Chapter Seven

 

 

All afternoon, Caroline had feared being on the receiving end of Andrew’s rage but, when he arrived back at the house late in the evening, what she faced was so much worse. If he did feel anger, then it was buried deep beneath his obvious disappointment and she found his disapproval difficult to bear.

“I didn’t mean to disobey you.” Caroline’s tone was genuinely contrite as she looked across the room to where he was seated on a straight-backed wooden chair. “I was just thinking of my sister.”

“I realize that, Caroline, but it’s beside the point. You should have come straight to me rather than putting yourself at risk.”

“Yes, but…” Her voice trailed off as she saw the implacable expression on his face.

“There are no excuses, Caroline. You disobeyed my instruction to stay in the house and if Taryn had not been so alert to your movements, it might have ended badly for you.” He shook his head as though trying to clear away thoughts of what might have happened if she’d succeeded in slipping away from the house. “You’ve earned a spanking and I am going to administer it.”

With each faltering step she took toward him, Caroline felt her heart beat a little faster as her nerves began to build and she could see why Andrew had chosen to position himself on a chair at the far side of the room. It was so that she had to come to him, to show that she accepted his right to discipline her for her disobedience.

By the time she reached him, the first tears were already pooling in her eyes. He was watching every move, an inscrutable look on his face. She couldn’t understand it but knowing that she’d let him down was almost more than she could bear. As she stopped beside him, he patted his knee as though she needed a reminder of what he wanted her to do. She hesitated for only a moment before leaning forward to rest herself across his lap. He helped her to get into place with her hands on the floor, a position that forced her up onto the tips of her toes so she could anchor herself. As she settled on his knee, she felt the hard muscles of his legs beneath her and she remembered what he’d said about this type of punishment being very different to the one she’d been subjected to outside the town hall. He was right. This already felt much more intense, more intimate, and he had not yet begun her chastisement. Her breasts were pressed against his thighs and her face was so close to his leg, she could smell the fragrant polish he used to make his boots shine.

As he lifted her skirts, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, experiencing some discomfort as the plug seated deep within her bottom moved. She was so embarrassed by this position, by knowing that Andrew’s men who were stationed in the house would hear every cry that escaped her lips as she received the spanking. And yet, somewhere at the back of her mind was the thought that this was exactly where she belonged and that disturbed her more than she could express.

“Why are you being punished, Caroline?”

“Because I disobeyed you and left the house.”

“Yes,” Andrew agreed. “But it’s more than that. You chose to head into a potentially dangerous situation on your own rather than coming to me or one of my men with that note. You know it was more than likely a trap?”

“Yes,” Caroline said quietly. She was not so naïve that she didn’t realize the chances of the note being a trick were fairly high but it was her sister’s life at stake and if there was even the remotest possibility that Elizabeth was in trouble then any risk to her own safety was worth taking. She’d explained that to Andrew, that she’d needed to try to help Elizabeth more than she cared about preserving her own wellbeing but, of course, he hadn’t viewed that in the same light as she had. So, the only thing she could do now was submit to the punishment and hope that she would be able to persuade him to try to find her sister later.

The first slap of his hand on her exposed behind made a sound that seemed to reverberate off the walls. Her bottom was still tender from the punishment in the town square yesterday and the fire in her flesh ignited instantly. Caroline bit down on her bottom lip and clenched her fists tight, determined not to cry out as a rapid series of strikes landed with precision on different areas of her buttocks. Her stoicism lasted only until the fifth stroke. Landing hard at the top of her thighs, the smack made her squeal in anguish and she shifted on Andrew’s lap. Her whole body tensed and she blew out a couple of quick breaths.

“Unclench those naughty little butt cheeks,” Andrew instructed her. “I have no wish to bruise you.”

“Yes, Andrew.” Caroline relaxed her muscles and waited for his steely palm to connect with her raw backside once more.

As he spanked her two more times, hitting one side of her bottom and then the other, Caroline shrieked loudly. She shifted a little, trying to soothe the painful tingling but, as she moved, her nipples hardened as they rubbed against his thigh and she felt her clit begin to throb between her legs. Her face reddened as the humiliation of being in such an intensely vulnerable position swept over her. She wriggled frantically, trying to alleviate the troubling sensation but succeeded only in making things ten times worse as the plug lodged in her butt abraded her inner walls, causing an ache for release that she knew the chastity belt she wore would not allow her to achieve.

“Quit moving, Caroline.” Andrew’s tone was stern. “Or we’ll have to start over.”

The prospect of beginning again was enough to still her frantic movements and she hung limply over his lap. As he struck her three more times, Caroline moaned and cried but she held herself back from begging him to stop, knowing that it was pointless, that she had earned this punishment and there was nothing she could do but endure it.

“Good girl,” Andrew said after the tenth spank. He helped Caroline to her feet as he stood up. “Now, I want you to hold your skirts up around your waist and go and stand in the corner while I fetch Taryn for the next part of your punishment.”

“Taryn?” Caroline’s voice came out in a squeak as her eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes, you wronged him this afternoon as much as you did me,” Andrew said. “He was entrusted to protect you and you chose not to come to him when you needed help. Your actions have damaged his pride and you need to make amends.” He reached out and tenderly brushed her cheek, wiping away her tears. “Now, go and stand in the corner and think about how you might have done things differently. I will expect to find you there when I return.”

“Yes, Andrew.”

With a quick nod, Caroline moved to the corner where she began to sob quietly once more. Her bottom ached already and the prospect of receiving further discipline was hard to stomach, especially since Andrew intended to bring another man into the room. Caroline knew that Andrew was right, however. She had wounded Taryn with her lack of trust in him, but it hadn’t been intentional and she hoped that both men would come to understand that. Pressing her forehead against the wall, she sniffed back tears, resolving to make Andrew proud by taking whatever additional punishment he had planned for her with as much grace as she could manage.

She wasn’t sure where it had come from, but she felt a strong desire to please him. More than anything, she craved his approval and that scared her. Part of her yearned to submit, to give herself over to his command, but she knew that she could never willingly turn her back on all that she believed about more freedom for women just to please him. Her mind was in turmoil as she struggled to reconcile her independent spirit with the part of her that needed to be dominated by a powerful man. Closing her eyes, she waited for Andrew to return.

More than ten minutes passed before Caroline finally heard the door of the study opening behind her. Unsure of what she was meant to do, she remained in position as the two men came into the room.

“Isn’t her bottom a beautiful color?” Andrew asked his friend and colleague.

“Indeed it is, but I think it could be a deeper shade of red,” Taryn replied.

Caroline sucked in a breath as she heard the approach of the two men whose conversation told her they were about to administer further discipline to her poor, tender bottom. As they came closer, a tantalizing shiver ran down her spine and she felt moisture pool at the apex of her thighs. For the first time since it had been fitted to her form, she was grateful for the chastity belt that hid the wetness from view. There was no hiding the groan of arousal that slipped from her lips, however, and the chuckle from behind her left Caroline in no doubt that the deep moan had been recognized for what it was.

“Turn around, Caroline,” Andrew instructed her, “and make your apology to Taryn.”

“I am sorry for not coming to you when I received the note.” It was not difficult for Caroline to sound sincere as her words were genuine. “I should have placed my trust in you.”

“Yes, you should.” Taryn paused thoughtfully. “But I accept your apology.”

“Thank you.” Caroline bowed her head in contrition.

“Good girl,” Andrew said. “Now, I want you to go to the desk. You are to receive ten strokes of the paddle.”

As he whirled the vicious-looking implement in his hand, Caroline wondered how it was that she hadn’t noticed he was carrying it before now. A long-handled piece of wood, it had a flat, oblong-shaped head with several small holes bored through it. She gulped as she realized just how much being struck by it was going to hurt.

“I want you to keep your skirts raised and bend over the desk. Lean on your elbows and stick your bottom out. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Andrew.”

“Good girl.” He gave her a smile that warmed her and she moved to the desk with the two large, intimidating men following close behind.

When she was in position, Andrew helped her to adjust her stance so her legs were pressed firmly together.

“Taryn will administer this part of the punishment,” he explained as she frowned at him, a little puzzled that he didn’t want her to spread her legs wide as the men in the books she’d read always required their women to do when they were being spanked in this position. “Taar-Breckian men may discipline a female belonging to another under certain circumstances, but her legs must be closed and he may not use his hand. There are some things that are reserved for a husband’s pleasure only.”

Caroline’s eyebrows knitted together even more tightly as she recalled the punishment in the town square where a mob of strangers had seen her with her legs spread apart. She couldn’t see how it would be any different if her legs were parted as Taryn spanked her but who was she to argue with Taar-Breckian customs? It seemed she had a lot to learn.

As Taryn positioned himself to one side of her, his arm drawn back ready to deliver the first strike, Andrew moved to the seat behind the desk and sat down. Reaching out, he took Caroline’s hands in his and looked deep into her eyes.

“This punishment will hurt a great deal but once it’s over, all will be forgiven. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Andrew.”

Caroline gave a weak smile. There was something reassuring about being able to look deep into his eyes and see the burning desire he felt for her as she readied herself to receive the spanking. As Caroline studied the expression of tenderness on his face, she almost missed the nod he gave his lieutenant to begin.

The sharp crack of the paddle made the rounded globe of her left buttock quiver and she wailed loudly as heat radiated out from the point of impact. She tried to pull her hands away from Andrew, so she could reach around behind her to soothe the ache, but he held onto her tightly and she realized that his purpose was not simply to give her comfort, but to prevent her from moving from position as well.

“Settle down.” There was a note of command in his voice.

“Please,” Caroline sobbed loudly, embarrassed that she was finding a single stroke of the paddle so unbearable. “Please, no more. I can’t do this.”

“Caroline, calm yourself.” Andrew’s tone was quiet but firm. “You must take the punishment. Try to breathe through it.”

The encouraging way he caressed her wrists with his thumbs and smiled at her helped Caroline to steady herself. She gave a nod and the paddle landed on her right buttock and then the left with loud smacks that made her already inflamed skin heat unbearably. She had no idea how she was going to stand ten of these. Dancing up onto the tips of her toes, she tried to alleviate the painful sensation that shot through her like lightning. Deep inside her, the butt plug jiggled and she wailed as pressure began to build up right at the heart of her femininity, making her clit throb wildly against the metal chastity belt that shielded her from being touched, making any possibility of achieving the release she so desperately craved remote.

Andrew tightened his grasp on her wrists in a gesture of support and the next five strokes fell, one after the other, hitting her lower buttocks hard. Caroline screamed at the top of her lungs as the vicious little paddle did its job and turned the flesh on her bottom crimson. Struggling to cope with the pain and humiliation of being spanked so harshly by the stern alien warrior who hadn’t uttered a single word throughout, she began to cry.

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed, struggling pointlessly against the iron grip with which Andrew held her arms. “I’m sorry. Please, no more. It hurts too much.”

“I know it hurts, sweetheart, but it’s almost over now,” Andrew said in a soothing tone as he exchanged a look with his lieutenant who had paused to await further instruction. “You’re doing so well, but if you want to leave the punishment for now and start over tomorrow, we can do that.”

It was a hell of a choice. Actually, it wasn’t a choice at all. There was no way Caroline wanted to start over. She had no doubt that she would be disciplined again in the future as her desire for independence clashed with Andrew’s need for control but she was not going to invite another spanking when there were only two strokes left to go.

“No, Andrew,” she sniffed. “Please finish now.”

“That’s my girl,” Andrew said tenderly.

He signaled to Taryn that he could continue and a second later, the final strokes of the paddle fell across her sit spots. Caroline shrieked until her throat was hoarse. Flesh pricking with fiercely unpleasant heat, she sagged forward against the desk. As she continued to cry, she barely heard Taryn’s words praising her fortitude as he took his leave of them. She felt Andrew kissing her hand and then, suddenly, he let go of her wrists, leaving her bereft for a moment as he quickly rose from his chair and circled the desk to gather her into his arms.

 

* * *

 

As Caroline clutched at his shirt and sobbed into his chest, Andrew carefully lifted her and carried her into the hallway, heading for the stairs. Thankfully, his men had exercised the discretion he’d come to expect from them and the path to her bedroom door was clear. He knew that the punishment had been deeply humiliating for her and he didn’t want to subject her to the curious gaze of others right now. The paddling had been particularly hard on her. As he’d instructed, Taryn had not held back from making his displeasure felt and what Caroline needed now that the chastisement was over, was reassurance that all was forgiven.

Although he’d been angry and disappointed that she chose to disobey him, he did appreciate that she’d been thinking about helping her sister. Such a strong protective instinct was to be admired but he had to impress upon her just how foolish it had been to try to take matters into her own hands. There were people out there who would hurt her if they could and it was his job to ensure that didn’t happen.

Once they reached her room, he took a seat on the bed, bringing Caroline with him to cradle her on his lap. As her sobbing slowly subsided, he gently ran his hand up and down her back.

“My men went to the old post office building,” he said eventually, allowing Caroline to sit back so she could look at him as he spoke. She shifted a little, wincing as her inflamed buttocks rubbed against his knee and he waited for her to settle before continuing. “The place was deserted and there’s no sign that anybody’s been in there recently.”

“Oh.” Caroline’s pretty face fell. “So it was a trap, then?”

“It looks like it. There are several quiet streets between here and the post office and I think someone intended to snatch you in a place where there would be no witnesses.”

Caroline’s face blanched and Andrew wished he didn’t have to scare her but it was the only way to stop her doing something like that again.

“So you don’t think whoever wrote the note could have taken me to Elizabeth?”

Andrew shook his head. “No, I’m afraid we have no idea where your sister is but thankfully nothing’s turned up to suggest she’s in any immediate danger. The good news is that the Council doesn’t seem to know where she is either.”

“Well, that’s something,” Caroline said weakly. “I can’t believe I was stupid enough to believe that message.”

“Not stupid,” Andrew corrected. “You wanted it to be true and you acted impulsively, that’s all.”

He didn’t want her to turn herself inside out worrying over the fact she could so easily have walked into real danger. Her actions could have led to trouble for her but, fortunately, they hadn’t and now that she’d learned a valuable lesson, he doubted she would do anything so reckless in the future.

“Before I forget,” Andrew continued, digging in his pocket. “My men found this in the garden.”

Caroline gasped with delight as he retrieved her sister’s necklace and placed it in her hand. Lifting her carefully off his knee, Andrew got to his feet, intending to leave so she could have some time alone to process all that had happened but, to his surprise, her hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

“Don’t leave.” Caroline bit her bottom lip coyly. “I know we can’t… you know… because of this stupid thing I’m wearing but perhaps I could…”

“What?” Andrew needed her to spell out what she was offering so there could be no room for recriminations later.

“Well, surely there is something I can do.” She glanced away and then, after taking a deep breath obviously designed to steady her nerves, looked him straight in the eye. “Something that might show you how truly sorry I am for having been so much bother to you.”

“What do you have in mind?” Andrew asked as she rose to her feet.

Caroline blushed deeply and looked away and Andrew knew that if he was more of a gentleman, he would let her off the hook by taking matters out of her hands and directing her actions but he was intrigued by the fact that she’d initiated this conversation and wanted to know exactly what she had in mind. Besides, within their marriage, there would be no room for modesty, so she might as well get used to speaking up now.

“Caroline?” he prompted sternly.

“I was thinking that you might allow me to,” she paused and, with a grimace that spoke of her discomfort about discussing such things, said, “fellate you.”

“Fellate?” Andrew couldn’t help but grin.

“Yes, that is the correct word for it, isn’t it?”

Her cheeks seemed to catch fire as he looked at her appraisingly and Andrew decided not to draw this out any longer in case she lost courage. He got the distinct impression that her sudden willingness to explore ways she could give him pleasure had caught her off guard as much as it had surprised him and the way she’d expressed her desire to serve him with such formal language was so adorable he could hardly refuse.

“Very well. Remove your clothes.”

There was only a moment’s pause before she kicked her shoes off under the bed and stripped the dress from her beautiful body. Any thought Andrew had entertained about her offer too take him orally being a reluctant gesture of contrition went straight out of the window. It seemed, from the almost predatory gleam in her eye that she was eager to become acquainted with his dick and that pleased him greatly.

Caroline shivered as Andrew slowly circled her, deliberately taking his time to appreciate every part of her naked body. The little rosebuds at the peaks of her breasts had tightened and her breathing was becoming more rapid.

“You are, without doubt, the most beautiful creature I have ever seen,” he murmured as he moved around her like an animal stalking its prey.

As he came to a stop behind her, he admired the smoothness of her skin, its buttermilk complexion. As he examined the vivid red welts on her bottom and thought about the way her body had writhed as she took her spanking, his cock stiffened. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her back against the solid wall of his chest. Cupping her breast in his hand and, running his thumb around the delicate pink areola, he leaned in and gently bit on her neck, causing her to moan with desire. Savoring the sweet taste of her perfect skin, he moved his hand lower, between her legs and slid his fingers over the smooth metal shield that covered her sex, preventing him from touching the gorgeous little pussy that was rightfully his.

“Soon this will be mine,” he whispered in her ear, making her sway in his arms, and his fingers skimmed over her bottom, “and this. But, for now, I’ll just have to enjoy that beautiful mouth of yours.”

As he let go of Caroline, she looked a little dazed. He took a seat on the edge of the bed, with his legs parted. Looking her straight in the eye, he waited for her to make the next move.

 

* * *

 

Standing naked before Andrew, Caroline had no idea what had got into her, why she’d suddenly offered to service him in that way. She was curious, she guessed, and knowing that she would soon give her virginity to this man she was anxious to, well, take him for a test run. That seemed a little vulgar, but it was more or less the truth of it.

As she stood there, trying to decide what to do next, she felt increasingly unsure of herself. She had no experience of this type of thing. All that she knew about the intimate relations between men and women came from erotic novels and suddenly that knowledge did not seem adequate. Perhaps it was not too late to back away from this.

Almost as though he’d sensed her hesitation, Andrew fixed her with his gaze and slowly shook his head.

“On your knees, Caroline.” The note of command in his voice sent a shiver of excitement through her entire body and she immediately did as she was told, dropping to the floor with as much grace as she could.

As Andrew unzipped his pants and freed his cock, Caroline blew out a breath. His comments earlier about being bigger than the plug inserted in her butt had been no idle boast. She had never seen that part of a man in the flesh and it looked nothing like the flaccid penises she’d seen in the forbidden art books she and her friends had spent hours giggling over. No, this was not the tame piece of flesh she’d imagined. There was nothing timid about his cock. In fact, it looked positively ferocious. A long, thick shaft that jutted out from Andrew’s muscular body, its purple head glistened with drops of fluid.

Before she could lose her nerve, Caroline crawled to him and positioned herself between his legs, catching the unmistakable scent of masculine arousal in the air.

“Hands behind your back.”

Caroline looked up at Andrew, puzzled, but did as she was told, placing her hands behind her and knitting her fingers together to make it easier to keep them there. She caught the appreciative glint in his eye as her breasts were thrust out in front of her and his raw appraisal made her clitoris tingle with desire.

“Now, take me in your mouth.”

It was easier said than done without the use of her hands and Caroline heard him chuckle as she tried to catch his manhood between her lips as he deliberately shifted to make it harder for her. Humiliatingly, his erection smacked her in the face at least twice before she captured it in her mouth. As she took the first inch of him, her tongue circled around the head and dipped into the slit where droplets of moisture had collected. The taste was like nothing she’d ever had in her mouth before, a little salty but, to her surprise, not unpleasant.

Running her tongue along the underside of his steely shaft, she took him deeper into her mouth.

“God, Caroline, more.” There was an urgency to his demand that gave her a feeling of power and she was rewarded with an almost agonized groan as she slid her mouth down the length of him, taking him right to the back of her throat. She relaxed her jaw instinctively to prevent herself from gagging. Then she moved all the way up the shaft again, letting her teeth graze the velvety skin.

“Fuck, Caroline!” His hands gripped the short strands of hair at the back of her head almost painfully as he held her firmly in place. She could sense that he was having trouble holding back, that it was costing him to let her explore him at her own pace. Head bobbing up and down, she suckled eagerly on his rigid length, his groans of ecstasy giving her confidence that she was pleasing him. “I love seeing my cock in your mouth.”

His voice was strained and, as she listened to his moans of gratification, Caroline became aware of her own growing arousal. Every move she made jolted the plug inside her bottom and her pussy began to grow wet as she took great delight in giving him pleasure.

As she lapped enthusiastically on his rock-hard flesh, Andrew suddenly took control of the situation, gripping her hair even tighter and thrusting his hips to fill her mouth completely. As he slid back and forth over her tongue to hit the back of her throat again and again, Caroline’s heart beat faster. Something inside her had been awakened and she felt more alive than she ever had before. It was intensely exhilarating and not a little terrifying to know that she could come to life just from having her mouth used in this way.

As he thrust deep, Caroline felt Andrew’s cock swell massively between her lips. He muttered something incoherent and let go of her head as he threw his hands back to brace himself on the bed. His warm seed flooded her mouth and she swallowed eagerly, not wanting to spill a single precious drop of the gift he’d given her.

Leaning down, he kissed her with a possessiveness that took her breath away and she wondered what it was like for him to taste himself on her tongue. As he pulled back, the look in his eye told her what he did not say—you are mine—and the thought made her heart soar.

Chapter Eight

 

 

Being back in the town hall was even more nerve-racking than Caroline had imagined it would be. Although there had been no hostile crowds lining the streets this time as she was driven to her wedding in the comfort of a government car rather than the terrible cage she’d been brought here in for her trial, she was still painfully aware that she was not among friends. People stopped to glare at her as she walked through endless corridors to the antechamber outside the great hall where the ceremony was scheduled to take place at midday and she wished that Andrew could be there by her side. As tradition dictated, she hadn’t seen him this morning and they’d traveled to the New Cambridge headquarters of the High Council separately. Even though she had Bryn and Taryn with her, and they’d been incredibly attentive, it was not the same as having the man who made her feel safest there next to her.

“Are you ready, Lady Caroline?” Bryn asked as she smoothed down the flowing silk skirts of the wedding gown the seamstress had managed to create in record time thanks, no doubt, to the offer of a generous bonus payment from Andrew. The dress was quite spectacular, with a beautiful sweetheart neckline and an intricately embroidered bodice and Caroline wished that some of her friends could be there to see it.

Looking at Bryn, whose eyebrow was raised in expectation of a response, Caroline nodded and allowed him to pull the exquisite lace veil she wore down over her face, which would remain covered until the ceremony was completed and her new husband claimed her as his bride.

“You know what to expect?” Taryn queried.

“Yes,” Caroline confirmed. The marriage ritual was a fairly traditional one. Caroline would kneel at the feet of the man who was to become, to all intents and purposes, her master, with her forehead pressed to the floor, until he gave her permission to rise. Then she would be his to do with as he pleased. If it was any other man, she would be afraid, but the thought of belonging to Andrew completely gave Caroline a thrill she could scarcely believe possible.

“And you know how the commander will act?” Taryn checked, clearly concerned that she should be aware of what would happen once they entered that room.

Caroline nodded. Andrew had warned her last night before leaving her that he would not be able to show her an ounce of affection in the presence of the members of the High Council who would be at the ceremony. He’d asked for her to trust him and she intended to do just that. Already, he’d seen her safely through several challenges and she knew he would continue to do so. Any humiliations he was forced to heap on her now in order to placate the Council would be worth it if they got her away from those awful men and the very real possibility that they would do her harm.

“Very well,” Taryn said. “We shall proceed.”

As he opened the door to the great hall, Caroline pressed her fingertips lightly to the pretty bronze charm on Elizabeth’s necklace that she’d worn so some small part of her sister would be there with her. Sending up a silent plea to the fates that all would be well, she breathed in deeply, filling her lungs and then slowly blowing the air back out again. Then, flanked by her two enormous alien escorts, who each took a careful hold of one of her arms, she began to make the long walk toward Andrew who stood, with his back to her, at the end of the aisle.

There were a lot of people here, Caroline noted and, although any of the faces were familiar, there was not a single one belonging to a friend. In fact, there weren’t any women in attendance at all. As well as the men who sat on the High Council, there were dozens of other dignitaries there, no doubt to ensure that the troublesome young female they’d heard so much about these past few days was safely married off and dispatched to another planet. As she walked by them, her head held defiantly high, there was not a word of encouragement for her or even a reassuring smile. Instead, she was met with sneering glares and the open hostility that hit her like a hammer made her tremble. She would probably never reconcile herself with the idea that people could hate her so vehemently.

At the end of the aisle, Andrew turned and watched her intently as she glided toward him but his face gave nothing of his innermost thoughts away. Although he’d warned her to expect it, his impassive expression still took her aback. She’d thought there would be some hint of warmth in his eyes at least, but there was nothing there. As she looked at him, he was suddenly a stranger again, and not the man who’d held her in his arms late into the night. Seeming to sense that she was becoming distressed, Bryn and Taryn each gave her a comforting squeeze as they led her closer to the man who would, by the time they left this room, be her husband.

As Caroline reached Andrew, he cast a cold, dismissive glance over her and then turned to face President Hall, who’d chosen to perform the rites required to make them husband and wife himself. Letting go of her arms, the two alien warriors melted into the background, something they seemed to have a talent for, despite their intimidating size, and Caroline felt the sudden abandonment as a chill sweeping down her spine. Swaying unsteadily, she stood there transfixed by the hostile glare of President Hall.

“On your knees, girl!” he barked out, making her jump.

Caroline instantly dropped to her knees and, with some struggle as she became entangled in her voluminous skirts, assumed the required position with her forehead pressed to the floor. She cringed slightly at the intensely humiliating pose she’d adopted.

“One moment,” she heard Andrew say.

She was aware of him crouching down next to her and taking hold of the hem of her skirts. Even though she guessed what he was about to do, a shocked gasp still escaped her as he pulled the dress up around her waist, baring her thoroughly plugged bottom to the gaze of the men who’d gathered to witness the marriage. Her face reddened as approving murmurs filled the air behind her. Their audience could clearly see the fading red marks on the pale white skin of her bottom, evidence of her spanking. Caroline clenched her eyes shut and tried to prevent tears of humiliation from leaking out. The realization that Andrew had bared her so that everyone could witness his willingness to take her in hand, to demonstrate to the skeptics on the Council that he would prevent her from giving them any more trouble, did not lessen her feeling of utter exposure.

Gripped by a sense of vulnerability, Caroline knelt there in silence for the next ten minutes trying, but failing, to imagine herself somewhere more pleasant as the words of the ceremony washed over her. Nothing was required of a bride during the proceedings other than for her to listen carefully as she was told that she would spend the rest of her days honoring and serving the man who stood next to her. For Andrew’s part, he pledged to guide her with a firm hand and ensure that she was punished appropriately for any lapses in obedience. Caroline knew that there had been a time when the couple being joined together had promised to love one another but there was no room for such romantic sentiment these days. Marriages were about social status and ensuring that women were kept firmly under control. As the ceremony drew toward its conclusion, Caroline felt a wave of fear. What if Andrew’s caring side suddenly disappeared once she was legally bound to him? What if that chilling look he’d given her when she reached the end of the aisle was an indication of how he really felt about her?

As the final words of the ritual came, she knew that there was no possibility of backing out now, not that it had seemed likely that she would be able to before.

“She is now your wife,” President Hall said disdainfully. “You may do with her as you please.”

Caroline quivered and waited for Andrew to give her some instruction. Then she felt his arm around her as he reached down to pull her to her feet. Mercifully, as she was brought to a standing position, her skirts fell back into place, shielding her once more from the lewd gazes of the assembled audience. Her breath hitched as Andrew lifted the veil from her face and stared at her with undeniable hunger. As her lips parted, he leaned down and kissed her long and hard, his tongue plundering her mouth in an act of pure possession. When he finally drew back, he left her gasping for air, reeling from the intensity of the kiss. For a moment, he looked at her with such tenderness and then anger clouded his face. Scowling as though she’d somehow wronged him, he grabbed her hand and led her wordlessly from the room.

 

* * *

 

As soon as they were clear of the great hall, Andrew wrapped his arms around Caroline and pulled her close as, apparently overwhelmed by emotion, she began to cry. He knew that the ceremony they’d just suffered through was not any woman’s ideal wedding and he regretted that he’d been forced to remain aloof to prevent the Council from seeing his true feelings for her before the marriage was legalized. Whispering softly to her, murmuring reassurances, he rubbed her back and she quickly pulled herself together. Her resilience impressed him once again and he was now even more certain that she was the right woman for him.

“Did I do something wrong in there?” Caroline asked, looking up at him with those big green eyes he loved so much. “You seemed annoyed.”

“Not with you, sweetheart. I was angry with myself, with the whole situation.”

Caroline nodded as though she understood that he’d been irritated by having to conceal his true feelings for her until they were in a place where he was absolutely certain he could protect her.

“So what now?” she asked with such weariness in her voice his heart ached for her. She had no doubt realized that it would not be a simple case of walking out of there now that the ceremony was concluded.

“Well, first we need to go to the medical room and get the chastity belt removed if we want to enjoy our wedding night properly.”

Caroline blushed and looked away and Andrew could not help but enjoy the fact she was still such an innocent.

“And the dilator thingy?”

There was a definite grimace on her face as she mentioned the plug that was still stretching her pretty little bottom to make it easier for him to use that forbidden hole.

“That will be removed also.”

She flashed him a grateful smile and Andrew wondered just how big an ordeal it had been for her to wear the plug continuously for almost two days. She certainly hadn’t complained as much as he might have expected, but that might be more a sign of her fortitude than an indication that she’d enjoyed the experience of being filled like that for so long.

“And then?”

“Then the Council has insisted on holding a drinks reception for us.”

“Why would they do that?” Caroline’s nose scrunched up as her brow furrowed in thought.

“Why indeed?”

Andrew knew that it was all about them demonstrating their power while they could. The moment he got on board the transport that was waiting outside Earth’s atmosphere for them, the ability of the Council to influence him in any way would be over. He intended to formally relinquish his dual citizenship and pledge himself wholeheartedly to his mother’s people, the Taar-Breckians. While he would always look out for the welfare of the inhabitants of Earth, he had no intention of serving its corrupt Council a moment longer than necessary. He was sure that when he returned home and reported all that he’d seen over the last couple of days to the authorities there, they would agree with his plans to renegotiate their military cooperation with the Council and lobby them to introduce reforms.

Realizing that his new wife was examining him closely with a quizzical expression on her face as his mind drifted elsewhere, Andrew tried to clear his head of everything but Caroline. Smiling warmly and receiving a cute little grin in return, he led her to the examination room. As they got closer, he felt her begin to tremble and put his arm around her shoulder to steady her.

“All will be well, sweetheart,” he assured her as they stepped through the door into the sparse, utilitarian medical room. “This will only take a moment and it will be done entirely in private.”

With a teary smile, Caroline nodded her head. She tensed as the doctor approached, the same obnoxious little man who’d examined her before, and then relaxed as a huge sigh escaped her.

“Good girl,” Andrew murmured approvingly.

“Mrs. Rossingham.” The doctor addressed Caroline with more respect than he had done previously and Andrew felt his heart swell with pride that this beautiful young woman now bore his name. “Please step over to the table, raise your skirts, and bend over.”

Andrew walked with her to the table and stood by her side as she followed the doctor’s instructions without question. Good. It seemed she was learning. She gathered her skirts up around her waist and leaned forward, supporting herself on her elbows on the smooth leather surface of the examination table she’d been bound to only two days ago. Andrew took her hand and gently stroked the back of it with his thumb as the doctor approached, carrying a little black box that looked like a remote control. He clicked a button on it and the chastity device loosened, sliding down her legs to the floor. As the doctor bent to pick up the metal belt that had kept her sex confined, Caroline wiggled experimentally, apparently getting used to its absence.

“That was painless,” Andrew commented, giving her a broad smile.

“It was,” Caroline agreed, as though she could scarcely believe it had been as easy as all that to remove the wretched thing.

“Now for the dilator.” The doctor stepped a little closer, snapping latex gloves onto his hands as he did so. “I must warn you, Mrs. Rossingham, that now it’s expanded fully, removing it may be a little uncomfortable.”

In response to the look of desperation in Caroline’s eyes, Andrew stepped in between her and the doctor.

“I’d like you to leave.” The command was voiced as a request.

The doctor opened his mouth as though to protest but Andrew got his next words in before the other man could speak.

“The dilator is simply a fancy type of butt plug, is it not?”

“Erm, yes,” the doctor replied.

“Well, in that case, removing it should not give me any trouble.”

“If that is what you would prefer.” The doctor sounded put out. No doubt he’d hoped to get his hands on Caroline’s delectable body again but there was no way Andrew was going to allow that to happen.

“It is.” His response was firm. “Now, leave.”

All pretense of politeness was gone and, sensing the dangerous undertone in Andrew’s voice, the doctor quickly scurried from the room. As soon as the man was gone, Andrew wrapped his arm around Caroline’s slender waist and kissed her neck. His hand fought its way past the bunched-up material of her skirts and he slid his fingers between her legs. Finding the swollen bud of her clitoris, he circled it lightly, smiling to himself as Caroline groaned and rocked back against him, a gush of moisture flooding her pussy as he pressed harder.

“Is this wetness all for me, sweetheart?” His words came out in a growl.

Caroline blushed prettily as she pushed back against him in silent answer to his question. While he continued to tease her clit with one hand, he slid the other around to find the base of the dilator, nestled between her butt cheeks. He pushed gently on it and Caroline moaned as his actions forced her up onto her toes.

Taking the base of the plug between his fingers, he pulled gently, rotating it slightly as he did so, until it began to slide out of her bottom. Although it was well lubricated, as the widest part of the object began to pass through the tight ring of muscle it met with some resistance and Caroline scrabbled wildly at the table as though trying to find something to grasp onto.

“Relax, Caroline,” Andrew urged her, his fingers teasing her pussy to distract her.

She gave a long, slow breath and he gradually drew the dilator out of her rear passage. He grinned approvingly as her cheeks flushed with increased arousal, listening to the little moans and gasps that told him she was becoming more and more turned on. When the last inch of the thick black plug was removed, Caroline moaned in a manner that pleased Andrew and then pressed herself back against him, rubbing her bottom against him in an obvious invitation.

“You are certain?” he asked, already unzipping his pants to free his fully erect manhood.

“Yes,” Caroline said breathily. “I want you to do it now.”

“What do you want me to do now, sweetheart?” He waited for her response, knowing that if he had read her wrong and she didn’t reply as he expected, his balls would probably explode. Although he fully intended to take her anally, frequently in fact, he would wait until she was ready for the first time if he had to.

“I want you to fuck me.”

“Where?”

She shook her head slowly and, for a moment, he thought she might lose her courage but then she spoke.

“My bottom,” she said with a wince that spoke of her discomfort in asking. “Please, Andrew, fuck my bottom.”

Scarcely able to believe that she had, once again, taken the initiative and that she was so willing to do this now, Andrew growled and reached between her legs, drawing some of the moisture from her pussy to spread around her anus, already well lubricated from the gel secreted by the dilator she’d worn inside of her. Andrew lowered his pants and took his long, thick cock in his hand, pumping his fist up and down three or four times before positioning himself behind her. She gasped as the head of his shaft breached her tight little hole. Caroline glanced over her shoulder, panic flaring in her big green eyes as he began to push into her. He wondered if she might protest now that she realized he was, indeed, larger than the plug had been, but she simply braced her arms against the table and waited for him to enter her fully. The dilator had done its job in preparing her and, after overcoming the initial resistance, he slid deeper into the stretched channel. As he bottomed out inside her, she sighed with what he took to be contentment.

“Such a good girl for letting me in,” Andrew praised her.

Caroline’s response was a groan of pleasure as he began to fuck her slowly, thrusting in and out with a gentle rhythm. With one hand splayed across her stomach and the other exploring the wet heat at her core, he enjoyed the sight of his cock moving between her gloriously rounded bottom cheeks. She was wonderfully tight, a perfect fit for him and her rear channel seemed to caress his steely shaft as he fucked her. Pulling her back against him, he began to pound more vigorously. Caroline whimpered and wriggled as though in need of relief. Understanding exactly what it was she desired, Andrew ran his finger around her clitoris in circles, pressing firmly against her moist pink flesh to elicit delightful little moans as she squirmed in his arms. Sinking deep within her rear, he grunted, the sounds coming from him animalistic as he fucked her harder, his control close to the breaking point as something primal struggled to get loose.

Unable to hold back as her moans assailed him, he drove in and out of her like a man possessed. As he slipped a finger inside her slick, wet pussy, her inner walls began to clench around him. Feeling the first waves of her orgasm building, his cock swelled. He pushed into her hard and stilled as his own release overtook him. Throwing his head back with a triumphant roar, he spilled his seed inside her. Sliding a hand up to cup her breast, he pinched her erect nipple. Shrieking her pleasure, Caroline reached her peak and joined him as, together, they fell over the edge into violent ecstasy.

 

* * *

 

Caroline might not know her new husband very well yet but she could tell from the almost imperceptible tic in his jaw that he was becoming irritated with President Hall as he prattled on endlessly about future trade deals he hoped Andrew would help to negotiate. Every fiber of her being screamed out at her to tell the old fool to shut his mouth but, knowing that doing so would likely earn her a spanking from Andrew and possibly cause problems for both of them with the High Council, she held her tongue.

Taking a sip of the water she’d been given to drink while the men around her enjoyed glasses of a fine Taar-Breckian wine, she kept her eyes trained on the floor in front of her, not wanting to give anyone cause to criticize her behavior. There was a general air of hostility in the room and she knew that Andrew felt it too, as he’d asked Bryn and Taryn to stay close.

As she stood there in silence, her mind drifted back to what she and Andrew had just done in the medical examination room and it brought a blush to her cheeks. She had no idea what had come over her lately, why she was so eager to offer herself up to this man. Whenever he got close to her, every part of her body seemed to spark into life. She’d felt such a deep, sensual ache when he removed the dilator, touching her body so intimately, that she’d had an irresistible need to be filled by him. She knew that she had both pleased and utterly confused Andrew with her willingness to indulge in such naughty sexual acts when she was still a virgin in the conventional sense.

For reasons she couldn’t even begin to rationalize, she still felt a little nervous about her wedding night. It seemed silly after all the things she’d already done with Andrew but she couldn’t dismiss the fluttering in her stomach as she thought about how intimate it would be for their bodies to be joined together in that way.

Shaking off her thoughts, she glanced up as a flustered-looking official came hurrying up to President Hall and whispered something in his ear. When he left, the older man turned to Andrew, a perplexed frown on his face.

“It seems that several single pilot Taar-Breckian fighters have moved into our airspace,” he said.

“Yes.” Andrew seemed unperturbed by the news. “They are part of my fleet, forming a guard of honor for me and my new bride.”

“I see.” President Hall looked uneasy. “This is part of some tradition, is it?”

“Yes, my men wish to show the proper respect to their new princess.”

Startled to hear herself referred to in that way, Caroline looked up at Andrew and blinked several times until her astonishment subsided and she found herself able to speak.

“Princess?” she queried.

“Of course, my love. I am the grandson of King Aldren and as you are now a cherished member of our family, my mother tells me he would like to bestow upon you the title of princess. Did I not mention that before?”

Caroline shook her head, suspecting that he knew quite well that he hadn’t said a word about her new royal status, no doubt having intended to reveal it at the time best suited to his own purposes. She had known, of course, that his mother was a Taar-Breckian princess but it had not occurred to her that it would lead to such an honor for her.

“Yes, my dear, you will be shown the greatest respect by our people.” The glint in his eye told Caroline he was enjoying stirring things up as President Hall appeared to have gone quite green around the gills. “And while naturally your obedience to me will be required, you will enjoy considerable freedoms on Taar-Breck.”

Barely able to conceal his disapproval on hearing that she was not going to be treated as harshly as he’d imagined, President Hall gruffly excused himself and walked off to confer with Lord Barron, who’d been glaring at them from the other side of the room since they arrived at the reception.

“Oh, dear,” Caroline remarked. “I don’t think he was very happy.”

“I really don’t give a damn if he is or not,” Andrew said dismissively. “But I think we should probably leave soon. The transport ship has already delayed its journey for two days in order that we might board.”

As Caroline gave an involuntary grimace, Andrew looked at her quizzically.

“What is it, sweetheart?”

“Just a bit nervous about traveling,” she admitted. “I’ve never really been anywhere outside of New Cambridge.”

Given that more than three quarters of the planet had been destroyed by successive wars, very few people had ever ventured outside of the city limits. Those who did tended to be the men who joined the interplanetary air force to safeguard their borders alongside the Taar-Breckians. Women were generally only granted passage out of the city if, like Caroline, they were accompanying their husband, and that was a rare occurrence.

Andrew smiled indulgently at the worried expression on her face and pulled her into his arms for a reassuring hug.

“It will be fine, sweetheart. Once you get used to it, you’ll barely notice the ship is moving.”

“If you say so,” Caroline said with a note of skepticism.

“I do.” He stepped back from her. “Now, I need to speak to Bryn and check that our shuttle is ready for departure.”

As he walked away from her, Caroline took another sip of her water and watched him go, clearing a path through the crowd of other men. He cut an impressive figure, her husband. She smiled at that thought. As much as she was his, he was now hers. It was incredible how quickly her life had changed. Three days ago, it had not even crossed her mind that she might marry but, looking at the broad shoulders and firm buttocks of her husband, she was starting to like the idea. Provided, of course, he kept that damned vicious paddle of his under lock and key. Being spanked with that particular implement was not something she would forget in a hurry. She would just have to behave herself in the future, she supposed.

As she stood there, dutifully waiting for Andrew to return, she started to feel really conspicuous, the only woman amongst dozens of less than friendly men. Her heart dropped as she noticed Lord Barron approaching fast. With no obvious means of escape, there was nothing she could do but stand there as he marched up to her, his face like thunder. At least she knew he couldn’t harm her with Andrew and Bryn just across the room and Taryn hovering somewhere nearby.

“Lord Barron.” She greeted him with as much civility as she could muster.

“You may have evaded justice, you wretched little slut,” he hissed without preamble, “but I promise you neither your sister nor your friends will be so lucky. We have agents out there tracking each and every one of them down and they will pay for their treachery against the state.”

“None of my friends has done anything wrong.” Caroline fought to keep her voice steady.

“Nothing wrong? We have just learned of a plot to abduct a member of the High Council and hold him for ransom.”

Caroline shook her head vigorously. None of the women in the Hyde Ladies’ Circle had ever so much as mentioned doing something like that, not even hypothetically. She couldn’t imagine any of them going so far and yet, there were times when some of her friends had expressed views that had been a little extreme for her tastes and, now that she thought about it, Elizabeth had been acting in a very restless manner recently.

“That can’t be true.” Her protest sounded weak even to her own ears.

Suddenly recalling how her sister had railed at her less than a week ago for not doing more to change her lot in life, Caroline was overcome with fear that Elizabeth might be involved in the plot. She slumped back against the wall, her hands trembling so violently she splashed some of her water down the front of her wedding gown. Just as she thought her legs might give out beneath her, Andrew appeared at her side and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Is there some problem here, Lord Barron?”

“Not at all, Commander,” he replied pleasantly. “In fact, I was just about to share some good news with your lovely bride.”

“And what might that be?” Andrew asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“I have been appointed as ambassador to Taar-Breck.” Barron’s whole face was alight with mischief. “I shall be joining you on your journey home.”

As he walked away, Caroline shuddered in dismay at the thought of having that terrible man on the same transport as them. She could only hope it was a very large ship because the thought of running into Lord Barron was more than she could bear.

Chapter Nine

 

 

Whatever anxieties Caroline might have had about space travel, they were doused the moment she found herself securely fastened into the passenger seat of the small, two-person shuttle that was to take them to the much larger transport ship that was waiting far beyond Earth’s atmosphere for their arrival. Andrew piloted the craft himself and watching him deftly keying information into the computer and then taking hold of the controls with such confidence put her at her ease. There was only a tiny jolt as they first lifted off, which made her stomach lurch and then it was a smooth, if somewhat rapid ascent past the ceremonial lines of Taar-Breckian fighters to the waiting spaceship.

If Caroline had any complaint about the shuttle ride, it was that it had been too brief. Within minutes of taking off from the space port outside New Cambridge, they’d already docked and disembarked on the passenger transport. Feeling her legs a little wobbly beneath her as she began to walk across the landing bay, she was grateful when Andrew put his arm around her waist, seeming to understand that she needed support.

“Ah,” he remarked as they made their way across the rather sparse, industrial-looking space that Caroline hoped was not indicative of the style of accommodation they would occupy whilst traveling. “The captain and his mate have come to welcome us on board.”

Caroline’s brow furrowed as she spotted the man of typically massive Taar-Breckian stature and a tall, slender woman with stunning blue eyes and the most incredibly flowing white hair coming toward them. She gasped as she realized that the woman was wearing exactly the same uniform of black trousers and silver tunic as the man wore, something that would never be allowed in New Cambridge.

“Commander Rossingham, it’s an honor to have you on board.” The captain offered a deferential bow before turning to Caroline. “And we are delighted to welcome your beautiful bride.”

“Captain Edryn,” Andrew acknowledged.

The other man turned to the woman whose ethereal beauty had Caroline utterly transfixed.

“Allow me to present my second in command, Sereena, who is also my wife.”

Caroline looked to Andrew, a dozen questions running through her mind, but the slight shake of his head told her that explanations would have to wait until a time when they were alone.

“It is good to meet you both,” Andrew said warmly. “Perhaps you and I might have a moment or two together, Captain. There is a security matter I wish to discuss.”

“Ah, yes, the other passenger who’s about to join us.” The captain was clearly referring to Lord Barron. “I had hoped to speak with you about him. If you like, we can go to the control room and my wife can escort your bride to your private apartments. Sereena can help her to prepare for you.”

“If it’s no trouble,” Andrew replied.

“Not at all.” The young woman gestured for Caroline to precede her through a doorway to the left of the docking area. “Shall we, my lady?”

A little nervous, Caroline looked to Andrew for guidance. He gave her a nod and she followed Sereena from the landing deck and up a flight of stairs into a sumptuously decorated area that seemed a world away from the rather grim space they’d just left behind.

“Forgive me for mentioning it,” Caroline said as she walked alongside the other woman who was at least a foot taller than her, trying not to be intimidated by the disparity in their heights, “but the captain introduced you as his second in command.”

“Indeed. You find it unusual that a female should hold such a position, my lady?”

“Yes.”

“So it is true that females on Earth do not seek employment?”

“They’re forbidden to,” Caroline clarified in case Sereena thought that women like her were too lazy or spoiled to work.

“Ah, yes, but that is not how it is on Taar-Breck. There, a female might find some occupation for herself outside the home, provided it does not distract her from her duties at home.”

“Really?” Caroline couldn’t hide her astonishment and the other woman gave an amused giggle in response.

“Yes, really, my lady. There are many freedoms for females that I believe you do not have on Earth.”

“And what about restrictions?” Caroline asked. “Are there many things that are forbidden? Are women punished if they misbehave?”

“I think your husband will want to tell you about those aspects of our culture.”

The words were evasive, but the deep blush on the other woman’s cheeks was answer enough. She didn’t want to press Sereena so she simply nodded as they stepped into an elevator that carried them up several floors.

“There are only two apartments on the upper level,” Sereena explained. “Those we have reserved for Commander Rossingham and those that my mate and I share.”

“So we’re to be neighbors?” Caroline was excited by the prospect of having another woman close by that she might become friends with.

“Yes, but I doubt the commander will let you leave the apartment much.”

“Oh.” Caroline’s face fell as she contemplated the idea that Andrew might want to keep her confined to her rooms so she couldn’t get into any trouble that might cause him embarrassment.

“You misunderstand me, I think.” Sereena studied Caroline’s face with apparent concern. “I only meant that as you are so newly mated, the commander will enjoy being with you too much to let you out of his sight.”

Caroline’s cheeks flushed as she realized exactly what Sereena was suggesting and she was grateful that the elevator had reached its destination because she had no idea what to say next. She followed Sereena out into a large vestibule and over to a door that she opened by touching a button on her sleeve to a metal panel on the wall. As Caroline stepped into the room, any concerns she’d harbored about their accommodations being uncomfortable vanished in an instant. By Earth’s standards, Caroline had grown up in relative luxury but nothing she’d seen had ever come close to this. The furnishings were lavish with richly colored carpets and drapes that framed a large window looking out into the vastness of space. Running to the window, Caroline found her breath taken away by the beautiful image of the Earth, far off in the distance.

“This is magnificent,” she exclaimed as Sereena came to stand next to her. “I had no idea the Earth was so big. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Sereena smiled indulgently as Caroline gushed about the view.

“It is something to behold,” she agreed. “Now, shall we get you ready for your wedding night, my lady? Commander Rossingham will be along shortly and will expect to find his bride waiting for him.”

Nerves fluttering in her stomach at the thought of being prepared for her husband’s pleasure, Caroline took the hand that Sereena offered and obediently followed her into the bedroom.

 

* * *

 

Andrew sat forward and watched the live stream from the security cameras in the apartment where he and Caroline would be staying as Sereena led his wife into the bathroom. His pulse had already quickened and he was grateful that the captain had agreed to his request to be allowed to view the traditional cleansing of the bride ritual alone. The other man would have been well within his rights to insist on staying to watch the ceremonial bathing as his wife was the one preparing Caroline for the wedding night, but the captain had seemed to understand his desire for privacy. Turning the volume up a little so he might hear as well as see everything that happened, he took a steadying breath. It was ridiculous that the mere anticipation of what was to come should threaten to unman him.

“It is time to prepare you for your wedding night,” Sereena told Caroline, her voice coming through to Andrew quite clearly. “First you will be bathed and then massaged with oils before being dressed in a gown suitable for you to present yourself to your husband in.”

“You’re going to bathe me?” A hint of incredulity spiked her voice.

Andrew could see the way her brow furrowed and wondered if she would put up some argument.

“Yes. Usually there would be three or four females who are trusted by your mate taking part but as we’re in transit, there’s only me.”

“I think I’d prefer that,” Caroline said.

“Good.” Sereena’s face lit up as she smiled. “There is one other thing I must tell you before we begin.”

This would be interesting, Andrew thought, sitting a little straighter as he waited for Caroline’s response.

“Your mate, that is to say, your husband, will be watching the preparations.”

“How?” Caroline queried.

“There are watching devices positioned throughout the room,” Sereena said and then, in apparent response to the anxious look on Caroline’s face, added, “Don’t worry, they are deactivated once the cleansing is completed. You need not fear anyone spying on you while you’re on board.”

“Am I able to refuse to allow this?” Caroline asked, looking around as though trying to locate the cameras so she could make her appeal directly to him.

“Of course,” Sereena replied. “There is no punishment for refusing to take part in the ceremony but most brides choose to embrace the tradition. Many believe that it brings good fortune if you enter into the marriage bed with your body fully cleansed.”

“A fresh start?” Caroline asked.

She was quick to grasp the meaning behind the ceremony just as she had realized back in the town square what it would take to appease the crowd and Andrew had to admire her rapid understanding of different situations. It was a quality that would be useful in their life together.

“Exactly,” Sereena confirmed.

“And a shower wouldn’t suffice?”

As Sereena shook her head, Andrew barked out a laugh. She really was a little minx, this woman of his.

“Very well, then,” Caroline said after a moment’s pause. “As it’s a tradition, I’ll be happy to participate.”

“A good decision, my lady,” Sereena praised her. “I am sure you will find it relaxing. Now, please stand still while I remove your gown.”

Andrew watched intently as Sereena slowly moved behind Caroline and began to unfasten the dozens of little buttons that held the gown together. He felt a stirring in his groin as the dress was finally loosened and Sereena slipped it from his bride’s shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. She took Caroline’s hand and helped her to step out of the pool of fabric. Caroline had worn nothing beneath the gown and now she stood in the center of the bathroom, completely naked. She really was something quite unique with her milky white skin and those piercing emerald eyes and Andrew couldn’t wait until her hair grew back, to see its contrasting black cascading over her pale shoulders.

“Please kneel and bow your head in contemplation while I prepare the bath,” Sereena instructed. “You should clear your mind of everything except thoughts of your mate and how perfect your life with him will be.”

Caroline nodded and dropped to her knees. Andrew shifted in his seat as Sereena adjusted his wife’s position, moving her thighs farther apart and encouraging her to straighten her back. Once she was in the correct position, Sereena moved to the bath and filled it with warm water into which she dropped fragrant salts whose properties were reputed to enhance a female’s sensuality, not that Caroline required it.

“Now, please rise and step into the water so I might bathe you,” Sereena instructed Caroline.

Andrew watched as Caroline got up from the floor and stepped into the bath, every movement imbued with grace. He still couldn’t believe how fortunate he was to have such a beautiful wife. As Sereena encouraged Caroline to lie back and began to run a cloth over her skin, Andrew felt his cock stiffen. There was nothing he could do to relieve the agony building inside him as he saw the incredibly carnal way Sereena caressed his wife’s breasts. It was forbidden for a male watching the cleansing ceremony to masturbate and as the beautiful Taar-Breckian woman’s hand moved between Caroline’s legs, causing her to throw back her head in pleasure, he realized for the first time just how big a test this was of a husband’s ability to control himself.

“Do you like that, my lady?” Sereena cooed as Caroline began to moan. “Do you like my fingers on your soft little pussy?”

“Yes,” Caroline gasped as the other woman continued to move her fingers between her legs, teasing her to a frenzy that had her grasping at the sides of the bath for something to hold onto.

As Sereena suddenly moved her hand away, Caroline sat up, an indignant glower on her face.

“I am sorry, my lady, but only your mate may give you release.”

Andrew almost felt sorry for Caroline, she looked so disappointed, but as he was also suffering intensely, he couldn’t bring himself to pity her entirely. He moved restlessly on his seat as Sereena helped Caroline from the bath and began to dry her body by running white linen cloths over her in slow, deliberate motions. From the way she kept smiling to herself and glancing up at the camera, it was clear that the woman knew how much torture she was inflicting on Andrew as she rubbed his wife’s body until she was completely dry.

“Now, please open your legs a little wider and stand perfectly still while I apply the oils,” Sereena said to Caroline.

His wife’s compliance impressed Andrew. Each time Sereena instructed her, she immediately did as she was told. He felt a tightening in his balls that made him groan as Sereena began to massage oil onto his wife’s back. He heard Caroline’s breathless exclamations as Sereena’s hands moved around to caress her breasts, paying particular attention to the pale pink areolae that had pulled up into tight little buds.

Andrew gripped the arm of his chair, his knuckles whitening as Sereena knelt before his wife and, starting from her feet and working upward, coated her beautiful skin with the shimmering oil. He felt his heart pounding as Sereena opened her mouth and poured a few droplets of oil on her tongue, before firmly grasping Caroline’s hips and burying her face in her pussy. Throwing her head back, Caroline moaned as the other woman’s tongue lapped at her core, circling the clitoris and spreading the oil along the length of her slit. Andrew’s cock throbbed painfully as he watched the other woman dig her fingernails into Caroline’s buttocks as she held onto her tight and pleasured her with her tongue.

Caroline groaned and fisted her hands in Sereena’s hair but the other woman pulled away. The agony Caroline felt in that moment expressed itself in a loud shriek, which Andrew barely held himself back from replicating. He sat back in his chair, sweat beading on his forehead, his pants painfully restrictive as his cock swelled. He slowed his breathing as Sereena fetched a filmy white gown and helped Caroline into it, the fabric falling to her feet. The other woman placed a lingering kiss on Caroline’s lips and then stepped back to turn and address the audience she knew was watching.

“Commander Rossingham. As per our customs, your bride has now been cleansed. You may now come and claim her.”

Before she had even finished speaking, Andrew was already on his feet and heading for the door.

 

* * *

 

Lust fired through Andrew at the sight of his beautiful young wife sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for him but the way she shifted restlessly and looked away as he walked toward her made him hesitate. She was nervous; no, more than that, terrified. Whatever relaxing qualities the oils Sereena had rubbed into her body may have possessed, they were clearly no match for her anxieties. No doubt it had not helped matters that he’d been delayed for so long as well-wishers had stopped to offer their congratulations as he’d tried to make his way to their suite of rooms. It was gratifying to know that people were excited about his marriage to Caroline, that they were appalled by what they’d heard about the way the High Council had treated her and were eager to welcome her to Taar-Breckian society, but all he’d wanted was to get back here to be with her.

“I didn’t intend to be gone for so long,” he said apologetically.

“It’s okay. Sereena stayed with me until a few minutes ago.”

As he moved closer, Andrew detected a distinct floral scent in the air.

“You liked it when she helped you to bathe and rubbed the oils on your skin?”

“Yes.” Caroline blushed and fidgeted with the lacings on the bodice of her diaphanous nightgown, one of the items of clothing he’d arranged to have sent here for her in advance of their arrival. “She said you were watching.”

Andrew nodded.

“She told me it was a tradition,” Caroline continued. “Said it would help me relax.”

“It is traditional,” Andrew agreed. “But you don’t look very relaxed.”

“Sorry.”

Caroline’s expression as she looked up at him with those gloriously green eyes was wary, as though she expected him to disregard her fears and pounce on her at any moment. As tempted as he was to do just that, to tell himself that she would soon relax once she felt what pleasure he could bring her body, he held back. The wedding night did not have to be rushed and if their marriage was to get off to a good start, then it must be done right. He had no intention of taking her to bed while she was quivering like a sacrificial lamb. He wanted her to be as willing a participant as she’d been when she offered her mouth and her cute little bottom to him.

“Perhaps you’d like something to eat?”

He held his hand out to her. Caroline hesitated for a moment before taking it and he pulled her to her feet to lead her out into the sitting room where some food had been laid out for them. He’d anticipated them both being hungry later but, on reflection, he decided that enjoying a quick meal together now would help ease his bride’s nerves. He walked her over to the large couch that dominated the room and sat her down before going to the table to fetch the platter of meats, cheeses, and fruit that had been provided for them.

As he laid the silver tray down in front of Caroline, she gasped in delight.

“Are those real berries?”

The excitement in her voice over such a little thing made him smile. She really was incredibly easy to please sometimes.

“Of course.” He picked up a piece of the ripe red fruit and held it out to her. “It’s called a dragonberry.”

With a coy smile, she leaned forward and wrapped her mouth around the berry, taking it carefully from his fingers.

“Good?” he asked teasingly in response to the moan that came from somewhere deep inside as she savored the plump fruit.

“Yes.” A tiny dribble of juice ran down her chin and Andrew could not resist leaning closer to wipe it gently from her soft, pale skin. “I’ve never tasted anything so flavorful.”

“You may have to adjust to eating real food,” Andrew mused. “It’s much more plentiful on Taar-Breck and we use few synthetics.”

“Real food,” Caroline said with a smile. “Such a hardship. What else will I have to get used to, I wonder?”

“Well, you’ll have to get used to pleasing me,” he replied, returning her smile, before turning more serious. “You’ll have to learn the language, I suppose. Most people speak good English but it’s only polite for you to learn a few phrases at least. You’ll also have to get used to having the freedom to make a lot of your own choices, which means you’ll have to accustom yourself to dealing with the consequences of your newfound liberty.”

“What do you mean by that?” She looked a little worried now.

“Well, you’ll be able to read books, associate freely with other women, and gain an education if that’s what you want but if you put yourself in harm’s way or break my rules on acceptable behavior, then you will be punished.”

“What are the rules?”

“Well, you’re to make sure I always know where you are. You are not allowed to use foul language, to me or anyone else. You are to be respectful and to make yourself available to me whenever I want you. And you are to defer to me on matters of your health and safety.”

He smiled at the deep frown that creased her brow as she no doubt wondered whether she really would have more freedom that she’d known on Earth. He was sure that her life would be much more fulfilling on Taar-Breck where women were treated with respect rather than as a threat that must be controlled and that she would enjoy greater independence than she had before.

“Will I be able to wear whatever I want?”

“Within reason,” Andrew replied. “But you will find that most women prefer to wear long, loose-fitting dresses as it helps with the heat.”

“The planet is very hot, then?”

“Warmer than you’re accustomed to, but I’m sure you’ll adapt quickly.”

Caroline nodded and reached for another piece of fruit. For a long time, they sat in comfortable silence and Andrew watched as she nibbled at different foods, trying out some of the Taar-Breckian delicacies and seeming to enjoy every mouthful. He could see that she was beginning to relax. He couldn’t really blame her for being tense. After all, today had not been easy.

“I am sorry about that disgraceful wedding ceremony,” he said. “If we’d married amongst my mother’s people, it would have been different.”

“In what way?”

“Well, we would have exchanged promises to care for one another and you would not have been required to prostrate yourself at my feet. There would have been a great celebration in our honor. Who knows, you might even have been allowed something more appealing than a glass of water to toast the marriage.”

“That sounds nice.” Caroline bit her bottom lip and her eyes gleamed mischievously. “Perhaps we could have a ceremony once we’re settled on Taar-Breck.”

“If that’s what you’d like,” he replied, wary of the glint in her eye.

“We could postpone our wedding night until we’ve married in the proper fashion.”

The wicked grin on her face confirmed that she didn’t mean what she said, that she was just being provocative.

“Not a chance.” If she’d been aiming to provoke a response from him, then it worked. Getting to his feet, he pulled her up with him. He lifted her over his shoulder, making her squeal, and carried her back to the bedroom. Dropping her at the center of the bed, he started to undress.

 

* * *

 

If Caroline had thought her new husband cut an impressive figure before, then the sight of him fully unclothed tested her descriptive powers to their limit. He was sheer perfection. As he climbed onto the bed next to her, she put a hand to his beautifully sculpted chest and ran her fingers through a light dusting of hair that testified to his potent masculinity. She moved her hand lower, to explore the smooth planes of his taut abdomen. As her fingers trailed lower, he took hold of her wrist to stop her.

“Take off your nightgown.”

The note of command in his voice made every part of her tingle. Quickly, she untied the fastenings at the front of the nightgown, drew the sheer column of fabric up over her head, and tossed it to the floor. Andrew tutted and shook his head.

“Pick that up and put it away neatly,” he ordered.

Caroline weighed up the instruction for a moment and then, realizing he was serious, scooted off the bed and picked up the flimsy garment. She looked around for somewhere to put it.

“Over there, on that chair,” he told her.

Suspecting he’d only told her to put the nightgown away so he could get a better look at her naked body, Caroline walked across the room and bent low as she placed it on the chair. Deliberately parting her legs farther, she thrust her bottom out and, when she heard a deep growl of appreciation from behind her, she knew that Andrew could see her glistening pink pussy.

“How can you be such a temptress and yet so innocent at the same time?”

It was a question that had been running through her own mind. She had no idea where the flashes of audaciousness were coming from. Her attraction to Andrew seemed to keep overriding her uncertainties. Caroline turned to him and gave a little shrug. She could see the desire in his eyes and wondered if, perhaps, that was what emboldened her.

“I’ve read a lot of books.” A suggestive smile formed on her full, pink lips. “You’d be amazed at some of the things I’ve picked up.”

Returning to him she moved slowly, sinuously, making sure to take her time in reaching him. As she climbed up onto the bed and began to crawl toward him, he suddenly lunged for her and, before she knew what was happening, she was lying beneath him.

“You’ll have to tell me about these books one day.” He looked at her with obvious intent. “But not now.”

As his lips descended to meet hers, Caroline instantly opened to him. His tongue plunged inside her mouth and her breath caught at the back of her throat as she was thrown off balance by the power of his kiss. With each sensual stroke of his tongue, he sought to claim her and she was helpless to resist.

“Beautiful,” he marveled as he pulled his mouth from hers.

As he gazed at her, his hand skimmed along her leg and she eagerly parted her thighs. His fingers slid between her swollen lower lips and Caroline writhed beneath him as he explored her hot, wet pussy. Pushing a single long, thick finger inside her, and then another, stretching her carefully, he pressed some secret spot inside her and her hips bucked up off the bed. He began to slowly pull his fingers in and out of her, fucking her at a pace that made her plead with him for more. The sensation was just too much and it made her desperate to be taken harder, faster.

Andrew quickly positioned himself between her legs. As Caroline felt the first press of his cock against her soft, feminine mound, she stiffened, but her fears were soon vanquished as Andrew’s mouth found her breast, distracting her as he caught her taut nipple between his lips. He sucked hard on the pert pink rosebud and she softened in his arms.

As he continued to suckle on her breast, laving it with his tongue, he slid his cock against her sopping wet slit, tantalizing her with the lightness of his touch before finding her entrance and pushing inside. Clutching at his muscular shoulders for support, Caroline gasped as he pressed a little farther into her. There was a brief moment of pain as her hymen was ripped away, a searing burn that quickly became a fire of a different sort as she adjusted to the new and strange feeling of being impaled by a warm, thick shaft of masculine flesh.

His eyes never leaving hers, Andrew pulled back until the head of his cock almost slipped from her body.

“No, please,” Caroline protested, afraid that she had done something wrong and he was about to withdraw completely.

Andrew grunted and pushed forward once more, edging inside her slowly, carefully so as not to hurt her. Giving her time to accommodate his massive erection, he pushed all the way inside, stretching her as she had never been stretched before, filling her body and soul.

As he claimed her, their gazed remained locked together. So strong a desire radiated from his eyes as he looked down at her that Caroline almost came just from knowing he held such an intense passion for her. Returning his lips to hers, he captured her mouth in a kiss that was unexpectedly sweet and tender. Suspecting that he was holding back, trying to go easy for her first time, Caroline whimpered against his lips. Understanding her need, he deepened the kiss and her hips rose in restless demand. Finally, he began to slide in and out of her warm, welcoming body. He lifted her legs and urged her to wrap them around his waist. Finding his rhythm, Caroline instinctively moved with him as he set a punishing pace, driving into her hard and fast, pushing her farther up the bed with the force of his thrusts.

“Such a tight little pussy,” he ground out.

As Caroline began to drown in sensation, everything else fell away, all her lingering anxieties, her doubts. She and Andrew were a perfect fit and in that moment there was only him, taking over her senses completely. All she could see, hear, taste, smell was him. Her fingers ran over the smooth wall of his back, her touch exploring his broad shoulders with reverence as he, in turn, worshipped her body, caressing one breast and then the other, circling the nipples with his thumb so lightly she thought she would go mad with the need for something more. As her moans became increasingly frantic, he moved his mouth to her nipple and caught it between his teeth, grazing the tender flesh.

“Andrew!” she shrieked as the sensation shot straight to her pussy, making her clitoris throb. “I’m going to…”

Her words trailed off as she was overcome by the most intense, exhilarating feelings. With a scream of ecstasy, her back arched, her hips lifted higher, and a jolt of lightning made her whole body tremble. Her womb clenched as the walls of her pussy pulsed around Andrew’s cock, drenching it with a flood of moisture as she reached a mind-blowing climax. Growling like a wild animal, he drove inside her and stilled as his body jerked convulsively. A low moan escaped him as he came, filling her with his seed.

Long moments passed and Caroline relished the weight of his body, coated with a thin sheen of sweat, pressing down on her. As he finally withdrew from her thoroughly spent body, she winced and Andrew pulled her into his arms as he rolled over onto his back.

Caroline shook her head and relaxed against his solid chest. She felt him place a kiss on the top of her head and she smiled, enjoying the closeness. Moving her legs experimentally, she felt a slight chafing between them, a little twinge of discomfort, but nothing as terrible as she’d feared. Turning her body in toward Andrew’s, she nestled her head in the crook of his arm and closed her eyes. Within his strong arms, she felt protected and before she knew it, she was drifting off to sleep.

Chapter Ten

 

 

Caroline rested her forehead against the wall in the corner of the bedroom and fumed silently. Andrew had ordered her to stand there for ten minutes to contemplate the error of her ways before he punished her but, the more she thought about it, the more she became convinced that she was not entirely at fault.

Perhaps she should have reacted differently when Sereena asked her about the welcoming ceremony that would be held for her when she arrived at Taar-Breck, but she’d been upset that Andrew hadn’t told her they would be expected to take part in such a grand public event. They’d been on board the passenger transport for ten days now and had barely been out of each other’s sight the whole time, so it wasn’t as though he’d lacked an opportunity to speak to her about it.

“Are you ready to apologize for your behavior yet, young lady?” Andrew asked as he came back into the bedroom.

Caroline stiffened in indignation at being addressed like a recalcitrant child.

“I will apologize to Sereena.”

She did feel genuinely bad about having yelled at the other woman, especially since they’d been in the social area chatting over a cup of the strange Taar-Breckian tea she was growing to love and there had been people around to witness her outburst. Poor Sereena had been genuinely mortified by what could only be described as a tantrum and Caroline wished she had not reacted so explosively in front of her new friend. All Sereena had done was ask her whether she was looking forward to the welcoming ceremony and something inside her had snapped. She knew it was ridiculous, but she really hated the thought of being at the center of attention yet again, even if it was for a celebration like the one Sereena had described to her.

“You’ll apologize to Sereena?” Andrew checked and she nodded her confirmation. “But not to me?”

“That’s right.” Her tone was resolute.

“Would you care to explain why not?”

“Because I haven’t done anything to you.” She knew that was not strictly true. After she’d stormed off from Sereena, Caroline had returned to the apartment to find that her friend had alerted Andrew that she was upset and he was there waiting for her. Still angry with him, she’d let fly with a few choice words of rebuke that had resulted in her being sent to the corner to consider her actions before he spanked her. “You’re the one who’s been keeping things from me.”

“I didn’t intentionally deceive you.” Andrew sounded weary. “I simply forgot to mention that my family was arranging a public welcome for you. It’s supposed to be a happy event. I don’t see why it’s such a big deal for you.”

“Don’t you?” Caroline’s tone was petulant. “Well, I guess that’s part of the problem.”

She couldn’t see why he didn’t realize that she hated the thought of being paraded in front of a crowd of strangers while she still looked like a convict with her shorn hair that was growing back in uneven tufts. She knew that if she was put on display she would feel exactly as she had when she’d been taken through the streets to stand trial and then been punished outside the town hall where everyone could see. It was silly vanity, she knew, but she wanted to look her best before being formally presented to the Taar-Breckians as Andrew’s bride.

“Would you care to enlighten me?” Andrew asked.

Caroline shook her head and she heard him sigh.

“In that case, since you clearly need more time to think, you can stand there for another ten minutes and see if you can’t figure out why you deserve to be disciplined.”

She snorted derisively, not giving a damn that she was doing herself no favors with her continuing bad attitude. A fierce sense of self-righteousness fueled her urge to rebel.

As soon as she heard Andrew leave the room, Caroline looked around. Another ten minutes with her nose stuck in the corner? He could forget that. She might be willing to submit to him when he was in the right but, on this occasion, he was wrong and she was not going to meekly lie over his lap for a spanking. Not when she was the injured party.

Hurrying to the door, she peered out into the sitting room. There was no sign of Andrew so, she surmised, he must be in the kitchen. Good. Running lightly across the room on the tips of her toes, she slipped quietly from the apartment, closing the door carefully behind her. Summoning the elevator, she looked back nervously over her shoulder. Cringing as a beeping sound heralded the arrival of the elevator, she stepped into it and pushed the button for the second floor, breathing a sigh of relief as the doors closed and her rapid descent began. The moment the doors opened once again, she rushed out into the corridor, intending to find the reading library and spend a few hours in there before returning to face Andrew who, would, no doubt, be livid that she had disobeyed him. Well, that was something she would just have to deal with when the time came.

As she turned a corner into a long hallway with several doors leading off from it, Caroline realized she’d got out on the wrong floor as nothing looked familiar from the tour of the ship she’d taken with Sereena. She walked a little farther, looking for another elevator that might take her to the right place and, before she knew it, she’d become utterly lost.

“Damn!” she cursed as she rounded a corner and found herself facing yet another long corridor.

“Tut, tut, Mrs. Rossingham, such foul language.”

Caroline whirled around to find Lord Barron standing there, so close he was almost touching her.

“Get away from me,” she sniped.

“I would have thought the commander would have beaten the insolence out of you by now.”

The amused smirk on his face made Caroline want to slap him. Curbing that impulse, she tried to walk away, but he grabbed hold of her arm to stop her.

“Let go of me,” she demanded.

Squeezing her arm tightly, he gave a slow shake of the head.

“It seems your new husband has taught you no manners at all,” he said reprovingly. “But, regardless, you and I need to have a little chat.”

“I have nothing to say to you!” Caroline spat.

“But there are things I need to say to you.” Gone was the casually insulting tone, replaced by something more urgent. “Lives may depend on it.”

Suddenly afraid, Caroline opened her mouth to call for help but, moving quickly, he spun her around, placing one hand over her lips and an arm across her neck in a restraining hold. She struggled wildly, kicking her feet and trying to break free, but it was no use. As she felt a sharp pinch at the side of her neck, she thought for a moment that she heard a whispered apology and then everything faded to black as she fell limp in his arms.

 

* * *

 

When she woke, almost an hour later, Caroline was surprised to find herself propped up on a very comfortable sofa in a bright and airy room, almost as sumptuously decorated as the apartment she and Andrew shared. It was a far cry from the grim cage she half-expected to find herself chained up in when she opened her eyes.

“Ah, you’re back with me at last.” She followed the sound of the voice to find Lord Barron sitting in a chair on the other side of the room, watching her intently. Not wearing his jacket and with the top button of his shirt undone, he looked more casual than she had seen him before, as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “That should only have knocked you out for a few minutes.”

Caroline bristled at what sounded like a rebuke. She could hardly be blamed if his damned drug had taken better effect than he’d anticipated.

“I suppose that’s the risk when you sedate a person.”

“Yes,” Lord Barron agreed, as though injecting people with sedatives was something he did on a regular basis, “and I do apologize for that but it seemed necessary since you didn’t seem inclined to come with me of your own accord.”

“Can you blame me?” Caroline’s eyes widened in fear and she straightened a little as he rose from his chair and approached her and then breathed a sigh of relief when he simply poured a glass of water from a jug on the table beside her and handed it to her.

“Perhaps not. After all, I’ve given you little reason to trust me,” he said. “The water’s not poisoned, by the way. You can rest assured if I had any interest in killing you, I’d have done it already.”

Caroline snorted at his strange idea of reassurance and eyed the glass suspiciously before giving in to the sudden thirst that had seized her and drank a few mouthfuls. She set the glass down and watched as he settled on the sofa next to her, a little too close for comfort. She looked around for the door and sighed when she saw that it was some considerable distance away, too far for her to reach without him catching up to her.

“My husband will be looking for me,” she warned him.

“Of course, he will, but it will be some time before he finds you since I’ve jammed the security system. I should be able to say all I need to before they get access.”

If he’d gone to the bother of interrupting the ship’s security, then it couldn’t be a coincidence that he’d found her and that thought scared Caroline.

“Why am I here?” she asked. “What is it you want from me?”

“Ah, very direct,” He said with a grin. “You’re just like Elizabeth in that way.”

“Elizabeth? What do you know about Elizabeth?” Caroline demanded as a cold trickle of fear ran down her spine, making her shudder as she thought about the possibility that he’d had contact with her younger sister. “Have you spoken to her?”

“Not since the eve of your wedding eleven days ago.”

His expression turned serious and Caroline thought she saw concern clouding his eyes. She looked at his face and saw, for the first time, that he was younger than she’d realized, despite the lines etched around his eyes. He was a very handsome man, well-built but not muscular in the way that Andrew was. His eyes were a deep, soulful brown that almost pulled her in. Then something struck her. He said he’d spoken to Elizabeth eleven days ago, which was when the note had been thrown over the wall into her garden, telling her to go to the old post office. Instinctively, her hand went to the little bronze pendant of Elizabeth’s that she’d worn around her neck every day since then.

Lord Barron gave her a wistful smile. “I noticed you were wearing her necklace.”

Caroline’s sense of dread deepened. “How do you know it belongs to my sister?”

“Because I’m the one who gave it to her on her nineteenth birthday.”

“You gave Elizabeth a necklace?” Caroline’s brow furrowed. “Why would you give her a necklace?”

“Why does any man give a woman a gift?” he responded. “It’s a token of affection.”

“Affection, Lord Barron?” Caroline scoffed. Did the man even know the meaning of the word?

“I think you might call me William. We’re practically family, after all.”

“Family?” Caroline looked at him and it suddenly hit her that he was somehow involved with her sister. “You and Elizabeth?”

He got up from his seat and walked to the window to look out into the darkness dotted with shimmering points of light. There was nothing to prevent Caroline from getting up and running for the door but she realized that he had no need to hold her there physically as her curiosity now guaranteed that she would not try to leave.

“We’re engaged to be married.”

“Married?” If it hadn’t been for the sincerity in his voice, Caroline would not have believed what she was hearing. There was no way that Elizabeth would have agreed to marry this man and certainly without mentioning it to her. “Explain to me how that’s possible.”

“We’re in love,” he replied, resting his head against the window. Despite some lingering doubts, Caroline couldn’t help but believe him. Her head whirred with questions as she tried to decide whether this was good news or not. Suddenly she was seeing a side to Lord Barron, William, that she hadn’t glimpsed before and she was starting to sense that there was something more to him than the callous swine she’d encountered at the town hall.

“So you know where she is?”

He turned back to her and leaned against the window. If she didn’t know better, Caroline would have sworn there were unshed tears glistening in his eyes as he slowly shook his head.

“I lost track of her. She was supposed to find her way to the ship and come to Taar-Breck with me but she didn’t show up. We were planning to get married there, start a family.”

Caroline huffed out a strange sound that signaled the depth of her surprise at what she was hearing. She couldn’t imagine her younger sister contemplating marriage and children when she’d been so intent on fighting for change yet something rang true about what William was saying.

“I think you’d better tell me the whole story,” she said, folding her arms over her chest. “All of it.”

 

* * *

 

Andrew paced back and forth restlessly in front of Captain Edryn as Sereena tried to find some clue to his wife’s whereabouts on the ship’s security cameras. It was now more than an hour since he’d returned to the bedroom to discover that Caroline was not standing in the corner where he’d left her. At first he’d been angry that she’d disobeyed his instructions but, as he searched the apartment and realized that she was nowhere to be found, he’d become concerned and called Sereena, hoping that Caroline was with her. Unfortunately, the other woman had not seen Caroline since her meltdown earlier that afternoon.

Together, he and Sereena had searched all the communal areas of the ship but there had been no sign of her. Andrew was starting to get a sinking feeling that something had happened to her and he suspected that if it had, then Lord Barron was involved. Ever since that man had boarded the ship, Andrew had made sure to keep a close eye on Caroline. He didn’t trust any member of the High Council but there was an air of duplicity that hung about Lord Barron that made him particularly uneasy. Of course, without proof that he had harmed Caroline, Andrew could not confront the new ambassador to Taar-Breck as he enjoyed diplomatic immunity. Not that his status would prevent Andrew from ripping him apart with his bare hands if it turned out he had harmed his wife.

“Anything?” he asked Sereena as her fingers flew over the computer keyboard.

“I’m sorry, Commander, but something’s interfering with the system and I’m having trouble getting around it.”

That made Andrew even more certain that something had happened to Caroline. It could surely be no coincidence that the security system was compromised just as she’d gone missing.

“Keep at it,” Captain Edryn encouraged his wife.

Sereena nodded and continued to input codes into the computer system. Andrew took a seat next to her and tried to calm himself down. He had never felt such intense fear for another person as he did for Caroline but, right now, he didn’t have time to think about what that meant. There would be time to analyze his feelings once Caroline was safely back with him.

Suddenly, Sereena broke the tense silence that had fallen with a triumphant shout.

“What is it?” Andrew asked.

“I’m in,” she said as she carried on tapping furiously on the keyboard. “It should only take a moment to find her now.”

Andrew watched as different images whirred by on the screen and suddenly stopped as the camera footage from the vestibule outside the apartment came up and Sereena found the moment when Caroline made her escape.

“There she is,” Sereena said, as though Andrew could not see with his own eyes the way his naughty little wife was looking furtively over her shoulder as though she expected to be caught sneaking out at any moment.

“Can you track where she goes from there?”

“Yes, of course.” Sereena switched to footage from one camera to the next and they followed Caroline’s progress as she took the elevator to the second floor and stepped out into the lobby.

“Where on earth is she going?” Captain Edryn asked. “There’s nothing along there but private accommodation.”

The expression they could clearly see on Caroline’s face as she made her way along the corridor suggested that she’d managed to get herself lost. Andrew would have to speak to her about wandering off and not paying attention to where she was going, once they’d dealt with the other outstanding disciplinary matters, of course.

“Who’s that?” Sereena tapped the monitor as the tall figure of a man appeared on the screen behind Caroline.

Andrew’s fury rose as he watched a clearly tense exchange of words between Lord Barron and Caroline. The man had been warned to keep his distance and yet he dared to approach her. Andrew surged to his feet and cursed loudly as Barron actually dared to put his hands on Caroline. His heart pounded as he saw her struggling within her captor’s grasp before falling limp in his arms as he injected her with what Andrew could only hope was nothing more lethal than a sedative.

“Where did they go?” Andrew demanded, the urgency in his tone making him sound unintentionally aggressive. “Where is she, Sereena?”

“I don’t know.” Sereena panicked as fury radiated from Andrew. “I can’t see where they went.”

“Well, find her!” he shouted, his desperation to find Caroline growing deeper by the second.

“Commander Rossingham.” A note of caution came through loud and clear in Captain Edryn’s voice as he came and put his arm around his wife’s shoulder to reassure her.

“It’s alright, sweetheart. Take your time.” He turned to Andrew. “The ambassador’s rooms are on that floor. I would imagine that’s where he’s taken her.”

“Let’s hope so,” Andrew said. If the man intended to kill Caroline, then it seemed unlikely that he would do so in such an obvious location. It was the first place anyone would look, after all. “Which room is it?”

“Room 235.” Sereena’s voice was a little shaky. “What are you going to do, Commander?”

“I’m going to go and get my wife back,” he replied without hesitation.

“I shall come with you,” Captain Edryn offered and Andrew nodded gratefully, knowing that it was a good idea to have someone there with him because, diplomatic relations or not, it would be all he could do to prevent himself from beating Lord Barron to a pulp.

 

* * *

 

By the time William finished telling Caroline the story of his relationship with Elizabeth, she was beginning to wonder if she knew her sister at all. It seemed that she had been keeping secrets, including her membership in an organization that wanted to overthrow the High Council and restore democracy to New Cambridge. That had been surprise enough, but to find out that William was actually a rebel leader, their inside man on the High Council, was truly shocking.

“You certainly played your part well.” Caroline could not keep the bitterness out of her voice. Although William had not been alone in tormenting her during her trial and after her wedding, she found it hard to believe that anyone who professed to love Elizabeth so deeply could be capable of behaving toward her sister in such a way. He had been incredibly threatening and she found it hard to reconcile that man with the one who sat before her now.

“I did. So well, in fact, that they agreed to my request to become ambassador to Taar-Breck. They thought I intended to use my position to coerce you into giving me the names of your friends but actually I wanted to gather support for a coup back home, preferably one without bloodshed.”

Caroline shook her head in amazement. It all sounded so incredible and yet she knew, somehow, that he was telling the truth.

“And Elizabeth?” she asked. “How did you manage to lose track of her?”

“On the night of your arrest, I wanted Elizabeth to get out and she managed to make it to my apartment. The next day I went for a meeting of the Council as usual and when I got back, she was gone.”

Caroline’s heart sank. Although William had provided her with some answers, there was still no clue as to who’d sent the note to her and she was no closer to finding out where her sister had gone. She wanted to scream with frustration but William looked so distraught already that she knew she had to hold it together. Getting to her feet, she crossed the room and pulled him into a warm embrace.

“We’ll find her,” she promised. “Just tell me what I can do to help.”

“Tell me the names of the other women in the Hyde Ladies’ Circle. I know there are nine of you but Elizabeth only ever mentioned Victoria Walton and Lucy Bainbridge to me. I need to know who the others are so I can find out if Elizabeth is with one of them.”

Caroline took a step back and shook her head. His knowing the names of two of her friends gave some indication that Elizabeth trusted him but Caroline needed something more. She didn’t know William Barron well enough to risk her friend’s lives by divulging their information to someone she wasn’t one hundred percent sure of. Yes, she was inclined to believe what he’d told her, to accept that he loved her sister, but she needed more proof that she could trust him.

“I can’t give you their names,” she said, taking another step back, fearing his reaction.

“I had a feeling you’d say that.”

While Caroline had braced herself for anger, what she heard from William was dejection. The look of defeat that clouded his handsome features sent a wave of guilt through Caroline and she knew she had to do something.

“But I will tell my husband who they are and ask him to get them all to safety.” Although Andrew had not spoken to her about it, she had a suspicion that the reason Bryn and Taryn had stayed behind in New Cambridge was so they could track down her friends. She doubted they were finding it easy since they’d been very discreet and had all vowed to protect one another. “He can find out what they know about Elizabeth.”

“You trust Rossingham?” William asked. “He has fought to protect the interests of the High Council in the past. His family are their allies.”

“I know, but I trust Andrew completely.” As she spoke the words, she realized just how deeply she meant them. All her lingering uncertainties about whether she could truly trust him were gone and she wished she’d recognized sooner that he was a man she could put her total faith in. “Perhaps you should too.”

Caroline turned to leave but, as she walked toward the door, it suddenly burst open and Andrew stormed into the room, Captain Edryn close behind. Before Caroline could speak, he charged past her and struck William hard enough to knock him off his feet, sending him crashing into a small table, which shattered beneath him.

“Andrew!” Caroline screamed as he hauled the other man to his feet and swung his fist, connecting with William’s nose once more. “Andrew, stop!”

Taking advantage of his momentary surprise at her shouts, she ran and placed herself between the two men. Her husband’s face fell into a threatening scowl but, knowing that he could never hurt her, she wasn’t afraid to take hold of his arms, hoping her gentle touch would calm him down.

“Andrew, it’s okay,” she said. “I promise you, I’m okay.”

“He put his hands on you,” Andrew growled possessively. “Nobody touches what’s mine.”

“But he didn’t hurt me,” Caroline said, a pleading tone in her voice. “Andrew, please just listen to what he has to say.”

“Perhaps you should do as your wife asks, Commander.” This suggestion came from Edryn.

For a moment, Caroline wasn’t sure what would happen. She could feel anger vibrating from her husband’s entire body and she was terrified of what he might do. William was bleeding profusely from a broken nose and, as far as Caroline was concerned, that was suitable recompense for drugging her but she didn’t want to see any more harm come to him. Hoping that it would defuse the situation, she curled herself into Andrew’s body and nuzzled against his chest until, finally, the tension drained from him and he wrapped his arms around her.

“Very well,” he conceded gruffly. “But if I don’t like what I hear, I’m going to finish him off.”

Caroline breathed a sigh of relief and steered Andrew toward the sofa, sitting down next to him and clasping his hand tightly as Edryn fetched a cloth to stem the flow of blood from William’s nose.

“You’re really unharmed?” Andrew spoke quietly.

“I promise you, I’m fine.”

“Good, because you’ve got a hell of a spanking coming to you.”

Caroline gulped and turned to William.

“Why don’t you tell Andrew what you told me. Start from the beginning,” she said. “Leave nothing out.”

With any luck, William would take so long to recount the story to Andrew, he’d forget all about punishing her. Caroline turned to her husband and smiled sweetly but the look in his eye told her he knew exactly what she was playing at.

The ploy was an obvious one, but it seemed to work. By the time they finally left William’s rooms, it was growing late and Caroline was sure that Andrew would want to just go straight to bed. Less trusting than his wife, he’d wanted details on the organization William and Elizabeth were involved with and he interrogated the other man mercilessly, asking him to go over specific pieces of information, repeatedly trying to find a flaw in the story. It had taken hours before Andrew was eventually satisfied that William was telling the truth and agreed to do what he could to help him.

“You can make a list of your friends’ names and addresses for me and I’ll ask Bryn and Taryn to have them all brought to Taar-Breck,” Andrew said as he led Caroline along the corridor and into the elevator.

“Okay,” Caroline said tentatively. “But what if they refuse to go with your men?”

Andrew raised an eyebrow as though her question had been ridiculous and she knew it had been. Resisting a Taar-Breckian warrior was no easy feat and they would leave her friends no choice but to go with them.

“I hope they’ll forgive me for revealing their identities.” Caroline’s face fell as she wondered if this would end some of her friendships.

“Of course they will,” Andrew said, placing a kiss on the top of her head and squeezing her shoulders reassuringly. “They’ll be better off with my men than they will be if they’re found by the secret police.”

Caroline smiled and then her brows knitted together in bewilderment as she realized that the elevator was going down rather than up. When they came to a stop and the doors slid open, Andrew steered her down a narrow corridor, stopping outside a large room with frosted glass windows.

“What is this place?” she asked.

“This, sweetheart, is a training room for naughty wives,” Andrew said in a placid tone that made Caroline wary about his intentions. “You didn’t seriously think I’d forget about your punishment, did you?”

Caroline looked up at him and saw the lust burning in his eyes. It ignited a fire at her own core and she squeezed her legs together as her pussy clenched tightly. As Andrew opened the door she gasped in a mixture of horror and delight. Boy, was she in trouble now.

Chapter Eleven

 

 

Caroline stood in the cubicle and pulled her dress off over her head. She placed it on the hanger provided and hooked it onto the back of the door. She stripped off her white lace panties as Andrew had instructed her to come to him completely naked, and left them on the floor, along with her shoes. Standing behind the curtain in the changing area, she took several deep breaths, steeling herself to walk out there and take the punishment she now accepted without question she’d earned.

Being in the training room rather than the intimate setting of their bedroom was a little intimidating, especially since she could hear moans coming from the two other women who were being punished by their husbands out there. Fortunately, Andrew had assured her that he would take her into one of the private rooms for tonight. He’d warned her, though, that in the future, she might find herself being disciplined alongside other naughty wives. The thought of that was daunting but it also made her skin prickle in a way that told her she was not entirely opposed to the idea. She shook her head in amazement at how far she’d come in such a short space of time.

As she pulled the curtain back and stepped out into the room, Andrew was waiting for her. He’d adopted the dominant stance with his legs spread apart and his arms folded over his chest that made Caroline’s stomach turn cartwheels. There was a stern expression on his face but it was softened somewhat by the appreciative gleam in his eyes. The very sight of him made Caroline’s pulse race.

“Crawl to me,” he instructed her.

Immediately, Caroline dropped to her knees and made her way slowly to him on all fours, moving as deliberately as a cat stalking its prey, although she was well aware that she was not the hunter here. Hips swaying and breasts swinging beneath her as she crossed the room, she focused on Andrew, feeling a little strange as she passed a Taar-Breckian male flogging his mate who was tethered to a wooden cross, and the woman who appeared to have been strapped onto some sort of machine that was fucking her pussy as her husband lightly whipped her breasts with a flogger. At one time, she might have found it humiliating to be made to crawl to a man in front of other people, but now Caroline held her head high, proud that she was demonstrating her obedience to the husband who ruled her body and her heart.

When she reached Andrew, he told her to follow him and she continued to crawl behind him as he walked toward a small, private room. Once inside he stopped and turned to Caroline to help her to her feet. She saw a solid-looking bench with a padded top at the center of the room. As she looked closer, she noticed there were cuffs attached to the legs and a small protrusion on the surface of the bench, which she guessed would provide some sort of stimulation to her clitoris.

“Up you go,” Andrew said as he lifted her to straddle the narrow bench. Unable to reach the floor with her toes, she felt a spike of anxiety as she worried she might fall. Andrew helped steady her as he pushed her down gently so she was lying on the bench, with her head resting on the cool leather surface, her arms and legs hanging down on either side. Pulling back her hips, he adjusted her position until the tiny nub that protruded from the top of the bench was positioned against her clitoris. He fastened thick leather cuffs around her wrists and ankles to hold her in place. “I have to fetch a few things so try not to move while I’m gone.”

“Yes, Andrew,” Caroline said obediently, knowing by now that he liked to hear spoken responses to his commands.

Caroline wiggled her arms and legs experimentally but it was no use. There was absolutely no give in her bindings. As she shifted, she was startled to feel a rapid series of pulses against her clitoris and she realized that the diabolical little device on the bench was programmed to respond to her movements.

Trying to keep her hips still to avoid stimulating herself when she could not move enough to achieve release, Caroline looked out through the open door and studied her surroundings more carefully. The training room was a large, open space with a variety of tables, benches, and wooden frames to which a person might be shackled in any number of positions. Racks on the wall held every conceivable spanking implement and there were a few rather vicious-looking whips that she hoped Andrew would never have to use on her. The possibilities the room offered were tantalizing.

“Tell me why you’re being punished,” Andrew said as he came back into the room and closed the door behind him, blocking out the moans and screams of ecstasy coming from the other women, something that Caroline was finding oddly arousing.

She tried to look around as he moved behind her but, tethered in this position, it was impossible to turn her head that far, so she had no idea what he’d brought back with him, a thought that made her both wary and, if she was honest, extremely wet.

“Because I was rude to Sereena and I disobeyed your instructions and left the apartment after you told me to stay in the corner.”

“That’s right,” he agreed. “And what happens to naughty little wives who disobey their husbands?”

“They get spanked.”

“And what else?”

Caroline frowned but, as his hand slid underneath her prone body to cup her pussy mound, realization struck her.

“They get fucked,” she said, blushing slightly as she was, for some unaccountable reason, still timid about using that word.

“That’s right, sweetheart. They get fucked hard and fast so they don’t forget who’s in control.”

He pulled his hand away and she stifled a groan, knowing that she would get the reward of a climax only when he felt she deserved it. Walking around to her side, he crouched down and looked into her eyes. He brushed her cheek affectionately and then held up a blindfold and gag for her to see, seeming to wait for her nod of acceptance, which she gave without hesitation. Although she was a little scared of having her ability to see and speak taken from her, she trusted Andrew implicitly and this was her chance to demonstrate that to him.

She breathed in deeply as he placed the black leather blindfold over her eyes and fastened it at the back of her head. Next, he pressed the ball gag against her lips until she opened wide for him and he secured it in place, filling her mouth and effectively silencing her. Never had she felt so vulnerable and yet so safe at the same time.

“Good girl,” Andrew praised her. He kissed her cheek with such tenderness she could cry and then moved away. “Someday I’ll cover your ears as well, but not right now. I want you to hear what I’m doing to you.”

The very suggestion sent a thrill through Caroline’s body. What would it be like to have another of her senses taken away? No sight, no sound, only what she could feel magnified a hundred times. Lost in her thoughts for a moment, she was surprised when she felt something cold between her bottom cheeks and she realized Andrew was spreading lubricant around her anus. She tensed as his finger pushed inside her tight little hole and immediately, the stimulator pulsed against her clit, making her moan deeply as the most sensitive part of her was teased mercilessly. As she forced herself to relax, the pulsing stopped.

“For this punishment I’m going to plug your sassy little butt,” Andrew told her, as he pressed the tip of a plug against her tight hole. “And I’ve coated it with the extract from a particularly pungent plant I grow on my estates. It can cause quite a sting from what I understand, so you need to try not to clench too tightly.”

Caroline mumbled her protest around the edges of the gag but she knew her words were unintelligible. He really was going to inflict the most intense experience on her. She would be lucky if she didn’t completely overload with all the different sensations.

She tried to relax as Andrew carefully worked the plug into her bottom. It was not as big as his cock but it still stretched her wide. Almost immediately she felt the slight sting of the plant extract and she clenched involuntarily, intensifying the tingling sensation and causing the clitoral stimulator to pulse. Her whole body shook and then, with a whimper, she sagged against the bench. The only option to avoid this sensual onslaught was to remain completely still and that seemed impossible even before Andrew started to spank her.

“It will be ten strokes of the paddle, Caroline,” he told her.

Caroline mumbled her acknowledgement. Ten strokes with the paddle might not sound like much of a punishment for her transgressions but with the added torments he’d devised, she was sure it was one she wouldn’t forget in a hurry.

As the paddle fell across her right buttock, Caroline squealed through the ball gag, but she somehow managed not to clench her bottom. With the second stroke, which caught her left buttock, she was not so lucky. The lower part of her body tightened and she rocked forward and immediately felt the sharp tingling inside her bottom while, at the same time, the stimulator pulsed furiously against her clitoris, making her almost painfully aroused. It was too much and yet she knew if she made the effort, she could handle the intensity. Breathing deeply to settle herself, she felt sticky moisture pooling between her legs and perspiration forming on her brow.

The next two strokes fell quickly and, again, she failed to stay completely still. Her bottom felt as though it was on fire as heat spread across her tender flesh. The muscles around the butt plug clenched and her insides tingled while her engorged clitoris throbbed. Every part of her prickled with sensation. Her pulse raced and she was consumed with the need for the release that would only come from having Andrew buried deep inside her.

“Such a good girl taking your punishment so well,” Andrew praised.

Through her gag, she moaned as the paddle fell again and again and she was assailed by different sensations, all competing for her attention. Her bottom ached inside and out but her pussy dripped feminine juices onto the bench and every part of her felt as though it was charged with desire.

By the time the tenth stroke of the paddle struck she was furiously trying to buck against the bench, despite the stinging in her buttocks from the plug that pressed against her inner walls. She desperately needed to be fucked.

Andrew quickly unfastened her bindings and removed the gag and blindfold before sliding the plug easily from her well-lubricated bottom. He helped her from the bench and lowered her to the floor. Following her down, he unzipped his pants to free his massive erection and drove inside her. As he fucked her with the intensity she craved, her poor crimson bottom was pressed hard against the floor, causing her pain and pleasure in equal measure.

“So tight,” he growled, as he lifted her legs over his shoulders, allowing him to penetrate deeper and thrust hard into her drenched pussy. As his cock hit that sweet spot inside her over and over again, she panted out short breaths and thrashed her head from one side to the other, moaning loudly as his fingers slid between their bodies to pinch her over-sensitized clitoris.

“Andrew!” she yelled. “Oh, please, please…”

“Come for me, Caroline.”

There was no way to resist the commanding tone of his voice. Her body arched and she climaxed with a ferocity that made bright spots of light dance before her eyes. Andrew growled and Caroline felt his warm seed spurting inside her as she fell back against the floor, thoroughly spent and with a greater sense of completion than she ever thought possible.

“Are you still with me, sweetheart?” Andrew asked after a few minutes and she realized her mind had floated off somewhere.

“Barely,” she replied with a sleepy smile.

He leaned forward and kissed her soft pink lips. Then he got to his feet, bringing her with him and pulled her up into his arms. He carried her out into the training room and set her down on a bench while he fastened his trousers. Caroline was grateful that the other two couples were no longer there to see her in this flushed and thoroughly fucked state. Andrew found a sheet and wrapped it around her before lifting her up into his arms again.

“My clothes,” she protested weakly as he strode past the changing cubicle toward the door.

“I’ll have someone fetch them later,” he said and she had no desire to argue.

As Andrew took her out into the corridor, Caroline turned her face in toward his chest but she needn’t have worried as they didn’t encounter anybody else on the route to their apartment. Although she protested that she was too heavy to be carried, Andrew dismissed her concerns and brought her all the way into the bedroom, laying her carefully down on the bed and drawing the covers up over her.

He stripped off his own clothes and slid into the bed next to her, pulling her into his arms and Caroline was grateful for the closeness after the intense experience she’d just endured.

“Are you okay?” Andrew checked.

“A bit sore, but I’ll survive.”

“Good,” he said as he propped himself up onto his elbow to look down at her. “Now, do you want to tell me why you were so upset about the welcoming ceremony?”

Caroline sighed, wondering if her anxieties, born of vanity, were likely to earn her another spanking.

“It’s because of my hair.” She glanced up at him to see whether he thought she was completely ridiculous but his face showed nothing but concern for her. “I felt odd enough back home but every Taar-Breckian woman I’ve seen has beautiful long hair. I know I’m being silly but I don’t want everyone looking at me, thinking I’m unworthy to be your bride.”

“Oh, sweetheart, don’t you know you’re the bravest, most beautiful woman I know?” Andrew said, the intensity in his voice underscoring every word. “The people will love you as much as I do and believe me, nobody will even notice your hair, they’ll be so captivated by your spirit and those amazing green eyes, of course.”

Caroline drew in a shuddering breath and Andrew rolled onto his back again and pulled her close.

“But, if you like,” he continued, “I can contact my mother and ask her to delay the ceremony until you’ve met my family and settled in a little. The official welcome can wait until you feel ready to face the world.”

“Could you really do that?” Caroline asked.

“Of course,” Andrew said cockily. “Haven’t you realized yet, I can do anything.”

Caroline laughed and snuggled in closer to her husband. He made her feel safe, warm, and loved and she was proud to be the one who would stand by his side for the rest of their lives. She wasn’t sure what the future would bring, whether she would be reunited with her sister and her friends. She had no idea what life would be like for her on a strange new planet. Yet she knew with absolute certainty that as long as she had Andrew, nothing bad would ever touch her again.

 

 

The End

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More Stormy Night Books by Sassa Daniels

 

 

Donovan’s Rules

Abby has grown accustomed to being indulged by her husband, the wealthy, powerful businessman Marcus Donovan, even to the point of being allowed to live in her own apartment for a period of time after she ran away in rebellion against the rules he put in place for her. But everything changes when one of his rivals displays an alarming level of interest in her.

Knowing that his wayward wife is in serious danger, Marcus dose not hesitate to take her in hand. Once Abby has been brought back to his estate, he makes it clear he will expect her to do as she is told and from now on any disobedience will earn her a painful, humiliating bare-bottom spanking. More embarrassing still, Marcus quickly proves more than willing to involve members of his staff in her punishments when he feels that a particularly shameful chastisement is needed.

Though his firm-handed discipline frequently leaves her with blushing cheeks and a sore bottom, Marcus’ stern dominance and masterful lovemaking rekindle the passion they once shared and Abby soon finds herself falling in love with him all over again. But will his decision to assign her a full-time bodyguard prove sufficient to keep her safe from the schemes of his enemies?

 

Under House Arrest

Deep in debt and desperate, Lindy Halliwell makes the foolish decision to steal an expensive piece of jewelry. When she is caught red-handed, however, Lindy is faced with a difficult choice. To avoid a criminal record, she will be required to spend the next few weeks under house arrest at the estate of Jackson Davies, the stern, handsome gentleman who discovered her crime, and during that time Jackson will be free to punish her in any way he sees fit.

Lindy reluctantly agrees to the arrangement, but upon her arrival she quickly discovers that her ordeal will be much more humiliating than she anticipated. Before she knows it, she has been stripped bare for a thorough, intimate medical examination, and over the coming days she frequently finds herself over Jackson’s knee for a painful, embarrassing bare-bottom spanking.

Though the shameful chastisements leave her blushing and sore, Lindy cannot deny her body’s response to Jackson’s firm-handed dominance, and soon she is yearning for him to take her long and hard. When he claims her properly the pleasure is more intense than she would have ever dreamed, and their passion for each other grows with each passing day. But when the man to whom Lindy owes her debts comes looking for her, can Jackson keep her safe?

Sassa Daniels Links

 

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