Khulril strode out of the dining room with me in his arms, the tang of his blood in my mouth. I shuddered, my nanos scrambling to process the foreign invader, even that little bit sending sparks of energy through my body. My nostrils flared, the musk and bitter coffee scent of him sharper now, his heartbeat pounding in my ears, the brush of his long hair torture on my bare, sensitized skin. My pussy clenched, revving back to life and demanding he fuck me now, against a wall. I didn’t even care if others saw.

I felt Khulril’s steps falter and glanced up at him. He stared down at me, the struggle plain on his face.

“You smell like you want me to ravish you,” he murmured. “Wait until we’re in my quarters.”

I buried my head back in his neck, dimly aware we were both naked, his blood and cum smeared all over my body and between my legs. He cradled me protectively against his chest so there wasn’t much to see besides my back. I lay quietly in his hold, hearing the steps of a few passing warriors, but no one spoke.

I’d probably have to make a few examples of the smart mouths among the crew once word got around. I spared a thought for my poor teens, but then Khulril was stepping into his suite, crossing into his bedchamber and lowering me to the bed.

My pussy throbbed from the invasion of his thick, forceful fingers. My jaw ached; I’d had to open it as wide as possible to take in his massive girth. I remembered every detail of Khulril’s thick, long cock. How when he took my virginity it felt like I was being split open, unable to move as he speared me on his length. And in the heated days and weeks that followed, my body continued to struggle with accommodating him, no matter how wet my body, how great my lust.

When he had finally taken my ass as he worked all his fingers inside my pussy. . .I shuddered. Khulril stared down at me, unmoving, his gaze bright. His cock hardened as I watched, his recovery only moments. He could fuck me all night long, needing nothing but a few minutes of respite and plenty of bloody protein and water in between. Towards the end of our time together he had begun challenging himself to see how long he could go, and I’d allowed him, amused.

For a while at least. It was not so amusing when all the fucking came at the expense of sleep, and sunshine. When orgasm after orgasm began to morph into torture rather than pleasure. Let him try that shit on me now and see what happened.

“Nothing good will come of this, Khulril,” I said, breaking the silence. I knew what he wanted, and not just to fuck me.
These damned vampires did not offer blood casually to mere lovers. Blood exchanges were always accompanied by contracts. The properties in their blood, over time, emotionally and sexually bonded their lovers to them and helped prepare alien women to receive the breeding serum and conceive.

“Something good has already come of it,” he said. “I have two young, and though I missed their upbringing, I am grateful for them. I love them already, Chanda.”

I sighed. “You intend to bind me to you.”

He lifted his brows. “I’ve made no secret of my intentions.”

Of course he hadn’t. And here I was, spreading my legs and offering my throat up for his pleasure. Making a flimsy excuse of a bargain to lick the blood clean off his fingers to give myself some pretext for giving in so easily.

I closed my eyes. “You are my only weakness.”

“I thank you for the honor.” I sensed him watching me but refused to open my eyes and look at him. “But that doesn’t seem to be the joyful admission it should be.”

“For me weakness means imprisonment, death.”

He sighed. “I am your weakness because I am yours and you are mine. We will be one, and together we are stronger. I will say this to you as many times as it takes to drown out the dark voices in your head whispering malicious thoughts.”

I wanted him so badly. Badly enough that of their own volition my legs opened, spreading wide. But I could not speak the words I knew he needed to hear, the words giving him permission to take me. I had spent too many years running, the simple refrain in my mind that if I gave in I would be caged—and look how that had ended for my mother and sisters, for every woman in my family given in alliance to some man who may or may not treat her well. Who may use her as a whore to entertain those of superior rank, or an assassin to eliminate rivals to the House. I refused to be used, to be anyone’s tool.
So it was hard to let go now, to admit to myself that all this time rather than escaping Khulril’s cage, I had only been running straight into my father’s. That I had allowed the traumas of my youth in a High caste court dictate the happiness of my adulthood.

“I can’t,” I whispered. “I don’t know how to give you the submission you want.”

“You know how.” He was silent for a moment. “Do you want me to take you?”

The inflection in his voice brought a dark shade of meaning to that word.

Take me, he said. Force his body into mine, force me to accept the pleasure. He would give me what I craved but shoulder the responsibility so I could pretend I had had no choice. In the dining room I had been able to partially accept him. Our rough foreplay had been a quick, heated thing. But here in the quiet intimacy of his bedroom I could no longer deny—or pretend, rather—that this was just sex and lust.

For him, this was forever.

“Yes,” I said. “Force me.”

The Dread Lord gave me a long, inscrutable look. “What word shall you use to stop me when you deem it enough?”

“Phoenix.”

He tilted his head. “What is. . .ah. Then I shall burn you until you are naught but ashes, that you may rise from the ashes cleansed.”

“Yes.”

Khulril lowered his head. “So be it,” he murmured, his hair draping over his shoulders and concealing his face for a moment.

When he lifted his head, the jagged silver in his eyes stabbed into me. I froze, closing my thighs instinctively.

Oh Helix, what had I done?

He smiled, dark, malicious, mocking. “It is too late for that, sweetblood. You have unleashed me, and I will be cruel.”

I dived off the bed, going low to avoid Khulril’s swipe, my heart beating frantically with panic.

He tackled me a second later, and this time he didn’t bother cushioning my fault.

The breath whooshed out of me, and there was no chance to brace myself when he wrapped his large hand around my neck and yanked me up to my feet.

My toes scrambled for purchase on the smooth floor. I grabbed his hand, trying to pry his fingers away from my neck.

“Khulril!” I croaked. “Stop this, I’ve changed my mind.”

He dragged me easily towards the center of the living area, and that circle of restraints. I still couldn’t figure out if its purpose was merely for sex play, or if he actually tortured people in his quarters.

Likely both.

He clucked his tongue. “There’s no changing your mind, Chanda.”

In fact, summoning every iota of viciousness, I abandoned trying to pry his fingers off my throat to aim for his eyes. I’d gouge the fleshy orbs out, throw them on the floor, and stomp. Let him try to put me in restraints when blinded.

He squeezed harder. Cutting off my air flow until my vision began to blacken around the edges. Even with my nanos I was no match for this kind of strength.

Khulril released my neck and held me up as I slumped, cool metal clamping around my ankles. I dragged in gulps of air as he seized my wrists, shoving them into restraints that descended from the ceiling.

I blinked, shaking my head, and when my lungs were no longer on fire, I glared at him. He took a step back, looking me up and down, dark satisfaction in his gaze.

My chest heaved. “You monster.”

He smiled, amused. “You wanted a monster. I only ever obey you.”

I spat in his face, rage burning through my body. Utterly calm, he wiped the spittle away, not moving his eyes from my face.

“Another mark in your ledger,” he murmured.

I screamed at him, yanking my wrists in the chains, jerking like a madwoman. There was no escaping the restraints, of course. The metal bit into my skin, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it drew blood.

Khulril stepped forward, grabbing my pussy.

“You will submit to me, Chanda,” he said quietly. “Or I will shatter you. You are mine by your own oaths and by the ancient power of my people’s bond.”

And then he speared me with his fingers.