Goddess, I did it again—only this time it’s so much worse! was Neh’sa’s first thought on waking in the big Kindred’s arms.
Yet, despite the shame she felt at submitting to him and the knowledge that she had done the exact wrong thing, there was a part of her that wanted to stay where she was, safe and secure, held snugly in the curve of his big body. That traitorous little part whispered that it wasn’t so bad what she’d done—it had felt good, felt right to let Thorn take control for once. And his arms felt so deliciously warm around her. Why couldn’t she just close her eyes again, snuggle closer to his broad chest, and go back to sleep?
Because you’ll lose the upper hand completely if you do, Neh’sa told herself sternly. Because you’ve already done enough damage last night when you cried in his arms and allowed him to comfort you. Not to mention afterwards when you let him to take the upper hand. No Mistress should ever behave so with her body-slave and you know it!
Her mind drifted back to Heroth…but no. Thorn wasn’t Heroth and she was older and wiser now than she had been during that first relationship. Old enough and wise enough to know that allowing a male body-slave—especially one she’d had for less than a full solar week—to take control sexually was a bad idea.
Forcing herself wider awake, Neh’sa shrugged off his heavy bicep and sat up, putting some distance between herself and the big Kindred.
Thorn was instantly awake.
“Neh-sa?” he murmured, looking up at her with a questioning expression in his mismatched eyes.
“I have told you before, Thorn, you are to call me Mistress at all times.” Neh’sa made her voice crack like a whip in the stillness of the bedchamber. “And you ought to be sleeping in your own assigned space—not invading mine.”
His eyes opened wider and a look she couldn’t interpret passed over his face. Anger maybe? Irritation?
Now he’s going to argue and complain and point out that I didn’t object to our sleeping arrangements last night after he held me down and pleasured me with his mouth, Neh’sa thought, dreading the inevitable debate.
It was beneath her as a Mistress to argue with a body-slave. She would have to discipline him or possibly even use the stunner on him to bring him back into line and she really, really didn’t want to do that. It represented a fundamental loss of control on her part if she had to resort to physical intimidation to compel his submission. If she had to use the stunner on Thorn, she’d be no better than Mistresses like Lady Wraith’neck who used a pain collar or an agony-prod
Goddess, this was all her fault! She had ruined his training herself and there might be no way to get it back on track. Why hadn’t she stuck to the proper protocol? Why had she been so weak and needy and allowed him to take the upper hand?
But then, as suddenly as the anger crossed his face, it was gone again. Without a word of protest, he slid from the bed and knelt beside it, his head bowed.
“Forgive me, Mistress,” he rumbled. “For taking liberties.”
Neh’sa stared at him in surprise. Was he really being compliant even after last night? And if so, why?
“Well…” she said, uncertain how to proceed since his actions were so different from what she’d anticipated. “I, um…think it’s time for First Meal. We have much to do today—it’s time we got moving.”
“I’ll instruct the food prep droids to begin your First Meal at once,” Thorn murmured. “Do you know what you’ll be wearing to the banquet at Club Carnivorous tonight?”
To be honest, Neh’sa hadn’t even thought about the banquet. Now it occurred to her she’d promised Thorn he could come with her but only if he earned his collar through obedience.
Goddess, what was she going to do? She couldn’t appear at the most prestigious social club in town without a proper body-slave but how could she reward Thorn’s actions of the night before with a collar? He’d snuck out of her domicile to follow her to the clinic, had carried her back home, then taken control sexually and refused to stop, even when she begged him, until he made her come over and over again.
Yes and you loved every minute of it, the accusing little voice in her head pointed out.
Neh’sa tried unsuccessfully to push it away as she answered Thorn’s question.
“I…have a dress which I specially ordered for the banquet,” she said.
“Very good, Mistress,” he rumbled. “And what will I be wearing?”
“I haven’t said if you’re coming with me,” Neh’sa said sharply. “I…I haven’t decided yet if you’ve earned your collar.”
She expected Thorn to argue with her about that but he only arched an eyebrow at her.
“Where is Club Carnivorous located anyway?” he asked.
“Downtown,” Neh’sa said, frowning. “Actually only a few blocks over from the clinic where you followed me last night.”
“Then I’m going.” The sparks in his blue and green eyes were whirling like tiny specks of fire. “There’s no way in the Seven Hells I’m letting you go down there again without protection.”
“You’ll go if I say you can go,” Neh’sa said, glaring at him.
“I’ll follow you if you try to leave me here.” There was fire in his eyes but he spoke in a quiet tone that went strangely with his rebellious words.
Neh’sa realized with some dismay that he wasn’t actually rebelling—he was simply stating a fact. He absolutely would not allow her to go alone into a place he felt was dangerous without him.
“Thorn—” she began but he cut her off.
“You’re mine now, Mistress. After last night, you belong to me as much as I belong to you. And if you know as much about Kindred nature as you claim to, you’ll understand that I cannot let you go into a dangerous situation if I’m not there to protect you.”
He rose from his knees—he had been kneeling all this time—and Neh’sa couldn’t help thinking all over again how very huge and muscular he was.
“I’ll submit to you, Mistress,” he told her, opening his palms in a gesture of supplication. “I’m yours to command in all things. But don’t ask me to leave your side when there might be danger anywhere you go. I’ve seen the way repressed and owned males look at females here and I’ve heard about the resistance gangs that roam the streets, looking to cause trouble. Besides, don’t you think Lady Wraith’neck is going to be there tonight? What if she brings another Clopsian with her?”
“Thorn…” she began and then trailed off. Everything he’d said was true. Of course, it was also true that she’d been going to the clinic by herself for years now and nothing bad had ever befallen her. Not because she didn’t want it to, though.
I’ve been tempting fate for ages, Neh’sa suddenly realized. Wishing I might be killed in some quick, violent way—anything to take away the pain of Heroth’s loss.
And now, suddenly, she found she no longer wanted to take that risk.
“Thorn,” she began again, but was uncertain how to continue. She licked her lips, which were suddenly dry.
“Please, Mistress—don’t ask me to leave you in danger. Don’t ask me to choose between obedience and my protective instincts because my instincts will win every time.” He came over to her—she was still sitting on the edge of the bed—and bent to take her small hands in his. “I have to come with you tonight,” he murmured, searching her eyes with his own. “I fucking have to.”
“I…I suppose you’ve earned your collar,” Neh’sa heard herself saying. “You did submit very well when…when I used the silver rod on you.” She didn’t add that she had submitted to him as well—to his tongue in her pussy—and Thorn didn’t bring it up either.
Instead, he turned her hands over and laid soft kisses in each of her palms. Then he looked at her again and said simply, “Thank you, Mistress.”
“You’re welcome, Thorn.” Neh’sa wished her voice didn’t sound so breathless but she couldn’t seem to help it.
For a long moment their gazes locked and she felt something hot and needy unfolding in her lower belly, like some kind of neglected flower unfurling its petals. Then the big Kindred nodded and released her hands.
“I’ll go see to your First Meal, Mistress,” he said and left her bedchamber.
Neh’sa watched him go, wondering what she was going to do.