Hawk's Prey

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Hawk’s Prey ISBN # 1-4199-0719-0 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Hawk’s Prey Copyright© 2006 Dawn Ryder Edited by Sue-Ellen Gower. Cover art by Syneca. Electronic book Publication: August 2006

This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 443103502. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

Warning: The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. This story has been rated E–rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers. Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (Erotic), and X (X-treme). S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination. E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as “fucking”, “cock”, “pussy”, and such within their work of literature. X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

HAWK’S PREY

Dawn Ryder

Dawn Ryder

Chapter One “Your life would be filled with more comfort if you’d spread. You aren’t any better than the rest of the females who earn their way with their bodies. Stop being childish and spread your thighs. Life will be easier when you do.” “No.” Tova uttered her response in a near whisper. She didn’t want to share herself with anyone, not that Rishan would understand her. Her half-sibling meant well, most likely believed he was guiding her with words of insight. But all she heard was him urging her to earn her food by spreading her thighs. She would not do it, even to gain enough to fill her belly. She would survive on her meager rations and keep that one thing, that single thing that none might force her to surrender. Her chastity. No male had spread her and Tova wasn’t going to open her thighs to better her life. Besides, she didn’t believe that more food would make her happy. There were things that could not be bought with credits. She sighed as Rishan grunted and shook his head at her. “You are far too stubborn, Tova. Clamping your thighs closed gains you nothing. You need to begin thinking clearly. Every action should be determined by the gain it will net you.” “No.” Tova lifted her gaze to her half-sibling’s and stared at the displeasure on his face. Her body was her only real possession. She wasn’t going to share it with anyone until she wanted to. Her half-sibling glared at her harshly. Rishan would have liked to think that his temper frightened her but it was quite the opposite. His display of anger only inspired her to resist bending to his dictates even more. Tova held her chin steady as Rishan growled at her defiance, the fingers on his right hand curled into a fist as his hand lifted to her face, but he didn’t strike her. 4

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Tova could see he longed to. Her gaze wandered to the twin purple bands that encircled Rishan’s wrists. Three inches wide, the bands were the mark of guilt. They had been placed there by Hunters when they demolished her home and dragged her father and Rishan here to a penal sphere. Oh Rishan was guilty, Tova knew it, but in those moments of fear and disorientation she had reached for the only family she had, cried out to be taken away with them rather than be abandoned as an orphan of convicts. Life in an outer sphere was not kind to any kin of a convict. The occupants of her sphere would have shunned her. Unwilling to believe that she was completely ignorant of the crimes the males in her family committed. Lifelong friends would have turned their backs on her, even refused to talk to her. She would have become like a ghost still trapped in flesh. Remembered but untouchable by everyone. Now Tova wasn’t sure if that might have been a kinder fate. She dropped her chin to look at her own wrists. She wore a pair of bracelets too but hers were cobalt blue. A mark of her imprisonment among the guilty but the color announced that she was innocent. A non-convict. At least that was how the Hunters had explained it to her as the bracelets were clasped onto her wrists. They transmitted her location and her vital signs. The black-uniformed Hunters who patrolled the penal sphere could use the metal bands to restrain her just by touching them together. Their fingerprints were the keys to the bands—all they had to do was touch the smooth metal and they might lock her hands together with them. Tova sighed as Rishan lost interest in her and turned back to his friends. She returned to her task of cleaning as she heard her sibling grumble about her lack of intelligence. She bit into her lip to keep her response to herself. Harsh words would gain her nothing but another night in bed with an empty belly. Rishan always denied her her ration of nightly food in retaliation for public displays of her temper. Especially when his friends were present. He might eat her dawn meal as well if she informed him

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that she would rather starve than spread her thighs for his companion. Rishan would enjoy granting her choice. Oh but she would! Starvation wasn’t too high a price to pay and maybe she was a foolish non-convict. All around her were females in the same position—they had ended up imprisoned along with the guilty. It was by their own choice, but Tova still could not bring herself to change her current life pattern. She might request to be returned to a free sphere and she didn’t doubt that she would be granted permission to resettle, but it was a one-way journey. She looked out the small window that let light into her assigned dwelling. The path was filled with men all intent on their own duties. No one was allowed to be idle. A penal sphere was better than a work colony. You kept your place by being productive. The black-uniformed Hunters stood out plainly because the only color allowed to convicts was purple. A few non-convicts like herself moved past in their butternut robes. Mixed in with them were the Hunters, who stood out like huge stalking predators, their black body armor making them large, imposing pillars of enforcement. They did not mingle with the convicts, they patrolled with their weapons and superior size. There was nothing they did not see. Each convict’s purple bands also transmitted their words and motions when any Hunter demanded an inspection. As convicts, privacy was a right lost due to their own unlawfulness. That was the true reason Rishan stayed his impulse to strike her. His convict bands would have held the record of his violence, and if a Hunter chose him to be inspected, that record would be viewed. Rishan would be bound for the work colonies before sunrise. The Hunters who imprisoned them performed their duty quickly and efficiently. Tova had learned to get out of their sight as quickly as possible. Rishan wasn’t the only one who believed her body should be for hire. A few of the Hunters had tried to bribe her with better food rations if she would spread for them. She sighed as she scrubbed a pot. There was little point in being unhappy about such offers. She was fully grown now, twenty-four seasons. It was to be expected that men would view her body as spreadable. Truthfully, there were females who dreaded never being asked to part their thighs because they feared they were unattractive, but Tova clung to the one thing 6

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that was hers alone to grant. Many called her fearful and it was a part truth. By opening her thighs she surrendered the only thing that was under her complete control. Fearful? Aye, she was, but not because she could not stomach a male’s touch. That was the darker whisper making its way behind her back. The gossips were beginning to say she detested a man’s touch and longed for a female to join her in intimacy. There were those who preferred such arrangements but Tova didn’t believe she was one of them. A little grin worked her lips up into a smile. In truth, maybe she clung to her chastity because it was so amusing to discover what the gossips might say next. After all, there was little enough to talk about in the penal sphere. Glancing back towards Rishan, Tova let her eyes linger on the male attempting to spread her tonight. Golan had offered a rather large amount for her favor. Tova considered his body, slipping her gaze over his shoulders and chest. He was a fairlooking male and had a sense of humor. He would not be a poor choice to take as her lover. Tova moved her eyes to the purple bands on his wrists, and all interest in Golan died as she considered those bands. Golan wasn’t the right male for her. Maybe it was foolish of her but Tova longed for a male who was just an honest man. He did not need to be from any great family name or come with large sums of credits. What she craved was a non-convict who might offer her the same thing she could give in return. Just her heart and the fact that she was honest. They might lie down to sleep at night with trust between them. Someday, that honesty might pave the road to love. Tova looked at Golan again. How could she trust him? All her life she had been raised to respect the laws, well, at least by her mother. As a female child, she spent more time with her mother but it was still a shock to discover that her father held such different views on lawbreaking. She had been tempted by greed too and chosen to remain honest. Knowing Golan had failed that test of life left her cold. He might be the most handsome male to ever live and she still was not interested in spreading for him. The reason was simple. He was weak. The imperfection lived in his spirit. The pleasure she might gain in his embrace wasn’t enough for her to accept his weakness.

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That left her alone. Tova stared out the window and sighed. Maybe tomorrow would be brighter. She’d go to sleep and hold her hope tightly. That way, desolation wouldn’t sneak into her dreams to make her miserable.

***** “Fay will never submit to you.” Hawk lifted his drinking mug towards his friend as he shook his head in denial. “Since she has yet to kneel in front of you, it is still possible she might choose me.” Janus grumbled under his breath as both Hunters cast their gaze over to where the females were sitting. Among the gathering of Hunters, females were simple to spot, their light-colored robes rather obvious opposed to the amount of black-clad uniformed Hunters. Fay cast a quick look their way but her eyelashes fluttered as she discovered them looking at her. She quickly turned her head back towards her female companions. Janus growled. Hawk took another drink as he recognized the sound coming from his friend. Janus was fighting a powerful attraction to the blue-eyed Fay. Right then, his eyes were roaming over her pale hair as he turned his drinking mug in his hand, gripping the container tighter as he stared at the back of her head. The need to mate was a powerful urge. Even a Hunter could not suppress it completely. Fay snuck another look their way but it wasn’t aimed at him. Hawk finished off his drink and considered getting another. No, Fay would never kneel in front of him to offer her body with submission. Her slim fingers would never reach for his cock, nor would it be his body she spread her thighs wide for. Even as she jerked her eyes away from them, it was clear the female was fighting her own urge to mate. But she wanted Janus. Her pale cheeks were stained with a blush and her eyes lingered on Janus’ chest before she turned her back on him again. It was almost amusing the way she taunted his friend by showing him her back. Fay might not know

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it but she was issuing a challenge to Janus. She was daring him to find a way to force her to face him. Hawk chuckled as he slapped Janus on the back. His friend jumped and snarled at him as he broke off staring at Fay. “Good luck, you’ll need it to get her to cross the distance to you.” Janus hissed softly in frustration as his eyes traced the dark green line running across the tile floor. Chaste females were allowed to mingle on the south side of the hall. It was forbidden for unmated Hunters to invade their territory. A Hunter might stand on that green line and attempt to get the female of his choice to meet him there for conversation but the female held the power to just leave a male standing in the center of the room. For a Hunter, it was a risk to his pride to approach that border. Janus was snarling against the surge of heat filling his cock because Fay was pushing her chair back now that she knew he was watching her. Resistance glittered in her pale eyes as she cast quick looks back at Janus to assure herself he was conducting himself with honor. “We should apply for outer sphere patrol.” Hawk cussed now. Janus raised an eyebrow at his displeasure as he tossed the remainder of his drink into his mouth. “It might be a good solution for both of us. A captured Trophy doesn’t have the right to hide from her Master.” That was very true but Hawk wasn’t interested. Hunters could apply for outer sphere duty and if any female invaded Hunter territory on his watch, it was his right to capture her and train her as a submissive mate. That practice didn’t interest him. A lawbreaker held no attraction for him. Most of the Hunters in the room would have laughed at him. Trophies were coveted among most of them, over half the females on the opposite side of the meeting hall wore black bands on their wrists. They were captive submissives, females who had broken the law and been chosen as mates. A few of them might have come from a penal sphere but the majority were captured during outer sphere duty. 9

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Hunters waited long months for a chance to serve on the outer limits. As soon as they captured a female, their commanders reassigned them so that the next Hunter might step up and await his chance to capture a Trophy. His cock twitched at the idea of being allowed to run his choice of female to ground. He studied Fay and the green line separating them. His cock gave another twitch as he considered the surge of conquest he might gain from a willing submission. Watching a female choose him in front of her community would surpass any triumph capturing a Trophy female might. Females were much smaller than Hunters, and that fact made capturing a Trophy significantly less grand. The outcome was not in question, especially when it was a trained Hunter on patrol. The outer spheres were completely peaceful now. Lawbreakers were removed the moment guilt was proven and they were never allowed to return to spawn their tainted ideas among the law-abiding population. Convicts were not allowed to reproduce, the only exception were females who were claimed by Hunters from the work sphere and penal colonies. But the children remained in the custody of the father if the female demanded to be returned to her sphere. It was a strict life but one that ensured peace. The history records were solid proof that their current life was better. The innocent were not preyed on by members of the population who did not have discipline. Hawk cast a last look at Fay—his cock burned but not for her. His blood heated merely for the idea of what she was. A pure female who would give him her submission and her well-disciplined respect. A grin sat on his lips as he left the gathering to return to his post. The odds were against him ever enticing a non-convict female into the center of the meeting hall but the challenge of that only fueled his determination to make certain he was in attendance at the next weekly function. He had not earned his rank by quitting. A grin turned his lips up as he moved. Janus shouldn’t give up either, Fay was still attending too. The female knew Janus was sure to show up and she came. A chuckle shook his chest. Another reason to show up next week— watching Janus prowl was entertaining.

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Watching Fay was educational. Hawk considered the way she reacted to Janus. He admitted to being curious as to why she behaved the way she did. Females did not mingle with Hunters often and Hawk found himself studying the couple simply because he wanted to see how they would react to each other. Sure, there were females that he dealt with, took his ease on but that was completely different. Janus wanted to mate with Fay, not just fuck her for the relief of a stiff cock. Hawk found the emerging emotions fascinating. Janus was his partner. They knew everything about each other, except why Fay drew his attention so strongly. While Hawk expected that either of them might take a mate at some point, he admitted that he was relieved Janus was suffering the obsession first. It gave him the opportunity to study the courtship before finding himself prey to it. It also gave him the chance to enjoy Janus as he squirmed, and that was something Hawk intended to enjoy. What else were friends for?

***** “Present your wrists for inspection.” Tova clamped her lips tight against her hiss of anger. The hard voice behind her belonged to a Hunter. She turned and tipped her head back to find the large, blackuniformed male looking at her. Sweat trickled down the side of her face and the center of her back as she offered her hand to the enforcer of law. Annoyance filled her thoughts as she submitted to his authority over her. Truly, she should be accustomed to such interruptions but her temper still flickered as hot as the afternoon sun. His eyes considered her before his black-gloved hand clamped around her right forearm to secure her in place for his inspection. Her muscles twitched at the need to stand still. Tova bit into her lip as she pressed her feet firmly into the ground. The Hunter moved his attention to the information her wristbands fed into his portable communications device. His eyes flickered back to her face as he witnessed her verbal altercation with Rishan. Her temper boiled dangerously higher as the Hunter lifted an eyebrow at her. The flicker of amusement that crossed his eyes made her furious. She was sick unto 11

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death of everyone’s thoughts centering on her pussy. Why so many were concerned about her choice baffled her. It annoyed her that this Hunter had the nerve to raise his eyebrow at her. Not all inhabitants of the penal sphere turned whore and she detested being branded guilty in his thoughts. She jerked her arm out of the Hunter’s distracted hold. It was an impulse born from the feeling that the Hunter was thinking about her spreading for him. She had no true cause to direct her anger at him and still her body flinched away from his as her clit flickered with a strong ripple of sensation. The lust made her gasp because this Hunter was not anyone she might take as a lover. He was her prison guard and detested among the convicts. She might whore for him to gain something she wanted but absolutely nothing more. A second later, her body was pressed against a wall as the Hunter reacted to her abrupt action. She had learned quickly upon her arrival in the penal sphere to never try to pull her arm out of a Hunter’s grasp. The huge males were poised on the edge of tension, always ready to respond to any tiny physical threat. Tova gasped as her body was jerked into a helpless position. Her arms twisted behind her back as the Hunter wedged his thick thigh between her legs to prevent her from kicking him. Her wrist cracked as the bones were twisted by his much stronger body. Surprise flickered through his eyes as he stared into her face, but a second later she was free as he released her and stepped back. His huge body still blocked her path away from the wall, leaving her prey to his dark stare. He looked as surprised by his actions as she was by her own. They had both responded out of instinct. Her cheeks stung with a blush as she realized how much larger he was than her. So close, he towered over her. A ripple of awareness moved over her skin until it hit her nipples. Tova frowned as she felt them tighten into hard points that dug into her robe. “You should know better, non-convict. You are required to stand still for inspection.” The Hunter grunted with disapproval as his eyes studied her.

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Tova rubbed her wrist as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her nipples tingled again as she caught an unfamiliar scent. She actually recognized that she could smell the Hunter’s skin. The warm scent of male traveled through her senses, triggering odd little impulses. She fought to stand still as her muscles twitched with a surge of energy. It felt like a current that flowed into her nipples and down her spine to her clit. A hot flicker of lust filled her pussy as she cursed her bad luck for having such a reaction to a Hunter. “You are too slight to disobey a Hunter.” Her head didn’t reach his shoulder but her body wasn’t tiny. Hawk considered her sturdy frame with a flicker of appreciation from his cock. The attraction was not anticipated and he lingered in place as he felt it move through his frame. She rubbed at her arm but didn’t complain. Pain flickered in her eyes, proving that this female was stronger than most he had ever met. That wasn’t completely uncommon among convicts. Many were hardened by their greed, but Tova didn’t look jaded. She simply held her complaints, refusing to lower herself to whining. Hawk felt another surge of appreciation for her and it sunk deeper into his brain as he looked at her arm again. The skin was turning an angry red, making him frown. “Let me look at your arm.” The Hunter didn’t wait for her to comply, he reached across the space between them and captured her wrist once again. A tiny sound of surprise escaped her lips as Tova struggled to relax and let him have command of her limb. Every muscle felt taut and unyielding as more sensation filled her breasts and even flowed towards her pussy. She was horrified at the reaction. Hunters fucked non-convicts but never respected any occupant of the penal sphere. “I am fine.” Her wrist remained in his grasp as his eyes flickered back to her face. “I will be the judge of that.” His voice was thick with authority but her fickle emotions heard strength in it too. His shoulders blocked the afternoon sun because he was so close to her. His fingers encircled her wrist completely. Tova stared at his hand and the stark reality of

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how helpless her limb looked held in his grasp. He pulled a slim black rectangle from his belt and a red light appeared on its surface. There was a soft chirp from it as he moved it over her wrist and held it up for his gaze to inspect. A hard grunt was his only response as he returned the item to his waist but didn’t release her. Instead his other hand joined the grip as he began to rub her numb wrist. Tova felt her jaw drop as she stared at his fingers rubbing and working the feeling back into her arm. Concern for her comfort was only a distant memory. “’Tis not broken.” His voice was hard with reprimand as his fingers continued to rub at her limb. She was suddenly lamenting the black gloves encasing his fingers. The dense fabric prevented her from feeling his skin against her own. “As I said, I am well.” She yanked on her arm. A hot curl of lust moved through her pussy as heat seared across her face. She should be ashamed to feel any sort of attraction for a Hunter, even something as common as lust. A deep growl came from his throat as his gaze flickered with displeasure. “You should submit without a struggle. Hunters react quickly and harshly to subjects who do not yield.” Tova rubbed her own wrist to remove the memory of his strong fingers stroking her limb. “The law does not require I yield my body to anything more. May I pass?” Tova detested the plea lacing her voice but she was powerless to banish the heat flowing through her blood. Lust curled through her clit as her pussy gave a twist of need so surprising, she blushed once again. If he didn’t move, she could not force him to. “And yet you blush.” Hawk shouldn’t have remarked on the fact but he wanted to see what she would say. He wasn’t ready to watch her turn her back on him, in fact, preventing that appealed to him quite a bit. “Do you think I enjoy being inspected? Temper colors the cheeks.” Her words were a blatant lie. His eyes traced the stain on her face and then dropped to her crossed arms. Tova hid her nipples with her forearms because her soft robe would have displayed the little points. 14

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“So does attraction.” She gasped and licked her lower lip. Hawk watched her reaction and grinned. Satisfaction moved through him for unmasking her. He enjoyed witnessing how he affected her just a little too much but that wasn’t enough to stop his hand from stroking her cheek just once. His glove prevented true skin-to-skin contact but she shivered and that pleased him immensely. She glared at him before raising her voice enough to make sure the people behind him might hear her. “May I pass?” The Hunter studied her flaming cheeks for a time before he stepped back. Tova sprang away from the wall that had imprisoned her. She bit back the curse she wanted to mutter as she fled. There was no other way to describe her departure and it made her furious that any male might make her so desperate. A fine tremor shook her legs as she moved, betraying how affected she was by her lust. She stopped for a moment and turned her head to look back. He stood there watching her with a smug grin on his face. The look of appreciation for her body stunned her. His face lacked the leer she was used to seeing aimed at her bottom when males were interested in spreading her. The Hunter was arrogant but not presumptuous. His words echoed in her head. Attraction? She had labeled it lust but his word made it far more possible for her to yield to the heat flickering through her clit. His eyes still lingered on her and she turned when she realized that he could now see her hard nipples. Her blush doubled as she shook her head and moved towards her home. Letting him know how much she was interested in him was most unwise. Any further contact between them promised to lead her into trouble. Her life was hard enough, she did not need a Hunter to complicate it further. Even one whom she was attracted to.

Hawk watched the non-convict hurry down the street and his eyes strayed to the sway of her hips as she quickened her pace. His cock throbbed behind his uniform as a slight scent of her body lingered. He grinned at her retreating form and cursed at his 15

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thoughts. He inspected hundreds of inhabitants each duty rotation, her body wasn’t any different than a hundred others. But their meeting clung to his mind as he moved his gaze around the street. Losing focus was asking for death to land on the back of his skull. A mocking grin from Janus only infuriated him further. The Hunter stood ten feet behind him with a grin on his lips that told Hawk his comrade had witnessed the entire episode. “That was interesting, Hawk. Very interesting.” Janus turned and looked at Tova as she turned a corner. “Very nice too.” “Shut up.” Janus offered him a smirk. The man was his partner but that didn’t make him any happier about finding him watching. Hawk felt a frown mar his face. His thoughts weren’t making sense. He and Janus often shared females. Command structure among Hunters made it mandatory that they could view each other’s records at any time and for any reason. He had no secrets from Janus. He never would. If he acted on his lust for Tova, Janus would know and possibly even share in it. That made his current agitation hard to understand. Possessiveness wasn’t a good thing in a Hunter. “Now who is dreaming of submission?” Janus was also a bastard who never forgot a single thing. “Choke and rot.” Janus snorted and grinned at him. He slapped a hard hand onto his shoulder as they began to move once again. “You’re surly when your cock is hard.” “And you whine like an unweaned babe.” Janus smirked at him before nodding in agreement. “I shall whine happily. If it means I will be rewarded with a plump set of tits to suckle.” Hawk laughed at his friend because the comment deserved it. Only your friends were willing to drop their pride long enough to engage in humor. Among Hunters, that bond was treasured. But his thoughts didn’t remain with Janus very long. Hawk scanned the street but his mind lingered on the non-convict he’d just inspected. 16

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Chaste. Her face remained in his memory as he considered that surprising fact. Most nonconvicts prostituted their bodies. Their life was not easy and it was a simple way to gain comfort in a sphere built for convicts. He and Janus moved forward and another butternut-robed female turned to clear their path. “You can inspect me anytime.” She offered them both a coy smile that left a sour taste in Hawk’s mouth. His temper rose in response. His cock was still hard. The offer should have pleased his stiff flesh. Instead, Tova’s scent lingered and his cock rejected the idea of any female save her. Their meeting remained lodged in his brain as he felt more heat for her than the female offering to spread for him. Janus considered him and shrugged the offer aside as well. “We make a fine pair.” Hawk scoffed at his partner. “Aye, a fine pair of idiots.” They would both suffer their hunger but that idea met with more approval than taking the woman behind him up on her offer. Sometimes, if you couldn’t have quality, it wasn’t worth ruining your palate with an inferior product. Tova was quality, Hawk knew that. He also knew they were better off avoiding each other. That didn’t mean he was willing to sink his cock into a slut. Yeah, he and Janus made a fine pair of idiots. Fay wouldn’t be showing up anytime soon either.

***** Tova bathed when she got home. Rishan grumbled about her fetish for cleanliness as he checked their water meter. He shot her a glare before pointing a finger at her. “Your bathing habit must stop. It wastes water. We could trade it instead.” Everything was rationed in the penal sphere. As lawbreakers they were disallowed possessions. Even the very necessities of life were dispensed in small allotments. That 17

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practice helped ensure the convicts would find it difficult to store up enough supplies to make an escape attempt. There were stories of the far side of the planet where it was primitive but not controlled by the Hunters. If a convict made it, he could cut his bands of conviction off his wrists and live however he liked. If he survived the journey, that was. Stretches of burning sand and hungry carnivores lay between the civilized spheres and the uncivilized side of the globe. The Hunters would not bother to give chase to any convict who ran but they would not allow their resources to be stolen for the escape attempt either. Instead they simply waited for the convict to return. They did too. Battered and half crazed from dehydration and other horrors. The Hunters would place them on public display before shipping them off to a work colony. It was a fact that the Hunters enjoyed being able to place returned convicts in the work colonies, it kept the other convicts neatly in their barracks. Still, convicts like her brother listened to the rumors and dreamed of freedom. They fueled their hopes with false pride, telling themselves that they would be strong enough to make it. Tova was content to linger in the few enjoyments her life yielded. It was the truth that her life had changed little. She labored each day to hold off starvation, just as she had in her birth sphere. Rishan made demands of her and her father cursed her for being born a daughter, just as he always had. But there was one thing that was better. She was no longer struck when the males in her family gave in to their rage. Here among their Hunter guards, their violence would meet with swift judgment. Tova considered her blue wristbands and smiled. There was good in all things, even imprisonment. Still, nothing was free. Her nipples were still sensitive. Just a lingering awareness now, but as she moved and the evening air carried away the heat from the day, she felt her robe brushing across her bare skin. It was a thing she wasn’t accustomed to noticing. Frustration chewed on her clit as her memory insisted on displaying the Hunter’s image to her. She recalled little details about him. Her nipples tingled slightly

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as she lingered in her memory of just how wide his shoulders were. His eyes appealed to her as well, they were keen and quick to absorb details. The heat moving through her surprised her, but she enjoyed it too. For the first time, the idea of letting a male touch her excited her. It was his comforting touch that caused her to think about him. Tova looked at her hand and the slight swelling marking her limb. He had hurt her but what held his memory in her attention was the fact that he had applied care to the injury. The few times it had happened to her in the past, the Hunters had left her to deal with the discomfort alone. It wasn’t necessary to treat, only to remember to stand still around the highly trained guards. She knew so, had listened to the stories of those who had made the mistake of attempting to resist inspections. Non-compliance met with swift applications of Hunter strength. Their bodies grew larger than civilian males and were honed just like weapons. It was simple to see them because they stood a good foot taller than the convicts. Thick muscle covered their bodies making their chests wide and imposing. Truly, she was astonished to discover the Hunter had indeed been able to control his strength. That was not a trait she had considered you might find in a Hunter. Even their chosen mates were often submissive to the point of pity. She had never seen one, only heard about the practice of capturing females who became the property of the Hunter. The women were lawbreakers and yet it still seemed harsh that their bodies became toys for males who called them Trophy. Her nipples tingled again as she considered being played with. Tova pressed her hands over her breasts and delight spread through her nipples. Heat pooled in her belly as she felt the touch of fluid on the top of her bare thighs. She hissed as she rubbed her hands over her breasts, attempting to banish the sensation. An image of strong Hunter hands touching her tender breasts filled her cheeks with heat as she felt her clit flicker with more lust. The betrayal of her body continued in spite of her mental warning to forget that Hunter.

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She could not spread for a Hunter! He would bend her body to his whim. Take what he craved and leave her marked with the stain of her shame. Even a female who spread for money was considered more respectable than one who allowed her body to be penetrated by a Hunter just for the pleasure of coupling. Unless it was for some tangible thing, a Hunter was not acceptable as a lover. Tova felt two tears sting her eyes—she would not earn her things by spreading. Too many of the non-convict women did so and their eyes grew old before their faces wrinkled. The spirit died and Tova wouldn’t give up her life for comfort. But her pussy was hot for the Hunter. Desire to spread for him clawed at her, leaving her struggling with her principles. She wouldn’t lie either. Not even to cover up her lust for a Hunter. That left her with a craving that might drive her half mad because she wasn’t going to feed it. “Where is my dinner? You lazy bitch!” Rishan bellowed from outside. Tova closed her mind to his insults as she began to fill a bowl with the stew she had made. She was not lazy. Rishan might say she was but she would never listen to his surly words. She would bathe when she pleased as well. That was one ration neither male might take from her. Whenever water was used, each occupant’s wristbands transmitted their identity. Rishan could not draw her water allotment with his own hands, he would have to demand she do it and hand the precious fluid over to him. But he risked the record being viewed if she were inspected, so he tried to get her to offer the water to him. Tova smiled as she enjoyed the feeling of clean skin. It was a comfort she treasured. She would not be giving her water to Rishan for his purposes. She refused to think about what he did with the water he managed to collect from their sire. In truth, she was better off not thinking about Rishan’s actions at all. He was a confessed convict and a non-penitent one too. Greed shone bright in his eyes. Tova was convinced it would bring him to further ruin. Still, she was not willing to leave, so she would keep the living space for him and not poke her nose into his affairs. She contented herself with

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the firm belief that life would be no easier for her in a peaceful sphere. Life was hard. It was a simple fact that made it possible to be content with her lot. Enduring lust was simply today’s discomfort…nothing more.

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Chapter Two The afternoon heat was worse today. Tova longed for a drink as she rested her burden on a tree stump. Her assigned duty was garment production. She had to construct the items from the materials given her before returning the completed garments. Every bit of cloth was counted upon return and her rations cut if she was careless enough to lose anything. It was a humble duty but still better than earning her keep by spreading. Some females who could not prove any useful skill were assigned to comfort duty. They catered to the Hunters, easing every ache in their bodies from sore muscles to stiff cocks. Hefting her bundle onto her hip again, she moved back into the sun. Everyone worked or they were exiled to a work colony. It was a just system, food did not simply appear, it had to be grown. No one should eat if they did not work. The law-abiding should not have to fear the greed of the lawless. She understood and faced her life knowing that it was fair. In the past things had not been balanced, the powerful had been gluttons while the poor suffered. She had studied those times and was happy to live in the current one. “You’re early, Tova.” Alana smiled at her as Tova placed her bundle on the inspection table. The girl’s grin faded as she considered Tova. “Did that bastard brother make you work all night?” Tova smiled and shrugged but Alana frowned at her. She crossed her arms across her chest. “Save it, Tova! You’ve dark circles around your eyes. You did not sleep much last night.” “My mind was busy, so I let my hands be as well. There is no point in lying in bed when you cannot sleep.”

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“Ah, so true.” Alana began to sort out the completed garments as she clicked her tongue. Tova leaned against the wall as her sleepless night weighed on her shoulders. She was weary and Alana was correct. She had worked most of the night but not at anyone’s command. Sleep had never been so unwelcoming before. Each time she closed her eyes, she slipped into a slumber filled with simmering lust and the dark eyes of a Hunter. She found him strangely attractive. In one brief encounter she had decided he was…handsome. It was not that she found his face pleasing to look upon, it was something about his eyes that drew her interest. There was more strength in his gaze than she had ever witnessed and it lingered in her memory, teasing her with the forbidden image of allowing him to touch her as she touched him in return. “I confess that I am glad you did come in today.” Alana paused in her stacking. Her eyes simmered with excitement as she showed off every tooth in her head. “You have been offered duty at food preparation.” Alana chuckled with delight as she went back to work. Tova grinned as well because the offer was a privilege, one coveted among non-convict females. Behind the sealed doors of the ration-processing center were duties that needed knives to complete. Weapons were strictly controlled in the penal sphere. But the thing that made her grin at the idea of laboring in the station was the freedom it would grant her from Rishan and his endless ideas of what she should do with her body. She would report for her duty each dawn. Rishan would have no authority over her until she returned at dusk. Alana slapped the tabletop as she finished her counting. Her fingers tapped against a control panel before she turned to grin at Tova again. “I see your new duty pleases you. You are assigned for two work rotations to see if the supervisor likes you. So get some sleep tonight or you’ll be dismissed for moving too slowly.” “I shall not!” Tova clasped hands with Alana before turning to exit her office. Another person waited outside the office door for their turn. She hummed an old tune that her harsh life had almost erased from her memory as she left. Fourteen days of not

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being under Rishan’s grumpy dictation! She would move quickly for certain! The turn in luck was welcome. Maybe her lust would vanish as well or at least settle on a male more suited to her. She looked at the men passing her, attempting to find one who sparked interest in her. Her clit had been sensitive all night long. She was no child who did not know the meaning of such feelings but her eyes didn’t settle on any of the males passing. That left her disappointed. She firmly kept her eyes away from the Hunters on patrol. If it was a lover she sought, she would not be looking at any of the black-clad guards. Frustration chewed at her as she felt her nipples tingle in want of a touch. It certainly was time for a change in her luck. A new duty sounded like a good place to begin.

***** “Dung licking stub cock.” Hawk glared at his partner. Janus gripped his own crotch and grinned at the bulge filling out his black uniform. Hawk growled at him because he knew Janus’ cock wasn’t a stub, but he was tempted to remedy that fact. “She’s a good choice and you know it.” Janus stepped closer to the wall and peered down at the woman working in the Hunters’ food preparation area. He nodded his head as he dropped all amusement to glare at Hawk. “She’s chaste, which means she won’t be slipping into the hallway to fuck half the garrison while trying to con them out of contraband. Some efficiency around here will be nice for a change.” So would a chance to watch Hawk squirm instead of the other way around. Janus kept his expression calm but he was enjoying the moment quite a bit. Besides, he shared Hawk’s interest in Tova. There was no way to ignore it because they were linked. “You can thank me later.” Janus lost his amused expression as he aimed a hard look at Hawk. “I like her too and that’s your fault. So she’s here. Court her too slow and I’ll just have to show you how it’s done.”

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Hawk rolled his eyes but he returned his attention to Tova. Janus chuckled before leaving him alone to observe her. The details of her inspection remained lodged in his thoughts. Those same facts were what brought the female under his command today. Janus had access to every inspection Hawk did—they shared the information. Food preparation was their command and Janus did have a valid point. Hawk saw the value in a chaste non-convict as well. Tova was perfect for the position despite his own issues with her. Her scent lingered in his senses as he watched her move around her table below him. His cock twitched as he slid his eyes over the curves of her hips. Her brown hair was completely covered to keep the food area sterile but he remembered its luster clearly. Her chaste condition beckoned like a prize for some reason. Hawk ground his teeth together as his cock stiffened. He was no junior Hunter prone to erections at the first sight of a female. It should have been within his control to ignore Tova as just another inspection. But she intrigued him. There were few females who refused to spread at her age. Most succumbed to their natural mating need, especially in the penal sphere. The scent of her arousal had teased his nose yesterday and his cock jerked at the memory. Tova didn’t lack a healthy mating need. That idea taunted him with the challenge of gaining her submission. He should dismiss the idea. Slam his fist into Janus’ face and make sure Tova was dismissed. But the soft sound of her voice stopped him. Tova was humming as she worked, the carefree tune rising from her lips like a spring breeze. Her voice was rich with the promise of life. It taunted him with how bleak his life dedicated to duty had become. It had been a long time since he’d whistled a tune just because it was on his mind. Maybe he should back her up against the wall, see what she tasted like before she could run away once she discovered she was working under his command. Finger her little nipples just so that he’d know what they felt like, instead of just what they looked like poking at her robe.

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A slow grin worked its way onto his face as Hawk caught the bounce of her breasts. Tova wouldn’t like the facts of their current relationship any more than he currently did and that made his cock burn with need. The desire to corner her grew as he considered the resistance she’d showed him yesterday. But her body had different ideas. The little points of her nipples had been solid proof that she felt the same attraction he did. He’d even caught the first hint of what her pussy smelled like when it was heating for a male. She might be chaste, but her body was eager to accept a lover. His cock gave a jerk as he leaned closer to listen to her song. She wouldn’t be fucking any Hunter except him and that was something he was going to see to personally.

Tova stretched her arms up above her head and grimaced. She would not be growing soft in her new position, there was ample lifting that made her back ache today. Her wrist was captured above her head and held there. She gasped as she snapped her head about. The Hunter had walked right up behind her as she worked. Her humming had masked his approach. He stood a mere inch from her body as he pulled her wrist towards his face. “How is your wrist today, Tova?” His eyes considered the mild swelling left from yesterday as a shudder shook her body. Tova bit into her lip to seal her hiss inside her mouth. His eyes moved to her face instantly in response to her reaction. “Nice to see you again.” “Bad luck.” Something flickered in his eyes that looked like approval for her response to his touch. Her body jerked away from his in another, unconsidered motion born from her awareness of his greater strength. “Be still.” His voice was edged with hard authority as his fingers remained clasped around her hand. Sensation twisted through her like roots growing through freshly broken soil. Being so close to the Hunter once again caused an immediate reaction that 26

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surged through her well-thought-out reasons to ignore him. Her reason deserted her as his scent triggered a rush of heat that flowed towards her clit. “You have no right to touch me.” It was a bold thing to think, much less speak. Her voice trembled as she shivered again. His fingers moved on her wrist as the Hunter moved his thumb to stroke the delicate skin on the underside of her wrist. Her nipples tingled as she pressed her lips tightly together. He watched her as his thumb stroked her skin in slow motions and one corner of his mouth rose as he heard her gasp. “And yet you enjoy it when I do touch you, Tova. That changes what my rights are. When I can see your nipples poking through your robe, touching you becomes more of a priority because I know that you crave it too.” Her eyes widened and Tova hissed at him. Her cursed flesh was alive with excitement and she could feel fluid from her pussy touching the top of her thighs. Between the folds of her sex, her clit burned for freedom. The need to shift her legs made her feet itch to move. Her temper ignited in response to her body’s treachery. She yanked on her hand and the Hunter’s mouth became a stern frown once more as his fingers tightened on her hand and wrist. Demand shone in his eyes and Tova glared right back at him. “I do not offer you my submission. You should not assume I am interested.” He growled in response. Tova grinned at his displeasure. Among Hunters, females were expected to kneel in submission to their huge bodies. Most likely that was the reason they preferred to capture their mates but Tova would have none of it. “It is not assumption.” She was bound in his embrace a moment later as he turned and pulled her back against his body. His head loomed over her shoulder as he pressed her completely against his hard body. She bucked away from his hold but his arm wrapped around her waist to bind her against him. His fingers spread out over her belly to press her hips back towards his large frame. His free hand gently cupped one of her breasts. A little sound of delight escaped her lips as she felt his breath brush her ear. 27

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“These hard nipples tell me you are attracted to me.” His thumb brushed her nipple as she jumped and her hips gave a little jerk. He groaned next to her ear as she felt the outline of his cock against her back. It was hard and her clit flickered with a wave of heat in response. “I can smell the heat from your body too.” His lips gently teased her neck. It was barely a brush but pleasure shot down her neck. “You would enjoy submitting to me, Tova. Pleasure would be your reward for obedience.” Tova jerked in response to his words but she was tempted by the desire to tilt her head to the side so that he might kiss her some more. Need chewed at her resolve to refuse him as her heart raced beneath her breast. Her hands were clamped around the hard arms imprisoning her but her fingertips were more interested in slipping over the ridges of muscles that the Hunter’s black uniform hid from her eyes. “Your thighs are wet with the compliance of your body. Aren’t they, Tova? The needs of the flesh often conflict with reason. But if I raised your robe, what would I find on the top of your legs?” He pressed his cock against her lower back. His thumb rubbed over her nipple again and her clit twisted with sensation so sharp it was painful. Her mouth went dry as his fingers rubbed her belly and her pussy ached for him to slide his hand lower until he relieved her need. “My touch would give you release but you will only gain it through submission to my will.” “No. That is not a good choice. Release me and find another to play with.” He chuckled next to her neck and Tova hissed with her hot temper. The Hunter held her in spite of her struggle to escape. “I would rather play with you.” The finger on her nipple was driving her insane. Lust boiled hotter as she tried to think of a way to prevent her will from crumbling so quickly. A lover she might have, but not a Hunter. “I am not a toy.”

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His arms tightened around her squirming body like a warning before he reached past her and pulled one of the filled food containers off her worktable. He punctured the sterile plastic she had sealed over the food and pulled a slice of meat from inside. “Then we will return to work, Tova. This station is under my command.” Tova gasped but the Hunter lifted the meat up to her lips. “You will taste the food you process at my direction at any time I order you to. If you are ever tempted to poison us, be assured you will suffer the same fate. Open your mouth.” His order was intended for work purposes and yet an image sprang into her mind of him demanding she open her lips for his cock. The hard flesh still pressed against her back, taunting her with how full her pussy would be if she submitted to him. Her clit throbbed with need as his words of pleasure shimmered like a reward she might taste if only she would comply. The arm around her body tightened as she contemplated her thoughts instead of opening her mouth for the food. Pulling her attention from her burning clit took far too much effort. Tova growled before relaxing her jaw. The Hunter pushed the meat right into her mouth with his fingers. “Swallow it.” His fingers left her mouth as she began to chew but they remained on top of her lips to catch any food she might spit out. She should have expected such. The food she handled went to Hunters and she lived under their rule. Tova swallowed the food to end the inspection. Her pussy lamented that quick action but she refused to yield to her need. “Good.” The Hunter turned her so that she faced him once more. His eyes flashed a warning at her before his hand closed around the back of her head to tip her face up. His eyes lingered on her lips a second before lowering to capture them in a hard kiss. His tongue stabbed into her mouth as his hand held her in place. His taste mingled with his scent, bringing an eruption of sensation to her body. There was no ignoring the surge of hunger rushing through her blood. His lips moved over hers as his tongue stroked hers in a bold mimicry of the action her pussy craved. Her heart raced with a speed that 29

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made her dizzy. The hand clasping her to his body cupped one side of her bottom as his kiss continued. Need rose from her pussy as it begged for friction. She shoved against the hard wall of his chest and moaned as her fingertips discovered how much hard muscle lay under his black uniform. Need crested so high she panicked and bit into his lower lip. “I told you to let me be.” The Hunter cursed but he did not release her. The control he wielded over his body was amazing. Tova was quite certain any other man would have slapped her for wounding him so. A tiny trickle of blood marked his lip and she felt the blood drain from her face as she stared at the wound she had inflicted. Hurting him did not sit well with her. His chest rumbled with amusement before the hand holding her head left her hair to slide over her bare neck. Her skin was ultrasensitive, she felt each fingertip as it stroked her bare flesh like hot coals passing over her. “And I am telling you that we will touch.” His voice was firm with conviction as his hand moved over her collarbone and down her chest between her breasts. Her nipples ached with the need to be stroked as gently. The tightened nubs begged for any attention from his hand as her nipples became so hard she twisted against his hold on her yet again. Her brain knew her struggles were in vain and yet she could not keep her body from falling against her captor. “The law does not require me to submit to you!” One dark eyebrow rose as his hand halted between her breasts. He pressed his hand against her chest and grinned at the frantic motion of her heart. His fingers spread wide until his thumb touched her hard nipple. She gasped as pleasure shot into her clit so violently, her hips bucked with it, her body thrusting towards him with bold invitation.

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“Your reaction gives me the right to ask for your submission.” The scent of her pussy rose between them as he thumbed her nipple once again. “I understand that you have not felt such a strong attraction before. That is why you are chaste.” He pinched her nipple and she moaned with pleasure. His mouth caught hers in another kiss as he cupped her chin. It was a firm kiss that promised her he meant what he said. His tongue moved over her lips before pressing into her mouth to stroke her own. She shivered as sweet sensation swept through her and she kissed him back. Tova laid one hand on his chest and her fingers spread wide to touch the hard male flesh her eyes had admired. “You will belong to me, Tova.” This time his voice was edged with authority. It made her mad but she shivered too. There was no sense to the way he affected her…only response. The two emotions combined inside her body with disastrous effect. “Trust is earned. I grant you that.” He leaned forward until his breath brushed her moist lips. Her lower lip trembled in want of another kiss but their eyes were still focused on each other’s. “Submission will bring you pleasure. Resistance yields only frustration.” “Leave me.” Her hiss of denial was met with another chuckle from his wide chest. Her hands slapped against his body as she leaned back to escape the temptation of his mouth. He lifted her right off her feet and sat her bottom on the edge of her worktable. His hard thigh pressed between hers, parting them as he pulled her robe up to her hip. Her burning clit rejoiced as it was freed from the folds of her slit. It trembled with need as Tova struggled to find enough breath to order the Hunter away from her body. “Leave you hungry?” His eyes glittered as he pushed her thighs wide open. He stepped right between her legs, his body keeping her spread. “You cannot understand the value of submission if you have never sampled pleasure. Have you ever brought your body to climax?” His hand smoothed up her bare thigh as he asked his question. “Answer me, Tova.”

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“No.” She snapped her mouth closed, frowning at how quickly she jumped to his command. Somehow, she did not think the laws of the Hunter/non-convict applied to questions of this nature. “Has anyone brought you to climax?” His hand cupped her mons and she jumped. She couldn’t snap her legs shut because he stood between them. One of his arms was draped down her back, keeping her from moving back across the table. A single thick finger moved up the center of her slit. “As wet as I thought it would be.” His finger flicked over her clit and she cried out with the pleasure. Her hips were arching towards his hand as he rubbed the little bundle of nerve endings. She had never thought there was a spot on her body that could feel so good. She wanted to lift her hips towards his finger but her pussy felt empty too. There wasn’t time to ponder the mix of emotion as need twisted tighter and tighter under his finger. He leaned down to seal her cries inside her mouth as his finger flicked and rubbed her. The taste of blood invaded her passion momentarily but there was no holding back the pleasure that began to rip her away from every manner of thought. There was nothing but the taste of his kiss and the finger rubbing her clit. Her pussy contracted as pleasure filled her body. Satisfaction followed leaving only a deep ache in her pussy. A few slow rubs over her clit and the finger was removed as he lifted his mouth from hers. She was free a moment later. He even pulled her robe down to cover her. Tova grasped the edge of the table she sat on, grateful for its support. The Hunter stood two paces away from her, watching her with his dark eyes. His face was taut with desire, his jaw clenched against his own need for release. The control he held over his own urges was admirable and even frightening. A man with such patience would be a Master who controlled his submissive completely. A shiver shook her body as she pressed her thighs together to shield her tender flesh. “Offer me your submission, Tova.”

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His eyes dropped to the floor in front of him. Her temper flared to life in spite of the ripples of delight still moving through her body. The fact that he demanded her surrender now after feeding her lust made her even more determined to resist. He was a man who wanted complete submission, not one aided by burning need. But he was insane to think she would simply walk away from her life because of one moment of bliss. Life was more complicated than just sex. “I do not even know your name.” “I am named Hawk. You will spread for me, Tova. Accept it and you will know only pleasure. Until then, suffer your hunger. Until I decide to relieve it once again.” A corner of his mouth twitched up into a grin. He raised his hand and wiped the smeared blood off his chin. The Hunter looked at the proof of her resistance as his lips curved into a full smile. Tova shivered as she looked at the expression. It was a promise, an acceptance of the challenge her denial presented to him. At that moment she was prey in his eyes and hunger burned brightly in those dark orbs.

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Chapter Three She would rather labor in the burning sun under Rishan’s ill-tempered direction! Tova felt tears sting her eyes as she applied her temper to her labor. She finished her allotment of work before her time, leaving her with nothing save her thoughts. It was a poor choice to have made. Her idle hands allowed her mind to linger over her encounter with Hawk. She snorted at her recollection of his name. But she smirked as she recalled that he would have her call him Master instead. Nay, it would not happen! She shivered as her body burned with renewed need. She did not understand how it was possible. So much pleasure gained from one touch. For certain, she had felt her clit throb before, yet not with such demand as when Hawk kissed her. But the explosion of pleasure was what perplexed her. She had not known her body could feel that way. Each touch had been so intense that her mind replayed them over and over to her as she waited for time to pass. Empty minutes were always the longest. Today, it felt as though idleness might drive her insane. That fear twisted through her once more as she recognized that the hunger growing in her body would push her into something far worse—submission. The blood drained from her face as the time changed and she yanked her wrap off the side wall. She didn’t even bother to drape it around her shoulders before she hurried out of the command center. The night area was chilly but her skin was flushed with heat as her heart beat faster than normal. Maybe she should not be so surprised to discover her body burning with the desire to mate. It was something every female endured. Still she would have picked up the hem of her robe and run down the street if it would have gained her any relief.

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There would be no escape and that was what tormented her the greatest. Tova cursed against the fact that females did not wear britches. Only males wore fabric between their thighs. Females wore robes that fell to their ankles. The warm air during the day made the dress practical. Males wore britches because their labors involved bending over and climbing. Females were expected to make do with a simpler garment that required less labor to produce. Tova had never given much thought to it but tonight her thighs were slick with her own juices. The folds of her sex felt swollen, pressing in on her clit. Making her yearn to spread her thighs apart to relieve the pressure. But somehow she knew her own hand would not yield as much pleasure as Hawk’s had. It was more than just his touch, it had been his scent filling her head and the way he held her against his body. The brush of his hard cock against her that sent her blood racing. Now it was only a dull ache compared to when Hawk was kissing her. She shuddered as she realized it might be much, much worse. Rumors surfaced from her memory of something she had never thought might touch her body. Tonight, she gasped as she realized the possibility of Hawk using a training harness on her. Those contraptions were favored among Hunters. A diabolical creation formed by strips of leather. It was secured around a female’s waist. Two lengths ran between her thighs where two smooth beads were held in place against her clit. Each step would rub those beads back and forth across the wearer’s clit. The training harness was used to prepare a captured Trophy for full penetration. Hunters were much larger than most females and it was considered a point of honor among them to strap their intended mate into those contraptions out of kindness. To loosen the female body before they claimed them completely. Tova moaned slightly as her clit burned. If Hawk placed her in a training harness, she would be trapped in its tormenting hold. A training harness was riveted onto the female and had to be cut off. There were no knives permitted in the penal sphere. Her new position allowed her use of such sharp tools but she was scanned before she left to

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ensure she left them behind. That was the reason she had to go and pick up pieces of the garments she was to assemble in her last labor assignment—the only cutting tool she was allowed was a small thread slicer. Tova snorted as she forced her feet to move slower. A training harness would be a declaration of submission. Once her body was in one she could forget ever returning to her life. If she took Hawk as a lover, even convicts would shun her. She might lie, claim she spread to keep her job. That would not be unique but it would be dishonorable. She grumbled as her conscience refused to allow her to sully her relationship with Hawk. He wasn’t trying to buy her. There was respect for her in that truth. That was something she would not tarnish, even to make her life easier. It had been so very long since she felt respected. Even if she refused him, she would always remember Hawk for treating her so well. He was a man worth her honesty. Tova entered her living area and looked quickly about. She moved towards her sleeping space to consider her reflection. Her lips looked fuller and her cheeks were stained with a blush. She laughed at herself before moving off to prepare supper. Their allotment of food was stored away and she looked at it, trying to decide what to heat. All day she had prepared meals for Hunters. She realized how much better those men ate. It made sense with their larger body size but she was still envious of the meat. Her meal would not have any of the rich protein source. Among prisoners it was tightly controlled to keep the males from building their muscles. A tiny giggle escaped her lips as Tova considered Rishan. He had too much laziness in his character to dedicate enough of his time to building a body like Hawk had. Her fingers had told her exactly how strong the Hunter was beneath his uniform. “About time you showed up.” Rishan was surly as his eyes inspected her. There were times she might have feared lust from him if he was not her blood. It was moments like this when his eyes lingered on her breasts that she felt the need to bathe more intensely. Tonight it bothered her more than ever. Tova turned and propped her hand on her hip.

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“Take your temper elsewhere, Rishan, or eat cold rations. I am not late nor do I owe you apology for completing my labor rotation.” Rishan’s eyes widened as his fist struck the table between them. He pointed a dirty finger at her. “You spread for one of those Hunters, didn’t you?” “I did not.” The details didn’t matter. The flare of suspicion on her brother’s face said he did not believe her. “Even if I had, I would think it would please you, since you are forever concerned with my chaste state.” An odd look crossed her brother’s face before he spoke again. “Just don’t let him use your pussy for free. Those cursed Hunters take everything from us. Get something in return. Pussy shouldn’t be free, even for them.” Rishan left and Tova felt her mood darken. Aye, she and her sibling might not agree on much but he was correct about one thing. Hunters used non-convict females. That was not gossip but a fact she had witnessed with her own eyes. A little dagger of pain rent a hole in her memory of the pleasure Hawk had wrung from her body. In truth, he might seek her submission for his own pleasures. Failing to deliberate on that fact could see her cradling a broken heart when he found some other female and moved on. It shouldn’t bother her, it was a fact of life. Still she frowned as she went about her work, the light mood that had her humming most of the day now vanished as she contemplated the position she was in. Attracting Hawk’s attention was dangerous. Hawk…he was rather well named. A raptor swooped down and ripped its prey from its tracts too. It was swift and powerful and master of what it held grasped in its talons. Indeed, there was much to be careful about since she had caught his eye.

Her bed was cold. Tova shivered and tossed on her thin pallet. Sleep should have carried her away easily. Her muscles ached from a full day’s work and yet her mind refused to stop thinking.

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She hissed as she kicked at her bedding. It was a fine time for her brain to be working! Where had her powers of thinking been when Hawk was pushing her body into chaos? That had been the time for her to be immersed in logic and reasoning—not in the middle of the night. Tomorrow would not be kind if she failed to master her mind and gain some sleep. But it was more than her thoughts that kept her awake. Tova faced the truth as her body burned for attention. Even bathing had not eased her need. Deep in her pussy she ached for more than Hawk had given her with his hand. She was too old to not understand what her body hungered for. Possession. Deep and hard, she craved knowing what Hawk’s cock felt like deep inside her pussy. Her clit burned as her nipples drew into hard buttons and her bed felt as uncomfortable as stone against her back. Why a Hunter? She might indulge her hunger if it weren’t for the black uniform he wore. Tova shifted as her pussy contracted. No, there was no other male who caused her to burn like this. The parade of males Rishan had pushed her towards had never affected her so. The thought of being penetrated by any of them was repulsive, and now she burned for a Hunter’s possession. Her temper flared to life as she smoothed her hands over her own breasts. Pleasure moved down her skin as her thighs fell apart to relieve the pressure of her folds against her clit. A little sigh of relief floated out of her lips as she stroked her breasts once more. It was amazing how delightful her own hands felt on her bare skin. She could feel each fingertip as she rubbed her breasts and moved her hands down over her belly. Her clit clamored for attention as she hesitated on her bare mons. She never allowed her pubic hair to grow during the warm season. Most females did not. It was considered unclean. Tonight the skin was alive with nerve endings that begged for the smooth touch of a hand. It was Hawk’s hand she craved but Tova slid her own over her mons. Pleasure rippled through her as her fingers found the proof of her arousal. Her slit was wet with

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the fluid that had eased from her pussy as she dreamed of Hawk. Now her body burned for relief. Innocence was bliss, because now that she knew of the pleasure that might be hers, she could not fall back into slumber without it. Her finger dipped into her slit and found her clit. Her hips jerked with that contact as she sighed. She rubbed the little nub gently as her breathing increased and the memory of Hawk holding her against his hard body filled her thoughts. It was such a vivid recollection that she let her eyelids flutter shut as her finger rubbed her clit faster. Her breathing accelerated as her hips thrust up towards her hand. All she saw was the memory of the way Hawk had watched her while he rubbed her. Mastering her… Tension tightened under her finger as she felt her need cresting. It broke apart in a storm of delight that allowed her to collapse back onto her bed, finally at peace. The scent of her own pussy filled her bed as a dull ache remained deep in her belly. Tova didn’t bother to open her eyes. Hawk’s face still looked back at her from her memory as she felt sleep pulling her towards its sanctuary. Tomorrow would be soon enough to worry once again about her unwelcome attraction to a Hunter. At least she would face him with a night of rest behind her.

***** “Trophies have their advantages.” Hawk simply lifted his drink instead of answering Janus. His comrade’s voice was gruff but that simply fit both their current moods. “Then enjoy. Aldrich isn’t possessive.” The Hunter in question was well known for sharing his female Trophies with his fellow Hunters. Tonight, three of his captured females were being passed among the small gathering of Hunters. One sat on her knees sucking the cock of Aldrich’s friend. Hawk considered her as she relaxed her jaw and allowed the male to fuck her mouth as 39

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he held her with a hand fisted in her hair. Her eyes lay shut and it was impossible to tell if she even thought about where she was. That sort of blind obedience turned his stomach. It shouldn’t have. She had sucked his cock before. So had a few other Trophy females. Sharing among a group of friends like this was not uncommon in his life. Females were rare in the Hunter sphere. The only ones living among them were either captured Trophy, bound mate or daughter of a Hunter. Being generous with a Trophy was only good politics for the Hunter who owned more than one. Being stingy wouldn’t help a Hunter’s career. Some Hunters were possessive with their first female but they outgrew that when they captured their second. The female in question was a thief. That suddenly bothered Hawk immensely. Rohan snarled before pulling her head away from his swollen cock. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Get on your hands and knees.” She obeyed instantly as Rohan knelt behind her. He fitted his cock against her pussy and thrust deep into her body. His hands gripped her hips as he began to fuck her hard. Another Hunter presented his cock to her empty mouth, she obediently allowed him to thrust it inside. There was no sound from her, no little whimper of delight such as Tova had made when he brushed her nipple. Hawk had never noticed such a detail before. He continued to watch Rohan as he fucked because the female was completely silent. Her breasts bounced as she was fucked. She gasped for breath whenever the cock in her mouth was removed enough for her to breathe but she never made any motion that might indicate that she enjoyed being mated. Instead, she held to her position as the two males using her body groaned through their releases. They pulled their spent cocks from her body and went to grab a drink. The Trophy female slowly stood up and moved off into a corner. She made small movements as she tried to escape notice and wrapped a robe around her body before sinking into a corner while his fellow Hunters became immersed in conversation.

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Janus was frowning when Hawk looked back at his comrade. They stood and left without a word on the matter. Unsure as to what had changed his mood, Hawk simply held his thoughts. Never once had his own kind bothered him so much. The new emotion wasn’t sitting well. He was a Hunter and proud of his dedication to the uniform he wore, their policies were part of his life. Law was sacred, those who failed to obey deserved to be denied the privileges of free choice. A thief should not have the same rights as a female who lived her life obedient to the law. That was only just. Once someone was proven dishonest, it was necessary to ensure that the lawbreaker would be watched. A Trophy was not abused but she was held in custody to ensure that she never stole again. But that did not explain his sudden distaste for a Trophy’s flesh. His cock was hard but the only female who interested him was a non-convict who would likely spit in his face if he approached her. Hawk suddenly chuckled at the idea of Tova’s reaction to his pursuit. Bringing her to obedient submission would be a task he realized he was beginning to anticipate. It was possible that was the true problem with him this night. He needed more passion, more fire…something beyond bored compliance. While Aldrich’s captured females might cater to a cock with an experienced hand, there was no accomplishment in being able to pump his seed inside her body. There was only service. It wasn’t true submission. That was something that was offered only to a male who earned it from the female in question. Hawk didn’t doubt that some Trophies might share that sort of intimacy with their Hunter, but joining the fucking tonight wouldn’t yield that relationship to him. If he desired his own mate, he would have to chase her to ground first. His lips turned up into a grin for the first time that day as Hawk began to look forward to sunrise…and Tova’s return to his territory.

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“You showed up.” Tova jerked around to face another Hunter. He stood next to the doorway that allowed them into her workroom. One doorway only opened for Hunters, the hallway behind it led to places where they controlled the food-processing center. He chuckled slightly as his eyes moved down her length. She should have been used to inspection but this was not a duty he was performing. She caught the flare of appreciation cross his blue eyes before he looked back at her face. “I bet Hawk you wouldn’t find the courage to finish your probation assignment.” His face lost its hard mask for a second as he grinned at her. “I find I do not mind losing for a change. I am Janus. I share this command with Hawk.” Tova hugged her arms close to her chest to hide her hard nipples. Confusion swept through her at the reaction from her body. Was any Hunter able to solicit the same flare of lust in her flesh? Even so, she would not lower her head to any Hunter. She was not a convict. “I keep my word and my duty requirements.” Janus raised an eyebrow at her tone but there was another flicker of appreciation in his eyes that betrayed his enjoyment of her insubordination. “So your record shows. Still, most chaste females are timid, but most inhabitants of the penal sphere are not chaste. You are interesting in your contradiction.” “My sexual experience is not your concern.” She would cheerfully return to another labor detail if her body was to become the main topic of conversation. “Best you reassign me if your intention is for me to spread for you and Hawk. I will not trade my body for this duty assignment.” “You are not dismissed.” Hawk’s voice came from behind her and she jumped around to face him. Her skin tingled as all her nerves tightened in response to his appearance. Janus chuckled behind her and moved to stare at her. Between them, her lungs froze, unable to inflate. Panic attempted to gain a hold on her as Tova frantically tried to force her brain to think. Her 42

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flesh made that task nearly impossible. Her sleepless night replayed across her memory as she hugged her arms tighter to her chest. The knowledge her wristbands contained horrified her with the possibility of both Hunters viewing it. She had not considered that when taking her release last night by her own hand. Hawk studied her with hard eyes a moment. Tova noticed the small mark marring his lower lip and shivered as she looked at the evidence of her bite. “You will report or I will verify the cause of your delinquency—personally.” Her temper flared up as Hawk delivered his words. “I am here, but not to talk with either of you! Leave me to my duties.” Janus chuckled at her angry words. She glared at him but turned her head to look at Hawk. “I am not trading sex for this posting either.” “I did not ask you to.” A hint of pride rang in his voice but Tova needed to make sure he understood her. Hawk grinned at her. “In fact, I’m looking forward to having sex just because you want me.” Her lips sat frozen in a horrified gasp over his blunt words. He raised an eyebrow at her defiance before nodding his head. “If you are still a child, run back home. I can smell your pussy.” She slapped him. Tova had already struck his mocking face before her reason shouted at her to stop. The impulse was too quick and she could not hide her look of satisfaction as she watched Hawk’s head turn with her blow. A second later her wrist was imprisoned in his grip, helpless against his superior strength. “I am pleased to see we agree, Tova.” Hawk pulled her against his body with a single tug on her wrist. She stumbled forward as he carried her wrist behind her back to bind her against his body using her own arm. She tipped her head back to see his face. “Your passion meets with my full approval.” His mouth captured hers and she moaned as sensation filled her. His scent was drawn deep into her senses as his tongue

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moved over her lower lip before striking into her mouth to trace her own. She was helpless against his strength but Hawk only used it to hold her in place. His mouth didn’t bruise hers. He licked and stroked her tongue, tempting her to kiss him back instead of forcing a hard kiss onto her. She shivered as her tongue mingled with his. It felt so good and that amazed her, for never once had she ever thought that a man might taste good. Hawk did. Her fingertips spread out over his chest to absorb how good he felt too. Hard and strong, there was some part of her mind that found those hard muscles under her hands irresistible. Pleasure filled her as she stroked his tongue in return and felt a slight tremor shake his wide chest. The tiny response made her bold with her own power to affect him. She pressed her mouth against his and she kissed him as determinedly as he was kissing her. A deep chuckle shattered the moment as her ears recognized Janus’ presence. Somehow, she had completely forgotten the other Hunter. Tova jerked her mouth away from Hawk’s and heard him growl in response. “Let me go.” Her voice was close to pleading as embarrassment turned her cheeks scarlet. She had been completely tuned in to Hawk. Janus must think her loose. Taking a lover was fine but only a slut displayed such touches right out in plain sight. Hawk cupped her chin and stared into her eyes. Hunger flickered in his and she shuddered in response to it. It was a stark blaze of determination that mesmerized her with its sheer level of heat. “Janus sees everything I do. You will become accustomed to him.” He traced her lower lip with his thumb and a shudder shook her body. “You will spread for me because you crave the pleasure I can give you. It will not be for any worldly gain, only the sweet reward of passion. I understand your terms and accept them.” His words taunted her with the remembered pleasure he had wrung from her with nothing save his fingertip. If his cock was filling her, the pleasure would have to be so much more intense. She shivered and Hawk’s mouth curved into a smug grin. But she 44

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caught a glimpse of Janus over his shoulder and tried to jerk away from his body. Being told to accept the other male watching did not make her comfortable with it. “I do not want to become used to your friend.” She jerked against his hold and Hawk made a low sound of frustration in his throat. His embrace never yielded even a meager amount, instead his fingers stroked her jaw as he watched her. “Among Hunter command, each commander is linked with another. Janus is my partner, he sees what I see, knows everything I do. It keeps commanders from becoming corrupt with their authority. You will become used to this arrangement.” She was free a moment later and Tova gasped as she caught her body weight against her worktable. Appearing so weak without his support vexed her sorely. “I will become accustomed to nothing until you stop sneaking up on me from behind. I am no Trophy or convict and will not be treated as such. Maybe you fear to let me see you approaching because I will refuse you permission to touch me.” Janus laughed. The sound bounced off the wall behind her before he swept her a deep bow. “Now that, Tova, is more passion than I can ignore. Hawk is a bastard for touching you first.” He laughed again as he left. A warm hand cupped her chin as Hawk captured her gaze. “I accept your terms.” His mouth landed on hers in a hard kiss. It was a demonstration of his ability to touch her when he desired, even if he was going to let her see him coming the next time. It was such a strange mixture of hunt and dance between them. Her nipples tingled as she kissed him back. Hawk broke the contact a moment after she responded to his kiss. A smug smile of satisfaction lifted Hawk’s lips for a second before he turned and left her to her duties. Her emotions surged in different directions and all of them conflicted with each other. Tova could not decide if she were angry or frustrated but it was the truth that she feared her rising excitement the most. That was something she could not blame Hawk for. There was a slight scent of her own wet pussy drifting up her body and her nipples were still hard. If she detested him so very much, there would be nothing but rage shaking her body. Instead her clit 45

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flickered with hunger as she craved another sample of the delight he had granted her yesterday. There was a hard ache in her pussy that hungered for that one thing she had never had. There was no mystery as to the cause of her frustration. She wanted Hawk to handle her. It was as simple as her need to draw breath. The body did not always bend to the will. Today her pussy was wet. It mattered little that the male who had aroused her was a Hunter. Somewhere deep inside her mind, his strength triggered a craving that was not going to be vanquished at the mere idea that no one in her sphere would approve of her spreading for a Hunter. Relief was not hers to grant either—at least not an acceptable method of relief. She might kneel in submission at his boots but she could not use her hand to end the craving as she had last night. The day stretched out in front of her with hours that felt far longer than they ever had before. Tova muttered with frustration as she looked at the first trays of food she was to process. The sweet smell of sugar filled the room as she pulled the sterile wrapping off the first bowl. Melios…a favored treat that was barely a memory for her. How long had it been since she had tasted the green concoction? Tova took a deep breath and practically tasted the rich dessert. Her lips turned up into a smile as the scent filled her head. Sweet and fruity, and it was served during festival days, so her thoughts were ones of fun and dancing. She suddenly realized that it was planting festival time. It was easy to forget such things in a penal sphere. Oh convicts were not denied entertainment but it was carefully planned due to their lack of possessions and the need for security. There would be dancing and song, some small amount of treasured treats such as the melios sitting on her table, but in truth she had never seen so much of it in her entire life! But true festival was full and rich with entertainments that she remembered well. Knife dancers, rare meats, sweets and dancing. The mature girls would join together to dance the trigol. Steeped in tradition, the dance was sensual and designed to show off

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the gentle curves of a female’s body. The huge kettle drums would be pounded by the males as the females lifted their hands into the air and moved their hips in time with the beat. She had been too young to ever dance before being removed to the penal sphere but she had often attempted it when alone just as all young females did. But the trigol would not be danced in this sphere. It was disallowed because convict females had attempted to use it for prostitution. Tova sighed. Truly there were times she might enjoy wielding a whip onto some of the backs of the greedy. They only considered themselves. She was tired of suffering for their poor choices. Hawk would enjoy watching her dance… Tova felt her cheeks slowly heat with a blush. Aye, she could see herself with her hands in the air with Hawk’s eyes following her hips like devoted slaves. She licked her lower lip as the heat from her blush flowed down to her breasts and all the way to her clit. Her mind was busy remembering the way Hawk responded to her as her hands began to roll the melios. She wished she could dance because she was completely certain that Hawk would watch her and only her. She was insane to allow her mind to wonder so. It was such a dangerous idea but it shimmered with temptation. Hawk would be an intense lover. But he was very much like the amount of melios sitting in front of her. Far too much for one person. Tova looked at the mountain of sweet confection and giggled at the idea of simply stuffing handfuls of it into her mouth. She would become sick without doubt but she laughed at the idea all the same. And then she sobered as she began to roll the melios into their customary little round serving allotments. Hawk would overwhelm her. She felt her clit pulse with need as she worked. The shift of emotions left her confused as she struggled to keep up. One moment happy and the next burning with need. Her temper rose as she dealt with her passion because her body had been hers to command just two days past. Now she shivered when Hawk touched her. Her pussy would have her spread for his use with

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no regard to the possibilities. If she did not turn prostitute, then did it matter whose cock split her chaste body as long as it was her choice of lover? Such dangerous ideas, ones that might alter her entire life. Her body pulsed as she worked and the folds of her slit felt wet as she moved. She had never been so aware of her body and there was part of her that enjoyed the abundance of sensation. Her pride battled against it as she dipped her hands into the huge bowl of melios. The sticky dessert was as foreign in her life as the passion gnawing at her body. Decadent and tempting. But there was one hard fact that lodged in the center of her thoughts—Hawk could be the one to offer her a taste of both delights. Of course, it was also a matter of if she could muster the strength to deny it. Life was no more fair in the matter of her passion than anything else. She wanted Hawk and he knew it. May the gods help them both!

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Chapter Four “Why so disturbed? I thought you hungered for a female.” Janus’ words made Hawk angry. Knowing there was naught wrong with his comrade’s comment did not change the spark of heat that flared up inside him. Hawk let a growl rattle his chest in response. Janus smirked at the sound. He was one of the few who would dare. Hawk was a senior Hunter, his authority absolute among the garrison he controlled. “Take her to the festival and she will follow you home as meek as any Trophy.” Hawk raised an eyebrow at Janus. “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?” Jansus’ eyes flared with heat as he looked down at Tova’s workstation. “It would be effective.” He turned his attention to Hawk. “You would have her tonight before she concocts any means of avoiding you. Then it will merely be a matter of her adjusting to her new life.” Hawk tightened his fingers into fists as he resisted the urge to slam his hand into Janus. Jealousy rose up in him as he watched his comrade looking at Tova. The flare of heat was undeniable proof that Tova had to be brought to heel. His heel. If he hesitated, another Hunter would be after her the second his attention was diverted. Tova’s workstation had already become quite popular in just a single day. The Hunters under his command had developed an amazing interest in food processing. “She’s mine, Janus, and maybe you should lighten your approach if you ever want to lay a hand on Fay. Keep charging at her and she’ll submit to another right in front of you. A little camouflage could draw her in.” “What’s wrong with honesty? I want Fay to know exactly who I am.” Janus didn’t like having the tables turned on him. 49

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Hawk shrugged at his partner and smirked at him. “Except that you can’t even touch her without her permission.” Janus snorted but nodded with agreement. Hawk looked back at Tova. Her nonconvict status made it easier for him to gain access to her. It wasn’t exactly fair but he wasn’t going to apologize either. Arousal was burning through his better intentions. Janus’ words tempted him with their effectiveness. The idea of having Tova seated on his cock was almost blinding. Maybe it was blunt but it was honest. Janus had a point there. But there was another point that held his attention as his temper simmered while watching Janus look down at Tova. He could not be jealous of any common cunt. But Janus was a complication he had always understood would happen. Among the command officers, sharing was common. The reason was simple. He and Janus were linked, they shared every inspection to maintain fairness. One commander might be swayed to a weak decision but two would not for fear of being viewed as unfair in their judgment. It was a system that built a foundation for a society where the law-abiding lived in complete peace and harmony. They did not fear in the dark of night because there was no evil allowed to take root in the civilian spheres. But that same system made it impossible to hide his attraction for Tova from Janus. His fellow Hunter viewed each encounter with Tova, and it was igniting hunger in him as well. Sharing her was the best solution. “Tova might enjoy the festival. I think I’ll bring her tonight.” Janus raised hungry eyes from the female in question. Hawk didn’t say anything more. Between them, it was understood and Tova would adjust.

Hawk moved into her workspace from the front door. That was something Tova knew he did for her sake, a sort of peace offering. He was a Hunter and was lowering his guard enough to let her see him coming. While simple, she could not overlook that he made the effort for her comfort. It was a concession to her demands. 50

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A tiny twist of heat went through her heart because it had been so very long since she could recall anyone doing something for her due to her wishes. He watched her as she chewed on her lip and stared at him. A corner of his mouth slowly rose as his eyes simmered with amusement. “Ah, Tova, you tempt me to grant your demands. If for no other reward than to see your eyes brighten.” She blushed. Tova felt her cheeks heat as Hawk moved towards her. Her nipples tingled as she recalled how intensely hot his mouth was on her lips. He stopped and considered her worktable. He picked up one of the celebration dishes and pulled the sterile wrapping off the top. The sweet scent of melios filled the air and her stomach grumbled. She could not help but enjoy today’s tasting requirement. It had been so long since she had indulged in melios! “Festival begins tonight. You have earned the right to enjoy it.” A smile curved her lips as she absorbed his praise. The day had been filled with many tasks but the ache in the center of her shoulders seemed unimportant compared to the delight that everyone would have over eating the sweets she had molded. She lifted her hand for the melios and Hawk chuckled as he shook his head. Hawk held the little green ball between his fingertips and rolled it. Her eyes strayed to his hand and the expert way he handled the soft confection. There was so much control in him that she shivered as she considered having his fingers on her nipples once more. “Eat it from my hand, Tova.” Should she? The wicked idea formed in her head as she watched the way Hawk waited on her response. Controlling their moments of touching was addictive. Leaning forward, she bit a small portion off one side of the confection, careful to avoid touching his skin with her lips. Straightening up, she grinned as Hawk frowned at her. “Why are you cross? I did as you asked.” “Kiss me.” 51

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His voice cracked with demand but Tova lifted a single finger and waved it back and forth. The tray hit the table and Hawk moved before the sound registered in her ears. So quickly she was wrapped in his embrace again, his arms binding her to his frame. Tova was discovering a taste for his strength that grew each time she sampled more of it. Addiction appeared to be her newest burden. “And I gave you a second command. Kiss me.” His fingers traced her lips, stroking the tender skin gently as he watched her face. She shivered as the small touch made sensation ripple down her body, raising goose bumps as it went. A little sound of enjoyment rose from her as her hands spread open on his chest. “I enjoy touching you, Tova.” His fingers traced her lower lip again and then trailed down the smooth skin of her throat. He flicked the first button open on the front of her robe and watched for her reaction. His fingers stroked the newly bared skin. Her own hands had not felt as good last night. There was a strength in his hands that she could not mimic but the control he tempered it with was what truly made her crave more of it. In truth, every inch of her skin cried out for a sample of his touch. Hawk frowned at her as his fingers settled on top of the second button holding her robe closed. “Do you refuse because I am a Hunter?” The button was separated with one swift motion of his fingers and he stroked the skin beneath the separating fabric. Tova felt her heart accelerate as she tried to resist the need to whimper with delight. “Because…I do not know you.” It was a half-truth. There was a part of her that refused to insult the fact that he was dedicated to law. “I do not share my body simply because lust flares up.” Hawk nodded in agreement before her last two buttons were opened by his hand. Her robe parted and fell away from her chest, the fabric catching on her puckered nipples. She gasped but could not say if it was with anticipation or fear of having her breasts bared for his keen gaze. 52

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“True, and yet placing distance between us shall not remedy that issue.” His face became hard with his words. Iron determination shone from his eyes as his fingers swept down her bare torso and then back up to her chin. “Your eyes tell me you enjoy my touch, Tova. Admit it. That is not simple lust. If so, it would have been forgotten back on the street.” “Maybe. I have little experience with lust.” He raised a dark eyebrow at her as a smile curved his lips. She shivered as she caught the look in his eyes, the raptor he was named for was rising to the bait of her challenge. His fingers stroked down over her throat making her whimper as pleasure filled her from the contact of their bare skin. He stopped in the center of her chest and spread his fingers wide. The hand around her waist tightened as he brushed the side of her robe off one nipple. The fabric fell down the side of her body, baring her right breast. “This is more.” His voice was firm as he looked at her nude breast. He closed his fingers around her bare breast as her eyes rounded with amazement. Never had she ever thought that a male’s touch might feel so amazing. She could feel each finger as it cupped her soft breast and his thumb brushed her nipple. Hawk watched her as he touched her. His keen gaze felt like it was boring straight into her mind where the truth of her thoughts was open for him to see. “This is attraction. I’m going to taste your body.” She did not demand that he stop. Hawk stared at the mixture of excitement and arousal in her eyes. Indecision flickered there as well but at least that was something they shared. He would never have planned an attraction to an inhabitant of a penal sphere but the surging heat in his cock refused to be sated anywhere else. Comprehension sat solid in his mind as his cock stiffened to the point of pain. His arousal fed on more than the scent of her wet pussy, it was being fueled by the tiny sounds of delights rising from her throat as shivers shook her delicate body. Leaning

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down, he caught her nipple between his lips and growled around it as she gasped. Her fingers gripped his shoulders as she arched back, offering her breast to his mouth. Tova knew she was going to die and she did so willingly. Her body shook so hard, she knew her spine was going to snap but she tightened her hold on Hawk, refusing to release him. Pleasure filled her as his tongue flicked over the tip of her nipple. He lapped the tender point over and over again before sucking it further into his mouth. Because she held onto him, his arm left her waist and cupped her opposite breast. Hawk released her nipple and she moaned at the loss of contact. A moment later he bent and caught two handfuls of her open robe. When he stood back up, he pulled the garment right over her head and tossed it aside before he gripped her hips and lifted her onto the table once again. Tova gasped at the ease with which he had stripped her. Her arms crossed over her nude breasts as her bare bottom connected with the cool tabletop. Some of the trays of melios fell to the floor as Hawk swept them aside with her body. Sitting on the table made her feel like a Trophy. She was completely nude and placed on display. Hawk was only missing his black gloves. He caught her chin in one hand as he cupped her knees with the other. “I am going to taste you tonight, Tova. I can smell your need. Part of knowing each other is learning to trust my touch.” His eyes flickered with heat as his hand landed on top of her bare thigh. “Spread for me. I will not fuck you.” His hand moved to rub the top of her leg as his eyes watched her. Tova shivered as every inch of her skin went hot. Her blood was speeding through her veins so quickly that even nude, she was not chilled. There was only need and more burning heat as her body urged her to comply. Hawk’s words hung right in front of her thoughts… Pleasure shall be your reward for submission… She wanted it so badly her mouth went dry. Her clit burned with the need to let him flick his tongue over it just as he had with her nipple. The image was too powerful to resist as her thighs moved apart to yield.

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“Brace your hands behind you.” His voice was hard as he bent to a knee and pressed her thighs wide. She shivered as the air moved over her spread slit. Hawk brushed her sex with a single finger before he reached up and pressed her belly back so that she was lying across the table. “Lay back, Tova, I want to see your body, learn it. When I fuck you, it will be perfection because I know how to stroke you.” He stared at her as he spoke and Tova saw the determination in his eyes. She caught her weight on her elbows as she held his gaze. Her temper wanted to refuse but her pussy ached with need that refused to be silenced. In fact, there was a large part of her that wanted to know if he could live up to her fantasies. Hawk brushed her slit as she refused to comply with his demands completely. His eyes flashed with warning a moment before they focused on her spread sex. Tova bit her lip as he centered his complete attention on her body. He trailed his fingers through her folds gently before using one hand to hold the flesh away from her clit. “You’re not nearly wet enough for fucking, Tova.” His eyes returned to hers for a moment. “Do you know what a training harness is?” She gasped and he chuckled as his hand landed on top of her belly to press her onto the table. “You’ll wear one before my cock penetrates your body.” “I will not!” He licked her slit in response. She moaned because she almost climaxed from that single hot lap. She panted as she tried to slow her racing heart down before she passed out from the lack of air. Her lungs couldn’t seem to keep up as Hawk chuckled and returned his hand to her slit. “Aye, you will, Tova. I am going to fasten it around your hips and set the pleasure beads against your clit with my own hand. You will come over and over as it relaxes your body. Only when you beg will I fuck you.” 55

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“I will not beg.” His eyes flickered with determination again. “Resist all you like. I have always enjoyed a challenge. Playing with you will be my pleasure.” He leaned forward and sucked her clit back into his mouth. She lost her fight to remain on her elbows as sensation stole every bit of resolve from her. There was nothing beyond the hot mouth pulling gently on her clit. His tongue flickered across the sensitive nub as her spine arched, offering it to him. His hand stroked across her belly and over her thigh as he licked her slit. Pleasure filled her as well as an acute ache to climax. He touched the entrance of her pussy with a single finger and she cried out as the walls of her passage tried to clamp around it. She was suddenly so empty that it hurt. Her hips rose off the table, trying to impale herself on that finger, but Hawk only traced around the opening to her body as he continued his flickering against her clit. Seconds stretched into hours as her hips strained towards her lover. She needed more pressure, just a little harder touch and climax would break the tension holding her. Her fingernails cut into her palms because she gripped her hands so tightly, but Hawk held her on that edge without a single second of mercy. “Please.” Hawk lifted his head and she whined. A low sound that was more like an animal than a human capable of logic. But she wasn’t thinking, couldn’t form a single idea beyond the ache in her pussy and the knowledge that just the right touch on her clit would grant her release. “Please what, Tova? Please more? Shall I simply continue?” His thumb took over rubbing her clit as he circled her pussy opening once again. He teased her pussy with the tip of his finger, never really inserting it, just hovering over the center of her passage. Her hips arched frantically towards his hand but he moved with her, denying her any penetration.

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“Please fill me.” She did not care how either. Her empty pussy ached so badly. His thumb rubbed across her clit as one finger thrust deep into her body. Pleasure spiked though her as she bucked towards that penetration. But it was not enough. The walls of her pussy needed more. They tried to clamp around that finger but it wasn’t thick enough to truly satisfy her cravings. “More. Hawk…I need your cock.” “Aye, you do. But your body is too tight. I must loosen it first.” Hawk ground his teeth together as he sent his finger deep into her spread slit. She moaned as she tipped her hips up for the penetration. His cock demanded he grant Tova her desire but Hawk clamped his control in place and used his finger to fuck her instead. The tight walls of her pussy needed to be relaxed before he fucked her. Only after she had been brought to climax many times would the chaste walls be ready for him. Until then, he would see to her pleasure and keep his cock inside his pants. A Hunter never tore his female. It was part of their code of honor, a test of their strength, and Hawk had no intention of failing it. “Come for me, Tova.” Leaning forward, he sucked her clit back into his mouth as he sent two fingers into her pussy. He fucked her with his fingers as she bucked against his hand. He helped teach her the rhythm while he groaned around her clit. Adding sound vibrations to his finger-fucking made her climax. Tova gasped as her body thrust her clit hard against his mouth. She was torn away from any care except the delight washing over her. There wasn’t a part of her body that didn’t receive a portion of the bliss—it traveled through her nerves to the puckered tips of her nipples and across her belly as her womb contracted. Hawk worked his fingers in and out of her, mimicking the motion she craved from his cock, but as the climax settled into deep ripples of satisfaction, her pussy relaxed and his two fingers were once again not enough to fill her. He pulled his mouth from her clit and thrust his fingers a few final times into her pussy before standing up. His hand stroked slowly over her belly, massaging the muscles before he cupped both her breasts, gently pinching the nipples. 57

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Hawk leaned over her for a moment as he caught her chin, and his eyes captured hers. Firm determination glittered in his gaze as his hands moved up her arms to clasp her wrists. He pressed her hands against the hard table for a moment as his eyes watched her. “There is no returning, Tova. You yielded but I will be happy to prove my ability to master you as many times as you demand it.” He lay across her a long moment before he stood up and she was free. “I would accept your rejection if you did not respond to me.” His last words were gentle as looked at her nude body. “You would?” Confusion coated her words because she had never once considered that any Hunter held regard for her opinion. “Yes.” Hawk’s voice was hard as he reached for her. “If a Hunter cannot bring his female to pleasure, he will release her to be coupled with another male. It is a matter of pride.” Hawk lifted her right off the table and placed her on her feet. His lips touched hers in a tender kiss as he pulled her against his body. It wasn’t a hard embrace. His lips teased hers with soft strokes while his fingers gently spread out over her hips. She quivered in his arms because his touch was so gentle. His hard cock pressed against her belly but he made no attempt to penetrate her. He was true to his word. That struck her directly in the heart. “Go clean yourself quickly or we will be late for festival dinner.” Hawk released her and plucked her robe from the floor before Tova lifted her eyelids. He turned her towards the small bathing room for the employees of her section as she clutched her robe against her bare frame. “Festival dinner?” “You are a non-convict, Tova. Come to festival with me tonight. Don’t you miss the rights of being an honest female? There is no reason for you to miss out on the entertainments. I will allow you to return to the penal sphere if you wish.” 58

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Tova turned to consider Hawk. Truly she had not expected such a gift. The command insignia on his arm would allow him to grant her the freedom she had been stripped of by choosing her family. Hawk shook his head as he caught her chin and raised her eyes away from the trays. “I will have you, Tova. But you are correct. We are strange unto each other. Festival is a good place to begin to change that. Go dress.” She went because she realized it was insane to argue while standing nude in front of him. Words of resistance would be rather comical coming from her mouth as she clutched her robe in front of her nude body. Tova grumbled as she buttoned her robe and attempted to bring order to her hair. She pulled the cap she wore during the day off her head and her hair fell in waves around her shoulders. Her reflection startled her with its bright cheeks and swollen lips. The twin points of her nipples clearly shone through her robe as she caught the scent of her pussy. All evidence for Hawk to use against her but he wouldn’t have to argue the point. She did crave him. It was a hunger that was growing so strong her will bent in its wake. Despite the satisfaction moving though her flesh, her pussy still ached for more. Hawk’s words echoed in her thoughts with their firm promise. She might go home but she would take those words with her. But what truly made her move back towards the Hunter waiting for her was the fact that he stood in the other room, a testimony to his promise. Hawk might have fucked her tonight when she asked him to. She wanted to know more about him. Spending time in his company appealed to her because she did trust him and that was by far more enticing than anything she had ever known. Maybe it was more than lust. Tova found she wanted to discover just what attraction was.

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Chapter Five Hawk took her out of the penal sphere. There was no way to conceal her delight or apprehension. It stunned her to notice how attached she was to the prison. True, she considered her options daily but somehow she had never noticed how fearful she was of being separated from her kin. Her temper stirred as she recognized how pathetic that was. To cling to her sire was ridiculous given his dislike of her gender. The night was alive with excitement. Hawk caught her hand and pulled her through the corridor that led them away from the penal sphere. His face lost some of its stern edge as conversation filled the air around them. They moved outside into a huge open field that was filled with festival vendors. The scent of roasting meat touched her nose, making her stomach growl. “My thoughts exactly.” Hawk grinned at her before he tugged her hand and headed towards the delightful scent of festival-roasted ritpel. An entire carcass of the herd animal was turning over an open fire. Ritpel were often three hundred pounds when harvested for their meat. Unlike the measured portions every citizen received on a daily basis, tonight huge hunks of meat were being dispensed to those who held out their hands for it. They came away with steaming hunks of roasted meat held in towels to protect their hands. Tova licked her bottom lip as the scent of that ritpel filled her nose. The orange flames flickered over the people assembled to celebrate, as a vendor used a long knife to slice off thick pieces for the hungry people who approached. The flickering firelight enhanced the mood of excitement somehow. Half-darkness and only dancing orange flames felt like a shield that she might hide her moral dilemma behind while giving in to the moment. Hawk let her hand go as he shouldered his way through the other Hunters to get some ritpel. He held up two fingers at the

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vendor and came away with a huge portion of steaming meat. Tova giggled at the sheer amount of food in his large hands. Hawk raised an eyebrow at her amusement. “I am ravenous.” His double meaning made her blush as her eyes slid down his frame to the front of his uniform pants. The black fabric was distended over his cock. Curiosity nipped at her to discover exactly what he had in his pants the next time she got the chance. The simple touch of her hands on his chest had caused a reaction in the large male. She realized it was time for her to turn the balance of control to her own favor by being the one to drive him insane with her hands, and that meant going beyond his chest. Male genitals were as sensitive as her own were. A naughty smile curled her mouth as she considered licking his cock. “Ah, Tova, we will miss all the fun if you do not control your eyes. There is only so much control in any man—even a Hunter.” Tova jerked her eyes off his cock. Hawk pressed a hard kiss against her mouth before he moved towards an empty bench and table. He swung his leg right over the bench and sat astride it as he placed their food on the table. Already full mugs sat in the center of the table. People simply took one whenever they desired. Hawk closed his hand around one and carried it to his mouth for a long taste. He shook his shoulders and rolled his neck before aiming a relaxed look at her. Tova stared at him as he relaxed. Somehow, she had never considered Hunters in any form of relaxation. “Come and eat, Tova.” He looked at her frozen frame as he patted the bench. “Before I forget how delighted you looked when we got here and drag you away for my own celebration.” His presumptuous attitude made her laugh. She sat on the bench facing him but not astride as he was. Tova lowered her body onto the wide bench side-saddle and settled an elbow on the surface of the table. “I might just return to my living space.” “You will toss and kick all night long if you do.” Hawk smirked at her as he popped a chunk of meat into his mouth. 61

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His eyes made a quick scan of those around them before returning to her face. Tova noticed the little detail and understood that he would never be completely at ease. This male was always on guard even when he was teasing. He considered her as he chewed, picked up a bit of meat from the table and held it in front of her nose. The rich aroma made her smile before she gave in to her hunger and ate it from his hand. Hawk smiled at her but it wasn’t a teasing expression. The dancing orange light showed her his hunger for a moment before he nodded approval at her. “I am thirty-six rotations of the seasons, my sire and mother still live.” His eyes made another quick sweep of the surroundings before he held up another bite for her. “I have no Trophy females and desire none.” Tova became nervous as she absorbed his words. She wasn’t thinking about what he told her, only that he was attending to the details of making certain they were less strange to each other so that he might continue to his goal of claiming her body. “Don’t most Hunters keep a female at your age?” Her question was bold, even rude, but she needed to know if he had discarded others before her or intended to capture one in the future. His eyebrow rose for a moment as he reached for another chunk of meat. “I find I have no desire to keep a convict in my own living space. They surround me all day long. That is enough for me.” Tova froze with a chunk of meat between her fingers. His words told her a great deal about him. If he were the sort of male who enjoyed wielding power, a Trophy female would be perfect to feed his ego. Instead, he sat with her, knowing that she could return to her own bed if she wished. She smiled as she realized that he would respect her wishes. “So you would pledge with a single female and give up the right to claim Trophies?”

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Hawk caught her wrist and raised her hand to his face. His eyes watched hers as he ate the meat from her fingers and licked each one of her fingertips. “I would want children from that female, but yes I would willingly pledge.” Children were a great gift. It was the highest compliment that a female might give her lover. When she allowed her body to create his child, she told the rest of the males that her lover met all of her needs. She shivered as her clit began to pulse once again. Memory was a powerful thing, and as Hawk licked her finger she instantly recalled how it felt when he applied his tongue to her spread body. She pressed her thighs tighter against each other as Hawk took a chunk of meat and held it in front of her mouth. “Why do you stay with your sire? He curses you.” Tova shrugged but welcomed the shift in topic. Her unconcerned attitude made him angry. She saw it in the way his face tightened back into the stern mask she knew so well. The contrast was what shocked her, the fact that she now knew the difference between his work face and the one he showed to his friends. She had not truly considered there was a man lurking inside him who teased and grinned. Hawk’s face became guarded a moment later as he reached across the space between them to grip her wrist. His fingers closed around her arm into a secure hold. Tova looked at her captive wrist as a question formed in her thoughts. Movement behind her answered her question before she got the words past her lips. “Just what I need, friends to spend festival with.” Janus sat right behind her and hooked an arm around her waist when Tova tried to stand up. He pulled her right back onto the bench and against his body. Hawk’s thumb gently rubbed the delicate skin of her inner wrist as he considered her sitting with his comrade. “You must become comfortable in Janus’ company.” And apparently, both males had simply decided to ensure that she did exactly what they wanted. Their presumption annoyed her. Janus was pressed against her back,

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sending a rush of sensation through her. Hawk watched her and that made her even more angry with their maneuvering. “Release me.” Tova shook her arm and tried to stand up once again. Her efforts gained her only two male sounds of frustration as they held her in her seat between them. “I do not have to do anything. Release me.” “No.” Hawk gave her wrist a tug and she tumbled towards his body. He clamped her against his chest as his hand cupped her chin. “He sees everything I do, Tova. He has seen your body through my eyes, heard your cries through my ears. Turn around and look at his face if you doubt it. Avoiding contact will only make it harder for you to become comfortable. You will begin to adjust tonight.” “Stop this. I will not be your non-convict toy to play with.” Janus stroked her thigh with one hand as she hissed in Hawk’s face. The stern mask dissolved as he watched her and nodded his head. “I have not treated you like a toy, Tova.” His voice was coated in annoyance and she blushed as she regretted her harsh words. “That is true.” Hawk stood up, taking her with him with his grip on her wrist. She stumbled but didn’t get the chance to fall as Hawk hooked an arm around her waist and took most of her weight in that moment. He never stopped but carried her along with him. The flicker of firelight dimmed as Hawk took her towards the trees that surrounded the festival. Among the thick branches it was dark with only mere hints of silver star shine. “You are not a toy, but I will play with you.” His kiss blocked out any response she might have made. This time it was a hard kiss of ownership. Hawk caught the back of her head in one of his large hands and held her in place for his mouth. His tongue was a bold invader that thrust deep into her mouth, refusing to be held back. Her body didn’t want her to anyway. A little moan

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broke through their sealed lips as Tova reached for the shoulders she craved. She needed to stroke his chest and absorb how powerful he was. Even his hard embrace delighted her with its contrast to her own smaller body. They fit together, she was soft and he was hard. It was a perfect pairing. And then Janus joined their embrace. She gasped as a second powerful body connected with her back. She caught the scent of his skin as his hands smoothed down the sides of her body. Hawk let her break their kiss but not wiggle away from his body. She was held between them as she shivered with rising need. Her clit was once again flickering with heat. Her pussy ached with need and she knew that it would only grow worse. She was no child who might forget about such things, her body was fully mature and unwilling to let her mind push aside the need to mate. But there was more to it. She had never felt as secure as she did just then. There were more cravings rising in her, like a desire to talk to the Hawk she had been sharing festival ritpel with. Hawk cupped her chin in his large hand and lifted her head so that their eyes met. His face was hidden in shadows but starlight glittered in his eyes. Janus spread his hands over her hips and simply held her. “Janus will never touch you unless I watch.” She shuddered. It was an instant reaction that rose from the idea of being watched during something so intimate. Janus stroked her hips gently in response. “And what of his females?” “I have none.” Janus kept smoothing his hands over her as he spoke. Tova struggled to move away from them as she became angry. She was attracted to Hawk but that did not mean she would cater to his friends when he commanded. Janus closed his arms around her body and tightened his embrace until she stood still. A small hiss of temper was her response and she heard him chuckle in response. His breath brushed her ear. “Would you rather Hawk and I fought over you?”

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“No!” That idea chilled her. These two would fight to the death, they knew no other way. “This is our way of preventing that. Do you think I can watch you bucking your hips under his tongue and not crave a taste of your body?” Tova jerked against his hold and Janus kissed her neck in response. “It would poison me until I challenged Hawk for you. One of us would die.” “I know that.” And she did, but her face was scarlet as she considered the fact that Janus had already seen her nude. “We are not even lovers yet.” Janus chuckled behind her as Tova cursed her lack of control over her mouth. He leaned down and she felt his breath hit her ear. “But you asked for his cock, didn’t you?” Tova gasped and Janus turned her around to face him. His arms held her against his body as his eyes glittered with hunger. His mouth landed on hers a moment later. It wasn’t really a kiss. Janus took control of her mouth and pressed her lips apart like an invader. He stroked her tongue with his as pleasure flooded her senses. It was truly overwhelming, being held between them. It was also exciting. Hunger flowed through her like a current and she craved even more of it. Reaching up, she spread her hands over Janus’ shoulders as she kissed him back. “Good.” Hawk’s word was hard and sounded very final to her. Janus broke their kiss. Tova caught a hint of a smug smirk on his face before Hawk caught her shoulders and turned her back to face him. Janus held her tightly as Hawk hooked his hands into her robe and pulled the bottom of the garment up her legs. She shifted as the night air chilled her bare skin. “What are you doing?” She detested how uncertain her voice sounded but she felt caught in their web. “Keeping my word to you, Tova.” Hawk pulled her robe all the way up and Janus held it in his hands as he continued to bind her against his body. Her mons was bared

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and Hawk gently brushed her slit with a finger as she gasped. He leaned down to whisper near her lips. “You will wear a training harness tonight.” Tova jerked in rejection and Hawk captured her hips. “You will wear it, Tova. Your body must be loosened before I penetrate it. And I will have you soon.” Hawk placed a kiss on her mouth before he lowered his body. Janus held her tightly as she felt the cool strips of leather being pulled around her bare body. A quiver of anticipation rippled through her pussy as the leather harness went over her hips and across her belly where two small rings held the strips exactly in place. Two lengths of leather went through her slit and there were smooth beads strung on those lengths. Hawk pushed them into her slit until they rubbed against her clit. Every step she took would make those beads slip back and forth against her clit. She would climax and then build to another climax. The harness could also be used to hold her slit open. Hawk was fastening the leather to fit her body exactly. It could not be removed without cutting the straps off her body. Hawk grunted his approval before pushing back to his full height. Janus did not release her robe and Hawk stroked her mons as he caught her chin once more. His finger slipped into her slit to find her clit. He rubbed the little bundle of nerve endings as he watched her. Tova bit into her lip as pleasure began to shoot up into her pussy. She tried to stand firmly in place but her hips began to thrust themselves forward for more pressure from his hand. She bit harder into her lip because Janus was holding her too. Climaxing in his presence made her angry but she could not stop her body from responding to the overwhelming presence of both males. Her hands balled into fists as her mouth opened and she gasped for enough air to support her speeding heart. Her hips bucked towards Hawk’s hand as Janus began to pinch her nipples. It was a small thing but the little sharp touching on her nipples sent her into climax. She hit Hawk’s broad chest as pleasure ripped through her body. Hawk captured her cry of delight with his mouth as Janus rubbed her nipples through her robe.

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She was grateful for their imprisoning embrace because her legs shook. Her muscles became lax as pleasure moved through her. Hawk lifted his head and she saw the grin covering his mouth. She hit him again and he laughed as Janus released her robe and the fabric fluttered down to cover her legs. One of Janus’ arms left her waist and then a hard smack landed on one side of her bottom. Tova jumped as the stinging blow traveled straight to her clit and set off another zip of enjoyment. “I enjoy your passion too.” Janus smacked her bottom once again before turning her to face him. He bound her against his body and Hawk stepped up to close her in place against his comrade. Janus cupped her breast in a firm hand as he pinched the nipple once more. “But I will return each and every strike you aim at me, Tova.” His mouth captured hers and she moaned as he sent his tongue in to taste hers. Hawk smoothed his hands down the sides of her body as Janus kissed her, and it all combined into a passion she was eager to embrace. She reached for Janus and stroked his tongue with hers. He tugged at her robe until his hand was pressed against her bare thigh. He moved it up towards her bottom as he lifted his mouth from hers. “Did you like being spanked?” Tova shook her head because his question was so personal. Janus cupped one side of her bottom with his hand and gently massaged the spot he’d smacked. “Ah, Tova, if you don’t answer, then I will have to discover the truth for myself.” Janus turned her sideways against his body and slipped her robe up so that her entire bottom was bare. He pressed her torso over his arm to push her bared cheeks up. “I am a grown female!” “But that does not mean you don’t enjoy being spanked. Many women do.” Hawk’s voice was husky with excitement as he pulled her robe up her body and right over her head. That quickly she was nude. Hawk spread her robe out on the ground and Janus pressed her to her knees on it. He sank to his knees as well and slid his arms around her torso to cup each of her breasts. 68

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“There are a hundred different things for us to explore, Tova. Tonight, I want to know if you enjoy a little discipline.” Hawk leaned over and licked one of her nipples. He was kneeling in front of her as Janus held her. Both men had removed their black gloves and their bare skin sent heat through her own. Even nude, she wasn’t cold as Hawk sucked her nipple into his mouth. His tongue flickered over it as Janus released her breasts to cup her bottom. She shivered with anticipation. The little smacks had intensified her pleasure. He leaned down next to her ear. “Excited, Tova? Your breathing sounds rough.” His voice was smug as he lifted one hand and smacked her right cheek. Hawk released her nipple to watch her face. A little gasp escaped her mouth as the pleasure bead moved across her clit with the motion of her body. Pleasure shot up into her body as her heart accelerated. Hawk raised his eyebrow. “If you don’t like it, say so.” Another smack hit her bottom and she jerked as the pleasure beads shifted again. She was nowhere near to climax but it felt so good that she moaned with it. Because she’d climaxed already, her clit was sensitive but not overly ready to climax again. It left her body relaxed and open to more pleasure. Her bottom smarted but it added more heat to the flames licking slowly at her clit. Hawk pinched her nipples as another blow landed on her bottom. Tova cried out with it. She enjoyed it too much. Janus laughed and cupped both sides of her bottom, rubbing away the sting. He leaned towards her neck and growled. The sound hit her as very male. “You do like it. I’ll remember that.” Tova wasn’t sure if that was a promise or a threat. A second later, Janus stood up. He reached down and scooped her up before cradling her body in his arms and lowering her to her robe.

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“It’s my turn for a taste of you.” He pressed her thighs wide and settled his head right over her wet slit. He moved the pleasure beads away from her clit as Hawk began to cup and play with her breasts once more. Her hips jerked as Janus licked her for the first time. His tongue lingered on her clit, slowly lapping it. Hawk’s gaze locked with hers as he leaned over her body, propping one of his hands on the other side of her. She was caught completely between them and her body shivered. Janus caught her clit with his mouth and sucked her. Hawk leaned down to seal their lips together as her body erupted into a pulsing wave of delight. Her hips bucked beneath the hot mouth pulling on her sex and Hawk sent his tongue deep into her mouth as her pussy demanded to be filled as well. A moment later Janus thrust two of his fingers into her body and she jerked as climax once again began to twist her into a knot of tension. Janus fucked her with his fingers as his tongue flickered over her clit. Hawk broke off their kiss as he gently pinched a nipple. “Come, Tova. Let Janus taste you.” Her body obeyed. Tova gasped in shock as climax rippled through her along with Hawk’s voice. Her temper tried to simmer but the bliss coating her senses was too thick. Pleasure was more important than pride. Hawk gently kissed her mouth as she panted. The hard glitter of determination hit her before he softened his face with a grin. “Good girl.”

There was a flash of light from the clearing they had left and Janus jerked his head up to investigate it. The deep sound of the festival kettle drums followed the light and Janus grinned at her. “The fire dancers are starting. Jubak is dancing tonight. You don’t want to miss him.” He stroked her slit one last time before placing the pleasure beads back against her clit. “But I’d like to miss it and stay right here.” “She is still too tight.” Hawk’s voice was hard as he turned to look at Janus. The other male stroked her thigh before nodding agreement. 70

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Her body was free a moment later. Hawk scooped her off the ground as Janus picked up her robe and shook it. She was sat on her feet before Hawk took over dressing her. Janus watched with bright eyes as her robe was closed back up and her breasts hidden from his sight. “Your body is perfect.” Janus’ voice was thick with need and he shook his body as he forced himself to move back a step. Hawk cupped her face. “You are perfect.” His mouth gently landed on hers and he lingered over the kiss. A bright flash of light made him chuckle as he lifted his head. “The festival won’t wait on us. Too bad, I like it out here.” Tova laughed as she realized she liked it too. Maybe too much, but her body certainly enjoyed being between the two males. It was very surprising because she had never even considered having two lovers at the same time. “I’m getting accustomed to it.” Hawk grinned at her comment. His face relaxed and she recognized that he had been worried about this moment, concerned that she would reject his need to share her with Janus. She was still unsure just what to think of it, but she did enjoy it. That was definitely proven. “Good.” Hawk caught her hand and pulled her towards the clearing once again. Tova jerked to a halt after three steps. Sweat beaded on her forehead as the beads strung on her harness glided through her slit. Her clit sent the pleasure through her body and she looked at the distance yet to cover with a deep frown on her face. “Come, Tova, do you think you are the only female in harness tonight?” Hawk slipped a hard arm around her waist and eased her forward. She took slow steps and the beads rubbed against her clit as she moved. “That does not mean I enjoy it.”

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“You will.” Hawk kept her moving as pleasure zipped into her pussy and she felt more fluid ease down to her slit. “Simple for a male to say.” She was being cross but did not care. Both Hunters were wearing smug grins while she was tormented with each step. “All women wear harness while dancing trigol. Why do you think it is the end of the celebration?” Hawk laughed at the shock on her face. He stopped and stroked her hot cheek. “After swaying with the drums you will be eager to return to some place far more private.” “So you are hoping.” She wasn’t willing to grant him so much confidence. It was still her choice. “Many couples fuck right on the grounds.” Janus was harsh and his face was stern when she turned her gaze to his. “Some claim to enjoy the public display.” Hawk’s fist sailed over her shoulder and into Janus’ arm. The Hunter stumbled back a step before shaking his head and glaring at Hawk. “With manners like those, Janus, Fay will never spend more than an hour in your company.” Janus glared at Hawk as Tova frowned. Janus shrugged his shoulders. “She will learn to appreciate my sense of humor.” The Hunter took a look around the people they drew close to. Hawk mirrored his comrade as he kept her between their bodies. More sweat coated her forehead as the beads continued to rub against her clit. Tension built slowly but firmly in the little bundle of nerve endings. When she stopped all she wanted to do was begin moving once more to apply friction to her clit. “Who is Fay? You said you have no females.” Her voice was deep and husky. It sounded so strange to her ears and a smile covered her lips as she considered how it had gotten that way. As far as lovers went, she had made a rather good choice.

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Somehow, Tova couldn’t quite picture Golan drawing that same amount of pleasure from her body. “He doesn’t, nor will he until he learns some manners.” Hawk shrugged at his comrade before grinning at her. “Fay is chaste and runs away from his ugly face.” “Wait until she sees my cock.” Tova glared at Janus. “I believe I understand her feelings on the matter. You are as coarse as sea sand mixed into a bar of soap.” Janus frowned at her but Hawk threw his head back and laughed. He hugged her shoulders as she stared at the emotion shaking his frame. She was still getting used to the relaxed side of this male. They kept walking and with each step the pleasure beads moved against her clit. Tova was quickly losing all interest in teasing Janus as need rippled through her. She turned her attention to the fire dancers and welcomed the chance to hide her rising passion from both males. They merged with the crowd and went towards the middle of the clearing as the kettle drums began to beat again. Huge muscular arms rose up and descended on the waist-high drums. The firelight flickered over the thirty men beating the rhythm as the first dancer began. It was a hard display of strength. The male dance was more of a proclamation of their strength than anything else. You could almost feel the aggression as the drum kept the beat. The little beads slipping through her slit moved in time and she gasped as climax began to grip her. Hawk held her through it. He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her against his chest as he watched the pleasure flicker in her eyes. Her fingers clawed at his uniform as she tried to contain her cries. She failed but it didn’t matter. The drums filled the night air, masking her voice. The look on Hawk’s face made her shudder when she lifted her eyelids once again. Hunger drew his face taut. Raw emotion was displayed on his face as the crowd cheered for the dancers. She could feel the beat of his heart against her breasts as he held their bodies together. His fingers gently stroked her 73

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lower back as his cock pressed against her soft belly. It was such a tender embrace. Tova felt tears prick at her eyes over it. Passion was to be expected, pleasure was desired but she had never once even fantasized about being stroked and held. She let her fingers relax from the fists she’d curled them into as she came, and gently stroked the hard chest she was pressed against. “Touch me, Tova.” His voice was harsh but Tova heard the plea in it. They appeared to share the same fascination with tender touches. That warmed her heart as she let her fingers glide over his chest. She had never considered that a male like Hawk would long for anything. Hunters took what they wanted, demanded what they desired but her touch was not under his command. It was something only she might grant him. That filled her with confidence as her fingers found the bare skin above the collar of his uniform. His eyes closed to slits as he groaned with delight and he lowered her feet to the ground. His hands closed over each of her hips. He began to gently move her in a slow motion that sent the beads on her training harness slipping through her slit once more. The crowd around them did not matter. Tova gasped as sensation tightened under her harness. She stroked the column of Hawk’s neck with open hands as he moved her in a small circle. His eyelids lifted and she watched hunger flare up in his eyes. The rhythm of the kettle drums drove her heart faster when Hawk moved her hips as she stroked his neck again. She suddenly detested their clothing. Skin to skin was so much better! She wanted to tear his uniform off and inhale his scent as she allowed her breasts to press against only his warm skin. Climax was simmering once again and she didn’t resist it. Hawk moved her hips as his eyes watched her. She smoothed her hands over his head and the tiny amount of hair he allowed to grow. By the Gods, he wanted to get inside her. The scent of her pussy was driving him insane and Hawk gladly let his sanity vanish. He’d somehow thought that having his cock stroked was the most pleasurable thing a female might do with her hand. He had been wrong. Tova’s hands slid over his skin and he was convinced that she must have

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invoked some power from the heavens. He would have promised her anything in those moments when she looked back at him with pure delight simmering in her eyes. Trust was sitting there on her face. It stabbed into his heart with a force that shocked him. Fucking had never been more than physical. Gentling Tova was designed to honor his control as a Hunter, not fill him with a sense of intimacy. He wasn’t even inside her and he already craved more time with her. Her face tightened as she climaxed once again but this time she slid into the pleasure. There was no hint of resistance on her face as her eyes clouded with delight. Her lips let a small “Oh” loose as she shivered in his embrace. It was the final test of his control and he failed it. Hawk clasped her hand and pulled her away from the dancers. His resolve to wait evaporated in that moment as he watched her surrender to the pleasure unleashed in her body. The hunt was finished, it was time for the kill.

Tova whimpered as she struggled to keep up with Hawk. Her clit was ultrasensitive and the beads rubbed against it as she hurried behind his body. Her pussy ached for true completion. She hungered for more than just the beads against her clit. “Get this thing off me!” Tova yanked on her hand as two tears eased from the corners of her eyes. Frustration took control as she pulled on the neckline of her robe because the garment was stifling hot as well. Her skin itched and complained about being wrapped in the coarse fabric. “Aye, that is exactly what I intend to do.” Hawk pulled her forward and they made their way into the trees. Orange light flickered over them only in small amounts now as Hawk pulled her further away from the clearing. He suddenly stopped and pressed her back against a solid tree trunk as he placed her hand on his bulging crotch. He held it there as she gently squeezed the hard flesh her pussy craved. “I will take you to my living space if you wish.” 75

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His voice was harsh with displeasure but it was an emotion that Tova shared. She had no desire to go anywhere. Right there, hidden in the night, felt perfect. There was no need to worry about Hunter or non-convict. There was only each other. “If I raise your robe, Tova, I am going to penetrate you. Do you understand?” The cock under her hand jerked with his words. Her fingers tightened around it as her pussy begged for that one thing she had been thinking about since encountering Hawk. She lifted her eyelids and stared at his face in the darkness. “Take the harness off.” He growled in response. His hand pulled hers off his cock as he pulled his uniform open. Hard, stiff flesh sprang through the opening. He reached for her robe and pulled the fabric up her legs. Star shine flickered off the blade of a knife a moment before she felt the cold metal against her skin. A swift twist and the harness slithered down her legs. The scent of her pussy rose up as Hawk replaced the weapon and she boldly reached for his bare cock. He snarled as she closed her fingers around its length. His hands gripped her hips as she stroked it from the crown to the base. Her fingertip even felt the two sacs that hung at the base. Tova cupped them as she heard Hawk hiss. A second later he grasped her hips and lifted her off her feet. “Spread for me, Tova.” His voice was harsh with need as he pressed towards her body and braced her back against the tree behind her. Her thighs spread open as she lost her grip on his cock. A moment later the head of his weapon slipped into the wet folds of her slit. His body shook as he held off thrusting deep into her spread body. Hawk sucked in a deep breath before opening his eyes to stare into hers. “Hold onto my shoulders.” Firm authority edged his voice now as his jaw tightened against the urge to impale her. Tova shivered as she recognized the strength of will he used on his own desire to penetrate her waiting body. His cheek ticced as she slid her hands up his chest to his wide shoulders as he commanded. A hard grunt was her praise as his hands cupped each side of her bare bottom in a tighter grip. 76

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“Now spread wider.” As she did, Hawk tipped her hips towards his cock. The head entered her pussy as he began to push it forward. Her body protested the entry, the skin too tight to stretch around his width. “Shhhh…” Hawk made the soothing sound against her neck as he pulled his cock from her pussy and thrust it further into her body. He pressed her back against the tree as he used his strength to hold her up and again tip her hips forward for his cock. Sweat beaded on her forehead as he split her body with his length. Pain twisted through her as he held still with his cock embedded inside her body. He nuzzled her neck as she gasped and her body relaxed. Her pussy wasn’t aching anymore, instead it felt delightfully full. He pulled his cock free and she whimpered at the loss but he thrust slowly back into her. She gasped as he drove deeper into her this time. This time he pressed her hips against the tree as she felt his thighs pressing against hers. Her robe hung down her back, protecting her skin as he moved against her. Her hands tightened on his shoulders as her pussy tingled with pain once more now that he was fully lodged inside her. He wanted to spill his seed like a youth. Hawk growled against the burning in his sacs as he forced himself to linger instead of thrust against her. He wanted to pound his cock into her over and over as fast as possible. But he needed to hear her whimper with pleasure as he rode her. Fucking for his own pleasure wasn’t enough. Tonight he needed something more complete. Her fingers grasped his uniform, pulling the fabric tight across his back. She didn’t make a single other sound but he could feel the tremor shaking her body as her pussy took his cock. Angling his head, he kissed her. Soft little presses of his mouth against hers as he tempted her to kiss him back. Her hands released his uniform as she followed his lips with hers and stretched her neck up to meet him. Tova shivered as the pain dissipated. She kissed her lover back as she felt him move once more. His cock left her body and thrust smoothly back in. This time there was no pain, only a fullness that fed the hunger she had battled since meeting Hawk. He

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moved between her thighs in a slow rhythm. She broke their kiss and gasped for more air. Her heart was accelerating too fast as Hawk moved in and out of her spread body. She fisted her hands in his uniform again, struggling to understand the tension gripping her body. It was far deeper than the climaxes she had experienced so far. Her entire pussy was trying to grip the cock thrusting back and forth within it. Her nipples thrust up in hard points as she panted and gripped her lover harder. “Hawk…please…I can’t take this.” He thrust against her harder in response. Her body jerked towards his possession, taking over the task he had done with his hands. She lifted her pussy towards his thrust, moaning as his cock penetrated deeper. “Come for me, Tova, milk my cock.” She didn’t understand what he meant and Tova did not care. He pulled free of her body and she sent her hips back towards his next thrust, desperate to have her pussy full again. He snarled as she panted, and his fingers gripped her bottom harder, his speed increasing. A moment later her pussy contracted around his cock, pulling and gripping it, pleasure spiking into her belly so deep she cried out. Pleasure ripped through her so intensely, she hit his shoulders. She didn’t care that Hawk suddenly bucked between her thighs. He pounded his cock into her body with hard thrusts that made her breasts bounce. A snarl left his mouth and he pressed his cock as deeply as possible into her pussy and she felt a hot jet of fluid pumping up inside her. Hawk shuddered when his seed filled her and he gripped her bottom with tight hands as his body shook. Hawk held her in place for a long time. Her heart stopped racing and her ears began to work once more as she heard the sound of the kettle drums still beating. It was a slower rhythm now. The trigol was being danced and she softly laughed. Hawk lifted his head and stared at her. Smoothing a hand over his cheek, she smiled at his questioning look. “It seems I have missed my chance to dance trigol.” 78

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A grin appeared on his lips. She traced it with her fingertips. “You may dance it for me anytime you choose, Tova. You are my maiden and always will be.” “Yet you would share my body with Janus. Maybe others. The trigol is a dance of love.” His lips returned to a hard line. He considered her silently for a moment as she felt his cock twitch inside her. She slid her hands over his collarbones and gently pushed against his chest. Hawk held her in place as his cock twitched again and she felt it hardening inside her pussy. “And you think I do not understand because of Janus?” His hands tightened on her bottom. “Or because I am a Hunter?” Tova squirmed but Hawk didn’t move. The only thing that changed was how hard his cock became inside her pussy. There was a slight crunch of dry leaves as someone approached and she pushed against his shoulders. “Let me down.” “Why? You spread for me, Tova. I will not allow you to take that back.” His hands tightened around the cheeks of her bottom as the couple passed them with a stifled giggle and a gasp. “Janus told you the truth, the trigol has ended and in a few moments there will be fucking a-plenty going on in these woods. No one will think it strange that I have you pressed against a tree.” Fucking—a blunt word and one that made her unhappy. Her enjoyment evaporated in the face of such a label. She was insane to think spreading for Hawk was anything else and yet she couldn’t help but lament the lack of emotion from him. Somehow, she had convinced herself that they were lovers. Fucking was not a term that described lovers. “I did not follow you to fuck.” Tova shoved at his chest as she tried to mask the hurt coating her voice. “If that is what you wanted, you have had it. So let me down.” The hurt in her voice bothered him. Hawk ground his teeth together as guilt filled his thoughts. His temper was rising as fast as his guilt while Tova pushed against his 79

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chest for release. Her pussy still clasped his cock and separation was the furthest thing from his mind. Tightening his grip he turned and placed his own back against the tree. Tova gasped and clasped her arms around his neck to prevent her body from falling backwards. A small rumble of satisfaction shook his chest as he felt her cling to him. “I meant no offense to your tender emotions, Tova. Males are not always gentle with their words. We use the most direct ones.” The apology shocked her. Two tears stung her eyes as she tried to absorb the fact that Hawk was catering to her. He lifted her off his cock and let her legs lower to the ground. A twinge of pain twisted through her pussy as she leaned against Hawk for a moment. His arms instantly trapped her but not harshly. His hands spread out and gently stroked her from shoulder to bottom, kneading her muscles until he threaded one hand through her hair and let the strands gently fall away from his fingers. Looking up, Tova watched his lips curl up once more into a little grin. It was odd, the way his enjoyment affected her. It pleased her to know that she gave him joy. She had spent so much time attempting to stay away from her guards that she had never considered what it must be like to devote yourself to a duty where everyone detested your presence. It must be a bleak position. The stern mask she had learned to expect from him made more sense now. It was a shield against a duty that he performed out of dedication but gained very little appreciation for. They were far more alike than she might ever have considered. Tova stared at the relaxed expression on his face as he reached the end of her hair and his eyes returned to hers. Right then, she felt connected to him. Maybe it was the darkness that allowed her to cast aside her concerns that all Hawk craved was her submission. Maybe it was the fact that he was still stroking her after she had spread for him. She shivered but didn’t know if it was the cool night air or the idea that she no longer worried about granting a Hunter use of her body. Hawk nodded his head and moved. He walked forward and grasped her hand in his large one to take her with him.

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“I should have taken you to my living space.” He strode back towards the clearing where they had watched the fire dancers. The orange flames still flickered over the area although the flames had burned down now that no one attended to them. Everyone was distracted from the chore of tending to the fires. Janus was very correct about what would happen when the trigol finished. Couples were illuminated by the dying flames. Their gasps and moans filled the air along with the sound of wet flesh slapping against flesh. Tova felt her face turn scarlet as Hawk pulled her past the carnal celebration. Her eyes refused to look at the ground though. She watched each couple as she passed and her clit flickered with renewed need as she absorbed details. But her feet lost interest in moving as they neared a threesome. Tova stared at the female as she knelt in front of one male. Her hands held his cock as she licked all around the head of the organ. She opened her mouth wide to taste it. Behind her another male had his arms wrapped around her nude body. He cupped her breasts just as Janus had. He also fucked her from behind as she sucked the cock of the male in front of her. “It shocks you but excites you as well, doesn’t it, Tova?” Hawk wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her back against his chest so that she remained facing the threesome. Hawk leaned his lips down next to her ear as his hands cupped her breasts. “Would you suck my cock as Janus fucked you? Between us, you would come many times.” His cock was still hard. It pressed against her back as she watched the female pull her mouth away from the cock she was sucking to release a low moan. She whimpered as the male behind her gripped her hips and fucked her faster. The male in front of her sank to his knees and reached for the front of her sex. She shrieked and panted before moaning with rapture. Her head ended up on the shoulder of the male in front of her as the male fucking her groaned through his pleasure. Both stroked her in long touches that reminded her of how tenderly Janus and Hawk handled her. Tova licked her lower lip as her pussy began to crave another taste of male possession. That same ache

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returned. The memory of Hawk pressing her up against a tree made her shudder with hunger. Knowing exactly how good it felt to be fucked left her with little resolve to resist following him to his living space. Even the idea of being shared enticed her now as she witnessed what it was like to be handled by two males. “Should we fuck you right here? Some enjoy joining the party.” Hawk brushed her nipples as she tore her gaze away from the threesome to turn her mouth towards him. “Is he here? Did he watch us?” She had not considered that. “No.” Hawk’s voice was hard as he let her go and moved away from her. He considered her for a moment. “I might share you, Tova, but you belong to me. Janus is chasing his own foolish desires at this moment.” “What does that mean?” He raised a hand up towards her. “Accompany me to my living space and I will tell you.” Tova stared at his palm and understood him perfectly. If she wanted the privilege of questioning him, she would have to grant him the right to touch her when he liked. The only relationship Hawk offered was one that included touching along with his friendship. But he was right. They needed privacy. Her hand landed in his before she thought any further on the matter. Being denied his little grins bothered her as much as suffering her cravings for his body. She had never shared friendship with any male but found that it deepened the intimacy for their sexual encounters in a way that frankly astounded her. It was all mixing together into a combination that was sweeping her away from everything she had ever thought she knew concerning matters of the flesh. “Janus is no doubt off trying to entice Fay into talking to him.”

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Hawk offered her a nod of approval and a half grin. He closed his fingers around her hand and turned. He pulled her along behind him as they reentered the penal sphere, but instead of taking her back to the convict living sphere, Hawk pressed his right hand into a control scanner and opened a door that led to the Hunter living sphere. It was a place she had never expected to see, even if she spread for a Hunter. The huge dome was darker than any of the spheres she’d lived in before. The clear protective surface kept the harmful pulsar rays from their sun out. People had lived without domes in times past but that was before their main star began to swell into the red giant it currently was. Remaining outside a sphere was toxic if you stayed too long. There were some who claimed the far side of the globe was inhabitable without spheres due to the dense growth of trees but Tova had no idea if that was true or not. What was true was she had never once in her life thought to walk down a street where Hunters dwelled. They passed many of the black-clad men and each and every one of them was large. Hawk held her hand, pulling her along as her eyes roamed from one set of wide shoulders to the next. Even the older Hunters with grey hair were fit. There were many females out tonight but they were very different. Some followed behind with their eyes on the ground as they went, while others moved along beside their Hunter escort, nodding to those they passed. Some females wore collars and even a leash or two met with her gaze. “They are recently detained Trophies.” Hawk shifted his eyes to her outraged ones. “Newly convicted.” “So you leash them like animals?” Tova looked back at one female whose hands where resting over her breasts, held there by manacles that were chained to her collar. She suddenly stopped and moaned as the young Hunter leading her turned and aimed some kind of control box at her. She shuddered and moaned as Tova blushed. Her temper ignited as she realized another rumor she’d always dismissed as ridiculous was in fact a reality. That little control was for a ritith. A vibrating device inserted through the captured female’s clit. “And you put those things in their…ah…flesh?”

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Hawk turned and used their clasped hands to pull her against his chest. “You might enjoy a ritith. You certainly liked the training harness.” One dark eyebrow rose. “And the spanking.” The arrogance in his tone made her angry. Tova stretched up onto her toes to bring their faces closer together. “And maybe you would enjoy a Trophy female, since you like telling me what I should enjoy so much.” Surprise flashed through his eyes as Tova smirked at him. “You could do whatever you wanted with a Trophy. If that is what you want, go and find one.” His fingers tightened around hers in response. “That is not what I want.” Tova let her body settle back onto the soles of her feet as Hawk considered her. His eyes swept over her but instead of an impersonal inspection she felt like he was really looking at her. “I want you, Tova.”

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Chapter Six It was amazing how such a simple thing could touch her so deeply. Tova pulled a brush through her wet hair as she moved in a small circle around Hawk’s living space. The outer room was neat and orderly, exactly what she expected. What surprised her were the tiny touches of his personal life. And the fact that he brought her to his home. “You do not have to rush your bathing.” Hawk was leaning against the doorway that led to the kitchen. His shoulders filled it and his head almost brushed the top of it. Tova stared at him in wonder. His black uniform was open all the way down the front of his chest. Dark hair covered his torso all the way to his waist. His black gloves were missing too as was the weapons belt she had become used to seeing on his hips. It was the first time she had really looked at him as just a male. He had black hair that was shaved almost completely down to his skin on his head. But his chest was covered with a thick mat of it. “Water is not rationed here.” “Of course not.” She should have thought about that but habits were not simple to discard. Still, she was clean and her skin felt wonderful! The only thing she disliked was wearing her robe. She had worked all day in the garment and longed for a clean one. Hawk’s lazy stance suddenly struck her as odd. His eyes watched her with a strange mixture of heat and control. Almost like he was waiting for something. “I sent a contact to your family.” Tova frowned at him. Hawk pushed away from the doorframe. The scum that was her kin wasn’t worth her time as far as he could see but the fact that she was loyal endeared her to him even further.

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He cupped her chin and looked at the anger simmering in her eyes. “Do not be angry with me, Tova. I am accustomed to attending to details. I did not want them to worry about you.” Tova scoffed at that idea. “Rishan wouldn’t have worried.” The words slipped past her lips and Hawk’s face tightened slightly before he nodded. “So I noticed when I spoke to him.” Tova shrugged and stepped away from him. “No one chooses their family.” “True, but you did choose me as your lover.” She had and it didn’t bother her. Instead a feeling of confidence filled her as she turned to look behind her. “Are we alone?” “Yes, I don’t have to worry about sharing you until Janus looks through my current activities. For tonight, you’re mine.” Tova turned curious eyes back towards Hawk. He tilted his head and grinned at her. “Janus has set his sights on a Hunter’s chaste daughter. She does not have to even speak to him if she does not desire it. Fay can keep him busy for us. I’ll have to thank her the next time I see her.” “Oh.” Tova had heard of such females. Pampered and born into privilege. Such a life was only a fantasy to her. A male like Hawk was out of her reach too. Certainly she might expect to catch his interest since she was healthy. Standing in his living space was what perplexed her. He’d had her, yet there was no reason to share his private life with her. Tender emotion flowed through her as she watched him continue to lean in the doorway. Hunger flickered in his eyes but he was not rushing her towards more sex. Hawk seemed to enjoy their conversation and that made her heart twist. “Take your robe off.” Hawk lost his easy stance with his words. He straightened his body as his eyes moved to her breasts and lingered on the points her nipples made in the soft fabric. “No ‘please’?” Tova wasn’t sure if she was asking or testing him.

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Tova gasped as Hawk caught her against his body. Her fingers landed on his chest and slipped through the open front of his uniform. “I told you, I use direct words. You’ll be correcting me a lot during our relationship.” It was a promise and one that she savored because Hawk did not have to offer her his word on anything. He could have returned her to her sire and been free of her. His use of the word relationship took root in her heart and refused to be still. Somehow, hearing Hawk term their involvement with such a word made it possible for her to surrender to the idea of being shared. “All right. Let me go.” “Are you going to behave?” “You mean, am I going to take my robe off as you commanded? Maybe.” Tova smiled at the harsh rasp she heard from Hawk. His hands spread over her back as she sent her fingers through the crisp hair on his chest. They were not true lovers yet. He had captured her out in the night and taken her innocence but that did not make them lovers. “Lovers share the duty of pleasuring each other, Hawk. You have only seduced me.” His chest rumbled with a growl as she pushed his uniform open further. His flat male nipples came into sight. Tova let her fingers slip over them before grasping the black fabric and pushing it over his shoulders. His hands left her back as she pushed the uniform down his arms. It dropped onto the floor as she raised her gaze back to his face. “You will have to let me lead you if you want us to become lovers.” Tova smoothed her open hands over his bare chest as she spoke. Hawk shuddered as she traced the ridges of taut muscle coating his torso before she cupped the bulge of his cock with one hand and gently squeezed. Confidence surged through her as she

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watched excitement blaze in his eyes. She was the reason for that eruption of emotion and she had every intention of fanning the flames higher. “I await your command, Tova.” He jerked the fastening on his pants and the front fell open at the waist. He raised one eyebrow in challenge as he returned his hands to her back instead of freeing his cock completely. His words surfaced from her memory as she contemplated the switch in their roles. Hawk was now her toy to play with and that delighted her. She backed away from him. Her fingers grasped the fabric of her robe. She pulled it slowly up her body, turning before it rose above her mons. Tossing the garment aside, Tova looked over her shoulder at her lover. “Dance for me.” His voice was a raw plea. Lifting her hands above her head, she rolled her hips as she kept her eyes on his face. She swayed her hips from side to side before gently turning in a full circle. She returned to her starting position with her back to Hawk. Once again she swayed her hips before turning to face him. She increased her pace as she swayed while facing him. With her hands held above her head her breasts were on display while she danced. Tova sank to her knees in front of him and pushed his pants open. His cock sprang into full view as she reached for it. Although she had felt the flesh inside her already, she marveled at how large it was. Her fingers slipped down the length of the staff as her clit flickered with heat. But she wasn’t going to yield to her own hunger so simply. Being the one to solicit responses from Hawk was a powerful emotion. One she intended to savor. Grasping his cock, Tova leaned forward to lick the slit on top of it. Hawk cussed low and deep as her tongue made a second pass and then all the way around the crown. One of his hands caught the back of her head as she looked up his body to his eyes. Hunger had his face drawn taut as she stroked his cock. 88

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“I could become addicted to being your plaything, Tova.” His hand gripped her head as she let her hand close around his cock. “But some addictions are fatal. I might have to keep you for fear of dying without you.” He pushed her head towards his cock and she opened her mouth to taste him. A harsh rasp from his lips made her bold and she opened her jaw wider to suck the head of his cock into her mouth completely. There was a slight salty taste from the slit but she licked all around the head before sucking it deeper into her mouth. Her fingers gripped the length that wasn’t between her lips as she listened to his growl of pleasure. The hand on the back of her head pressed her towards his cock as his hips thrust it into her mouth. She felt fluid begin to slide down the walls of her pussy while she worked her head in time with his thrusts. She relaxed her jaw and let him fuck her mouth as she gripped the part of his cock that didn’t fit. He had brought her to her full pleasure with his mouth and she was suddenly desperate to see if she might wield the same power over his flesh. Hawk denied her that triumph. He pulled her mouth away from his cock as he hissed at her. “Enough, Tova! My seed will only spill in your pussy.” His voice was harsh and he jerked as she stroked his wet cock with her hands. His eyes glittered with hard determination. Despite her desire to be the one commanding his pleasure, Tova shivered at the look in his eyes. He was pure male. Demand shone on his face and it was uniquely aggressive. There was a part of her that enjoyed being so close to such a powerful animal. Trust sat firmly lodged in her heart and that made it possible for her to enjoy the surge of heat from the raw look on his face. It was a promise and one that she eagerly anticipated. He was going to possess her again and her clit twisted with need as she rose to her feet. “Why? You used your mouth to bring me to climax.”

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She wasn’t willing to submit so simply to his hunger. Lovers played. Ducking out of his hold on her head, she twirled around in a circle as she swayed her hips. Tova moved faster before she stopped and shook her finger back and forth slowly at him. “You aren’t playing, Hawk. You’re really so naughty.” He pushed his pants down his legs in response. Tova felt her lungs freeze as he stood up completely bare. His hands hung just a little away from his sides, with his palms facing her. All the fingers spread open, and he wiggled them slightly as he offered her a low growl. “I enjoy playing naughty.” His eyes lingered over her breasts. “I want to come in your pussy.” Tova smiled. “I am still dancing, so you must wait.” It was an intense sort of game, one of tempting the beast and she was the bait he would pounce on when the teasing became too much. She worked her hips in a wide circle. One hand stroked down her own neck to her breast where she pinched her own nipple. Hawk could have looked at her for an hour. Her body was lush and full of curves— a stark opposite to his own. His body was trained into a weapon. His muscles measured for strength while her limbs were designed for only pleasure and that deeper purpose of producing life. He stared at her belly and the promise of possible new life that lay inside all females. It was a dream that he rarely allowed himself to indulge in but tonight it blossomed into full color as he considered her recently taken chastity. That was the true reason he rebelled against spilling his seed in her mouth. Tonight’s need was darker and more primitive than he had ever experienced. Tonight, he needed to fuck, keep his cock pressed deep into her body as long as she would tolerate it. But it was her submission that truly fed his need. Knowing she came to him, that was a gift that no male could ever take from a female. Hawk treasured the moment as Tova stood for his viewing enjoyment without him demanding that she do it. Her dancing was the most enticing thing he had ever witnessed simply because she did it for him.

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Tova shivered as she stopped dancing. Hawk pressed a control on the wall and the lights dimmed before he lifted his hand and presented his palm to her. “Come, Tova.” His invitation sent a bolt of desire through her. It was a compromise, a surrender that did not insist she kneel at his feet or obey his every command. They might be lovers who played different roles as their moods changed. His fingers closed around her hand as he pulled her against his body. Hawk bent and hooked an arm under her knees. He turned towards the doorway in one smooth motion that made her gasp. He carried her right into the next room and the huge bed sitting in it. “You are a temptress,” he whispered as he placed her in the center of his bed. He placed his hands on either side of her body. The scent of his male skin filled her senses as she felt the touch of his chest hair against her softer skin. The little details made her pussy ache for a hard male touch too. Light spilled in from the open doorway, illuminating his larger body as he leaned further towards her until she lay back against the bedding. “You tempt me to seal the door and spend the night between your thighs.” He cupped one knee and lifted her leg towards her shoulder before pushing it to the side to expose her slit. He inhaled as he lowered his face towards her sex. “Do you hurt?” He thrust one thick finger into her slit with his question. Tova whimpered as the walls of her pussy tried to clamp around it. She hadn’t realized how much she wanted to be filled again. “Tova?” He worked his finger in and out of her pussy as her hips lifted for the penetration. The concern in his voice bothered her. Pride filled her as she tipped her hips towards his hand and opened her eyes to meet his gaze. “I am no girl, Hawk.” Her words were sweet temptation. Hawk sucked his breath in as he resisted the urge to impale her. “Yet you were chaste.” 91

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“But that does not mean I am delicate.” Hawk leaned forward and captured one of her nipples between his lips. Tova sighed at the pleasure. She arched her back to offer her tender flesh to his attention. His finger left her pussy and slid up the center of her slit to her clit. He rubbed the little bundle of nerves as his tongue flickered over the top of her nipple. Pleasure filled her from the combined assault. Tova lifted her hands to touch him. She sighed as her fingers found bare skin for the first time. There was nothing between them and her hands spread out over his chest as Hawk moved to her opposite nipple. Hawk cupped her breast, grunting with approval at its weight. The soft globe sat in his hand. Tova was correct. She was no budding maiden plucked from the vine the moment the law permitted it. She was fully mature, her body ready for mating. The whimper rising from her throat was more temptation then he could bear. Rolling forward, Hawk let his body cover hers. She lifted her thighs to cradle him as his cock slipped into the fluid coating her slit. She lifted towards him and he thrust forward into her body. A small gasp marked his entrance as she adjusted to his possession once more. Her fingernails bit into his arms for a moment and he savored the tiny pain because she shared it with him. The tight clasp of her pussy around his cock made it impossible to remain still for long. “Wrap your thighs around me.” His voice was tight but it made her even more inclined to obey him. There was a hint of uncontrolled fury lurking in his tone that made her crave a taste of his harsher nature. He had been tightly controlled in the forest and now, Tova admitted, she longed to discover exactly what kind of male he was beneath his controlled exterior. She clasped his hips with her thighs, lifting for his next thrust. He hissed as she clawed her fingers down his arms and she caught the flash of something primal in his eyes. A second later Hawk captured her hands and pinned them to the surface of the bed. His body drove his cock deeply into her as pleasure speared into her belly. He chuckled at her gasp before leaning down to kiss her neck.

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“You want to be treated like a woman, don’t you, Tova?” He bucked between her thighs and pleasure spiked through her. Tova arched beneath him as she cried out with the pleasure. She wanted to hit him but he held her hands pinned with his greater strength. The entire bed shook as he pulled his cock free and thrust it back into her with a hard motion of his hips. “Yes!” Hawk bit her neck in response. It was a small nip of his teeth but the little pain mixed with the hard thrusts from his hips, made her desperate to move with him. She arched beneath him and cried out as his cock split her pussy with its hard length. The bed rocked again as he pulled free and surged back into her with a hard grunt. It was hard and yet still controlled. Climax taunted her because he didn’t increase his pace. Tova arched her hips higher but that did not allow her to climax. “Hawk!” “No.” He snarled the command as he thrust hard against her and the bed rocked. “Not so soon, Tova.” Hawk refused to allow his seed to flood her so quickly. He needed to fuck, needed to be inside her, needed to feel her lifting for his cock. Tova lost track of time. They were caught in an endless moment of hard thrusts she willingly submitted to. All that mattered was the next hard penetration. There was nothing more important than straining towards him to ensure that his cock lodged as deeply as possible inside her body. His harsh breath hit her neck as he scraped his teeth against the delicate skin of her throat. The hair covering his chest moved against her breasts, delighting her with its harder maleness. But Hawk snarled as his control began collapsing. His hands tightened around her wrists as he let more of his weight settle against her body. His hips flexed faster as he drove his cock in and out of her body, deeper and harder. Tova listened to her own cries as her body twisted under his hard possession. Pleasure shot into her womb as her pussy contracted around his cock. Her entire body drew into one taut, straining muscle

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that lifted towards her partner. The cry she let out echoed off the wall as Hawk snarled and pressed his cock harder into her body. She felt the hot spurt of his seed and climaxed a second time. This time the pleasure was centered deeply in her belly as her pussy tried to milk every last drop of his seed from his cock. Tova gasped for air as she collapsed back onto the bed. Hawk caught his body on his elbows before crushing her. His chest heaved as he rolled onto his back and took her body with him. One arm hooked around her waist to secure her against his chest as she tried to catch her breath. A firm hand pushed her head down onto his chest as his legs tangled with her ankles and clamped them in place. He didn’t order her to be still, only made small sounds like you might to a child as he smoothed his hands over her back. There was no question of submitting because her body was too tired to care about very much besides letting her eyelids close. Her hand rested on his chest and her fingers threaded through his crisp hair as her senses filled with his scent. She sighed as his heartbeat filled her ears, and she felt her own heart matching the tempo. Hawk grunted when he heard her breathing change. Tova slipped into slumber while he remained awake. Sleep didn’t hold any attraction for him when remaining awake meant he could stroke her. His fingers played with her hair as a grin lifted his lips. He had never really noticed how delightful a female felt. Tova was soft in every place that he was hard. Their bodies designed to mesh together exactly as they were at that moment. The slight brush of her breath against his chest made him nod with approval as the scent of her wet pussy drifted up to tease his nose. His cock didn’t twitch, it lay satisfied against his belly as he spread his hand over the curve of her hip. Contentment was not something he had ever associated with sex before. Tonight it settled over him like a thick blanket and he enjoyed it as much as he would have on a freezing winter night.

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But her slumber was not peaceful. Tova kicked at the bedding and wiggled away from his embrace. Hawk woke each and every time she moved. He pulled her back against his body before going back to sleep. She did not bend easily to his will but even that pleased him. Their children would be forged from that iron will and he was going to enjoy the battle ahead.

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Chapter Seven Janus walked through her workstation first thing in the morning. Her face flamed scarlet as she remembered what Janus had clearly viewed. Ye Gods! It was enough that she had woken up in Hawk’s bed. She had been grateful for the lateness of her awakening because they both had hurried through dressing and out the door before they were late reporting for duty. The frustrated look on Hawk’s face promised her a reckoning later. But Janus was her current dilemma. Hawk had been correct. The other Hunter was now intent on her. It was not something that would diminish given time. The only thing that would dissuade him was if she returned to her sire’s living space. He stared at her for too long. Her temper rose as her hands began to shake. “Enough, Janus. It is too early in the day to be absorbed in what might happen when our duty is completed.” “It will happen.” He flattened his hands on her table and leaned towards her. Tova leaned right back towards him as she snapped her fingers an inch from his nose. “I am not a Trophy or a slut or your submissive. If you want my favor, you will learn to ask nicely.” He chuckled and captured her hand before she pulled it away. “You might enjoy being my submissive mate.” He turned her hand over and bit the tender skin of her inner wrist before letting her loose. “You’re right, it will be a very long day if I keep coming near you.” Janus turned and left.

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Tova hissed and wrapped her arms around her body. Her nipples registered the touch and a tiny spark of enjoyment went through her. Her body ached from Hawk’s possession but that did not banish the craving for a repeat of last night. Hunger flowed through her as thick as her own blood. It never truly vanished. There would be no blaming her reckless behavior on festival madness. No, the attraction went far deeper. Hawk didn’t appear to make her taste today either. Tova looked at the timekeeper and felt her pride swell. Trust. It was no simple matter to earn it from a male like him. She felt her heart warming in the face of it. Trust from Hawk meant something to her and that was a fact. But as the day finished and he did not appear, despair invaded her thoughts. It might not have been festival madness for her but that did not mean Hawk was interested in any more of her company. She had spread for him without any promise of anything in return. Tova shook her head and refused to place a price on her flesh. She felt the blood drain from her face as she considered how foolish she had been last night. She had not even considered the possibility of a child. She might be cradling a new life with no promise from the sire to help rear it. Tova shook off her concern. Hawk was not the sort of male who would turn his back on his own blood. He might let her return to her sire’s living space because he had sampled what he desired from her, but if a child grew in her body, there would be compensation. That knowledge did not brighten her mood. She looked at the time and left. Her work rotation was finished and there was no sign of Hawk. It was a simple way of dismissing her but maybe better than rejecting her publicly. She did not know and her heart was heavy as she moved towards her living space. But she had nowhere else to go. She was still confined to the penal sphere. Without Hawk giving her escort her only option was to return to her sire’s dwelling. Remaining in the processing station was even forbidden because it was a secure location.

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“What brings you here, slut?” Rishan’s voice dripped scorn and for some reason it amused her. Tova stared at the sneer on her sibling’s face before giving in to her emotions and laughing at his temper. Rishan blocked the entrance to his living space, keeping her standing in the street. A few of their neighbors frowned at her. Clearly, her sibling had spent last evening sharing family gossip. “Hunter’s whore.” Her brother spat on the ground at her feet. Tova propped her hands onto her hips. There were a few grumbles from those who watched and it rubbed her temper. Tova lifted her chin in the face of their judgment— she was the non-convict among them. She would not lower her head in shame to those who broke the law. Besides, her body belonged only to her. “He was my lover, Rishan. There are many things you might say of me but I am no prostitute.” Tova shot a harsh glance at the men glaring at her. “I will share my body with whom I choose but never for payment.” Rishan cussed at her and so did a few of her neighbors. Tova felt her pride swelling as the harsh words sunk in. “You are not welcome here, Tova.” “I do not want to be!” And it was the truth! Tova looked at each face surrounding her brother and held her chin firmly in the air. “You shame our mother with your greed. You are only angry because I refused to let you sell my body for your own profit. That is the truth. You know it in your heart. I have come for my things. Gladly will I find some place else to live.” A small bag was flung towards her. Tova caught it and made sure to look into Rishan’s face as he sneered at her. She wanted to remember him exactly like this and never forget why she owed him nothing. Her sire was sitting at the table watching silently as he always did. “Hunter’s slut” drifted on the night breeze before she turned and froze as she faced Hawk.

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He stood ten paces behind her, with Janus looking over his shoulder. Her heart twisted with delight even though his face was an emotionless mask. He was every inch a Hunter, their prison guard with black uniform and weapon belt. Today she saw so much more though. There was honor and commitment to his beliefs. His life was dedicated to something more than his own greed. Aye, she was not ashamed of her choice. “Come with us, Tova. Now.” Hawk moved his eyes over the crowd as Janus stood in front of Rishan. He lifted one hand and held it out to her. She heard the cussing around her and shook her head. She placed her hand into his as those watching grumbled. The only shame that crossed her mind was for the fact that she had once cared what any of these convicts thought about her sharing her body with a Hunter. There wasn’t a single male present she would spread for, not one who was worthy of her attention except Hawk. Janus moved and she caught his stare. A shiver shook her body as she realized they had both come for her. Right or wrong, she did not know but she understood that she could not run from her own heart. Hawk closed his fingers around hers and pulled her towards his body. “You will never come back here.” Fury lit his eyes as he began to pull her away from the grumbling group. His body was tense and Janus looked ready to spring into action if any of Rishan’s friends gave him even the slightest resistance. “Move faster, Tova.” Tova turned and never looked back. She did not know where she was bound for but she knew without doubt that she would never return.

Hawk felt his temper surge up as he hooked the bundle out of Tova’s arms and clamped it under his free arm. The snarls of the convicts they passed grated on his nerves for the first time in years.

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But the true cause of his anger was Tova’s reckless journey back to her sire’s living space. She hurried to keep pace with his longer strides but he didn’t slow down. Removing Tova from the lawless element of the penal sphere was a critical priority. Their conversation on her rash behavior could wait until he was satisfied that she was no longer in any danger. Hawk pulled her through the doorway to his living area with a little too much force. Tova stumbled into the room and turned as Janus followed her. She frowned at the show of force they made together. Both males glared at her with tight lips as Hawk moved to the doorway leading to the bedroom they had shared last night. He tossed her bundle into the room and turned back to glare at her. He pulled his black gloves off and dropped them on the center room table. As neat as the living area was, the careless dropping of his uniform gloves hit her as an outburst of emotion. “You will never enter that penal sphere again. Is that clear, Tova?” His voice was hard as stone. Janus nodded in approval as the second Hunter crossed his arms over his chest. Hawk suddenly moved and she gasped as he caught her right wrist. He pressed his bare fingers onto her wristband and it let out a small chirp. He pulled some kind of tool off his belt and a moment later the band opened. Tova stared in wonder at the ease with which he removed the thing that had been clamped onto her arm for so long. Her shock broke as Hawk captured her left arm and removed the twin band sitting there. She jerked her eyes up to Hawk. “Wait—” “No, I should have removed them this morning.” Hawk handed the bands to Janus. He placed his body in front of her as an immovable wall. “You will never place yourself at risk again.” “What risk? A little cursing is not such a horrible thing. Besides, where was I to go?” Tova shook off his hold and then hissed as she recognized that Hawk let her go. She didn’t have the strength to break free. Knowing that truth made her furious. 100

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“You know I must leave the processing building within fifteen minutes of the end of my shift. Besides, that is not the first time I have fought with Rishan.” But it would be the last and that sobered her. Like a book closing, that portion of her life was past now. Hawk caught her chin and raised it up to meet his eyes. “Females who choose Hunters over their own kind sometimes end up murdered.” Tova gasped because she saw the truth of his statement on his face. Horror flooded her as Hawk glared at her. But he shook his head as he shot a hard look at Janus. “But it is our failing that allowed you to end up making the choice to return. One of us should have been there when your shift ended.” Tova wasn’t sure what to think of his comment. Her heart wanted to grasp his words and hold onto them like a promise but she was too uncertain to question him because false hope was better then none. She looked past Hawk to her little bag that was lying on the bed she had shared with him last night. Right there was everything she had in the world. It was a harsh reality but not really a frightening one. Life did not scare her and she certainly wasn’t going to let it begin doing so today. “I would like to bathe.” Tova didn’t wait for approval. She moved towards the shower and rubbed her wrist as she went. She studied her bare skin as she went and a smile covered her face as she entered the bathroom. Yes, it would be the last time she listened to Rishan’s filthy mouth.

“I’m an ass.” Hawk wasn’t looking for Janus to agree with him. He ground his teeth together as he picked up Tova’s discarded bands. He lived his life with details and he’d overlooked a really big one today. “I never thought she’d try to return to the sphere.” Janus spoke with his years as a Hunter backing up his words. “Except Tova isn’t a Hunter. She had no way of knowing what might have happened.”

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It was a harsh world and one in which Hawk would never have believed to find a female like Tova. But it made sense too. Her strength had allowed her to remain inside the penal sphere and resist being warped by those around her. But her heart was the real treasure, untarnished by evil. She never thought that others might hurt her for taking him as a lover. That was the thing that endeared her to him. Her undying belief in the good in everyone. She was an example of why he served the law. In the outer, civilian spheres, there was no fear. Tova still clung to that innocence despite her years among the unlawful. Hawk placed the bands next to his weapons belt to be returned to the command office. He was going to have to protect her from that ugly side of life. In fact, he was looking forward to the duty.

Janus stayed for dinner. Tova lingered in her bath but habits died hard and she was finished in less than ten minutes. She prolonged her dressing but even that could not last very long. She tossed her head and turned to face the beginning of her new life. Somehow, she had to start without really knowing what she wanted. There was only Hawk, but that was a good place to begin. He turned his head the second she moved across the doorway. She stared at him and a giggle escaped her mouth. One of his dark eyebrows rose. “What? My cooking amuses you?” Tova fluttered her eyelids but the sight of Hawk tending to food remained. The common chore was so mismatched with his black uniform that she laughed again. Rishan would rather starve before performing any work that he considered female duty. “I think she’s laughing at you.” Janus enjoyed it too. His lips rose into a smirk as he popped a piece of food into his mouth. His eyes dropped down her length, capturing her attention.

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Excitement rippled through her as she recognized the flicker of hunger in his eyes. Promise shone brightly as he stared at her breasts. Tova turned her head and found Hawk watching them. More heat filled his eyes as her body began to clamor for something other than food. Tova refused to allow her mind to spin her into nervousness. She moved across the floor and reached for Hawk. “You are my lover.” Hawk groaned as her words echoed in his head. He crushed her in a powerful embrace that betrayed his emotion. His mouth caught hers a second later and his kiss was full of harsh demand. All Tova felt was the need to let her tongue tangle with his. Her fingers hated his uniform, so she slid her hands up his chest to his neck, where she found warm male skin. Hawk left her mouth and trailed his lips over her neck as he gently licked the bite he’d marked her throat with last night. A small bruise clearly showed on her fair skin and he lingered over the spot as she let her head tip back to offer her neck to his teeth. It was a submissive pose but one that declared how much trust she harbored for him. Tova yielded her delicate skin to his mouth, craving the pleasure she knew his touch would deliver. Hawk found her buttons and swiftly undid them. His hands dipped into the front of her open robe to part the fabric. The night air was cool against her skin as he pushed the robe across her shoulders and over them. Her nipples were twin points of aching need but she suddenly recalled they were not alone this time. Gravity did not care and her robe slumped to the floor around her ankles. A gasp caught on her lips as she shivered. “He has already seen you, Tova.” She shook her head. “I know this.” Hawk raised an eyebrow at her. His hands grasped her waist and turned her to face his comrade. Her breath froze in her lungs as she felt Janus inspect her. His eyes lingered over her body for long seconds as Hawk held her in place. Warm breath brushed her ear as Hawk placed a hot kiss against her neck. 103

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“He has seen everything, Tova. The forest and here. Your playfulness and your pleasure. It has all played out before his eyes.” Tova saw the truth of that on Janus’ face. It excited her. That surprised her but she savored the burn of it moving across her skin. Janus moved forward on silent steps before reaching out to run the back of his ungloved hand across her face. She shivered in response and he raised an eyebrow at her. A small tsk left his lips as he smoothed his hand over her neck and down to one of her puckered nipples. Hawk’s hands smoothed over her hips as Janus touched her nipple. She caught the scent of his skin and it mixed with her recognition of Hawk, making her shiver as her clit flickered to life. “Ready to submit, Tova?” She shook her head and smiled at the surprise that flashed on Janus’ face. “I prefer to play.” Lifting her hands, she laid them on his chest and heard him suck his breath in. He grasped her waist and pulled her against his frame as she heard Hawk pulling his uniform off. Janus stared into her eyes as she moved her hands slowly up to clasp his shoulders. Janus frowned at her. “Pity, I would have enjoyed your submission.” He caught her mouth in a hard kiss a second later. There was no teasing in his kiss, it was a bold breaching of defenses that made her gasp. This man did not play. He was intent on conquering her and his tongue thrust deep into her mouth like an invader. Tova twisted slightly against the hard aggression and Hawk’s hard body pressed against her to still her movements. Hawk grasped her arm and she watched as he pressed a medical tube against her skin for a moment. There was a hard pressure as something was introduced into her bloodstream. “A contraceptive. Against Janus’ seed.” “Oh.” She should have considered such a detail. “But not yours?” “No.” Hawk’s voice was hard with determination and he kissed her before moving around behind her.

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Pressed between them, a wave of heat swept through her. There was no portion of her flesh that wasn’t touched by the need. Hawk’s bare skin pressed along her back, making her conscious of the uniform Janus still wore. Janus cupped the back of her head, holding it in place for another kiss. His tongue stroked hers in bold promise as it stabbed back into her mouth once more. Tova felt the walls of her pussy heat and fluid easing down to the top of her thighs. Hawk moved one hand over her belly and down to the top of her mons. Janus broke the kiss as he held onto her head. He watched her face as Hawk fingered her clit. Hunger flickered in his eyes as she whimpered and her own hand reached for the front of his uniform pants. She stroked the bulge of his cock as a shudder shook her body because Hawk was rubbing his finger against her clit. Janus let her go and backed up. He began to unfasten his uniform. Tova stared at his body as it was revealed. Hawk tightened his hold on her as he pulled his finger from her slit. Janus’ uniform ended up on the floor as she felt the brush of Hawk’s cock against her thighs. He kissed her neck before biting the lower part of her ear. “Watch him, Tova, while I fuck you.” It was a hard command and she turned to look at Hawk. His face was taut with demand as his hand tightened around her hips. She understood, somehow. The need he had to show Janus that she belonged to him first. Hawk craved a demonstration of submission despite his agreement to sharing her. Janus caught her hands and pulled them towards him, her body stretched out between them as she bent over at her waist. “Spread for me.” Hawk’s voice was harsh as he pushed her feet apart with his. He had to bend his knees to get low enough behind her. His cock slipped into her wet folds. His hands pulled her bottom up as he thrust forward to impale her on his hard flesh. Her fingers gripped Janus’ forearms as Hawk fucked her from behind. Pleasure tightened her face as she listened to Hawk’s breathing increase. Her breasts bounced as he pumped against her and her cheeks burned as Janus watched her face with absolute devotion.

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Tova had never been the center of so much focus before. It heightened her awareness of each and every touch. The hard cock thrusting in and out of her pussy made her clit desperate for the same friction. The hard male muscle beneath her hands made her itch to handle the cock she could see thrusting out towards her. Janus let one hand move towards her breast and he pinched the nipple. Hawk grunted and began to pump hard against her bottom. His seed erupted inside her as her clit twisted in need. Hawk growled softly behind her before he pulled his cock from her body. Janus’ eyes glittered as he held her chin and pinched her nipple again and again. The small pain traveled into her clit, making her shiver as her hunger grew. “Kneel in front of me.” Tova shook her head. The idea was too submissive and the tone of voice Janus used far too commanding for her pride to shoulder. He chuckled at her defiance and pinched her nipple once more. He caught her wrists and carried her arms behind her back as he bent her back towards Hawk. He held her prisoner like that for a moment, letting her feel his strength. “I like my females submissive, Tova.” Tova moved away from him. She stroked one hand over Hawk’s chest but kept her eyes on Janus. “I like my lovers playful.” Hawk chuckled. One of his arms slid around her waist as he kissed her neck. Her hand found his cock and gently handled it as he held her. Janus’ eyes flickered with heat as he watched. “You need a ritith. Think how it would feel to have it vibrating right now.” His lips rose into a smug grin. “I enjoy watching you climax. A ritith would be a great addition.” “Then you should have one placed in your cock.” Janus’ eyes widened at her audacity before he laughed. He looked so surprised by his outburst of humor that Tova pitied him for a moment. Everyone had the right to

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laugh a little. Giving Hawk’s cock a last stoke, she moved away from him and towards Janus. Placing her hands on either side of his head, Tova laid a delicate kiss on his mouth. She stretched up onto her toes to do it and Janus still had to lean down for her kiss. Janus growled in response as Tova kissed his chin. She kissed each hard cheekbone, teasing him with soft presses from her mouth before returning to his lips. She still did not kiss him. Tova licked his lower lip with the tip of her tongue as she leaned close enough for her nipples to brush against his chest. He sucked his breath in harshly as his fingers grasped her bottom. “I want you to ride me.” She smiled as his eyes blazed with challenge. Janus lowered his body into a chair and waited to see if she would follow him. A firm hand on her back pushed her towards the male waiting for her. Tova made her steps slow, teasing Janus with the sway of her hips before she got close enough for him to grasp her hips. He lifted her up so that she could spread her thighs over his body. The head of his cock pressed against her pussy and he lowered her onto the hard flesh. Her position allowed his cock to slide along her clit and pleasure shot into her belly. There was just enough of the chair for her knees to rest on and that granted her the ability to control their pace. It was a test of willpower. Tova rose and fell on his cock. She watched him fight the urge to use his greater strength to move her faster. Need drew both their faces taut as sweat beaded on their skin. Hawk suddenly stepped closer and Tova turned her head to suck his cock. Need twisted through her as she tasted her own juices on him. Janus snarled as Hawk caught her head and began to thrust his cock into her mouth. Janus took control of their pace, moving her faster as his hips bucked under her body. Pleasure tightened in her clit as both cocks thrust towards her. Janus growled and his seed shot into her body. Hawk’s cock offered up another spurt of his seed into her mouth as her pussy clamped around the cock inside her and pleasure tore into her. She relaxed against Janus for a moment before Hawk picked her up and cradled her against

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his chest. He moved across the outer room and into the bedroom. The sheets were cool against her hot skin as Hawk settled her into his bed. He dropped lingering kisses on her neck and breasts as her heart slowed down. His hands never stopped moving over her skin. Tova lifted her eyelids to look at him. A trace of uncertainty sat on his face and she sat up. She stroked the skin around his eyes that was crinkled due to concern. His consideration of her feelings touched her deeply as she stroked his lips before her eyes moved around the room. Janus was leaning in the doorway, he’d put his pants back on and was holding his uniform top. He passed his hand over the light control and the room brightened. It was almost like Janus considered the bedroom off limits for himself. He stood watching with envious eyes but he did not join them on the bed. Hawk held up a crimson wristband. “I won’t force you to wear this, Tova.” She looked at her bare wrists and realized that she had to choose something. Everyone wore one, from birth on. “But you may not have your non-convict ones back.” Hawk’s voice was hard with judgment. Tova looked at his face and saw the Hunter staring back at her. But it was part of him and she was discovering that she craved the combination more than one side over the other. And still he offered her choice. Choosing the crimson band identified her as a female who belonged among Hunters. Her other choice was to ask to be returned to a civilian sphere. There she would not have to wear any manner of identifying item because there were no law-breakers in the civilian spheres. You were only clamped into bracelets when you disobeyed the law or were born into a Hunter sphere. She suddenly realized that Hawk had been born into his role as well. He embodied it so completely that she had never realized that he was Hunter because of his blood. She lifted her arm towards him and caught the flash of joy that filled his eyes. Janus shot her a nod from the doorway before he shrugged into his uniform and turned away. 108

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Hawk secured the band on her arm and kissed it before he caught her chin. “I will not ask you to pledge to me tonight. But I intend to have you, Tova, bound to me by your own word.” He kissed her hard. His words painted a fantasy, almost too good to be found among reality. Hawk rolled her back onto the bed and pressed her thighs wide as he settled his body over her spread one. Hawk thrust into her with a slow motion of his hips. He wanted to linger in her body now, spend an hour just fucking. He pressed her arms onto the surface of the bed and grinned as his fingers closed over the wristband on her arm. “Clasp your thighs around me. Lift for me, Tova!” He growled the words against her ear as his cock thrust deep into her body. She whimpered as he slid into her. She gripped his hips with her thighs, trying to hold his cock inside her. Her fingernails bit into his skin as she clawed him. “Yes…more.” She panted out her words as her body arched up to receive his next thrust. Her clit begged for more friction as her pussy gripped the hard flesh probing her. It was a moment of perfection, one filled with sensation and need but the most important element was intimacy. Hawk pressed his body down on top of hers as his cock moved in and out of her body. When she came, he watched her face before bucking between her thighs and growling through his own pleasure. Tova moved with him when he rolled off her body this time. Even as slumber began to carry her away, she knew her spot next to his body. Her hand threaded through his chest hair as he stroked her hip and absolutely nothing else mattered but listening to their hearts as they beat. “Will Janus join us here?” Tova wasn’t sure she wanted to share the intimacy. “No.” Hawk’s arms tightened around her for a moment. “This is my bed and I share it with you.” His chest rumbled with a small satisfied grunt. Tova smiled against his chest as she drifted off into sleep. She liked the sound of it being his bed. 109

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She liked it very much.

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Chapter Eight One Week Later

“Come, Tova, we have worked enough.” Hawk shrugged his shoulders and offered her a grin. It was an expression she was beginning to look forward to seeing on his harsh face. That moment when he let her see the male who was her lover instead of the Hunter. After a week sharing his living space, she was becoming used to the shifts in his mood. “Tonight there will be entertainment at the meeting hall. There will be other females there for you to meet.” A little twist of excitement raced through her at that idea. Tova didn’t realize how lonely she had begun to feel this week without anyone but Hawk and Janus. Despite craving their company, there was a part of her that longed for friends as well. She missed Alana and the few others she had enjoyed conversing with during the course of her days. Hawk caught her hand and pulled her along behind him once again. The Hunters who would keep watch during the night were moving along the corridors. Their sharp eyes considered her briefly as they passed. It lacked the harsh edge that had always surrounded looks from Hunters. Here, she was not constantly suspected of malice. In this sphere, she was Hawk’s female. But she was also a free woman, unburdened by being connected with the unlawful. She held respect, simply by herself. It was a feeling she had sorely missed. “We’ll go to the garment traders tomorrow and find you some robes that are pretty.” Hawk looked at her and frowned. “I should have thought about that yesterday.” Tova laughed as she squeezed his hand. All week, they had hurried back to his living space the moment duty permitted. Clothing had been a very low priority.

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“Behave, Tova.” “I do not know what you mean.” Tova fluttered her eyelashes before giggling once again. Hawk stopped and pulled her close to his body. Her nipples tingled as she tipped her head back to look at his face. He leaned down so that his voice touched only her ear. “I will be happy to remind you. Your body should have to remain nude anytime I am viewing it.” Hawk squeezed her before turning to resume walking. Tova smiled as heat gently moved through her body. Wasn’t that what life was really about? The moments that made you happy? They moved along the hallways and toward a large structure that she knew was their meeting hall. All spheres were constructed in a similar fashion. There was always one large building that was used for ceremonies and celebrations. All inhabitants had the right to reserve time there. Tonight, Hunters gathered to celebrate the end of a work rotation. They brought their families with them too. Several Hunters moved up to greet Hawk and their eyes lingered on her, making her shift. Hawk squeezed her hand and cast a look at her. “Go and sit with the females. Find some friends.” Tova grinned as she left and moved towards the dark green line that designated the female area. She walked right over it and smiled as a baby caught her eye. The child was chewing on his fist as his mother held him on her thigh. “May I sit with you?” A younger woman walked right up to her and stood waiting for permission to join her. Tova almost shouted “yes” but clamped her mouth shut to contain her cry. She might be nervous but she did not need to announce it! “Certainly.”

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The young female offered her a shy smile before she lowered her body onto the bench. Her slim fingers plucked nervously at her lavender robe. She cast a smile at Tova. “I am Fay.” She smiled again before casting a look over to the male section. She paused as she considered Janus, and Tova noticed that the Hunter was staring right at them but his eyes were focused on Fay. The girl shivered before breaking off and looking back at Tova. “May I be blunt?” Desperation shimmered in her eyes but it was edged with something more. Hunger flickered in Fay’s eyes as she continued plucking at the fabric covering her thighs. “You have been with Janus?” Fay forced the words out of her throat as her pale cheeks turned scarlet. Tova stared at the telltale sign of arousal and almost laughed. Had it truly been only a week ago that she was blushing at the ideas flooding her mind concerning Hawk? Now she enjoyed the rush of heat and savored the flicker of desire filling her clit. “It is their way to share, but my emotions are for Hawk.” Fay looked relieved before she pulled her eyes away from Janus once more. “Tender emotions? He touches your heart and not simply your lust?” Tova felt her cheeks heat in response. Now it was her turn to be nervous. Did she dare to voice the truth? Hawk might end their relationship if he thought she was becoming clingy. But the simmer of need in Fay’s eyes prevented her from deceiving the other girl. Females understood tender emotions better than males. Tova nodded. “As foolish as it might be, yes.” Fay smiled brightly and reached for one of Tova’s hands. “It is not foolish, simply the way a female’s heart works. I…um…think about Janus. Very often.” “And he stares at you.” Tova looked back at the male section. Janus was on the edge of his seat. His eyes were focused on Fay like a raptor on a mouse. “Why do you not go to the border and speak with him? Clearly you both think about each other. It appears time for you two to meet.” 113

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“I dare not. When a chaste female does that here…it is almost as solid as pledging. The other Hunters will begin to consider me claimed, for no other reason, than they witnessed me approach him. It is very unfair.” Fay lifted her gaze back to Tova and licked her lower lip. “Is he…rough?” Her eyes were wide with anticipation but not with chaste fear as Tova might have expected. Fay’s eyes flickered with hunger as she waited for an answer. “Yes.” Fay shuddered. The tip of her tongue appeared and moved over her bottom lip once again as she stole another look at Janus. “I knew it.” She whispered her words in a deep tone that betrayed her hunger. Fay turned back to look at her. “I’m sorry, you must think me rude…I needed to know. Everyone says he’s demanding and that I’m insane to think of him but it…it…um…” “Excites you?” Fay jumped and stared at Tova. “I don’t know.” Confusion swept through her eyes before she spoke once again. “Does it please you? Knowing they will share you and another female if Janus takes a mate? Will you pledge with Hawk?” Tova shivered as she looked across the room to Hawk. His eyes met hers in a silent moment of intimacy. Her heart filled as she caught him displaying his interest for her so publicly. There was no hint of shame for her blood. Only his desire to keep her in his world. “Aye, if he asked, I would.” It was a relief to finally say it. Tova felt her shoulders relax as she admitted the truth. Fay was watching her with round, shocked eyes and she simply shrugged. “I have recently discovered that it is impossible to argue with fate. She is a determined mistress who does not listen to our ideas of perfection. She makes her own.” Fay scoffed. “I know what I want and it will not be a dominant male.” She turned and looked down her small nose at Janus before turning back to Tova. “No, I will not pledge myself to any male who is so…mastering. It is a good thing you enjoy it since they are comrades but I am certain I would not.” 114

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Her young voice was filled with a lifetime of being born into a privileged station. Only daughters of Hunters could be so vocal with their expectations concerning males. Tova stifled a laugh as she recalled Hawk laughing at her after she had slapped him. Janus would have to respect Fay’s rejection. Hawk had simply cornered her before he bent her to his will. There were parts of the yielding that she had enjoyed and that was the truth. “I was certain I would never desire one of my guards.” Fay gasped in response. Tova looked at the younger female and lifted an eyebrow. “Janus is a male who enjoys domination. He would run you to ground if you were not born in a Hunter sphere. Maybe that is a pity, because I see the excitement in your eyes.” “That does not mean I have to satisfy it with him.” Fay’s cheeks were glowing with color as she pressed her lips into a tight line. “You are correct, but I think you should face your own desires. Spreading for a male who does not excite you is a poor choice for a free female to make. Besides, I was only telling you to talk with him. If not here, I’m sure you might figure out how to find him when no one would be watching. You might discover you like him.” Fay cast another look at Janus. She shivered and shook her head. “I do not know. He is so harsh.” That frightened the younger female. Tova saw it clearly but had no idea what to say. Fay changed the topic to benign ones as the evening grew later. Her sense of humor amused Tova as they spoke of female enjoyments. Through it all, Fay would cast looks towards the male side of the room. Hunger tightened her face every time she found Janus looking back at her. “How do you know, Tova? When it is true and not simple lust?” Fay spoke so softly, Tova had to lean forwards to catch her words. “This heat, near burns me.” “You already know, Fay. ’Tis now a matter of accepting. That is the hard part.” Fay raised a surprised look at her as Hawk moved towards the green border. He held his hand out to her. 115

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“The only person who can help you with that is Janus. You must teach him what you would have and what you will not accept.” “Have you? With Hawk?” Tova laughed softly as she stood up. She offered the other girl a shrug. “I believe that is a lesson that might progress for the rest of our lifetimes. It is a constant battle of wills.” Fay giggled at the image before Tova walked away. Many watched her move across the floor and place her hand into Hawk’s. Several heads even nodded but what Tova found the most interesting was the pride shining in Hawk’s eyes. It wasn’t smug or greedy. It was pure male enjoyment.

***** “Tova…stop playing with me.” Janus gasped as she tightened her grip on his cock. He muttered under his breath as she rubbed the spot under the head. “You enjoy being my toy.” Leaning forward, she licked the slit on the top of his cock and Janus growled softly. “As do you.” Janus caught her body and lifted her off her knees. Her body arched through the air until her back landed on the sofa. Janus pressed her thighs apart with his shoulders and glared at her as his fingers trailed through her spread slit. “Now, tell me what Fay said.” Tova laughed but gasped when Janus found her clit and began rubbing it. Hawk strode back in with water still glistening on his skin and raised an eyebrow at them. Janus leaned towards her spread slit to tease her clit with the tip of his tongue, before looking up her body at her face. “Tell me, Tova, I’m as close to pleading as I am capable of being.” He didn’t wait for her to answer but leaned towards her clit and sucked it into his mouth. His tongue flickered back and forth across the little button as Tova gasped and forgot about the topic of conversation. Her hands fisted into the cushion beneath her as 116

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Janus sucked harder on her clit. He never touched her pussy and that made it more acute. She felt empty, so empty she ached. She wanted to climax but it would be incomplete without something filling her pussy. Janus showed her no mercy. His tongue flicked over her clit faster as he growled around the sensitive point. Tova arched up off the sofa as her body snapped with pleasure and she whimpered. She balled her hands into fists as she began dragging in deep breaths and Janus smirked at her. “Tell me.” His voice was hard and determined. He knew he left her unsatisfied and did so to press his authority over her. She hit him instead. Tova shoved her fist into his hard shoulder and heard Hawk laugh. “You are mean, Janus!” He laughed in response. Janus hooked her hips with his hands and pulled her off the sofa. He still knelt between her thighs on the floor and he fitted her right onto his cock as he pulled her against him. Her pussy instantly shouted with approval as she was filled with his hard flesh. Tova clasped her arms around his neck as he began to lift her off his cock and let her weight push her back onto it. “She is afraid of you.” Janus growled in response. The sound was low and primal. It made her shiver as his fingers tightened on her hips. He increased the pace as his hips thrust up towards her. “She should be.” Janus moved and laid her back against the floor. His body hunched over her as he fucked her hard and fast. It wasn’t gentle but neither was he. Pleasure moved through her in a thick wave but his quick pace was not enough to bring her into climax. His cock swelled tighter before Tova heard him gasp. His seed erupted deep inside her as he gripped her hips tightly. He pulled his spent cock free as he panted. Hawk pulled her off the floor the instant Janus let her go. “Let’s go to bed.”

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Hawk pressed her down onto their bed as his cock thrust deep into her body. He caught the sides of her head between his hands as he kissed her and his hips began to fuck her slowly. Pleasure boiled through her as Hawk refused to rush the pace of their mating. It was hard and deep but never too fast. He waited for her to raise her hips for his cock before thrusting it deep. His body covered hers completely, the hair on his chest rasping across her breasts as he drove his flesh in and out of her spread body. Tension tightened around his cock as she lifted for his thrust. Climax made her cry as it ripped deep into her belly. Hawk let his seed fill her a moment later and he kissed her as she felt his seed pumping into her. Hawk rolled over before crushing her and Tova settled her head onto his chest as her fingers played with one male nipple. She lifted her eyelids as Janus stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. In the semi-dark room, he let his mask soften and she caught a look of longing in his eyes. Envy etched his features as he looked at her compliant form against Hawk while he stood next to the bed. “I would never harm her, Tova. Tell her that.” Janus stroked her cheek once more before moved away. He stopped at the door and looked back at them. “But I will not have a coward in my bed either. I cannot change who I am.” “Fay is not a coward, Janus. She is just a girl who hasn’t faced womanhood.” Janus stood in the doorway a moment. “An interesting point. Thank you.” Tova shivered as Janus left. She understood him. He craved submission in response to his domination, but she was not sure the delicate Fay could give him what he hungered for. Hawk stroked her hip as he tightened his embrace around her. “Janus will find his way.” Hawk rolled over and pressed her back against the bed. His mouth captured hers in a long and slow kiss. “You belong to me, Tova.” Possession edged his voice as he cupped her breasts and caught one in his mouth. Hawk lingered over each and every touch, working his way down her body and discovering all the places that were sensitive. She arched against the bedding as his tongue licked through

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her slit to the top where her clit was. Hawk rolled right over onto his back and lifted her above his cock. He let her down onto his flesh. “Ride me, Tova.” She leaned over his body as she obeyed. Hawk held her hips as he watched her rise and fall off his cock. The night stretched out in a feast of darkness that they could take shelter in while indulging in one another. Ripples of pleasure moved through her body, never really dying completely. In the end, Hawk rolled her onto her back again and thrust faster and faster until her pussy contracted around his cock to milk it once again. His hands gripped her hips as his seed settled into her belly and Tova let slumber overtake her as he clamped her against his body.

***** Rishan cussed. He glanced around the messy living space and glared at the cakedon food decorating the few dishes they were granted. Tova’s absence was noticed as the living space became filthy. Dirt drifted in onto the floor and their food rations were stacked on the counter because he wasn’t going to spend his time doing female chores. His sire glared at him and sniveled. It festered in his thoughts as just another thing that Hunters had forced him to endure. Resentment had long ago turned into hate. Tonight it boiled into rage that included Tova. She had betrayed her own kin by spreading for a Hunter. She deserved to be punished for her transgressions and for leaving him without a female to tend to his living space. It was her job. She had no right to be earning a reprieve by spreading. Rishan considered his sister’s lover. His voice shook the walls as he thought about the Hunter and the command insignia his shoulder boasted. His thoughts began to flow as he looked around the squalor he lived in. Turning away from the mess, he went to find his friends. It was time to leave and his sister was going to be the tool he used to break out of his cage.

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Who cared if she ended up dead in the process? She deserved no better for spreading for Hunters.

***** Alana sent her a message. Tova almost squealed with excitement as she pressed the button that would display her friend’s words to her. Tonight Hawk had a command meeting and it was her first moment alone in his living space. She savored the privacy. But her friend’s message did not please her. Tova bit her lower lip as she stared at the words on the screen. Alana wanted her to meet her and that meant reentering the penal sphere. Tova pushed her chair back and stood. She was being silly. It was Alana—she had been her closest friend. The other woman was a convict and could not leave to come to her so Tova would have to meet her. She would enjoy the visit too. Alana’s life was hard. She was the most unfortunate soul Tova had ever met—it seemed like fate conspired against Alana. The woman was confessed of the murder of a male. Neither was she repentant. She stood by her decision to poison the male and never made excuse for her actions. She had done it to protect her younger siblings and Tova believed her. She knew exactly how unfair life could be. Tova stopped at the first checkpoint and looked at her wristband. It would allow her into the meeting area but not the sphere itself. What it would also do was report her actions to Hawk and Janus. Tova shook off her worry. If she was going to live with them, they had better understand that she was going to see her friend. Besides, she was not breaking her word to Hawk. She would not enter the sphere. Only the visiting area. It was used by legal representatives mostly. It was only another female and no cause for concern. Tova lifted her arm and let the duty patrol scan her.

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***** Hawk felt his command unit vibrate. The thing was always strapped to his belt and he angled the screen up so that he could read the message. He received hundreds of communications a day but the one flashing at him turned his blood icy. He stood up and left. His rank allowed him that privilege but he would have done it even in the face of a formal reprimand. Tova was worth it. Janus fell into step with him as they moved towards the penal sphere. There was no conversation because both Hunters knew exactly what could happen. There were many crimes that they helped to hide from the innocent. Tova had no true grasp of the horror that might be inflicted on her for wearing his band. Hawk increased his pace as he realized exactly how foolish he had been to not tell her that he could not live without her.

***** “Alana?” Tova searched the visiting area but there was no sign of her friend. There wasn’t another robe in sight and females never wore pants. A few males were talking in hushed tones as she circled the area on her way back to the checkpoint. A hard arm hooked her around her waist, slamming her into the wall. Her breath left her lungs as she hit the wall and bounced right off it. A hard blow sent her back into it. “Stupid Hunter’s whore.” Tova jerked her head around to look at Rishan. She barely recognized her sibling. Rage contorted his face as he raised his hand and grabbed her hair. She cried out as he used the strands to yank her against his body. A cold metal weapon of some kind jabbed into the soft tissue of her throat. Rishan turned to face the Hunters who had surged into the visiting area when he attacked, using her body as a shield.

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“I’ll bust her fucking neck clean open! Get back!” Rishan pressed his weapon harder against her neck. A trickle of blood ran down her throat. The Hunters hesitated and he dug it further into her. Another cry escaped her lips despite her attempts to hold them back. Rishan snickered at her pain. “You’ll never get her to a healing station fast enough. She’ll bleed out first.” “Rishan, you are insane,” Tova whispered. Her voice was filled with the horror of seeing what greed had done to her brother. He yanked on her hair again in response. “Really, Tova? Insane? I think you are stupid to offer your pussy to Hunter scum. I am your blood!” “So why do you harm her?” Tova froze. Hawk’s voice was icy. She knew without doubt that he was contemplating a kill, she could hear it. Rishan snickered again and twisted his weapon into her flesh some more. Her body jerked in response to the pain. “You’re going to let me out of here. I’ll kill her if you don’t.” Two other males stepped up next to Rishan. “Us! Us! You’ll let us out…with supplies! Understand? We want water, food and protective clothing.” “The outer gate is always open.” Hawk took a step closer and Rishan moved away from him. Hawk spread his hands wide as he moved even closer. “But you may exit the penal sphere from that panel behind you.” Rishan was distracted by Hawk as he moved his hand towards the panel in question. It was a fatal lapse on his part. A black-clad hand covered the weapon at her neck and twisted Rishan’s hand away from her throat. Tova was yanked away from her sibling’s hold by Hawk. He didn’t hold her but pushed her into the arms of the Hunters behind him. The clear wall of the sphere shook as Rishan and his conspirators were shoved into it. They landed on each other as their bodies fell through the open panel. There was a frantic scuffle of legs as they tried to escape from the Hunters. They ended up sprawled in a heap on the dirt beyond the sphere wall.

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Their guards weren’t interested in pursuit. Hawk blocked the only entrance back into the sphere with his own body. “So go, convict. No one has ever kept you here. The only thing you are forbidden is to return to a civilian sphere. You will be terminated on sight if you forget that.” “Supplies…we need supplies!” Hawk turned and took a small bag from one of the Hunters. He tossed it onto the ground in front Rishan. Her sibling fell on it like a hungry animal. “Go or report to a work colony. By attacking a non-convict and a female you are unfit for a penal sphere.” Rishan shoved backwards in the dirt before sneering at Hawk. “Rishan? If you ever touch my mate again, I will kill you.”

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Chapter Nine “You disobeyed me, Tova.” Hawk was furious with her but Tova was equally displeased with his attitude. She was not some animal that would heel upon his command. Her temper was strained to the limit and there was no holding her tongue once the door to their living space slid closed. “I am not your pet. Either we are equals here or I will not stay. I am not a submissive.” Hawk’s breath hissed through his clenched teeth as Tova settled her hands onto her hips. “Rishan deceived me or I would not have gone to the meeting center.” “I told you not to go to the penal colony, Tova.” Hawk tightened his hands into fists as he tried to keep calm. His eyes flickered over the newly stitched wound on her neck. Rage threatened to overcome his best intentions. She did not have to like it but she would be safe! “In matters of security, you are not my equal. You have not been trained to understand the dangers convicts can inflict. I do.” “I did not return to the convict sphere. The visiting center is monitored, that is different.” Her body shivered as Rishan’s distorted face flashed through her memory. The horror of his violence towards her made her stomach twist with nausea. Tova hoped she never looked at true hatred ever again. Hawk caught her up against his chest a second after she shivered and she felt his body shake as well. “I don’t want you anywhere near convicts, Tova! You want to be equals here, fine. I need to hear you tell me that you will not ever place yourself in harm’s way.” His voice was muffled against her neck but his body shook and her eyes stung with tears. “As you do?” 124

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Hawk sat her down and crossed his arms over his chest. “I am a Hunter. You know this well, Tova.” She did and his attempt to explain his reasons to her deflated her temper. Her eyes moved over his frame but she didn’t just see the black uniform any longer. She saw her lover beneath it, but he was still a Hunter and that was something that would not be changing. His words would often sound like orders because of it. “And I am not fragile.” Tova stood up and placed her hands on her hips. Hawk frowned at her. “Sit back down.” Tova shook her head as she moved across the floor to prove her feet were steady. She turned and looked back at Hawk. He shook his head at her. “You need to stay away from the lawless, Tova. Their greed makes them the most dangerous creatures on this globe. There was a time when the few held all the resources and many suffered, even starved. There was slavery and extortion. You view Hunters as harsh but it ensures that the innocent do not need to fear.” “I do understand. Better than you think. I lived among them. Greed is a horrible thing. It destroys so much.” She thought of her sire and his wasted life. Never had he been happy with what he had, instead he could only see what he did not own. Tova moved back towards her lover and smoothed her hands over the sides of his face. His skin was rougher than hers and it felt perfect. “What I argue against is your need to leash me. Think you I would ever willingly risk my life? Or more importantly, yours? Rishan would kill you if he could.” “Or you.” Hawk clamped her against his body as he tipped her head up to look at her wound. “If you must go to the visiting center…let me know first.” He stumbled over the last few words but Tova laughed. Hawk pulled her chin down so that she could see his frown. She clasped the sides of his face and smiled at him. “Lovers discuss matters, Hawk.” Tender emotion flickered across his dark eyes for a moment. Tova smiled back at him as he nodded his agreement.

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“I vote for a leash, but that is me.” Janus snorted with his comment as he walked into the room and dropped a sealed bag on the table. Tova wrinkled her nose at him. “Fay will be delighted to hear that.” Janus glared at her. A hard smack landed on her bottom as he passed them on his way to one of the chairs. He lowered his body into one of them before pointing a single finger at her. “You’re trouble, Tova. Hawk told me so the day I had you assigned for food processing duty. He wanted to hit me.” Hawk let her feet touch the floor as he growled at his comrade. “I vote for a gag— for you Janus. Stop upsetting my mate.” Tova laughed as she caught Hawk’s chin and turned his attention back to her. “Please, Hawk, I beg you, tell me I do not have to thank Janus for bringing us together.” She added a sigh on the end of her comment and Hawk chuckled. He pulled her against his body, kissing her before letting her go. “You’ll have to suffer through it.” Janus cleared his throat loudly and tapped his lips when Tova looked at him. “Come here.” He made his voice commanding as Tova forced her smile into a firm line. She moved towards Janus as the male watched her. He continued to tap his lips as she leaned over him. The moment their mouths touched his arms captured her and he pulled her into his lap. His hand cupped the back of her head to hold her steady for a hard kiss. “You’re welcome.” He held her for a moment before running a finger over her tended wound. Anger flashed through his eyes and it touched her deeply. Despite the fact that their concern was stifling, it was also solid and surrounding. Love wasn’t always comfortable but it was the one thing worth working through arguments for. Janus suddenly smiled at her. Tova sprang off his lap as his teeth showed through. The carefree expression was completely unsettling sitting on Janus’ face. He shrugged before pointing at her.

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“We’ll call it even, Tova, if you get Fay to stand with you at your pledging ceremony.” Tova lost interest in Janus as she turned so fast her robe swirled out from around her legs. Hawk was right behind her and lifted her off her feet before she realized he was there. “Get lost, Janus. I don’t need your help to convince Tova to pledge with me.” “So you say. But get her to ask Fay to stand with her.” “Be gone and find your own way to corner that female,” Hawk growled at Janus. The Hunter stood up and left. Tova squirmed against his hold and he sighed before taking her into their bedroom. He placed her on the bed but leaned over her, trapping her between his arms. “Not one word, Tova. You will pledge with me.” His eyes flickered with emotion as he caught her hands and covered them with his. “I am a Hunter. Soft words are not something I have much use for but I cannot face the idea of you requesting to leave me. Pledge with me, Tova. Give me children.” In all her girlish fantasies, she had never envisioned a male demanding she pledge with him. But she had never seen a Hunter as her mate so the hard-edged words fit. Tova realized that she could not bear the idea of him asking her to leave his living space either. Once more, she noticed how alike they really were. They were incomplete without one another to balance each other. She pulled her hands free and caught his face between her palms. It was such a funny embrace because her hands looked so small compared to him. But the fact that his chest shook with a low rumble of enjoyment made it perfect. “Lovers do have children.” He frowned at her comment and she smoothed the creases away from his eyes. “I would only pledge to a male who promised to always be my lover.”

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Hawk grasped her body and rolled over and over on the bed. He pinned her to it as her thighs spread to let his hips settle against her belly. “I will strive to meet your requirements. Lover.” “Simply remember that I am not fragile.” Hawk growled in response to her challenge. He pulled at their clothing as the night once again became their playground. Who said that playing was only for children? The only thing that she willingly left to her girlhood fantasies was her perceived notion as to what love was. Love? Well, love surrounded her in more ways than she might have guessed it could. It flowed between them as Hawk kissed her. The night embraced them again and it was simply right.

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