Surrender in the Dark

Praise for the writing of Silvia Violet

Cup of Revelation

Silvia’s debut novel is a smashing success, in this reviewer’s opinion! Not only has she created a spectacular world filled with faeries, magic and passion, but she also completely engulfs the imagination of the reader. -- Lynn Lowe, eCataromance Reviews

Cup of Revelation is truly a delight to read and Ms. Violet is a captivating author to keep an eye on. She weaves a classic story in front of the reader’s eyes and will literally paint a picture with her words. -- Dawn, Love Romances The dialogue between characters is spirited and lively, and the storyline never betrayed the reader… Cup of Revelation is a creative endeavor, and one that will distract your thoughts once evening comes. -- Nancy Jackson, Coffee Time Romance A suspenseful haunting story that hooked me from the first page, Cup of Revelation isn’t one you want to start before bed unless you’re going to finish it. Ms. Violet has created a well thought out story with lots of hot steamy sex and tension that kept me scrolling furiously to the end. -- Mechele Armstrong, author of Blood Lines: Conduit (coming soon from Loose Id) I had never read a faerie story before but it certainly won’t be my last. This mysterious and passionate tale kept me reading long hours into the night. -- Cher Gorman, author of Wolf Island (Loose Id)

Cup of Revelation is now available from Loose Id.

SURRENDER IN THE DARK

Silvia Violet

www.loose-id.com

Warning This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

***** This book is rated:

For substantial explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable (BDSM).

DISCLAIMER: Many of the acts described in our BDSM/fetish titles can be dangerous. Loose Id publishes these stories for members of the community in which these acts are known and practiced safely. If you have an interest in the pleasures and pains you find described herein, we urge you to seek out advice and guidance from knowledgeable persons. Please do not try any new sexual practice, whether it be fire, rope, or whip play, without the guidance of an experienced practitioner. Neither Loose Id nor its authors will be responsible for any loss, harm, injury or death resulting from use of the information contained in any of its titles.

Surrender in the Dark Silvia Violet This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published by Loose Id LLC 1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-29 Carson City NV 89701-1215 www.loose-id.com

Copyright © January 2006 by Silvia Violet All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.

ISBN 1-59632-217-9 Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader

Printed in the United States of America

Editor: Ansley Velarde Cover Artist: Christine M. Griffin

www.loose-id.com

Chapter One

The joint council meeting had been in progress for over an hour. Radek stretched and leaned back in his chair as one of Queen Eveleen’s ministers droned on and on about the need to bring more traders to the Althean ports. He made no effort to hide his obvious boredom. After ruling the Althean underworld for nearly half a century, he wondered if it wasn’t time to name a successor. At first, the power had been intoxicating. Every citizen of Underworld feared him, even those who pretended not to. The people of Underworld were a diverse mix of humans and aliens. But Radek was one of the few members of their ancient race to ever leave their homeworld, so most Underworlders had never met a Lalatian before. And without even being aware of it, they responded to the aura of power that surrounded him. Each time he granted one of them an audience, he sucked down the energy of their fear as they groveled before him. He doubted his harem had an equal, even on the wealthiest planet of the Common Worlds. Women flocked to the smell of power. They were prepared to serve him, even when he fucked them so hard they couldn’t walk, even when he wanted their pain.

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Most Lalatians had nearly insatiable sex drives, and he certainly fit that profile. So the worship he received from the women of Underworld should have been heavenly. But lately he found himself craving more than just a willing partner. As a Lalatian dominant, he needed the energy a woman sent out when she experienced the mixing of pain and pleasure. He’d had no trouble finding women who found pleasure in the stroke of his whip. But for a Lalatian submissive, there was another level to the exchange. Submissives needed the energy the dominant gave off as he inflicted pain. For them, submitting to a dominant’s sexual needs would be as natural as breathing. He longed to feel that harmony. He couldn’t go back to Lalatia. He had no idea if he could find that connection with a woman of another race, but he was restless, and he wanted to try. Since negotiating his truce with the Gaelish queen, his life had been infuriatingly quiet. As much as he enjoyed luxuriating in pleasures, a man could only take so much pampering before stirring himself to action. At the very least, he didn’t want to live this lonely existence for the rest of his life, easily another hundred of the human years the Common Worlds had adopted as their standard. He needed a new adventure. A door opened behind him, interrupting his reverie. He turned to see who dared to interrupt the council. When he saw the young woman standing in the doorway, his cock turned to marble. Gaelish women aged even more slowly than his kind, and Radek had never excelled at guessing their ages. But the young woman did not wear the purple beads Gaelish women received at their fertility ceremonies, so she had to be younger than thirty common years. Her blond hair hung to her waist in loose, rounded curls, and her ripe, round breasts pressed against the neckline of her tunic and threatened to spill over. She’d belted the tunic at her narrow waist, emphasizing her curves. Gods, he would like to fit his hands over the swell of her hips and pull her lush body onto his cock. Her softness would cradle him perfectly while he fucked her.

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She must have sensed him staring, because she looked up and met his gaze. He admired her high cheekbones and her almond-shaped, catlike green eyes. She certainly had the face of a royal Gaelin, even if her body was built for pleasure. He gave her his most wolfish smile, the one that told women he wanted to eat them up. She looked away quickly. He imagined that even in her innocent state, she knew what he wanted from her. Radek took a deep breath and willed his cock to settle down, promising it a feast later. His strong reaction to this woman wasn’t surprising. Any man would find her devastating. But it wasn’t just her body that attracted him; it was the way she held herself. Except for when she’d looked at him, she kept her head down, her gaze cast toward the floor. He could smell fear on her. He suspected she was a rare creature indeed -- a Gaelish submissive. Gaelish women were expected to dominate their men, whom they either kept as pets or kept locked in quarters little better than stables while expecting them to do all the physical labor required to bring in their crops. The Gaelish women were not permitted to show weakness, certainly not in front of an Underworlder. But Radek’s sensitive ears could hear the catch in the young woman’s breath, the sound of her heart racing. She wanted him, and he would be happy to see that she got what she wanted. Since the Gaelins’ arrival, men from the Underworld had captured those among them more suited to serve than to be served, but Radek had not been tempted enough to risk upsetting the balance of power. Until now ... He forced himself to give his attention to the meeting long enough to confirm that no one would expect him to speak soon. Then he lowered his shields and sent a mental probe toward the woman at the door. He forced himself to go slowly and press gently against her shields. Without having gone through her fertility ceremony, she would not have her full powers, though she might be sensitive enough to detect his probe.

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Her mind yielded, and her surface thoughts spilled along the link. Within seconds, he’d measured her fundamental nature. There was no doubt about it; she was as submissive as the women he’d enjoyed back on Lalatia. Radek pulled back, barely able to suppress a smile. Years had passed since he’d found a woman who fit his needs this well. This woman could feed him for nights on end and never tire of his demands. He could well imagine that her heart sped up and her pussy dripped with cream every time she watched one of the older Gaelins disciplining her pets. But not, as the other women might assume, because she wanted to be the one delivering the spanking. No, this young woman would be wishing she could take the man’s place. He breathed deeply, drawing in the scent of the woman’s fear. Her smell alone made him want to order everyone from the room, rip off her tunic, and fuck her on the long, wooden table. One way or another, this woman would call him Master. As she crossed the room to confer with her queen, he watched the sway of her ass beneath her white tunic. Growing up as she had, he could rest assured she had never been properly spanked, no matter how much she might have longed for it. Reddening her plump little ass would be among the first things he did when he got her underground. The young woman turned back to leave as soon as she handed the letter to her queen. But just as she reached the threshold, she glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes locked with Radek’s once again. Her rosy cheeks paled, and his sensitive ears heard her quiet gasp. She recognized him for the predator he was, yet desire mingled with her apprehension. He smiled, thrilled with her reaction. When they met, he looked forward to using her fear to make her dripping wet for him. He hadn’t heard a word of the proceedings since he’d entered her mind, but he was unconcerned. If need be, his ministers would brief him. Perhaps he would even skip the afternoon meetings. After sensing a woman so ripe for his style of domination, he was horny as hell and desperate to drink down someone’s pain. Thank Varin he had brought a few of his favorite playthings with him. As soon as the damned meeting was over, he would see to it that they took care of his raging hard-on.

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Fortunately, he was able to excuse himself faster than he had anticipated. The queen looked up from the note the young woman had delivered. “I apologize, but a family emergency requires my attention. I suggest we break early for the midday meal and resume our discussion in two hours.” Radek was more than ready to accept her suggestion. He caught the attention of Gervais, his ambassador to Upperworld, and drew him into a deserted courtyard. “Who was that young woman?” Gervais took a long, slow breath. “I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but I must warn you that she is not available.” If Radek had not been surprisingly pleased with Gervais’s handling of his position, he would have relieved the man of his duties for refusing to answer a direct question. Instead, Radek clarified his position. “Whoever she is, I intend to bring her below.” Gervais ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “That was Princess Nia, Queen Eveleen’s daughter.” Radek smiled. “Well, that does complicate matters.” “To say the least. She should never have been in the council room. I can only assume there was a grave emergency for anyone to have allowed her to be seen by men.” “Damn Gaelish sex laws.” What wacko kind of culture would expect young women to remain sexually pure for the first twenty-five or thirty years of their lives? Even going so far as to prevent them from being in the company of men? Then, when they gained their powers or no later than their thirtieth birthdays, the women were publicly relieved of their virginity and given a harem of men to order about. Radek shook his head. On Lalatia, men and women, whether dominant or submissive, were trained from the onset of puberty how to handle their own desires and how to please their partners.

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Gervais smiled. “I am well aware of your feelings about the restrictions Gaelins place on their young women, as is the queen, but Nia will not have her fertility ceremony for two more weeks; and even then, she will not be accessible to you.” “I will do whatever I deem necessary to make her accessible to me within days.” As easy as it had been to penetrate her mind, he would have no trouble convincing her to follow him to Underworld. A pale Gervais dared to place his hand on Radek’s arm, as though a simple gesture could stop this impending disaster. “My lord, please tell me you do not intend to claim ownership of her.” “That young woman is ripe and ready to be taken. She exudes such a strong need to submit that I only had to read her surface thoughts to be certain she would do anything I ordered.” “Please, Your Majesty. She is their princess.” Dangerous anger boiled in Radek’s chest. How dare Gervais question him? “Are you challenging my authority?” “No, my lord.” Radek forced himself to calm. “Good. I will pretend I did not hear you doing so.” Gervais lowered his head. “Yes, Your Majesty.” As Radek had hoped, Gervais knew his limits. “Does Nia reside in her mother’s castle?” Gervais nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.” “Then I need to lure her outside. Find me something of hers, any possession that has recently been close to her person -- a hairbrush, a pillowcase, a washcloth, something of this nature.” His ambassador hesitated for a moment, but finally said, “Yes, Your Majesty.” “At the rate this damned meeting is progressing, I will be forced to spend another night above the surface. I will expect you to present the object to me before I retire tonight.”

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“Yes, my lord. Will that be all?” Radek nodded. “You are dismissed.” When he was alone, Radek sat on the rock wall surrounding a flower bed and pondered his rash actions. Gervais had been right to caution him. He’d wanted a challenge, but he’d never expected one such as this to present itself. Nor would he have thought he would take such a risk, not when it involved other people’s lives. Taking Nia could put everyone on Althea at risk. As ruler of Underworld, he should be more concerned for the safety of his people and their world, but as a Lalatian dominant, he could think of nothing but claiming her. Of nothing but plunging his cock deep inside her, until she begged for release. Her body called to him like another Lalatian’s would. The sensations he had read in her mind were those he’d only dreamed of encountering since his exile from Lalatia. He would teach her the joys of submission, and he would do it without getting anyone killed. In fact, his claiming of Nia should be the most deliciously challenging thing he’d done since making himself king. If Gervais could find an item that held Nia’s energy, he could use it to speak to her mind. He would send her dreams to prepare her for the ways he intended to torture and delight her. He imagined her mind already let her submissive fantasies carry over into her dreams. It would be simple enough for him to slip into her mind and become the man who dominated her in her sleep. Once he’d gotten her hot and restless from being bound in ropes and thoroughly spanked in her dreams, she would be ripe for the taking. That’s when he would call her to him. He let an image of the princess form in his mind. He imagined her beautiful, goldrimmed green eyes glazing over as he rid her of her tunic and explored her lush curves. He doubted many of her fellow Gaelins truly waited until their fertility ceremony to taste the

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pleasures of sex, but as a princess, Nia would have been heavily guarded. Breeding would be too important for her mother to have risked her being touched by the wrong man. But she would be. He’d be the first man to touch her, the first to bring her nipples to hard peaks, to run his tongue along her belly and lap up her cream. He’d be the first to plunge his hard cock into her pussy and stretch her open. Hot need pulsated through his body, and when the council reconvened, Radek had to remove his vest and hold it over his crotch lest he display his aroused state to everyone present.

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Chapter Two

Nia woke with a gasp, her body drenched in sweat, her sheets twisted around her. Had it truly been a dream? She would have sworn the Underworlder from the council meeting was in her bed. She glanced from side to side. The room appeared empty. She knew a guard stood in the hallway. Surely no one had entered from there, but ... the balcony. She slid from the bed and ran to her balcony doors. The locks remained in place, but she opened them and stepped outside. No one stood on her balcony or in the garden below. She must have been dreaming after all. Uncertain whether she was relieved or disappointed, she sat on the edge of her bed and took a deep breath. As her frantic heartbeat slowed, she could no longer ignore the heat that centered between her thighs or the tingles running through her entire body. Nia sank back into the mattress, once again bemoaning her lack of access to men. Most women her age had already received their powers, celebrated their fertility ceremonies, and selected men for their personal harems. It wasn’t her fault she’d yet to be granted any powers. And now, so close to her thirtieth birthday, she doubted she ever would.

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At least she would get a fertility ceremony soon, even if the goddess didn’t see fit to gift her with magic. With so few Gaelish births, Nia’s people could not afford to ban powerless women from sex altogether. The magical powers most families held appeared to be weakening with each generation, but one never knew for certain when another strong witch would be born. Powers had been known to skip generations before. But the two weeks before Nia was to celebrate her womanhood stretched endlessly before her. Months before their fertility ceremonies, Gaelish women began taking herbal potions that increased their chances of conceiving after the ritual was performed. The potions wreaked havoc on a woman’s body, awakening every passion, every need that had lain dormant for years. Every waking hour, Nia longed to lie with a man. She’d been unbelievably tempted to follow her friends’ suggestions and use one of the men in their harems. It wasn’t like she couldn’t get some relief without risking an unsanctioned pregnancy. But Nia saw little point in that. She knew how to bring herself off, and she usually did so at least once a night. These manual orgasms were no longer enough. What she craved was a man inside her. One who wouldn’t hold back, but would give her the hard, deep fucking she craved. She doubted she would ever be able to truly satisfy her desires. Her fantasies were quite strange by Gaelish standards. In the rare instances when she’d seen male slaves accompanying their mistresses in public, heat had flooded Nia’s pussy, not because she wanted a slave of her own, but because she wanted to be on her knees wearing a collar. Contrary to all she’d been taught about the role of women in her society, she wanted to be a slave, rather than to own one. She’d heard of Gaelish women sneaking down to Underworld to experience the submissive side of sex, but she kept her own shameful fantasies to herself, never even hinting at them to her closest friends. So how had the man from the council room known about her desire to be dominated? And what was he doing in her dreams? Nia took a deep, calming breath and laughed at herself.

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It wasn’t as if he’d really been in her dreams. She’d simply been hyper-focused on him since he so closely resembled the men her mind created to enact her fantasies. His tight black shirt had revealed broad shoulders and hard, toned muscles. And his long hair was so black it gleamed blue in the light from the windows. And his smile ... Never had she seen one so wicked. As she pictured him in her mind, she gathered the hem of her gown, slowly pulling it up her thighs, reveling in the sensation of the cool satin. She used one hand to rub the fabric across her stomach while the other dipped into her panties to bring her some relief. She pressed the heel of her hand against her pubic bone, and her hips pumped rapidly. She thrust the fingers of her other hand inside herself, luxuriating in the slick feel of her channel. As she pressed upward, finding the spot that gave her the greatest pleasure, she forgot her disgust with Gaelish culture and began to relive her dream.

She heard someone calling her name. When she opened her eyes, the man she had seen in the council room, the one whose blood-red eyes had watched her like he wanted to devour her, stood at the foot of her bed. He wore tight black pants and a black shirt of the finest silk. Hair as dark and shiny as a raven’s feathers flowed from his head, and a deep-red cape encased his powerfully muscled body. He looked like evil incarnate. His glowing eyes should have made her scream for her guards, but she lay there mesmerized. “Do you fear me?” His deep voice flowed across her skin. She wanted to deny it, but she could not. “Yes.” He smiled. “Good.” Again she thought she should call for help, but she didn’t want to. Her nipples had tightened to hard buds, and she knew if she touched herself, she would be soaked with wetness. Why did this man arouse her so? “Because you need to be disciplined.” “What?” Had he read her mind?

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“Yes.” Her heart pounded harder. Why couldn’t she move? “You can read my thoughts?” “I can read your thoughts, your needs, your desires. What you need is to be taught to serve.” Nia shook her head. “Y-you should leave.” His smile faded, and light flashed from his eyes. “Never deny me what is mine.” Before she could form a reply, he grabbed the neckline of her gown and ripped it from her. Forcing her onto her belly, he gathered her wrists at her spine. He imprisoned them with one of his large hands while he stroked her buttocks with the other. “You are sorely in need of a spanking. And I will greatly enjoy giving you what you need.” Nia squirmed, trying to get away from him, but only arousing herself more as her hard nipples and throbbing clit rubbed against the mattress. “You can’t do that.” “I can do anything I wish, but right now, I wish to watch you pleasure yourself.” He let go of her hands and flipped her onto her back. “Touch yourself,” he ordered, stepping back from the bed. As if it had a will of her own, her hand reached between her legs. She began to stimulate her clit, pinching it between her fingers and pulling it away from her body in the way that brought the sharpest pleasure. Her eyes fluttered closed, but she opened them when she heard the man groan. He rubbed the front of his pants where they strained around his huge erection. The knowledge that she aroused him heightened her frenzy. She squeezed her legs together, tightening the pressure on her clit. She was close, so close ... Nia had woken from her dream before she could find completion, but now, as she lay wide awake, she had no intention of stopping. At least, not until she heard a knock on her door. “Princess?”

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Nia wanted so badly to ignore the summons. Why was her mother’s valet calling her when the day had barely dawned? Then she remembered the note she had carried to her mother. If it hadn’t held such urgent news, she would never have been allowed access to the council room and the rare opportunity to see men from Underworld. The note had let her mother know that her cousin’s labor had begun. The baby must be near now if she was being summoned. “I’ll be there in a moment,” she called. She hoped the baby had arrived safely. Since many Gaelish women were infertile, attending a birth was a rare occurrence. Her grandmother had tried to convince her that this was nature’s way of keeping a people with lifespans of several hundred years from growing too numerous, but Nia still ached for those women who longed for a child and couldn’t have one. Nia had been hovering over her cousin in anticipation of the event for days. Still, despite her genuine interest in caring for the newest member of their colony, she was going to find it damned hard to concentrate on anything today. Sooner or later she would have to get relief from the ache between her legs.

***** Night after night, Nia dreamed of the Underworlder, frustratingly, every dream ending before she gained satisfaction. And when she had enough privacy to bring herself to completion, her touch failed to assuage her need for the dark man who touched her in the night. She began to fantasize about finding a way to go below and seek him out. She should have been horrified by the dreams. From infancy, she had been taught that women, especially those whose families held powers, were to be approached with the highest respect. That any man would strike them was unthinkable even if his punishment was something the woman craved. Yet the dark man in her dreams wanted to tie her up, to spank her, to make her feel pain as pleasure. And the thought of all these things enflamed her like nothing else she could imagine.

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What was wrong with her? When the man whispered his plans to punish her, she grew aroused to the point of pain. Nia knew the men of Underworld kept female slaves as the Gaelins kept males, and she had heard horror stories of the way they tortured these poor women. Surely it was wrong of her to grow wet at the thought of such treatment. But the thought of being chained before this man made her knees buckle. As she lay down that night, she prayed her sleep would be dreamless. While she enjoyed the dark man’s nightly visits, they wrought too much havoc on her poor body. Such obsession could not be healthy. And despite what her more wicked side might desire, her responsibilities as the heir to the throne would keep her from ever fulfilling such a fantasy.

***** “Nia. Nia.” Nia opened her eyes. Not again. When would these dreams end? “Come to me.” He was calling her. The truth hit her like a vicious kick. She wasn’t dreaming. She was wide awake. Damn! Now she was imagining him without the benefit of sleep. This had gone too far. “Nia. Come to me.” There it was again. His voice. As clearly as if he were standing before her. Knowing she must be insane, Nia rose. Maybe some fresh air would clear her head. Not wanting her guards to know she intended to leave her room, she stepped onto the balcony, lowered herself over the edge, and climbed down the trellis. She paused as she neared the bottom, realizing she had not thought to grab a robe. She wore nothing but a thin gown that barely covered her behind. But who would see her? Dawn was perhaps an hour away. So the hour was too late for attending a party and too early to start the day.

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She jumped to the ground, crossed the castle yard, and let herself out the south gate, intending to walk to the stream that ran along that side of the castle. Then she heard him again. “Nia. I’m waiting.” She shook her head. Perhaps sexual deprivation really could make one mad. Her friends had told her as much. One of them had even given Nia an erotic picture book she’d acquired from an Underworlder. The friend had wanted Nia to see exactly what she was missing. The pictures had sent shockwaves through Nia. She knew the basics of sexual intercourse, but she’d never imagined the varied ways two people could couple, or the variety of other techniques one could employ. Just thinking of such mysteries increased the damp heat flooding her body. She knelt by the stream and splashed herself with the frigid water. But rather than cooling her inner heat, the drops of water caressed her skin, arousing her further. Her unbound breasts hung full and heavy, and cream pooled between her legs. She was contemplating plunging in for a swim when she heard twigs crack behind her. Turning, she saw the man from her dream, and froze. “Later, I will see that you are punished for disobeying. From now on, I expect you to come when I call.” His words sent a spiral of desire throughout Nia’s belly. Her breath rasped in and out, faster and faster, as he moved toward her with the powerful grace of a jungle cat. Her instincts told her to flee, but she remained rooted, her heart pounding. Simply watching him made her weak inside. He was terrifying, yet she wanted him more than she wanted to breathe. He caressed her cheek with long fingers encased in leather gloves. She sucked in her breath. Shivers ran up and down her body. “You are mine,” he whispered. “Who are you?” she asked, barely able to give voice to the words. “The man who will teach you all the pleasures the darkness has to offer.”

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Her legs shook, and she braced herself with a hand on his arm. The muscles she encountered were rock hard. “How did you get into my dreams?” “I wished to show you what your body truly craved.” “But that doesn’t explain --” “Hush.” His fingers traced the line of her jaw, trailing down her neck to rest on her collarbone, stirring sensations in her lower body that threatened to consume her. He dipped his hand into the pocket of his pants and pulled out the intricately carved barrette she’d missed when dressing her hair that morning. “Where did you get that?” “I have strategically placed some of my minions in Upperworld. And I would be a fool to believe your mother does not have her people planted in my territory, as well.” Nia bit her lip to suppress a smile. One of her friends had agreed to go below as a spy, pretending to be a man’s servant. With shame, she’d envied her friend’s opportunity to see a side of life Nia could never hope to. “You still haven’t explained how you entered my dreams.” The man smiled. “I need only connect with the smallest amount of a woman’s energy to enter her dreams. What happens when I get there is not fully under my control. The fantasies were yours. I simply helped you live them.” Nia’s face blazed with fire. “You had no right to see my thoughts, to --” “A man who stops to ask permission could never fulfill your fantasies. You want to turn over control, to be free to luxuriate in suffering.” “No.” Nia shook her head vigorously. How could this man know so much, things she’d never said aloud? “Come with me.” He stepped closer, his body only inches away.

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“Where will you take me?” she asked, wishing he would leave off touching her, so she could think. “To places you’ve never been before.” His hand moved lower. The tips of his fingers brushed her nipple, teasing it, then pinching tightly. The sharp pain made her gasp. Her nipple throbbed when he released it. She shook with fear, but the wetness between her legs increased, and she felt so hot she thought she might faint. She should scold him for touching her so intimately, but she could not. The feelings his touch inspired were too delicious. “The night calls to you, Princess. Don’t you wish to know why? Don’t you wish to know what your body needs, what you’ve been denied?” “I ... yes,” she answered, in a haze of confusion. He chose that moment to press his lips to hers. She whimpered against him as he forced her mouth open to his questing tongue. The kiss was harsh, like the ones in her dreams. He alternately bit her lips and sucked them, until they ached. His tight grip rendered her immobile, and her heartbeat accelerated as she feared he would never let her go. Yet the feel of his tongue against hers was an exotic pleasure, better than the finest fruit. When he released her mouth, Nia had to hold his shoulders to steady herself. He bent to slide his arm behind her knees and lift her. Finally, she found the voice to protest. “Put me down.” He complied, setting her feet on the grass. Before she could step away from him, he cupped her face with his hands and tilted her head so she looked into his fiery eyes. “If you come with me, I will give you what you need.” “I can’t. I would be missed within hours, and ... I have too many responsibilities here.” “A few months from now, you will be officially named heir to Upperworld. Don’t you deserve one chance to fulfill your own desires before giving yourself to your people?” Nia shook her head. “I can’t. Our customs do not permit such freedom.”

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“Don’t you wish to change those customs?” “How do you know that?” “I likely know more about you than you know about yourself. I certainly know about your need to be mastered.” Nia struggled against his hold. “Let me go. Now.” He frightened her, but worse than that, Nia feared she would fall prey to his seduction if she could not get away from him quickly. Oh, Goddess, how she wanted to let him do every wicked thing he’d described in her dreams. After one more short, fierce kiss, her dark stranger released her. From out of the air, he produced a flower with petals so deeply red they appeared black. He let the flower fall from his hand. It grew a long stem that buried itself in the earth. “This flower will grow here until your temptation is so strong you can no longer resist your desires. It will be visible only at night, but any night you choose, you may come here and pluck it from the ground. On that night, I will bring you to a place where we can fulfill our darkest fantasies.” Nia looked at the flower. She longed to caress the velvety petals, but beautiful as the bloom was, she told herself she must never touch it. “I have duties here. I cannot go with you. Not tonight. Not ever.” He smiled. “We shall see.” He vanished before she could reply.

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Chapter Three

The next morning, Nia could think of nothing but the dark and dangerous man. She replayed their meeting in her mind hundreds of times, longing to know what would have happened if she had gone with him. Before the midday meal, she attended her cousin, helping to bathe and soothe the newborn babe she’d come to love instantly. Then Nia gathered the first of spring’s flowers in the meadow with the castle servants, usually one of her favorite pastimes. But rather than enjoying the brightness of the sun and the wild array of colors before her, she thought only of the dark flower that would appear that night. By the time she sat down at the small table in her mother’s salon, anger and frustration clouded her mind. She could hardly be in a worse mood to discuss her fertility ceremony. No expense would be spared, and everyone in the colony would be invited to attend since Nia’s ceremony would also include her official crowning as heir. Most Gaelish queens stepped down from the throne when they celebrated their crowning ceremony and moved into the third and final stage of life. Heirs were crowned in preparation for this event. And the soon-to-be queens spent several years training under

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their mothers, aunts, or grandmothers, so they would be fully prepared to perform the duties of their office. Nia and her mother had been planning the elaborate celebration since the beginning of winter, but they each had very different plans for the ceremony. Every time they spoke of it, antagonism flared. “Good day, my dear.” Queen Eveleen entered, followed by a servant bearing a tray of food. “Good day, Mother.” Nia worked to keep her voice cheerful and to erase the frown on her face. The last thing she needed was her mother inquiring about her black mood. Nia and her mother filled their plates from the tray of fruits, nuts, and breads. Each woman spent a few moments enjoying the delicious springtime fare in silence. When she’d eaten her fill, Queen Eveleen crossed the room and removed a folder from her desk. “Here is a list of the food for your banquet. Please look over it, and let me know if there is anything you would like to add.” Nia forced a smile. “Certainly.” She took a last bite of fruit while she pondered how to phrase her next question, ultimately deciding to be direct. “Who will represent Underworld at the banquet?” Her mother’s head jerked up, and her nostrils flared. “No one. It is none of their concern.” “None of their concern? Mother, it is our truce with Underworld that allows us to remain on Althea. Were it not for the supplies they provide --” “We would have found a way to survive without them.” How many times had she had this argument with her mother? Without their agreement to deliver grain to Underworld in exchange for the use of the Underworlders’ ships and communication systems, they would have no ability to acquire goods they couldn’t

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make or sell what they produced. “No, Mother, we would not. Our magic allows us to create light and heat, nothing else. And even those powers have faded with each generation.” Eveleen slammed down her mug and stood up from the table, glaring down at Nia, bright color in her cheeks. “Your grandmother resurrected the very sun in our sky.” “Yes, and she died doing it. Every bit of her life energy went into reinvigorating Althea’s dying sun, and those who helped her have never fully recovered.” “But she chose her path. My mother would never have wanted us beholden to others. The scum who populate Underworld have no respect for women.” Nia knew her grandmother’s death still pained her mother, and she wished she could give comfort. But she had to fight for what she knew was right. “Underworlders have as much or more respect than we do for men.” “Men were created for breeding and service.” Nia barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes. How could her mother fail to see her own prejudice? Why couldn’t she see that Gaelish society could no longer remain isolated? The Gaelins had lost their homeworld because they’d closed their eyes to the humans’ invasion of neighboring planets. If Gram hadn’t given her life for them, the Gaelins would likely have died out when Nia was no more than a babe. “Whatever their natural purpose, the men of Underworld are our only hope for getting the supplies we cannot create or grow.” “We could learn to do our own trading.” The note of questioning in her mother’s voice told Nia that she knew how ridiculous her statement was. “We have no currency but the few coins our crafters have gained selling wares to Underworlders. Most Gaelins have never even spoken to a member of another race. Only a few of us speak fluent Common, and no one besides you and I know how to pilot a spacecraft.” Eveleen sat back down and took a deep breath. “We could learn.”

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“Not unless you stop making most of our women believe outsiders are dangerous and evil.” “The men from Underworld are dangerous. If they had their way, they would enslave us all.” “Perhaps that is true.” Nia chose not to mention that her mother had more than once stated her desire to conquer and enslave the men of Underworld. “Still, we cannot ignore their presence or our need for them. It is only fitting that King Radek attend my ceremony and crowning.” “I do not want that man anywhere near you, especially as your body prepares for your first breeding.” Nia bit back her comments on women being treated like livestock and focused on her goal. “How can I learn the duties of a queen if I am not permitted to speak to our closest ally?” “Your duties involve your own people, not outsiders.” “Unless I wish to sentence them to death, I cannot rule my own people without communicating with outsiders.” “No Underworlders will attend your crowning. That is my final word on the subject.” “Then our conversation is done.” Nia rose from the table and stormed from the room. One way or another, she would meet King Radek. She refused to accept the title of crown princess when she had never so much as spoken to an Underworlder. Unless she counted the stranger from her dreams.

***** That night, as Nia prepared herself for bed, the blood-red flower called to her. The night wind whispered, begging her to venture forth and seek her true desire. The heat and

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tightness between her legs begged to be relieved, and her breasts weighed against her chest, her nipples hard and tingling. She told herself that if need be, she could deny her body what it wanted. But now she had another motivation for going below. If her mother would not allow a party from Underworld to attend her crowning, then she would have to summon the courage to go to them. Her dark stranger had attended the queen’s council. Therefore, he must work closely with King Radek. Surely if she went to him as he asked, she could convince him to introduce her to the king. Her mother would never forgive her if she lost her virginity to an alien. But, according to her erotic picture book, there were plenty of pleasurable activities that would not result in pregnancy. A stab of lust shot through her core at the thought of various ways she and her stranger could amuse themselves. Having made her decision, Nia studied the contents of her closet. What did one wear when accepting such a lewd proposition? She chose an unadorned white tunic and tied it at her waist with white ribbon, aptly preparing herself as a virgin sacrifice. Though after what she had experienced in her dreams, she did not think there would be any true sacrifice on her part. Without making a sound, Nia crept onto her balcony and down the trellis. Once her slippered feet touched the ground, she ran the rest of the way to the flower. Before she could change her mind, she plucked it. The earth opened, and she fell down for too many heartwrenching seconds before a puff of wind buoyed her and she landed on a soft, plush carpet. When she came to her senses, she realized the carpet covered the floor of a large stone chamber. The dark man from her dreams sat on a throne, watching her with heated anticipation.

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He smiled at her and gave a deep, throaty laugh. “One day. That is all that has passed since I saw you last. Even I thought your resolve might last longer than that.” Trying to control the shaking in her legs, Nia glanced around the room. Lush red and gold tapestries covered the stone walls, and polished gold chandeliers hung from the ceiling, adding what light they could to the windowless room. The long red carpet stretched from where she stood to the base of the throne where the stranger sat. Two armored men stood on either side of him. At least ten men and women knelt on the steps before him. The men were dressed in simple pants and open jackets. The women were naked, save for collars around their necks. Nia closed her eyes and swallowed hard. Goddess above, what had she done? Her dark stranger wasn’t a close advisor of King Radek. He was the king himself. She opened her eyes and forced herself to look at him. “Your Majesty?” “At your service, Princess, though soon you will be at mine.” Nia tightened her fists, fighting against the fear swimming in her belly. “I think not. I would like to be returned to the surface.” “No.” The one word echoed in the chamber. How could she have been such a fool? Her mother had been right not to trust Underworlders, and now she had delivered herself, the Gaelish heir, into his hands. “You cannot keep me here.” “You were given a choice. You came to me of your own free will, and now, as I promised, I will give you what your body craves.” “What I crave is to return to the surface.” He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. The longer his fiery eyes looked upon her, the more she struggled to breathe. Despite her fear and anger, heat flared at the juncture of her thighs.

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“Do not lie to me again. I can smell your desire from here. You want nothing more than for me to throw you up against the wall and fuck you ’til you scream.” Nia gasped. She wanted to be outraged, but her body’s heat intensified until she could hardly keep still. “Are you truly unaware of the laws governing Gaelish women who dare to enter Underworld?” Nia’s friends had hinted that strict rules governed a woman’s trip below the surface, but they had never shared the details. Damn her mother for keeping her ignorant! “I have heard of no such laws.” Radek smiled. “If a woman from above comes below of her own accord, the first man who claims her owns her for seven days.” “Owns? A man cannot own a Gaelish woman.” “In Underworld he can.” “And you intend to force me to this bargain, despite my ignorance and my title.” “Yes.” Nia took a step back, her heart pounded. Never had she been so afraid, yet damn her traitorous body, hot cream ran down her thighs. Radek had spoken truthfully. Were he to take her against the wall, her body would welcome it. Radek rose and crossed the room to stand in front of her. Without warning, he grabbed the neckline of her tunic and pulled downward until he’d freed her breasts. He stared at them for several long seconds, flames leaping in his eyes. “Ah, you are as succulent as I had hoped. Tonight will be a pleasure indeed.” Nia shivered. “I ... I should never have come.” “Perhaps not,” he said, cupping her full breasts. “But nevertheless, you are here now, and you are mine.

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Chapter Four

Nia struggled fruitlessly against Radek’s guards. Her ankles were chained with less than a stride’s length of play, and the guards were walking too quickly for her to get both feet under her for a strong kick. The guards had secured her wrists at the base of her spine, and the bastards managed to stay too far away for her to get in a good bite. The two men were built like tree trunks, and their demeanor and uniforms indicated they had military training. Her life on the surface had hardly prepared her for physical combat. When her muscles began to protest her constant struggling, she let her body sag in the guards’ grips and focused her energy on studying her surroundings. Even if she could escape once the guards reached their destination, she’d never get back home if she didn’t know the way. Dark stone tunnels snaked around curve after curve, with smaller tunnels branching off every ten to twenty paces. Nia had heard stories of people getting lost in Underworld’s maze-like hallways and dying of starvation before they were found. Now she knew the storytellers hadn’t exaggerated.

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Her hopes for escaping dimmed the farther they walked. She doubted she could find one of the transport lifts that would take her to the surface. And even if she did, she would have to fight the guards that manned them. She began to accept the fact that escape was unlikely, at least until she knew more about Underworld and the man who had taken her. Damn her traitorous body for getting her into this situation. And damn Radek for reading her fantasies as clearly as if she’d written them for him. If only he hadn’t come for her when she was in the preparation stages for her first mating. She could have resisted him if the potions she’d taken hadn’t awakened unendurable longings in her body. Maybe ... Now, unless she discovered an ally who would lead her to a lift, her body would get exactly what it craved and more, if Radek held to his promises. Without effort, her mind drew pictures of Radek holding her down, forcing her body open and filling her with his massive cock. Her hips began making tiny circles as she squeezed her thighs together, desperately needing to put some pressure on her clit. Embarrassed by her lust, Nia forced herself to remember she’d also come below to protect the truce between Upperworld and Underworld. Her body might get what it wanted, but diplomatically, her mission was a failure. Once her mother discovered that Radek had captured her daughter, the queen would break the truce. Nia wouldn’t be able to stop her mother since no Gaelin would take council from a woman who had willingly gone to the bed of an Underworlder. And, captive or not, Nia had to admit she was more than willing. Suddenly the guards stopped and knocked on what appeared to be solid stone until Nia looked closer and saw the thin crack indicating that a doorway had been carved in the tunnel’s side wall. The door swung open just far enough for a tall, lean man to look out and identify them.

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The guard on Nia’s right spoke first. “This is the new slave, the one His Majesty has been expecting. You are to prepare her for his use.” The man gave Nia a cold, assessing look. “May I have her key?” The guard who’d spoken produced a key from his pants pocket and held it out. The tall man accepted it. Then he pulled Nia into the room and shut the door behind her. Nia had never seen anything like the chamber she entered. Sheer scarves in red, gold, and black hung from the ceiling, and tapestries depicting exotic sexual acts like those in Nia’s book covered the walls. A gold brocade-covered sofa sat at the near end of the room, facing two chairs covered in black velvet. Floor pillows lay along the floor against the back wall, and five naked or nearly naked women sat on them, conversing in whispers. The tall man bent to unlock the cuffs around Nia’s ankles as he called to one of the women. The woman who answered wore nothing but a bandeau top and a sheer wrap skirt. Her waist-length black hair shimmered in the soft light of the room, and she glided across the room with the most seductive walk Nia had ever seen. Once the man had divested Nia of her bonds, he stood and gestured toward the woman who now stood beside Nia with her head bowed. “This is Lucia. She will prepare you for His Majesty. You are to follow her directions precisely, or you will pay a stiff penalty. You do not want to anger His Majesty.” Nia saw a trace of fear in the man’s eyes when he spoke of Radek. Perhaps she should fear Radek after all. Especially if this fierce man did. But while his high-handedness had angered her, and she desperately feared the consequences of his actions, she was not afraid of him. She couldn’t be after the pleasure he’d given in her dreams. Nia followed Lucia as directed, and they entered a room with a tile floor, marble walls, and a gigantic sunken tub in the center. “Remove your dress, and enter the water.” Nia did as she was told. If she could not escape, then she might as well enjoy this opportunity to bathe. “What will happen to me tonight?”

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Lucia shrugged, but her mouth curved into a smile. “Who can say? His Majesty has a wide range of ... tastes.” Nia couldn’t begin to imagine everything his tastes entailed. “Will he hurt me?” Lucia’s smile widened. “Only if you desire it.” Nia drew in a sharp breath, and her nipples tightened. She couldn’t tell whether she was more afraid or aroused. Of course, it didn’t really matter, as each feeling fueled the other. Her fear rose mainly from her concern that despite having fantasized about being a man’s slave for years, the reality might be more daunting than her fantasy. Without further comment, Lucia handed her soap, a soft sponge, and a bottle of fragrant shampoo. She gestured for Nia to enter the water. When Nia emerged from the bath, Lucia stood by a narrow table like the ones Gaelish healers used for massage. As Lucia finished preparing a bottle of oil, she asked Nia to lie down on her stomach. “I must relax your body before you go to our Master. You must be ready to receive whatever he has in store for you.” Nia swallowed hard as image after image formed in her mind of all the things Radek might have planned. A part of her knew she shouldn’t be enjoying her captivity, but when Lucia began massaging musky oil into her back, all the tension drained from Nia’s body. She gave herself to the delicious feel of Lucia’s hands. In her already aroused state, Nia’s sensitive skin responded immediately to the hot, sliding motions of Lucia’s hands. Nia’s cheeks flamed as she realized her cream would likely make a puddle on the table before the woman was through. Lucia worked her way up Nia’s legs, making circles on Nia’s thighs with her thumbs. Nia gasped as Lucia slid her hands higher, separating Nia’s thighs and running her fingers across the lips of Nia’s pussy. Nia pulled away from the touch, disturbed by how good it felt. No Gaelish woman would ever touch another so.

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She sat up fully and turned to confront Lucia. “What were you doing?” Lucia smiled. “I was only testing you. If the thought of an evening with our Master had not yet made you wet, I could give you something to help you.” “Oh.” Nia cheeks heated at the thought of just how ready she was. Lucia laughed. “Obviously, you don’t need it.” Nia couldn’t understand her body’s reaction. She should be horrified by what was happening to her. She should try to escape even if the risks made it suicidal. Instead, she was hornier than she’d ever been, and her body, at least, had no desire to leave. She knew she would enjoy whatever Radek had planned for her. The door opened, and Nia gasped when the tall man entered. She crossed her legs and covered her breasts with her arms. “I’m not dressed. What are you doing in here?” The bastard had the nerve to laugh at her distress. “I’m here to take you to His Majesty. And you had better get over your modesty now. I doubt His Majesty will grant you the use of clothing.” “What? Where’s my tunic?” “Gone for now. It will be returned when your week of servitude ends.” “I’m not going anywhere without clothes.” Heart pounding, Nia leapt from the table and made a break for the doorway. She’d barely taken three strides when the man caught her around the waist, lifting her easily and slinging her over his shoulder. She kicked viciously and pummeled his back, but her attack had no effect on him. He strode toward the door as he called to Lucia to bring a set of chains.

***** “My mother will fight to the death for my return.”

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Radek’s lips turned up in a predatory smile. “I fear you are right. I can only pray my people do not suffer greatly for my indiscretion.” “Why would you take such a risk?” “I want you.” “Surely there are other women you want. Ones who would cause you fewer ... complications.” Radek smiled. “Indeed there are, but when I saw you in the council room, you called to me. I knew I had to have you.” “What do you mean?” “Do you know anything of Lalatian society?” Nia shook her head. She knew Radek was a Lalatian and that his people were an ancient race like her own. Beyond that she was shamefully clueless about his culture. “All Lalatians are either dominant or submissive by nature. Our culture understands the need for balance, and neither predilection is looked upon as superior. We could not exist without each other. Lalatian dominants feed on the pain and humiliation of those under their control, and the submissives are nourished by the energy their bodies produce in response to this domination. Without this exchange of energy, we would die, as you would without food.” “What does this have to do with me?” “Because of our hungers, Lalatians are able to sense a need for dominance or submission in all sentient beings. When you entered the council room, I could taste your submissive energy.” “And you thought this gave you the right to take me?” He smiled again. “How interesting that you argue my rights, rather than deny your nature.” “I ... that is not the point right now. The point is that you cannot keep me here.”

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“But you want to stay, don’t you? You want to know how it feels to be forced to serve me, to cry out under my lash.” Nia’s eyes dropped to the coiled whip hanging from Radek’s belt, and her lungs constricted. “You cannot keep me. It would be dangerous for us both.” He cupped one of her breasts in his hand, rasping his thumb across her nipple. It hardened immediately, forcing a gasp from her. “My darling Nia, by law you are mine for seven days.” Nia closed her eyes so she could not see him, wishing she could keep her body from responding. He rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, and she arched into him even as she begged to leave. “Please don’t do this.” “I admit it would be easier for all Althea if I did not, but I haven’t such restraint. It has been decades since I left Lalatia; in that time I’ve only met a handful of women as ripe for the taking as you. I will not let you go, and I will not tolerate further defiance.” He pinched her nipple to punctuate his words, eliciting a squeal. “If you ask to leave again, you will be punished.” The fire in his eyes told Nia he was deadly serious. Knowing now that he fed on pain, she shuddered to think what he might do to her. But at the same time, the thought that the energy of her suffering would give him a rush sent blood coursing to the pleasure point between her legs. Radek released her breast and let his black robe fall to the floor, revealing his entire body to her gaze. He was thickly muscled. She’d heard he’d fought twenty men singledhanded as he battled to rule Underworld. She had no doubt the story was true. Dark hair swirled over his chest and drew a long line down his belly. His male organ jutted upward proudly. Its size and thickness frightened and fascinated her simultaneously.

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He reached down and grasped his shaft in his right hand, making long strokes from the base to the tip. “I smell your desire, Princess. I bet you are so wet my cock would slide right in. But I have other plans for you, so that will have to wait.” He reached behind her and picked up a thick metal chain from the top of his bureau. Then he dropped a large, warm hand on each of her shoulders. She began to sink to her knees before she even heard him say, “Kneel.” He wrapped the chain around her neck and secured it. She felt a small weight in the hollow of her throat. Before she could ask what it was, he brushed it with his fingers. “This tag and collar mark you as my property. Any man who sees you will know you are already spoken for. My tag will protect you from their advances. You cannot remove the collar. It will remain locked in place until your debt of service is paid.” Anger flooded Nia at the idea of being owned, but she also felt a warm comfort ooze through her body. Both her body and mind were relieved to know that no other man would dare touch her now that Radek had an official claim. Radek scooped her up and carried her to the satin-covered bed. “Stretch your arms above your head,” he commanded. Nia kept her arms tight against her body. “What are you going to do?” Cold fear replaced the warmth her desire had raised. “I’m going to restrain you. I want to explore your body without your fear impeding me.” “No!” Nia jerked against his hold, desperate to be freed. The realization of how helpless she would be overwhelmed her. Radek slapped her thigh with his open palm. “Do not refuse me unless it is my cruel side you wish to see.” He grabbed her wrists and stretched her arms above her head. Her leg stung, and her stomach fluttered with anxiety as he snapped metal cuffs around her wrists and hooked them to the rings imbedded in the headboard. She struggled against

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the bonds as he stretched her legs to spread her wide. He clamped matching cuffs on her ankles and secured them, as well. By the time he stepped back to peruse her naked form, Nia was breathless from her efforts to escape. Her body writhed in conflicted agony; fear and crushing need raced up and down her body. She could not latch onto either emotion. Her confusion held her suspended between them. She wanted to submit and to flee at the same time. Radek cupped her face, turning her to look at him. “If you surrender to me, this night will be easier for you.” His velvet voice slid over her like a caress. She stilled, suddenly able to bear the frissons of sensations he sent through her as if his voice had worked magic. He wrapped his large hands around her sides and ran them from under her arms down across her hips and along the length of her thighs. He reversed his caress, stopping when his hands cupped the underside of her breasts. Nia’s nipples tightened, and she had to bite her lip to keep from begging Radek to touch them. His hands moved down and caressed her belly. He scored her with his nails as he did so. The pain made her jerk, but it sent spirals of pleasure across her skin. Radek’s touch moved even lower. Nia couldn’t get air in her lungs; never had she craved anything like this. Even in her dreams, she hadn’t needed him this much. Now she felt as if she would die if he didn’t give her relief. Under his expert touch, Nia forgot all the reasons she should not enjoy his touch, all the arguments for continuing to fight him. All she could think of was how she needed to be filled. Instinctively, she knew only his cock thrusting deep into her could truly satisfy her pounding hunger. “Please ... please,” she begged, lifting her hips. He smiled. “Please what?” “I ... I don’t know.” She could not bring herself to tell him, yet she thought she would die if he did not touch her. He growled and pinched her nipples tightly, making her cry out. “Tell me.”

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His harsh treatment of her breasts pushed Nia beyond caring. “Your cock. Goddess, I need your cock.” Radek’s red eyes flashed, and she heard him suck in his breath. “Gods, Princess. You are even tastier than I expected.” One of his hands pressed against her belly, forcing her hips to still, while his other hand moved between her legs where she ached and burned. His fingers plunged inside her, forcing cries from her throat. His fingers were thick and hard, but they weren’t enough. “Please!” She squirmed, trying to press against him. She was ready to do anything to ease the ache inside her. He growled again. “Not yet. This is what you get for now.” As his fingers slid in and out, he brushed her clit with his thumb. She moaned, cursing her bonds. Her breath came in pants as he continued to tease her. Just when she thought such wild agony could not be survived, he gave her the pressure she craved. She arched against the heel of his hand and exploded. Her cries echoed through his chamber, her hips working wildly as aftershocks rushed through her body.

Radek fought the tightening in his balls that begged him to mount her and deliver his come deep inside her. Her response had taken him off guard, and he could do little to calm his ferocious reaction. How had he gotten her desperate enough to beg within seconds, and since when did a virgin Gaelin know to beg for his cock? He’d meant to stop once he’d taken the edge off her desire, but he found himself needing to force her to a second surrender. He wanted to push her over the edge again to prove that her desire for him would never end. Thrusting a third finger inside her, he continued to work her until she climaxed a second time. Only the desire to punish her, the driving need of his to give her a visceral example of the submission he required, kept him from fucking her then. His mind knew he needed to

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wait, even if his cock didn’t. First she would satisfy his sadistic hunger; then she could taste his cock. He salivated at the mere thought of her ass reddened with his marks. “Look at me.” Nia’s dilated pupils added a wild edge to her innocent looks. Radek could see fear in her eyes, but the need that had made her beg was there, too. He released her ankles and wrists. “Kneel here.” He pointed to the floor at the end of the bed. “What --” “Do not speak again unless I ask you to.” He heard her breathing accelerate, and his cock jumped. Even his commands made her hot. There was no limit to what he could do with this woman. No matter what price he paid for his rash behavior, the next days would be worth it. He watched Nia as she tentatively slid to the end of the bed and positioned herself. When first spanking a slave, he normally restrained her. He knew it was unreasonable to expect the uninitiated to remain in place as the pain intensified, but with Nia he was nothing if not unreasonable. He had to see if her desire to serve him would give her the strength to hold her position despite the pain. “I’m going to give you the spanking you’ve been promised.” She whimpered, and his cock jumped. “Come up on your knees and stretch your torso across the bed. Grab the covers with your hands. Squeeze them if you need to, and scream all you want, but do not move.”

Nia obeyed his order, but she could not stop the shaking in her body. Night after night she’d dreamed of Radek, and every time she’d seen him, he had told her to expect this. Every night her mind protested, while her body begged him to fulfill his promise. Now that the moment had come, terror gripped her. Radek’s hand cupped her ass, caressing her. Then he swept her hair back from her face. His tenderness caught her off guard, and tears welled behind her eyes.

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“Surrender, my beautiful princess. Give yourself to the moment. If you do so, every drop of pain I give you will be felt as pleasure, too. Nod if you trust me.” Without thinking, Nia nodded. Then she realized she did trust him. The softness of his caresses and the concern that she heard in his voice made her trust him despite his ferocity. And his eyes ... They could show cruelty, but they also held heat, not the cold disdain she often saw on the faces of Gaelish women when they observed their slaves. She did not believe he would truly harm her. Crack! Fire exploded across Nia’s left buttock. Crack! His hand slapped the same spot a second time, forcing a cry from her lips. She writhed against the bed, but her grip on the sheets held. Crack! He’d changed sides. Now her entire ass burned. She bit her lip, wanting to stay silent, but a whimper escaped when his hand came down again. She hadn’t known a spanking could hurt this much. She fisted her hands in the sheets, fighting to stay in position, desperately wanting to please Radek without understanding why. Sometimes his blows came slowly and sometimes quickly. Each time, he delivered burning agony to her sore ass, but her body began to find pleasure in the pain. Each time his hand struck her, her body thrust forward, sliding along the satin, her nipples reacted to the friction as they would a caress, pebbling hard and aching to feel Radek’s hands or the heat of his mouth. When her hips hit the end of the bed, she rolled them against the mattress, longing for deeper contact. She could feel her cream slipping from her body to wet the inside of her thighs.

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Nia felt her climax gathering. She was right at the edge when he began spanking her faster and harder. Release eluded her. Radek rained blows without mercy until tears ran down her cheeks. When he stopped, she gasped for breath, but she dared not move. When he caressed her sore cheeks, she moaned. “Why am I doing this, Nia?” Nia tried to form a coherent thought. She failed. All she could do was shake her head. He pinched one of the welts he had raised. She screamed. “Tell me why?” “I ... I defied you.” His hand slipped between her cheeks and delved through her wetness to find her clit. She moaned, arching into his touch. “That was a convenient excuse, not the real reason. Tell me why?” “I ... don’t ... know.” He removed his hand just as she began the climb toward release once more. “Not yet, my princess. I’m not done with your ass.” Nia whined and worked her hips against the mattress, silently begging him to help her come.

Radek had no intention of answering Nia’s silent plea. The spanking was all the pleasure she would get that night. He wondered if she would sleep at all in the state he intended to leave her in. “I am punishing you because it is what we both need. Watching you writhe and cry gives me strength. I need it as much as you need food or breath. And while you may not be Lalatian, you need it, too. Your body cries out for punishment.” Radek caressed her beautifully reddened ass. “I’m going to give you five more strokes. I want you to count them for me. When we are done, I will send you back to my harem,

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where my servants will care for you. In the morning, you will be brought to me, and I will explain what you can expect of your days with me.” He forced himself to strike her with less force than he would like to use, knowing she’d neared her limit. “Count for me.” Seconds passed; then he heard a small, whispered “One.” After each stroke he watched her writhe and pant before she found her voice, but she managed to count as he asked. By the time he finished, she had grown so wet she’d dripped on the carpet. His cock jumped at the sight. Doling out punishment always fired his body, but he wondered if he’d ever been so hard and swollen. Nia excited him in a way no other woman ever had. If she were an experienced slave, he wouldn’t hesitate to plunge into her body with the sound of his last blow still ringing in the air. But in the mood her surrender had put him in, he feared he might truly injure her. Watching her body jerk from his blows, her hands fist in the bedspread, realizing her strength to hold herself still without any bonds should have satiated his need to deliver pain. Instead it made him want to give out more. No virgin could handle what he wanted tonight. Tonight he would make do with another slave from his harem, but tomorrow Nia would be refreshed and ready for more. The special oils his servants mixed would soothe the heat from Nia’s skin and speed the healing. Her ass would still be sore enough in the morning, but it would not truly pain her. “Nia.” She opened her eyes. “Release the covers and turn around.” Slowly, she turned to face him, tears still flowing.

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He knelt beside her and cupped her cheeks, wiping her tears away with his fingers. “Your surrender was magnificent, Princess. I do not want you to misunderstand how much I enjoyed you, but for your own safety, you need to return to the harem. You will be cared for and given a comfortable bed. Tomorrow, we will take care of the needs our evening has raised.” Nia eyes pleaded with him. She started to speak, but he placed his finger against her lips. “Do not ask me to change my mind. Every second you remain, my control wears thin. You would not like what I would do to you if you stayed.” Nia moaned, but she didn’t say a word. He knew her pussy ached with need. He considered denying her the right to touch herself during the night, but he wanted her rested, and he knew that her hands could bring her only minimal relief. He opened the door to his chamber, summoned a guard, and instructed the man to see that Nia was cared for. Then he asked that his most senior slave be sent to him. This particular woman was one of his favorites. She had been with him for many years, at least a decade. He knew she could take what he wanted to give tonight and thrive on it. An evening with her would cure his immediate physical needs. But his desire for Nia was like a consuming fire. He prayed to Varin that once he’d fucked the princess, his obsession would cool.

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Chapter Five

Hours before the rising bell rang, Radek lay awake. He fantasized about the delicious ways he would torment Nia and tried not to think how quickly Queen Eveleen would discover Nia’s absence. He’d spoken truthfully about the law allowing an Underworlder to possess a Gaelish woman for seven days. But he knew Eveleen would never accept that it applied to Nia. He had to play the game out, though. He couldn’t wait to find out how far he could take Nia before he had to give her up. While his body thrummed with anticipation of the pleasure he would experience that day, the intensity of his obsession did worry him. Were Nia a Lalatian, his reaction would signal that he’d found a potential mate. He’d known mating pairs to be so distracted by desire that they’d coupled publicly without realizing they were in the presence of onlookers. When Lalatian mates neared climax, the intensity of their energy exchange forced their mental shields down, and each could feel what the other felt. Rarely did one climax without bringing the other. Radek had been told there was no greater bliss imaginable. Of course, as an exile, he had never had the chance to experience this, nor would he ever.

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Radek shook his head as if to clear it of depressing thoughts. Whatever the cause of his obsession, he would conquer it when the time came. He’d never pined over the loss of a woman before, and he wasn’t about to start doing it now.

***** His guards brought Nia to his private sitting room an hour after rising bell. She stood before him, naked, save for his collar. Her body trembled. He breathed deeply, relishing the scent of her desire and fear. “Have you ever taken a man’s cock in your mouth, Nia?” Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. “Excellent.” The thought of another man receiving such a gift from her made anger sizzle in Radek’s chest. “Kneel.” Her body shook as she did so, and his cock swelled. He unbuttoned his fly and freed his cock as he closed the distance between them. “Taste me, Nia.” She hesitated. He wrapped her hair around his wrist and jerked her toward him. “Now.” Her tongue snaked out, licking the head of his cock. He sucked in his breath. Her tentative strokes fired him in a way the most experienced slave never could. “Take me into your mouth.” Fear showed in her eyes, but Nia did as he bade. He fisted his hands in her hair, longing to feel the back of her throat, but resisting the urge to thrust deeper. He wanted her to love serving him this way, to relish being on her knees in front of him. Only after she had would he show her the sweet agony of swallowing him whole. “More. Take me deeper.” She groaned, but managed it.

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His knees threatened to buckle as the heat of her mouth surrounded him. “Suck.” The single word was all he had breath for. Within seconds he would have sworn she’d lied about her experience. Her mouth brought him exquisite pleasure, and he didn’t need his Lalatian senses to know desire fueled her enthusiasm, along with her natural need to serve. He could smell the hot cream dripping from her cunt, and he wanted to taste it as much as he wanted to draw his next breath. The rhythm of her sucking quickened, and she swirled her tongue around his shaft with as much skill as any woman in his harem. His climax rose. He tightened his grip on her hair, thrusting into her as she sucked. “Swallow as you feel me come in; see how much of me you can take.” Fear returned to her eyes. She tried to pull back, but he held her firm. “Trust me to know your limits.” Nia whimpered, but ceased her struggles. “I’m going to come in your mouth, and you are going to take it like the gift it is.” Her eyes widened as he thrust into her mouth, holding her still. A few strokes later, he felt her surrender. Her mouth opened to receive him. He worked himself deeper and deeper, nearly all the way in by the time his orgasm rocked him, and he spurted his come down her throat.

Nia sank back on her heels when he pulled himself from her mouth. She braced herself on her hands and drew in rapid, ragged breaths. He hadn’t given her permission to move, but she would have fainted if she’d stayed on her knees. When she’d realized he meant to climax in her mouth, she’d wanted to beg him to change his mind, but he hadn’t given her the chance. Shame heated her cheeks. She should be begging him to send her home, not begging him to fuck her. But after the intense

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sensations he’d raised in her the night before, the thought of leaving him made her chest tighten and her heart pound. She’d never felt so at peace, so free, as she had while he’d spanked her. Once she caught the rhythm of it, she’d felt as if she floated up from her body, leaving all her concerns behind. She knew her mother and the Gaelish council would condemn her as twisted for what she’d felt, but her night with Radek had affected her down to the marrow of her bones. Why would she want to leave a man who could touch her soul when he touched her body? Burning-hot need pulsed through her body. The taste of him in her mouth had only stoked it, as if his come contained an aphrodisiac. Her control unraveled. She couldn’t think anymore, couldn’t even imagine fighting him. She wondered how much longer she could last before she screamed. She feared she might attack him to get relief. “Nia, look at me.” With effort, she raised her head and met his gaze. He smiled. “It is as I thought. I won’t be able to talk to you with you in this state.” “Please, I --” “Slaves speak only in response to questions. I have asked you nothing. Go lie on the bed.” Would he punish her for this small transgression? The twisted side of her he’d brought to the surface hoped so. She’d never had such a white-hot climax as the one she’d given herself while her ass still burned from his punishing strokes. But instead of preparing her for another spanking, he asked her to lie on her back and touch herself. She’d done it for him in her dreams, but now the thought mortified her. His face grew red with anger. “Learn to heed my commands without delay, or this day will not go well for you.”

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Tears threatened to spill at the thought that she had displeased him. Since when did pleasing him matter so much? She forced herself to ignore the protests of her mind and slid her hands down her body. Closing her eyes, she pretended she was home, waking after dreaming of Radek. Within seconds she was climbing toward a fierce release. At first, she made tentative strokes across her wet lips, but once she grew accustomed to it, her speed increased and she began tugging on her clit.

Despite his recent explosion, Radek was ready for her again as soon as he saw her fingers plunge deep into her slick channel. He wanted nothing more than to fuck her, but he knew his advisors would summon him to the meeting room any minute. He intended to take his time when he filled her with his cock, thoroughly branding her as his own. In no time at all Nia’s slender hands had brought her to a fevered pitch. Radek groaned as every muscle in her body clenched, sending her over the edge. He’d never seen anything so lovely as her face at the moment of climax. He smiled as he contemplated her reaction to servitude. Fear, desire, confusion. She might not understand why she needed him, but need him she did, both his cruelty and his adoration. When he’d spanked her the night before, he’d been amazed to see how easily she slid into a submissive’s trance. How the hell had such a submissive woman survived this long in Gaelish society? He was damn lucky she hadn’t already followed another below to learn the pleasures of the dark. His gut clenched at the thought. The idea of Nia giving herself to another man as she had him, one who might not treasure her special gifts but who would simply take advantage of her submissive needs, brought rage rushing up through his chest. His face felt hot enough to explode. He forced himself to take a deep breath when he realized he was gripping the footboard of the bed so hard that the metal threatened to bend.

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He leaned over her, brushing her soft blond locks from her face. “Now that I have allowed you the gift of release, you will come and kneel by my chair while I explain what will be expected of you today.” He gestured toward the large leather-covered chair positioned by the decorative fireplace he’d insisted on. Having a real fire in his bedchamber was one of the things he missed keenly living underground. Nia stumbled as she slid from the bed. Radek doubted her legs were steady yet after her wild ride. When she was in position, he sat and began his explanation. “Unfortunately, there are pressing matters of state that require my attention. Thus, I cannot devote the entire day to our pleasure. “You will remain by my side while I conduct my business. Whenever I walk, you will follow behind me. When I sit, you will kneel by my side. You will keep your head bowed at all times, unless I command you to look at me or someone else. If I require privacy, my guards will attend to you until I call for your return.” He cupped her chin, tilting her face up so their eyes met. “You will obey any command I give you. If you fail to do so with haste, you will be punished in front of all who attend me.” Nia’s eyes widened. He felt delicious waves of fear roll off her. By Varin, it would be hard to keep his mind on his duties today. “I intend to whip you tonight for our mutual pleasure. For every transgression of my will today, you will receive one extra stroke.” Still holding her gaze, he asked, “Do you understand how you are to behave?” “Yes.” Radek’s cock grew impossibly thicker at the sight of her quivering chin. “You will address me as Master whenever I require a response.” “Yes, Master.”

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“Good. He reached for the items his servant had left on the table beside his chair. He handed Nia a red-and-gold bandeau top and a sheer red skirt. It was barely long enough to hide the cheeks of her ass, but her face lit up when she saw that he would permit her some measure of modesty. He was glad she recognized the honor. He usually kept his slaves completely naked until they were fully trained. But with Nia, he found himself reluctant to give any other man a glimpse of her entire body. That was a treat for him alone. Once she’d put the garments on, he selected a hair tie and moved to stand behind her so he could braid her hair. Gaelish noblewomen were not allowed to restrain their long hair when in public, so the braid would lower the chance that anyone would recognize her. Next he picked up a black satin half-mask and slipped it over Nia’s head. “This mask and your new hairstyle will protect your identity from those who seek an audience with me.” “Thank you, Master.” He smiled as he lifted the next item, knowing she would not thank him for it, or at least she would not admit to him that she did. He snapped the leash onto the front ring of her collar. Anger flashed in Nia’s eyes before she covered it. Her gaze followed the length of the leash and rested on the loop he held in his hand. “Your tether will remain around my wrist at all times unless it is in the keeping of one of my personal guards. Do not think to attempt an escape while I am busy.” “Yes, Master.” Her face reddened instantly as she said the words. Was she ashamed by how easily she fell into her role as his servant? He reached out and caressed her cheek. “Never be ashamed of who you are. What you feel is as natural as breathing to you, as my need for your obedience is to me. Everything you do to serve me only makes you more beautiful.” The blush stayed on her cheeks, but she smiled. “Thank you, Master.”

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“Come, I must meet with my ministers.” He stood and pulled on the leash.

Nia tried to get her feet under her, but she slipped, falling back to her knees. “You’ve earned your first extra stroke. Keep up with me, or I will make you crawl.” His cruel words made her cunt throb as if he’d touched her. She scrambled to obey, her mind distracted by the thought of him punishing her. His hand had hurt almost beyond endurance; how would she handle the long whip he carried at his waist? Despite her terror, a shiver of desire ran through her body, and she felt her nipples tighten in response to reawakened desire. As ordered, Nia followed a few paces behind Radek as they exited his chamber and entered the dimly lit hallway. Nia counted her paces to distract from the humiliation of her leash and her nearly naked state. They continued along the same tunnel for a hundred paces before taking a ninetydegree turn into a branching tunnel. Then she saw it, a transport lift. Two guards stood by the lift door, both openly assessing her as she walked by. They’d only made two turns; surely she could get back to this place if she had an opportunity to slip away. Perhaps she could use the seductive charms Radek was so interested in to distract the guards. Then she would be able to get on the lift and escape. If she could make herself leave, that is. Her body was having difficulty remembering her duty to the Gaelins. About thirty paces past the transport lift, Radek stopped before a sliding door similar to those on the lift. The two men standing at the entrance bowed, and one pulled down a lever that caused the door to retreat into the stone on one side. They entered a long room outfitted with a table, comfortable chairs, and a buffet. Nia was reminded of her mother’s council room, where she had first seen Radek; except here there were no windows and no vases of flowers to bring color. There was little light of any kind.

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Steaming beverages, pitchers of water, and baked goods were laid out on the buffet, and red folders had been placed in front of each chair at the table. At least a dozen men stood talking in small groups. When Radek was announced by his guards, they turned and bowed to him. A hot flush of embarrassment climbed Nia’s neck and consumed her cheeks. Her skin tingled as she became hyper-aware of her near nakedness and the implication of her leash and collar. But only a few of the men paid attention to her. Apparently, Radek bringing a slave to his meeting was far from unusual. A sick feeling Nia feared might be jealousy swirled in her belly. She was being ridiculous, of course; she knew Radek kept an extensive harem. An innocent from Upperworld could hardly outperform his well-trained slaves, no matter how compatible he thought their natures. The men found their seats at the table after Radek had seated himself and Nia had taken her place by his chair. The first hour of the meeting passed uneventfully as various ministers gave long, droning reports on the state of the treasury, distribution of grain surpluses, and collection of taxes. Nia found herself watching the clock mounted on the wall, wondering how long the meeting would last. She should have been absorbing the information she heard in case it proved useful when she returned to the surface. But the low-pitched voices of Radek’s ministers threatened to lull her to sleep. She doubted she’d slept more than a few hours the night before, and those hours had been broken by erotic dreams from which she woke so horny she’d had no choice but to touch herself to gain release. She fantasized about laying her head on Radek’s thigh and sleeping supported by his firm muscles, but the thought of the punishment such an action would gain her kept her on her knees.

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When the tax minister finished speaking, Radek tugged on her leash, forcing her head up to meet his eyes. “I am thirsty, slave. Bring me a glass of water.” Nia tried to rise, but Radek jerked her back to the floor. “I did not give you permission to stand.” She hesitated, humiliation paralyzing her. “You have already earned another stroke for your tally. Don’t make me wait any longer.” His harsh words stung her as if he’d given her the blow already. Her body heated in anticipation and fear as she scurried across the floor on her hands and knees. The leash stretched to its limits, pulling at her collar and nearly cutting off her air as she poured the water, but she managed the task. To return to him without spilling the water, she had to shuffle along painfully on her knees. At first anger and embarrassment at her predicament made her face flame, but when she looked up and saw Radek’s eyes glowing with lust as he watched her, dizzying desire nearly made her fall. The realization of how deeply her servitude turned him on made her forget her embarrassment and focus only on him. He smiled as he took the water from her. “Excellent. Now face me, sit back on your heels, and spread your legs. I want to be able to see your cunt while I work. I want to watch you get wet as you kneel for me.” Nia’s breath caught; the position would expose her to everyone at the table. The thought of all those men studying her wet lips made blood rush to her face, but she didn’t hesitate. She wanted Radek to see what serving him was doing to her. She was so wet she would be dripping on the carpet in no time. Her growing arousal kept Nia wide awake during the following segment of the meeting, but she realized she felt more relaxed than she had in years. She usually spent her days arbitrating problems between other Gaelins or hearing complaints lodged by one of the male servants. When that didn’t keep her busy, she busied herself strategizing about

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improving their trade agreement with Underworld and finding alternative ways to get the goods her people needed. As her fertility ceremony had drawn near, she’d been pushing her mother harder and harder to open up friendly relations with Underworld. She’d also spent hours in the goddess’s temple, praying to be gifted with powers. The stress of fighting for her people’s future and for her own had worn her down. She’d never realized how free a person could feel when all they had to do was serve. Knowing her sole purpose that afternoon was to please Radek lifted all her stress and allowed her to enjoy the sensations rushing through her body. Nia had no idea how long she’d sat, legs apart, head down, when Radek announced that they had reached the final item on the agenda. He was ready to hear public petitions. Nia glanced up and saw two men being admitted to the conference room. Lord Sven, Radek’s human first minister, explained that the two men wished to speak on behalf of different groups of refugees. Radek indicated that the man on the right should speak first. The group he represented comprised a few men and a number of women and children. They had fled their homeworld when it was attacked by the human-led Common World government. Without hesitation, Radek gave them permission to settle in Underworld and told the representative to bring the men to the palace to apply to him for work. The second man represented a group of prisoners who’d fled the nearest Common World planet after making an escape from their detention center. Radek interrupted the man several times, questioning why these men had been placed in prison and how they’d escaped. The man tried to evade Radek’s questions, but eventually he revealed that most of the “refugees” had committed violent crimes and that they had killed at least ten men in their escape.

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Radek told him he would hear nothing further. “You and your men have two hours to remove yourselves from Althea. Otherwise, I will contact your government and let them deal with you.” Nia knew she wasn’t supposed to look up, but she couldn’t resist. The man’s eyes widened in reaction to Radek’s words. He obviously had expected a warmer reception. He stuttered as he spoke. “I-I don’t think you understand our predicament.” “I understand perfectly. I have no use for your kind in my colony.” Radek’s voice held an edge of steel and none of the velvet tones of seduction Nia had grown used to. The man’s face turned red. “How dare you speak to me like that? Althea was a prison colony. You are no better than me or my companions.” “I could order your death for questioning me, but as I am anticipating a delightful afternoon ...” Radek paused and looked down at Nia. She dropped her eyes quickly, but not before she saw him lift his brow at her disobedience. “I am inclined to be merciful. The men who founded Underworld were imprisoned for a variety of reasons, most of them political and many of them fabricated. When I became king, I saw that any who were not willing to follow my laws left. If they would not leave, I had them killed.” The man’s face paled. Nia could imagine the flames leaping in Radek’s eyes as his anger rose. She’d known the Gaelins needed Radek as an ally, but she would never have believed what a skilled ruler he was unless she’d seen it firsthand. His decisions held the perfect mix of justice and compassion. While Nia might disagree in principle with his ordering executions, she knew Underworld was nothing like her own colony. Its ruler would have no choice but to show absolute authority. The representative was dismissed, and Sven announced another petitioner, a human who wanted to make a sales pitch for a new company that sold jump-capable ships. Nia’s attention drifted as he described the features of his top-end ships, but it was drawn back

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when she heard a sharp buzz and a crack. Her head flew up, and she saw that Radek held a short crop in his hand. She managed to lower her eyes just as he turned toward her. She tensed, thinking he wanted more pain from her. Tears pricked her eyes at the thought of suffering for him in front of others. She longed to feel more pleasure/pain, but not here, not where Radek’s council members could see her. Fortunately for her, it wasn’t pain he wanted from her. He pressed the crop’s slender handle against her belly, sliding it lower and lower until the leather pressed against her pleasure center. She squirmed against it, unable to help herself. “Do not move.” His command froze her. How did he manage to restrain her with mere words? He worked the handle against Nia’s heated flesh, slipping the tip inside her. She kept her eyes down and fought against the urge to move. She was stunned when she heard him begin to question the man who’d finished describing his company’s products. Radek had a long list of questions. He’d obviously done his research on ship capabilities. Despite Nia’s humiliation at being aroused in front of so many strangers, her climax rose. As it coalesced in her belly, she sank her teeth into her bottom lip, hoping to hold back the scream building in her throat. Her muscles tensed and she went over. Her body shook with her efforts not to cry out, and no compulsion to obey could keep her hips from thrusting against the crop nestled between her legs. The only indication that Radek had registered her climax was the withdrawal of the crop as the contractions of her inner muscles slowed. Never once did his voice falter as he laid out his proposal for acquiring two jump ships at half their usual price. When Radek had dismissed the salesman, Nia felt his eyes on her, and she dared to glance up. The smile on his face spoke of utter satisfaction. Goddess, she longed to see that look as he sank his cock into her. She wanted him inside her so badly, she doubted she’d protest if he decided to fuck her on the conference table in front of his entire council.

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Chapter Six

Radek studied his schedule. Nia waited for him in the room next door, watched over by two of his personal guards. His council meeting was followed by an appointment with the Gaelish ambassador to Underworld. Radek had been tempted to keep Nia with him. The energy of her fear would have tasted delicious, but he dared not risk her being recognized. The ambassador had not mentioned the princess’s disappearance, indicating that her people did not yet suspect him. He had several more hours, at least, to enjoy Nia. With a wave of his hand, he called Sven to him. “Cancel the rest of today’s appointments. Reschedule them for no earlier than three hours past rising tomorrow morning.” “Yes, sir,” his minister answered, trying to suppress a smile. Radek’s council might have tried to hide their interest in Nia, not wanting to give offense, but Radek knew each of them had noticed her exceptional beauty. Sven could have no doubt why Radek’s wanted the afternoon to himself. “Would you like me to summon your guards and your slave?” Sven asked. Radek nodded his consent.

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When they entered the council room, Radek took Nia’s leash from his guardsman, forcing himself to not betray his excitement to her. He wanted her to question what would happen to her next. The more fear he could create, the better a feast she would prove to be. But Radek’s impatience was such that he could have sworn the snaking corridors leading to his chamber had doubled in length during the morning. He wanted to glance behind him, to watch Nia’s full hips sway, to tempt her to break her obedience so he could add to her punishment once more. The thought of watching her under the whip had nearly made him cancel his council meeting. But if he whipped her in his current state, he would spend himself before he’d given her two strokes. He would fuck her first; then he could see to her discipline. When they finally reached the door to his bedchamber, Radek asked the guards to remain outside and told them to refuse access to anyone, no matter how important. He tugged hard on Nia’s leash, making her stumble across the threshold. “Kneel.” She dropped to her knees smoothly, as if he’d been training her for months. Once again, he questioned her easy acceptance of him. Something other than her availability as a mate had to explain their perfect fit. He unhooked her lead and hung it by the door. Using her hair for leverage, he pulled her to her feet. “On the bed, on your back, legs spread.” His tone was harsh. He needed to frighten her. The hunger he’d suppressed all day came pouring forth now that they were alone. He watched Nia position herself, suppressing a groan when he saw the glistening wet lips of her pussy. Even in the midst of her fear, she was so damned eager. She must want his cock in her as badly as he wanted to put it there. He couldn’t wait to hear her beg him for it. He intended to make her scream with pain and pleasure until she didn’t know which she wanted more. His anticipation was so strong, it dizzied him.

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He walked to the bed and stood beside it. Reaching out, he ran the tips of his nails across the soft skin of her belly. “I want to hurt you, Princess.” He drew the words out in a soft voice, relishing the shiver that rippled down her entire body. She whimpered and forgot not to make eye contact. He raised his brow. When their eyes met, she gasped, quickly closing her lids, but not before he saw that her catlike eyes had glassed over and her pupils had fully dilated. “Reach your arms above your head, and do not move.” He watched her do as he asked before opening the tall cabinet by the bed. The cupboard served as a closet for his implements of torture. Seizing a pair of leather cuffs, he snapped them onto her wrists and attached them to the ring bolts in his headboard. Looking into the cabinet once more, he licked his lips as he slid his hands across a row of clamps. He passed over a pair with wicked, sharp teeth, smiling as he vowed to use them on Nia in the future. Then he selected a pair that would grip her hard enough to please him, but lightly enough for a virgin to bear. He leaned over her and swiped his tongue across one dark pink nipple. Her hips shot off the bed, and she moaned. He laughed low and deep. “That’s another stroke. I told you not to move.” She whimpered. The muscles in her thighs strained as she flattened her hips against the bed. He smiled as he blew on her now wet nipple, watching goose bumps form as it tightened further. Without warning, he snapped on the clamp. She screamed and thrashed from side to side, opening her eyes once again to see what had brought such agony to her nipple. “I could count that as another stroke,” he said as he cupped the other breast. “But your pain is so beautiful, I will let it go.” She sucked in a breath. “Thank you,” she said in the smallest of whispers. Radek smiled. “Close your eyes.”

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When she had obeyed, he pinched her other nipple. He saw her whole body tense, every muscle waiting for pain. He remained still until she began to relax again; then he clamped her. Her cry pierced the silence. She lost control, kicking her legs and pulling at her bonds. “Please, please stop! I ... I can’t.” “You can. You suffer perfectly. I’m sure your dance under the whip will be incomparable.” The clamps were nothing compared to what she would suffer as the whip welted her flesh. He wanted to tell her this, to stretch her fear further, but even his cruelty knew limits. His body feasted on the energy of her pain and fear. He adored watching her suffer, but he knew she would taste far sweeter once her desire spiked again. He reached between her legs and found her clit. It took nothing, only the lightest touch to bring her hips up against his hand. As he squeezed and stroked, her struggles ceased. When she began to moan and thrust against his hand, he knew she was ready for more. He settled between her legs, grasped her ankles, and pushed until her legs were up against her stomach, giving him a lovely view of her cunt. In this position, he’d be able to go as deep as she could take him. He pulled her hips toward him and pressed the tip of his cock against her. “Watch my cock as it opens you.” Nia opened her eyes. She jerked at her bonds and tried to rise on her elbows. Radek pushed her hips toward the headboard, giving her better use of her arms, but the movement broke his contact with her. She moaned. “Please.” Radek laughed. “Delightful as torturing you is, I can’t wait any longer.”

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Nia exhaled in a rush. She’d truly thought she might die if he kept teasing her. She’d never imagined herself capable of the strength of longing she felt. In that moment she would have done anything to get Radek to fuck her. He pressed her thighs against her belly once again and slid in no more than an inch. Just that small bit stretched her painfully. If she felt full now, what would it be like to have his entire length? It would hurt. And he would love it. Such a thought should have frightened her, but it only spun her that much closer to the pinnacle of pleasure. Her nipples ached and stung where the clamps pulled at them. Now she knew her cunt would burn when he thrust against her. Radek was right. She wanted his cruelty. In fact, she needed it to be truly satisfied. For many long seconds, he didn’t move. Nia stared down at their connection, barely able to suck in air. Afraid to beg again, but growing more and more desperate for him to drive deep. “Tell me what you want,” he said, his voice ragged. She drew in a shaky breath. “I want more.” “More of what?” Her face burned with the added heat of embarrassment, but nothing could make her hold back. “More of your cock. I want it all inside me.” “Brace yourself.” His grip on her thighs tightened, and he slammed into her, seating himself to the hilt. She screamed. The same pure, piercing sound that had erupted from her when he’d clamped her.

Radek wanted to shout in triumph. He’d known Nia was untouched, but when he breached her maidenhead, he got irrefutable proof that she was his. No other man would

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ever master her as he was. Pure, undiluted pleasure had coursed through him. At that moment, he was willing to fight a war to keep her. As he absorbed her delicious pain, he stilled, letting her get used to the way he filled her cunt. Then just as she began to unclench the muscles she’d tightened at his forced entry, he pulled one of her nipple clamps. She twisted, working herself on his cock as she tried to ease the pain in her nipple. He groaned. “This is exactly how I want you. Never feeling pleasure without pain to counter it.” She whimpered as her hips rose and fell. He tugged on the other clamp as he pulled back and thrust inside once again. “You want this, too, don’t you? Mere pleasure pales in comparison.” He thrust faster and faster, and she struggled to meet his rhythm. Nia cried out, her movement growing more frantic. “More, Goddess, I need more.” “Yes, you do, and I can give it all to you. Everything you’ve ever needed, all you’ve been forced to deny.” She pulled at her bonds, rattling the headboard. He drew her legs over his shoulders, and her thighs tightened against him. Her feet beat against his back. He drove himself hard and deep. Then he gave a sharp tug on Nia’s clamps, ripping them off her nipples. Her scream went on and on, echoing through his chamber. “Come for me. Come through the pain.” She squirmed and thrashed as she went over. Her orgasm milked his cock so hard, he couldn’t hold back a scream of his own. Her shields dropped, and the rioting sensations wracking her body swamped Radek’s mind. He could feel his cock stretching her nearly beyond endurance. The burning pain radiating from her nipples made him buck and jerk inside her as he tried to escape the

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overload of sensation. Her agony and ecstasy poured into him, but he felt something else as well -- tenderness and recognition of the soul-deep connection a dominant and submissive could make. It was these softer emotions, rather than her aching need, that took Radek by surprise and pushed him over the edge. He gave her one more thrust before the force of her body’s contractions and the pleasure roaring from her mind pulled him over. He buried his cock to the hilt as his whole body quaked. He could no longer discern her shouts from his own as wave after wave of pleasure and pain gripped him. He drank it all down like the glutton he was. Thoroughly satiated, he collapsed on top of her, reaching up to undo her wrists before losing consciousness.

Nia woke, unsure how long she’d been unconscious. Radek still lay on top of her. His weight compressed her chest, and she fought to draw in a breath. Her movement made him stir, and he pushed up on his elbows to stare down at her. The look on his face made her dizzy. She’d seen his eyes full of anger and full of lust, but never had he looked vulnerable, as he did now, like he could not drink in enough of her, like the thought of even moving his body from hers pained him. “Radek.” His name fell from her lips before she could stop herself. Her very breath needed to acknowledge him. He’d never given her permission to speak his name. She tensed when she realized what she’d done. “Shh!” He placed his fingers against her lips. “Right now, that is all I am. Not a king, not your Master, just a man who wants you very much.” She smiled. “I want you very much, too.” “Why haven’t you fought me?”

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Uncomfortable with the question, she looked away. “You said it yourself. You have discovered my true nature.” Using a finger under her chin, he turned her back to face him. “Yes, I did, but most women would still fight me. Unless submission is something they were born to, most people find it hard to serve with grace. You were born to rule, not to serve.” “Yes, but I’ve never wished to rule the way my mother does. I’ve never thought to dictate how people should live, what they should think. I want to rule so I can protect my people’s future.” Radek rolled to his side and sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. “I know. And as much as I would love to give you a permanent place in my harem, I realize I must let you go. You have an important destiny to fulfill.” Nia took a deep breath and sat up. She knew Radek was right, but she didn’t want to leave Underworld. The thought of permanent separation from him pained her as it had since the moment he’d first touched her in the flesh. With that first touch, she’d felt the connection between them sizzle to life, and she had known it could bring them much more than pleasure. Radek pleasured her beyond reason, but what she felt for him went far deeper than lust. She blinked back the tears that pressed against her eyes. He stroked her cheek. “Does the thought of leaving truly sadden you?” She swallowed past the lump in her throat, trying to find her voice. “Yes.” “I’m sorry.” She smiled, and a few tears slid down her cheeks. She loved the way Radek dominated her, but when he was tender like this, she felt as if he’d reached inside of her and wrapped himself around her heart. She desperately wanted to know more about the parts that he kept hidden. “Why did you leave Lalatia?” His body went rigid.

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Nia looked down at her lap. “I’m sorry. I just thought I remembered that Lalatians rarely leave their homeworld, so I was curious.” “I was exiled.” His voice was tight and cold. Nia wasn’t sure how to respond so she said nothing. After several seconds of silence, Radek spoke again. “Among my people, exile is considered a punishment greater than death. Our compulsion to live communally with other Lalatians and our need to feed on energy cause us great suffering if we are separated from others of our kind.” Nia’s chest tightened. “But you’ve lived on Althea for fifty years or more.” His lips curled up in a mirthless smile. “Fifty-three years tomorrow.” “But what --” Nia bit her lip. She desperately wanted to know what crime he’d committed to deserve such harsh punishment, but she wasn’t sure she dared ask. He answered anyway. “Permanent exile is reserved for those who’ve committed treason against the Lalatian government.” Nia gasped. “Treason! You would never commit treason.” Radek gave a bitter laugh. “Tell that to the elders.” Nia wasn’t sure where her confidence in him had come from, but she would swear on her life that he would not do such a thing. And now his bitter comment earlier about political crimes and fabricated charges made far more sense. “So they sent you to Althea? You weren’t even granted freedom in your exile.” “They left me free to roam the galaxy as I saw fit. Running a gang of smugglers landed me on Althea.” “But why would you --” “The humans who attacked our planet ruined my life. Why not spend what was left of it helping others fight their blockades?”

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Nia frowned. “I didn’t know the humans had attacked Lalatia.” Radek smiled again, but his eyes stayed flat and cold. “Our elders would prefer that no one did.” “Why?” “They prefer not to involve other races in Lalatian business.” Nia sniffed. “They sound as isolationist as my mother.” This time Radek’s smile was genuine. “I’m afraid their policies are quite like Queen Eveleen’s.” “What made them think you’d betrayed them?” A look of deep sadness rose in Radek’s eyes, but he quickly closed them and shook his head. “I’ve said too much as it is.” He turned away from her, but Nia reached out and stroked his back. “If you ever want to talk about what happened, I’d be happy to listen.” She felt him shiver slightly. But when he turned to face her again, arrogance had replaced the sadness in his eyes. “I would prefer you forget this entire conversation.” His rejection hurt Nia more than she would have guessed. “I only want to learn more about you.” Anger flashed across his face, and his eyes glowed with fire. “In six days you will be gone. While you remain, you will remember your place.” Nia had no idea how to respond. He was once again the cold, distant Master he had been in the council room. She could only guess that he was angry with himself for showing his vulnerability.

Radek turned away from the hurt look on Nia’s face. He crossed to the bar so he could pour himself a drink.

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As he splashed amber liquid into a glass, he cursed himself for speaking so harshly to Nia. Opportunities to converse with intelligent women were few and far between. He wished he could recapture the mood, but he could barely string two thoughts together. His head still reeled from entering Nia’s mind. He’d convinced himself that a Gaelin could not possibly be a mating partner, but their bodies had reacted exactly as Lalatian mates would. Then before he could ask Nia if she had somehow caused the merge, she’d broadsided him with her questions about Lalatia. In half a century, he’d never told anyone why he’d been forced into exile. Yet he’d found himself longing to tell her the entire story. A knock on his chamber door interrupted his thoughts. He’d told his guards not to bother him. What could be so important they dared risk his anger? Unfortunately, he only knew of one thing -- Nia’s presence in Underworld had been detected. When Radek cracked open the door, he saw Sven, his first minister and one of three people who knew the true identity of his new slave. Radek’s heart pounded as he stepped into the hall and shut the door behind him. “Have we been discovered?” “Not yet. The queen is suspicious, but thus far only because she’d rather blame you than anyone else she can think of.” “Then why are you here?” “The Gaelish ambassador is demanding to question you about Nia’s disappearance. I think, under the circumstances, it would be best if you met with her.” Radek took a deep breath. Sven was right. He could not afford to arouse suspicion. “Send her to the red meeting room. I’ll be there shortly.” Radek stepped back into his bedroom. Nia lay on the bed, nearly asleep once more. Her eyes fluttered open, and she brought herself quickly to her knees. “I’m sorry. I --” He fought the urge to smile at her distress as he pulled on the clothes he’d discarded earlier. Gods, she made a delightful servant, even after he’d scared her with his loss of

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temper. “Do not leave this room. I have business to attend. You have permission to sleep, but I will expect you to attend me when I return. And I have not forgotten that I owe you a whipping.” Nia shivered, and Radek breathed in the scent of fear emanating from her. He left quickly, before he could give in to the need to take her before he saw the ambassador.

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Chapter Seven

Convincing the Gaelish ambassador of his sincerity took far longer than Radek had anticipated. The bitch even insisted on sitting in on the emergency meeting Radek called so he could form a search party, leaving him no choice but to truly send men out looking for the princess. Fortunately, none of them would dare to search the royal apartments. There would be no fun with Nia in the council room tomorrow, but she would be safe enough in his bed. Hours later than he’d hoped to return, Radek opened his bedroom door and found Nia curled on her side in the middle of his bed. She slept so soundly she did not even stir when he walked by the bed on his way to the bathroom. She must be thoroughly exhausted. He would never have pushed another slave so far so fast. If she hadn’t responded so damn easily the night before, if he didn’t feel inexorably bound to her, as much a slave to what was happening between them as she was, perhaps he would have gone slower. As it was, he knew he had pushed her beyond reason. He would save her whipping for the next day. The anticipation would be delicious, as would watching her fear continue to build. The mere thought of punishing Nia brought his

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cock to rigid attention. But his craving for her was that of a man who wanted one more helping of sweets when he was already full. Such delights would taste good, but he didn’t need more. He needed to rest and so did Nia. He started a boiling hot shower as he contemplated how Nia had managed to break through the armor he’d constructed after he was sentenced to exile. Despite the logic behind his decision, the idea that he would forgo the pleasure of punishing her disturbed him. When had sleep ever been more important than feeding his desires? He’d survived his exile from Lalatia by distancing himself from his emotions. He enjoyed his partners and he gave them pleasure, but he never let them see too much of the man behind the crown. As long as he told himself he didn’t need that deeper form of intimacy, he could convince himself he wasn’t lonely. The sad truth was, he spent most of his nights longing to return home, to find the mate his body and soul craved. Now he’d met a woman who tempted him to care. But allowing himself to feel anything beyond lust could only bring him more pain. When their time together was up, she’d go back to Upperworld, and he’d be alone again. He’d lived exile and imprisonment. He didn’t think he could survive losing a woman he wanted for a mate. He’d conquered his hopelessness by conquering the very place he’d been sent to die, but if he sank to the depths of despair again, his soul might not recover. But could he really save himself from this pain, or was it too late? Had Nia insinuated herself so deeply inside him that he would never be rid of his feelings for her, no matter how far away he sent her? He shook his head at the thought, wishing he’d never let his hard mask slip when he was with her. The more the real man who lived within his outer shell connected with Nia, the more desperate his situation got. If he had any sense, he’d scoop up Nia’s sleeping form, place her in the closest transport lift, and try to forget he’d ever seen her. But he didn’t have the strength to deny himself. The thought of slipping between the sheets, wrapping his body around Nia, and falling asleep

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with her scent surrounding him made him consider breaking a decades-long habit and allowing a woman to stay in his bed. Not once since Radek had made himself king had he gone to bed with a woman by his side. Not one time had he snuggled close against a warm body during the night. He’d enjoyed countless women, but he’d wanted no more from them than the pleasure he got watching them writhe in pain while he brought them to a blistering climax. Realizing he’d long ago finished washing, he shut off the water and stepped out of the shower. As he toweled himself dry, he told himself a smart man would move Nia to one of the other private rooms in his personal quarters. But for the first time since his plan to save Lalatia from human invaders had backfired in his face, his heart won out over his mind’s logical analysis. Naked and clean, he pulled back the smooth silk sheet and slid into bed with Nia. She murmured something unintelligible as he fit his body to hers, but she quieted within seconds. Lying in bed, his body touching hers from head to toe, he felt right on an elemental level. Radek could not imagine any greater connection with another being. If this wasn’t what Lalatians were supposed to feel for their mates, then such emotions were out of his realm of imagination. Of course, if by some miracle Nia was a potential mate, then he was doomed to live without her. Now that the Gaelins were actively searching Underworld for her, Radek doubted he would be able to keep Nia for more than another day.

The next morning, Radek rose before Nia. He summoned a servant and ordered breakfast. Leaving the tray for Nia, he piled a plate with bacon, eggs, and crusty bread, the human fare he’d grown to love since becoming king. Once he’d eaten his fill, he entered his personal office, where Sven waited to go over the day’s schedule. Radek studied the screen on his mini-unit. His calendar wasn’t overly full, and he saw only one appointment that could not wait until the next day.

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“Confirm my second-hour appointment. Cancel everything else.” Sven nodded, but Radek saw the disapproval in his eyes. “I intend to send the princess back to the surface after tonight’s curfew bell.” Sven nodded. “Yes, sir.” “Now go do as I asked.” “Yes, sir.” Radek appreciated Sven’s concern, and he knew the man was only trying to protect all of Underworld. But unless the Gaelins forced his hand, he would not forgo one final day of pleasure. When he re-entered the bedroom, Nia was seated on the sofa by the fireplace, partaking of the breakfast. When she realized he was watching her, her face reddened. She sat down the large piece of jam-covered bread she’d been eating and dropped to her knees on the floor. The sight sent a surge of blood to his cock, and he hardened instantly. He’d reveled in the tender feelings she’d stirred in him the night before, but now he wanted to watch her squirm. He could go days without the energy of a woman’s pain, but since he’d met Nia, he had turned into a glutton. The thought of making her suffer had him salivating. “Have you breakfasted sufficiently to quench your hunger?” Keeping her eyes on the carpet, she nodded. “Yes, Master.” “Good. Go stand at the end of the bed and lay your torso across the mattress.” She did as he bade while he collected the manacles and chains he needed. She held herself still as he buckled leather cuffs on her wrists, but he felt her trembling. The musky smell of her arousal assailed him as he bent to fasten her ankles. He clenched his teeth against the need to take her right then. “Spread your legs.”

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She did so, and her hips brushed against the bed, drawing a moan from her. He slapped her ass. “Silence.” Her teeth sank into her lip, and her eyes widened. He took a deep breath and shuddered. Drinking in her emotional essence intoxicated him. She thought she was his slave, but she had the power to make him do anything. Even risk his whole kingdom. He hooked the rings of her ankle cuffs to short chains attached to the lower bedposts, spreading her legs wide and exposing her pink lips. Hot cream dampened her thighs, and he couldn’t resist tasting her. He ran his tongue the length of her pussy in one long swipe. Gods, she tasted like the sun he never saw, like a warm spring rain, like perfection. Moving away before he kneeled between her legs and drank her down, he circled the bed. She gave no resistance when he stretched her arms upward and secured them to chains he’d attached to the rings in the headboard. He stepped back and surveyed her immobilized body. Never had he seen a more beautiful sight. The dark velvet of his comforter accentuated her pale skin and the pure blond of her hair. The slick pink lips of her pussy begged him to take her. He took another step toward the door, needing the distance to resist her charms. “I have an appointment I must keep. I want you to lie here and imagine what I will do to you when I return. You are to lie still while I’m gone. Don’t even think about rubbing your cunt against the bed.” Nia whimpered, and her hips quivered. Radek couldn’t help but smile. Now she would think of nothing else. “I haven’t forgotten that I owe you a whipping. Any disobedience will add to yesterday’s tally. Do you understand?” “Yes, Master.” Her voice trembled as she answered, and Radek gripped the bed to steady himself from the heady taste of her fear. She was soaking the bedcoverings with her cream. He doubted it

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would take more than a touch of her clit to bring her off. She would come while he was gone; he had no doubt of it. And punishing her for it would bring them both exquisite pleasure.

Nia heard the door close as Radek left. She prayed he would hurry back. His damned admonition to think of what he would do to her had her doing nothing else. The muscles of her arms strained as she arched her back and lift her hips from the mattress to keep from risking an orgasm. She was so wet, his cock would slide right in. She ached with the need to be filled. Even the thought of the whipping he’d promised made her inner muscles clench with desire. Would he do it when he returned? Was that why he’d displayed her ass? She tried to imagine the sting of his whip as it slapped her flesh, but the imagined pain did nothing to quench her lust. Instead, her ass arched further, as if reaching for his strokes. In an attempt to think of anything other than the fire consuming her body, Nia imagined the search that had surely been launched for her on the surface. She had to return soon. If she saw any chance to escape, she would have to take it, no matter how much pleasure Radek offered. If her mother found out where she was, then the future of all the Gaelins would be in grave danger and so would Radek’s life. Perhaps later, much later, she could return to Underworld. Maybe even ... no, she dared not even think she and Radek could be partners. She had no reason to believe he would offer a woman anything but a place among his slaves. One more day. She should have worked harder to find a way out as soon as she realized who her dream lover was. But she would give herself this day, and then she would find a way to access a transport. Even if it broke her heart. Needing to banish such depressing thoughts, she drew her awareness back into her body. Once again, she felt the velvet bedcover caressing her face, her breasts, her belly. The

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leather of her manacles rubbed against her wrists and ankles, reminding her that Radek had left her in no position to escape, even if she wanted to. He could take pain and pleasure from her any way he wanted to. She replayed the previous night in her mind. Seeing once again his thick, powerful cock poised to enter her. Feeling the ache in her nipples where he’d set his clamps. Welcoming inch after inch of him into her body even when she thought he would never fit, that he would rend her in two. As images flashed through her mind, her hips moved of their own accord, grinding her pelvis into the bed. Seconds of contact were all she needed to find release. Her hips jerked against the bed as her muscles clenched involuntarily, drawing out her pleasure with each contraction. When Radek opened the door seconds later, she lay limp and sated. Instantly, she knew she could never hide what she’d done. She dared not turn to face him, but she listened carefully as he strode toward her, stopping several feet short of the bed. She heard him draw in a long breath. “The smell of your release hangs fresh in the air. You obviously held out longer than I expected. I thought you would bring yourself off the moment I left.” He stepped closer. “It wouldn’t have mattered, though; I would still know.” He paused and cupped her buttocks in his hands, lifting and squeezing them, sending blood rushing back to her cunt. “And I would still punish you. But then, you were counting on that, weren’t you?” Nia hesitated, unsure if he expected an answer, unsure if she could form words through the raging need threatening to cut off her breathing. “Weren’t you, Princess?” he asked, tracing a line down her spine with his nail, scratching her just enough to awaken her need for pain. “Yes, Master.” Damn, he was good. Her heart had just begun to slow from an explosive orgasm, and now she was right back up to the edge again. There had to be more between

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them than simple lust. Her hot desire alone would enslave her to Radek without the use of a single restraint. She’d seen gorgeous men among the slaves on Upperworld, but couldn’t imagine they could inspire such crazed lust. Her mind might be confused by her submissive needs, but her body knew exactly what it needed. Radek’s fingers continued down the length of her spine and into the crack of her ass. When he reached her asshole, he teased the edge and pushed the tip of his finger inside. Nia gasped. In her confusion, she forgot his command for silence. “What are you doing?” “You disobeyed me, Nia.” He worked his finger deeper inside her as he spoke. She twisted, trying to escape the unusual pressure, but he used his other arm to force her hips to the bed. “I could add another stroke to your tally, but that is not enough. You need more sensory experience of my domination. There is no better way to show a woman who she serves than to fill her ass with cock.” “What? You can’t.” He released her hips and fisted his hand in her hair jerking her head off the bed. “Are you challenging me?” Her fear of his intentions overwhelmed her need to obey. “It won’t work. There’s no way you ... your ... cock will fit in there.” “I assure you, it will. What’s more, once your body gets over the shock, you’ll even enjoy it.” He was serious. He truly intended to do this. Tears gathered in Nia’s eyes. “Please, don’t.” “Begging will only make it worse. The taste of your fear only makes my cock harder for you, more ready to show you this new pleasure.” “No.” She struggled against his hold, trying to free her head and force him to remove his finger from inside her. She knew she’d never escape, not when she was bound to his bed.

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She’d accepted the bondage with no second thoughts, but now he’d scared her, even more than with his talk of whipping her. “That’s another stroke of the whip, Nia.” The steely command in his voice strangely calmed her. She drew in a deep breath and forced herself body to still. “That’s better,” he purred, releasing her hair and sliding his finger ever so slowly from her ass. She had to admit her traitorous body enjoyed the sensation far more than she would have thought. He stroked her back with his firm hands. “I will prepare your body well. My first entrance will still hurt, but once you are open to me, you can enjoy it if you relax. Just accept that I’m going to take you no matter what you do.” He gripped both her ass cheeks, pulling them farther apart. Her undivided attention was focused between her legs. “You may scream and cry. In fact, I want you to, but you may not fight me or try to refuse me access to your body. If you do, you will suffer more. Do you understand?” “Yes, Master.” She barely heard her own words over the thumping of her heart. Nothing he’d done yet had terrified her like this, but still cream ran from her body like a river. Her mind screamed at her to fight, to try anything, even asking the goddess to gift her with magic right there and then. But her body begged him to use her, to hurt her, to master her. Then his hands began to rub oil onto and into her ass. She could no longer think about what she wanted or didn’t want. He’d reduced her whole world to the secrets that lay between her legs. With the help of the oil, he worked one finger all the way inside her, then two. The pressure was uncomfortable, but it didn’t truly hurt. But when he added a third finger, the stretching started to burn. Her body instinctively pushed against him, trying to force him out.

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“Relax. Fighting makes it worse.” “It hurts,” she gasped. “I can’t relax.” ‘You can if you try. You can choose to find the pleasure, or you can suffer, but I’m not going to stop.” He shoved his fingers in further to prove his point. The sharp pain wrenched a cry from her. She pulled at her bonds, trying her damnedest to close her legs against his assault. “That’s another stroke. Be careful, or your tally will run higher than what your body can withstand.” His voice held an authoritative chill, but he used his free hand to reach under her and thrum her clit. She gasped at the raw pleasure that spiraled through her, nearly making her forget the pain his other hand invoked. He began to work his fingers in and out of her ass while he thumbed her clit and swept his fingers between her slick lips. He gave a low laugh. “For a woman determined to fight this, you are awfully damn wet.” Her only response was a whimper. Her body couldn’t process all the sensations he created. Pain and pleasure mixed until she couldn’t tell one from the other. When he withdrew from her ass, she whimpered as if she missed the fullness and the burning pain. Did she? Was she so far gone she’d welcome even this? Then she felt the head of his cock press against her tensed asshole. Fingers were one thing, but his cock was massive, and her poor ass was already sore. She couldn’t possible accept something so large. She began to struggle again. His hand cracked across her ass cheek, bringing more stinging fire to her body. “Stay still.” He gripped her hips in his strong hands and tilted her back to receive him. “Open yourself for me when I enter you.”

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She did as he said, pressing back against him, but still, it hurt like hell. His cock burned and stretched her until she thought he would rip her in two. He was only an inch or so inside when she lost control again, bucking and screaming and jerking at the chains securing her wrists. “Relax. You can’t stop this.” He forced himself deeper. “Let go of your fear, and open to me.” His words touched something deep in her, and her body obeyed, despite her mind’s continued protests. She stopped fighting, and the muscles of her ass slowly released. The pain didn’t go away, but it diminished. Holding her hips hard enough to bruise, Radek surged forward until he’d seated himself in her to the hilt. Tears coursed down her cheeks. She fought to keep her composure, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of breaking her further. He drew himself out of her as slowly as he’d entered. She drew her first satisfying breath since the ordeal had begun. But he surged back harder and faster this time. She bit her lip, but the scream came out anyway. “That’s it. Let it out. Scream for me. I want to drink you down. I want to fill your ass with my come while I drink down your pain, your rage, your fear.” His words enflamed her, easing the pain, making her need to pleasure him above all else. He must have felt her surrender, because he rewarded her by reaching for her clit again. His touch was all she needed to begin converting some of her pain to pleasure. He worked her, giving her just the pressure she needed to climb toward her peak. He slid in and out of her ass, faster and faster with each stroke. He worked her open for his cock, stretching her nearly beyond endurance. But once again, her body accepted him as it had his fingers.

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Pain and pleasure mingled, and her cries became ones of need, not protest. By the time she felt the tremors that signaled her imminent release, she was begging him to fuck her, crying for him to take her harder, to sink his whole length into her ass. He released her clit as she was about to go over the edge. She sobbed, “Please. Please. I need it.” “Yes, you do. You need me now. You will always need me. I own you.” “Yes.” “Tell me.” Her mind couldn’t process his request. “What?’ “Tell who you belong to.” “You.” “Say it all.” “You. I belong to you.” “What would you do for me?” “Anything.” In that moment she meant it. She would do anything to stay with him, anything to remain in his power. “Come for me, Princess.” She did. Without even his hand on her clit to help her, with his cock buried in her ass to the balls, she tumbled into the abyss of the strongest orgasm of her life. And as her whole body tightened and began to spasm, she suddenly felt her own hips gripped tightly in Radek’s hands. She felt the slick tightness of her lubed ass gripping Radek’s cock. His pleasure coursed through her, and she felt a rush of energy as he savored her pain and pleasure. When his shout of release roared through her mind, the sound pushed her up and over once again. She climaxed so hard her whole body shook with it.

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Chapter Eight

Radek’s legs shook so violently, he could barely stand after he pulled out of Nia. His orgasm had been the strongest one of his life. Once again, he’d entered Nia’s mind at the moment of climax. Her pleasure still echoed through his body. As if that weren’t enough to shake him to the core, Nia’s reaction to his cock in her ass had been more than he’d ever dreamed of getting from a slave. His body was exhausted, but his mind raced, overstimulated from the burst of energy she’d given off when she came. She’d given him enough of herself to keep him satiated for weeks. Fighting to stay on his feet, he bent down and unlocked the chains at Nia’s ankles. She sighed as he massaged her ankles and drew her legs together. When he circled the bed to unlock her wrist chains, she turned to face him and smiled. “Thank you.” His heart pounded, and a lump formed in his throat. She looked so innocent, so vulnerable. She truly wanted him, even after what he’d done to her. And he still had no explanation for their connection other than her being his intended mate. If she were ... no, he couldn’t consider it. He would have to send her back to the surface that very evening if not sooner.

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Careful to keep the emotion from his voice, he raised his brows and said, “So you enjoyed having your ass fucked after all?” She giggled, still high on endorphins. “I would never have thought ... but it was incredible. I’ve never come so hard in my life.” “Neither have I,” he said as he stretched out beside her and tucked her against his body. “Yeah, right,” Nia whispered as settled her hips against his. “I wouldn’t lie to you.” “You don’t have to flatter me. I know you’ve had plenty of experienced women.” He flipped her onto her back and settled on top of her. He held both her wrists in one hand and cupped her chin with the other. He didn’t want her looking anywhere but into his eyes. “Experience could never compete with your honest reactions. No woman has ever given herself to me so completely.” Nia frowned. “I didn’t think I had a choice.” How dare she belittle what they’d shared? A growl escaped his throat. “Do you truly think I would have taken you against your will? I would never have put my cock inside you if you weren’t dripping wet and begging me for it.” Her wide eyes told him his anger had brought flames leaping up in his red eyes. She shook her head. “I didn’t mean ...” Getting a grip on his fury, he let go of her wrists. “It doesn’t matter what you meant. We have more important things to discuss.” He rolled off her and sat up. A knock on his door interrupted them before he found the strength to mention sending her home.

Nia watched Radek open the door and step outside to speak to his guards. She wished she’d been able to learn what was troubling him. Her comment shouldn’t have angered him like it did. He was the one who kept a harem of slaves. But she had to admit he’d never

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touched her without her body begging him to. And she couldn’t imagine him truly forcing another woman, either. Lucia had certainly seemed happy enough. So was his concern for her desires something he gave to all his slaves, or did it mean their relationship was about more than sex and domination? She wanted to believe the latter because, despite all logic, she’d fallen in love with him. Her heart hammered at the thought, but there could be no other explanation for the connection she felt when he was inside her. She wanted him so much, she feared he’d become an addiction. Could she ever be satisfied with less than the extremes of pain and pleasure he could give? Of course, her desires meant nothing. Reality dictated that he would have to let her go. When she realized Radek wasn’t going to return quickly, she rose from the bed. Radek’s thorough use of her had left her dizzy. She needed food to calm her growling stomach and a big glass of water. She spotted a tray of fruit, bread, and cheese on the coffee table where she’d found breakfast earlier. A water pitcher and glasses sat beside it. She filled a glass and selected a red fruit she remembered enjoying the night before. She’d taken her first bite when she realized Radek still stood just outside the room. Her position nearer the door allowed her to hear his conversation. “Lady Cedara herself is here? In Underworld?” “Yes, Your Majesty.” Her aunt was here? Oh, Goddess, why now? She needed more time. Even if she could never act on her feelings, she needed to know if Radek thought of her as more than a pleasure slave. Radek spoke again. “Why didn’t you tell me right away? I will have to see her. Not doing so would be too grave an insult.”

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“We escorted her to the blue sitting room. We offered her refreshment, but left her guarded, of course. She wasn’t happy. She doesn’t believe you are truly searching for her niece. I’m afraid she smells a cover up, Your Majesty.” Nia thought she recognized the voice of Radek’s first minister, Lord Sven. “What chance do we have of coming out of this unscathed?” “They are not high, Your Majesty. I’m afraid if you do not cooperate with Cedara’s request to allow her guard-slaves to launch their own search, she will assume you are guilty of a cover-up at best and kidnapping at worst.” “I did not kidnap the princess.” “Perhaps not by your reckoning, Your Majesty, but I do not believe Cedara or the queen will see it that way.” “If I allow them to search, Cedara’s magic will allow them to sense Nia, at least eventually.” “That is correct, Your Majesty.” Radek’s fist hit the wall, making Nia jump. “I’ve really fucked this up.” “I suppose it would be impolite to agree, Your Majesty.” Nia couldn’t stand to listen anymore. The thought of leaving Radek tore her heart in two, but she could not run the risk of his being blamed for her presence in Underworld. She had come of her own free will, albeit a will influenced by his presence in her dreams. He had not forced her to pick the flower, and he had done nothing she hadn’t asked -- or rather begged -- for. But her mother would never believe her. If Nia didn’t get herself safely out of Underworld before her aunt Cedara found her, Althea’s two civilizations would be at war. She’d come below to protect the peace, and by Goddess, she would do so. Clothes. She needed clothes. Focusing on practical matters was the only way she to silence the screams of pain from her heart.

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As quietly as possible, she folded back the doors of Radek’s wardrobe and extracted a long robe. She would have to belt it tight and pull up material at the waist to keep it from dragging the floor, but in the dim light of the hallways, she could pass for a robed concubine returning from an assignation. Shoes were more of a problem. Her soft slippers had disappeared with her tunic, not that they would have offered her feet much protection. Radek’s boots would never come close to fitting. She supposed she would have to flee barefooted. Nia reached up and fingered her collar. Tears pricked at her eyes at the thought of removing it. How she wished she could be Radek’s forever. She knew once she’d returned to Upperworld, she would never meet another man who could reach as deep inside her as Radek could. How could another man stir so many emotions in her? Lust, fear, respect ... love. Yes, love. She’d managed to fall in love with a man her mother wouldn’t hesitate to kill on sight if Eveleen knew he had touched her daughter. Squeezing her eyes shut against the onslaught of sadness, she tried to depress the mechanism that would open it, but it wouldn’t budge. She pulled and tugged at the chain. It was thin, but it was apparently quite strong. Finally, she gave up. She would have to cut it off after she reached the surface. She prayed no one would look too closely at her neck. She pulled the robe higher, trying to hide the tag that lay against her chest. With the tag covered, she was as ready as she would ever be. There was a door in the corner of the bedchamber, nearly hidden by a massive bureau. Nia had not seen Radek use it, but since she couldn’t leave by the main door, she hadn’t much choice but to give it a try. Taking a deep breath, she swung the door open, holding her breath lest any noise alert Radek to her intentions. But the hinges were well-oiled, so she didn’t make a sound. She let out her breath and stepped into a dim, narrow passage.

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A few paces in, she found another door. Perhaps it led into an adjacent room. She tried it, but found it locked. She walked a little further and tried the next door. It moved when she gripped the handle, and ever so slowly she opened it, finding herself in a bedchamber similar in size to Radek’s, but much less richly appointed. Holding her breath again, she stepped into the room, moving cautiously in case someone was in the bed or standing where she could not see. The room appeared empty. One excruciating step at a time, she moved to the main door. She cracked it as quietly as she could. Peering out into the hall, she saw two guards standing a few doors down. If she’d calculated right, they were the men stationed outside Radek’s door. She didn’t see him, though, so he must have left with Ambassador Sven. Fortunately she would not have to pass the guards to head toward the transport lift, but would they question anyone who entered the hallway? She ducked back into the room and began searching the wardrobe. After sifting through various sets of scandalous undergarments, she found a few scarves that would suit her purpose. She quickly braided her hair and tied one to the end of the braid. She draped the other over her hair to disguise its color since the white-blond shade was rare below the surface. When she thought she’d disguised herself as well as possible, she opened the door and walked down the hall in the opposite direction from the guards. She made sure to keep her pace steady, as if she knew where she was going and expected no one to question her. When she reached her appointed turn without being stopped, she let out a slow breath. Now she had only a short distance to go. Her breath caught as she entered the side tunnel. Footsteps echoed up ahead. She darted back into the main tunnel and continued forward. She turned into the next available offshoot and pressed herself up against the wall. She could see into the main tunnel while remaining relatively invisible in her black robe and scarf.

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She waited for what felt like an eternity as two guardsmen passed, followed shortly by two more. Both times the men glanced down her tunnel as if looking for someone. She wondered if they were members of her aunt’s guard, but she dared not look closely enough to find out. When the tunnels remained clear for several seconds, she gathered the courage to move up to the entrance of the main, wider hallway. She dashed out and quickly turned back into the tunnel that would lead her to the transport. But after walking the fifty paces that should have brought her face to face with the guards at the lift doors, she saw no sign of a transport lift. Nothing looked familiar from her walk with Radek the day before. She turned around and headed back to the main tunnel, but when she’d once again counted fifty paces, she saw no sign of the wider hallway that would lead her to Radek’s personal quarters. Narrow tunnels branched off on either side, but nothing larger was in sight. How could this have happened? She’d simply gone back the way she came. Hadn’t she? Could she have turned around one too many times when she reached the place the lift should have been? Her heart raced, and sweat trickled down her back. She told herself not to panic. She fingered the tag on Radek’s collar, grateful she hadn’t been able to remove it. It might afford her a measure of protection from some of the men she could encounter. Assuming, of course, that they had a healthy fear of Radek. She shuddered at the thought that the ruffians of Underworld wouldn’t likely care who owned a slave they found in a deserted tunnel, even if her owner was their king. And if Aunt Cedara’s search party found her instead, her attempt to protect Radek would fail. Her discovery would likely pull her people into a war with Underworld.

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Of course, she might simply starve to death before anyone came across her. She paced back and forth wondering what she should she do -- stay where she was, or try once more to retrace her steps and return to Radek’s chamber. All Gaelish children were taught to stay in one place if they were lost lest they miss their rescue party. But would anyone look for her in these deserted tunnels? The reality of her predicament came crashing down on her, and her frustration boiled over. She slammed her fist against the rock wall, hardly feeling the pain that paled compared to that which was building in her chest. Tears coursed down her cheeks and quickly turned to sobs.

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Chapter Nine

Like a caged predator, Radek circled the desk of his private office. He felt as if he’d been boxed in with no reasonable choices left. His primitive side fought with his common sense, refusing to give up his prize until someone attacked and forced his hand. He’d argued long and hard with Cedara, eventually telling her he’d allow her guards to search, but barring them from his private quarters and the diplomatic quarter. Now he and Sven had to develop a more coherent plan. “What brought Lady Cedara to the firm conclusion that Nia is below the surface?” Sven glanced up, but quickly returned his focus to the stack of papers on Radek’s desk. Radek knew the sight of his red eyes burning with anger frightened even the most stalwart of humans. “One of Princess Nia’s friends confessed that the princess had been asking questions about Underworld. Apparently the night before Nia disappeared, the princess argued with her mother about whether you should be invited to her crowning. Nia favored your attendance. Her mother opposed it.” “But Nia didn’t know who I was until she came below.”

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“She didn’t know the man who’d invaded her dreams was the king of Underworld, but she knew relations between our two worlds needed to remain friendly. Apparently she is a far wiser diplomat than her mother.” So Nia had thought to sacrifice her virginity with an Underworlder in an attempt to gain an audience with him and preserve the peace. Instead she’d found herself enslaved and her world turned upside-down. “So the queen thinks Nia came down of her own accord.” “Yes. However, Queen Eveleen believes you must know where Nia is, and your silence will only implicate you.” “By law, she is mine to hold for seven days.” “Your Majesty, I think you know as well as I that Queen Eveleen will never accept that our slave laws apply to her daughter.” Radek knew Sven was right, but he’d needed to test the strength of his claim. “I will tell Lady Cedara that I will form a search party from my own guards. We will scour Underworld until Nia is found if Cedara will call back her men and remove them from my territory.” “I fear Cedara will be unwilling to give you control of the search. And, Your Majesty, if I may be so bold, that is a temporary measure at best; eventually Nia’s presence will be discovered.” “I will keep her hidden in my private quarters until several hours after curfew bell. Then I will escort her to a lift.” “Plenty of your men have seen your new servant. I doubt it will take them long to put the rumors together with what they have seen. The reward they could earn for finding a Gaelish princess might outweigh their loyalty to you. And if the queen learns that you had her all along ...” Radek sat down on the edge of his desk. “I realize I’m stalling, but I’m not done with her yet.” I’ll never be done with her.

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The implications of his thought made him grip the desk for support. He’d assumed his excessive enjoyment of Nia came from the beauty of her submission and the heavenly taste of her energy. Now he realized the connection went far beyond that. He’d fallen in love with a Gaelish princess, and his body was treating her like a mate. If he had to send her home like he’d promised, he feared his heart might be torn apart for good.

After dismissing Sven, Radek slammed the door to his office, strode across the room, and fell into the chair at his desk. He raked his hands through his unbound hair and leaned his head against the cool stone wall. His head throbbed after spending hours arguing with Cedara, and now he had to go back to Nia and tell her he was sending her home immediately. The game had grown too dangerous. He had to concede his claim. He could not endanger his people further, not for the sake of his own pleasure. If only that was all it was -- pleasure. But his heart ached at the thought of giving her up, of never being able to touch her soft, responsive skin again. Of never tasting the hot energy of her pleasure/pain as his cock slipped inside her body. When he’d been forced off Lalatia, he’d known he’d never find a mate. He never again expected to feel the serenity of bedding a woman perfectly suited to please him. He’d accepted his fate and learned to live with the pain of loneliness. Night after night he’d taken his pleasure and fed on delicious sexual energy. But then he’d gone to bed alone, telling himself it made his life less complicated, that the power he’d gained as king made up for it. But now he was being teased with the connection of a mate. To find a woman his soul as well as his body craved and to know he’d never have her again tore his old wounds wide open. He felt his soul bleeding out as it had when he’d stepped onto the ship leaving Lalatia.

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Knowing he was only torturing himself, but wanting an explanation for this new torment, he programmed his communications unit to contact Anzeka. She’d trained him in the art of domination just after he’d reached puberty, and she was the only woman other than Nia that he’d ever loved. As he waited for the call to go through, his cheeks grew hot with embarrassment. He still vividly remembered telling Anzeka he thought they were meant to be mates. She’d graciously reminded him that two dominants could never mate and that the intensity of their training had clouded his mind. She promised him he would forget her as soon as the training ended. He never had, but his feelings for her now centered around respect. He loved her as one did an old friend. But it had been at least ten years since they’d spoken. He hoped to Varin she’d take his call. “Radek?” He smiled. Her voice still had the power to soothe him after all these years. “Anzeka.” “To what do I owe the honor of this call?” He smiled and slowly exhaled. “I’m glad to hear you say it’s an honor. Let me know if I am putting you at risk by contacting you.” She snorted. “Let someone try to tell me I cannot talk to my favorite former student. The elders have never come to a consensus about whether com link conversations count as a violation of exile. Most of them have yet to truly comprehend that everyone isn’t still writing letters to one another on tanned hides.” Radek couldn’t hold back his laugh. “That’s too true. I’m afraid such attitudes are true of most leaders of older races. Speaking of such, I’ve called because I need your help.” “You have only to ask.” “Is it possible for a Lalatian to find a mate among the other old races?” Anzeka drew in a sharp breath. “W-why do you ask?”

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Radek’s heart pounded. What about his question had unbalanced her so? “I’ve ... become acquainted with the woman slated to be named as the Gaelish crown princess, and my body is reacting to her as if she were a mate.” “Become acquainted, my ass.” Anzeka chuckled. “I’ll bet you’ve fucked her good.” Radek smiled, but said nothing. “I take it she’s a submissive?” “The most delicious one I’ve ever had.” Anzeka sighed wistfully. “I’m sorry I’ve never met her. But seriously, Radek, this could be more significant than you know. How exactly have you responded to her?” “From the moment I saw her, I obsessed about her, knowing I had to have her no matter the cost to either of us. At first, I dismissed those feelings as my body’s response to her strong submissive tendencies and my longing for a new adventure.” “What changed your mind?” “The first time I entered her body, her mind opened to me when she came. I felt myself inside her. I felt her body tighten and convulse. I still tried to dismiss the connection, thinking perhaps her latent powers had caused it. But it happened again today.” “Have you ever read the book of Zusa?” “No, I never studied any of the gods other than Varin and the other patrons of dominance.” Anzeka sighed. “Too few Lalatians have even read the texts assigned in their comingof-age studies. In the book of Zusa, the priestess who records her goddess’s teachings includes a series of prophesies. One of them states that a time of peril will come in our universe when the younger races will no longer respect their elders but will wish to conquer them.” “As the humans have conquered the Gaelish homeworld.” “And would have conquered Lalatia were it not for your intervention.”

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Radek snorted. “If only the elders believe such.” “They are fools not to.” “I --” “No arguing. Listen to what I have to tell you. Zusa’s priestess say that at this time, the elder races must join together to stop the younger ones from their path of destruction. To cement this alliance, the older races will begin to interbreed.” Radek dropped his head into his hands, lest he fall out of his chair. His heart threatened to leap out of his chest. Several long seconds passed before he could draw enough breath to speak. “You mean she truly is my intended mate.” “I’ve never thought much of prophecy, but I do know that things must change if we are to survive the humans’ empire-building. If interbreeding could help us, then you need to exploit this connection ...” “But how? I have to send Nia back to Upperworld or risk starting a war with the Gaelins.” “Why don’t you tell her the truth? Give her a chance to accept her destiny and its consequences.” Radek took a deep breath. “She doesn’t deserve to be taken from her rightful place.” “She doesn’t deserve to have you make the decision for her.” Radek closed his eyes, wanting to protest, but knowing he could not. “I suppose you’re right.” “While you are at it, why not tell her you love her?” Radek tensed. “How did you --” Anzeka cut the connection. Varin’s balls! The woman was too damn perceptive. But she was right. He owed it to Nia to tell her what he’d learned. As for confessing his feelings for her ... He shook his head,

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fighting down a rush of emotions and massaging the knot in his shoulders. He had little doubt Nia would return to the surface, destiny or no. Why torture himself further? He left his office by the back exit, not wanting to risk being detained by someone wishing to report on the search for Nia. He used his personal access tunnel to enter his private quarters, taking a deep breath as he did so, wishing his damn heart would quit pounding. But when he strode into his bedchamber, he didn’t see her. “Nia?” No response. He glanced at the bed a second time, but the covers lay too flat to conceal her sleeping form. He pushed open the door to the lavatory. It was empty. Rather than slowing down, his pounding heart sped up. Nia was gone. He had to assume she’d escaped on her own. He would have been informed if any of his men or Cedara’s had found her. Why would she run away now? He’d expected her to try at first. But when they’d connected so deeply that he’d swear their souls had touched, he’d thought she was his until he released her. Angry betrayal stabbed at his heart. He knew his feelings were illogical. He’d taken Nia captive, and no matter how submissive she was in bed, she was a strong, capable woman, one whose duty weighed on her. Of course she wanted to get back home. She would never let her pleasure rule her life. Not the way he’d done for the last two days. But how would she find her way to a transport lift? She’d never been in Underworld before, and even those who knew it well rarely ventured far without a positioner. If she was still below the surface, he had to find her. If Cedara’s guard-slaves or his own search party found her first, he would have hell to pay and likely so would she. There was

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also the very real possibility that she was lost and scared. No matter how angry he was with her for leaving, he would never leave her to languish in the tunnels. He opened the top drawer of his bureau and pulled out the key to her collar. Attached to it was the locator that would detect the chip in her tag. If she was down below, he would find her. He just prayed to Varin he would get to her first.

***** Radek had followed the locator’s signal for what seemed like hours. Twice he’d been forced to veer off course to avoid his own guards who were searching for Nia. With each moment that passed, he grew more anxious that someone else had discovered her. The locator’s signal indicated she was very close. As he turned into a new tunnel, he paused to listen for signs of anyone approaching, but he heard nothing. The tunnel appeared completely empty, yet the locator said Nia was just ahead. Radek kept walking slowly. Unless the device had misled him, he should be able to see Nia now. He reached into the pack he’d slung over his shoulders and grabbed a beam light. Perhaps she’d hidden in one of the dark offshoot tunnels. “Radek?” He turned abruptly, but he didn’t see her. Then she stepped out from a narrow recess he would have thought too small for a person. When he realized she was unharmed, the fear that had swirled in his stomach turned to anger. “What the hell were you thinking running away from me?’ “I ... I’m sorry.” Tears flooded her eyes. “How did you find me?”

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“I put a locator chip in your collar. You’re damn lucky I did, too. I don’t think anyone has used this tunnel in years.” The tears began to flow, and she choked back a sob. “I know. I ... I thought I knew the way, but --” “You had no business leaving my bed.” “I heard the ambassador tell you my aunt was here. I had to get back to the surface before they discovered what you’d done.” Radek took a deep breath. Did she really care so much about him that she would risk getting lost in the tunnels to protect him? He closed his eyes as a wave of pain and sorrow washed over him. Now was not the time to deal with emotions. He had to focus on getting them back to his quarters safely. He opened his eyes and deliberately gave Nia a cold smile. “I can handle your aunt and anyone else your mother sends. The only thing you need to do is serve me.” She wiped away the tears and anger flashed in her eyes. “We can’t keep this up. If my mother finds you --” He let a growl escape. “Not another word. I know the risks I’m taking as well as you do. But for now you are still my property. You are going to keep your mouth shut until we are back in my quarters.” She started to speak again, but Radek hauled her against him and covered her mouth with his hand. “I said, no talking. Your aunt’s guards are searching for you, as are a party of my men, ones who have no idea of my new slave’s identity. Keep your mouth closed and follow me.” Radek glanced down at his positioner and programmed it to find the shortest route back to his quarters. When the map came up on his screen, he realized he would have to cross the main diplomatic corridor close to his conference room. There were likely to be members of Cedara’s entourage milling around, but he would have to risk it.

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He studied Nia’s appearance. She’d done a good job of disguising herself, especially considering how little she’d had to work with. If she would act like an abject slave, he might even get away with parading her in front of her own people. He reached into his pocket and pulled out her leash. He snapped it onto her collar. Then he untied the robe she’d taken from his own collection and pushed it off her shoulders. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t speak. “I need you to look like the slave you are. It will enhance your disguise. Even your aunt would doubt I have the audacity to keep you naked and leashed.” Nia started to open her mouth, but closed it and nodded. Radek kept one hand wrapped around the handle of her leash. In the other, he held his positioner so he could look for an alternate route if they needed one. They negotiated the first half of their journey without encountering anyone. As they entered a densely populated area, Radek tensed. He noticed a few of his off-duty guards standing outside the door of a bar. He prayed they had been informed of the search for Nia. They bowed to him as he passed, and he acknowledged them with a nod. Radek and Nia were coming up on the diplomatic passage fast. Radek had to force himself not to turn and look at Nia. He had to appear as disinterested as most slave owners would be. Ten paces. They would be exposed for less than ten paces before he could get them into a meeting room and out a back door to the hallway in front of his personal quarters. “Your Majesty?” Radek didn’t recognize the voice. He considered ignoring it, but when the man called to him again, Radek turned to face him. The speaker was one of Cedara’s men. “Your Majesty, my Mistress wants to speak with you.”

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“I am unavailable and will continue to be so for the rest of the afternoon. Your Mistress has been given permission to continue her search. Anything else she needs will have to wait.” “I’m sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty. But my Mistress says it is most urgent.” Radek had to get them out of the hallway fast. The man was looking at Nia far too closely. “Lady Cedara is welcome to contact my first minister or the head of my guardsmen. I will contact her tonight.” The man bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.” Radek reached into his pants for the decoder that would give him access to the meeting room. His heart pounded. Lady Cedara’s guard-slave still ogled Nia’s naked body. If Nia looked up, her Gaelish eyes would give her away. Radek pulled down on her leash, forcing her to bow deeply. He hoped she would get the message. The door beeped open. Radek pulled her into the meeting room. When the door slid shut behind them, he let his breath out in a rush. He quickly recoded the door and drew Nia through the back door and into his private hallway. The only people he saw were the guards posted by the entrance to his personal quarters. Later he’d demand to know how Nia had gotten past them. For now, he had other matters to attend, like a slave who needed to learn what happened to runaways.

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Chapter Ten

The relief Nia had felt at seeing Radek had turned to fiery anger by the time they entered Radek’s chamber. He jerked hard on her leash, causing her to stumble as he closed the door behind them. She reached for her neck, intending to unhook the leash. “Don’t you dare,” Radek snapped. “You’ve proven that I can’t trust you unless I have you in my sight. I intend to keep you on my lead until I’m done with you.” How dare he keep playing Master with her when their people’s lives were at stake? “You’re going to have to send me back. We can’t risk a war.” Red fire flashed in his eyes. “I’ll release you on my terms. When I’m good and damned ready.” “Or when my aunt finds me, and my mother declares war on your kingdom? Is that what you want?” Radek wrapped the leash around his wrist until she was forced to stand face to face with him. “Seven days. The law says I have you for seven days.” Nia refused to let him cow her. “If you believed that answer would suffice, you would have used it with my aunt instead of pretending to launch a search for me.”

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A look of desperation crossed his face. He covered it quickly, but Nia’s heart constricted. Even when he’d spoken of his exile, he hadn’t looked so vulnerable. “How could you leave?” His words were tight and thin. They held none of the sexy undertones his voice usually carried. Dear Goddess. He wasn’t really angry. He was hurt. Nia fought the tears that burned behind her eyes. “I wanted to save you.” “Save me? You’re killing me.” Nia flinched. The words sounded as if they’d been torn from his chest. “The thought of sending you back is ripping me apart.” Tears flowed down her face. It didn’t matter whether she stayed or left; she was going to cause him pain. She cursed their impossible situation. All she wanted to do was love and serve him. “I --” He held up his hand. “Shut up.” As quickly as it had come, the sadness in his eyes was gone, replaced by anger once again. Nia gasped as he caught her arms, spun her around, and began pushing her toward the door she’d use to escape. “Runaway slaves deserve to be punished. I’ve been dreaming of whipping you since I first saw you in the Gaelish council room. I’ll be damned if I’ll wait any longer.” Fear raced along Nia’s spine. She couldn’t drag in the air she would need to protest. They entered the hidden corridor, passed the door to the chamber Nia had used as her escape route, and stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall. Radek pressed a button, and the door slid open. When Radek pulled her inside, Nia had no doubt what he used the room for. Hooks lined one wall, and from them hung whips, crops, and other implements of discipline. In one corner, she spotted a wooden X with manacles hanging from each of it arms. Radek pushed her toward it. “Step up on the base and press the front of your body against the wood.”

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Nia trembled as she rushed to comply. Radek snapped cuffs around her wrists and ankles, but she did not struggle. Only when she was fully restrained did he remove her leash. She prayed he would not truly harm her, but he was angry and hurt. The hurt worried her more. She’d known he would be angry that she had escaped, but she hadn’t expected to see such injury in his eyes. Her heart constricted at the realization that he would truly rather face death at her mother’s hands than be separated from her. By leaving, she’d made him doubt her feelings for him. “Radek, I truly thought it would be better if --” “Hush.” He placed his fingers gently against her lips while his other hand stroked her face. Her fear drained away. Heat flooded her body, and her inner muscles clenched. “Explanations won’t help.” The snap of a whip made her jump. “This will help.” He held up the long, thin leather whip he usually carried at his waist. Nia whimpered. Radek slid his hands around the front of her body and squeezed her nipples. She couldn’t hold back a moan. “You need to be punished, don’t you?” Nia nodded without a second thought. She needed it, and so did he, but the thought that it could be the last time she would see him, that her mother’s soldiers might kill him for what he’d done, brought tears to her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her. “No tears of sadness. When you cry for me, I want it to be because your body can no longer contain all you feel, because your need literally spills from you.” She held back the tears, but his words made her tremble. Terror rode her hard. But her core throbbed, and slick cream flowed between her legs.

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Radek stood behind her now. She couldn’t see him, but she heard him take a long, deep breath. “Ahhhh. Your desire is scenting the air now.” His hand slid between her legs, and he slipped two fingers inside her. Her muscles clamped against him, and her hips rubbed against the wood in front of her. Her tight bud begged to be touched. She forgot her fear as he worked her. Within seconds, he’d brought her so close to climax she could think of nothing but her body and its craving for his punishment. She wanted his cock buried in her, and she prayed he’d give it to her when he was done. But at that moment she craved the whip just as much. Her breath came in short pants. She was so close. A few more strokes, and she would fly. But suddenly his fingers were gone. And she was achingly empty. “Please?” He laughed. “Not yet. Pain before pleasure.” And without warning, he laid his first stroke against her ass. Pain erupted, worse than what his hand had given her, but not as bad as she’d been expecting. She’d thought the snakelike whip would be unendurable. Another crack. Pain again, but she could take it. Was he really using that vicious instrument he’d shown her? She tried to turn her head to see. “Keep your head against the wood. I’m using a flogger to warm you up. Don’t worry. It will get worse.” Nia’s whimper turned into a yelp as he hit her again. Before she could catch her breath, he brought the flogger down on each of her thighs in rapid succession. The next blows came across her shoulders. Firm hard hits that made her gasp. Then nothing.

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Utter silence stretched for the longest seconds of Nia’s life. She didn’t know where or when the next blow would come. She tensed her whole body in preparation. As the stillness drew out longer and longer, her muscles began to quiver. Slap. The heavy leather strips smacked the flesh of her shoulder. Then her ass, then her thighs, over and over, until one blow flowed into the next. She bit down on her lip, drawing blood. Her nails cut into her palms. Unable to keep herself still, she struggled against her bonds. Her body instinctively wanted to be free. “Stop fighting it,” Radek said, his arm never ceasing in its rain of blows. “Relax into the pain, like you did this morning.” She tried to draw in a deep breath, to coax her muscles into loosening, but she couldn’t damp down her panic. The blows stopped, and Radek slid his hand between her legs, letting his thumb graze her clit. She pressed against him. The hot pain was forgotten instantly as he teased her needy flesh. Without warning, his hand disappeared. A stinging, slicing pain cut across her ass. Surprise kept her from repressing her reaction. She screamed long and loud. Her scream threw a switch in her body, making it remember how to turn agony into pleasure. The sting of the next blow echoed all the way to the core, and she let out a gasp of pleasure. “That’s it, Nia. I switched to a flogger with braided tails. You needed more pain to send your body where it wanted to go.” The next blows cut across her thighs. The fiery pain brought out a scream again. But instantly, Nia relaxed into the pleasure building between her legs. She thrust her hips against the smooth, polished wood. The pressure against her clit made a counterpoint to the stinging blows. Her body couldn’t process all the sensation. Pleasure and deep need overwhelmed her. She realized tears were running down her face.

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“Gods, you’re beautiful, Nia.” Radek’s voice trembled as he spoke. The sound reverberated through her, wrenching more tears from her eyes. He concentrated his blows on her ass. They came fast now. Over and over and over he hit her, but her body flew away from the pain, almost to the brink of orgasm. Then he stopped. “I’m switching to the long whip now. I’m going to give you the extra strokes you earned.” Nia whimpered and tensed. The hot fire lancing her ass was nearly unendurable. How could she take something worse? “Please,” she pleaded. She didn’t know whether she was begging him to stop or to give her more. She’d learned how to take his punishment, but she felt like she was at her limit. Her whole body ached like it was coming apart. Radek’s hand caressed her back, running over the hot welts he’d made. “It’s only five strokes, my beautiful slave. You’ve done so well. You can do this little bit more.” “Yes, Master.” The words tumbled out from some primitive part of her she couldn’t control. Snap. Nia heard the whip before she felt anything, as if her body couldn’t process such intense sensation at first. Then a line of pure fire spread across her left thigh, ripping a scream from her mouth. Before she’d quieted, another crack spread the fire to her other leg. “Please ... please.” She tried to draw in a breath, but couldn’t. She sobbed and tried to free herself. Radek stroked her hair and kissed her temple. “Shh! You’re doing so well.” His words calmed her. She realized she was thrusting her hips once again. Despite the agony rippling through her body, she was close to coming. But she needed more. She needed him to finish it.

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“More, please, more.” “Three more. Can you take it?” Radek asked, his hand caressing her cheek. “Yes, Goddess, yes. I need it” Radek groaned and stepped back. Two blows cracked across her shoulders in such rapid succession, the pain exploded all at once. “Noooooo!” she screamed, afraid the pain was too much to bear. But her body sent a stab of hot lust through her belly, rocketing her to the edge of orgasm. She thrust herself against the wood, harder and faster. She needed a little more. Pain. Pleasure. She didn’t know if her body knew the difference. Crack! The last stroke landed on her enflamed ass. Her head seemed to explode with pain. Her scream echoed in her head as her climax erupted, shaking her entire body and soul.

Nia’s orgasm opened her mind and brought her pain and pleasure bearing down on Radek. He felt the burning pain of the whip marks on her back, and the deeper pain in her heart that came from disappointing him. Agony ran through her along with the tight, aching pleasure of her orgasm. Radek was blindsided by her desperate need to make him realize that she saw him as more than a dominant or a king or a lover. She saw him as a man who needed love desperately. And she wanted to offer him her heart. The whip fell from his hand, and he dropped to his knees, unable to stay upright under the onslaught. The world fell away, and suddenly nothing mattered but the need exploding in his body. With fumbling hands, he loosened his pants and drew out his cock. As Nia’s body shuddered and spasmed, locked in a continuous loop of spiral, crest, and spiral again, he pumped himself. His hand jerked harder and harder until his seed erupted into his hand.

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He screamed from pleasure so intense it hurt like the worst pain he’d given Nia. His orgasm sent her up once more. Then she slumped against the cross. He unbuckled her wrists and ankles as quickly as he could. Catching her limp weight, he sank to the ground, pulling her against him. “Nia?” She opened her eyes and looked at him with a fuzzy, unfocused gaze. His heart pounded in his chest. “Nia, are you all right?” She nodded. “I love you, Nia. Do you know that?” She gave him a drunken smile. “Your agony is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” She reached up a shaky hand and caressed his cheek. “I love you, too.” His tension eased at her confession. As his fears died, his cock surged to life once more. “Nia, I want to fuck you now. I want to plunge my cock so deep inside, you’ll feel it in your throat. I want to make you scream again as I impale you.” Her eyes widened, and waves of fear rolled off her. “Once I touch you, I won’t be able to show you any mercy. I’m giving you a chance to run. If you don’t want this, leave now. My guards will take you to a private room and let you rest. You will not be punished, but you must go now.” Nia shook her head. “I’m not leaving. I want everything you’ve got to give.” Radek growled. “By Varin, you’re going to get it.” He shoved her back against the hardwood floor, spread her legs, and plunged into her in one vicious stroke.

Nia was dripping wet, and he met no resistance. Still, she screamed from the force of his attack.

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The welts he’d raised with the whip ground into the floor as he thrust to the hilt again and again, pushing her whole body with the force of his entry. The friction reawakened the fire that had only slightly receded. Nia raked her nails across Radek’s back, ripping his skin. He twisted his hips, giving her a particularly brutal stroke. She sank her teeth into his shoulder in retaliation, wanting for the first time to hurt him like he’d hurt her. She wanted to rip his soul apart with pain and pleasure until he begged for mercy, but he refused to suffer for her. He gripped her thighs and doubled her legs up on her chest, distancing his body from her. But she managed to wrap her hands around his arms and sink her nails into the flesh of his shoulders.

Pain blazed across Radek’s arms, tearing a growl from his mouth. He gripped Nia’s hips and flipped her onto her stomach, relishing her surprised scream. He wrapped her hair around his wrist and jerked her head back. “You’re mine.” He sank his teeth into the back of her neck as he thrust. She pushed back against him, eager for his brutal strokes. Her breath came hard and fast. He knew she was in agony. The sizzling energy of her pain permeated the air around them. The welts on her back and thighs were an angry red, and they burned nearly as hot as her dripping wet cunt. But she’d learned to channel it all into pleasure faster than he’d ever have imagined. She ground her thighs against his as he rode her from behind with hard, deep strokes. One of his hands reached around to tease her clit. One touch, and her mind opened to his, spilling him into her thoughts. He flinched when he felt the searing, hot pain pulsing through her body. But she welcomed it and allowed it to help her ignore the deeper ache in her heart. Her body and mind were open and raw with emotion, love, lust, desire to serve, and agony from the thought of leaving him.

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He loved watching her writhe as he sent pain racing across her flesh, but he could never feed on this soul-deep pain he felt pulsating in her core. And he was powerless to heal it. Agony rushed up through his chest, choking him as it pushed into his throat and forced him to open his mouth in a shout of pain. He released her hair and dropped that hand to her breast. When he pinched her nipple and her clit simultaneously, she went over, drawing him with her. Their shouts mingled with one another as he emptied himself deep within her. When Radek could move again, he lifted himself off Nia and pulled her into his arms. He leaned back against the wall and cuddled her against him. “Are you all right?” She smiled, but her eyes were glassy. He didn’t think she’d be doing any walking soon, so he scooped her up. He carried her back down his private hallway and laid her on her belly on his bed. “Lie still. I need to put some ointment on your back.” “Yes, Master,” she said in a breathy, passion-drunk voice. Radek smiled. The endorphins from her sub-trance were still wreaking havoc on her body. It would be awhile before she was ready for rational thought, but once she was, he would have to tell her what he’d learned from Anzeka. Then he would have to let her go. He gathered the supplies he needed to tend her. When he turned around to walk back to the bed, her beauty stopped him in his tracks. He’d always thought her gorgeous, but now that he’d seen her writhing under his cruel punishment, taking it all and giving him pleasure, he found her almost too lovely to look at. Her beauty combined with the energy that swirled and made her glow. He feared a man as dark as he could never be worthy of her. She’d said she loved him, but he knew many slaves would say anything to please their Masters when in the grip of their sub-trance. But he’d felt love swirling in her mind. He knew it was real. He wanted to believe their love mattered, that it could change their reality.

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But he couldn’t ask Nia to choose her love for him over duty, no matter how much it would rip their hearts apart.

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Chapter Eleven

Nia opened her eyes. She blinked twice and realized that for the first time since Radek had awakened her body with his flogger, the fuzzy edges of her vision had cleared. She thought perhaps she was even capable of speech now, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk. Radek had rubbed cool, soothing oil all over the back of her body. The burning heat had faded to a more bearable intensity. Now, he was giving her feet a deep, firm massage, and she didn’t want him to stop. She also didn’t want to face the inevitable -- making plans for her departure, especially not after he’d told her he loved her. She could no longer doubt that he felt as strongly as she did. She wasn’t just another chance to feed for him. But that didn’t change the fact that she had to go back. She had to convince her people she was worthy of leading them, and she’d never do that as the submissive partner of the Underworld king. Nia turned her head just enough to see Radek. His thick black hair was loose. It hung down over his face, obscuring her view of his features. Her gaze moved down the length of his arms, admiring the well-defined muscles and the wonderful hands that could bring exquisite pain or pleasure with a skill she’d never imagined.

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He must have sensed her gaze, because he looked up. A slow smile curved his lips. “You’re awake.” Nia smiled back. “I’ve been awake for a while just ... drifting.” “That’s to be expected. When a woman goes as deep into a sub-trance as you did, it takes awhile to come back.” “Sub-trance?” “Remember when you reached the point where you could relax, where your body gained the ability to turn all pain into pleasure?” “Yes. It felt like magic.” “That was when you entered sub-trance.” “I loved it. I’ve heard Gaelish women describe the state one achieves to do very powerful magic. I think I felt much the same way in sub-trance. I wish ...” “What?” “I wish we could do it again.” Radek released her foot. The same vulnerability she’d seen when he’d tracked her down crossed his face. This time, it took him longer to cover it up. “So do I.” Nia sat up, letting her feet hang off the side of the bed. She looked down at her hands rather than at Radek. “No matter our wishes, I have to get back to the surface. The sooner, the better.” Radek took a long slow breath. “First, we have to talk.” “Radek --” “No. You will hear me out. Then and only then will I get you to a lift.” Nia sighed. He was only making the separation more painful for both of them by delaying the inevitable. But she’d proven she couldn’t get home without his help. She had little choice but to listen to what he had to say.

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“When you came, could you read my thoughts?” Nia sucked in her breath. Her heart pounded. “Yes. I’m sorry. It’s happened every time we’ve had sex. I don’t understand. I’ve never shown any psychic abilities before. I --” Radek smiled and held up his hand to silence her. “I’m not angry. I could feel your thoughts, too.” She’d wondered all along just what his powers were. He’d entered her dreams -- why not her waking thoughts, as well? Goddess, she’d hoped he’d not exposed her so. “Only then?” “Yes, only when you come. Lalatians cannot usually read others’ thoughts, only strong emotions. Our partner’s minds only open to us at orgasm, and then only if they are potential mates.” “Mates?” Nia voice came out as a squeak. “Yes. Lalatians can sense when a person is compatible to mate with us. We feel an obsessive desire for them. Sex with them goes beyond physical into spiritual pleasure, and our minds open to each other as we climax.” Chills raced across Nia’s spine. “But I can’t be a mate for you. I’m Gaelish.” “I thought that, too. The first night when you opened to me, I dismissed the significance of it. I thought perhaps your latent powers were awakening and that they had caused it. But then it happened again, so I called a friend on Lalatia.” “But I thought you were barred from contact.” “I was willing to take the risk. I thought Anzeka would laugh at my belief that you and I were intended mates. Years ago, I thought she was a mate for me, despite her being a dominant. Instead she told me of a prophecy few are familiar with. One in which members of the old races begin to interbreed in order to cement an alliance between us.” “But how? Our species cannot impregnate each other. It’s impossible.” “Not according to the way your body has reacted to mine.”

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“Maybe it is my magic after all. Maybe the process readying me for my fertility ceremony has awakened my powers after all.’ “No.” “How can you be sure?” Radek sighed. “I cannot. And I’ve never thought much of prophecies, but I believe this one is true. Anzeka said the prophecy speaks of a time in the future when young races will threaten the ways of the old ones. They will try to conquer our homeworlds. They will deny our teachings, believing they are wiser. The older races will have to join with each other to defeat them, or we are doomed.” “The humans. You believe they are the ones spoken of in the prophecy.” “Yes.” “But even if this is true, and it is physically possible for us to be a mating pair, what good could we do? Our joining would hardly create an alliance. You are in exile from your people, and I would be as soon as my mother realized I’d mated with a man from Underworld.” Radek squeezed his eyes shut and bowed his head. “I know nothing more than I have told you. I don’t expect you to stay. I only thought it fair for you to know.” Nia’s heart pounded. Her mind told her to get out now before she did or said something stupendously idiotic, but her heart wouldn’t listen. “Is there a way to prove our compatibility?” Radek’s head shot up. She saw the desperate pain in his eyes. “Yes, but you’ll never agree to it.” “You’ll never know that unless you ask me.” “There is a ritual that all potential mates perform to commit their bodies to each other and unlock their fertility. Lalatians cannot have children with anyone besides their mates.” “How does the ritual tell a couple they are compatible?”

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“The ritual ends with intercourse. If the two are truly mates, the female becomes pregnant.” Nia felt the blood drain from her face. “So if your friend is right and we are capable of mating, I would be with child after the ritual.” “Yes.” “But I thought all the older races had few children and feared dying as a race like the Gaelins do.” “We do. But unlike the Gaelins, Lalatian women get pregnant easily when having sex with an intended mate. There was a time when most men met five or six mates in their lifetime, but now fewer and fewer of us are finding any mates at all. And when a couple does mate, the female often cannot carry their children to term.” Sadness swept over Nia as she thought of those lost children; then her hands flew to her own belly. “Oh ,Goddess, I could be pregnant now.” “No.” “But if we are mates as you say, then --” “Only after the ritual has been performed is a Lalatian male capable of impregnating a female.” “But why?” “The explanation was lost centuries ago, but I have never heard of an exception.” “You’ve also never heard of a Lalatian mating with a Gaelin or any other race.” “True, but I still know you are not pregnant.” “How?” “I would sense the energy shift in your body, much like I can sense your submissive needs.” “So you would know if I were pregnant immediately after the ritual?”

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“Yes.” “Let’s do it.” The words flew out of Nia’s mouth before she could censor them. Her mind screamed for her to take them back, but she knew she would not. She had to know. If she and Radek had an important destiny, then she would have an excuse to stay with him. Somehow they would make it work. There was no other choice. “You can’t be serious.” “I am. I need to know.” “You will have to make a commitment to me during the ritual. You cannot go back to your old life.” “My life will never be as it was, not after what we’ve shared.” “I will not let you return to the surface and raise our child alone.” “I will have to return for a short time at least. What good will it do us to speak of prophecy if we don’t make an effort to fulfill it? We can hardly unite our races if I remain here with you.” Radek gripped her upper arms and jerked her toward him. “I will not bond with you unless you swear we will remain partners for life.” Nia could hardly draw breath. The look on his face was even more intense than it had been when he’d found her in the tunnels. But as much as her body leapt with joy at the idea of mating with him for life, how could she make such a promise? How could she let go of her own personal destiny on the surface? “I have to at least try to reclaim my place among my people. If they do not see me as more than the slave of an Underworlder, I will have no influence over them at all.” Radek released her and turned away. “I should never have told you the prophecy.” Fury raced though Nia. “What? If you didn’t want to mate with me, then why tell me at all?”

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“I did. I do.” He paused and ran his hands through his hair. “Damn it, Nia, don’t you understand? I can’t do this and then lose you.” And then she did understand. He’d lost the chance to find a mate when he’d been exiled from Lalatia. She was his only chance. He didn’t want to find out she was truly a mate and then lose her. But why couldn’t he get it through his head that she wasn’t going to leave for good? If they were to help their races, she had to convince her people to accept her. Goddess knew how, but she would find a way. “I have no intention of leaving you. Even without a mating bond, the thought of leaving you hurt me.” “You did it easily enough. If you hadn’t gotten lost, you would be on the surface now. Then this conversation would never have happened.” “If that would have been so much easier, then why did you bother searching for me?” He forced her back against the bed, grabbing her wrists and pulling them over her head. Her body leapt at the feel of his heavy weight on her body. His pelvis nestled between hers as he forced her deep into the mattress. She couldn’t keep her hips from tilting up to cradle his cock between them. “You’re mine, Nia. Your body, your heart, your soul. All mine.” Anger returned, overriding Nia’s passion. She wanted to deny him. This was not the time to play dominance games. They were talking about their lives, the life of a potential child, not to mention the future of their races. “I’m not --” “You’re mine. And I will not perform this ritual and have you leave.” Nia tugged against the viselike grip of his hands and bucked up against him. “Stop it, Radek. Stop and listen to me. I have no intention of leaving you.” “But you said --” “No!”

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A shocked expression crossed his face. He let her go and sat up. She pulled herself to a sitting position. Then she dropped off the high bed and crossed the room to pour herself a strong drink. The back of her body was throbbing with heat again, and the pounding in her head kept time with it. “I said I would have to go home and explain my absence. I have every intention of returning, although if we are to make our alliance effective, I believe the best policy might be for us to spend half of every Althean year above the surface, and half below. Slowly Radek’s features softened. He pushed away from the bedpost he’d been leaning against and walked to stand in front of Nia. “You swear that if our mating is successful, you will return to me if you go above?” Nia dropped to her knees in front of him, never breaking eye contact. “I swear on the sacred magic of my people. I will return to you, unless I am physically prevented from it. I give you permission to search for me if you have not seen me within five day cycles after my ascent.” Radek stroked the side of her face with his fingers. “You truly wish to take this risk?” Nia smiled. “Yes, Master.” Radek groaned. His shaft was mere inches from her face, and she watched it grow hard once more. She grasped the waist of his pants, impatient to expose him to her touch and taste. But he laid his hands over hers, pressing her palms against his cock. “By Varin, I would love to feel your lips around me now. But if we are to perform this ritual, then we must abstain until then.” Reluctantly she pulled her hands from under his and stood. “We must do it now, before Aunt Cedara finds us.” Radek sighed. “To be done properly, the mating ritual requires days of preparation.” Panic seized Nia. “We don’t have days.”

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“I know. We will have to make do. At the very least, I will need a few hours to gather the supplies we need.” “Damn it, Radek, we don’t have hours. We could be caught at any time.” “I doubt even your aunt has the nerve to enter my private quarters, and if she did, my guards would stop her.” “She may be more powerful than you realize.” “Relax, Nia. I will take care of her.” “How?” “I will grant her the audience she wishes. I will inform her that our search continues, but that her men and mine have to obey the curfew bell, which is due to ring within the hour. Even her most stalwart guards will not want to be out when the corridor lights are extinguished. Only the hardest of criminals travel in Underworld during our night. We will have several hours to perform our ritual and get you back to the surface.” “How can you be so confident?” “It’s a king’s duty to protect his people. I will double the guards around my rooms. While we enact our ritual, we will be magically protected. Even if your aunt were to find us, she would not be able to get to us until our bond was complete.” “If we are truly meant to be bonded. What if --” “We are.” Nia started to protest further, but Radek held up his hand. “I am going to meet with your aunt and gather what we need for the mating ritual. You should drink only water, take no food, and try to rest.” Before she could reply, he’d closed the door behind him.

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Chapter Twelve

Radek watched Nia’s body relax as her eyes closed. The musky, tangy smell of the incense had started its work, awakening her soul-deep need to mate with him. When her mouth opened slightly, signaling that even the muscles of her face had gone slack, Radek began his chant. The magical words would help Nia open her mind so he could speak to her deepest self. When he’d finished, Radek dropped his own shields and pressed against her as if he intended to read her emotions. The lightest touch brought her shields tumbling down. He fell through layer after layer of thought, deeper than he’d ever been in another’s mind. At last, his consciousness landed in what he perceived as a warm, damp cave. “Nia?” “Yes?” Her voice echoed all around him. “Do you acknowledge a desire to mate with me?” “Yes.” “Do you submit to me willingly? Will you offer me your pain and your darkest fears to feed my hunger?” “Yes, Master.” “Open yourself to me.”

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Radek waited, unsure what would happen. He had no way to know if Nia would be able to comply with his request. Then a rush of visions slammed him against the wall of her mind’s inner cave. He saw her as a frightened toddler, stepping off the Gaelins’ ship and onto the alien surface of Althea. He watched her weep over the body of her grandmother, who had given her life to save her people. He saw her as a teenager, when she longed to make friends but no one wanted to confide in her because the queen’s guards always lingered a few feet behind her. He felt her anger at her mother’s refusal to acknowledge that the universe was changing and she had to change with it. He felt her pain as she prayed for her powers to awaken so she could fulfill her mother’s expectations. Then the desire she’d been forced to deny, the desire he’d brought roaring to the surface when he’d entered her dreams, swept over him. The near painful hardening of his cock drew him back into his body. He focused on Nia’s stunned face, fighting to keep from acting on the need throbbing in his veins. “What happened?” “You shared your innermost self with me. I now know you as only a mate can.” “But --” “Now it is your turn. You must enter my mind.” “I don’t know how.” “You do. Calm your body and breathe as you did before. Then follow your instincts.”

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Nia’s heart pounded with fear. She had no idea what to do. Her mind seemed unable to focus on anything but her fear and the heat building between her legs. Forcing her breath to a slow, steady pace, she drew in the seductive scent of the incense. After several long moments, she felt lethargy returning to her body. She lowered her mental shields. Then she tried to reach for Radek’s thoughts. Suddenly, she felt as if her entire mind poured itself from her head into his. She fell long and fast until she hit the floor of a cold stone room. “Nia?” Radek’s voice bounced off the walls and surrounded her. “I’m here.” “Ask the questions you have for me.” Nia started to say she didn’t know what to ask, but then she saw them. The questions were written on the walls in blood-red paint. “Do you acknowledge a desire to mate with me?” “Yes.” “Will you protect me and allow me to serve you as my body requires?” “Yes, my love.” “Open yourself to me.” The rush of images and emotions knocked Nia to the ground. She saw Radek on Lalatia, being trained in the art of dominance. She overheard the conversation that had driven him to risk his life to protect his homeworld from the humans. She stood beside him as the sentence of exile was pronounced. She felt his rage, his pain, and then the numbness that settled on him as he boarded the ship that would take him away. She watched as he was arrested for smuggling, clapped in chains, and sent to Althea.

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Then she felt the explosion of his desire the first time he’d seen her. That earthy emotion drew her back to her body. The force of her lust literally shook her body. She reached out blindly, willing to take any contact she could get. Her need to touch Radek, smell him, taste him, overrode everything else. “Not yet.” His voice came out as a growl. He pinned her wrists in one of his hands and forced her back to the floor. She struggled against him, thrusting her hips up, riding his thigh as it came between hers. “Do you promise to obey me?” A whine escaped Nia’s mouth. She needed him. Why wasn’t he fucking her? “Nia?” She tried to draw in enough breath to speak. “Y-yes.” “Good.” He sat back on his heels, releasing her arms. She tried to sit up and reach for him, but her arms wouldn’t obey. They remained glued to the floor. She tossed her head from side to side, looking for rope or chains, anything he could have bound her with. “Inside the wards, your promise of obedience binds you. I need nothing else.” She gasped and continued to struggle, unable to believe she was so thoroughly under his control.

Fear raced through Nia, and Radek breathed it in. The seductive smell sparked his need higher. He had to slide farther away to keep from entering her right then. He didn’t dare enter her yet. The more tension he could build in their bodies, the greater the power they would release when they came.

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He needed to turn away to gather his wits, but he was mesmerized by her lush body. Her eyes were wide and her cheeks flushed as she continued to test the strength of her invisible bonds. He could taste her feverish desire in the waves of energy spilling off her body. He savored it as he watched her writhe, partly in fear and partly in agony from her need for his cock. He was in agony, too, but he knew he had to fuel her passion higher and higher until she screamed from the pain of unfulfilled need. Only then would the ritual succeed. “Nia, you will not come before I enter you.” Her eyes grew even wider, and she drew in a sharp breath. “Please. I ... I can’t wait.” “You will. You have promised me obedience.” She twisted frantically trying to sit up. “Please, please, I can’t.” “Stop fighting.” Instantly her body stilled. Only her chest moved as it rose up and down with her shallow breaths. Her terror hit Radek in a delicious wave. Tears rolled down her face. “I ... I can’t move my body.” “Nia, your body belongs to me now. When I command you to stop fighting, you have no other choice.” Tears continued to run down her face, but some of the tension left her muscles. “I will ask you once more. Do you acknowledge that you are mine?” She hesitated, but then her body relaxed against the soft carpet. “Yes.” “You will remain perfectly still, and you will not come.” “Yes, Master.” Her whispered acquiesce sent a bolt of lust through Radek that nearly did him in. His cock throbbed painfully, begging him to thrust it deep inside her. He pulled himself back

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from the brink and pushed her thighs apart. Then he laid flat down on his belly between her legs. The warm, alluring scent of her cream dizzied him as he darted his tongue out to stroke her wet flesh. Gods, she tasted delicious, like spring on Lalatia when everything had promise. Her moans and whimpers increased in volume as he worked her with his tongue. If she’d been free, her hands would have been clasped his hair, trying to force him to give her more. He knew she must be dying to end her agonizing need, but her body remained perfectly still. He flicked his tongue along the side of her clit, the most sensitive place on her body. She screamed, breaking the spell of control for a moment and arching up against him before he pushed her firmly back to the floor with the force of his mind. He kept his attention focused on her clit, alternating between long, slow licks and fast flicks that gave only teasing pressure. “Please. Radek. Please. I can’t hold back. I’m going to come. I can’t --” “That’s right, you can’t.” “But I’m so close. I don’t know how to stop it.” “You don’t have to. My command will keep your body from releasing. Trust me.” He lowered his head back to her and sucked her clit into his mouth, giving a long, deep pull. At any other time, her body would have exploded with pleasure. She sucked in her breath as if anticipating the crest. She screamed. “No. No. Please.” Radek looked up at her face. He slipped three fingers deep into her cream-slick channel and began to torture her clit with his thumb. He watched her eyes widen in horror as she realized she truly could not come. Only his command would allow her to release the excruciating need he was building in her body.

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Her body vibrated with energy. Her orgasm would bring a massive release of power, but still, Radek wanted more. He had to build her up until he lost control himself. He reached for a black box and withdrew a thick dildo with a flanged base. He thought of how Nia had screamed as he’d reamed her ass. He wished it would be his cock entering her again, but he couldn’t take the risk of losing control and wasting his seed. He covered the dildo in lube and then coated his fingers. He pushed her legs wider, doubling them on her stomach so he could have easy access to her ass. Nia gasped when he slid his greased fingers inside her. He watched her facial muscles tighten as pain rushed over her body. “Open for me.” She pushed against his fingers, and he slipped into her rear channel, easier than he had before. Having her body completely at his command was certainly seductive, but he longed to watch her fight both him and herself as he bent her will to his. He toyed with commanding her to fight him, but if she so much as managed to touch his cock, he’d go over the edge.

Something large and slick pressed against Nia’s ass as Radek’s fingers slipped from her body. Her mind screamed, but her body remained relaxed under his touch. Blinding heat erupted in her ass as her body sucked the thick toy inside. Her mind tensed around the invasion, but her body opened to Radek’s torture. “Please. Now. Please.” Radek smiled at her. Bastard. Aching pain stabbed at her clit. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t come. Pain and need consumed her. She tossed her head from side to side. “Now. Damn it.” Suddenly he was on top of her. His hands gripped her nipples. Pinching. Rubbing. Twisting.

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Her body convulsed involuntarily, pulling her head up. She groaned. Heat raced from her toes to the top of her head. “Please.” She’d lost all her dignity. She’d do anything to stop this torture. She felt the tip of Radek’s cock against her throbbing center. Her mind arched her hips, but they didn’t move. “Please,” she sobbed. He pulled back. A long, animalistic whine escaped her lips. She would lose her last shred of humanity if he didn’t take her. “Who does your body belong to, Nia?” What? “No. Now. I ... I’ve got to come. I can’t ...” “Answer me.” He teased her again, brushing her clit with his cockhead this time. Too aroused to bear it, she felt stabbing pain echo in her belly. She growled. “Tell me, Nia. Tell me, and you’ll get what you need.” “No.” She didn’t know why she couldn’t do it, but she couldn’t say the word. Heat rolled off her in thick, humid waves. Fire radiated from her ass. Her whole pussy throbbed and ached. She shut her mind against the overload in her body. Her mind screamed, Run! Run!

Now! “Nia!” He pinched her nipples savagely. Her eyes flew open. “Submit. Now.” She tried to suck in air, but her lungs had stopped working. Pain, pleasure, hot desire, chilling fear swirled in her body, circling, spiraling toward her center. If she didn’t come, she was going to disintegrate. She couldn’t hold the storm inside. She needed ... wanted ...

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“You. I belong to you.” The words poured out of her mouth in a rush. Radek raised himself on his hands, and again the tip of his cock brushed her entrance. He gasped as if he could hardly breathe. “You ... can ... move now.” Her body jolted like he’d shocked her. Her legs wrapped around him, pulling him into her body. Nia braced herself for an orgasm she thought could truly kill her. But she hung suspended, pain and pressure growing, growing, the spiral still twisting. Radek thrust deep and hard, jarring the dildo in her ass. The fullness choked her. She screamed, clawing Radek’s back. Beyond thought. No more than a beast in heat. White light blinded her, and she caught a whiff of the intoxicating incense. “Come. Come for me.” A knife-sharp stab cut through her belly as all the energy coiled in her body sprang. Then a pleasure so intense it hurt worse than the cut of Radek’s whip raced up her spine and wrapped her mind in wave after wave of sensation that took her beyond her body, into an abyss of heat and light. She tried to scream, but she had no breath for it. Again and again her inner muscles spasmed, squeezing the life from Radek’s cock and trying to force his toy from her ass. She thought she heard him scream somewhere far away. Then her world narrowed to a single star-shaped light. Another spasm of her womb, and the light went out. She fell until she lost consciousness. Her last memory was of the incense smoke tickling her nose.

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Chapter Thirteen

Nia woke when she felt Radek tug on the toy still filling her ass. “Push it out.” His words seemed to float past her head, but she managed to pluck them from the air and obey. As the dildo slipped from her body, she realized how sore she was. Not just her ass, but her front passage, her nipples, every muscle in her body. She knew they’d coupled fiercely, but she felt as if she’d been dragged behind a surface glider for miles. Trying to dismiss the throbbing in her head, she opened her eyes. Radek sat near her. Their eyes met. His burned with intensity and something she thought might be fear. He brushed her hair from her face with a trembling hand. “It worked.” Her hands flew unbidden to her lower belly. She rubbed the pale skin as if hoping to feel the life inside her. “You’re certain.” He nodded, his expression solemn. “I am.” Then why was he sad? “You’re unhappy?” He shook his head. “Varin, no. I ... I’m thrilled. I just didn’t think you would be.”

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She sat up, taking his hand in hers. “Radek, I would never have done this if I wouldn’t be happy staying with you, having your child.” He smiled, leaned forward, and gave her mouth a gentle kiss. “We’re going to find a way to make this work. I swear it.” The warmth of his voice surrounded Nia like the softest of blankets. “I love you.” “I love you, too, and I wish you could stay, but we don’t have much time. The ritual took longer than I expected. There’s less than an hour before rising bell. You must be on the surface before then. Nia nodded. He was right. When Radek stood and began deactivating the protective wards that surrounded them, Nia became aware of her crippling exhaustion. She had been awake for nearly a full day, during which she’d run from Radek, gotten lost, been found, and had her emotions ripped apart and laid bare for him. And now she was with child. No wonder she wasn’t sure she had the strength to stand. But somehow she had to not only get herself to a transport lift, but also have wits enough about her to do battle with her mother. “Nia?” She looked up to see Radek standing over her, concern obvious on his face. “Are you all right?” She forced herself to smile. “I will be. I’m just tired.” He shook his head and knelt beside her. “You’re more than tired; your energy level is lower than I’ve ever felt it. I’m afraid I took too much from you.” “No. I’ll be fine.” “Yes, you will, once I’ve fed you.” “Radek, we don’t have time for a meal. I have to get to the surface.” “A Lalatian dominant can feed his mate by returning the energy he has taken.”

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“But I’m not --” “You’re not Lalatian, but you are my mate. Open your mouth.” She did as he asked. He leaned into her and breathed into her mouth. His breath felt electric. It rolled down her throat like a tangible thing, sending sparks through her body as it went. She thought she could feel her cells awakening, drinking in the sustenance. Was this what Radek felt when he fed from her? When he pulled back, she swayed. She was dizzy from the experience, but on the whole she felt miraculously refreshed, as if she’d gone to bed early, slept late, and been fed a satisfying breakfast. She squeezed Radek’s hand. “Thank you. That was amazing.” He smiled and stroked her hair. “I’ve sworn to take care of you. I will not let you down.” She knew he meant what he said. Nothing short of death would make him betray his vow. She just prayed her mother wouldn’t put his resolve to the test once she heard what Nia had done.

***** The door of the central transport lift slid open. Only a short flight of stone steps separated Nia from the surface. She could see the early morning sunlight streaming down the staircase. She stepped into the vestibule and watched the doors to Underworld close behind her. Her heart hammered. Radek had not been exaggerating when he said their bond would be a physical thing and that separating wouldn’t harm her but it would make her uneasy. Her heart begged her to return to him, and no amount of lecturing from her mind could stop it. She rubbed her belly as she began the climb to the surface. The thought of life growing inside her gave her the courage to keep walking.

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When she stepped out into the light, two of her mother’s guards stood at attention by the lift entrance. Their jaws dropped. “Princess Nia?” “Yes. It is me.” “My lady.” Both men bowed. “Is my mother at the castle?” The man on the right answered her. “Yes, Princess. She has not left her chambers since you disappeared.” “I would be grateful if you would escort me there.” She could see the curiosity in their eyes. But their training would never allow them to ask why she had disappeared, and she would answer no questions before seeing her mother. Her mother leapt up from her sofa when Nia pushed open the door of her bedchamber. As they embraced, hot tears streaked down Nia’s cheeks. She did love her mother, and she’d missed her. She regretted that what she had to say would damage their relationship irretrievably. After the longest hug Nia and her mother had shared in years, her mother pulled back and looked her up and down, as if inspecting her for damage. Nia sighed. “Mother, I am fine.” The moment her mother realized her statement was true, at least in the physical sense, she exploded. “Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? I’ve had ministers and guards searching the whole of Althea for you.” Nia nodded. “I know.” “Do you care nothing for my feelings?” “I’m sorry you were worried. I would have communicated with you if I could, but I’ve been ... I’ve been in Underworld.”

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“That bastard! I knew he’d taken you. Your aunt went to find you, but he evaded her at every turn.” “King Radek did me no harm. I chose to seek an audience with him.” She was stretching the truth, but her statement was more or less correct. Queen Eveleen shook her head. “I suspected as much, but I never thought you quite so foolish.” Nia took a deep breath. “I have much to explain.” “You are damned right you do. Have a seat.” The queen gestured toward the sofa she’d just vacated. “I would prefer you gather the council. What I have to say affects us all, and it is not a story I would like to tell more than once.” “You will tell me now.” Nia clenched her fist. “No, I will not. I will call an emergency council meeting myself, if I must, though I suspect they will all be gathering anyway as soon as they hear I’ve returned.” Queen Eveleen gripped her daughter’s arm. “Nia, what have you done?” Nia wanted to pull free, and but she heard the fear in her mother’s voice. “I love you, Mother, but I’m afraid you will not like the choices I’ve made.”

As Nia suspected, the council members were all eager to see her and to know where she had been. Less than one half-hour after her return, she stood in the very council room where she had first seen Radek. She told her story to her mother, her aunt, and the rest of the council, leaving out what she could -- the dreams Radek had sent her, the nature of the sex that led Radek to suspect they were a mating pair, and the details of the ritual that bonded them and produced a child. But she told enough to anger them all by time she finished.

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Her mother was the first to speak. “You will end this alliance with King Radek at once.” “No, I will not.” The queen ignored her and continued. “You will. It is an affront to our people to be allied with such a barbaric culture. That you are with child cannot be helped. At this point in our existence, we must consider any child a blessing. However, we will see that child has no contact with --” “Stop.” Nia couldn’t stand to hear any more. “I have given my word to Radek. I will not keep this child from him. We are physically bound to one another. Our union is not something that can be ended by nothing more than a wish.” “Then we will find what it takes to free you of him.” “No.” “Nia, you will not defy me on this.” “I will not leave Radek.” Nia paused long enough to push back the tears pressing the back of her eyes. “I love him.” Several council members gasped. Queen Eveleen shook her head and shut her eyes as if hoping to erase Nia’s last words from her mind. Cedara spoke first. “If you persist in this attitude, we will have no choice but to bar you from the crown.” Nia fought to keep her composure. She longed to rant at them, to tell them how shortsighted they all were. Instead, she took a long, slow breath and tried once more to make them understand the implications of her mating. “Never before has a Lalatian mated successfully with a member of another race. Even Lalatia’s most educated elders would have said it was impossible. But it happened today. Radek and I formed a bond between ourselves that neither of us can deny. We created a

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child. According to the prophecy I’ve described, this is the beginning of an alliance between the old races.” Cedara sniffed. “Why should we concern ourselves with Lalatian prophecy?” “Because you care enough about the future of our race to forget your petty prejudice.” Queen Eveleen stood and circled the table. “Nia, you cannot be heir to Upperworld while under the spell of King Radek.” “I am not under a spell.” “You must make a choice.” Her mother’s face plainly showed her fear that Nia would make the “wrong” choice. A few tears escaped before Nia could stop them. “Then I choose Radek.” She turned, praying no one would bar her exit. A blinding flash of light caused her to stumble. Heat gathered in her belly, slowly spiraling up through her chest and then shooting down her arms to the tips of her fingers. Her arms lifted toward the ceiling. She could no more have stopped them than she could have ripped apart the stone tunnels of Underworld with her bare hands. Light shot out from her fingers in a power surge so great, she dropped to her knees. Bright, burning light shot out from her fingers in all directions. In her mind she saw flowers opening, grass growing, and tender shoots rising in the field. As the power coursed through her in wave after wave that shook her entire body, she knew that what she saw in her mind was happening in the fields of Upperworld. Tears coursed down her face. At last. She had been given the power her people desperately needed. When the last flash of light faded, Nia slumped forward, bowing her head and resting her palms on the cool wood of the floor. Slowly, she gathered the energy to look up. Every council member was standing at the windows looking down on the formerly empty fields. They were now filled with shoots several inches high, and flowers covered the meadows.

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Cedara was the first to turn and face Nia. “Well, niece. I believe the goddess has spoken. As distasteful as your choice in a mate is, we cannot turn away one with such power. We’ve seen nothing such as this since your grandmother died.” Nia stood, fearing her wobbly legs wouldn’t hold her, but unwilling to face opposition while kneeling on the floor. “What do the rest of you say?” Her mother sighed. “I have a prophecy of my own to share with you. Please sit, Nia.” She gestured toward the chair beside hers. Nia moved toward it, and the rest of the council seated themselves again, as well. “Just before you were born, when we still held the Gaelish homeworld, my mother told me I would have a daughter who would possess great power. But she also said a dark man would come and take her from me. After this day, the girl would never truly be mine again.” Nia’s heart raced, and her stomach flip-flopped. Two days ago she would have said she didn’t believe in the art of prophecy. Now she’d fulfilled two. The queen took Nia’s hand and continued. “I could not bear the thought of losing you, so I kept you secluded from men. I never thought that by preventing one part of the prophecy from coming true I was preventing the rest of it as well. Can you forgive me?” Nia squeezed her mother’s hand. Never in Nia’s whole life had her mother truly admitted a fault. To be asked for forgiveness was the greatest gift her mother could have given her. “Yes, I forgive you.” She stood and embraced her mother. “How could I not?” One of the ministers cleared her throat. “I am as happy as the rest of you that Nia has been gifted with such power, but there is still the issue of her alliance with King Radek. Do any of you believe he won’t try to take Nia’s power from her?” Nia shook her head. “Radek understands that I am ruler here, not he. He will serve only as my consort. I would not ask more than that of you.” “You might not, but he will,” her mother replied.

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Would he? They had never discussed what the nature of his role in Upperworld would be, but Nia thought he would agree to her plan. When in Underworld, she would serve him as his submissive mate, but when they were above the surface, she would serve her people, and he would be her protector. Could he allow her that much control, or would it contradict his nature too much? Nia would have to gamble that he would agree. Otherwise, she would lose all that her new powers had gained for her. “He will be my consort. I will ask his advice, but ultimately I will make all the decisions for our people.” Cedara gave Nia a penetrating once over. “You truly believe King Radek will agree to this plan?” Nia took a deep breath. “I do.”

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Chapter Fourteen

Radek lay in bed wide awake. He’d paced the floors after evening curfew, cursing his promise to give Nia five entire days to complete her mission. Gervais had reported that Nia had arrived on the surface and the ruling council had all gathered at the castle for an emergency meeting. But the ambassador had been unable to learn more. Radek had tried to reach Gervais again several times in the last few days, but he’d had no luck. None of his contacts on the surface were answering their com units. Likely the fault of his ancient com system, but it made him uneasy. As soon as the rising bell struck, Nia’s time would be up. If she didn’t arrive by then, he planned to head straight for a transport lift. At least, he would if his anxiety didn’t cause him to spontaneously combust before then. Or he didn’t die of chronic horniness. Mere hours after their explosive ritual coupling, Radek had longed to sink himself into Nia again. And now his cock was as hard as the stone walls He had a harem full of women trained to serve his every pleasure. But every time he thought of summoning one of them, he stopped. In his culture, mating didn’t necessarily mean monogamy, and Gaelish women never chose exclusive mates, but instinctively he knew Nia would feel betrayed. And he couldn’t imagine any of his women, no matter how

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skilled, giving him a tenth of the pleasure he felt with Nia. He was determined to wait for her. He gripped his cock firmly in his hand, giving himself long, swirling strokes as he envisioned what he would do to Nia when she returned. She deserved severe punishment for keeping him in suspense for so long. A knock on his door interrupted his fantasy. Radek leapt off the bed and crossed the room with record speed. When he opened the door, one of his guardsmen greeted him. “Pardon me for interrupting you at this hour, Your Majesty.” Radek nodded, fighting the urge to yell at the man to just tell him what he wanted. “The crown princess of Upperworld desires an immediate audience with you.” Crown princess? Nia? Surely she would have come straight to his rooms. Had her position been usurped? Where was she? He drew in a long, slow breath. “Where is she?” “We escorted her to the red sitting room and offered her refreshments.” “Thank you. Please wait here to escort me.” Radek stepped back inside and quickly dressed himself in his standard uniform of black pants, shirt, and boots. He left his hair down and decided to add his formal red-and-gold brocade vest with his royal insignia. He thought the weight of his office might be needed if Nia had been detained. He followed the guardsman who’d summoned him. When he reached the meeting room door, he paused to compose himself. He didn’t know what he was about to confront, but whatever it was, he would hold to his claim on Nia. She was his, and her people would be made to understand that, no matter what he had to do. Without bothering to alert the woman to his presence, he swung the door open. He stopped breathing.

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Nia sat before him. Her long hair swirled around her shoulders in large, loose curls. She wore deep-green silk that showed off her lush curves to perfection. Perched on her head was an ornate gold crown decorated with emeralds, the crown of the Gaelins’ heir. She smiled. A seductive smile that said she wanted him as much as he did her, and she was going to make sure he took her right here. It pissed him off. “What the hell are you doing?” Nia’s frowned. “Surprising you. I thought --” “I’ve done nothing but worry about you. Then I hear that the crown princess is here, and I assume I’m going to have to fight this new heir, your aunt, your mother, and everyone else on the surface to get you back.” “I’m sorry. I thought you’d be excited to find out I’d been crowned. I never thought --” The true significance of her crown penetrated Radek’s mind for the first time. “They’ve accepted you. Accepted us.” “Yes.” Nia’s smile returned. “And you’re --” “I’m now the crown princess.” Cold fear seized Radek. Now she was bound to Upperworld as surely as she was bound to him. She must have realized his thoughts, because she stood and walked to him. “I’m still yours. I told them I belonged to you -- my mother, my aunt, the rest of the council. I was prepared to walk out. In fact, I’d almost gotten to the council room door when my powers came roaring through me.” Radek knew how much she’d longed for the gift of magic. He also knew she wanted him to be happy for her. Part of him was, but part of him also doubted she could be his and Upperworld’s at the same time.

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He embraced her anyway, unable to resist the lure of her body even as anger and fear swirled through his. “Tell me everything,” he whispered against her ear as he ran his tongue along its edge and down her neck. She groaned. “I can’t if you keep that up.” He didn’t stop. Instead he sank his teeth into the curve between her neck and shoulder, biting hard enough to sting. He felt her knees give. At least he knew the days apart had been hard on her body, too. “Radek, please.” “Please what?” He cupped her breasts, flicking her already hard nipples through the thin silk of her gown as his lips, tongue, and teeth continued to torment her neck and shoulder. “S-stop.” “No.” “Do you want to hear what happened above the surface or not?” Radek growled. He ran his tongue along her neck again, breathing deep. He smelled her arousal and something fresh and grassy that must have come from her powers. Finally, he let her go as she’d asked. “Tell me now.” “When I explained where I’d been, my mother said they would accept me and my child if I would break my ties to you.” Hot anger churned in Radek’s belly. Nia laid her hand on his chest, right over his heart. “I never considered it. I told my mother I loved you and that our bond could never be broken. I made the choice to leave, to return here and live with you, but then my power came alive in such a rush that I brought all the flowers to bloom and pulled the young crops up through the earth. No one has done such a thing since my grandmother’s time.”

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Radek smoothed Nia’s hair back from her face. “I knew you had such strength in you. How else could you have endured what I’ve asked of you and defied all you’ve been taught to believe? No woman has ever deserved a magical gift more.”

Nia smiled up at him. She wanted to kiss him, but feared if she did, they wouldn’t stop until he was buried inside her. Her body thrummed with need, yet she wanted him to accept her supremacy aboveground before her mind got any more clouded with lust. “My mother told me she had received a prophecy when she was pregnant with me. It foretold that I would be stolen from her by a dark man, but that I would be the most powerful witch in generations. It seems to have come true.” Radek smiled at her. “I would say it has.” “Once the council saw what I was capable of, they decided not to reject an heir that had been so blessed by the goddess.” “I thought a crowning ceremony took months of preparation.” “It should have, but once I answered their primary concerns, my aunt suggested they crown me right away in celebration of my new powers and the growing season officially beginning.” Radek frowned, and a knot formed in Nia’s stomach. “I assume these concerns include your association with me.” “Yes.” Nia knew she had to explain, but her heart beat so hard, she couldn’t hear herself think. “And how did you convince them to accept your union with me? Nia took a long, deep breath and inelegantly wiped her wet palms against her dress. “The question was raised of whether I would rule Upperworld, or if in truth they would be handing the crown to you.” Radek nodded.

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The knot in Nia’s stomach tightened. “I’ve acknowledged your claim over me. I swore to serve you, but if we are going to forge an alliance between our peoples, I have to be allowed to rule when we are above.” Coolness crept into Radek’s eyes, and Nia felt the chill all the way to her toes. “I told the council that you would be my consort and my advisor, but that ultimately decisions affecting Upperworld would be in my hands.” She dropped to her knees in front of her mate. “Please tell me I will not be forsworn.” “And if I would not agree, what would you do?” “I would tell the council that I could not serve as heir, and we would have to find another way to fulfill your goddess’s prophecy.”

Her answer should have mollified Radek, but his thoughts were in chaos. He knew protesting the arrangement she suggested was foolish. Even on Lalatia, submissives took on responsibilities many might consider the purview of a dominant, such as running a trading company or commanding a military unit. Only in their relationship with their lovers or their mates did they submit without question. And Nia was right about the prophecy. If they were truly part of a movement to bring the old races together, they would have to find a way to make the Gaelins accept him. Nia had found that way. So why was it so distasteful? Why couldn’t he just tell her he accepted her terms? Then he could give her the spanking he’d been dying to administer since he’d first seen her in that damned slinky dress with that overly decorated crown on her head. He was scared, that was why. Scared that if he consented to her ruling Upperworld on her own, she would enjoy it too much. She might change her mind about her priorities, no matter what she said now. He’d longed to find a mate since he’d come of age, but he’d never

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realized love would make him so damned vulnerable. He’d never been a coward in his life, and he wasn’t going to start now. Nia remained on her knees in front of him. He reached down and cupped her chin so he could tilt her head up and look into her eyes. “When we are in Upperworld, you will rule. I will be your consort in the eyes of your people. But whenever we are behind closed doors, no matter where we are, I’m the one in control. I can’t give more than that.” Nia smiled. “I wouldn’t ask more of you. Submitting to you in bed is as natural as breathing. I couldn’t imagine it any other way.” Radek’s heart felt as if it would burst from his chest. “I love you, Nia.” Nia gave that wicked smile again, the one she’d used when he’d first entered the room. “I love you too, Master. May I have permission to suck your cock?” Radek groaned. “Dear gods, Nia. Yes.” She leaned forward, freed his cock from his pants, and sucked nearly the entire length of him into her mouth. As pure, undiluted pleasure rushed through him, Radek forgot all the reasons why mating frightened him. He thanked Varin for the blessings Nia had brought him. Then Nia used her tongue in a way that rendered him unable to think at all.

Silvia Violet I have adored the written word since birth. By the time I was one and a half, I was "reading" nursery rhymes to my parents. At age thirteen, I began my love affair with romances when a friend found a stash of historicals hidden under her living room couch. Since then, I’ve devoured countless romances - historicals, contemporaries and paranormals. I’m a sucker for a good alpha hero no matter what the genre. I earned a BA and then an MA in history, all the while thinking I would rather be writing romances than research papers on obscure topics. Then four years ago, I decided I was going to stop wishing I could write a romance and actually do it. Nearly a year later, after many shots of espresso and many hours of writing when I should have been doing my "real job", I finished my first novel. I’ve been writing ever since. I live in the mountains of North Carolina with my high school sweetheart (whom I married nine years ago) and our toddler-aged daughter. I am a stay-at-home mom and even when I’ve had no sleep and have just mopped the floor for the eighth time that day, I know I would never trade my life for anything else. Along with writing, I enjoy baking, reading, and surfing the web for more books to buy. When I’m not chasing my toddler, I enjoy getting exercise by hiking and walking around my quaint neighborhood. Visit Silvia on the Web at http://violet.chaosnet.org.