Chapter Two

 

Mira paced in the confines of her prison quarters. She, Blythe, Sarai and Lily had been placed in separate cells since their sentencing and other than the photo the magistrate had flashed them, she had yet to see their fifth shipmate, Brinley, who’d required serious medical care following their crash on Pra’kir.

Apparently, after their fuel cell exploded off the beach of Endermere, they’d been tried for the murder of the citizens killed by their ship. They hadn’t been invited to their trial, but the result was they’d be fostered out to Pra’kirian families rather than being put to death.

So, yeah. The guards thought they ought to be kissing feet in gratitude, but she’d withhold any celebrations for when she saw how this all panned out. All she knew was any return to Earth would be technologically impossible, so her fate lay with the Pra’kirians.

A door clanged open down the hall. “Judge Ereen and Police Commissioner Ereen, coming through!” Every important person was announced this way when they entered. Heavy footsteps of more than one being drew closer. Two enormous males stopped at her cell, accompanied by the asshole guard. The men looked alike—they must be twins, although one had mismatched eyes—one green, one brown. He stood slightly taller and had close-cropped brown hair, while the other had brown eyes slightly shaggier hair of the same color. Both were over seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and muscular definition that showed through their clothing.

The brown-eyed man casually leaned against the bars and grinned at her. Not a leer—a genuine smile, though a bit roguish. The first friendly face she’d seen on Pra’kir since they arrived. “Hey, little alien.”

Her pulse sped up. He was also the best-looking male she’d seen, on Earth or Pra’kir. And his brother wasn’t hard on the eyes, either.

She didn’t answer, waiting to see what they wanted.

He turned to the guard. “Does she talk? Does her translator work?” The doctors had injected her with some sort of serum enabling her to speak and understand their language.

The guard ran his stick along the bars, making a clanging loud enough to split her head. “Oh, she talks, but sometimes it takes the proper persuasion.”

The slightly taller, more serious brother frowned. “I hope, for your sake, she’s been well treated.”

Surprise flitted over the guard’s face, as if he hadn’t expected rebuke. “Of course she has.”

Lying fuck.

“Has he mistreated you?” the friendly brother asked.

She narrowed her eyes at the guard but still didn’t think it wise to answer.

The taller man, who had a forbidding manner, tapped the lock. “Open it.”

The guard unfastened the lock and swung the door wide to allow both men to enter. If they had been human, she would have placed them in their mid-thirties. They held themselves with confidence—although in totally different ways. The taller one had a stiff, formal manner, while the other exhibited a casual, devil-may-care grace.

Mismatched Eyes cleared his throat. “Mirella? I’m Jakk. This is my brother Gav’n. We’re your new guardians. We’re responsible for conditioning you to fit in with Pra’kirian society.”

“Mira.”

Jakk raised his brows. He didn’t appear mean, but he certainly had “stern” down to a T.

“I go by Mira, for short.”

Gav’n stepped closer, sauntering around her. She turned so she wouldn’t have her back to him, but he put a large hand on her shoulder to hold her still then picked up her wrists, bound with anesthetic child restraints borrowed from the local hospital because her wrists were too small for their handcuffs. Essentially, zipties. His fingers were warm, touch gentle.

“These are too tight on her.” Did he actually sound angry?

“Believe me, Commissioner, you don’t want to take those off her,” the guard spoke up. “She may be small and female, but she fights like a wild animal. All the aliens do.”

“I’ll take my chances,” Gav’n said mildly. He withdrew a small penknife from his pocket and cut off the zip ties.

She sucked in her breath as blood rushed back into her arms, sending pinpricks of pain to her hands. The large male turned her to face him then rubbed the deep red indentations on her wrists. Her eyes found his in shock. She stood frozen, trapped in his intense chocolate-brown gaze while her insides fluttered and dropped.

“Female,” he muttered, sounding awed, “You are even more beautiful than I expected.”

She tried to pull her wrists away from him, more out of surprise at his words than fear or offense. Beautiful wasn’t a word she’d choose to describe herself. Her older sisters were beautiful, and perfect in every other way. She’d always been the plain tomboy who couldn’t get anything right.

The hulking male held her fast, continuing with the firm stroking of his thumbs over her pulses. “Easy, little alien. You’re safe now. We’re taking you home with us.”

She noticed the urge to snort came and left without moving her to actual sound. Oddly, she did find the men—were they called men here?—comforting.

Gav’n twisted her wrists behind her back again and held them loosely caged in his larger hand. “Let’s go, pretty girl.” He propelled her forward, out of the cell and past his brother, whose intense gaze confused her. It was so different from the curiosity, fear, or animosity they’d received from most of the other Pra’kirians they’d seen since they arrived. Like the general magistrate, this man wasn’t afraid, but his expression wasn’t one of cool indifference, either. It was more...proprietary. And she sensed an excitement behind it, which ought to make her nervous, but instead had her...intrigued.

“I understand punishments are necessary, but if we find out from the girl you’ve mistreated her, there will be consequences,” he clipped to the guard.

If the way the guard paled was any indication, Jakk had the authority to back his promise up. Was he the judge or the police commissioner? Judge, she’d guess. Yeah, he probably had the authority to do a great many things.

She’d already learned through experience the Pra’kirians had a penchant for corporal punishment. Would this one enjoy wielding a strap as much as her prison guard had? The thought shouldn’t send a shiver of excitement down her spine, but it did.

Gav’n must have noticed. “Don’t worry. My brother may seem scary, but he likes feisty alien females as much as I do.” He propelled her down the hall, and Jakk fell in beside her. She dared glance up at Jakk—actually, she had to crane her neck to see him. He seemed more formidable up close. His resting face was stern. No smile lines crinkled around his eyes or mouth, the way they did on his brother, and the mismatched eyes gave him an even more alien appearance to her.

Who were these males, and what would they do with her? Another shiver ran down her spine.

“Are you cold, little alien?” Gav’n asked.

“Human,” she corrected. Not alien.

He flicked his eyebrows and shot a quick glance over her head to his brother. “Human, yes. We’ll discuss the proper way to respond to a question when we get home.”

Proper way to respond to a question? Fuck that. If they thought they’d be teaching her manners, they could jump off a cliff.

They led her out of the building to an underground parking garage of sorts. No—more like a train station, but with individual shuttles. They had no wheels, but instead, were attached to tracks. The brothers’ shuttle was a metallic sky blue, shaped like a bullet.

A trio of males passed by and gawked openly at her.

Jakk unlocked the vehicle and opened the passenger door. “You’d better put her in manacles for the ride,” he said to Gav’n. “She might try to escape.”

Gav’n switched his grip, pulling her wrists together in front of her, instead of behind her back. “Actually,” he said with a grin, “I think I’ll hold onto her.” He adjusted the huge bucket seat backward and sat in it, pulling her onto his lap. “If you try to get away, little alien—human—I will bare your little bottom and spank you until you are very sore and sorry. Right here, in public. Understand?”

She turned away to hide the flush flooding her face. Spank her? The guard had whipped her when she refused to eat. Now this male suggested spanking her like a child. Clearly, this species had a love affair with using the buttocks for punishment.

Without her permission, her awareness crept to her ass, which happened to be pressed tight against the huge alien’s lap. Was that his cock? Oh Lord. Yep, his cock twitched under her.

Heat snaked between her legs, filling her core and bringing a buzzing to her clit. Under the scratchy yellow prison garb, her nipples hardened.

Gav’n gripped her jaw and turned her head toward him as Jakk climbed into the driver’s seat. “Yes, master, is the only correct answer to that question.”

So this was the conditioning they’d mentioned. She pressed her teeth together mutinously and willed the thrum between her legs to subside. She absolutely did not find any of this sexy.

Jakk settled in his seat and studied her with a cool gaze. “We’re not the enemy, Mira. I promise.”

Something about his use of her preferred name made the words ring with truth. It was probably some conditioning technique, though.

She opened her mouth but could think of no response, other than—if you spank me, I’ll cut off your balls. Did the aliens even have balls? Lord, now she was thinking about their cocks again—yes, cocks plural. Because two very large male aliens were looking at her as if they owned her. Which, according to Pra’kirian law, they technically did.

Lord help her.

“We’ll have a few days to settle in together and straighten out roles and expectations before the girls come home from our parents’ house in the country.” Jakk maneuvered the shuttle forward and accelerated, entering a rapid stream of traffic.

She stiffened. “Girls?”

He glanced over with those quirky, mismatched eyes. She wondered if the trait was common on Pra’kir. “Weren’t you told about your placement?”

“No.”

He turned wooden. She wrestled with Gav’n to get her hands free, only because she desperately wanted to clutch at the dashboard or find a handle somewhere as the bullet shuttle zoomed past several other shuttles, passing them on the right.

“You are to give back to the society you’ve taken from. Our sister was killed by your ship’s crash. Gav’n and I were left guardianship of her children, our three young nieces. Your duty will be their care.”

A chill seeped into her chest and sank like a stone, closely followed by panic. The urge to cry and throw herself out of the vehicle also came simultaneously. She had never contemplated what it would be like to come face to face with a relative of someone they’d killed. And now they expected her to raise the children of a victim? Those kids would hate her. How could they not? And she’d feel guilty and horrible for the rest of her life—assuming she stayed with them for the rest of her life, which was a distinct possibility, since without their fuel cell, there’d be no way to communicate with Earth or ever get a ship off Pra’kir. If their ship hadn’t crashed, they could have used the star charts to figure out where they were, because the ship had the coordinates of where they’d come from. But the stars on Pra’kir had different names, and none of the constellations were recognizable.

“I—” She cleared her throat, still struggling with Gav’n for the use of her hands. “I’m sorry for your loss. Crashing here was out of our control, and we never intended to injure any beings.”

“So you say.” Gav’n wrapped a muscled arm around her waist and squeezed her against him. His cock had definitely grown with her struggles and now pressed insistently against her ass.

She blinked back tears. “I can’t see how this is a good idea. Your nieces—they must be grieving terribly. Having me around will only amplify their pain.”

The males exchanged an incomprehensible glance.

“They’re grieving, regardless,” Gav’n said. “I don’t think you can make it much worse.”

Oh hell. What did that mean?

“Hey.” Gav’n swapped hands again, moving the one at her waist to grip her throat. She jerked with alarm, but his fingers didn’t tighten. Instead, he used the palm at her throat to pull her head backward until it rested on his shoulder in an arch. “You’re responsible for our situation, and we need your help.”

Well, damn. It was about as compelling an argument as she could expect. After being treated as Public Enemy Number One by everyone else, they hit her where it hurt by appealing to her humanity. Humanity—hah. They weren’t human. Well, her sense of compassion, then. Her heart.

Motherless children and two hot alien guardians who needed her help. Damn. They were difficult to harden herself against.

She sighed and relaxed into Gav’n’s hold, watching the scenery flash by. Endermere, the coastal city where they’d crashed, was built upon a C-shaped section of peninsula. It appeared green and lush, with little pollution and lots of vegetation for such a densely populated area.

She braced when Jakk passed another shuttle at an insane speed. There was no brake pedal she could see. The controls mainly seemed to consist of a joystick.

Jakk must have noticed her watching because his eyes slid over to hers. “You’re an engineer, right?”

She nodded.

“Did you fly the craft that crashed here?”

“I maintained and repaired it.”

“Then driving one of these should be easy for you. Everything’s controlled with this.” He patted the joystick.

“How do you brake?”

Jakk’s brow furrowed. “Break what?”

Stupid translator. “Slow down. How do you slow down?”

He tapped the joystick again until she looked at it, then he pushed the entire stick down. The shuttle slowed.

“Ah. Clever.” Her jaw dropped as they sped along a cliff’s edge, standing high above a sparkling turquoise bay. Pra’kir was unbelievably beautiful—a fact she hadn’t had time to note when they’d crashed and had to run for their lives while the locals had attacked. It was like Earth in many ways, with blue skies, mountains, and oceans.

“We’ll teach you to drive after your initial conditioning,” Gav’n promised. “Our sister’s shuttle has automatic steering, so we can program a destination in, but I have a feeling you’re the type who likes to understand how things work.”

“What exactly is this conditioning?”

Jakk made a sudden turn, screeching around a bend in the tracks to shoot off toward a cluster of tightly packed multi-story buildings, nested along the coast.

She stifled a squeal when the shuttle dived down off the tracks, swerved around several slower shuttles, and zipped into a tiny garage accessed from a narrow alleyway at the rear of the row of buildings. He parked next to two other bullet shuttles in a miniscule yard. Well, more like a small garden with flowers and plants making neat rows along the back and one side of the parking spaces.

“We’ll talk about it when we get inside,” Jakk said.

She didn’t like the sound of that.

 

~.~

 

Gav’n led their little human up the back steps of his sister’s home, which was situated above a bakery in a tight row of historic waterfront buildings. The place was small, but he and Jakk had decided uprooting the children from their home would be too stressful for them following the death of their mother, so they’d moved in, the two of them sharing what had been Analie’s bedroom.

“The girls are at our parents’ house for a few days, while we get you settled in.” And make sure you aren’t a danger. He hoped they got her settled quickly because their elderly parents couldn’t take the stress of caring for the girls, especially when they were still grieving their Analie’s death, too.

From the concern Mira had shown over the girls’ feelings, he thought this would work. They just had to convince their little ward of it.

“Clothes off,” he said, releasing her wrists. She still wore one of the bright yellow prison jumpersuits normally worn by juvenile offenders, since the adult uniforms were too large.

She spun to face him, mouth agape. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Take off your prison uniform. For the initial conditioning, we’ll need you naked at all times. It enhances your sense of vulnerability and submission and helps establish our roles as your masters.”

“Fuck. That.”

He didn’t understand the command to fuck that. Not only was she not being specific about what he was supposed to have casual relations with, but the only thing he was in a mood to fuck was her. Unfortunately, it appeared more like she wanted to kick his teeth out, which was damn cute.

Jakk closed in from the other direction. “If we have to help you undress, Mira, you will earn your first consequence.”

She bolted.

The little human ran straight for the door, moving faster than he would’ve expected. Jakk lunged forward, catching her around the waist, covering her mouth when she screamed. He carried her a few steps forward, offering her up for Gav’n to undress. She didn’t make it easy, wriggling and twisting like a wild animal, but he managed to work the prison suit off her while his brother held her flailing body.

“And now your consequence.” Jakk used an emotionless tone, as if they always stripped young females and paddled their naked bottoms. His brother carried her to the settee, and Gav’n followed, sitting next to Jakk, so Mira’s head fell in his lap when her bottom went over Jakk’s. He took control of Mira’s wrists while Jakk scissored one thigh over her kicking legs.

Mira opened her mouth as if to bite him, but his reflexes were quicker, and he caught her by the hair and pulled her face away in time. “Ah ah, little human. Biting will earn you a second consequence.”

Jakk’s palm landed on her bare ass with a resounding crack, and the little thing jerked. Gav’n watched as first shock, then fury scrawled across her features. The pink imprint of Jakk’s large hand bloomed on one of her cheeks. Jakk slapped her again, harder, on the other side. Jakk picked up the pace, spanking her rapidly on one cheek then the other, right where she sat.

“Ow! What is this? You can’t keep me here like this—ow!”

Her resistance turned him on. Still holding her by the wrists and the hair, Gav’n leaned forward and spoke softly in her ear, making his voice as loving and gentle as he knew how. “Easy, Mira. It’s a spanking. To teach you to obey. That’s all.”

Her eyes swiveled to peer at him as best as they could with his hair-hold. They revealed betrayal. Her small, rounded breasts heaved as she panted with the pain and stress.

He shoved a pillow between her head and his lap and released her hair, massaging her scalp when her head fell to the pillow. To his satisfaction, she remained collapsed, as if she’d accepted her fate. He continued to massage her head while Jakk slapped away at her rapidly reddening ass.

And a rather perfect ass it was. As was the rest of her. Pale ivory skin glowed with health; her slender body was built of lean muscle, legs long. She was certainly the most beautiful creature he’d ever had the good fortune to disrobe.

The pain must have set in, because Mira lifted her head again, tugging against his hold on her wrists and squirming. Of course, with the two of them holding her down, she wasn’t going anywhere.

Jakk spanked her steadily for another full minute and then stopped, rubbing her pink buttocks. His mismatched eyes had darkened, and Gav’n knew his brother must be as aroused as he was. Jakk drew in a deep breath, his palm roving over Mira’s punished ass in a caress, now. “Do you smell that, Gav’n?” he asked thickly.

Gav’n inhaled through his nose. Feminine arousal. The delicious scent of Mira’s musk reached his nostrils. “I think Mira enjoyed her spanking as much as we liked giving it.”

Her head flew up, anger blazing in her eyes.

He laughed. “Your body can’t lie, little one.”

Jakk released one of her legs from under his leg-hold, prying her thighs open to slide two fingers along her sex. He held up the glistening proof for both Gav’n and Mira to see.

Mira’s face flushed, and she struggled with renewed vigor. Jakk slapped her ass a few more times, and she subsided, panting prettily.

“There’s no reason to be upset. You see, we haven’t explained this part yet. We will give out punishments—as often as you need them or we see fit—but we will also give you pleasure.”

Jakk stroked his fingers over her delicate slit again with a sensuous glide, up and down with three long strokes.

Mira let out a shaky breath when Jakk stopped.

“Would you like us to show you pleasure?”

She sucked her lower lip into her mouth and shook her head, but he didn’t believe her. Her eyes didn’t meet his gaze, didn’t have the fire burning there he’d seen a moment before.

Jakk returned his fingers to her sex, and this time she arched, lifting her ass toward him for more. Jakk grinned.

“No?” he prodded when Jakk had once more removed his fingers. “Are you sure? My brother and I are very good at giving a female everything she could ever desire, and more. Have you ever had two males at once, Mira?”

She shook her head and let out a whimper, which he thought might be her concession they’d won.

“All you have to say is, yes, master.”

The fury that had been absent flared in her expression, but Jakk had already returned his fingers to her clit, and whatever he was doing made Mira suck in her breath with a sharp inhalation and buck on Jakk’s lap.

“Say it. Yes, master.”

“Fuck you.”

Again, based on the blaze in her eyes, he didn’t think she truly meant she wanted to have intercourse. Later, he’d ask her about the translation.

Jakk freed her other leg from under his thigh. “Flip her over.” In tandem, they rolled her in the air to lie on their laps on her back.

“What are you—?” She lifted her head and watched as Jakk eased one of her knees up toward her shoulder and lowered his mouth to her sex.

He licked along her slit, parting her nether lips with his tongue, stroking inside with short licks. “She tastes delicious.” He sat up.

“Yes, master. Do you want Jakk to continue?”

For one moment, Gav’n thought she was going to cry. Her lips trembled, and she blinked a few times. “Yes, master.” Her defeat caused her anguish, but the moment Jakk lowered his head, gripping her lifted thigh and applying his tongue with alacrity, her head dropped back, eyes rolling.

Her rasping breath made him harder than a rock. Gods of Na, he wanted to pick her up and sit her right down on his stiffened cock, make her ride it until they both came, screaming loud enough for every customer in the bakery downstairs to hear. But he and Jakk had discussed the parameters of Mira’s conditioning before they’d picked her up, and they’d decided no intercourse unless she specifically desired it. Otherwise, they were taking advantage of their position as her guardians. They both held important offices with the government, and if it ever got back to the council they’d excessively abused their ward in any way—went beyond normal punishments and rewards—they might be disgraced.

Still wrestling with her wrists in one hand, he gripped her jaw with the other, turning her face toward him to watch it contort with pleasure. He plunged his thumb into her mouth, and she immediately sucked it, hard. Ah...hell, yes. He imagined it was his cock between her lush lips, his cock her tongue stroked and cheeks hollowed to suck.

Jakk shoved two fingers inside her, and she cried out, her animalistic sound bringing Gav’n close to the edge of control. Jakk pumped in and out of her while flicking her clit with his tongue, and she made an incoherent sound and convulsed, her beautiful breasts lifting up off his lap, head falling back.

So beautiful. He released her wrists and took his thumb out of her mouth, wanting to stroke her soft little body, to praise and reward her for the trust she’d shown in giving herself over to them. He cupped her small breasts, stroked one palm down her side, burrowed another in her hair.

“Beautiful girl,” he murmured. “Does that feel better? Your masters will always take care of you.”

Her eyes blinked open and found his, searching. For what? He didn’t know.

He cradled her face and lowered his head, brushing her lips with his. They were impossibly soft and small, like the rest of her. She didn’t kiss him back, so he gave her space. In time, they’d win her affection. At least, he hoped so.

But then, he was still hoping it would prove true with their nieces, too.

 

~.~

 

Jakk allowed his twin to lift Mira up to sit on his lap, where Gav’n cupped her breasts and stroked her skin.

With her taste still on his tongue, he could hardly deny his brother his fill of her lush little body. He stood and adjusted his throbbing cock in his pants. He needed to do something to distract himself, or he’d take advantage of her new trust in every way possible.

“Are you hungry, pashika?” He cupped her chin to gaze into her dazed face.

She blinked and stared back at him. Funny how she didn’t flinch and look away like other females did, even after directly focusing on his eyes. “What’s pashika?”

His lips quirked. He hadn’t thought about the endearment when he spoke it, but, of course, it wouldn’t translate. “It’s a bird found here on Pra’kir. A little bird. We use it as a term of affection.”

Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “I’m not sure I understand...any of this.”

“It’s simple, really. We’re a family, now.” He spoke the words before censoring himself. And as soon as they left his mouth, he kicked himself for showing his hand so soon. His deepest desire. He wanted this situation to work, not only for the girl’s sake, but because it was his only chance at having a family.

Well, that wasn’t true. He, Gav’n, and the girls were making a family of sorts, or they were trying. But he’d never have a female of his own. The best he’d ever hoped for was to share Gav’n’s future mate, on occasion, but even that seemed doubtful. Once his brother was mated, they’d have their own children, and including him wouldn’t be a part of their plan.

 

~.~

 

Mira’s body still trembled from both the spanking and the orgasm afterward. Her heated ass tingled, the memory of Jakk’s powerful hand still as real as Gav’n’s large palms that now stroked up and down her body. She sat—sprawled, really—over his lap, head falling back against his shoulder, legs parted wide and dangling over his knees.

The languid relaxation from her orgasm had ebbed, though, with Jakk’s mention of food. So far, her digestive system hadn’t adjusted to Pra’kirian food. In prison, the guard had whipped her and force-fed her every time she refused to eat, but, fortunately, she’d convinced him, due to her size, she required far less food than was actually true. She actually didn’t want to ingest any more of the bellyache-inducing spicy glop they served her.

Jakk had gone to the kitchen for food. Gav’n stroked up her inner thigh, slowing as he reached the apex.

Her trembling increased. She fought her body’s urge to thrust her pelvis forward, toward those thick fingers. God, Jakk’s finger-fucking had been amazing. Because, yeah, his digits were almost the size of a human male’s cock. Lord, how big must their cocks be?

She shook her head. She had to stop thinking of them that way. These men had set her so off-kilter, she didn’t know her head from her still-throbbing and heated tail. She shouldn’t have enjoyed that punishment so much. It was so vastly different from the guard’s whippings. The spanking had been intimate, over their laps, and there’d been two of them holding her down. No, that wasn’t what made it different. Their intent had. The guard wanted to hurt her, he’d enjoyed it. Well, these two might have enjoyed it, too. So what in the hell was so different?

The affection.

They acted like they adored her. Even when she fought them.

Okay, that was pretty hot. Why it turned her on so much, she couldn’t be sure. She certainly hadn’t ever had giant alien rape fantasies. But, yeah...their domination appealed to her a helluva lot more than the guard’s had.

Which didn’t mean she could let her defenses down. She still didn’t truly understand this arrangement. She was going to be their...what? Slave? Housewife? Sex toy?

Why did all three spark a coil of desire in her core?

Gav’n’s fingers arrived at her sex and lightly brushed her outer lips. She bit back a moan. His cock flexed against her ass. He lowered his lips to her ear. “Little girl, whenever you want your masters’ cocks, you let us know.”

She froze. Did she have a choice?

Did she really want one? She sure as hell wasn’t going to beg again. The first time had been humiliating enough.

Jakk returned with a plate heaped with food. He pulled up a chair and sat in front of her.

She stiffened.

Gav’n hitched her higher on his lap. “What’s the matter, pashika? Are you scared of Jakk because he punished you?”

She didn’t answer.

He gripped her jaw and turned her face in his direction. “When I ask you a question, I expect an answer, delivered in a respectful manner. Yes, Master or no, Master. Understand?”

She tried to wrench her face from his hold.

“Do you need another spanking?”

She wanted to keep fighting, but better sense prevailed. “No.” Although she couldn’t entirely see his face from her position, she sensed his glower. “No, Master.”

Oddly, his scowl produced an uptick in her heart rate. Did she actually care what he thought of her? She supposed it made sense—these two were the first Pra’kirians to show her any kindness. She probably should think twice about pissing them off. Her still-stinging bottom crawled as she sensed the threat of more punishment.

“No, Master,” she muttered.

He released her face. Jakk sat with the plate of food balanced on his knees. He stabbed a sliced bit of either a fruit or vegetable, bright-red in color, with a two-pronged fork, and held it to her lips.

She closed her mouth and turned away. “I’m not hungry...Master.”

Gav’n immediately resumed his stroking of her leg, presumably rewarding her for calling Jakk Master.

And damn if the simple gesture didn’t make her wet.

Jakk’s eyebrows lifted. “No?” Skepticism scrawled across his face. “You’re thin, pashika. If I find out those guards withheld your food in prison—”

“They didn’t withhold food,” she mumbled. “They force-fed me.”

Jakk lowered his fork, his expression inscrutable. “Why? Did you refuse to eat?”

“We don’t eat the same amount as you—did that ever occur to you tyrannical giants? And our bodies aren’t used to your food. How do you think you’d feel to be stuffed full of some other planet’s spicy food?”

Jakk lowered his fork. “Another punishment for tone,” he said to his brother.

“Yes.” Gav’n abruptly lifted her from his lap and flipped her face down, her head the opposite direction it had been for her first spanking. He pinned both her hands at the small of her back and threw one leg over her closest thigh. She struggled, more out of principle than any belief she might get free.

“I’ll get the plug. It might help her remember to speak respectfully.”

The plug. She searched her brain for any reference but couldn’t figure out how a plug could be a spanking implement. Taking advantage of her one free leg, she kicked it in the vain hope she might strike her captor.

He leaned over and spoke in her ear. “You kick me with that foot, pashika, and I’ll make you one very sorry little girl.”

Her pussy and anus both clenched at his words in some weird, reflexive reaction to his dominance. If she was totally honest with herself, she’d admit he’d scared her. His tone hadn’t sounded teasing this time, and she had a feeling he meant business. Whatever it meant to be one sorry little girl, she didn’t want to find out.

Jakk’s heavy footsteps signaled his return. She sensed him standing over her, and then his large hands prized her butt cheeks apart.

She squealed and attempted to tighten them, her bottom hole twitching, but a heavy slap on the back of her thigh made her howl and lose focus. A hard, cool object pushed against her back entrance.

A plug! Duh. Dear Lord—these Pra’kirians truly were perverted sadists, weren’t they?

She fought hard, fought for all she was worth, wriggling and squirming, trying to get away, but she only succeeded in getting her ass soundly toasted—by Gav’n, she thought. Of course, as soon as he stopped spanking her, one of them pried her cheeks apart, and the plug returned.

“No,” she whimpered. Tears of anger burned in the corners of her eyes.

“Hush, little girl. You were naughty. I asked you to speak to us respectfully, and you failed. This will help you remember who is in charge of you.” That came from Gav’n. Jakk had said very little, but he seemed to be the one who inserted the oiled object into her ass.

“Stop,” she pleaded, arching up, trying to squeeze her bottom closed.

“Look at me.” Yes, all the playfulness was gone from Gav’n’s voice.

Against her will, she turned to glare at him.

He met her gaze evenly. “It only hurts if you fight it. Lie back down, open your ass, and take the punishment your masters have decided is appropriate.”

A stupid tear leaked out of her eye, which seriously pissed her off. She didn’t want them to see her break.

He held her eyes, the command she’d heard in his voice equally evident in his expectant expression.

“I hate you,” she mumbled as she collapsed over his thighs, willing her sphincter to relax. He probably was right—it would only hurt if she fought it.

“I hope that’s not true, pashika. Because we definitely don’t hate you.” Now Gav’n’s voice became a caress.

She held her breath as the plug breached her hole. Hummed her protest when it stretched her tight opening wider and wider. Screeched when she was certain it wouldn’t fit, right before it sank into her then lodged in place.

“It’s in, Mira. We’ll take it out when you’ve demonstrated respect for our authority.” Jakk’s chair scraped. “Sit up and look at me.”

Gav’n lifted her back onto his lap, facing his brother. Straddling Gav’n’s knees had the effect of presenting her pussy to Jakk and suspending her freshly spanked, burning, and plugged ass between Gav’n’s thighs.

Aaaaand her nipples beaded up. This shouldn’t be sexy to her. Why in the fuck was she responding to this treatment? Oh, maybe because it was ubersexual. Was this really the way they dealt with prisoners on Pra’kir? Or was it special, for her, as a young female?

Jakk cupped her chin, stroking his thumb along her cheek. “So the food bothers your stomach, little one?”

Relief he’d actually listened to her brought fresh tears to her eyes. She blinked angrily, trying to pull her face away from his grip.

“Prison food is nourishing—at least to our species—but not particularly fresh. Try a little of the things I prepared, and we’ll see how you fare.” He picked up the fork again and held it to her lips.

It was a reasonable request, and she had to admit the food on his plate did appear more appetizing than the hellishly spicy grains and gray meats from prison.

She waited a beat, only because her rebellious side had to assert itself, and then parted her lips.

The fruit had been salted—no—spiced. Both salted and spiced, it seemed, almost like the Latin American tradition of applying chili and lime to certain fruits. It was both unfamiliar and satisfying at once. She rolled the too-big bite around in her mouth, juice dribbling from her lips.

 

~.~

 

Their beautiful human had Gav’n’s cock so hard, he thought he’d burst. He watched her full, perfect lips move as she tried the bite of madlyne fruit Jakk had fed her. When a drip of juice ran down the corner of her mouth, he gripped her nape and caught it with his tongue.

She held still for him, her breath sucking in on a gasp.

He hadn’t expected that. She’d fought the plug and spanking like a little demon. Maybe he was delusional, but he thought they were already getting through to her. They’d shown her a taste of both pleasure and pain. Soon, he hoped, they’d prove themselves worthy masters, and she’d accept her fate.

They’d only had her for a few short hours, but already he adored her. He loved everything about her. The intelligence behind those spectacular green-blue eyes, the fight she gave, and her beautiful surrender at moments like this one. She seemed so much more complex than a Pra’kirian female.

“What did you think?” He brushed his lips across the shell of her ear.

Wariness hooded her eyes, but she said in a hoarse voice. “I like it.”

“I like it, Master. You’re answering a question. Show respect.”

Her shoulders sagged and, as much as they required her submission, he hated seeing her defeated. “I like it, Master.” She sounded resentful, now.

Jakk fed her another bite, watching her mouth as intently as Gav’n had. Damn, he couldn’t wait to have those supple lips around his cock. When she consented. As good hosts, he and Jakk preferred to go slow and win her over gently. However, providing for her sexual enjoyment was part of their duty. Just as it was her duty to accept or be punished. Soon, though. Soon, they’d win her submission and affection, and she’d willingly give all of herself.

“Okay, so the madlyne fruit seems fine,” Jakk observed. “We will give it a few hours to be sure, and then introduce another food.”

The fight left Mira’s face. “Thank you...Master.” The Master came as an afterthought, but he considered it a huge win.

Jakk fed her the rest of the madlyne on the plate, leaving the other foods he’d brought untouched. “Was it enough, Mira?”

She nodded, “Yes, Master….thank you.”

Gav’n coasted his palms up her body and cupped her breasts, testing their weight, squeezing and kneading until she arched into his hands. “Good girl. You’re doing so well, pashika. Thank you for using your manners.” He rolled the nipple of one breast between his thumb and forefinger as his other hand stroked down her belly and over her trimmed mound.

She squirmed, as if to stop him, and he delivered a light slap to her pussy. “Hold still. Your master wants to reward you.”

Jakk watched with glittering eyes. He leaned forward and brought his hand up between her legs, as well, reaching toward her suspended bottom, where he grabbed the butt plug.

Gav’n tapped her clit, and she rocked forward to meet his fingers. “I’ll bet you’d like us to remove the plug now, wouldn’t you?” he breathed in her ear.

Jakk slowly pumped the plug in and out of her ass, and she whimpered, pussy suddenly gushing her delectable arousal. “She likes that,” he murmured.

She shook her head rapidly against his chest. “No...I don’t.” She sounded breathless.

Jakk repeated the plug pump while he circled her clit with his middle finger, loving the way the little nubbin had stiffened, engorged with blood.

“No,” she whimpered, writhing, legs straightening and bending as she shifted her pelvis restlessly around.

“You mean, yes, little one. Yes, Master. Say it.”

“No.” Another moan.

“Do you need my digits again, pashika?” He’d never heard Jakk sound so affectionate. Usually, his brother was stiff or stoic with females.

Another rapid head shake, but her breath had turn to pants, cheeks glowing with excitement.

“I think she’s lying, Jakk.” He grinned at his brother and slapped her pussy three times.

She shrieked.

“We should punish her for lying.”

Jakk grinned back. “Yes,” he drawled. “After her reward, another punishment.”

She tossed her head in confusion, her lovely straight blonde hair fanning out against his shirt.

Jakk screwed two fingers inside her while Gav’n continued to tease her clit. Jakk renewed his pumping of the butt plug, alternating the strokes. When his fingers delved deep, he pulled the butt plug out, stretching her wide. When he pulled his digits out, he pushed the plug back in.

Gav’n tap tap tapped her clit and squeezed her nipple.

Her moans took on a desperate pitch. “Please,” she panted. “No...don’t. Please….yes. Yes, Master—Masters—yes, please, oh God!” She screamed and threw her head back, lifting her pelvis from his lap.

Jakk shoved his fingers deep and kept them there, and this time he had the better view of her expressive face, twisting and contorting with her orgasm. It went on and on, with her mewling and bucking.

When it passed, all three of them went still. Mira sagged between his knees, panting.

Jakk eased his fingers out of her. “Stand up and bend over for your master. I’ll take the plug out now.”

He doubted she could have moved on her own, so he helped her stand, turned her to face him, and pulled her torso down until she hugged his waist with her arms, her ass presented high to his brother, head tucked against his side.

Jakk tugged on the plug, and she whimpered. “Relax, little one. Give me a long exhale.” He stroked one hand up the graceful arch of her back, soothing her.

Gav’n felt her trembling, and he doubted her legs were doing their job holding her up. He, too, stroked her back. “Hum a little for me. Do you know what it means to hum?”

She obediently made a humming noise, affirming the translation worked.

Jakk nodded at him and slowly eased the plug free. “Good girl.” He gave her ass a light slap and took the plug to the washroom to clean and disinfect it. When he returned, he said, “Let’s give her a tour of the townhouse.”

Gav’n lifted her to her feet and stood, then picked her up by the armpits and settled her legs around his waist, like a child.

The surprise on her face was priceless.

“Well, you’re so small, pashika.” He gave her ass a squeeze. “And your body is so delectable. It’s natural for your master to want to carry you everywhere, especially when you’re naked.”

You can ride me, anytime, little human.

As if she guessed his lurid thought, she blushed, sliding her gaze away from his. Jakk led the tour, and he followed, carrying their new plaything.

“This house belonged to our sister,” Jakk said as he walked toward the girls’ room. “Her mate died of an incurable disease when Pritzi was just a baby—so he’s been dead six years, now.”

Mira’s face grew sober. “What are their names and ages?” she asked hoarsely.

“Darley is the oldest. She’s twenty-two. Jan is fourteen, and Pritzi is eight.”

Mira’s head twisted toward Jakk. “Twenty-two? Is she still considered a child? How old are you?”

“We’re sixty-seven. According to your file, you’re only twenty-nine but considered fully grown on Earth?” Jakk asked. “A twenty-nine-year-old is still in adolescence here.”

“Our planet takes 365 days to rotate around the sun. What is it here?”

“Four hundred,” Gav’n answered.

“How long is your average lifespan?”

“One hundred and sixty years.”

She whistled. “So about twice ours.”

His brother pushed open the door to the girls’ room. “This is where they sleep.”

Mira peered in at the three beds, her eyes running over every detail of the room as if they might quiz her on it later. “So they’re eleven, seven and four in Earth years,” she said softly. “Please tell me you’ll let me wear clothes when they come.”

Gav’n smirked. “If you behave.” He winked.

“And we sleep upstairs.” Jakk jogged up the flight of stair to the enormous master suite. Since the townhouse was a century-old building, wedged into Old Town, there were only the two bedrooms.

“We who?” Mira asked when he arrived at the top of the steps and set her on her feet to have a look around.

“It was Analie’s. There are only two bedrooms, so Gav’n and I share it now. You’ll sleep with us, and any punishments you earn will be delivered in private up here, after the girls come back from our parents.”

“Where will I sleep?”

He hesitated. “In the bed with us. Unless you’re naughty and we decide you don’t deserve the bed, in which case, you’ll sleep on a mat on the floor.”

She rolled her eyes.

Jakk’s hand snapped out and caught her chin. “Watch the eye-rolling, little human.” Damn, his brother could look stern when he wanted to.

He didn’t miss the shiver running through her. Good. She was already learning respect. Her lower jaw thrust forward. “So, am I your sex slave? Is that how Pra’kir deals with female convicts?”

Jakk winced ever so slightly and opened his mouth. Fearing his brother would tell her the truth—that they wouldn’t have sex with her without her consent, Gav’n cut in. “No, pashika. Our role is to condition you. If you hope for sex, you’ll have to earn it.”

Her nostrils flared, whether with anger or interest, he couldn’t be sure, but, a moment later, he scented her arousal, and a surge of victory pumped through him.

 

~.~

 

The master suite was beautiful. As large as the entire downstairs, it had a sitting area with a couch, a giant canopy bed, and an en suite bathroom. The best feature, though, was the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the bustling street and shops below, and, farther out, the sparkling bay.

She wondered if they’d take her to the bay. How normal would her life be here? Being nanny to their nieces made it seem like they’d be like an old-fashioned nuclear family. But, so far, nothing they’d done to her had been even close to conventional.

Being stripped naked, spanked, and pleasured repeatedly wasn’t her idea of normal. And the worst part? She wasn’t even sure she hated it. The way her clit still pulsed and her muscles had gone slack had her remembering every moment of their mastery.

Gawd—she’d never orgasmed like that in her life! What about these two giant males had her both entranced and fearful at the same time?

She walked to the windows, hiding her naked body behind the curtain to look out. “It’s incredible,” she murmured.

Gav’n stood behind her. He seemed to be the warm and cuddly one, Jakk, the stern disciplinarian. And skilled pleasure-giver.

Her clit throbbed again, remembering the way he’d worked the double-penetration on her like a fucking pro.

Not that she had much experience to judge. She’d had few boyfriends during her college training—one in the space program, but he’d turned out to be a two-timing ass. She’d never had two guys at once. Until today, she’d been an anal virgin.

In the few hours since the men had picked her up, she’d received more male attention than she had in the last three years put together. More attention, period. As the youngest, plainest, least-interesting child of a family of five superstars, she hadn’t attracted much attention or praise. She’d joined the space program in an effort to prove she wasn’t as boring and mediocre as her family had ascribed.

Now, she’d never see them again.

Oddly, she’d thought it would hurt more than it had. She missed her shipmates more than her family. Where had Brinley, Blythe, Sarai and Lily been placed? Were they faring better or worse than she?

“What are you thinking about?” Jakk asked. He hung back a little, as usual, but that didn’t mean he didn’t pay as close attention to her as Gav’n. His mismatched eyes made him fascinating and sexy. She wondered if women threw themselves at his feet.

“My shipmates. Will I be able to see them soon?”

Both Jakk and Gav’n’s faces sobered. “No, pashika,” Gav’n said. “The council decreed you shall not be able to see each other. They feel it is best for your adjustment and for the safety of our species.”

Anger started slow but came on hot, simmering down in the pit of her belly. “What?”

“You heard him, Mira.” Warning rang in Jakk’s tone.

“That’s not fair!” she spluttered. “They are my friends. I need to see them. They’re like family to me—the only family I have!”

Jakk shook his head. “We’re your family, now. We know it’s painful, but you’ve been offered a chance to function in our society rather than be executed or remain in prison. But only if you follow the guidelines we provide you.”

Hot tears of anger sprang to her eyes, and she turned away, back to the window.

Gav’n tugged her around, and she expected rebuke, but he folded her into his strong arms and held her against his massive chest, stroking the back of her head. “You’ll adjust, little one.”

Part of her wanted to push against him and fight and argue, but she didn’t have the strength, and it felt so good to be held. She gave herself over to him, wetting his shirt with her tears. Almost immediately, warmth flanked her back, as well. Jakk stood behind her, closing the circle, or, rather, sandwiching her between the men. She felt small and helpless, like a child. But oddly protected.

We’re your family, now.

She had to get used to the idea. She cried until her tears ran out. When she finished, Gav’n showed her to the bathroom and gave her a bag of toiletries they’d purchased for her. It included a laser-powered tooth-cleaning device, a hairbrush, and makeup in colors she would never in a million years wear. She smiled to herself, picturing the two men trying to pick out the cosmetics. Such big, capable men wouldn’t have a clue what she liked. She wondered if they struggled that way with their nieces. Probably.

They’d said they needed her. Now that she was in their house and knew them a little better, she could see it was true. A trickle of warmth—the first tiny spark of hope she’d had since the crash—swirled in her chest.

Maybe she would find a place here. She’d never felt she belonged anywhere—not in her family of gorgeous super-geniuses, and not in college where she’d failed to make friends and build a social life like the rest of the students, choosing, instead, to stay locked away in labs working on the inventions she never brought to fruition. Getting the job with the colonization project had been the only bright spot in her murky career, but she and her shipmates hadn’t made it. Now they were all stuck here as fosterlings to paternalistic aliens.

With fingers as big as human cocks.