by Mary Auclair
Large, muscular arms closed around her waist and pulled her body against the raging inferno of Jareth’s hot skin. His warmth felt so good, so protecting that she snuggled closer. Physical pleasure had left her void and limp. The cloud of her humiliation still loomed over her mind but the ecstasy was powerful enough to relegate it to the background. She wasn’t sure what she would do tomorrow, but right now, all she wanted to do was sleep in Jareth arms.
He moved, stretching his long limbs in the bed behind her. Jareth placed a light kiss on the nape of her neck, then closed his hand around one of her wrists. He pulled it over her head and she let him, too wrapped up in her pleasure to formulate a coherent thought. She turned her face and watched him. He was so handsome, with his square jaw and perfect golden skin. He was watching the family marks on her wrist, twisting the delicate bones between his large fingers, a soft, warm expression on his usually neutral features. Tamsin turned her body so she could face him and nuzzled his neck, seeking his warmth and comfort.
Something metallic clicked around her wrist and she snapped her eyes open.
Chapter Eight
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Tamsin almost choked on her anger. “You’re shackling me to the bed?”
“I am sorry, my love, but there is an important meeting I need to attend and I cannot risk having you put your life in danger while I’m gone.” Jareth looked down on her face with seeming reluctance before adding, “I will not be gone long.”
“No,” Tamsin yelled, then pulled on her wrist, which was attached to the massive wooden bed frame by a long metallic chain. “You can’t do that to me.”
“The chain is long enough for you to sleep comfortably while I’m gone. You should use that time to get some rest.”
Tamsin pulled on her chain again and screamed a continuous flow of curses as Jareth walked out of the room completely naked, the muscles on his perfect ass flexing as he strode. He didn’t turn to look at her, nor did he say anything else before the heavy door to the royal wing closed on him.
Completely alone and naked in the large bed, Tamsin shouted until the fatigue from the night before washed over her and she fell flat into an exhausted sleep.
When she opened her eyes again, the sun was low in the sky and she realized it must be late in the afternoon. A bolt of pain tore through her at the realization that Jareth hadn’t come back for her. She sat up and the pressure in her bladder screamed for release. It was humiliating but she had to ask him to unlock the cuff chaining her to the bed.
“Jareth.” Her voice rang in the large, empty space. “I need to go.”
She waited but nobody came for her. The pressure in her lower belly increased as she twisted on the bed, tugging at the chain. Fear grabbed her. After what she did, maybe he chose to leave her chained on the bed for days as a punishment. She didn’t pin him as cruel but the possibility was a sobering reality.
Panic dug its nails in her skin and she started screaming and pulling at the chain, until the skin around her wrist broke and blood spilled on the immaculate white sheets. She didn’t stop at the pain, just tugged and twisted harder. She hadn’t come all that way to be tortured because she wasn’t fulfilling someone’s idea of a perfect bride.
Tamsin was about to start kicking at the wooden posts when she heard loud steps coming from the staircase. Her heart was pounding like a racehorse’s as she stared at the open door of the bedroom. A shiver of fear ran down her spine before a tall figure appeared in the shadows.
“What in the seven hells are you doing?” Jareth ran across the room, his face wild with disbelief. “You hurt yourself.”
“I thought you left me. I thought you wanted to leave me here as punishment.”
He was on her before she could say another word. In a quick flicker of his wrist, he unlocked the shackle. He brought her wrists to his eyes and the devastated expression on his face was so sincere she felt bad to have caused him so much distress. Then a sharp pang of pain radiated from her bladder and she was reminded of her need.
“I need to go. Fast.”
“Go? You think your injuries warrant the use of a healer?”
“No, I mean I need to pee.” When Jareth’s face stayed blank, she rummaged through her mind for something that would make him understand. “Waste water. Urinate.”
Understanding flashed on his face. “Yes, yes, of course.”
Jareth cradled her in his arms and walked away before she could say a word. He finally put her down in front of the cleansing room and she made a series of awkward jumps before closing the door on his face. It wasn’t exactly the most polite thing to do but considering the guy shackled her to the bed, she would consider them even. Relieving herself felt better than she had ever thought possible.
After she was done, she turned around to study the cleansing room. It was small and besides the pool was a smaller basin with a curved pipe leaning over its center. She brought her hand over the pipe, and as soon as her fingers touched the metal, water flowed out and disappeared in the small hole at the base of the basin. She watched, then ran her hands through the liquid, wondering at the warm, silky flow. After a few moments, she withdrew her hands and the water stopped by itself. She stared at it for a while, then turned to exit the room. Only the richest homes on Earth had running water and even they didn’t waste it to wash their hands.
Tamsin stepped out and found herself nose-to-chest with Jareth’s towering figure. She tilted her head back and stared at his face. The short moments she’d left him alone had changed his expression. He no longer looked baffled and contrite. He looked pissed again, with his jaw set tight and his fists closed into hard balls. Her temper flared. She was the one who’d spent the morning shackled to the bed—he had no right to be pissed at her.
“How could you think I would leave you?” Jareth said, his voice harsh and his nostrils flaring with anger. “You are my Ajena. I will never leave you to be harmed. Never.”
“Fuck you!” Tamsin punched him squarely in the chest. “You’ve harmed me by chaining me to the bed like some animal!” She screamed the last sentence in his face.
“I am truly sorry, my Tamsin.” Jareth’s face lost all its wrath and he looked sincerely sorry. “I should not have left you alone for so long. It will not happen again.”
“Where were you? It’s almost sundown.” She couldn’t control the angry tone of her voice. “I called for you until my throat ran dry.”
“Let me treat your wrists.” Jareth reached for her and frowned when she stepped back. “I am ordering you to let me treat your wounds. You are unreasonable and impulsive.”
“You will not touch me again unless you promise never to hit, chain or restrain me in any way, ever again.”
That got a response from him. Jareth frowned, the gesture drawing his face down into a frightening mask, but she was past being scared of him. He took a step toward her and she was forced to bend her neck backward to keep her eyes locked with his. Tamsin stood her ground, not wanting to give the impression of weakness. She wasn’t going to take the blame for what he did. He was the jerk.
“I did what I had to do to ensure your safety.” Jareth reached for her wrist but she jerked her arm behind her back. “Please, let me heal you.”
“You chained me.” She trembled with anger. “I called you for hours. You didn’t come back for me.”
She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. She didn’t want him to know he hurt her, that she had wanted nothing more than for him to come back and comfort her. He already had enough power over her.
“I am sorry that I caused you pain. There was an emergency meeting about a situation that couldn’t wait.” Jareth’s face softened and when he reached for her wrist again, she didn’t move. “Let me take care of you. I promise I will never leave you alone when you are in distress again.”
“Or hold me against my will.”
“I will not make that promise but I vow to you that never again will I do so without expla
ining the reason to you first.” He said the words with reluctance and shook his head. “My first responsibility is to keep you safe. You have no idea how valuable you are. My world is not without dangers, even for the king’s Ajena.”
“Okay,” she said after a deep breath. “I promise to obey you when you invoke my safety, but no more shackles.”
“No more shackles. That is a promise.” Jareth brought one large hand to her face and his knuckles caressed the curve of her jaw.
“I give you my word, I’ll never run away from you.” She took a deep breath. “No more spanking either.”
“Never run away from me again, and I will not spank your lovely rump, as arousing as it was.” Jareth’s mouth stretched into a mocking smile. “Though I may enjoy bending you over my knees and looking at you that way, from time to time.”
Tamsin laughed and mockingly punched him in his broad chest. Soon he joined in her laughter. It was so refreshing to hear him joke with her. It relieved some of the tension she had accumulated. When the laughter stopped, she reflected on his words while he led her to a small chair by a low cabinet. She was surprised to find she’d been telling the truth. She didn’t want to dive in headfirst into the whole Ajena thing but she couldn’t deny she was developing feelings for him. He was every girl’s wet dream, with his perfect body and assertive, protecting ways.
Tamsin stared hard at his serious, absorbed face as he searched for the healing unit. Yes, she thought, she could give this a try. There was nothing left for her on Earth, no family, no friends, nothing to return to. Jareth promised her much more than mere safety and comfort—he was putting his hopes of happiness in her, of a future where she wouldn’t be alone. A future where she would love and be loved. A flash of her mother and father shot to the forefront of her mind. They had been happy, loving each other every day until sickness took her mother away when Tamsin was a girl. Her father had never found love again. Instead, he had cherished every memory of her mother, passing them to Tamsin in loving details. Yes, a love like that was worth sacrificing things for. As hard as it was, she resolved to give Jareth her best shot, even if it did cost her some of her independence. She sat up straight when Jareth took a small electronic cylinder from a drawer.
“This is a portable medical repair unit,” he said, carefully introducing her wrist into the center of the device. “It’s efficient for superficial wounds. We have bigger ones for the serious injuries.”
“Tell me about that emergency you had to deal with.” She peered into his face but he didn’t meet her gaze. “If this relationship is going to work, we need to be a team.”
“I have great warriors, loyal to the Sikosh family, to counsel me in matters of war.” Jareth kept his eyes on her skin but she heard the uncertainty in his voice. “You need not worry yourself, my Tamsin. I will make sure you are safe, always.”
“What do you mean, war?” A cold shiver ran down her skin that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room. “I thought the Tellurian nation was the most powerful of all the Olan races.”
“We are, but being the most powerful means we draw a lot of jealousy.” Jareth took a deep breath and finally met her gaze. “I took steps to ensure an alliance with another nation, the Tigrine, by providing their leader, Lord Arga, with a mate, one of the extremely rare ones who are compatible with the Tigrine. This should secure our position and ensure the Earth females will not fall prey to the lucrative slave market. We are all dependent on the supply of females from other worlds and our great power guarantees there will be order and fairness in the attribution of the females, as well as protecting the safety and well-being of the females.”
“What is it that you’re not telling me?” Tamsin spoke softly. “You need to confide in me, to let me help you.”
Jareth stared at her for a while, then nodded. He seemed to have reached the conclusion that whatever was happening, he had to tell her the truth.
“There is trouble brewing on Havlan, a plot to overthrow the Sikosh family from power, led by my cousin’s clan, the Vallerisc. The Vallerisc clan was supposed to Claim a second female, because my cousin Creel’s Ajena is barren and cannot provide them with an heir. They did not Claim one, because I bested him in the fights.” Jareth sighed and passed a hand over his eyes. “I wasn’t supposed to Claim an Ajena. In order to seal the loyalty of the seven Great families, all were promised one female. The Sikosh family already has my brother’s Ajena and his new infant daughter, making us powerful beyond compare in the Tellurian world. I claimed you selfishly, without thinking about what would happen next. I just had to have you, Tamsin.”
“I’m glad you did,” Tamsin admitted. “You should have told me about the threat. You need to trust me.”
“In the future, I will.”
A prickly feeling spread under her skin, starting from where her wrist was positioned in the device, like ants walking under the surface. It didn’t hurt but the sensation was intensely strange. She stared in awe as the bruises and small cuts disappeared as she watched, leaving only healthy skin behind.
“Thanks. Your medical technology is pretty amazing.” She looked at her wrist, holding it up to the light. “I know we have similar medical treatment on Earth but I’ve never seen it. We even have aging reversal therapy but all that’s for the rich people. I could never even afford painkillers.”
“You will be given the best of treatments on Havlan, always.” Jareth smiled at her, his lips curving gently. “Your life has been very difficult but from now on, you will never want for anything.”
He pulled her to her feet and his strong arms closed around her waist. The heat from his skin radiated through hers and she pressed her body against his. It would be so easy to just melt into him, to let go of her freedom and trade it for that warm, embracing safety he kept waving in front of her nose. The more she let her cheek burn on Jareth’s chest, the more she saw the danger in what he was proposing to her. Freedom was an elusive and fickle mistress, one that always left her lover wanting for more. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t abandon hers.
“I can’t be yours like you want me to,” Tamsin whispered against his flesh. His muscles tensed but he kept listening. “I’m human, I grew up on Earth. My life was hard but it was mine. I made my own decisions. I can’t let another person take control of my life, not even you.”
Jareth pushed her away from him and his shining blue gaze met hers. He stared at her while the seconds stretched into minutes. There was no telling what he was thinking, what he was about to say.
“I do not understand you, little human. You are small and fragile, yet you do not seek protection.” Jareth bore into her eyes, looking for something he didn’t find. He shook his head in amazement. “It is my duty and honor to protect what is mine and you are mine, Tamsin.”
“You’re an honorable man, Jareth. But I am not a Tellurian female. I can try to understand your culture and your way of life but you need to try to understand me, too. You need to talk to me, treat me like an equal, not a possession.”
“You are much more than a possession to me, little Tamsin.” He leaned forward and his hot lips closed on hers in a long, deep kiss. “You are the bravest, fiercest person I ever met. You have a true warrior’s heart.”
“Then will you let me help you? I want to be by your side, not hidden away in the royal wing for my own protection.”
“Females are rare and precious. They are made to be cherished and protected, not deal with the harshness of the world.” His eyes shone with such sincerity she felt her resolve scatter away in a whirlwind of want and need. “My only wish is to bring you happiness.”
“How rare are your women?” Tamsin led the conversation away from the subject of her independence, noticing Jareth didn’t flat-out deny her. She needed more information if she was to truly understand his world and be at his side.
“The current ratio is one female for two hundred males and many of them are not fertile. Not many of the Olan races are compatible with us.
We can successfully reproduce with only two other races and their females are not giving us female progeny. We were desperate until contact was made with Earth. Human females are a good genetic match for us and your species is immune to the plague that rendered the Olan females sterile. Our genes are strong enough that any progeny resulting from the union will be purely Tellurian.”
“So, Earth women are your last chance to fend off extinction.”
“Yes, you could say that.” Jareth ran his hands down her arms and the gesture made her skin prickle. “Human males have no idea how precious their females are. There will be serious competition for Earth females amongst the Olan races. We need a true alliance with other races to protect human females and ensure a fair supply to all of us.”
“How can you be so sure?” Tamsin studied his face with curiosity. “That human females will give you female offspring, I mean?”
“You are not the first human female to join with a Tellurian male.” Jareth brushed her breast with his thumb, smiling when her nipple hardened under the contact. “My brother Claimed his Earth female a little over an Earth year ago. He was the first of our race to mate with a human. His Ajena gives him a lot of pleasure and her body has just given him the gift of a healthy female progeny.”
“So your sister-in-law is human?” Her mind fought to keep the fog of lust at bay as Jareth brought both hands down her thighs and rubbed his thumb over the sensitive skin on the insides. “Why did you wait so long to get an Ajena of your own?”
“I am king. Producing an heir is a duty.” Jareth’s hands grabbed her upper thighs and lifted her easily. When he brought her down on him, her thoughts were blurred by the hardness of his cock under her pussy, pushing at her through his pants. “I can only praise my luck that producing it will be so enjoyable.”
Jareth rubbed her against his body the hard push of his erection pressing on her clit as he brought her up and down. His breathing sped and a low growl vibrated in his throat. He changed his hold on her, grabbing her ass cheeks to hold her weight, pinning her body closer to his. She fought the lust that threatened to overcome her, catching her breath and heating her skin.