented.
I should be terrified. In fact, I was afraid, but not of him. He felt… safe… right. Goddess, he mesmerized me. My mouth watered looking at his mocha skin, two shades darker than mine, so similar to the fine piece of chocolate my mother had somehow gotten me for my sixteenth birthday. His light-grey, almond-shaped eyes appeared to glow in his oval face, framed by lustrous, dark hair that shone under the soft light of the room. I itched to run my finger over the elegant tattoo made of simple lines starting at his forehead, over his eyes and half-way across his cheeks.
He gave the room a cursory glance. There wasn’t much to see. The large bed ate up most of the small white room. A tiny shelf on each side contained a few bottles of a clear liquid I could guess the purpose of.
My face heated.
In the corner, a hygiene room stood next to a narrow bench. The Korlethean’s eyes returned to me and his full lips stretched into a reassuring smile.
He placed both his hands over his heart and bowed his head like that other Korlethean had done when Clarissa replaced the other girl.
“Hello, Sareema. My name is Eryon Valis. It is my honor to meet you.”
Oh Goddess!
Goosebumps erupted all over my skin at the sultry, breathy sound of his voice. It wasn’t deep and rumbling like that of the brawnier, bulkier Guldans. Yet, it was all male, soft, refined and hypnotic. His smile expanded; he knew how it affected me.
“Won’t you tell me your name?” he asked, when I just stood there, stupidly staring at him.
I blinked, trying to remember how to use my tongue.
“Vina… I mean, Sev… Sevina. Sevina Fein.”
Goddess have mercy! Could I embarrass myself more?
“Sevina…” he repeated slowly, as if tasting and savoring every syllable. He pointed with his hand at the narrow bench. “Won’t you sit with me, Sevina?”
I blinked again.
“You want to sit?” I asked, disbelieving.
He raised an eyebrow at me.
My cheeks burned. Sitting and talking first was an awesome idea and a welcomed unexpected reprieve. I simply hadn’t seen it coming.
He’s going to think I’m a complete idiot.
That thought bothered me more than I could express. I didn’t know him, yet the urge to make a good impression overwhelmed me. I wanted… no, needed him to like me.
“Y-yes… Of course. I would be delighted.”
I marched to the bench, plopped myself on the far edge and placed my hands on my lap. Head straight, facing the opposite wall, I cast furtive glances at him from the corner of my eye. His long, beige robe rustled as he took two steps to the bench and sat near me, but not so close as to invade my personal space.
“You do not wear gloves. Why?” he asked.
I looked at my hands then shrugged.
“I don’t know. Master Gruuk never made us wear any. I didn’t even know Veredians wore them until I got here today.”
“Us?”
“My mother and me. And, while they were with us, my baby sisters.”
“You do not live in a compound?” he asked, tilting his head to the side.
I shook my head. “No. I was born on a spaceship and spent my whole life on board.”
“None of you must have offensive abilities then, correct?”
“Hmm…” I scrunched my face pondering. “Well, my mother is a healer, so yeah, nothing threatening about that. I’m the oldest of four. The twins came after me, Galicia and Gerana. Their gift is psychometry. Galicia can tell all the places where an object has been, no matter how far back in time, just by touching it. Gerana can do the same but with people.”
I shifted on the bench, the same sadness washing over me every time I thought of my sisters – my only friends.
“When the twins combined their ability, they could tell who used an object, how, where and when. Master Gruuk had no use for that so he sold my sisters to a bounty hunter when they turned seven. It broke my heart. At eleven, I didn’t understand why they were taken away.”
Eryon nodded slowly, his eyes filling with compassion.
“Five years later, my sister Aleina was born. She’s a kinetic like me. We can reshape inert matter with a touch. Master Gruuk sent her to one of the fortresses when she turned six. He didn’t want two kinetics on his ship and decided to keep Aleina safely tucked away.”
Eryon’s eyes narrowed before locking on my bare hands.
“You mean, you could use your ability right now?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Would you mind showing me?”
That was an odd request during an already bizarre first breeding experience. Getting up, I placed my hand on the metal bench. I couldn’t increase the amount of material it possessed, only reshape what already existed. Shrinking the part of the bench where I had been sitting, I morphed it into an armrest with a recurving hand. Unable to resist the irrational urge to impress him, I carved onto the top of the armrest an elegant pattern similar to the tattoo on his forehead.
Staring at my work, he raised an eyebrow, his lips stretching into an amused
smile. His beautiful light-grey eyes came to rest on me, the look of wonder slowly morphing into a speculative one.
“Impressive,” he said. “You can do this with any matter?”
I nodded. “As long as it’s inert. Whether metal, wood, fabric, stone, you name it.”
“And they let you wander around ungloved, knowing you could shape anything in your environment into whatever you want?”
My stomach tightened, a sense of unease creeping in. I didn’t need to read his mind to know where his thoughts wandered.
“Yes. Because they know I won’t try anything stupid,” I said, staring him straight in the eyes.
He snorted then leaned back on the bench, resting his back against the wall. His gaze roamed over me, assessing.
“So you have thought of it,” he said.
It wasn’t a question.
“About what? Crafting weapons? Sabotaging the ship?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “Of course, I have. But what would that accomplish besides getting us in trouble? My mother and I don’t know how to fight or pilot a ship, and we’re beyond outnumbered by the crew.”
“Fair enough,” he said in a conciliatory tone.
Relief flooded me. For a moment, I feared he would try to push me into rebelling or doing something stupid that would give the guards leeway to abuse us.
Eryon scooted over on the bench to make room for me next to him. I hesitated for a moment, but considering the purpose of our presence here, my reluctance made no sense. Complying, I sat beside him, our arms and legs touching. He placed his hand on his lap, palm facing up. I glanced at it, my lips parting in surprise before giving him an inquisitive look. Surely he didn’t want…
Eryon held my stare, unflinching.
I frowned. “We’re not here courting,” I said, more harshly than intended.
He tilted his head to the side. “Aren’t we?” he asked in a seductive tone. “If you’re reluctant to merely hold my hand, how will you withstand taking me into your body?”
My face heated and my stomach lurched.
Point taken.
I hesitantly placed my hand over his. The moment we touched, a sharp sensation like an electric spark zapped my hand, then a warm tingle spread through my arm and throughout my body. My breath hitched and my gaze flew back up to his face. His eyes saw deep into me, through me. I felt naked, exposed, as if every shade of my soul was stripped bare to him.
I tried to pull my hand out, but his grip tightened around mine.
“What are you doing to me?” I asked.
The sensation didn’t scare me. Every fiber of my being told me no harm would come of it, but it unsettled me.
“I’m not doing anything, Sareema,” he said.
“But, I’m feeling—”
“The Tuning,” Eryon interrupted. “You felt our bond the moment our eyes met. Seeing you stirred my mating call and you responded.”
My mind raced back to that moment. Yes, I had felt it. The burning tingle, the powerful pull—my soul knew his. I had read of this Korlethean belief and found it intriguing. But what were the odds of that happening to me on my first breeding?
None whatsoever. He’s lying to me.
He had to be. Right? Yet, I had felt it.
“Has that happened to you before? I mean, the mating call thing?”
He chuckled softly while shaking his head.
“No, Sareema. The mating call can only happen once in a lifetime, with the only being in the whole universe that your soul can achieve perfect harmony with. For me, that’s you. However, before my capture, I had met potential mates that I could attune to; those I could genuinely fall in love with, but never as deeply as I will with you.”
I didn’t know to what extent I believed in the whole Tuning thing, but it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside that he would think of me as his one and only. Feeling a little self-conscious, I steered the conversation towards something a little safer.
“Hmmm… so, when were you captured?”
Eryon gave me a knowing smile, not fooled for an instant. Fine, I was a little cowardly but, in this instance, my curiosity was genuine.
“Six months ago,” he said, matter-of-fact.
He explained how the Fates had predicted his captivity although the exact date and circumstances of his capture had remained a mystery to him. His calm acceptance of the inevitable bothered me, even though my reaction to my own circumstances could be deemed similar. Eryon didn’t strike me as the type of male who took things lying down.
His thumb caressing my knuckles startled me. It was pleasant, but my nerves still rattled me. I bit my lower lip and decided to go with the flow. Eryon was taking charge, and I gladly let him. Deep down, I knew he would take good care of me.
My back stiffened as an unpleasant thought crossed my mind.
“So… You’ve been doing this for six months?”
His eyes narrowed.
“Yes.”
I licked my lips, my mouth and throat suddenly dry.
“How many females h—”
“Six,” he interrupted with a sharp tone.
This was stupid. I barely knew him, yet his confession hit me like a betrayal. I tried to pull my hand from his. Once again, Eryon didn’t allow it. His fingers clenched, sinking into my skin, although not painfully. Jaw tense, a nerve ticked on his temple.
“Don’t,” he said in a commanding voice.
He leaned towards me, and I withered, feeling both intimidated and thrilled by his dominance.
“I’m a prisoner, just like you are. To survive, I follow orders against my will. And I will continue to do so for the next twenty-six years, as is my fate. But today, right here, right now, I’m following them willingly and gladly. Do not fault me for the will of the Guldans.”
My face heated and a wave of shame washed over me. It was cruel and unfair of me to begrudge him obeying our master’s orders. His own duty was far less harmful than my own. At least, he tried to be kind and gentle to the Sisters they forced him to mate with. But Master Gruuk used me in ways that guaranteed harm would come to others in one form or another.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize, Sareema. You should be possessive towards me. I am yours.”
My stomach flip-flopped again and warm, fuzzy feeling settled over me. As a slave, I didn’t own anything and had no one to call mine. Could he truly mean it? Could a strong male such as him want to belong to one such as me?
“You’ve called me Sareema a few times. What does it mean?” I said, steering the conversation onto a safer terrain again.
“It means song of my soul, or soulmate,” Eryon said, with a gentle smile.
I opened my mouth to answer when the control panel by the door beeped, startling me. A lifeless synthetic female voice resonated in the room. “You have one hour remaining to submit your blood samples. Please proceed immediately.”
Eryon’s jaw tightened and he glared at the panel.
“W… what was that?” I asked.
“Our reminder that we have less than an hour now to complete the deed and submit a blood sample to that analyzer,” Eryon said. “If the hormone levels in our blood do not confirm we’ve been at it, those fuckers will bring down the pain.”
My eyes widened at the unexpected expletive. He flinched.
“Wow. I thought I’d last longer before giving myself away.” He chuckled at my confused look. “You will realize, my dear, that I have quite a foul mouth beneath this deceptive Korlethean veneer.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the mischievous glint in his eyes.
He rose to his feet, pulling me up by the hand he still held. My heartbeat picked up the pace.
“What… what now?”
“Now, Sareema, I make love to you.”
My breath caught in my throat as he drew me into his embrace. One arm wrapped around my back, holding me close against his firm body, while his other hand slipped through my hair, pulling my
face to his. Warm, soft lips pressed against mine. A ball of fire exploded in the pit of my stomach and spread in my nether region. Legs shaking, I gripped his shoulders with both hands for support, and his arm tightened around me. The tip of his tongue teased my lips, begging for entry. They parted, welcoming him in. His fresh breath mingled with mine, while our tongues made each other’s acquaintance.
The loss of his arm holding my back forced me to tighten my grip on his shoulders. His hand slipping under the hem of my dress startled me, making me stiffen. I both wanted and feared the searing touch of his hands as they awakened the most wondrous sensations in my body.
“Shhhh, it’s okay,” he whispered against my lips, interrupting our kiss. “You are safe. I will take care of you. Let go to me, my mate. Let go.” He recaptured my lips in a deep, conquering kiss.
I let go.
His hand left a burning trail on my skin as it caressed a path up my back. The motion lifted my dress, the fabric tickling the back of my thighs. The cool draft from the ventilation system made me shiver. I stilled when both his palms circled my naked breasts under my dress which now bunched under my arms. Although he didn’t remove his hands, Eryon paused until my body relaxed, then he resumed his exploration. My stomach fluttered as his thumbs circled my nipples and they hardened in response. Breaking the kiss, he made me raise my arms to pull off my dress.
The brushing sound of the cheap fabric crumpling to the floor made me realize I stood completely naked but for my slip. I covered my small breasts with my arms. I had been too lost in sensations to worry about that flaw. My chest wasn’t flat, but while the Goddess had blessed me with nice curves everywhere else, she somehow forgot that part of my anatomy.
“Do not hide your beauty from me, Sevina,” Eryon said softly. “You are perfect in every way. The Goddess sculpted you for me.”