A warm hand slid around her belly. Fingers slid into her wet folds, sliding around her clit. She gasped with the sensation. His fingers pressed against the swollen nub, sending her spiraling toward her climax. He rubbed in tight circles, forcing her body closer to the edge. She felt her muscles clamp down on his cock and knew she wouldn’t be able to hold this one back. His whispered command released her from the worry as she tumbled into the abyss. “Come again, Maggie. Right now.”
She exploded around his cock, soaking him with her release. Her muscles clamped down around his cock, pulsing around his thick hardness. Pleasure coursed through her body, bucking her against his thrusts. White-hot cum pumped into her as he came with a few quick, hard, thrusts. Their gasps mingled and echoed within the cell.
“Wow.” She sighed. She closed her eyes and just let the languid calm flow over her. Raharan’s warm body still covered her, caged her in safety. She loved the feel of his body on hers. She relaxed into her restraints, letting them take some of the strain off her limbs, letting them help hold her body in position.
He chuckled against her back before stirring enough to climb off the bed. “Wow is right, little Maggie. Let me clean you up, and then we can head to the exercise field, although you are giving me more of a workout while we share my bed.”
She giggled and waited for him to release her from her restraints. She watched him move around the cell. The play of muscles under his golden skin had her wishing for a little more time. Even after the releases she just had, she heated while watching him. Maybe there was enough time for another workout before they had to head to the field.
“It isn’t a suggestion it’s… Well, it’s a way to say that you’re wrong. You know, an Earth saying.” A blush worked its way across her cheeks. She was holding Raharan off with one hand and searching for the wall behind her with the other.
“You requested that I bite your ass. Did you not?” He grinned and continued stalking across the cell toward her.
“I didn’t request it and you know it. I was just pointing out that you were wrong about the best way to get me to behave.” She giggled but still continued backing away. “Stop it. You know I don’t really want you to bite me.”
“Hm, if I remember you enjoy being bitten. I just assumed that this was a new place you wanted me to sink my teeth into.” His face took on a look of surprise. He cocked his head to the side and she could tell he was listening to something outside their cell.
“What is it?” Maggie asked, lowering her voice to a whisper. A sense of dread worked through her body, lodging in her stomach.
“They are here. Finally they have arrived.”
“Who has come, Raharan?” She saw triumph and joy on his face.
“My brothers. They have come to release us. I must go and help with the fighting, but I will be back soon to collect you. You remember the words that will keep you safe, right?” Maggie watched him almost glow with emotion. Fear teased at her thoughts, but she would stay strong for him. She noticed that he was fully dressed for the first time since she had met him. The white shirt was tucked into his pants. Brown calf high boots snuggly covered his feet. He looked like a buccaneer or pirate from old stories she had read as a kid.
“Yes, I remember.” She breathed the words. He was going to leave her alone in his cell while he went to fight the Xeltec. She would be alone and unprotected. She scrambled off the bed and rushed at him. Wrapping her arms around him helped her deal with the influx of fear. His heat wrapped her in a feeling of safety and comfort. She looked up into his face and realized that she had become so comfortable with him that she didn’t notice the differences between their races anymore. Emotions choked her words to a whisper. “Please, come back for me. I love you.”
Confusion crossed his face before he leaned down and took Maggie’s lips in a fierce kiss. He branded her soul with the heat and passion of that kiss. He caressed her face with a gentle slide of his fingers. “I promise you I will come and collect you once it’s safe. Then we will discuss love. Now, get dressed. I don’t want you naked in case another male comes to investigate the cells.”
Maggie quickly donned the shirt she had been wearing before their last bout of lovemaking. She suddenly felt naked without pants or panties to cover her bottom. She watched Raharan walk out of the opened cell door without looking back at her. She clenched her fists in the fabric of her shirt and stood, rooted to the spot, for a moment. With a sob, she climbed onto the bed and wrapped the blanket, still warm from their nap, around her body. Fear for his safety gripped her in a cold, gut-wrenching grasp. What would happen to her if he was injured? Would anyone let her near him to care for him? Would they believe the words she had learned?
Sounds filtered through her thoughts. Metallic thuds and scraping echoed down the corridor. It was eerily quiet in the hallway and seemed strange that the cell door remained open. She gasped when the lights flickered a few times. Huddled on the bed with the blanket wrapped around her, she prayed.
Please don’t let the lights go out.
She jumped when a loud metallic sound echoed through the hallway. It sounded closer than the others had. It felt like the entire ship was waiting for something to happen. The eye of the storm or something like that. Then, all Hell broke loose as did the scream of terror from Maggie’s throat.
The ship shuddered under her as she sat still as stone. A metallic groan shook the bed, pulling a scream from her throat. With a sickening tilt, the entire room shifted, spilling Maggie from the bed. She slid across the floor and slammed into the wall, bruising her shoulder and hip. She thanked anyone that was listening that the bed was bolted to the floor. Thunderous explosions rocked the ship and the lights flickered off. Silence filled the air with a heavy anticipation.
Maggie managed to turn herself and face the doorway that was now an uphill climb. She could see emergency lights in the hallway casting bluish shadows through the open door. Indecision weighed heavy in her mind. Should she try to get out into the hallway or stay in the cell where she knew Raharan would find her? If she made it to the hallway, where should she go? She had no knowledge of the ship beyond the way to the mess hall and the bathing room. Was she safe in the hallways, where anyone from either race could find her?
The decision was made for her when the ship shifted again and righted itself. The door slid shut moments after the floor was horizontal again. She crawled to the door, hoping it would open for her, but it was once again locked. The emergency lighting inside the cell was just enough that she could find the blanket and crawl onto the bed to wait for rescue. Fear took up residence in her thoughts as every possibility ran through her mind. What if everyone on the ship was dead? What if all of the Pa’Kren died in the fight and only the Xeltec were left? What if Raharan was killed and now another Pa’Kren was going to take her?
She sat for hours on the bed, waiting for something to happen. Silence was the only thing she dealt with throughout the time. Finally she lay on the bed and drifted to sleep. She dozed off and on, waking often, hoping and dreading some noise from another being. Her stomach ached with hunger.
Maggie’s fitful sleeping was finally interrupted by the sliding sound of her door opening. The hallway was fully lit, and the large body that stepped into the doorway was a dark unrecognizable presence. She knew instinctively that the male standing there, staring at her, wasn’t Raharan. She sat up quickly and pulled the blanket around her body like a shield. Her thoughts were still fuzzy from sleep. There was something she was supposed to do if another male came for her, wasn’t there?
Fear gripped her when the male stalked toward her, growing larger the closer he came. His face was still in shadows, and he loomed over her like a villain from a bad horror film. Her breath caught in her throat as he took another step toward her. She remembered then. The conversations and words flowed back into her thoughts. Maggie quickly looked down at the floor, curling her legs into her body.
“Pa’Kren male, I am both property and mate of Raharan, leader and heir of the Tarah’ken clan. He has instructed me to respectfully speak with you on this matter only.” The words tumbled from numb lips. Without seeing the male, the fear increased. Having her head bowed, she couldn’t see what was happening, but she did as Raharan had instructed. She was to remain submissive and not look directly at any other male until she was brought to him. He had told her that all Pa’Kren males would respect his name and title and would accept the claim on her. She just hoped that he was correct. She was at a disadvantage having her head down and felt vulnerable. All of her instincts were screaming at her to watch the male, make eye contact, and try to talk her way into a better situation.
A growl brought her out of her musings. She clenched her fists and dug her nails into her palm.
Don’t raise your eyes. Don’t look him in the eye.
The chant ran through her mind over and over. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm her fear. Raharan had told her repeatedly that her fear smelled sweet coming off her body. If this male responded to the scent the same way Raharan had, she might be in trouble.
“Look at me, human,” a deep gravelly voice boomed through the cell. Maggie took a breath through her teeth and fought her instincts to look up. She knew she wasn’t supposed to, but would her refusal be considered punishable?
“Pa’Kren male, I have been instructed by Raharan to remain respectful of his claim on me. I am not allowed to meet your eyes,” she whispered.
God, please let me make the right decision.
“I understand your instructions, but Raharan is dead. His claim on you is negated, which means any male that finds you can claim you as he has no living family on board this ship. I found you, which means I can claim you for myself. Look at me, human, so I can see if you are worth claiming.”
Panic flowed through her system, followed quickly by absolute anguish. He was dead? Gone? She looked up into the male’s face and saw the cruel truth written there. Dark eyes looked her over, appraising her like she was a new car. Long blond hair was pulled back into a tight braid that was pulled over his shoulder. His body was large and built like Raharan’s, but that was where their likenesses ended. Where Raharan had laugh lines and a softness around his eyes, this male had cruelty and anger. He ran his gaze over her from head to toe and then nodded. He swiftly turned and walked to the doorway, turning to look at her. “You’re acceptable for now. I will claim you until we return to our home planet. If you please me well, perhaps I’ll keep you. You’ll remain in this cell until we’ve repaired the ship. Once that is complete, I will come collect you. Do not allow any other males to see you. You’re now mine. My name is Mapra. You will respect my claim as you did Raharan’s.”
The door closed, and she collapsed. Her heart ripped in half within her chest and sucked the breath from her throat. A keening moan tore out her mouth as she collapsed on the bed. He was gone. How was she going to live without him? She had just realized that she loved him, needed him, craved him. How was she supposed to go on without him? Sobs shook her body, her voice tearing her throat until she cried silently. Tears streamed down her face, soaking into the blanket that had only hours before covered them both. His scent still survived on the sheets and pillow. She buried her nose into the cloth and sucked his spicy scent into her body, trying to memorize the smell.
“Stand, human. You will come with me now that the ship is repaired.”
Maggie fought the growling voice. Her body was cold from sitting against the wall of the cell. Her mind had been someplace else, enjoying the memories she had of her time with Raharan. She didn’t want to give up her hold on those thoughts. Reality was painful and scary. In her thoughts she had been remembering how he smiled when he teased her, and how it would have been to enjoy a snuggle with him after they made love. He would have been touching her, holding her close, and laughing with her. She knew that if she came out of her daydream all of that happiness would be gone and she’d be alone, stranded without him.
“Stand up now. You anger me already by disobeying me?” Pain brought her quickly from her thoughts. Her arm hurt where Mapra’s large fingers had pinched her. She glanced down and could see the bruise forming already. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she rubbed at them with the back of a hand.
A large hand wrapped around her arm and pulled her off the bed, unceremoniously dumping her onto the floor. She scrambled to her feet, smoothing the shirt she still wore down her thighs. All of the lessons Raharan taught her ran through her mind. This male was not going to allow her to slip like she’d been allowed to do before. With downcast eyes, she breathed deeply trying to calm her heart rate.
“You will follow me, now.” Mapra turned and stalked out of the cell without a glance behind him. Maggie rushed forward to take her place two steps behind the male. She looked through her lashes at her new owner. He was as tall as Raharan had been, maybe even a little taller. His hair was really long and braided again, running down his back and ending just above his belt. Black leather pants covered his legs, and he wore a black vest over a white shirt. He walked with more emotion than Raharan had. His movements were harsher and more pronounced. Where Raharan had been feline and graceful in his movements, this male was more aggressive.
Maggie didn’t try to pay attention to where they walked as she didn’t know the ship well enough to guess where they were anyway. She spent the walk trying to wrap her mind around the last day. Instinctively she knew that Mapra was not going to give her time to mourn and would probably punish her for showing emotions for Raharan’s death. She tried to push her grief and pain into a corner of her mind where she could deal with it at another time.