Swallowing, Venomous studied my heaving breasts.
His own chest rose and fell in large undulations as he fixated on my peaked nipples, making a connection between their turgid state and my arousal.
Erection bobbing between his muscled thighs, it distended further in a rush, curving up to strain against the slabs ribbing his lower abdominals.
The hunger ravaging his face embarrassed me, so shutting my eyes, I focused on the twisted sensation coiling through my sex.
I tensed when the tip of his claw nudged my finger aside.
“Wait.” My eyes snapped open. “I’m soft down there. Fragile goods, you know?”
He’d managed fine before, but there was no point tempting fate.
Brow ridge rumpling, Venomous looked at the tips of his fingers then back at my sensitive flesh.
Jarring at first then smooth, his claws retracted leaving blunt fingertips.
Dumbfounded, I stared.
“No doing many solars.” He peered at his hand as if the appendage were foreign. “Keep ready must fight.” He glanced at me, expectant. Hopeful. “No fight mine mate. Mine Rä’Na.”
To my extreme unhappiness, I felt bad for him.
That he had to keep his natural weapons unsheathed in case of attack struck a cord because I knew what it was like to feel terrorized.
Unlike him, I’d only been dealing with such danger for a matter of....
My mind blanked again, empty of answers.
The sense of time passing grew as I tried and failed to remember.
How long had the trader kept me?
One thing I did know was Venomous One suffered for years, and coming right down to it, he was a slave like me.
Venomous inched closer.
He put his hand back on me, face relaxing. “Hot and wet. Soft. Wet.” A long finger thrust inside. Now words accompanied his touch his behaviour approached worshipful. “This vent? Opens pouch?”
Not sure what he was getting at, many of the words hadn’t translated, and I heard them as snarling growls, I nodded with caution. “That motion makes me come.”
His hand stilled. “Come from where?”
“What?” It took a moment for his meaning to sink in. He was fiddling with me, making my insides squirm. “Uh, I meant orgasm.”
The uncertainty marring his face cleared. “Female harmony.”
Over trying to explain, I shrugged.
Jerking, he stared in alarm at my shoulders then relaxed and refocused his attention on moving his hand.
Shuddering under the rough caress, I moaned and clasped his shoulder.
To push away?
No, I tugged him closer.
Indecision swamped me, and tempting as it was to close my eyes and imagine someone else, I stared into his face.
I dared trace his harsh features with trembling fingertips.
Am I really enjoying his touch after he forced me?
Perturbed, I fought to come to grips with my own mind.
I’m not putting up a fight, but what would one achieve now that it didn’t before?
Being brutally honest, hadn’t I known from the onset Venomous wouldn’t hurt me?
I’d felt it in how he’d handled me, and it was why I’d felt safe enough to give up the fight assuming he’d protect me afterward, confident when he was done, he wouldn’t snap me in two.
Why make that assumption if I didn’t feel a measure of safety?
I decided my unbidden desire was tied into his offer of protection.
He was big and strong.
Scars patterned his flesh as a testimony to this.
He wanted me.
That a being so powerful coveted me, even if it just was my ‘hot wet’ that drew him was a primal attractant that went beyond the civilised mores of seeking permission.
Longing to physically connect with another being for comfort wasn’t impossible to imagine in my situation.
A gruff rumble from Venomous’ throat captured my attention.
Dry lips nuzzled the hand clenching his shoulder. “Mine strange female.” He pushed on my hip. “Turn.”
“No, take me this way.”
Studying my mulish expression in consternation, he then peered down the length of our bodies.
He jerkily shifted over me.
“Be still,” he rumbled. “I no kill.”
“How polite of you, Venom.”
He froze. “Am He, Venomous One.”
“And I don’t want this, but we all have to make sacrifices.” Tamping down the inner bitch, I softened my tone seeing my sarcasm served nothing more than to confuse him. “I know who you are.”
He stared stonily. “Your Rä’Vek.”
I swallowed then gave him what he wanted. “My Rä’Vek.”
“Yesss.”
Satisfied I wouldn’t wriggle away, he grabbed my outer thighs and pulled them apart.
“Must no move,” he murmured sliding his hips between my legs.
I made a strangled noise at the back of my throat when he pushed forward.
“Great Serpent. Hot. Wet.”
A hectic flush of cold raised goosebumps as I gripped his shoulders and gritted my teeth.
Black eyes narrowed with passion and locked unerringly on mine.
We shared a beat of silence.
Angular face feral, his skin pulled taut over sharp cheekbones.
Square jaw clamped shut, he breathed out in a heavy gust through his blunted nose.
Shoving forward another inch he was fully inside.
His lips parted on a whoosh of air.
I didn’t even blink at his pointed teeth or the curved fangs his studded tongue flickered between.
As Venomous retreated fully to thrust, his expression underwent a dramatic change and he started seizing and hissing as he drove home.
Blinking, I gasped as yet again I felt him coming.
Strong, hot bursts were accentuated by the frantic grind of his hips and dying plunge of his cock.
He slumped, covering me with his warmth.
That wasn’t so bad.
Shocked it was over so fast, my hands inched up his sides.
He could control his ejaculations.
Meaning he’d held out before to ensure I reached ‘female harmony’ as he called it?
Ignoring the keeled scales beneath my fingertips, I shoved aside the strange thoughts and feelings threatening my sanity because it was insane to think even the slightest element of the traumatising encounter of before was for my benefit.
I luxuriated in the simple connection with another living being, not caring there was no love behind it.
A renegade tear broke rank and streaked down my temple.
“Bound as one, mine Lumen, for good or ill.” Lifting up, he gripped my chin when I twisted my face away. “You leak.”
I hummed an affirmative and swiped my face dry.
His chin touched his chest in a move I now understood conveyed puzzlement. “Mine body no leaking.” His fingers brushed over moisture clinging to my lashes. He brought a droplet to his mouth. Tasted it. “Make healing?”
“No,” I replied tersely not feeling chatty.
“I try no fail bring harmony next time. Spilt seed quickly for good feelings.” He offered a sheepish look that turned into one of angst. “Many moontides no losing control.”
I gathered Rä didn’t thrust in and out while having sex, but stayed seated, grinding against each other.
Maybe it was more the pressure on his cock rather than the movement that felt good?
He seemed awed by my wetness, so the logical assumption was his species’ females were dry and the friction of pounding back and forth would hurt.
“Listen, I....” I turned my head away. “How can I still be scared of offending you? I don’t want you think I’m weak, but how can you not when I behave this way?”
“No fear. Lumen weak body. Venomous One born warrior. Am strong.” He brushed a ridged knuckle across my cheek. “Lumen warr
ior mind and heart. Know this. Light of the stars lead me do better. Speak.”
I snuck a peek at him and found his gaze direct.
Nonjudgmental.
“This isn’t easy for me,” I mumbled. “I only had sex before this with my ex and it wasn’t a casual relationship. We were committed. Well, I was, at least. ”
His body turned to stone under my fingers, the hiss escaping his lips the most menacing thing I’d heard.
I cringed back into the furs.
His eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. “Other male?”
“Y-yes. Before I met you. Obviously.”
His head lowered as he gave me that fearsome black glare.
I felt oddly defensive, as if I’d broken trust with him.
Come on, I don’t owe him jack.
“I wanted to share that with him so I did.” I managed to glare back though mine was less scary. He didn’t react at all. “I thought we would be together forever, sappy as that sounds. I wouldn’t have wasted it on him had I known what a bad bet he was.” My bruised heart ached. I huffed, shrugging it off. “Why are we even talking about this? It’s not your business.”
His body tensed further and his gaze turned icy. “L’Odo take from male’s lair?”
“He left me over a year ago.” I repressed the old pain when it threatened to rise. “People tend to do that with me.”
Lowering, his expression changed.
He rubbed his forehead with infinite care against mine. “Mate die. Lesser mate leave unprotected. Mine poor Rä’Na. No worrying. Am very strong. Hard to kill.”
Well, I wasn’t going to enlighten him of the erroneous notion my ex was deceased if it kept him friendly.
Touched he tried to comfort me, hesitant, I squeezed his shoulders. “You certainly are.”
Giving up the pretence of not being fascinated, I gazed upon him with a grudging kind of respect.
I set aside how appalled I’d been to watch him fight for me.
The other painful stuff, I blotted out altogether.
I said, “You tore those things in the arena to pieces.”
The benefits of having that kind of strength as my protection was nothing to sniff at.
Amused, Venomous’ head tilted. “Because mine. Lumen awakened mine anima. Call forth seed stem.” He rubbed me up with his body. “Soft and smooth.” He stilled. “No other touch. Keep legs closed.”
My mouth dropped open.
Without thinking, I smacked his chest. “Did I deserve that? No. Yes, I had sex with you before I knew your name, but you didn’t give me a choice in the matter. I’m not like that under normal circumstances.” An indignant look. “I’m not.”
“Sex musk sweet.” His tongue flickered. “Arousing.”
I threw an arm over my eyes. “Sex musk? Seriously?”
“Other males scent. Challenge He, Venomous One. Present no other.” His plated forehead tilted to a jutting angle, as if ready to charge an imagined rival. Warm hands gripped my knees as his other two bracketed my head. “Keep closed.”
“Whatever you say.”
Granted, Venomous was scary-looking, but he seemed to care enough for my safety to make me believe he’d keep the others from harming me.
“You don’t have to warn me. I get this is the safest I’ve been since I got here. I have many faults, but a lack of intelligence isn’t one.”
He stood pulling me after him. “Enough fucking.”
I froze in the act of bending over to pick my panties up off the floor.
Shuddered.
He’d said the word fucking in English, and it sounded so inhuman coming from his lips chills rippled across my scalp and down my spine.
Unconcerned by my reaction to his speaking a human language, he shot me a considering look. “Like Lumen’s tongue. Come back, teach more.”
Fear hunched my shoulders at the thought of leaving the safety of his nook. “Where are we going?”
“Expel waste water,” he reminded.
“I can hold it.”
Ignoring me, he picked up the canister then handed it to me. “Gather food.” He levelled me a look that said I didn’t fool him. “Must void.”
At another mention of peeing, my bladder throbbed.
I crossed my legs and grimaced. “It’s safe?”
“No.” He turned. “Stay close always. No leave mine side.” He brushed his knuckles over my cheek. “Never, ever, mine Lumen.”
The corner of my mouth curved when he rasped my name.
Unlike his previous attempt to speak human, the way he shaped the word sounded exotic.
“Aren’t you fighting today?” I asked.
“Rest time. Healing. Two-rotations dig or fight. Then rest.” His expression hardened. “Sorkbhal want gladiators strong.”
As he leant to place his weight against the stone, I raked my gaze over his back then lower.
Muscular to the nth degree.
Circling a finger around the canister spout, I considered a long, well-formed leg.
A lean thigh tapered to defined calf muscle, and a massive foot with razor-sharp talons shifted back and forth in a rather human manner.
Helpless to deny my curiosity, my gaze latched onto his firm buttocks.
Toes curling, I averted my eyes to the pitted clay wall.
So his unearthly appearance was peculiar?
He wasn’t ugly, just not human.
It would be foolish to pretend I didn’t find his powerful frame, rugged features and dominant aura attractive.
His features and limbs were arranged in such a familiar way, and if I adjusted my perception of attractive skin shades to include olive and gold then boom.
Hottest freaking male this side of the galaxy.
His differences were still conspicuous, the spiky ears, slanted, all black eyes, harshly defined lips and flattened nose bridge that ascended to a high, proud forehead, but I now appreciated the masculine beauty of the whole.
Does he find me attractive?
At the thought he might find me lacking, I straightened, and my mouth pushed out.
Well, even if I’m not what he fancies it hasn’t hindered his libido.
I dismissed the fact there were no other females around.
The most daunting thing about Venomous was the sheer magnitude of his size.
Bottom teeth gnawing the corner of my upper lip, I checked the impulse to ask him to straighten then measure him by hands.
He’d hit over seven feet upright, yet his body proportions were stunning in their symmetry.
Never had a man made me feel petite, as most were only a foot taller than me, but this male did.
And he wasn’t even standing straight.
I took my time inhaling, to encourage composure, and sucked down a lungful of the fresh stripped bark, crushed ginger aroma saturating the moist air of the den.
My sex clenched.
A strange reaction to a smell, but whatever.
I inhaled again then shuddered.
Eyes hooded, lips parting, I shuffled from foot to foot as my lower belly roiled with a familiar ache.
His seed dripped warm between my inner thighs.
Unlike the trauma of before the sensation now felt enticingly illicit, erotic, a reminder of how he strained and bowed over my naked....
Snapping out of my unsettling haze, I cast a horrified glance down my filthy body. “I can’t leave this room.”
The entrance was already open.
He glowered over his shoulder then crooked a finger. “Come.”
“I’m naked,” I whispered as if he couldn’t see that. I held the canister to my breasts. “Naked, naked.”
His gaze slinked over me. He pointed at my panties. “Vents covered.”
Clearly he saw no problem with the rest of me being on display as long as my pussy wasn’t presenting.
If I’d been less distracted, I might have wondered why he spoke of my sex in plural form.
“Those are males,” I hissed, “out
there,” on a wild swing of my arm leaving a breast to jiggle free. “I can’t let them see me like this.”
“Why?”
“Because it’d be hazardous to the health of my vagina?”
Muttering, “Strange female,” Venomous arrowed his bright gaze into the indigo press of the thicket at pre-dawn.
Dancing wind kissed my ankles with dew, and I sniffed at the floral, woody scent drifting from the lustrous foliage rustling at the base of giant boles.
The aimless flit and of buzz of insects teased my ears, and I waved off a gnat trying to use the bridge of my nose as a landing strip.
The rusty croak of native fauna, and primal screams of greater beasts, while petrifying the night before, now sounded natural.
I couldn’t see past a few steps from where Venomous stood, a noble sentinel far from home, yet as indigenous to this foreign land as a lost traveller could be.
He’s probably making sure no one lurks nearby ready to make with all the stabbing and raping when our backs are turned.
My head rolled on my neck, and I glared at the root-wreathed ceiling with a huffy sigh.
I hate this place.
He ducked back in to face me. “On home world Rä’Vek and Rä’Na cover things.” He cupped his cock. “No dishonour bare flesh on slave world.” His hand dropped. “Understand?”
I got what he was saying, but my human modesty wasn’t having any of it. “You want other males looking at me?”
“Males look.” He shot me a look of finality with those bottomless black pools. “Make peace. No coverings.”
I held up my palm. This was another of those moments I needed to lay down the law. “I’m just not comfortable walking around naked.” When he remained cold and silent, I hunched over. “Please?”
Studying my huddled shoulders, he softened. “I trade. Cover mine Lumen’s vents and chest lumps.” He touched his palm to mine. “Pleases you?”
Appreciative, I relaxed and gave him a soft look. My fingers curled through his. “Yes. Thank you. I’m so glad you under–”
Venomous clasped my hand in a vice grip then yanked me from the room.
“No! Wait!” I rocked on my heels. “I can’t!”
Venomous shifted the boulder that acted as a door. “Stay close. Always. Forever and always.”
Finished sealing the crevice, he clutched my hand then dragged me after him.
CHAPTER FIVE