Valan's Bondmate (7 page)

Finally when the seats at the table were filled he focused on Borg. "How are the females who were injured?"

"Their bodies will heal but I’m concerned about their mental health. They’re scared and traumatized."

"What do you think happened, Borg?"

"Truthfully, I'm as puzzled by this as the rest of you. Not all of the females resisted. The bondmating has taken place in a few cases," Borg said.

Valan shifted his gaze around the table, hoping one of the warriors experienced it and would speak. The room remained silent as the warriors avoided looking at each other. Finally, all eyes came to rest on him. "She is my bondmate."

"Are you sure, Valan?" Borg asked. 

"Yes. I’m sure."

The warriors settled back in their chairs, puzzled by the situation but noticeably uncomfortable with the conversation. Finally Cam spoke up. "My father refused to discuss the bonding with me. The only information I ever received was very general." 

"We stopped the warriors' bonding education classes because we wanted to spare you the truth about the pleasures of being bonded," Borg said. "The Wrothians are biologically compatible but something else is preventing the bonding. We must discover what it is even if it means discussing a topic we find uncomfortable. Our future depends on it." He turned to Mikel Thornson and asked him to explain what he’d done when he’d taken his female to his quarters.

"By the time we got there, I was burning with the fever, so, I, uh, pulled her gown off and tried to take her. She fought me," Mikel said, his voice astonished.

"I see." Borg turned to Cam. "What about your female, Cam? Did she fight you?"

"The same as Mikel's. I might have been in a hurry but it doesn't excuse her behavior. I disciplined her with the bands." Several heads nodded in approval and agreement.

Borg turned to Valan, and gave him a questioning look.

"I didn't force her. I made sure she was aroused first." His face settled into a grim and forbidding glare, daring them to ask further questions. 

Borg cleared his throat and settled back in his chair. "I’ve spoken to the spies we sent to Zhang before we raided it. They reported the males on Zhang are called ‘owners.’ The females are considered the property of their sires until they come of age then they are traded to another male in exchange for political alliances or wealth. The females are trained from an early age to accept this and are trained to please a warrior without expecting pleasure in return." He gave the warriors several minutes to absorb this new information. "After listening to your stories I believe the females must be aroused for the bonding to take place."  

"Do you have a solution, Borg," Valan asked.

Borg grinned. "Each warrior is going to have to seduce his female into accepting him."

"Zarronian warriors don’t have to seduce females," one of the officer’s said. "Why should we when females pursue us."

The warriors in the room chuckled and nodded.

"These females are different. If you want to bond with your female you’re going to have to make the effort," Borg said.

"Each warrior must deal with his female as he chooses but we will keep them apart for the time being," Valan said. "Letting them see each other can only lead to more problems." He rose to his feet indicating the meeting was concluded. "The Wrothians were to begin the classes tomorrow. These classes will be postponed for seven cycles. This will give each warrior time to bond with his female. Any female who still refuses after seven cycles will be kept in the warrior’s quarters and isolated from the other females until she is bonded. I won't have the peace of my command broken by disruptive females. You’re dismissed."

Once they left, he took a couple minutes to relax and think about Lia. The Council, and his warriors, expected him to set an example by dealing harshly with any mischief she caused. Thank Tor, she’d accepted his fever and now understood the purpose of the bands. On Zarronia bondmates were disciplined with the bands while kourtisans were spanked or sent away. He chuckled at the image of her struggling to get off his lap as he turned her butt a rosy pink. He'd punish her as he pleased while she learned to stay out of his way and the Council could go to Hades. 

***

Lia awoke alone. Valan’s scent clung to her and the warm cocoon of furs tucked around her. Groaning, she sat up and the ache in her body reminded her she'd let herself be seduced by the barbarian. She rose onto one elbow and looked around the room. It was empty but the door to the bathing chamber was open. She scooted to the edge of the bed and wrapped a fur around her body as she sat with her legs over the edge. "Valan?" She waited a moment then laughed when he didn't answer.

Her laughter died a slow death when she remembered the details of their lovemaking. A blush heated her cheeks as she replayed the previous night. She buried her face in her hands and groaned with embarrassment at the things she'd not only let him do to her but had encouraged him to do. "Oh, damn, damn. I begged the bastard to help me and set up my own defeat."

The sight of her gown on the floor by the desk fanned her anger. Pushing to her feet she stalked into the bathing chamber. The shower didn't have the same controls as the large bathing chamber she'd been in but the tub looked like it was the same. She pushed the center control and a stream of steamy water burst out of the spout and into the tub then down the drain. She experimented with the other buttons until it was the right temperature. She searched for something to put in the opening, then saw a little lever and shoved it to the side. Something clicked and the water began to fill the tub. While it filled she gathered her hair and tied it on top of her head in a loose knot. When the water was a couple inches below the top she dropped the fur and stepped into the tub. There were several containers of cleansers on a ledge next to her. She chose one and washed her body before she leaned back and let the water lap at her chin. It felt so good to be able to take a bath without having to first heat the water and carry it to a tub. That thought reminded her of her home and led to the knowledge the barbarian could return at any moment. Her movements became frantic as she stood, grabbed a cloth, and dried herself. His hairbrush sat on the counter next to the sink. She used it to comb the tangles from her hair.

In the outer chamber, she picked up her wrinkled gown, grimaced as she shook it out then pulled it on and paced the floor. On one of her circuits around the room she noticed several doors built so precisely into the wall she hadn't seen them before. She pressed on one and it popped open. Inside there was an array of brightly colored gowns. She brushed her hand over them and pulled a blue one out.

She held it up and screeched with anger. It was provocatively cut, indecent even, and meant to be worn for a warrior's pleasure. She wadded it up and threw it on the floor of the closet before slamming the door. She thought about Valan and how to deal with him while she resumed pacing. She stopped in the middle of the room and thought about the lessons her mother taught her. Specifically nectar was more attractive to a male than sour ale. She mumbled a curse then pulled the dirty gown off and grabbed the blue one.

She smoothed it down her body and caught her reflection in a long mirror by the closets. Two slender blue straps hooked over her shoulders and dropped down to cover her nipples. They were attached to a floor-length sheer skirt split up the sides to her waist. "So sheer it might as well not be there." She frowned at herself in the mirror then turned and looked at the rear view. The straps rose from her waist, crossed in the center of her back then curled over her shoulders. The sheerness of the material hid nothing. She twisted away from the mirror and resumed pacing.

Twenty steps to the door, then turn and twenty steps to the bed before turning and moving towards the door. With each step her anger grew. Was this what her life was going to be from now on? Locked in a room with nothing to do while she waited for him to return? Reaching the bed, she stomped her foot then twisted around and a startled squeak left her lips. The barbarian stood by the door watching her. She fisted her hands and glared at him.

Valan grinned at her. "Come here, Lia. I'm going to teach you how to operate the food-processors."

"I'm not hungry."

"Don't make me come get you. You won't like my hands on you right now."

"I don't like your hands on me anytime, barbarian."

"Shall I show you how much you liked my hands on you last night, little cat?"

Fury pulsed through her making her reckless. "I'd rather die than have you touch me again. Your tou…"

He moved so fast she didn’t have time to get out of his way. He grabbed her, dropped her onto the bed, and came down on top of her. A large fist bunched the material of her gown and the sound of ripping cloth filled the air. "So, you’d rather die than feel my touch again?" He straddled her, his weight pressing her into the mattress. "Close your eyes or I’ll blindfold you."

"Valan…”

"Now!"

Wishing she hadn't provoked him, she shut her eyes and felt him rise above her. A rustling sound woke her curiosity and she peeked as he shrugged out of his vest. Knowing what he intended, she sat up and a huge hand placed between her breasts shoved her back down.

"Let me go." She pressed her hands against his chest. Her fingers found the scratches on his chest and she dug her nails into them. He grunted with pain and planted a hand on the bed next to her head. She turned her head and bit his wrist before he could move it away.

Valan jerked free then grabbed her wrists and forced them above her head. A second later he used strips of cloth from her gown to bind her to the bed. "You have accepted my fever and my seed, Lia. That makes you mine to command." He kissed her, his lips hard against her mouth.

Lia twisted away and his lips slid across her cheek. Undaunted, he moved to her ear and nipped the lobe. His tongue darted into her ear and drew a shiver from her. Restlessly, moving against him, she felt his legs force hers apart as he nestled into the cradle of her thighs. His cock pressed into her causing a fierce stab of pleasure to flow through her as waves of heat built in her belly.

His lips covered hers and his tongue plunged into her mouth. Arching, she pressed her breasts against his chest and moaned with need. She kissed him back, her tongue tangling with his. Releasing her lips, he slid his mouth down her neck and over her breasts. Then sucked each nipple into his mouth before moving his lips down her body to her smooth mound. A second later his tongue swept through her slit, circled her clit then stabbed into her.

"Valan," Lia moaned as the heat in her veins increased. "Oh, yes, yes."

He circled her clit with his tongue until she rocked against his mouth. He rose above her and she slid her legs farther apart offering herself to him. He grinned then released the restraints on her wrists before climbing from the bed and shrugging back into his vest.

"Valan?"

"Don't ever deny me again." He sent her a fierce glare then moved to the food processors and pointed to the floor in front of him. "Now, get over here and I'll teach you how to operate these."

Lia hugged her arms around herself as the heat in her veins continued to blaze. She wanted to beg him to return to her. Instead she climbed from the bed and located her gown. She shook it out before realizing it was ruined and let it fall to the floor. She was still burning, her skin hot and damp. Shakily, she lifted her tangled hair away from her neck and heard a groan behind her. Spinning, she saw him watching her, his face dark with desire and she realized he wasn't as unaffected as he pretended.

"There are some gowns for you in the closet. Get one and put it on."

Deciding two could play this game, she took her time choosing a gown, shifting from one foot to the other, occasionally turning and giving him tantalizing glimpses of her breasts. Finally, she chose an extremely skimpy gold gown and slowly stepped into it, wiggling it into place over her hips and breasts. Arching her back, she combed her fingers through her hair, then strolled over to him. The tortured expression on his face was her reward until he grinned and chuckled.

"Excellent choice." He chuckled again and pointed to the contraption built into the wall. "This will be one of your duties so pay attention." He pointed to the rows of buttons and explained their function, pushing several as he spoke. The machine made a soft humming sound then one of the glass doors lifted and a food tray slid out. He set it on the table behind them. "Now, you do it."

Eagerly, she stepped in front of him and began pushing buttons. Each row represented a different food group so she selected a button in each one. One meat, one vegetable, one bread, and so on. The door slid open and her food tray slid out. Laughing, she reached for it.

Valan pointed to the second food-processor. "This one is for beverages," he said, then pointed out the different choices—a potent sweet wine from Zarronia, ale, two kinds of juice, hot cider, herb tea, and water. He programmed it and two tankards of juice slid out of the compartment.

"This is amazing, Valan. The women on Zhang would love to have one of these food-processors. Imagine, never having to cook over a hot fire ever again." Eagerly, she settled at the table and began sampling the food on her tray. All of her selections were unfamiliar, but good, with the exception of the vegetable. It looked like small, round beans, but tasted horrible, strong and pungent. After one bite, she knew she would never choose it again.

She sipped the juice in her tankard and found it surprisingly sweet. When she looked up she caught him staring at her. Uncomfortable with his silent survey, she tried to think of something to distract him and sighed with relief when he picked up their empty trays and carried them to the third unit in the wall.

"This is the disposal unit. You place the trays and tankards in the unit then press this button," Valan said.

Lia nodded then took another sip of her juice. Valan settled at his desk and focused on a screen of some kind. A few seconds later she heard him curse then look up at her.