Bonded (3 page)

Her thighs trembled, and her pussy clenched in rhythmic pulses. So responsive. So sweet. Temptation incarnate.

Her soft cries intensified, as did the tremors. She suddenly arched hard into his mouth, screaming his name as she climaxed.

Jaren lowered her legs, moved up between her thighs. Poised the head of his cock at her dripping entrance and slowly began to push against her.

Taimi tensed.

He trembled nearly as hard as she as every instinct screamed at him to take her. “Too soon?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s all right. Please.”

He braced his hands on either side of her hips. “Open your eyes, Taimi. Look at me.”

She gazed at him and flicked her small pink tongue out to wet her lips. “Claim me, Jaren. Please.”

The simple words were incredibly erotic. “If you’re sure…”

She moved her hands to his butt, her fingers tightening into his flesh with surprising force. “Make me yours. Now.”

He wanted to object—to tell her he didn’t really own her—but his lust didn’t make allowances for such civilities. He could not deny her. Nor could he wait any longer. Jaren leaned forward to claim her mouth with a hot, hard kiss.

He drew back and thrust deep. The membrane stretched and broke around his cock as he swallowed her cries and answered them with his own. Her nails sank deep into his flesh, scoring her marks into his skin. Jaren pushed on, until her slick wetness engulfed his cock to the hilt.

She was so damned tight. The walls of her pussy stretched to accommodate him, yet clung to his flesh like a glove. He’d never felt anything so hot, so erotic, in his life.

Jaren stopped again, letting her get used to the feel of him fully inside her. “Are you all right?”

Fresh tears marked her face, and he tasted their salt in his mouth. But she was also smiling. “Yes.” She touched his cheek. “You’re very kind.”

“Not at all.” He was being damned selfish, actually.

“You are.” She took a deep, shuddering breath. “I can feel you… it’s like I can feel your heartbeat inside me.”

Jaren grinned. “That’s one way of describing it.”

“You’re laughing at me again.”

“Never.” Her body made a gentle contraction, and his cock throbbed and swelled within the tight confines in response. Her sharp intake of breath told him she’d felt it.

He began to move.

She gasped again, but there was no pain in the sound, only pleasure. She jerked her hips upward awkwardly. He used his hands to guide her, leading her into the movements that would give both of them pleasure.

Lust continued to build.

It was another kind of struggle now. The struggle to hold back his climax. To make this last.

He reached between them. Stroked her clit in time with each thrust. Tremors began to shake her body, and she clung to him as their bodies found the timeless rhythm together.

Taimi cried out. She arched her back with a hard shudder, the muscles inside her pussy clenching and releasing his cock repeatedly as her orgasm swept through her slender body. Jaren buried his face into her soft neck. Rammed home hard and fast, one final time, and followed her into climax.

As his breathing returned to normal, he raised his head to look into her face, not certain what he expected to see.

She opened her eyes. The natural deep brown of her irises was visible again, a sure sign the belladonna drops were no longer in effect. A faint sheen of moisture remained, but no new tears flowed.

He touched her cheek, wanting to say something, but a lump in his throat kept him silent. Some emotion welled up inside, one he didn’t dare name. Similar to what he’d felt with Ethlinda in the beginning. That made him uneasy, though he knew Taimi wasn’t anything like her. He wasn’t ready to feel anything for any woman again. Not yet. Not now.

Jaren levered off her soft body and reached for his clothing. His gaze was drawn to her slender thighs marked with the blood of her virginity.

The same blood staining the formerly pristine white sheets beneath her. The auction house had all the proof it needed, he was sure. “I think we’ve made my crew wait long enough.” The harshness in his voice made him wince, but there was no way to take the words back. “Let’s see about getting you out of here, once and for all.”

* * * *

As the captain exited, a door hidden behind the lush drapery opened. Three women entered, dressed in the dull drab of lower house servants, their slave collars made of aged copper rather than gold. One bore a steaming basin and towels; another held a folded pile of glistening fabric. The third carried a box no bigger than her palm, made of plain, dull gray metal.

The first two helped Taimi bathe and dress in the gleaming cloth: a tunic so sheer, every detail of her naked body could be seen beneath it. While they worked, the third woman placed the box on the bed and pulled out a knife. She cut away the bloodied portion of the sheet and tucked it into the box. An electric lock whirred quietly, sealing the contents.

Taimi had seen electric locks like those before. Tricky, temperamental things at times, they could be programmed to accept either a password or a scan of the fingerprint of its owner.

The women left as silently as they’d arrived, leaving her alone with her thoughts and her nerves. In a way, it still felt like a dream, but the tenderness between her legs told her it was real. That Jaren had been in the room. And inside
her.

She tried to pace but found she could not, though the pain was nothing compared to injuries inflicted during her former life. Lady Ethlinda had never been one to spare the rod when displeased. Tremors ran up and down her legs, making her unsteady. Was it from nerves, a release of tension, or some odd aftershocks of the sex? She didn’t know.

Jaren returned. Though he smiled when he saw her, the look in his eyes was troubled, as was the tone of his deep voice. “I suppose it was too much to hope they would give you some regular clothing.”

She twirled slowly. Shakily. “This is traditional, Captain. Do you not like what you see?”

His eyes darkened. Heated. “I do. But I’m not comfortable with my crew seeing you like this.”

“Why?”

“Never mind.” He held out his hand. “I’ve arranged for a transport to take us to the docking station. Are you ready?”

“Yes, Captain.” She took a wobbly step forward.

Jaren flushed. “You must be sore.”

“A little, but it is of no consequence.”

He crossed the space between them in two long, swift strides. Before she realized what he planned, he tucked one arm behind her legs, the other against her back, and swept her up against his solid, muscular chest. It was hot and hard—just like the rest of him.

Taimi gasped. A fresh surge of need rushed through her veins and caused the tender parts of her to clench. “What are you doing?”

“Carrying you. What does it feel like?”

It felt… There were no words to describe this. She was flushed inside and out, while he seemed completely unaffected. Unfair. Perhaps he’d only forced himself to want her, to fulfill the terms of the slave contract. “I-I can walk. Captain.”

“It’s my fault you’re hurting.”

Fault?
Odd choice of word. “This isn’t necessary.”

“I want to.”

She liked the sound of that. Taimi settled against his body, resisting the urge to nuzzle into him. Such a gesture would be too intimate and, she sensed, not at all appropriate in this moment.

He bore her weight easily, as if she weighed nothing. His long strides carried them swiftly out of room and into the night.

The transport waiting for them was a simple hover-hack with an enclosed cab, barely large enough for more than one person, but with the ample privacy often wanted by those who did business in this area. Deeply tinted shields kept curious gazes out. He set Taimi on the cushioned seat. “We need to make a side trip. Take us to the merchants’ district. A clothing dealer.”

“Most of them will be closed now, sir.” The driver sat atop the vehicle. His tone was a mix of servility tempered with the superiority many on Lorus felt when dealing with “ignorant” off-worlders. “For festival.”

“Then find us one that’s open. I’ll make it worth your effort.” Jaren stepped into the transport and closed the hatch, sealing them away from the world.

“You should have set a price,” Taimi said hesitantly, not certain her input would be welcome, but she couldn’t help feeling a bit protective of him. He lacked experience in the ways of this system, and she’d hate to see him cheated. Especially since he’d already spent an obscenely large amount to buy her. “Now he could charge you anything he wishes, and you can’t object unless you wish to go to jail.”

He shrugged, looking distinctly uncomfortable. His broad shoulders took up much of the space, and he had to fold his long legs tight against his body. “It won’t be a problem. Don’t worry about it.”

“But—”

He smiled, but the expression looked more grim than happy. “My divorce wasn’t quite as expensive as I expected. I can afford a few extravagances.”

“Your divorce?”

He tilted his head and arched a single brow. “You didn’t think I would stay married to someone who tried to kill me, did you?”

Taimi blushed. “Of course not. I—”

He stopped her with a single finger against her lips. Despite her doubts, she couldn’t resist the temptation. She snaked her tongue out to touch his rough skin.

Jaren drew in a sharp breath but didn’t look at all displeased. Instead he leaned forward, as if to kiss her, but the transport shuddered to a sudden halt.

He looked away. “That was a quick trip.”

Unfortunately
. “Yes.” Through the heavily tinted barriers, she saw the nondescript shop building with its unremarkable sign. “What are we doing here?”

“Getting you something to wear. Remember?” He started to push open the hatch. Hesitated. “Do you feel up to getting out in public?”

As long as you’re not embarrassed by me
. She nodded. She was half-afraid to let him out of her sight more than absolutely necessary, imagining he might disappear on her if she did.

Jaren helped her out and ordered the driver to wait. An unnecessary precaution, of course. The man wanted to get paid for the full trip.

The shop owner looked up at their entrance, and only the slightest flicker marred his otherwise serene expression when he looked at Taimi’s clothing. “Good evening. How may I help you?”

“We need an outfit for her. Quickly,” Jaren said. “Something sturdy and appropriate for space travel.”

The merchant took her measurements and disappeared into the back of the shop. He returned with a heavyweight skirt and blouse, plain and unornamented. “This is the closest I have to her size in ready-made.”

Jaren frowned briefly. Nodded. “Go see how it fits.”

Taimi entered the curtained dressing room and quickly discarded the flimsy tunic. The skirt was a little too long, but the waist fit perfectly. The blouse was also large, the cuffs of the sleeves hanging well below her fingers when she let her hands rest at her sides. She lifted the skirt and hurried to show Jaren.

He looked at the merchant. “How long would it take for alterations?”

“My seamstresses have departed for the evening to prepare themselves for the festival. I cannot do anything until morning.”

Taimi saw the frustration on Jaren’s face. “If we could acquire needle and thread, Captain, I can do the alterations on the ship.”

“Perfect.” His relief was so obvious, she couldn’t help smiling at him, though he didn’t seem to notice. “Can you help us with that?”

“Of course.” The merchant was clearly amused but named a mostly reasonable price for the garments and the sewing supplies.

While they finalized the details of payment, Taimi retrieved the sheer shift from the dressing room but decided not to change. A quick roll up of her new sleeves made them serviceable, and with her hands free, she could hold the skirt so she wouldn’t trip. She rejoined Jaren, and he ushered her back into the hover-hack.

“I forgot about the customs here, regarding women’s clothing. It would be more practical for you to have trousers, but I suppose that was out of the question.”

“Practicality would depend on what duties you intend for me, Captain.”

“Jaren,” he corrected, almost absently. “And what you do is completely up to you, remember? I told you I’m freeing you. I’ll transport you anywhere you decide you would like to make a new life.”

Pain, sharper than the one between her legs, lanced through her. She’d thought she would be staying with him. She wanted to stay with him. “I haven’t thought about it.”

He stared at her slave collar for a moment. Looked away. “No, I guess you wouldn’t have, would you?” He pulled out his pocket assistant and stared at the tiny screen as if expecting to see the answers written there. “I obviously didn’t think this through. I should have realized you wouldn’t have any resources of your own. I don’t suppose you have any family?”

“I never knew them.” She had been born and bred to be a slave, raised by strangers and trained to serve as soon as she was old enough.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I can’t miss what I’ve never known.”

“Is that what they trained you to believe?”

Anger again, just under the surface. It seemed Captain Caradoc truly despised the institution Taimi was born into. He didn’t like what she was.

Tears threatened again.

She’d never known any other life, and to have him disapprove of her for it stung. “I had no control over my past or what I was taught, Captain.” She bit her lip before pointing out he’d had no objection to one of the
other
things she had been trained to do.

He smoothed his thumb against her lower lip. “Don’t, Taimi. Don’t ever feel like you can’t say what you’re thinking. Not with me.”

“We all have things we try not to say, Captain.”

“That’s different.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. But we can talk about that another time. Maybe.” One corner of his mouth curved upward, and a sparkle of mischief lit his eyes before he resumed a more solemn expression. “We were discussing your future, remember?”

“I remember.” She wished he would smile more. He had always been rather serious, even when they’d first met, but now there was a permanent air of sadness and anger clinging to him. “Do you have an idea?”