Page 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

-Clay-

I WAS RESTLESS , but I must have fallen asleep, because when I reopened my eyes they were gummy and heavy. I rolled over, half expecting that Arcay would have slunk in and lay down next to me, but there was no sign of him.

I didn’t know what the time was, but the light was lancing down through the windows, throwing long, fractured shadows across everything. There wasn’t night and day in space, but the ship seemed to have its own system, dimming the lights and windows automatically to mimic the rise and fall of the sun. At the moment it looked like we were in the early hours of the morning, although it could have just as easily been evening.

I tried to get back to sleep, but a twitchy tension filled my limbs. A lot had happened; apart from being abducted I'd almost been eaten by a monster–why did they even have those animals on the damn ship anyway?– and then I’d been scarily close to being taken by that terrifying Aldar with the dark hair. Ulgar. Was that what Arcay had called him? Something like that.

All of that was trauma worthy in itself, but there was something else on my mind. Since Arcay had snatched me I had been…aroused. A lot. With no relief. Being constantly surrounded by these pheromones was a horny nightmare. I needed to let some of the pressure off—and there was one way in particular I could do that. But I wasn’t going to…Not here, not now. No way in hell.

I buried my head in the round pillow and imagined a lit candle flickering. Calm. Tranquil. And concentrated on breathing. In for ten, hold, out for ten.

I am at peace, I chanted in my head. My mind is calm. My body is at rest. I am not horny.

Through my attempt at meditation, a treacherous image of Arcay in that loincloth thing popped up in my head, fighting to get my attention. Nuh uh. I swept it from my mind, but it came back instantly, buzzing in my head like a gnat.

With a huff, I sat up and scoured the room for something to distract myself with, a book maybe—did they have books?—or a fidget toy. I just needed something, anything, to stop the enticing images replaying in my head over and over again, and reliving each sensation of his hands on my body when he had me tied up and helpless.

A bundle by the side of the bed turned out to be a new set of clothes. The word ‘clothes’ being used generously. They were skimpy, but at least they were made of fabric and not just chains. There was no one around, so I shrugged the damn chains off and flung them across the room where they hit the wall with a satisfying thud.

The new outfit consisted of a band that went high around my waist, but dipped low over my navel, with flowing material that left the sides of my thighs and hips exposed, similar to what Arcay was wearing. A luxury loin cloth. Great. No underwear, no pants. But anything was better than the last outfit. The top was mostly just a collar and shoulder pads with more chains, like something from a kinky sex club, so I tossed it aside. I’d rather go topless.

Now dressed—if you could call it that—I walked around the room. It looked like Arcay mostly used weapons for decoration. Big macho barbarian vibes; probably best not to touch those. Set back into a small alcove, I found an ornament with delicately balanced orbs and hoops. When set off with a nudge, the orbs swung around each other in an intricate pattern. It was pretty and seemed out of place amongst all the weapons. Was it a personal item? I thought of Arcay watching it spin, and just like that my mind was right back on the horny train.

The impossibly strong fingers tangled in my hair, tugging, holding me in place, the teasing, feather light touches between my legs, the sweet sting of teeth on my neck. And then, standing over me as he saved my life, so fucking feral and fearless, naked except for the merest scrap of clothing, his body taut. A demigod with a golden spear.

Without thinking, I raised my hand to the spot where he had bitten me, running my fingers over the inflamed heads of broken capillaries that blossomed under my skin. The puncture marks had healed over as he said they would, but the area was still sensitive to the touch, sore and raw. Heat grew in my stomach and spread across my chest.

I snatched my hand away and scrubbed at my face with rough fingers. I had to get a grip. It was weird for me to like him, right? Even if he was the most gorgeous being I’d ever seen in my entire life. Even if he was so hot it hurt to look at him—I had some self respect damn it.

But the memories flooded me, dragging with them an aching need that shocked me. I thought about his amber eyes, raking over me with a fierce intensity that was almost threatening.

Shit, if I didn’t do something about this raging boner I might do something drastic, like actually let him fuck me. The bed shifted as I flopped back onto it, my eyes closed, head tilted back. If I was going to do this I better make it quick.

I bit my bottom lip and teased it softly, seeing perfect white teeth with sharp, pointed canines. My hand traced across my chest, leaving a tingling trail in its wake, gradually moving lower, until it slipped beneath the loose fabric over my hips. I pictured the hand touching me; large with lavender skin and long, firm fingers, stroking me, cupping me, closing around me with a firm, almost punishing grip.

My chest hitched, a gasp sucked in between my clenched teeth as the pressure grew and my erection swelled greedily. What would he do to me if I let him? I imagined him over me—

–his long, toned body tensed with want, a powerful hand at my throat, pinning me down while the other worked me into a writhing mess, heaving and pliant and wet–

I grunted and fisted the bed sheets beneath me as I worked my erection, my hips shuddering with each tight stroke. Sweet tension pooled in my belly.

–his mouth worked across my stomach, all the while his eyes bored into me, never releasing me–

I planted my feet and thrust up into my hand, whimpering. My other hand slid across my chest and my thumb caught the pert bud of my nipple, sending a bolt of pleasure through my core.

–a strong hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my cries of ecstasy, the other pinning my wrists above me with impossible strength as he pounded into me, heedless of my quivering, twitching need, begging to be touched, groaning and writhing—

I flipped over and moaned into the sheets, lips dragging against the fine material, imagining him fucking me from behind.

“Oh God. Fuck.”

My teeth caught on the fabric as I clenched my jaw. My thumb brushed the tip of my dick, slippery with pre-cum, and my back arched. I cried out, filling the air with the sound of my desperate need.

Inside me, the coil tightened and tightened as I built to a sweet crescendo, thrashing hard and fast as the heat grew to an intolerable level, pooling at the base of my spine. I was so close to snapping.

–his face, generous lips parted in a feral snarl of pleasure, eyes burning, as he fucked me into oblivion, until finally I was at my limit, pushed right to the edge, and then—

A growl from somewhere to my side, low and throaty. I jerked my head around. In the darkness, I could just about make out a tall figure standing stiff in the doorway, flecks of gold reflecting the pale moonlight.

Every cell in my body froze, my dick still in my hand.

Then I was on my feet, fumbling my loincloth back into place. The thought that he had just seen or heard any of that was enough to make me want to jump out of the airlock and expire in the icy death grip of space.

Shit, fuck, shit, shit, fuck.

“What the hell?” I gasped.

He didn’t move an inch, just stood there in the shadows, perfectly still.

“I gave you my word that I would not claim you until you offered yourself to me,” he growled, his voice strained. “But you make it very difficult to control myself, human omega.”

“How long have you been there?” I asked, breathless.

He spoke in a throaty whisper. “I did not want to disturb you.”

Even though I couldn’t see it in the dark, I tried not to look at his face—the face that I had pictured only moments ago while I pleasured myself. My whole body burned. I wanted to evaporate into thin air.

Emotions warred inside me; humiliation at being caught, violation that he had watched me. And guilt. It didn’t make any sense, but I felt like I’d betrayed both of us.

But far worse than any of that, simmering away beneath the embarrassment and shame, was arousal. It sizzled and scorched me, refusing to go out.

I waited for him to say something, but there was only the silent tension that built between us. He hesitated, his body wavering on the spot. Would he rush at me? I realized I wanted him to. I wanted him to come over here. To lift me off the floor and throw me down on the bed, tear these clothes off. I wanted to feel his hands all over me, and his mouth, and whatever was under that scrap of material that hung from his waist.

Do it, I willed him silently.

But he just stood there.

“I will go,” he said eventually, his voice hoarse.

With a horrible sinking feeling in my chest, I nodded.

He turned away and moved towards the door, the bandage across his back standing out in the dark. He was going to leave and I would be alone again.

“Wait—” the word was out of my mouth before I realized I had spoken.

He stopped, turned back to me, swaying on his feet.

This was insane. It was a terrible idea. It couldn’t happen. But I opened my mouth anyway.

“You don’t have to go.”