Valan's Bondmate (6 page)

"Look at me."

She raised tear-filled eyes.

"The bands on your arms mark you as mine. Zarronia has five provinces. The gold on the bands tells all who see it you are from Kadia. The platinum identifies my family as the ruling house. The red stones identify my line and indicate you belong to me. This is the first purpose of the bands. Do you understand?"

Lia nodded but kept her eyes lowered.

"When I ask you a question you will answer me with words unless I have ordered you to be silent. Now answer me. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Say my name."

"Valan."

"Good." He touched one of the bands on her arm. "Inside each band is a small mechanism. When activated, it produces pain in the person wearing it. This is how people are disciplined on Zarronia. It is how Zarronian warriors punish their—bondmates. I will use this devise if you displease me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Valan. Can I ask questions?"

"Yes."

"Do you ever use whips on your females?"

The question surprised him and for a moment he didn’t know what to say. When he saw her waiting for his response he said, "A warrior would never use a whip on a female. Not even his kourtisan."

"What’s a kourtisan?"

"A kourtisan is a female the warrior shares sex with but who doesn't wear his bands or give him children."

"Oh, like a pleasure giver" she said, her voice disappointed. "Do you have a kourtisan?"

"Yes."

She looked away from him for a moment then asked, "How do you punish a kourtisan if she doesn’t wear your bands?"

Valan shrugged. "I'd send her away. A warrior wouldn’t keep a kourtisan who displeased him."

"I don’t understand why you’d want two females but neither one gives you children."

Valan grinned. "You’re young and innocent and don’t understand a warrior’s way."  

Her face turned red but not with embarrassment. Anger drew her red brows down over her eyes. "I'm not innocent. I've been trained to please a male."

Enraged by the thought of another male touching her, Valan jerked her against his chest then grasped a handful of her hair, and forced her to arch against him.

"You will answer me truthfully," he said as he reached for one of the bands on his arm and pressed it. "What male has touched you?"

Lia felt a sharp tingling in her arm and tried to jerk away but he held her tightly as it spread to the rest of her body.

"Answer me, Lia."

"None, only you."

He tapped his finger over his band and she sagged against him in relief. "Don't ever lie to me again." The tears on her cheeks affected him in a way no others' ever had. He wiped them away, sighed, and cuddled her to his chest. The fever in his blood urged him to take her and quench the fire. Now, he'd touched her he'd lose his mind if he didn’t have her.

She cuddled closer and he knew she was as affected by the fever as he was, so he raised her head and lowered his mouth to hers. He nipped then sucked on her lower lip and slid his tongue along the seam of her lips. She opened for him. When he began exploring her mouth with his tongue she tentatively responded, pursuing his tongue and the taste of his mouth. As the kiss went on and her body grew hotter, she slid her arms around his shoulders and stroked his head. He groaned into her mouth when she combed her fingers through his hair and down to his shoulders. One kiss followed another and her resistance melted away.

Exploring her body, one hand followed the curve of her spine from nape to buttocks, then back again. The other swept over her legs and gripped her hip. Everywhere he touched left a trail of fire and a blue mist glowing on her skin. She squirmed against him.  Easing her away, he ignored her squeak of protest when he swept her gown over her head and dropped it to the floor.

He stroked his hand up and down her legs from ankle to thigh, and then fastened on a honey-gold buttock and squeezed. His other hand cupped the back of her head and pulled her mouth to his. Her panting breaths matched his as he combed his fingers through her long hair, arranging it in a fiery cloud around them. He palmed her breast and she pushed against him and moaned when his fingers stroked over her nipples.

Valan kissed a path down her neck. Licking and nipping the tender skin, he slowly moved to a tight coral bud and licked. She shivered and moaned. He closed his lips around her nipple and hungrily suckled. She sighed with pleasure and held his mouth against her breast.

Waves of heat rose from her body and fed his fever. He slid his hand down her belly and over her bare mound, enjoying the feel of her smooth satiny flesh. Sliding his fingers between her legs, he nudged them further apart. He groaned, and stroked his finger between her silky folds coating his fingers in her moisture. She widened her legs and rocked against his hand when he stroked her swollen clit.

"Valan, oh, Valan." Her voice was soft and full of need.

He sucked on a velvety nipple and slid the tip of one finger into her tight sheath. As he thrust his finger deeper she pulled his mouth away from her breast, and kissed him. Her lips slid over his, nipping them. He opened his mouth and she stroked his tongue with hers as she rocked her hips against his hand.

"So hot. Burning. I need—Valan, help me." She planted frantic kisses on his face and neck, then licked a path to his ear and bit the lobe. "Help me."

Valan thrust a second finger into her. She moaned and arched against him, digging her fingernails into his shoulders as she strained for release.

He grasped one of her hands and slid it down his body. "Touch me."

Lia curled her fingers over him and squeezed his cock through the supple leather of his pants. He groaned and carried her to the bed. She clung to him when he tried to lower her onto the mattress. Setting her on her knees, he undressed while she placed wild kisses over his chest and belly, then he tumbled her onto her back and came down over her. Spreading her legs, he looked at her pussy, and lifted her hips to his mouth and licked her. Her cream coated his tongue, the taste igniting a burning hot flame in his lower belly. Then he lowered his mouth to her slit and licked the smooth flesh, swirling his tongue over her clit.

"Valan."

Her breath came in hard pants and her pulse beat in the soft lips he licked. He closed his lips around her clit and sucked. She screamed and grabbed his head holding him against her. He chuckled, and knew his lips would vibrate around her clit. She screamed again with pleasure. He gave her one last swipe of his tongue before kissing up her body to her mouth. While kissing her, he slid one arm beneath her shoulders and the other beneath her buttocks holding her tightly. He found her opening with the tip of his shaft and pressed against her, slowly inching into her.

Lia tried to pull away at first then pressed her body toward his. He grasped her hip and held her immobile as he thrust into her, each time going deeper. Her body was tight, but accepted him as if she'd been made for him.

She moaned and looked into his eyes. He pinned her beneath him and held her still as they kissed and he thrust deeper. He caressed the velvety coral tip of one breast. "Wrap your legs around my waist, Lia."

She obeyed. He pulled out then thrust back into her. With each thrust he slid deeper, but it still didn’t feel deep enough. His arms slid around her and pulled her tightly against him, and reared back onto his knees and unwound her legs from his waist. He turned her around then placed her on her knees and pulled her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked his fingers between her legs then pulled her hips back and plunged his cock into her again.

"Yes," he growled as a glowing, rippling blue mist of heat surrounded them. "From this moment on you belong to me. Only to me. You're mine to touch. Mine to kiss. Mine to mate."

Lia dropped her head onto his chest as small gasps of pleasure left her lips and she pressed against him. Her hands slid over his arms and gripped them. "Valan, oh, yes, Valan."

He deepened his thrusts and tightened his arms then dropped his head to her shoulder, nipped her ear and growled, "Now, Lia. Accept my fever now."

Valan pressed his hand over her belly and could feel himself thrusting inside her. Her belly muscles rippled beneath his palm as she moaned with pleasure. Her vagina contracted and closed around him as he thrust into her faster and deeper. The blue mist thickened until they were enclosed in it. The two of them joined together and whole, finally. He felt her body go from a blazing volcanic heat to icy then back to burning. He bent her slightly forward and quickened his thrusts. Her slick channel contracted and pulsed around him. He groaned and let the pleasure take him. Wave after wave of heat streaked through him and into her as he came and for the first time in his life he gave his seed to a female.

His strength left him and he collapsed onto the bed with her beneath him and nuzzled her neck as he caged her body. Gradually, her breathing slowed and softened as she fell asleep.

Valan slid onto his side with her wrapped in his arms, and then reached down pulling the fur over them. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep, his body cool and at peace for the first time in annuals.

***

The corridor was unusually empty the next morning as Valan strode to the bridge. Upon entering, he found only part of his crew. A few of the younger warriors gave him speculative glances. He rubbed his hand over the scratches on his chest, sent them a warning frown, and hid his smile when they rapidly returned to their duties. 

Off to one side of the bridge, Valan saw Cam waving his hands in the air and speaking urgently to Advisor Angusson. He’d expected his easygoing friend to be sporting a full-fledged smile this cycle. Instead, several deep scratches marked his scowling face. Advisor Angusson caught Valan's eye and waved him over.

"Advisor Angusson, what can I do for you?" Valan asked.

"Commander Eirikson, there is a problem with some of the females. Actually, with most of them. They’re rebelling!" His voice was shrill with disbelief. "I tried to warn the Council this would never work. But, they wouldn't listen to me."

"In what way are they rebelling?" Valan asked.

"Many of them attacked the warriors. Several have already contacted me this morning with complaints. The females were disciplined. We assumed it’s what was keeping you."

Ignoring the last statement, Valan sent him a look of disbelief and exasperation. His men were the fiercest warriors in this or any other galaxy. Surely, they could control these Wrothian females.

Advisor Angusson began to list some of the warrior's complaints. "Callum Cedricson's female destroyed his quarters. Mikel Thornson's female threw a chair at him. Royce Garrikson's mate locked herself in the bathing chamber and refused to come out. He destroyed the door getting to her. I told the Council this wouldn't work and these Wrothian creatures have proven me right!"

"What about your female, Cam?" He carefully avoided using the term bondmate as no warrior would ever discuss the issue of bonding with his mate with another warrior. Even his father had never spoken to him concerning bonding.

"She broke a food tray over my head, and fought me when I…"

Angusson interrupted him. "That is not the worst of it, Commander. Some of the warriors lost control and forced the females but the bonding did not occur."

Valan felt his temper flare out of control. "I want the names of the warriors who forced themselves on the females. They are to be harshly disciplined then relieved of their duties until the Council can deal with them. Their females will be quartered on level three immediately. Has Doctor Veeson seen them?"

Cam nodded. "I’ve had the warriors confined in the brig and Doctor Veeson has examined and treated the females. I’ll have them moved to their new quarters."

Angusson lost his temper. "What do you mean, Commander? Why should the warriors suffer because the Wrothian females disobeyed them?"

Valan stepped toward him. "None of my warriors will rape a female, not even a Wrothian female on my starship and go without discipline. They were ordered to use ZL3 to avoid this very thing from happening. Either they disobeyed the Council’s orders or they lost control. Either way I have no use for a warrior who disobeys orders or can’t control himself." Valan looked at Cam. "Tell me what happened with you and your female." 

"I took her to my bed but nothing happened. She’s the most aggravating, and aggressive, female I’ve ever met. I should have taken the other one when you offered her to me." His scowl returned.

A wave of rage flowed through Valan at the thought of another warrior coveting his mate. For a moment he was tempted to pound Cam into the ground. The thought forced him to regain control of himself. He never lost his control, ever. It was this situation pushing him toward such a shameful deed, and it enraged him. He blamed the Wrothians then narrowed his target to Lia as she was the Wrothian he'd have to deal with the most. "Cam, have the warriors gather in the arena in thirty micro-units." He looked at Angusson. "After we’ve spoken to the warriors I want the officers, Advisors and Educators to meet in my conference room to discuss what can be done."

"We should have waited a little longer before accepting the Wrothian females, Commander. Our scientists believe the object Commander Borgson found will lead us to compatible females in the Orion Galaxy," Angusson said.

"The Council didn't believe we could wait any longer. It took them several moon phases to figure out how to open the machine then several more to figure out what the discs were they found inside. They've just now created a way to activate them. Our linguists have to translate them and it could take annuals. The people are obviously primitive."

"And then we have to find them. The Orion galaxy is huge," Cam said.

"Yes, such a pity.  But still not Wrothians." Shaking his head, Angusson left the bridge.

***

Valan waited impatiently at the head of conference table as the last of the officers arrived. He absently rubbed the scratches on his chest as he noticed the scratches on the faces of several of his officers. He’d allowed Borg to remove the scars from his face but he’d refused to have the ones on his chest removed. His little warrior had fought hard and he’d decided to wear the scars of her bravery for the rest of his life.