11. Essa
eleven
Essa
T his is, without a doubt, the most realistic and best dream I've ever had. That's what this is. It has to be. At some point, I'll wake up because there's no way this is happening. But as my teeth sink into Seth's shoulder and Adam's hand tightens almost painfully on my neck, I'm starting to believe this is all really happening.
"Get off him," Adam growls as he pulls at my neck.
I only let him drag me off Seth because he needs this now. He's territorial and possessive. He'll learn I am, too, especially now that they're both mine. All mine. I'm giddy at just the thought of it.
Seth stumbles forward, his body nuzzling close to me as my venom works through him. He'll stay close to me while he's like this, just like Adam does. The only issue will be whether Adam allows him to find comfort in me or if he's going to force us away because of his jealousy. I wrap my tail around Seth's ankle, my arm going over his shoulders to help keep him steady. I press my lips to his temple and start murmuring praises to him.
Adam snaps his teeth at that, so I turn my attention to him.
In the voice I know he loves when he's drugged with my venom, I tell him, "Be good, and I'll take care of you next."
He must not expect that to be my reaction because his expression turns confused before he remembers he's upset with me. Before he can try to start more issues, I walk out of the entertainment room with Seth under my arm. If they were telling the truth about our ride to Haven III getting here soon, we need to be ready.
"We should prepare."
Adam doesn't let the chain snap tight between us. I don't think he can mentally handle that right now. It's also why I gave him as much length as I could.
Once we're on Haven III, my concubines will be expected to be attached to me when we go out. I meant what I said about Adam never needing to wear the collar if he doesn't want to, though. I'd end any cultural norm if it would make him more comfortable. If anyone has an issue with that, well, they'd be having an issue with the rightful heir of the Bylath family, and no one wants that.
"There will be certain clothing you'll need to wear on Haven III," I tell Adam as we walk back through the halls of my room.
As we enter, I'm embarrassed by its size, but Adam moves to the bed to sit down and tugs Seth to follow him. I unfurl some of his chains to give him the extra space. Thankfully, my room is small, so I can reach everything I need while still attached to them.
It gives them more time to grow used to the sensation, and I have time to learn to move with two creatures attached to me. I want to look like this is normal when we get to Haven III. No one needs to know I haven't even kissed my concubines.
"We researched quite a bit before we came to speak with you," Adam says.
His voice is gruff, but it's not as angry sounding as it was when we were in the entertainment room. I imagine it's because he has Seth back in his arms. I don't turn around to look at them touching one another. It would have my mind thinking too many things I shouldn't be thinking right now.
"You know what you will be expected to wear then?" I ask, making sure he's fully aware before we show up on Haven III and his wardrobe changes.
His dark pants will be acceptable for us to show up, but there are certain things they'll need to do if they are to be my concubines. I'll afford them as many liberties as possible, but getting them to follow as many customs as they're willing to will help prevent us from adding more problems.
"It'll be more than you do," Adam says, and it almost sounds like he's smiling.
I definitely don't chance a look now. If I look, that smile might fall, and the good-naturedness in his tone might falter. I dig around in my drawer until I find my paintbrushes and set them on the small bedside table. Next, I fall to my hands and knees, pulling out the drawer underneath my bed, where I keep all my things from home.
"When did you say the pirates would be here?" I ask, hoping that we have enough time for this part. It can be a highly erotic part of our relationship, and I'd like for the first time to be slow so I can take my time. I don't think we have that, though.
"It should be soon," Adam says, his hands moving into Seth's pockets until he finds his comm tablet and clicks on it. "Yeah, about twenty minutes."
I let out a long stream of breath as I pulled the little tins of paint from my hidden drawer and the adornments I'll need to wear. Now, I look at Adam and Seth because I have a favor I need to ask of them.
"Do you know how to braid?"
Seth's gaze moves over to me slowly, his pale eyes blinking a few times like he can't comprehend the question. I grab his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Not you, sweet male. You're perfect just sitting here and being calm for us."
Seth blinks a few more times, his lips tilting upward at the corners.
"I'll be as useful as him," Adam says, hands finding places to touch Seth now that I have his hand. "You'll have better luck with Sloane or Avery."
I press my lips together because he's probably right, but we don't have time for that. I still need to start on their paint and change into my own clothing. The braids can wait.
Worst case, I show up to Haven III looking a little less regal than I'd like. I clench my teeth together, knowing this only works if I can pull off looking like I'm returning to reclaim what's mine, which means looking the part.
"Is there anything else I can do?" Adam asks.
The question startles me out of my panic because I don't think he's offered help to anyone on this ship before, least of all me since he's always so upset with me.
"Would you mind adding a few drops of water to these paints?" I ask, holding up the two tins. I have no doubt they are dried out, but they hail from Haven III, which means they are built to withstand drying. With a bit of water added, they'll be usable again.
Adam takes them from me, frowning as he looks from Seth to me to the chains linking us all. "Could you stand closer to the bathroom?"
My eyes go wide, but again, I muffle the surprise I'm feeling. I thought Adam would ask to be released, not for us to try to make being tied together work. I give him a quick nod, stroking Seth's cheek.
"One moment, and your male will be back with you."
Adam cuts me an annoyed glance, but I don't have time to decipher that right now. He's not combative or fighting this, and I hope he continues acting that way. There's still much I need to discuss with them, and Seth will be out of it for a while, so it will be up to Adam and me to keep him safe. It might be the one thing that helps to bond us.
While Adam adds the water, I start to strip from my tank top. Thoughts of Haventh views on nudity differing from human customs don't even register until Seth makes a soft whimpering sound that has Adam rushing out of the bathroom. Adam's stern, worried gaze lands on me. His features soften, and his cheeks stain a soft pink as his lips part.
"What are you doing?" he asks, his voice rough, dark, tempting.
His eyes flick up to my face for a moment, making it abundantly clear he wasn't looking at my face before. I turn away from him, my skin feeling warm.
I didn't expect him to be so affected by my body. I'm similar to his females, but my chest is small, barely there, and my curves are more of straight lines. I'm not soft and supple like the other females on this ship. I'm lithe and twined with hard muscles, even if my frame and stature have me looking spindly. I'm not a female who's lusted after with such intensity.
"Changing," I mutter, embarrassed by my body now.
Maybe I've misread Adam's expression. I want to be, as Sloane says, hot. I want males to like the look of me, but it's not as though I have much experience in relationships that last more than a night or two. Many males like their females smaller than them, weaker than them, and filled with much more softness than I have. Yes, I must've misread the situation.
"Before you do that, come show Seth like you showed me." Adam tugs on the chain attached to my waist with enough force to have me snapping my head in his direction. The full smile he's wearing has my heart fluttering. "It's not polite to tease a male, Essa."
"I wasn't teasing anyone," I counter, not wanting him to think I did this as some excuse to get naked in front of them and seduce them because I never even would've thought that was a possibility. On Haven, there's a difference between undressing to arouse and a general undressing.
"Mhm." Adam tugs on the chain again, putting his weight into it.
I wonder if they didn't test the strength of the chains before today because he's pulling on it much harder than most would dare pull on a chain this thin and fragile looking. It's not, of course. It would take some serious tools to cut through the metal, and Adam seems to know already. He yanks again, this time causing me to stumble into his arms.
"Much better," he murmurs more to himself than to me as his hands find my hips.
Adam tilts his head up just enough to look into my eyes. I'm only an inch or so taller than him, but that's enough to make me self-conscious, feeling as though I'm not feminine enough. It's strange since plenty of males have found me pleasing. Enough that I've never had a problem filling my bed when I was searching. Those were always males there for one night, nothing more. Now, I have two males as mine forever.
"I wish I could fight you right now," Adam says, his gaze burning into mine, telling me he doesn't want to fight to hurt me. No, he wants to fight so we can be together.
I swallow thickly as my tail thrashes wildly behind me. I want to wrap it around Adam's ankle, wrap it high on his thigh, pull him closer to me, wrap it around his waist as I push him to the bed and climb on top of him. A soft sound of yearning pulls from the back of my throat, and Adam's eyes sparkle in amusement.
"I'm going to be jealous, but you'll still want me, won't you?" Adam asks, not giving me a moment to understand that this might be his way of accepting me into this relationship.
He spins me around, kicking the back of my legs with just enough pressure that I fall to my knees. I snarl and snap my teeth at him, my pupils starting to constrict at being manhandled in this way. He tightens a grip on my forearm behind my back until it pinches with slight pain. When I wince, he loosens it but doesn't release me completely.
"You could take me down in two seconds. Don't pretend like you're weak now," Adam teases me, and I realize that's exactly what I'm doing.
If I didn't want him being rough with me, I could stop this all right now. It's not even that I want him to be rough, but that I know he does this to mask that he wants me. Or maybe this is how he is with those he wants. Maybe he's rough with Seth, too.
"What do you want?" I ask, shooting him a glare over my shoulder.
Adam's taller than me when he has me on my knees, but I'm still stronger than him. The hand on my forearm tightens enough to remind me it's there as his other hand moves up to my horns, touching just the tips of them before letting his fingers fall lower, lower, to the base, where he grabs one in his hand and jerks me roughly to look at him. My lips pull back in a snarl, my pupils constricting tighter, and Adam smirks.
"Not scared of you, sweetheart," he murmurs as he yanks my horn again until my fangs are dripping and oozing down my chin. I move to wipe it away with my free hand, but Adam jerks me again, eyes trained on the venom leaking out of me. Watching as it travels down my throat, enamored as it travels lower and lower.
"Fuck me," he mumbles.
"There are things we need to do," I tell him, wiggling in his hold. This does nothing to help my situation. It only seems to turn him on more.
"They can wait," Adam says dismissively.
The only thing that gets his attention off watching my venom trail down my body is the soft whimpering sounds Seth makes on the bed not far from us. It's probably him being aroused and needing my comfort, but it could also be that I do have a little bit of my scary face on right now. It's hard not to when Adam pulls it out of me so easily and isn't affected by it.
"Adam." I tug at his hold, and he releases me, his eyes fully planted on Seth. When it comes to the softest of our trio, we're in agreement about caring for him.
I crawl to the bed, lay my hands on Seth's thighs, and look up at his face. His pupils are blown out, and his breathing is rapid. He's definitely turned on and not scared, which is good. I don't need him to fear me in this state. He has nothing to fear. Not only will I protect him, but he has a male just as eager to do it as me.
Adam grabs the back of my neck and tugs me back slightly. I snarl at him, not liking him taking me away from one of my males when it's obvious he needs me right now. Adam chuckles as he shakes his head. It's the first time I've ever seen him so carefree, except when my venom is rushing through him.
"He wants to see everything I did, and you're too close for him to get a good look," Adam says, standing behind me.
He tugs me a bit more, my back arching to accommodate his hold. He blows out a cool stream of air down on me, the sensations making me acutely aware of my nipples hardening. Adam smirks again but turns his attention to Seth.
"She's got some good tits, right?" Adam's words are crude, but that doesn't stop them from causing something inside me to tighten.
Seth's eyes are hooded and heavy as he stares at my breasts, his drugged-up state not allowing him to realize he's outright ogling. Or maybe he knows and just can't care when his senses are so numbed except for his need for me.
Adam grabs Seth's chin and squeezes his cheeks until his lips puff out. "Want to taste them?"
Seth and I both make a distressed, happy sound at that, but before Adam can make good on manhandling us both until we're where he wants us, there's a hard pounding on my bedroom door. I'm up on my feet, hands balled into fists, standing between the door and my males before Adam can attempt to do the same.
"Your ride is here." Alik's voice is no-nonsense before I hear his steps disappearing back down the hallway.
My stomach sinks as I realize how much time we wasted playing around with one another. I unlatch the chains from my waistband, grab my clothing from my dresser, and head into the bathroom.
"Discard your shirts," I tell Adam as I step around him. "You won't need them anymore. I'll reattach your leashes after I change."
"No shirts." Adam nods and pulls his black t-shirt over his head, giving me a full view of the hard ridges of his abdominal muscles. I skate over the various scars on his skin, knowing it's all from experiments done on him, ones that make me hate his captors even more. He snorts when he catches me staring at him but makes no comment before moving over to Seth and helping him undress.
I close the bathroom door and change into clothing I never thought I'd have to wear. I adorn my horns with dark metallic rings and attach chains that crisscross between them. Jewels glittering along the chains make my appearance more regal, something I haven't been in a long time. My reflection is beautiful, but this isn't who I want to be.
This is the role I need to play now to keep my sister safe. I'd do anything to keep her safe, even if it means giving up the crew and my life exploring space and helping others. I'll give it all away if it means she doesn't have to marry a male she doesn't love. I just wish someone out there might've done the same for me.