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The yell from behind makes me freeze. I didn’t think there was a force in the world that could stop me from devouring the rest of the bun, but the deep, hard voice is so commanding, my body responds before I process the word.

I turn, guilty, and the huge warrior leader Damian is staring at me with hot, fierce eyes.

He’s changed. He’s out of the disgusting robes of the Priests, instead wearing reinforced, thick grey pants that look like they could stop a knife. He’s in a black T-shirt that strains under his muscles. He’s ferocious, but I can’t help but stare at the big bicep vein, the broadness of his chest, the power in his being. Why do I find him so attractive?

“Please,” I say, my mouth watering, and he’s on me in a second. The world spins as he throws me over his lap, fierce yet strangely gentle, as if he’s on the verge of losing control.

I struggle, but I’m a third of his size. He pulls up my dress, and I freeze.

I’ve heard all the stories of Aurelians. We spoke about them, late at night, in the servants quarters, our voices hushed whispers so as not to attract attention. My friends back on the station used to tease me that I never dated boys, telling me I was saving myself to be a harem wench.

Even the noble ones that serve the Empire have a roughness to them.

They love to mete out discipline to the women in their harems. Women flock to Colossus for their protection. Some of them accept the punishments through gritted teeth…

And others crave it, traveling across galaxies to get it.

When I imagined being on Colossus, I always had a foolish dream of being Bonded to a noble triad who would treat me like their queen. But even with their adoration, I knew they would punish me.

In my most shameful, heated moments, touching my body as if it was inflamed, fever running through my veins, I pictured being over the lap of a dominant Aurelian while his battle-brothers watched me disciplined until I wept. Then the three of them would take me hard and fast, and when they were done, they would pull my shaking body tight, hugging me and protecting me.

I knew that even if I went to Colossus, I couldn’t join a harem. I didn’t want to be just a plaything for a triad. It would break my heart to be with the noble beasts if I wasn’t the one woman in the universe who was their Mate, and I knew the odds were against me—even if I could, by some stroke of luck, make it there.

Now I’m over the lap of an alien who thinks I am his Mate…

And it’s all wrong.

My body responds, craving the power of the beast, but the cruel mark of Obsidian on his chest stops me from submitting to him. In my fantasies I gave myself to the aliens. Now he’s going to take me.

His hand comes down fast, the air hissing with it, but instead of a hard, red surge of pain, his huge palm comes down gently against my right buttock.

He’s scared to hurt me. I thought I’d hear the crack of flesh on flesh, but instead, I hear his hot, heavy breathing.

“You will obey, Nelly,” he growls. He wants to punish me. His cock surges up hard against his reinforced combat pants. He aches to spank me like a disobedient brat for disobeying him, but he can’t, not when I’m so weak. My stomach aches with pain, and I groan.

He holds me over his lap, and the pain recedes, overwhelmed by something else.

I’m flooded by wetness. I know he’s staring at my ass, and my little panties must be soaking. It’s like something’s coming over me. Feeling helpless against him turns me on, but it’s his restraint that sends me over the edge. I thought Fanatics were barbarians, but he’s got this protective urge that’s more powerful even than his Mating Rage.

He raises his arm again, and his battle-brother is there. Tarak grabs his arm. “She doesn’t understand.” I’m lifted off Damian’s lap. I can’t help but peek.

His cock is running straight down his right leg. I can see it pressing against his combat pants. I look away as lust floods me. My stomach roils again, and I stand, stepping away from the two men.

Tarak looks over at the bun I dropped, then back at me. “How much did the Toad feed you?”

I’m dizzy. “Once every two days…slop. I ate yesterday.”

He nods. “Good. Then you’re not in mortal danger. You’ll drink soup, and only soup, for the next two days while you recover. Eating too much can kill you after being on a starvation diet. Can you walk?” His voice sounds strange, growly, and his hand clenches into a fist.

Seeing me over the lap of his battle-brother did something to him. He licks his lips, as Damian turns, standing to his full height. I barely make it to his belly button, and I’m at head level with something I don’t want to think about right now.

I can’t help but picture it. It throbs with every beat of his heart, and I’m flooded with wetness.

“Go back to your room,” growls Damian. He fights to get the words out. “Go…sleep,” he snarls, and his cock rips through his combat pants, rearing up like an iron rod.

Holy fuck. He’s huge. His dick curves upwards, a long, thick vein on the top of it, and I’m petrified by it, half in fear, half lust. Pre-cum spurts from the tip, dripping on the floor, and I ache for it in my mouth.

In the throes of the Mating Rage, he’s fighting to hold back…