On the walk back to Rasulus’ chambers, I am too stunned to analyze what has just happened. A single thought consumes my mind: I nearly saw a man die. Even if he acted like an animal, I didn’t want him dead.

The idea that it might have been Rasulus who died makes me go cold with terror.

“Pushing me out of the way of Seyonn’s revenge was quite courageous for an Earthling.”

“Oh, really? I didn’t think—”

“Never do anything like that again.”

Rasulus pulls me up short, making sure I’m looking right into his eyes as he speaks to me. There is something desperate in his face, and I am almost frightened by his intensity.

“I won’t. Believe me. I have no interest in risking my life again when there are drawn knives around.”

“Good. But it was very brave. Thank you.”

I laugh shakily. “I didn’t think anything like that was going to happen tonight. To be honest, I was getting myself prepared to be snubbed and ignored by the nobles in your brother’s court.”

Rasulus’ laugh sounds bitter in my ears. “Sounds about right. Sex, assault, and a chance for mortal injury. It’s another typical night for my brother.”

We are back in his quarters with the door sealed behind us before I remember he is wounded too. He is walking without a limp, but his unharmed appearance probably has more to do with his pride than a lack of pain. He sits down heavily on the bed and looks down at the wound. I gasp at the blood soaked into his trousers.

“It looks worse than it is. Look, it’s already starting to close up.”

“It still needs to be treated if you want to avoid infection. Show me what to do.”

Rasulus rolls his eyes at my concern, but he directs me toward the same tube of healing gel he had used on me after the incident with the kashak. Without hesitation, he removes his trousers, wincing as the dried blood pulls at his skin. As an afterthought, he takes off his shirt as well.

Rasulus stretches out naked on the bed, and I use a dampened towel to clean the wound before applying the gel. It isn’t as bad as I feared. I can see he would not need any stitches if he were on Earth. Still, it is an injury, and he got it because of me.

Biting my lip, I spread the gel over the gash. The edges roll together, just as they did for my cut. Soon enough, it looks much better. Without thinking, I run my fingers along Rasulus’ thigh, ruffling his coarse and pale hair.

I look up when I sense a movement out of the corner of my eye. His cock is stirring against his thigh. Even though we have been intimate with each other, it makes me blush.

His laugh makes me jump. “You charged unarmed onto a field of combat when knives were swinging. Is a little nudity something to be afraid of?”

“I’m not bothered at all! I’m just not used to it.”

“Used to what?”

I spread my hands to encompass him, move to encircle the room we sit in, and finally gesture to the entire planet. I feel myself becoming overwhelmed. Without sitting up, he reaches for my hand.

“You are doing splendidly. I am proud of you.”

An errant comment shouldn’t make me blush, but it does. He laughs again, gently this time.

“My poor wife. Tonight was difficult for you.”

“That’s an understatement. Your brother’s court is not for humans, and then there was a fight. I didn’t know what to do.”

“Your mind didn’t know what to do, but your body acted. You did exactly what you had to do.”

“I wanted to protect you. I couldn’t think about doing anything else. Come to think of it, I didn’t think at all.”

“Right now, beautiful, I want you to stop thinking entirely.”

I start to protest, but he cups the back of my neck gently, leaning up to kiss me with a sweetness that makes me whimper. It hasn’t been long since we touched each other, but the sweetness of his touch combined with an intense heat surprises me all over again.

“Rasulus—”

“Shush. You are not going to think any longer. You are going to feel. You are going to respond. You are going to obey. There is nothing else. Do you understand?”

I start to argue, but before I realize what I’m doing, I feel myself nod. I don’t want to understand the strange planet I’m on or my status as Rasulus’ wife. There are too many questions I cannot answer. Right now, Rasulus is kissing me. It’s the only thing that matters in the world.

There is an element of hunger in the way he touches me. He manages to leash the primal need which consumed us the first time we fucked. Now he takes his time, relishing my mouth, sliding his tongue between my lips with an aching sweetness.

“You taste amazing. I wonder if you taste like this everywhere. Strip for me.”

For the first time, I hesitate. When we fucked before, there was no time to be nervous or embarrassed. I can’t stop thinking about all the beautiful women in the king’s chamber. I start to shiver.

Rasulus’ eyes narrow. “I told you one thing. No thinking. I can take you out of your mind with pleasure, but if you resist, there are other ways to do it. I believe you saw a young woman being thrashed in Crucis’ chambers, didn’t you?”

“It was cruel. He was hurting her.”

“Yes, it was cruel, but there can be a pleasure to the pain as well. A set of thin switches across that beautiful ass of yours, applied with judicious strength—that would get your attention, wouldn’t it? Your mind wouldn’t be filled with foolish and distracting thoughts any longer.” He leans forward to slide a hand under my silk skirt and up my thigh. “They shaved you. You’re beautifully smooth, sweetheart.”

The comment makes me want to moan with embarrassment, but before I can react, he’s sliding his hand between my pussy lips, finding them wet and swollen. He draws back fingers that shine in the low light of his quarters.

“Maybe you’re not opposed to the idea of being bent over for a punishment at all.”

I open my mouth to answer. He presses his damp fingertips to my mouth, making me taste my own arousal from his skin. I start to pull back, but he catches me and prevents me from moving. After a moment of shock, I realize that I do taste good, a combination of salt and slippery like oil and seawater.

“I won’t beat you tonight. I want something else. Take off your clothes.”

This time I comply without a second thought. He was right. I want to do what he says. I want to relinquish all control to him. I stand and unfasten the silk dress, letting it fall to the ground around my feet. I am wearing nothing underneath, naked except for the pendant around my neck that holds Rasulus’ name.

“You’re so beautiful. And you’re all mine.”

His words make me shiver. My eyes close as he approaches me. I can sense him without vision. He is a roving heat, a silken footfall, and a feeling of great hunger. Almost gently, he sweeps my hair behind my shoulders, feathering soft kisses over my collarbones.

I gasp when he cups my breasts, taking one in each hand. He squeezes them, almost, but not quite enough to be uncomfortable. I tense as I wait for a pain that never comes. Instead, I let out a groan when he leans down to pull on one nipple and the other with his lips, suckling until they are taught and hard.

“You are very responsive.”

He pulls away abruptly. When I open my eyes, he is pulling a length of silk from the bed and throwing one end over the heavy chandelier hanging over us. Two ends are dangling down in front of us. He gives them a tug before handing them over to me.

“Take one in each hand and hang on.”

I’m reminded that he is taller than me as soon as I get a good grip on the fabric and am almost lifted onto my toes. My body is stretched for his pleasure, my ass taut and my breasts shown to their best advantage.

Rasulus presses his face to my throat before nuzzling my neck. I flinch, remembering the bite he gave me earlier. This time he kisses his way down my body, running his hands up and down my back and then my ass and my thighs as he kneels. The sight of him on his knees makes him look submissive, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Imperiously, he urges my legs apart, giving him access to run his fingers along my damp slit, wetting them thoroughly before working me open. His motions are restrained, just barely short of rough, but I don’t care. When his hand moves forward to roll against my clit, I groan, almost letting go of the straps. I manage to remember where I am and hang on.

“That’s right. Use your body and bear down. Want me as much as I want you.”

Following his instructions, I press anxiously against his taunting fingers. He presses up against me but doesn’t follow through, falling back and making me whine with need. Every touch seems to bring me closer to completion, but he will not let me finish.

“Good girl. That’s a beautiful girl.”

I think he might have some mercy on me, but compassion is not in the alien’s plans. He curls his hands around my hips, holding me still as he presses his face between my legs.

“Oh, my god!”

He does not reply. He is too busy working at my pussy with his lips, tongue, and even teeth. I shudder when I feel the hard edge of his teeth against my sensitive, bare skin. There’s no pain, but the unspoken threat thrills me. Part of the gratification is from how powerful Rasulus is. He could tear me apart but only wants to give me what I need.

My legs start to shake, and a familiar heat rolls over me. I want to give myself over to the pleasure his mouth is forcing on me, but he pulls back.

“Don’t stop!” I cry out in shock, my climax receding enough for me to look at him with bewilderment.

He can tell I am worried that I have done something wrong. He smiles at me. “You won’t come until I say you can. Otherwise, you might be learning about that switch sooner than you want.”

He leans down to my aching pussy again. I try to keep a rein on my desire, but I can’t help the heat rising from my body. He is utterly relentless. He works me up to peak after peak. Each time, I manage to pull myself back from the edge. I have no idea how I can hang on to the straps above me. I am a creature made of pleasure and need, groaning loudly for the alien who has claimed me.

An eternity later, when I think my mind has split in two, he finally gives me permission to come. At the next touch of his tongue to my clit, I spill over, crying out with a voice that has gone hoarse. I am still clinging to the straps, but I have been wrung dry. I am nearly sobbing at my release. My entire body is shaking and covered with sweat.

Rasulus does not have any mercy for me. He grabs me in his arms, pulling me away from the straps with ease. He places me on the bed, sprawled on my back with my limbs out of my control.

For a moment, he stops and looks at me. There is something uniquely serious about his gaze. He sees what a mess I am, and it makes him break into a sharp, wild grin. When he comes down over me, I can smell my own arousal on his skin.

“Mine,” he says, and he’s inside me.

I am so worn out by my satisfaction that it is shocking to feel the passion rekindling between us. Instead of feeling too sore to continue, my body tightens around him. My hands come up, clinging to his shoulders, and I hold on for dear life. That one simple motion is all it takes to drive him wild. He loses control, and the man who was intent on giving me pleasure and dominating me disappears.

Rasulus ruts over me like a wild thing, filling me completely with long and powerful strokes. I feel him deep inside me, and I cry out, calling his name repeatedly.

When he finally spills inside me, he buries his face in my neck. I feel his liquid burst inside me, perfectly claimed.

He collapses on top of me, and we cling to each other. I can hear him saying my name. He is touching my face with a gentleness that borders on reverence. There is no world except the one we have made together. For the moment, it suits me just fine.