Uncharted

  Elaina nodded mutely, her throat still too tight to speak, even if she was supposed to—which she wasn’t.

  “All right—you’ve made your point,” Terex growled. “Now go and leave my slave alone—you’ve traumatized her enough for now.”

  The guard saluted but before he even finished, Terex was shutting the door in his face. The minute he did, he turned to Elaina.

  “Are you all right? You look frightened.”

  “I…I thought he was going to drag me off to the dungeon just for trying to get dressed! For trying to put these stupid things on!” She held out the nipple rings again and put a hand to her chest, trying to still her pounding heart.

  “Never. I never would have let him take you.” Terex’s eyes flashed. He gathered her into his arms and held her close. “You’re trembling.”

  “I can’t help it.” The whole encounter had been so shocking—like having the police come to your door and threaten to drag you to jail for a crime you didn’t even know you were committing! Elaina gave a little sob and pressed her face to his broad, bare chest. His warm, spicy scent was incredibly comforting.

  “It’s all right.” Terex rubbed big, warm hands over her back until she stopped shaking. “It’s all right, sweetheart,” he murmured again. “I’ll keep you safe—I swear it.”

  “Thank you.” Elaina pressed herself against him and breathed him in. God, he smelled so good! It was enough to make her mouth water. To make her want to get closer and closer to him. Her eye—the one which had been bothering her earlier—suddenly began to itch again.

  Elaina rubbed it, frowning. Then a tingling began in her nipples and pussy that seemed somehow related, although that didn’t make sense. How could an itchy eye have to do with those other parts of her body feeling sensitive?

  “Elaina? Are you all right now?” Terex pulled back, looking down at her with a frown.

  “I…I think so. Except I still have to put these things on somehow.” She looked ruefully down at the gold and ruby nipple rings. “Although how I’m supposed to do that without touching myself, I don’t know.”

  “I’ll do it.” Terex took them from her and steered her towards the bed, which was had broad, low mattress with a full golden canopy soaring over it.

  “You…you will?” Elaina wasn’t sure about that. About letting him touch her in such an intimate way.

  “I have to—there’s no other way.” Terex sat her on the side of the bed and knelt in front of her. “Besides—I’m your Master, Elaina.” That strange intensity had returned to his eyes—the same look he’d had when he was putting on her collar. “Do you know what that means?” he murmured.

  “No, I…I’m not sure.” Her voice came out sounding breathless but she couldn’t seem to help it.

  “It means that while we’re here, your body is mine. Don’t worry.” He stroked her cheek gently. “I’ll take good care of you.”

  Elaina knew that she ought to protest this—to say that they were just playing parts and she wasn’t really his slave. But somehow, she couldn’t. Hearing him say he was her Master—hearing him claim her body in no uncertain terms—sent a shiver of pure desire through her. It was almost as though someone had touched a tiny vibrator to her clit and sent a shockwave of pleasure throughout her entire body.

  Why am I feeling this way? she asked herself. What’s going on with me? She had no answers, she only knew she wanted to give Terex what he was demanding—complete access to her body with no questions asked. Wanted it so badly that even the thought of it brought her intense pleasure.

  “Master…” she whispered, really meaning it this time. “I understand. I…I’m yours.”

  “Yes, you are, Elaina.” He stroked her cheek. “Now let me see your breasts so I can put these on.”

  Blushing and trembling, Elaina brushed the long, silky fringes aside and thrust out her bare breasts, giving him access to her naked nipples.

  Terex frowned when he saw them.

  “Elaina,” he rumbled. “Forgive me, but are your nipples darker than they were before?”

  “Before when?” Elaina looked down at herself, frowning. Were her tight peaks just a little darker pink? No, surely not. “I…I don’t think so.”

  Terex looked like he wanted to say something else but just then there was a rapping at the bedroom door and someone called out, “Master Valdor—this is your five minute warning. I need to bring you to the banquet hall.”

  “Very well,” Terex called without looking up. “Give us a moment more and we’ll be out.”

  “Yes, Master Valdor. I’ll wait for you.”

  Whoever it was—probably one of the many male servants Elaina had seen going busily around the palace—was silent again, although it was a waiting silence.

  “We’d best hurry,” Terex murmured, looking up at her. “I want to savor this but we don’t have time.”

  Elaina bit her lip. “You…you did?”

  “Of course I do. Touching your beautiful body so intimately—you must know it’s all I’ve been able to think of from the moment I first laid eyes on you.” Terex’s voice was a hoarse growl.

  “I…no, I didn’t know that,” she whispered as he uncurled one of the nipple rings and prepared to put it on her right peak.

  “Does it bother you?” Terex murmured, still looking at her.

  “No,” she whispered. “No, I…I guess I kind of like it.”

  “I’m glad my attentions aren’t unwelcome,” he murmured. “Especially considering the situation we find ourselves in now. Elaina—I think I’m going to have to squeeze your nipple—it needs to be nice and hard for this ring to fit.”

  “Oh!” She bit her lip again, her heart pounding. Then she looked at him directly. “Yes, Master—do what you have to do,” she whispered.

  “Good girl,” Terex murmured, just as he had when he’d put the collar on her. Then he took her right nipple between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed, pinching her tight little peak to make it even tighter and more sensitive.

  At the slight pain, a bolt of pure pleasure ran through Elaina like nothing she had ever felt before.

  “Oh!” She threw back her head as the sensation raced through her. It was like a mini orgasm but one that came from her nipple instead of her clit. What the hell was going on? She’d never come from having her breasts played with before and it wasn’t like her ex, Miles, had never tried—he’d always loved her breasts.

  “Elaina?” Terex released her nipple and looked at her with concern. “Are you all right? Did I hurt you?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. Reaching for his hand, she put his big, warm palm on her bare breasts. “Do it again.”

  * * * * *

  Terex wasn’t sure what was going on with her…or with himself, either for that matter.

  They seemed to have fallen into their Master and slave roles again, just as they had for those few, brief moments when he was putting on her collar. Only this time he was handling a much more intimate part of her than her throat and Elaina seemed to be loving it.

  “Elaina?” he asked again, frowning uncertainly. His cock was hard as steel and his fangs were out and aching but he didn’t want to hurt her. His memories of the past, of Solange, were still too real for that.

  “Master…” She pressed her bare breast into his hand. “Please…do it again. Hurt me again.”

  “Like this?” Terex pinched her nipple again, more firmly this time and she threw back her head and moaned. Gods, if he didn’t know better he’d think she was actually coming just from him touching and pinching her nipple! Could she be acting again, just playing her role? But no—her scent was unmistakably hot. His sensitive Kindred nose told him she really was aroused and not just that—very aroused.

  “Master!” she cried as he pinched her other nipple at the same time, tugging gently on her stiff peaks to make them stand out for the ruby and gold jewelry. “Master, I think I’m going to…think I might…”

  Gods, was she really going to come?


  “It’s all right, Elaina,” he encouraged her, his voice a hoarse growl. “It’s all right if you need to come. You have my permission.”

  “Thank…thank you, Master!” she gasped and then an unmistakable shiver ran through her and he smelled her scent get even hotter as she moaned with pleasure.

  He wanted her then—wanted her so damn badly he couldn’t see straight. Wanted to climb on the bed with her, get between her thighs and ride her hard, sliding his cock inside her, filling her up and biting her at the same time to inject his essence. He wanted to fuck her—wanted to bond her—wanted to make her his forever.

  He was about to climb on the bed with her when there was another sharp rapping at the door.

  “Master Valdor? We’re going to be late!” the peevish voice of the servant assigned to them was muffled but definitely irritated.

  “Just a moment.” Gently he released her nipples and then quickly wound the bright golden rings around their tight peaks, making the dark pink tip of each nipple stand out from her full breasts even more. Gods, she was beautiful. He wished he had more time to touch her.

  “Master?” Elaina had an almost drugged look in her eyes when he finished attaching the second ring.

  “Are you ready to go? Can you walk?” She seemed almost weak with the aftermath of pleasure.

  “I…I can walk. If you help me.”

  “Of course.” He pulled her gently off the bed and put an arm around her, supporting her until she was a little more steady on her feet. “Are you ready to go to the banquet?”

  “Sure. I guess so.” She gave him a dreamy smile. “Let’s go.”

  We’ll have to talk about this later, Terex told himself, frowning. Something isn’t right.

  But the third knock sounded at the door and he knew they had to go.

  “Come on,” he told Elaina, opening the door and guiding her out into the hall with the irritated looking servant. “Let’s go eat. I’m starving.’ Although it wasn’t food he was hungry for, he admitted as they walked down the hallway following the servant.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “I had such a strange dream just now,” Frankie murmured. She was curled against Kerov’s broad chest, naked in bed with the lights off. She’d been sliding off to sleep when the dream had come to her—almost like a movie playing in her head. The details had been so sharp, so vivid, they had woken her up.

  “Mmm?” her mate rumbled sleepily. “Was it a female equine in the night dream?”

  “You mean a nightmare?” Frankie stifled a laugh. Kerov had the natural affinity for languages that all Kindred possessed but he was still getting the hang of some English terms and idioms.

  “Yes, that. Were you frightened? If so, why didn’t you wake me up to comfort you?” He sounded more awake now himself as he stroked her shoulders gently.

  “Because it wasn’t a nightmare. It was…something else entirely.” She frowned. “Actually, it was about Elaina—you know, the girl from the HKR building who came up with you when you were still stuck in my body? And Commander Terex.”

  “Has there been any word of them?” Kerov asked. “They left to fly into the Blind, didn’t they?”

  “They did, but we haven’t heard anything yet,” Frankie said. “But in my dream, it was like I could see them—see the things they were doing.”

  “Oh? And what were they doing?” Kerov asked, sounding interested.

  “Hmm…well, you know the things Mrs. Hofstadter told you about that you thought all humans did?” Frankie murmured.

  “Yes—the bondage and domination. But who was dominating who?” Kerov asked.

  “Commander Terex was the Master—the one doing the dominating. But in my dream, everyone on the planet was divided into Masters and subs—submissives,” Frankie explained. “And the men were most definitely in charge. The women weren’t even allowed to talk in public.” She shivered. “It was awful and yet…”

  “And yet?” Kerov murmured, prompting her to go on.

  “And yet, it was incredibly erotic too. At least, the things I saw Elaina and Commander Terex doing were.”

  “You saw them? Was this some kind of prophetic dream?” her mate asked.

  “I don’t know.” Frankie shrugged. “All I know is it was incredibly detailed.”

  “So tell me what you saw, shalla.” There was a warm tinge of sexual interest in his deep voice that made a similar shiver of lust run through Frankie.

  “Why?” She tried to laugh but the sound came out a little nervous. “You interested in doing some BDSM? Want to get out the cuffs again?” During their bonding sex she had cuffed him to the bed and “had her way with him” so to speak, mostly as payback from an earlier encounter where Kerov had tied her down with his belt and eaten her ass and pussy until she came all over his face. But they hadn’t done anything like that since, although it had been an incredibly hot experience.

  “I might…in the future.” Kerov sounded thoughtful. “But in the meantime, there are sexual experiences we have yet to share. Things that only a Switch Kindred may do with his mate.”

  “You mean…” Frankie’s breath caught in her throat. “You want to have Switched Sex?”

  It was something she’d been considering for a long time but it was an awkward subject to bring up. They’d kissed each other several times when they were Switched into each other’s bodies, but they hadn’t gone any further. Mainly, Frankie thought, because it would entail a certain amount of awkwardness to make love to your own body while you were in the body of your lover. But with the sexy details of last night’s dream scrolling through her head and Kerov’s dark, delicious mating scent tickling her nose, she thought she might just be up for anything tonight.

  “I would like to try it,” Kerov rumbled, stroking her hair. “If you would, that is.”

  “I would,” Frankie admitted. “But…how far do you want to go? What do you want to do?”

  “Why don’t we start by kissing?” he murmured. “And see where it leads us?”

  “All right. I’m up for that—let’s do it.”

  “Switching now,” Kerov informed her.

  There was a moment of disorientation—a kind of swirling sensation that was becoming familiar to her—and when Frankie answered, “Okay,” it came out in Kerov’s deep, masculine tones instead of her own lighter feminine voice. “Now what?” she asked.

  “Now, kiss me,” he murmured in her voice.

  Frankie was glad that the lights were out and it was completely dark in the room. She didn’t mind Switching but it was kind of awkward to kiss and touch her own body while she was in the body of her mate.

  Although, why should it be? she asked herself reasonably as she drew Kerov close and kissed him. After all, I touch my own body when I masturbate because I know exactly what feels good to me.

  The thought gave her an idea and she reached out and began rubbing Kerov’s big hands over her full breasts. She heard him moan and he shifted restlessly when Frankie tweaked the nipples expertly, giving her body pleasure in a way only she could.

  “Gods, shalla,” he groaned. “Feels so damn good.”

  “It’s about to feel better,” Frankie informed him. “Open your legs. I’m going to show you exactly how I like to be touched.”

  “I’m agreeable to that.” Kerov opened his thighs. (Her thighs? Her body’s thighs? Pronouns were always tricky in the Switched state.) But after a moment Frankie stopped worrying about them and got down to business. She used Kerov’s big hand to cup her pussy in exactly the way she liked and rubbed gently, so that his middle finger slid halfway into her slit.

  She was already hot and wet, as she had known she would be—his dark, spicy mating scent did that to her. Although just now, she found her own sweet, feminine scent to be incredibly erotic. It was Kerov’s body reacting to hers the way hers was reacting to him. In fact, his body was reacting in more ways than one. Between his muscular thighs, she could feel his long, thick shaft growing.

  Frankie wo
ndered how it would feel to use that shaft herself—to plunge it deep and hard into the warm, willing pussy she was stroking so gently. Would they really go so far? She wasn’t sure…

  “Gods…Frankie!” Kerov’s gasp in her own voice brought her out of her thoughts. She realized he was bucking up against her hand, looking for more than the teasing half-touch she was giving him.

  “Hold on, baby,” she murmured. “Dios, this is hot!”

  “I…agree.” He gripped her shoulders, trying to pull her closer. “Gods, your body is so sensitive. You’re barely touching me but I feel…I feel…”

  “Feel this,” Frankie murmured and dipped deeper into her pussy. Finding the firm little button of her clit, she began to slide the pad of Kerov’s middle finger gently around and around the sensitive bud without ever actually touching it. She knew from personal experience that this kind of indirect sensation felt incredibly good and would drive her body wild with need.

  Sure enough, Kerov was moving faster now, groaning steadily as she kept up the steady, rhythmic stroking.

  “Such…such a gentle touch,” he gasped, hips moving desperately. “I didn’t know…didn’t understand that so little could do so much.”

  “Now you know, baby,” Frankie murmured, both amused and aroused. “The female form is very complex.”

  “V-very,” he stuttered.

  “Try this, now,” she murmured. Keeping Kerov’s thumb on her clit, she thrust into her pussy with two of his long fingers, pressing deep and hard.

  His hips bucked and he moaned aloud.

  “Ah! Gods, Frankie, if you don’t stop I’m going to…going to come.”

  “Don’t you want to?” she asked, not letting up. “Don’t you want to experience orgasm in my body? I know I sure as hell want to feel it in yours.” From the tightness in his balls she could imagine the sensation of power and pleasure that would accompany ejaculation—she wanted that. Wanted it badly.

  “I…I do,” he groaned. “But not like this. Not yet. Want…want to touch you first, shalla.”