The Taming of Taylon (4 page)

Chapter Five

Taylon followed the small slave into the dining room, fighting the urge to cover herself with her hands. The muffled moans she heard did not pique her interest until the doors opened. There were twenty rectangular tables seating four to five men each, and on the tables in front of most of the men were women on their backs, legs spread. Several men had their faces planted between the women’s legs.

Her eyes darted around the room. Taylon tried to close her mouth. How? Why? It felt like her eyes would pop out. Her stomach turned to cast iron and fell. That rat. That snake. He should have told her the women not only ate their morning meals, they
were
the morning’s meal.

A slight touch at her arm urged Taylon forward to the head table. She stared at the side of Bracken’s head until he turned to look at her. The man next to him also leaned forward.

It was that bastard from last night. Why was Bracken eating with Rriodan? He’d nearly killed him last night.

“Are you ready to take your place?” Bracken asked, indicating a metal dish on the table. Two slight indentions were grooved into the dish. That damn thing would push her pussy right up to his face. She would be spread open for everyone to see.

“I don’t think so.” She spun and bolted straight for the door. No longer concerned about her nakedness, she moved at top speed. Her hands touched the cool marble of the door. Freedom.

“Take another step and you will double your punishment time.”

Taylon stopped short. Eight weeks of being his sex slave, of him kissing, rubbing, fucking her day and night, at his every whim. Eight weeks. Her foot itched to move forward, her body urging her to incur the extra punishment. But Kylie counted on her.

“Come here.”

Turning around to follow his command, she noticed he hadn’t moved from his table. Jerk. As she walked across the stone floor the slurping, moaning, and other sounds stopped. Everyone was looking at her. Some of the women sniggered while other’s had faraway looks in their eyes. Those women likely had no clue as to what truly was happening to them. Those would be the virgins from last night. Women who were still under the bastard’s control. Fucking jerks. All of them. She would not be used this way. She would control her body. She would keep herself apart from what he was doing. She vowed not to repeat her mistakes of last night.

Her eyes shot daggers at him while she climbed on the table and slid into the cool metal plate. She vowed not to respond to his touch. She looked around the table and found several pairs of golden eyes staring back. Her heart beat so hard, it seemed like it would shoot from her chest. He was going to do this with all of them watching. She lifted her arms and slid them up to cover her breast.

“Look at me.”

Taylon pretended she hadn’t heard him. He pushed past her hands and pinched her. Pain seared her right nipple.

“Look at me.” It wasn’t a request.

Taylon opened her eyes into tiny slits and peered down at him. He held her gaze as one of his fingers stroked up and down the sensitive skin lining the outside of her pussy. Slow, lazy strokes pushed her into a frenzied state. Small shocks zipped through her arms and into her hands. Struggling hard and concentrating on those small tingly sensations, she won the momentary battle not to give in and rotate her hips. A low moan reverberated in her throat.

Each stroke intensified her need to have his mouth on her, sucking at her, lapping while she ground down on his tongue.

He bent close to her sex and blew a warm breath across it. A shiver raced down her body, making her crave his touch more. His hands glided up and down the while the flesh between his fingers bumped up against her clit. Each time he touched the engorged bud a jolt speed down her legs. Heat infused the soles of her feet. Sweat broke out along her forehead and top lip. She no longer cared that the others at the table were watching. She lifted her hips, eager for him to push his fingers inside of her.

He slowly inserted one finger and then another. A loud moan escaped her, drowning out every other sound. He pulled his fingers out until only the very tip of one lay inside. He moved it in a circular motion, tracing the tight ring of her opening. Wanting more pressure, she pushed her hips at him. He sank his finger inside of her and pulled out again. A whimper slipped out. She wanted more. She wanted him. More of him.

His tongue traced the same line his fingers had traveled. He pulled at her clit, raking his teeth across it. When his lips closed around the nub, her hips arched off the table. She was so close. His tongue pushed in and out of her pushing her closer. There was no holding her back. Her completion hit fast and hard. She felt the juices run down and coat his tongue and face. When he lifted his head she could see it glistening on his chin.

His hand came up and patted her pelt like a beloved pet.

He’d done it again. He’d stolen her control right from her fingertips. Taylon moved to scramble down off the table without meeting anyone’s eyes.

“Good job. Now you may eat.” His hands indicated the vacant spot between him and the brute Rriodan. Was he kidding?

Bracken lifted an eyebrow at her. Would not sitting where he indicated constitute disobedience? More punishment?

“Sit.”

Sit, sit, sit he says. Sit with the same slime that threatened me last night
. She darted a look at the stranger and bit her bottom lip. Was she really that hungry?

“He will not touch you.” Bracken’s exasperated sigh punctuated the statement.

Was he serious? Could she trust him? Sounds from her empty stomach spurred her into making a decision. Inching to the open space, she climbed down to the waiting bench. It took her a tiny bit of time and effort but she made sure not to touch the other man.

One of the serving girls set a circular plate in front of her. A grumbling sounded from the region of her stomach. She should have eaten dinner with the other women last night.

Taylon watched a woman being fed. Looking around the room, she noticed no woman feeding herself.

One of the serving girls set a pitcher of liquid in front of her.

“Taylon,” a voice whispered beside her, so quietly she almost missed it. Her heart jumped into her throat.
No. Please, Kylie don’t do this to me
. Taylon stared at the wavy black hair of the servant next to her.
No. A thousand times no
.

“Taylon,” she whispered again. “I found a working gate.”

Taylon’s appetite deserted her. The gate should have been their way out. But now they were both trapped here. What the hell was she going to do? Kylie, here. In a slave’s outfit. A community slave outfit. Hell and double hell. She had to get Kylie out of here. But how?

She reached for the pitcher. Water. She needed water. Her disoriented fingers failed to open and grasp the pitcher’s handle. The sound of metal hitting wood and the coolness of water spilling across her thighs broke her stupor. Kylie bent close, wiping up the water.

“Get out of here, Kylie. Please,” Taylon whispered. She prayed Kylie heard.

“We can get to the gate in less than an hour.” Kylie righted the pitcher in front of Taylon and turned to leave. A feeling of relief washed over Taylon.

“Wait a second. Where are you rushing off to?” Rriodan thrust his hands out and stopped Kylie mere steps from escape.

Taylon’s eyes widened and she flew into a rage.

“Now let’s have a good look at you. I don’t think I have had the pleasure yet.” Rriodan’s hands smoothed back the black veil of Kylie’s hair.

Taylon turned to Bracken, who smiled at the exchange. This was nothing to smile about. She could not sit idly by and let this monster use her sister.

Rriodan lifted Kylie’s head and rubbed his fingers over her lips. “Suck on them.”

She watched Kylie’s eyes widen in alarm. When she didn’t comply a growl erupted from Rriodan. She must protect Kylie, no matter what the cost. Blood pounded in her ears. She resisted the urge to look at Bracken one last time. What she was about to do would garner true punishment, possibly death. Reaching out as if to gather a cup of water again, she closed her fingers over the handle of the pitcher. In a quick swoop she swung it at Rriodan’s head, connecting with a resounding crack. As his head fell forward Taylon grabbed her sister and raced for the door. The sounds of growling erupted behind her. She spun and pushed Kylie behind her back.

“You will not touch her!” Taylon yelled the words loud enough to be heard over the mountain of growls. Every man was watching them, teeth bared.

Why had she dropped that damn pitcher? Now she had no way to defend Kylie or herself. The position reminded her of the previous evening. But this time Rriodan didn’t want Taylon. She was expendable.

“Taylon!” Her sister’s fear was blatant in her voice.

“She will be mine.” The raw statement, uttered in a growling tone, was the only warning she had. Rriodan launched at her, his eyes going to predator red from golden human.

Turning without thought, Taylon pushed her sister out of the way and braced for the coming impact. He hit her hard and fast, knocking her back into Kylie.

Flipping on her stomach, she watched Bracken wrestling with Rriodan. He’d protected her. He’d been watching her the whole time. He’d chosen her over his kind for a second time.

Kylie’s screaming pulled her back to the present. Rriodan’s body rippled as the bones shifted beneath the skin. Golden fur spotted with black erupted, covering him. His face elongated, taking on the features of a large wild cat. Rriodan snapped at Bracken several times before ferocious teeth connected with one of Bracken’s arms. Rriodan knocked Bracken to the floor. Taylon watched Bracken’s body begin to shift and change.

Her breath stopped in her throat as Rriodan’s vicious jaws wrapped around Bracken’s half human, half feline neck. As she watched the jaws clamp down further. Bracken was going to die. Rriodan would kill him before he finished his transformation.

“Taylon, we need to get out of here. We can be through the gate before they catch up. Let’s go.”

Taylon looked at Kylie’s anxious face, but she knew she couldn’t leave. “He saved me, Kylie. Twice now. When I found you I knew you were worth the trouble. So is he. You need to get to the gate. Go home.” Hugging her sister, Taylon turned back to see Rriodan thrown from Bracken. His neck was okay. There was blood, but no gaping wound. That tiny drop of relief helped her suck in much needed air.

This would be a fight to the death unless she could find some way to stop it. The feel of a hand grasping her fingers startled her. She locked eyes with Kylie.

“I can’t leave you.” The firm set of Kylie’s mouth screamed her determination.

“Kylie!” Why wouldn’t she listen? Didn’t she see that Taylon was trying to protect her?

“We’re family. We don’t leave each other. Now let’s do this together.”

“Do what?” Taylon asked in desperation. How did two women fight a beast more than three times their size?

“I don’t know.”

There had to be a way to stop them. None of the other Changelings in the room seemed to be eager to stop the fight. They were forming a circle around the struggling pair. The women were left at the tables. The experienced ones finished the food and the new ones sat like stones in their chairs.

Blood flew as teeth and claw met with flesh and bone. One of them was going to die before this was over. As the huge animals circled each other she saw blood dripping from gaping wounds on both golden coats. Bracken had been hurt. He could be the one to die. Her heart seized. She shouldn’t care. She shouldn’t. But she did.

Taylon bounced on the balls of her toes, priming herself to jump, when Kylie grabbed her arm, her brow bunched in concern. “They could kill you! Is he worth it?”

Taylon didn’t want to answer that question. Hell, she didn’t even want to think about it. Less than a week ago she’d been searching for a way off this backwoods planet, and now she was risking her life for a man she’d just met. But she knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she let him die this way. For her. Because of her.

“Yes,” Taylon said before she jumped between the two beasts and latched onto Rriodan’s back. She grabbed hands of fur and wrapped her legs around him. Bracken slashed at Rriodan, catching him on the cheek. As the paw continued its downward angle he slashed her arm. She screamed but didn’t let go. She knew she was bleeding but if she let go she would be screwed.

Rriodan reared up and bucked, kicking out at Bracken. A weaker woman would have been thrown to the ground. The big cat smashed his head down onto her arm. It hurt so much she lost her grip. She tightened her legs, but couldn’t stop herself from falling. The animal swooped left and threw her directly into the path of a pouncing Bracken.

She rolled, but a large paw came down on her leg and she knew she’d been too slow. The pressure of his weight made it feel like her leg was going to explode. Bones cracked. She felt it as the sharp edge pushed through her skin.

By the time she could focus on something besides the pain it seemed that everything stopped. One moment she was on the floor and the next she was in Bracken’s strong arms. Screaming resounded high and loud off the walls of the hall. She looked around to find Rriodan holding a murderous looking Kylie.