Page 4 of Black Star
Chapter Four
Nadira stood smartly at attention. Her heart threatened to beat through her chest, so hard was its pounding. She was a prisoner. There would be no rescue. There never was. Anyone captured by the Asalians was simply listed as “missing” and never seen or heard from again. There were whispers that even those who managed to escape were denied entry back into Vok’nair space. The Empire didn’t deal well with those who failed it.
“I think you need some time to think about what you need to do to best serve this ship. This is your new life, Nadira. Adapt.”
He turned and headed out the door and down the corridor. Nadira fell into step behind him. No way was she going to make him tell her twice. He was right. She had to adapt and do so quickly. She wasn’t convinced by all his assurances about the way his society functioned, but if she could at least keep out of trouble and in his good graces, so much the better.
As she followed him, she couldn’t help but admire the layout of the vessel. Had she not known this was a ship of war, she might have mistaken it for a luxury ship. Unlike the corridors in the section leading from the air locks, the halls in the main crew area were brightly lit. Lightly cushioned, beige carpet covered the floors, muffling their steps. The walls held various display panels every few meters, but were otherwise decorated with unobtrusive artwork.
Then there was the commander himself. Harsh didn’t begin to describe him. His whole body was hard angles and raw power. The heavy body armor masked his true contours, but it couldn’t alter the sheer size of him. He was big. Damned big. And she had no difficulty imagining powerful musculature underneath all that armor. He was not a man to let his body go soft and risk making himself vulnerable.
He frightened her, but she couldn’t help but be curious as to the flesh and blood man beneath the commander’s armor. It was enough to send a sexual thrill shooting through her.
She was so lost in thought she almost ran into Mikiel when he stopped and turned toward her. In fact, she would have had he not caught her upper arms. When her gaze snapped to his, his eyes commanded her to focus on what she was doing. He was too intense, his presence too overwhelming. Worse, she could see her own sexual hunger mirrored in his eyes.
His grip tightened on her arms and she thought he might pull her to him, but he didn’t. Instead, he turned her toward the door. When Mikiel pressed a hand to the wall scanner the door slid open and he directed her inside.
“This is my chamber. You’ll stay here until I get you someplace else to live. There should be everything you need, including suitable clothing.” That rankled somewhat, but she didn’t have time to say anything even if she’d had the nerve to. Mikiel was already turning to leave. With a sharp hiss the door slid shut, locking Nadira inside.
For several minutes, she just stood there. This couldn’t be happening. This could not be happening! There was no way she had what it took to take on a man the likes of this one.
Worse, Mikiel was right to assume she didn’t have many sexual skills. In fact, she didn’t have any. Nadira was one of only a handful of females the Empire had deemed capable of completing military training, and she had started her career as a star pilot before she’d started her monthly cycles. As a result, it had been drilled into her not to have physical relationships. Such would undermine her position among the men on her ship as well as create unnecessary strife. As far as everyone there was concerned, she was untouchable. The fact was, Nadira was a virgin and had assumed she would stay that way for a very long time.
Not anymore. There was simply no way she could be sure he hadn’t lied to her, or that she wouldn’t do something to make him change his mind.
She sighed. Since she was going to be here a while, she decided to look around, explore her temporary home. There were three separate rooms. The main room and bedchamber were combined, the large inviting bed the only thing that didn’t reflect the occupant. The rest of the room was stark, harsh, with only necessities decorating the space. A smaller room served as a work area, with computers and graphic map screens.
But the chamber that interested her most was the bathing chamber. When she walked into the spacious room, lights automatically came up and the bathing pool began to fill with water. Steam rose gently from the surface as it filled. Real water! It was a luxury she hadn’t had on the Black Star . After months in space, she was finally going to get a real bath.
There were mirrors all around the bath, and it was impossible not to catch her reflection. She’d never given thought to her body before, but now it was foremost on her mind. Mikiel had said she wouldn’t be a sex slave, but it was hard not to think about that type of life. This whole situation was terrifying enough as it was, but to think that she might have to spend her time on this ship being ridiculed because her form wasn’t pleasing was something else altogether. She eyed herself now with a critical eye.
Her hair was probably her best feature. Long and lustrous, its thick tresses flowed down her back and tickled her ass -- her worst feature -- when she moved. While she had a small waist, her butt and thighs, though strong and firm, were round and fleshy. Not at all attractive. When she turned back around, she noticed her breasts rising and falling with each breath she took. They were too big, but still firm and high. As she pinned her hair back up, her arms grabbed her attention. She flexed and extended them, but there was no denying the extra flesh she carried on her upper arms.
No. She definitely wouldn’t make a good sex slave. Her only hope was that the commander would hold to his promise that she could still be a pilot if she proved good enough.
Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she stepped into the bath and immediately the sting of the hot water gave way to a pleasant warmth that seeped its way into her tense muscles. The groan that slipped past her lips couldn’t be helped. It felt lovely to be submerged in warm water again. When the jets started to gently but firmly pummel her back, legs and feet with water deep within the pool, she knew she’d found heaven.
She sat back in an indentation built into the wall of the pool and relaxed. This might be the only time she’d have the opportunity to do so, and she fully intended to take advantage of it.
Thinking back on her time in the commanding presence of her new “boss,” there was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel different than she’d ever felt before. Not beautiful, or sexy, but sensual. He looked at her as if he’d like nothing more than to explore her body for his own pleasure. His hot gaze also promised he’d give as good as he got, but Nadira instinctively knew it wouldn’t be as simple as that. He looked at her as if her sole purpose in the universe was to please him in every way he wanted. Any pleasure she received would happen only if it pleased him to do so.
The idea gave her a perverse surge of lust. To be used as a plaything for a man to take his pleasure from. To exist only to please him lest he move on to another. It should have made her feel degraded, like she was no more important as a person than the artificially intelligent androids that did most of the heavy labor throughout the Empire, but instead, it made her feel…
Powerful. She could have power over the pleasure of such a dominant man and make him want to return to her -- and only her -- because she did things to him that felt better than anything done by any other man or woman at his disposal.
If she was good enough. Pure fantasy, but what a heady thought! It made her cunt tingle.
The jets continued their delicious massage, and it wasn’t long before she shifted her position so that one of them pointed between her legs. She gasped when the stream of water brushed her clit. Jumping with the unaccustomed contact, she moved out of the jet’s path, only to readjust her position so that it shot straight at her once again. It didn’t take long for the persistent stream to create very pleasant sensations within her core. Pleasure shot through her, so intense she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out. In a sudden burst of energy, her world exploded. Her sight narrowed and spots of light pricked her vision as she reached her orgasm.
Breathing hard, Nadira let the sensations fade away and slumped in the water. She sat there for several moments before realizing she might not have long before Mikiel returned.
“Was that your first climax?” The familiar deep, rumbling voice from the doorway made her jump, and it took a moment for the question to penetrate the pleasurable haze fogging her brain.
When she found her voice, all she could manage was a shaky, “No.”
“Have you cleansed yourself?”
“I --”
“Yes or no?”
She shifted in the water to cover her breasts beneath its surface. “No.”
Without another word, Mikiel began ridding himself of his clothes. Off balance as she was, Nadira couldn’t take her eyes off him. As each inch of flesh was bared, her body did things it had never done before. Her stomach fluttered when his abdominal muscles rippled, and her nipples tightened beneath the water. Mikiel seemed to be unaware of his effect on her -- which was good as far as Nadira was concerned.
He slid his pants down his hips and stepped out of his shoes. Powerful, muscular legs bunched and undulated with each movement. Heavily muscled arms and shoulders were the final testament of how correct her assumption had been that he took great care of his body.
When he finally stood and started toward Nadira, she saw the semi-erect flesh of his cock for the first time. Even in a flaccid state it was impressive, and she couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like. Mikiel might not be what she considered “handsome,” but his body was a work of art. It was as if he had been fashioned out of her deepest, darkest, wildest fantasies. She didn’t want to see him as anything other than her “master” at worst, her enemy at best, but seeing him like this made her see him as a man. Nothing more.
Nadira resisted the urge to move away from him as he stepped into the bath and settled himself in the water. When he opened a bottle of liquid cleanser, a crisp, clean fragrance of mint spilled into the room.
He took her arm and pulled her toward him. When his arms closed around her, she caught a brief glimpse of lust on his face before he turned her around and removed the clip from her hair. White-blonde tresses spilled down her back and into the water. She wanted to protest, but bit her lip to keep from it.
Mikiel guided her to a depression in the bath so that she sat in the water slightly lower than chest high. He was behind her, his legs at her back. “Rest your head on my knee.” Nadira wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted, but moved to do his bidding and found she didn’t have to understand what he wanted. His hands guided her into position.
She lay face up with the back of her neck resting on his strong thigh and her hair floating gently in the water behind her. He scooped water over her head and when he started massaging the wonderfully scented soap into her hair, she couldn’t suppress the groan. His fingers worked through her hair, then on her scalp. The cleansing gel tingled and cooled the sensitive skin underneath his fingertips. Mikiel urged her to lean her head back farther and he rinsed the soap from her hair in careful but methodical movements. The air felt cool as the peaks of her breasts emerged from the warm water as she was repositioned.
Once her hair was clean, Mikiel began to cleanse her skin with the same lightly scented soap. He soaped her limbs and it seemed like he was going through movements he’d done hundreds of times. The methodical motions were designed to do nothing more than cleanse her, and she almost allowed herself to relax and let him pamper her.
As he caressed her from head to toe, her mind focused on the sexual abilities of the incredible man touching her so intimately. What kind of lover would he make? Would sex simply be a means of release for him, or would he expect her to draw out his pleasure until he tired of the game? Would he make sure she enjoyed herself or would he take what he wanted and leave her to find her release on her own? Would he train her to please in the manner Asalian men liked, then rid himself of her? All these questions flew through her mind before she finally landed on, Does he find me physically appealing ? Moon and Stars! She hoped he kept his word that she wouldn’t be a slave. She didn’t think she could handle the emotional ride involved.
With that line of thought, it didn’t take long for her to interpret his ministrations as sexual. It seemed like he might have lingered on her breasts longer than was necessary and, after a few passes over her fleshy globes, Nadira wanted to squirm. The moan that escaped her lips was slight, but any doubt Mikiel heard her moan and knew exactly what it meant evaporated when she saw the hot look of lust in his eyes.
With a growl, Mikiel hefted her out of the water and his lips closed over one nipple. Nadira didn’t even try to stem the cry this time. The sensations flowing through her were overwhelming, and she knew that if this man chose to take her body as he had done to countless others, she wouldn’t raise her voice in protest. In fact, she thought she might even beg him to continue should he stop now.
She arched into him and her fingers found his bare scalp -- seemingly on their own because she couldn’t remember raising her arms -- and she held him to her as tightly as she could. When she felt one of his hands push between her thighs, she parted her legs eagerly. Nadira screamed the second his large, callused hand touched her clit. Mikiel stroked it several times before plunging his fingers inside her and Nadira rocked her hips in time to his movements. It didn’t take long before she felt the tingling sensation start, centering around her clit and pussy.
When Mikiel pulled his mouth from her breast and looked at her, Nadira’s breath caught. This man was as affected by their intimate moment as she was. An orgasm like none other she’d ever experienced washed over her, and spasms seized her body. A reflex action caused her to wrap her arms around Mikiel and cling to him, her lifeline in a sea of sensation.
When her climax passed, her eyelids grew heavy but she made an effort to hold them open. As she focused on his eyes once again, she found a trace of annoyance but as he continued to stroke her cunt and clit, his expression grew more and more filled with lust and possession. Now it seemed like everything he’d done had been designed to give the master a better sense of the property he’d newly attained. Even if she wasn’t really a slave, she felt like one in that moment.
When Mikiel had stopped caressing her pussy, he urged her to sit, then stand. Once he’d exited the bath and dried himself, he helped her out and dried her with gentle but brisk movements, leaving her the towel to finish herself. Finally, Mikiel said the one thing Nadira had hoped to be able to keep to herself, at least for a little while. Now she had to deal with it. “You are untouched.”
She felt her cheeks heat up. Never having had sex before wasn’t something she’d ever been embarrassed about. Then again, it had never seemed important before now. As it was, there was a very real chance she wouldn’t remain a virgin much longer if her bath was any indication. She didn’t want to answer Mikiel, but something in his eyes told her it would be in her best interest to answer quickly and truthfully.
“Well, I’ve had orgasms, but --”
“Have you been with a man or not? It’s not a difficult concept.” His clipped, brisk question made her flinch when she would have preferred to stand her ground, but standing there in nothing but a towel gave her a feeling of utter helplessness. She was so far out of her element, so off balance, she couldn’t shut out her emotional responses like she was able to in the pilot’s seat. As it was, she was tense, stiff.
When she flew the Black Star , the one thing she relied on was her ability to pay attention to every little vibration within the ship, no matter what was going on around her. Now she felt like she was too focused on what was in front of her. It felt like she was flying blind. “No. I haven’t.”
His only response was a slight grunt before he took the towel from her and directed her to the bedchamber. Mikiel hardly spared her another glance. “I have arranged for you to have access to my computer if you wish it. You’ll find everything you need to know about flying a ship of this class. My study is open to you.”
Nadira knew an order when she heard one.
She was relieved, of course. Having to be in the same room with Mikiel after what had just happened was more than she was prepared to deal with emotionally.
Cold chills covered her body and she shivered. It reminded her she was still unclothed and her hair was still wet. She was definitely chilly, and promptly went in search of clothing. What she found was a sleek black flight suit that covered her from throat to ankle yet still managed to hide very little. It hugged every curve of her body, showing every imperfection she had. Sighing, she recognized there was little she could do. This was obviously the way he wanted her dressed and she’d simply have to deal with it. With a shrug, she decided to block it out by doing exactly what Mikiel suggested. She’d learn this ship as well as she knew the Black Star . She might not be able to do that solely by computer, but she could go a long way toward her goal.
Going to Mikiel’s private workstation, she sat and tucked her legs underneath her in the large, high-backed, padded chair and pressed her palm to the screen imbedded in the surface of his desk. When the welcome popped up on the three-dimensional screen, Nadira started her studies.