Kate jumped and her breath hitched in her chest but she made no protest and didn’t take her hands away from the wall. Rone saw her fingers clench but she stayed steady even when the Madam drew back her arm and let another blow fall. And then another and another.
Rone shouted and threatened to no avail as the beating went on and on. The cane raised ugly red welts on Kate’s pale skin and then, as the blows continued to fall, some of the welts became wounds until trickles of crimson were sliding down Kate’s bare back.
“Stop it! Fucking stop it—she’s bleeding!” Rone roared. The sight of his mate being hurt and tortured when he could do nothing to help her was a special kind of Hell—one he thought he might never recover from. He wanted to die. Wanted to tear loose of the invisible bonds and rip the fucking sadistic Madam of Shadows limb from limb.
We could do it, whispered the Beast in his head. We could kill and rend and maim. We could bathe in her blood…
But where would it end if he let the Beast out with such murderous intent? Rone knew he had to keep hold of it but he wasn’t sure how much longer he could do that. Not if he had to keep watching Kate being beaten.
At last, with one final, flat crack, the cane fell for the last time. The Madam of Shadows withdrew the long, evil instrument and actually licked it—her long pink tongue coming out to caress the black surface.
“Mmm,” she murmured, as though savoring the taste of Kate’s blood and pain. “Well, there you are my dear. It appears that the Shadow is finally satiated. You and your mate are free to go.”
Kate tried to nod but she sank down the wall instead, her cheek pressed to its red-flecked surface. To Rone, she looked as though she’d lost a lot of blood—maybe too much for her to keep going.
“Gods, Kate! Let me free! Let me go to her!” he rasped, his throat raw from shouting.
“As you wish.” With a negligent wave of her hand, the Madam somehow freed him. The moment he felt the invisible shackles melt away, Rone jumped up and ran to Kate. She lay in a crumpled, bloody heap on the floor, the white wall in front of her flecked with crimson.
“Baby? Kate?” Rone lifted her carefully, trying not to touch her wounded back.
Kate moaned, her head rolling back on her neck. There was a smear of blood on her chin too. Rone’s heart clenched in his chest when he realized she’d bitten her lip until it bled to keep from crying out during the brutal beating.
“You bitch,” he said thickly, glaring with hatred at the Madam of Shadows who was lounging against the wall and examining her long black fingernails. “I’ll kill you for what you’ve done to my mate.”
“Hadn’t you best think of getting her back to your ship and treating her injuries before you start threatening me?” she purred, arching an eyebrow at him. “Those wounds need to be cleaned and tended unless you want them to leave permanent scars. And your mate already has enough of those, doesn’t she?”
Rone knew she was right but it nearly killed him to leave with Kate unavenged.
“There will be a reckoning for what you’ve done,” he swore, his voice dipping down to the Beast’s growl. “I swear it by the Goddess.”
“Before you go making any oaths or promises, you need to remember that your mate asked for this punishment,” the Madam pointed out. “She chose it over letting you taste her. You might want to ask yourself why before you come after me.”
Her words cut deep because Rone had to admit they were true. Kate had chosen being caned over him. Why? Did she find him that repulsive? But no…she’d responded to his touch several times when they were together in the apartment bubble. So then why was she so reluctant to let him taste her?
Another low moan from Kate made him remember that his first priority now had to be getting her back to the ship and tending to her wounds. After that, maybe they could talk.
With a final glare at the Madam of Shadows, he cradled his wounded mate to his chest and left the room.
Outside, to his surprise, there was now a short, steep tunnel that led to a lighted archway. Making his way up it, Rone found himself back at the landing area. Standing in front of him was their ship, The Finder, just waiting to be boarded.
He turned to glance back at the dark hallway behind him only to see the Madam of Shadows standing there with a smirk on her face.
“Farewell, Warrior,” she said. “I would wish you a safe journey. But as you well know, nothing and no one around you will be safe for long if you don’t take care of your hunger soon.”
“I had it well in control before you started pushing,” Rone snarled. “And I can still control it—so stay the fuck away from us!”
The Madam’s dark shape shimmered and Mistress Light appeared.
“Do not lie to yourself, Warrior,” she said gently. “You need to feed your hunger very soon or your mate will be in grave danger. You know this.”
“You—” Rone began but just then Kate stirred in his arms.
“Rone?” she whispered and then cried out weakly when her movements hurt the wounds on her back.
“It’s all right, baby,” he murmured reassuringly. “We’re going now. Going to get you all treated and healed up, I promise.”
“Farewell, Warrior,” Mistress Light said, just as her other half had.
Rone didn’t bother to answer. Someday he would come back and avenge the pain that had been inflicted on his mate. Right now, he had to tend to her.
He took Kate inside the ship and shut the door firmly behind him. They were getting the Seven Hells out of this damn place and then he was going to heal Kate…and get some answers from her.
Chapter Twenty
“Well? What are they doing now?” Two demanded from the chip implanted under Y’s ear. He had been silent for a long time—long enough that it made Y jump to suddenly hear his Master’s voice in his head again.
“They are back aboard their own ship,” Y reported. “But they haven’t set a course as far as I can tell. They appear to be simply orbiting the moon which hosts the Flame and Frost complex.”
Two swore nastily. “I cannot manipulate them or enter their thoughts in the ship as I could while they were still in the compound. The metal of their hull impedes my new mental skills.”
Y wondered uneasily what other “skills” his Master had picked up from their time on the Scourge home world. Two was growing himself a new body in the vats the ancient alien race had used to replenish their stock of warriors, but Y had not seen it yet.
The body, along with a new chip with Master Two’s personality implanted in it, had been sequestered for days as it grew in the deep troughs filled with growth hormones and chemicals. During that time, Two had been mostly silent, concentrating on implanting himself thoroughly into his new form.
Y had stayed away from the new body and worked on the various projects he had been assigned. The Master had commanded him to especially concentrate on watching the Kindred tracker and his mate—the same girl they had taken by mistake and put back on Earth some months before.
As always, his Master’s motivations were a mystery to Y. Two had learned, through the spies he had planted everywhere, even on the Kindred Mother Ship, that the Wulven Kindred and his mate would be assigned to track him once they healed their wounded relationship. For some reason, this had enraged Two and he had vowed to hurt them in any way he could. Y had asked several times why they didn’t just blast the Wulven’s ship out of the sky but Two appeared to think that was too easy.
“I want them to have a slow death,” he’d told Y. “And I want them to hate each other before they die—hate each other and themselves.”
Y couldn’t fathom such reasoning but then, almost none of what the Master said and did made sense to him. More and more, he dreamed of a life without the constant presence in his head. Without the chip implanted beneath his ear…
“Well?”
The booming voice behind him made Y whirl around. His eyes grew large as he looked up…and up and up. Standing in the doorway of the ancie
nt Scourge command complex was a behemoth of a warrior—nine feet tall and massively muscular.
“M-master?” he somehow managed to get out.
“What do you think?” The massive warrior did a surprisingly graceful turn, letting Y admire him from all sides. “I thought of simply regrowing my old body but though I miss my lovely metal teeth, this one has such a wonderful intimidation factor. Don’t you think?” he asked Y.
Y had to agree that his master was right. The muscular hulk of a male before him was nothing if not intimidating. “You are… certainly a sight to behold, Master,” he admitted.
“As I intended to be.” The Master preened, his new eyes glowing a contented red in their deep black sockets. His skin was the pearlescent gray of the Scourge and he was clothed in black battle armor and thick boots he must have found somewhere in the storage lockers.
“You must be quite relieved to have your own body again,” Y said cautiously. “In fact, now that your personality and consciousness resides inside this new and much worthier vessel, you will no doubt want me to remove the chip you had implanted in me.” He touched the bulge under his ear and looked up at his Master hopefully.
Master Two laughed—a strange, booming sound that seemed to echo inside Y’s head since it was coming both from the behemoth before him and the chip beneath his ear.
“Oh, I think not, Y. I rather like being able to keep such a close eye on you. I will remain watchful and you will retain my personality inside yourself.”
Y felt his heart sink. He hadn’t realized how desperately he wanted to be alone in his own skull until that moment.
“But…” he began.
“What is it, Y?” The huge creature before him peered down to gaze significantly into his face. “Please don’t tell me you’re tiring of my company. That would hurt my feelings. And you wouldn’t want that, would you?”
“Of course not, Master,” Y said dully. “It is a pleasure and a privilege to host you.”
“Of course it is.” The huge face broke into a broad grin, showing sharp, yellow teeth. “I am delightful company. Now then…” Master Two clapped his massive palms together. “Have you readied the ship as I commanded?”
“Of course, Master,” Y answered stolidly. “I have one of the best flagships fitted with all the equipment you ordered.”
“Excellent. I’m glad that you’ve been busy while I grew into my new form.” The Master smiled again. “Now then, let’s be off, shall we? I want to be certain we’re in position when the Wulven and his female begin to move. We have to take them at just the right time and not before.”
“Take them and do what with them?” Y dared to ask.
“Why, torture them of course,” Two shot back. “Or let them torture each other, which is so much more entertaining. Don’t you think, Y?”
“Of course, Master,” Y answered dutifully. He must do as the Master willed, always. But inside he wondered if he would ever be free…
* * * * *
Kate woke to the feeling of something cool and wet being applied to the torn flesh of her back. Though whoever was doing it was clearly trying to be careful, it still stung like fire to have the ragged wounds touched.
“Ah!” she gasped weakly, trying to twist away from the cold wetness. The sudden movement brought tears to her eyes and she gave a low moan of pain.
“Hold still, Lalli,” a deep, familiar voice commanded. “I’m almost done washing your back. Then I can heal you.”
“You can what?” Kate twisted her head around to look at Rone, even though it hurt to do so. She was lying on her side on their bed in the ship and he was kneeling beside her, pressing a damp rag to her back. Well at least they were out of the horrible Flame and Frost resort but she still felt uneasy and her back ached and throbbed. “What are you going to do to me?” she asked again.
“Heal you,” he said patiently. “But I need to finish cleaning the wounds first. I swear I’m almost done.”
“How…how exactly are you going to heal me?” Kate demanded.
“With my tongue, of course,” he said as though it was the most reasonable idea in the world.
Kate thought she remembered saying something like this before—that he could heal her by licking her—but she didn’t know how she felt about it.
“I don’t know,” she said hesitantly. “Wouldn’t it be better to use some antibiotic ointment and some bandages? Maybe some strips of gauze?”
Rone went perfectly still for a moment and a look of sorrow passed over his strong features.
“Are you really that unwilling to let me taste you? Even in order to heal your wounds?”
“It’s not that…” Kate shifted uncomfortably and then winced at the bolt of pain the movement shot through her torn back.
“What is it, then?” Rone demanded. “What reason can you give for submitting yourself to such a brutal and vicious beating rather than letting me pleasure you with my tongue?”
“It’s a long story,” Kate snapped. “And anyway, I thought we were talking about you healing my back.”
“Which I would not need to do if you had been able to trust me enough to let me taste you when the Madam of Shadows demanded it,” he pointed out.
“That’s it. I’m leaving.” Kate tried to get off the bed but she was weak from blood loss and the sudden movements made her back feel like someone had poured liquid fire over her wounds. “Ah!” she gasped and sank back to her hands and knees, trembling with pain.
“Come here.” Rone pulled her to him with rough tenderness, being careful not to touch her anywhere she’d been caned. “Relax,” he ordered her when Kate struggled weakly in his grip. “I’m going to heal you now and I don’t want to hear any more about it.”
“But it’s unsanitary,” Kate protested. “I mean bacteria and germs and—”
“My body produces antibacterial chemicals and healing agents specifically tailored to you because you’re my mate,” he explained, speaking into her ear since he was holding her from behind. “I can heal you more quickly and cleanly than any outside source or medicine.”
“But…but it’s gross. For you, I mean,” she said desperately. “I don’t want you to have to lick all over my bloody back—that’s disgusting.”
“Kate…” He sighed deeply. “How many times do I have to tell you that every part of you is beautiful to me?”
“But my scars…” she whispered. That was the crux of the matter—the real reason she didn’t want him licking her back. They were so ugly. So twisted and deformed. How could Rone want to touch her there? Let alone put his mouth… she shivered, unable to finish the thought.
“Your scars are part of you, Lalli,” he murmured in her ear. “Which makes them beautiful to me too.”
“How can you say that?” Kate whispered.
“I say it because it’s true,” he said simply. Then Kate felt something warm and wet and incredibly soothing dragging lightly over one wounded shoulder blade.
“Ahh…” she gasped, jumping a little.
He stopped at once. “Did I hurt you?”
“No…” Kate took a moment to take stock of herself. “Actually, it feels…it feels better, I think.”
“It should. The part I licked is already beginning to heal.”
“It is?” Kate tried to turn her head but of course, she couldn’t see her own shoulder blade and the motion just made her groan with pain.
“Hold still.” Rone’s deep voice was stern. “Let me heal you before you go twisting all around.”
There didn’t seem to be much choice. Kate held rigidly still as he continued licking her, tracing each long, vicious wound on her back with his tongue.
The big Kindred’s gentle caress seemed to send a warm tingling healing through her entire body. Soon, Kate found that the stinging, burning pain was turning to pleasure—a pleasure that wasn’t only confined to her back. For some reason her nipples felt tight and achy and the tender V between her thighs was throbbing as Rone continued to bathe
her back with long, tender licks of his tongue. The pleasurable sensations grew until she didn’t think she could stand any more.
“Um…” She shifted restlessly. “Do you…don’t you want a break to get a drink of water or something? To wash the taste out of your mouth?”
“Why would I ever want to wash away your taste?” he growled softly. “I crave it, Kate. Crave it like I crave air to breathe.”
Somehow she knew they were no longer talking about the taste he got while healing her back.
“Why?” she whispered. “And how can I possibly believe that after what happened back when…” She trailed off but Rone had picked up on her unspoken thought.
“Is that what this is about?” he growled softly. “Something some other male said or did in the past?”
Kate squirmed. “Yes,” she said shortly.
“What happened?” Rone was still behind her so Kate couldn’t see him without turning her head but she could almost feel his piercing blue eyes boring into her. “You never would tell me before but now I need to know,” he said. “Need to understand how you could pick a vicious beating over any pleasure I might be able to give you with my mouth.”
Kate really, really didn’t want to talk about it—or even think about it for that matter. It was an old, bad memory she’d spent years trying to forget. But apparently, her former self had somehow managed to do just that—or else to get past it enough to enjoy letting Rone go down on her. How that had happened, Kate had no idea. But she didn’t want to get into this now with the big Kindred.
Still, there was a waiting silence in the air between them—a feeling that Rone wasn’t going to back down from this. He wanted answers and Kate guessed she couldn’t blame him. She had allowed the Madam of Shadows to cane her back bloody rather than allowing the big Kindred to taste her—anyone would want to know why she would pick the pain over the pleasure.
“Kate?” he growled softly, and she knew she was right. He wasn’t going to quit until she spilled the beans.