Taming the Raven's Son (Galactic Lust) (9 page)

Her stomach sank. “Why?”

“Haven’t we had this discussion recently?” His voice
dropped. “You mustn’t question me from this point forward. Now do as I’ve
said.”

She dragged her feet along the cold stone floor. She
absolutely couldn’t handle anything more at the moment. She crawled on the bed
before laying her cheek down and spreading her legs. Her thighs shook as she
waited.

He stroked her ass and she clamped her lips tight. What
would she feel in a few hours if they had sex again?

“I’m going to apply a thick, cold salve. It’ll soothe what
we’ve done. Brace yourself.”

He began by spreading her swollen lips and pushing two
fingers deeply into her stinging pussy. The instant he applied the salve, all
the discomfort vanished. When he finished smearing the cream inside, he gently
filled her crease, taking the time to thoroughly rub her labia.

She sighed repeatedly until he probed her anus.

“I’ve had my fingers in you,” he said immediately. “And
although the probe was sterile, I won’t take chances with an errant virus.
We’ve been offworld and one can never guarantee something didn’t come back.
You’ll hold still while I insert this applicator filled with antiseptic. It’s
designed for this, Sage. I don’t want you to get sick.”

He pushed the cold applicator into her rectum and she
immediately felt a stinging sensation.
Yikes!

“I agree, it’s not pleasant but you’ll get used to it.” He
withdrew, leaving a trail of burning ointment. “Kneel and turn to face me.”

She wobbled but managed. He gestured for her to raise her
arms. She complied. He slipped a soft, smooth, shimmering garment over her. He
adjusted the straps before smoothing it down to her thighs.

“I knew this would suit you. It matches your eyes.”

She gazed at him. “It’s a lovely gift.”

“It couldn’t be. You’re wearing a frown.”

“I don’t understand why you’d give me this.”

He cupped her chin, leaned down and kissed her tenderly.
“Because you’re well and truly mine.” He stroked her cheek. “After a meek is
taken by her Master, she’s given a gift. It’s all I have. After what we’ve
shared, I should lavish you with beautiful adornments. Alas, this is all that
remains of a distant time when such things were plentiful. It’s now yours.”

She smoothed her palms over the fine quality nightdress.
“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He eased her onto her back and layered her
in blankets. “Sleep. Let the salve do its work. I want you well rested before
your next punishment.”

“What! Why?”

“You bit me. You drew blood.”

“And I was punished.”

“The spanking was administered to calm you and help you
release your emotions, nothing more. Your transgression in this bed will be
dealt with when you wake.”

She shuddered before she saw him wink.

They listen. They watch
.

“Please reconsider, Jacob. I promise, I’m sorry.” The
sullen, whining voice sounded quite real, even if she said so herself.

“Put it from your mind and sleep.”

She squirmed beneath the covers, fanning the heat from her
smoldering ass cheeks. Surprisingly, with her pussy stretched and well used,
antiseptic tingling in her rectum and her rear end swollen and burning, she’d
never felt more at peace.

Jacob sat at the table pondering why Sovereign wanted the
arena repaired. It’d been partially destroyed when the bastard had landed on
the planet. It’d sat neglected for more than a year. What did he have planned
and why, after acquiring Sage, would there be such a rush?

Many women who’d lived on Prevelor had died at the hands of
Sovereign and his men. Those remaining disguised themselves. They did the work
of men and never drew the attention of their captors. Some of Sovereign’s
previously purchased women currently lived among the survivors disguised as
males, albeit small ones.

A knock on the door drew his attention. “Come.”

Heat ducked and walked into his room. He glanced at the bed,
and the usual smile he wore broadened. “You made quick work of claiming her,
Jacob.”

Jacob looked toward the woman in his bed. Her flame-colored
hair lay spread across the pillows and the covers resting at her waist revealed
the silken emerald gown he’d managed to save. Actually, he’d forgotten it
tucked into the back of a drawer. It’d belong to Deedra. He sighed and gazed at
the lovely, sexual creature. “I’m a lucky man.”

Heat balled a huge hand, cracking his knuckles before placing
it on his hip. To most, it appeared Heat wanted to casually converse. Jacob
knew better. His friend changed his stance to alleviate the constant pain in
his hip. An old battle wound plagued him, sometimes for days. He’d never
accepted the use of a med unit to ease his suffering. He also refused to speak
of the incidents that led to his wounds or why he chose to suffer the reminder.

“Sovereign has issued a reprieve from your horribly taxing
duties here so you can lend us a hand at the arena.”

Jacob laughed. Heat’s sarcasm sometimes offered a welcome
relief in times of stress. “As you can see, she’s newly claimed. I won’t leave
her.”

“I believe your reprieve is mandatory, Jacob. Bring her too
if you feel the need. What harm could she do? I’m sure Sovereign won’t mind.
Certainly he wouldn’t deny you every second with her since she’s newly
claimed.”

They both knew of the invisible eyes and ears within his
rooms. Sovereign certainly wouldn’t object. If he did, it would give away his
secret. He liked spying, believing he could never be detected.

Jacob wouldn’t leave her alone. No, Jacob wouldn’t be
careless. Not with Sage.

He walked to the bed and stroked her arm. Her eyes opened
and she sat up. “Wrap yourself in a blanket and come with me. I have business
to attend to.”

“Yes, Jacob,” she replied, hurrying from his bed while
stealing several glances at Heat.

Once the blanket draped her shoulders and she clutched it
together at her chest, he took her arm and led her toward his friend. “Jacob’s
miss,” Heat said before bowing to her formally.

She gazed at Jacob with a confused expression. He rubbed her
shoulder. “His greeting should be returned with a low bow and an
acknowledgment. Any man greeting you should be referred to as ‘Sir’.”

“Yes, Jacob,” she replied before turning toward Heat. She
bowed beautifully, reverently, as if she’d practiced a thousand times. Her gaze
remained on his feet as she quietly, demurely whispered, “Sir.”

Heat assessed her from head to toe before turning, ducking
and walking through the door. Worry had creased his friend’s face. Jacob
escorted Sage and they followed. Guards watched them as they exited the main
building, stepping into the wasteland that used to be his home.

His people milled around until they spotted Jacob and Heat.
Guards with guns turned to watch as they walked down the road toward the arena.
Sage’s gait was unsteady and he realized why. Small stones littered the streets
and she was barefoot. He turned and swept her into his arms, barely missing a
step. Heat said quietly, “You should fear the guns trained at you as well as
the leering guards.”

She released the blanket and wrapped her arms around Jacob,
burying her face in the crook of his neck.

Heat mumbled, “They want to know about the underground
cavern. They found the trap door in the floor. I told them I hadn’t known of
its existence and you alone could account for it.”

“Well done.”

“I’ll speak quickly, Jacob. The guards are talking. It’s not
good.”

“Regarding what?”

“Your woman. The arena.”

Jacob squeezed her when she squirmed. He wished he could
tell her she had nothing to fear. In truth, with the unpredictable man
governing their actions, they all had a great deal to worry about.

“Rumor has it you’ll provide some entertainment for his
men.”

“In what form?”

“Once the repairs to the arena are complete, you’ll
demonstration your skill with the wickerwhip. You woman will be the target.
You’ll show how a Master controls a meek.”

Jacob stopped walking and turned to regard his friend. “Who
did you hear this from?”

“Turner.”

A reliable source. While Turner remained loyal to Sovereign,
over the months on Prevelor, he’d softened toward Jacob’s people and their
plight. The information he’d shared was likely what he’d been told.

“He probably wants you to form an attachment with her. Then
he’ll demand you destroy her in front of the others. He said it would
strengthen his hold over us, as well as provide a high time for his men.”

“Sovereign made mention of the other women who’d disappeared
the last time we spoke. He won’t let me lose her. He’ll make damn sure he and
his men aren’t cheated out of their entertainment. We’ll never be able to hide
her.”

“We need to come up with a plan.”

“If the cavern remains accessible, I’ll be able to use it.”

“We’re progressing quickly with repairs.”

Jacob’s mind raced. Plans for the revolution would need to
be hurried. Their time was at hand. Whether he’d formed an attachment to Sage
or they had just met, he would not—could not subject her to a vicious combat
whip. The only time such an implement was used was to demonstrate its barbaric,
lethal qualities and show why its usefulness in battle had long past. He’d only
resorted to its use when all of their resources had been depleted during
Sovereign’s raid on Prevelor. He’d used it to slice through his enemies when
technology had failed.

“Have the carpenters adorn the two entrances to the arena
with intricate wooden designs on either side of the doors. Tell Sovereign it’s
necessary. Make up some story about it being a cultural belief to protect those
who enter.”

“You have a plan?”

“It’s forming.”

Jacob walked and Heat kept stride, his head partially hung
to hide the movements of his lips. “As not to rouse suspicion, I’ll claim the
original pillars were destroyed. Continue with what we need to do. I’m listening.”

Jacob turned his face toward Sage, covering his portion of
the conversation by placing his lips against the side of her head.

“The door augmentations need to be strong. Upturned. Shaped
to bear the weight of the heaviest beams without tearing loose. The beams need
to be able to withstand great pressure. Lace them with metal if necessary to
make sure. The beams should be close at hand but not visible.”

“What good are they on the outside of the doors?”

“The arena seats nearly five hundred. I’d bet most will be
in attendance.”

Heat stopped in his tracks and Jacob continued to walk.
“Draw no attention,” Jacob warned.

Within two strides, Heat walked beside him. “You plan on
locking yourself inside with them? For what?”

“I’ll draw their attention. They won’t hear the doors being
secured. Has the pulse transmitter been repaired?”

“Yes, days ago. But what good is it? If we place it in the
arena, it will disable the weapons. As we discussed before, unless we can fight
them, it doesn’t matter if they can fire their guns or not.

“And we’ve made no progress in all of these months. So what
we have so far is that we’ve locked them inside with you and the meek. You’ll
have a whip against five hundred unarmed men, which by the way, you won’t be
able to use to kill if we can’t deactivate the chips. What then?”

“Prior to bolting the doors, you’ll start a fire.” He held
Sage tightly to keep her still. “The smoke will give me an advantage. You know
it doesn’t bother me. If we can keep them from securing the door to the underground
caverns, Sage will slip below. The main lighting harness for the arena hangs
directly above the trap door. I’ll use the whip to bring it down, blocking
anyone else from escaping, ensuring her safe passage.”

“No!” she whispered against his neck.

“Shh. Silence.” Little time remained to knock out the
details.

“Suicide?” Heat glared at him.

Jacob raised his chin. “Victory, friend. The demise of our
enemy. Freedom for our people. With those left, you can capture them, detain
them and disable the computer controlling the chips. Then you can dispose of
those remaining at your leisure.”

“With you as a sacrifice.”

“I’ll give nothing more than you would. Fourteen months,
Heat. Our people can’t take much more. The women hiding among the survivors
won’t be safe forever. You know that. And once Sovereign dies, the implanted
devices should be easily disarmed. It’s the only way. Now do as I’ve said.”

“Yes, Jacob,” Heat replied, bitterness spilling from his
voice.

“When all is said and done, contact the Governance. Ask my
father for help. Lieutenant General Ryker. Swear allegiance to the Governance
and accept a military installation here. Those that wish to serve—should. Those
remaining will be protected.”

“You have a father?”

Jacob chuckled. “It would stand to reason. I came from
somewhere.”

“A Governance officer?”

“A father who hasn’t heard from me in over a decade.”

“And you think he’ll help here?”

“I know he will. The minerals alone on Prevelor would gain
the Governance’s interest. We didn’t choose this remote outpost solely for its
location.”

“Were you part of the Governance?”

Jacob slowed his pace. He seldom spoke of his heritage and
the early years of his life. He and Heat had grown close. He’d trusted him,
mentored him and believed him to be an uncommonly good man. He owed Heat
answers. “I was an officer for a time. I’m trained as a hunter.”

Sage released him and pushed away. He tightened his hold. He
couldn’t blame her. His kind weren’t revered, shining examples of normalcy.
They held one rank without promotion. Hunter. A status beyond a regular soldier
but viewed as a lower class of citizen. He’d been trained to assassinate men of
power who’d turned corrupt and evil. Men like Sovereign.

Jacob’s ability to deal with Grimm had ended with the
implant of the obedience chip. After its placement, he’d learned the hard way
to ignore his training and instincts in order to survive until he could devise
a way to kill the bastard.

“You’re a fucking ghost?”

Jacob didn’t mind the title. He’d been successful because
his targets seldom saw him coming. Normal people who came across a hunter
looked away.

“I’m the oddest of the odd. I was a solitary hunter.” All
other hunters had been partnered. He’d been raised without the friendship of
another like himself. He’d hunted alone, with no one to watch his back.

Jacob didn’t mind the silence following the conversation.
Positive Heat and Sage worked to digest the information, he allowed them time
to process all he’d said.

Tactically, his newly devised plan held merit. Few things,
however, went according to even the best-laid plans. They’d have to ad-lib and
improvise when needed. He’d once made a career out of those particular
abilities. Certainly he could remember how.

As they neared the arena, Jacob cleared his throat. “One
more issue, Heat.”

Heat glanced at him.

“You’ll retrieve Sage and keep her away from the others
until the Governance arrives. She’s a meek in the eyes of our people. Some of
them may try to claim her. You and I both know she’s merely playing a part.”

“She’s a very good actress.”

Jacob glared at him. “What do you mean?”

“Turner allowed me to see some of your bedroom activities.”

Sage sobbed, “No!”

Jacob hugged her. “You’ll be safe.”

“They all saw what I did. What
we
did!”

“Jacob’s miss,” Heat said. “To the best of my knowledge, I’m
the only other person to witness your surrender. And only then to entice me
into wanting what Jacob currently has.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jacob added. “You’re only acting.
Remember?” He provided her an avenue to dismiss any feelings of regret or vulnerability.
He needed to warn her, though. “You can’t act differently when we return to
those rooms. He’ll know.”

“If he’s shown one, he’s shown many. Don’t you understand? I
refuse to be your
toy
to keep them all amused and interested until you
lead me into the arena.”

If a statement ever deserved a quick reprimand, it certainly
was the one that’d just left her mouth. She couldn’t possibly believe she meant
so little to him. He wasn’t using her! Not like she seemed to think. “Is that
what you believe?”

“You’re out to save your people. Many people. I’m only one.
A woman you didn’t know before yesterday.”

Heat cleared his throat. “Forgive me, Jacob. I never meant
to cause her distress.”

Jacob held her closer, needing the reassurance she hadn’t
somehow withered away. Her shallow inhalations of air relayed her deep upset.

She knew better than to believe he’d been acting. Damn it,
no man could make his dick hard at will and fuck a woman so thoroughly without
feeling a great deal. She couldn’t be that ignorant.

She’d merely been taken aback when she’d learned Heat had
witnessed their intimacies. That was all. She suffered from hurt pride. Maybe
even embarrassment.