Chapter Nine
Six newly mated couples were awaiting them when they made their way to the large head table. Trask, Lothar, and Krager were with the females they had claimed during the hunt, but a trio of different warriors escorted the last three Earthlings. One couple, Ram and his mate, were noticeably absent.
An attention-getting tug on his sleeve had him glancing down at Eva. He was pleased to see she had refrained from blurting whatever had popped into her head, although she looked ready to burst at any moment. He bent close so she could reach his ear and pose her inquiry quietly to him.
“I don’t recognize the men with Dayna, Marta, and Thora. And Eryn is missing. Has something happened?”
“Three of your teammates didn’t test well with their warriors, so they had to be re-matched.”
“What? I thought you said once mated it was forever!”
“It was before the breaching, Eva, and is the reason we test first. As far as the other female, I am not aware of a problem.” He turned to his general seated to his left. “Where is Ram?”
As her fingers dug into his forearm, Eva repeated his name under her breath.
“It is a shortened version of Ramekin,” Kerr reassured her. “Not a nickname with any hidden or salacious meaning.”
Her grip eased, and, as an afterthought, she rubbed where her nails had dug in, glancing up at him sheepishly as she whispered, “Sorry.”
“Not to worry, sprite. We’ll check on Ram after—”
“I am here, Princep.”
Kerr turned to see another of his warriors rushing in, his shoulders unusually tense as a shadow of annoyance crossed his face. Ram came up to Kerr’s chair and bent slightly, addressing him in a low voice, intended for his ears only. “I can’t stay. I’m having some…difficulty.”
He felt Eva shift beside him and put his hand on her thigh, squeezing in a silent warning he hoped she would understand.
“Is there something we can do to assist?” Kerr asked.
Ram shook his head. “I’ve already called for Jarlan.”
“You mean you haven’t…?”
The warrior’s face turned dark red. “We have, but she is resistant and continues to fight me.” He looked down the row of mated pairs, and a muscle jumped in his cheek. “I’m afraid the tests were in error.”
“I doubt that’s the case. We’ve never had a flawed matching before. With more time—”
“These are alien females, Kerr.” Ram’s voice was harsh with both disappointment and frustration. “There are bound to be anomalies.”
“I pray to the Maker this is something you will overcome, my friend. You are excused. Go see to your female.”
Ram nodded as he turned and rushed back out.
“What will happen to her if she continues to fight him and they don’t bond?” Eva whispered near his ear. The concern in her voice echoed his own.
“It has only been two days. We’ll decide if and when the time comes.”
His answer wasn’t enough for his mate. “She is a warrior, Kerr. Proud and not easily bent to anyone’s will.”
“Ram is just as proud.”
“Would he do her harm?”
He shook his head, giving her a sidelong glance. “He is an honorable warrior. She is safe. Now hush so I can begin the meal.”
“But—”
“Eva, as I said, we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out.”
She opened her mouth to argue further, but he stopped her by placing his hand firmly on her nape and bending close to her ear. “All eyes are upon us. I warned you to speak only when spoken to. If you persist in this manner, I promise you will not like the outcome.”
With a click of her teeth, she snapped her mouth shut and went statue still by his side. The meal was a disaster from that moment forward.
Stiff and withdrawn, Eva would do no more than answer yes or no when he asked her a question. She was more amenable when one of the elders engaged her in conversation, asking her details about her home planet, otherwise, she remained distant, and he sensed something simmering beneath the surface.
Instead of hammering him with questions or entertaining him with her quick wit, she remained silent—something the occasion called for and he’d insisted upon—and didn’t so much as glance in his direction, only pushing her food around on her plate rather than eating.
By the time they quit the dining room, he’d become as surly as she was and marched her quickly back to their quarters.
Inside, she headed straight for their bedroom.
“Stop! I did not dismiss you.”
She halted mid-stride, her back to him for a moment. Then, turning on her heel, she glowered at him, her arms crossed.
“Come here. We need to discuss your behavior tonight.”
She didn’t move, simply staring at him defiantly.
“Don’t make things worse for yourself with more disobedience.”
Her eyes flashed their luminous uladite green as she clenched her fists in what could only be angry frustration. He waited to see if she would stomp her foot as well, but she refrained. Despite his annoyance, he appreciated her spirit and how magnificent she looked as she rebelliously glared at him. His cock lengthened instantly.
He’d much rather carry her to their bed, touching, tasting, and taking her until she lay breathless and limp with exhaustion—and replete with satisfaction—than the inevitable confrontation that lay ahead. It wouldn’t do to put this off, however. Delays only allowed her time to brood and build resentment, and he was too disappointed in her to leave things unaddressed.
He crossed his arms as she had and returned her regard with steely determination. She would learn she couldn’t defy him and act like a sullen child and not suffer the consequences. His frown deepened as she continued to stand before him, angry and defiant. He gave her a look which had crumbled the resolve of more powerful adversaries and waited her out. His patience wasn’t unlimited though.
When she shifted uncomfortably and glanced away, he knew he had won. The next instant, she stalked stiffly toward the couch he pointed to. She brushed by him without so much as a glimpse and sat with her back ramrod straight as she stared at the opposite wall.
“What do you have to say for yourself?”
Only her eyes moved as she shot him a withering glance. “Oh? Is your slave
allowed to speak now? I didn’t know. Perhaps you should give me a sign.” She held up a middle finger. “This works well where I come from.”
The hint of a smirk on her face told him the gesture wasn’t polite.
“You’re testing me, mate. Be warned; you won’t triumph in a battle of wills with me.”
“Of course not, how could I”—she placed a hand on her chest—“a mere female, defeat the great Maxime Princep?” She bowed her head respectfully, but the gesture reeked of anything but respect. “I should probably prostrate myself before you in gratitude for being allowed to dine in your august presence or breathe the same air. I know I’m not worthy.” She eyed the floor then cast her eyes up at him, batting her lashes with feigned innocence. “Should I kneel now?”
“Enough,” he barked. “Your sarcasm is unbecoming. It is also going to earn you a regretful behind if you do not cease immediately. Now, offer your apology and vow to follow the rules in the future, and we will put this behind us.”
“I’m sure an inferior female such as myself is too feebleminded to understand what you mean.”
“Eva,” he growled, frustration seething in his chest. “I explained the two rules required this evening. It wasn’t a matter of not being allowed to speak, but rather to wait until spoken to, out of respect for the elders who are used to the old ways. You breached etiquette from the outset and were intent on arguing even when I told you to cease. What do you have to say for yourself?”
She arched a brow at him but remained silent.
“You are making this more difficult than it has to be.”
“I’d like to go home.”
“Your home is with me.”
“I don’t accept that. We are a free people, and I demand you release me and my shipmates and send us home.”
“Impossible, and I will not discuss it further. As life mates, we are irrevocably joined, and you will have to make the best of your situation—which includes following the rules of our society or facing the consequences. My consequences.”
“Then I have nothing to say to you. And I have no intention of apologizing. Ever.”
“You leave me no choice, then.”
“I don’t accept that either.”
“This is unfortunate, but it isn’t something you get to decide.” He grasped her wrist and hauled her to her feet. Taking her place on the couch, he pulled her over his lap. She lay stiffly over his thighs until he lifted the hem of her gown up above her waist. The cool air seemed to spark a reaction, and, as he’d anticipated, she began to squirm to get away. He anchored her with an arm around her waist and encircled her legs—not an easy task while she was kicking and flailing to get free—with one of his own, his intent to contain her and keep her from harming herself in the process. The last thing he wanted was for Eva to be hurt, but she was being unreasonable and needed an attention-getter.
“No, Kerr. You can’t!”
“I think I’ve proved you are wrong on that score, just as you were tonight. The behavior at dinner I would have forgiven with an apology, but your tongue can be scathing, and I won’t abide disrespect.”
“I’ll hate you for this.”
“No, you won’t, but I expect the next time you are tempted to disobey or tempted to give me the sharpness of your tongue, you’ll remember this spanking and think twice.” He looked down at the pale cheeks of her beautiful, round bottom, feeling his body pulse with more than anger. With a circular motion, rubbed her skin, warming it in preparation for the more intense spanking she had in store. The two times before, he’d gone easy and hadn’t gotten through. This time, considering her continued defiance, she deserved more.
With an open hand, he firmly swatted one side then the other, watching as twin blushes of pale pink bloomed on her cheeks. Alternating between the two, he moved from the uppermost crests to the sensitive spot just above her thighs.
Kerr stopped when the pink turned rosy. He massaged her heated skin while frowning down at her. She hadn’t said a word—no pleas to stop or promises to do better—and he hadn’t heard the apology he’d expected.
His stubborn little mate.
Her chest was rising and falling at a faster pace, but she showed no other reaction. His palm tingled with warmth from the sharp blows, and he expected her bare bottom did, too.
“Eva, are you ready to apologize, and promise to be good, or do we need to continue the lesson?”
He waited, hearing only a soft grunt. With a protracted sigh of impatience over her abiding stubbornness, Kerr lifted his leg and released hers, intent on applying another few on the sensitive lower curves of her buttocks. The movement separated her thighs, and he caught sight of glistening skin. His fingers moved to explore this intriguing development and dipped into a treasure trove of liquid heat. She immediately stiffened. Delving further, he located the sensitive bud at the front of her sex, finding it firm and distended.
This posed another challenge: if she liked a bottom warming so much, it would hardly be a deterrent. He pondered his next move as he circled her clit, flicked it lightly, pressing more firmly after a few strokes. As he teased her slick, passion-swollen flesh, her breath hitched, and her hips tilted, ever so slightly, allowing her thighs to part more. That was enough to convince him. He’d have to come up with another method, instead.
But not now, he had official duties to attend to and a meeting scheduled with his officers. It would do her good to have time to think about her behavior and his displeasure over it. And leaving her aroused would be enough punishment in and of itself. He knew he would suffer, for his cock stood ramrod stiff and aching in his too-tight pants.
With his hands at her waist, he lifted her upright, planting her well-spanked behind on his thigh. She sucked in a breath when her skin came in contact with the woven fabric of his uniform.
Her face was flushed, and he caught a glimpse of her eyes, bright with unshed tears before she averted her gaze.
Obstinate sprite.
He’d known mating with one from outside their world would be a challenge and welcomed it, but he had no idea she would be so intractable. Somehow, she had learned to bottle up her emotions, something he would not allow between them.
Several golden locks had come free from her hair ornament, and he brushed them back from her face. He stroked the tips of his fingers down one cheek to her jaw and angled her face up to his. Despite his gentle touch, she remained aloof and unwilling to yield the tiniest bit.
“A tree that doesn’t bend tends to break under stress, little one.”
“If you’re finished,” she uttered quietly, raw emotion roughening her voice, “am I permitted to go to bed?”
“We are through, so you may. I must leave for a while to see to business. Will you be all right alone?”
She sniffed, but it wasn’t from crying. “I’m not a child, although you obviously think otherwise.”
“I don’t see a child when I look at you. Quite the opposite, in fact. I see a beautiful responsive woman who is mine to nurture, guide, and protect.”
“And punish when I get out of line.”
“It is our way. And despite your protests to the contrary, your body doesn’t seem to mind so very much.”
Her cheeks filled with even more color.
“Your way sucks, Kerr.” She got up and walked toward the hall, where she stopped without turning. “Are there other clothes besides this gown?”
“I’ve arranged to have daytime attire delivered by the morning. We’ll see to a full wardrobe when I get you home. As I told you earlier, we have limited resources aboard ship. We weren’t expecting—”
“Hostages? No, wait,” she exclaimed after a pointed pause. “That can’t be right since you don’t intend to give us back.”
He rose and put his hands on his hips, his blood heating with exasperation. “You didn’t learn a thing just now, did you?”
“On the contrary, my burning behind has learned something profound—my place in your world. May I borrow something of yours to wear?”
“What is the need before morning?”
“To sleep in…”
“Why do you insist on wearing clothing to sleep?”
“Warmth, modesty, comfort.”
“I will keep you warm. Until I return, the bed will regulate your temperature to your comfort. As far as modesty, it doesn’t exist between bonded mates, and as to the last, I don’t see how clothing, which binds and restricts, could be considered comfortable.”
“I’d rather sleep alone and with clothes, thank you.”
“We sleep bare and together.”
“By your decree, Maxime Princep?”
“By my preference, my prima, and it is not up for further discussion.”
“Why am I not surprised?” She turned and walked on silent feet down the hallway.
***
As he entered his suite, he made his way to her side in the dark, his gait slow, his thoughts heavy after the nightly briefing with his leaders. Not all of it had been bad news; most of the warriors reported things were progressing well with their mates.
All except Ram, and himself, considering how he’d left things with Eva.
His usually self-possessed, unflappable Master Warrior of his army had been broodingly silent throughout the meeting, but restless. When they adjourned, Ram practically leaped from his chair to get out of the room. He and Trask had stared after him, concerned.
“I tried to talk to him,” Trask had told him. “I thought he might accept some friendly advice.”
“Apparently, he didn’t,” Kerr replied. “Or it was ineffective, which is unsurprising. His female appeared the least biddable of them all.”
“With good reason.” Trask frowned. “Lana said Eryn was one of their guards, a trained warrior. Female or not, a soldier would balk against being conquered and made to submit. Lana tells me she led their security force and believes her pride was dealt a blow as the only guard captured. The others are research scientists with only minimal military training. She evidently stayed behind to help the female who injured her leg while trying to flee. What she did was selfless and brave, and deserves respect, not shame.”
“What does it say about the other guards who got away and left their charges behind, including one who was injured?”
“Not much,” Trask grumbled. “One of our warriors would give his life before letting those he was duty-bound to protect to be harmed or taken.”
“Since Eryn exhibits many of the traits we value, she will make Ram an excellent mate—if he can break through.” Kerr shook his head. “And I thought Eva was challenging.”
“Problems with your fair-haired lieutenant?”
“Nothing I won’t overcome.”
Trask clapped him on the back, openly amused. “I have no doubt our Princep will prevail. She suits you. You would be bored without a challenge, I think. My Lana predicts she will keep you on your toes. She knows your prima well and says she is as intelligent as she is beautiful. And wasn’t afraid to speak her mind when she saw a better way or wanted to right a wrong.”
“I have had a taste of these inclinations already. Did she tell you anything else about my mate?”
“She’s stubborn, as you’ve no doubt encountered, but also tenderhearted and a devoted friend. Her loyalties are boundless, and if you cross one of her friends…” He paused, grinning. “This is a direct quote, let me make sure I get it right. If you cross one of her friends, ‘watch out—she’ll come after you.’”
Having witnessed all he described in his fearsome little mate already, Kerr smiled. “Anything else?”
“Only that she will make a wonderful queen and mother to your children.”
He scoffed at the word queen, while Trask chuckled. “They are fascinated by rank and title.”
“It is their way. Something else my mate keeps talking about is a civil union as though it is stronger and more regarded than a physical bond.”
“Eva called it ‘marriage,’ but there is also something called divorce which has the power to dissolve the bond with the stroke of a pen.”
“What nonsense!” Trask exclaimed. “How does a bond forged by words on a thin piece of paper keep a pair together for a lifetime? No wonder their world is a mess.”
“Eva and your Lana were close?”
“Something she called ‘BFF’s.’”
“Pardon?”
Trask grinned. “Best friends forever.”
Kerr tilted his head and regarded his childhood friend. “It’s fitting they should be mated to us.”
He’d left Trask with a clap on the back, liking everything he had heard. Now, back in his suite, Kerr hoped to find Eva sleeping. He was tired, the hour late, and he wasn’t up to more sparring.
Instead, he wanted to lie beside her and simply hold her, breathing her in, and strengthening the bond, imprinting on her in the old ways as she had on him. Already, his thoughts were consumed by her, the need to be with her building within him even during their brief separation this evening.
Standing in the bedroom doorway, he watched her, feeling comfort in the slight rise and fall of her chest. It was a subtle movement, but he knew she slept soundly from the soft rush of breath through her lips. Occasionally, she would sigh, a sound so sweetly erotic it stirred him fiercely as did the sight of her loveliness in his bed.
“Night lights on,” he said low, so as not to wake her. Immediately, a faint glow illuminated the room. He crossed the bed and took a seat on the edge near her hip.
She shifted, rolling to face him. In the dimness, he could see her brows were gathered as if she dreamed. He couldn’t resist lightly stroking the tiny creases and smoothing them gently with the tip of one finger. She responded and relaxed under his touch.
For a long while, he sat watching her, taking in the pale luster of skin, her hair where it spread out in a thick, golden wave across his pillow. She lay curled in a ball on her side, her hands tucked under her chin, holding the covers snugly around her shoulders. Her pink lips parted slightly, and the dark sweep of her lashes stood out against her soft cheeks. Lovely.
She looked as innocent as a child, but he knew well her alluring curves. He knew her eyes flashed when angry, and the determined tilt of her chin was an early warning sign of impending defiance. He had experienced her surrender, despite her resistance, but he had to work for it by rousing her desire. All these things, even those with the power to anger and frustrate him, made her who she was and made him want her more.
All of it beautifully female, his female. His mate.
Kerr breathed in, trying to stave off the near-constant arousal he felt for her. He was exhausted, though, and she needed rest after he’d used her thoroughly and often during the past few days. Battling fatigue, he quickly stripped down to his skin and climbed in next to her. She didn’t stir as he looped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against his front. Nor did she respond when he turned his face into her hair and inhaled his own scent on her. The feel of her, sweet, warm, and soft in repose, comforted him as he tried to relax and let go of the multitude of concerns laid at his feet by his people, if only for a short while.
Thinking of the days and weeks ahead—and potentially bringing many more new females into their world—he prayed for an easy transition.
If not easy, he’d settle for uneventful because, truly, nothing about his mate had been easy. Though he’d had a head start with Eva, he was well behind Trask with his Lana, yet not nearly as far to go as Ram.
Frequent and repetitive joining was the key to strengthening the bond. With Eva, physical bonding had been the least difficult part. And he couldn’t stop thinking about her, craving her now even though his exhausted body needed sleep.
His hand swept over her form beneath the linens, stopping when he encountered more cloth and not the silky texture of skin he’d expected. Propping up on an elbow, he lifted the covers, his lips quirking at the sight of one of his tunics.
Despite the multiple punishments, with this small rebellion, Eva was defiant as ever. Settling back on the pillows, he rolled her closer, easing up the hem of her pilfered garment. Bunching it up at her waist, he ignored when his ever-present erection brushed against the warm curves of her bottom as his hand found a comfortable home around the curve of one breast. He’d address her disobedience in the morning, perhaps by taking her good and hard since spanking wasn’t having any effect. Or maybe he’d do both.
He smiled. Definitely both, considering his little sprite seemed to enjoy it as much as he did. He frowned, not for discipline though. He’d like to see that end and be replaced with only playful, pleasurable spankings.
After deciding on a course of action which would result in them both being well-satisfied to start their day, he promptly fell into a deep contented sleep.