Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
O n Board The Reaper
Zade carried Ashlyn like she was a precious treasure made of the most delicate glass.
“What are you doing?” she croaked, her mouth and throat dry as sandpaper.
“I am taking you to my personal quarters. If you wish to continue this conversation, we will do so in private.”
“But..”
“They knew I'd already been inside you after the first scan. They continued because they wanted a show.” Zade squeezed gently, careful not to show his rage. The Council was full of voyeurs, and they’d jumped at the chance not only to watch her be pleasured, but to watch his every reaction. Only an iron will had kept him from showing any emotion.
He normally wouldn’t mind others watching him please her, and Caldorians traditionally asked close friends to witness claiming ceremonies, but this was different. Those watching today had not done so in friendship, with joy in their hearts for the couple joining their lives. They’d watched in an effort to humiliate and intimidate.
Ashlyn eyed him warily.
Zade whispered in her ear, “I should not have done as I did earlier. I knew our coupling could result in a child. I still want that. I know you do not want the same; you no longer want me. There is still time to stop this. We can still forfeit.”
He carried her all the way outside without her saying another word. He didn’t stop until he was well clear of the building, then looked up at the sky. He knew Bren would be monitoring the situation from his ship.
“Oh my god. What’s happening?”
“Transport.” Zade relaxed for the first time that day as Ashlyn shrieked in panic. He was used to the tingling sensation of quantum particle transport, but she probably found it unnerving. He didn’t have time or the patience to explain the process to her. Not with everything they’d just endured.
Once aboard his ship, he took her directly to his quarters. She would be much more comfortable there, and they could talk without fear of being overheard. He lived on the ship most of the time, and as the Commander, he was afforded the best living space, with multiple rooms, including a large bedchamber, bathing room, dining area with a food synthesizer programmed with all his favorite foods, an exercise and entertainment room, and a workspace.
He’d never cared what anyone thought of his quarters, but he found himself hoping Ashlyn would like them as he set her down on one of the large sofas in his entertainment room. Throughout the room, interactive art installations and cultural artifacts provided glimpses into his native Caldorian history. He also had a good number of creative pieces collected during visits to other worlds. The intricate sculptures, holographic paintings, and kinetic installations were changed weekly by the artificial intelligence units provided to every crew member.
Zade mentally cataloged what she would see in the other rooms; each was a blend of luxury, functionality, and cutting-edge technology–his sanctuary as well as a secondary command center. There were integrated environmental controls allowing him to adjust temperature, humidity, and atmospheric composition for optimal comfort and well-being.
In his workroom, control panels were mounted on the walls, allowing him to monitor the ship's vital systems at all times, communicate with the crew, and access mission data. A multifunctional workstation with holographic displays facilitated strategic planning, data analysis, and communication with other ship departments or external contacts.
The dining room was big enough to accommodate a small party of twelve, with two food synthesizers and a large floating chandelier. He rarely used the table, as he much preferred eating in one of the large, casual dining rooms with the crew.
He had a compact gym for physical exercise and stress relief during long missions, or for when he didn’t want to join the rest of the crew in one of the larger facilities. The space included a small water therapy area in case he wanted to soak tired or sore muscles. The gym utilized advanced resistance bands, weightless training modules, and virtual reality simulations, ensuring peak physical condition despite the challenges of space travel.
His bedchamber was his favorite place. The large bed, positioned against one wall, had ultrasoft sheets designed for zero-gravity environments. Should the ship’s artificial gravity malfunction, he wouldn’t float out of bed. The frame was simple and integrated with the room's aesthetic, featuring a combination of polished metallic elements and soft, ambient lighting that could be adjusted according to his preferences. A panoramic viewport offered breathtaking views of space. He could alter the view with a landscape of image from anywhere he wished. Since his ship was sometimes in dock, or in close proximity to other vessels, the viewport came equipped with privacy shutters that could be activated for moments of solitude or rest.
Ashlyn looked around hesitantly. “Zade, what are we doing here?”
Her eyes, pools of vulnerable chaos, held him captive. She was still angry with him. “I couldn’t tolerate seeing you on that exam table another second, and if I am to be rejected, I would prefer privacy,” he admitted ruefully.
Ashlyn shifted uncomfortably. Except for the sheet, she was still naked. She wanted to have a rational conversation, but, in spite of her anger, her traitorous body wanted something altogether different. The stimulant was fading quickly, although even the trace was enough to make her wild.
Zade left the room, returning with a plush burgundy cloth trimmed in black. She stood up to let Zade wrap it around her before allowing the sheet to drop to the floor. When the metamaterial did not automatically adjust in size and shape, she frowned in confusion. “I think it’s broken.”
He chuckled and secured the ends for her, tying a knot above her breast, sarong style. “I believe you have become accustomed to materials that are programmable. A good portion of mine are custom made and do not adjust. My mother’s people, the Saltrec––or Stone People––rarely purchase metamaterial, as the technology embedded inside breaks down too quickly due to constant exposure to extremes in temperature.”
“That’s not why you keep your weapons visible, though, is it?” She resisted the urge to reach out for him. He looked good enough to eat. The scent of citrus and wood tantalized her senses. And Zade. Everything smells like Zade. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her heart aching.
He played with long strands of her hair; his gaze intense. Hungry. “Not entirely. No. You have good instincts, shenga .”
“I told you not to call me that. It could be a psychotic ax murderer, for all I know.”
Chuckling at her absurdity, he asked, “What do I get if I tell you?”
“Nothing.”
His lips quirked sadly. “As you wish. I will tell you, nonetheless. A shenga is a creature similar in appearance to your largest felines, only slightly larger, with a spiked tail and venomous bite. They are one of the wildest, most dangerous creatures on Caldor. Extremely intelligent and cunning, they will kill you if they find you anywhere near their territory.”
His hand left her hair to reach out and gently tilt her chin up, forcing her to look at him. When her eyes locked with his, he traced her lower lip with his thumb. “But if you can get one to trust you, to form a bond with you, then they will be yours forever. They will fight to the death to protect you, follow you into unspeakable danger. They will love you above all else.”
She tensed. "Stop. I’ve heard enough."
Zade pressed on, his chest tight with emotions he’d never felt before. Was it too late for them? Had he truly ruined his chance with her? He had to try. His lips lightly grazed hers before he continued, “There is only one way to earn their love and trust. Would you like to know what that is?”
“No. Not particularly.” She bit the inside of her lip. Why did all things alien have to be so fascinating? She shouldn’t let him draw her into the story. Shouldn’t let him prod her curiosity. She was angry and wanted to stay that way. Crossing her arms defensively, she blurted, “Probably something dangerous and stupid.”
With a heavy, aching heart, he resumed his story. “The only way to earn their trust is to stand between one and an attacking Kuvu bear, their most lethal enemy, and become a willing sacrifice to give the shenga time to escape, saving its life. The shenga will return, hours later, long after the Kuvu bear has left. If you’re still alive, it will come to you, lick your wounds and forge an unbreakable bond. I saw how you were with your sister. With her child. You are fiercely loyal. Brave. Like the shenga.”
Ashlyn backed away. Why did his words hurt so much? “So, you gave me a nickname. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Zade raked his fingers through his hair and across the scruff of his cheek. Ashlyn was human. She did not understand. In giving her the creature’s name, he had revealed his heart’s desire. He wanted a similar bond with her. Unbreakable. Eternal. He would protect her with his life, always, even if she refused him.
“I deserve your anger. Forgive me, shenga ,” he beseeched. “My actions were that of a desperate man. I should have listened, taken better care of you, told you the truth. For that, I will never forgive myself. There are methods aboard ship we can still use to prevent pregnancy, if that is truly what you desire. I do not like the idea, but I will bow to your wishes. I cannot lose you.”
There was a tenderness in his tone she’d never heard before. His gaze, molten gold, held a pain she feared was reflected in her own. She blinked away tears, refusing to let them fall. Unlike the sacrificial hero in Zade’s story, he’d destroyed her trust rather than earned it. Any chance they had at a real relationship was over.
He stepped close, his large hands skimming over her bare shoulders and down her back, holding her in a loose embrace. “Let me prove to you how sorry I am. Let me in.” His mouth captured hers, tempting, seducing, enticing her to give in.
He took his time, savoring every small victory, the slow tilt of her head, the gradual relaxing of tense muscles, the hitch in her breath. He meant what he said–he couldn’t bear to lose her, couldn’t let her walk away. She owned him, heart and soul. He didn’t deserve her forgiveness, didn’t deserve a second chance, yet that was what he was asking for. What he needed. Craved.
Ashlyn pulled back. His kisses were lethal against her will power. She couldn’t let him kiss his way out of this. He’d known what she wanted and gone against her, anyway. Lied to her. Undermined her. The whole situation was a disaster. Now they had no choice.
He had quickly become the center of her world. He was all she thought about, all she wanted. How could something fake feel so real? Why would he betray her trust? Was the Council seat so important to him? Did he not trust her with the truth? How could his deceit hurt so much? Because I wanted it to be real so badly, I convinced myself it was. Because even though we just met, I was falling in love and his manipulation broke my heart.
“I don’t trust you, Zade. I want you, but I don’t trust you.”
“I understand. Trust must be earned and takes time. I regret not informing you of my intentions. I hope you have enough trust remaining in your heart to at least believe that much right now. I will never keep such a thing from you again,” he vowed.
“What about the Council seat?”
“I don’t give two fulacks about the Council. Forget about them. We will forfeit if that is your wish. Your happiness means more to me than the Council seat, shenga. If you wish to surrender the seat, you will do so. Once you do, there will no longer be any reason for the Council to interfere in your life. Tell me what you want, and I will give it to you.”
Ashlyn swallowed the lump in her throat. He was being honest. Could she do the same? Could she trust him with the depth of her feelings? Her fear? Being honest, being vulnerable to criticism, was hard. “I don’t want to lose to C’Nar. I don’t want the Council seat, never have.”
“What do you want, shenga?”
“I want this to be over. I’m tired of being poked and prodded and lied to. I’m tired of being scared.”
His soft growl made her core pulse with anticipation. “You are on board a Caldorian battleship. You are with me. You are safe here. I give you my word.”
She stared into his eyes and let her heart break. He would live on Cappra. She would be on Earth. There was no future for them, there was only now. “My body is on fire. The medical exam, the drugs they gave me, affected me.” The remnants of Orgastim had her nerves tingling, her core wet and throbbing. She needed him inside her, hot and hard and out of control.
“Tell me, shenga, tell me what you need. I am yours.”
“Most men I’ve been with assumed they knew what I wanted and needed. They assumed because I am small, I want a soft and gentle man. Need one. They were wrong. I won’t break and I don’t want gentle. I like dominant men who, once permission is granted, take what they want when we’re in bed. A man who isn't afraid to get a little rough. It excites me.”
Zade didn’t think he could get any harder, but that’s exactly what her words did to him. She’d just given him permission to unleash his inner beast. To be himself. Dominant and dictatorial, at least in the bedchamber. She was absolutely perfect for him.
His eyes locked onto hers, filled with hunger, his voice a dark promise that sent shivers down her spine. “Keep going. What do you desire? What are your fantasies?”
Ashlyn didn’t know why she wanted to goad Zade, to make him angry, but she was still hurt and couldn’t stop herself. “What if I want Antonelius?”
Jealous rage, unlike anything he’d ever known, exploded inside Zade. He grabbed the back of her hair and pulled her head back, exposing her throat. “We both know you don’t want him, and if he ever tries to touch you, there will be nothing left of him when I’m done,” he snarled.
His eyes locked onto hers as he moved her backwards, into his bedchamber. “Your sister was right–– Caldorian males are more primitive and possessive than humans. You are angry right now and want to provoke me, but deep down I think you know you’re mine. I have no problem reminding you of that fact.”
Their eyes clashed in a battle of wills. “Sex won’t solve anything. I’ll still be angry.”
“Angry or not, you’re going to scream my name and beg me to fill you,” he countered, “and in so doing, you will know without a shadow of a doubt who you belong to.”
Without giving her time to protest, his mouth crashed down onto hers, one moment demanding, the next teasing, until she moaned and grabbed his shoulders for balance.
Panting, fingers digging into his shoulders, she gasped out the words, “Never...gonna...happen...can’t...make...me.”
His eyes lit with challenge as his chest filled with hope. “I can,” he vowed, “and I will.”
Lifting her with an arm around her waist, he carried her to the bedroom and tossed her onto the bed. No gentle placement, no treating her like fragile glass. She bounced on the mattress, just a little.
“Don’t move.”
The chill of the room brushed against her damp skin, causing goosebumps to rise and her senses to sharpen as she bolted off the bed.
Zade looked at her through narrowed eyes. Every cell in his body was on fire for her. Did she understand what she was doing? Testing him. Challenging his authority. Deliberately baiting the beast within. “I told you not to move.”
“I don’t take orders from you.”
Zade moved like a cougar, a silent hunter stalking toward her. Giving her no warning, he grabbed the plush towel and ripped it off, then grabbed a fistful of her hair and angled her head back with relentless but gentle pressure.
“What are you doing?” she panted. His intense focus set her pulse racing in dangerous places.
“You know what I’m doing. Say it, shenga. Forever. Say you’re mine forever.”
"No, I won’t—" Her words broke off into a moan as his finger found her center. “Ah!”
"Your body knows what it needs, even if your mind rebels," he murmured. “Admit you are mine.”
Every step she took back, he followed, until her back was against the wall, her arms caught between her body and the hard, unforgiving, alien metal.
He nipped at her shoulder and moved his hand from her throbbing core to her throat, making her hyper aware of the vulnerable position she was in. She could smell her own arousal on his fingers. Men usually treated her like fragile glass, always careful with her, even when she didn’t want, didn’t need ‘careful’ or ‘gentle’. Somehow, Zade seemed to know what she needed, what she wanted. She’d told other men before, asked them to be more dominant in bed. All that had earned her in the past was confused looks and awkward sex far worse than if she’d said nothing at all. Not Zade. It was as if she’d unleashed a secret part of him he’d been hiding.
The idea made her wet core throb and ache to be filled. Fucked. Taken.
Nostrils flaring, he inhaled the intoxicating scent of her desire. Oh, she liked what he was doing. Liked it a lot. That was good, because she’d done an excellent job of riling the beast inside him and he wasn’t sure anything but complete submission was going to satisfy him now. He was on a mission to destroy every one of her stubborn, misguided objections.
The thought of Antonelius touching her made him insane with jealousy, made him want to kill the other warrior and fuck Ashlyn until she admitted how wrong she was. Until she admitted she’d never wanted Antonelius; didn't want him now or when she chose him. Zade wanted to fuck her until she admitted they belonged together.
Too impatient to go slowly, he shoved his foot between hers and forced one leg to give way, opening her stance. When she didn’t protest, he forced her legs wider, knowing the position would make her feel exponentially more vulnerable.
She shifted, pulled her arms from behind her and adjusted her balance, her hands wrapping around his wrist where he still had a hand at her throat. She could have pulled his hand away if she really wanted to, but the thrill skittering down her spine kept her from trying. She liked the hint of danger. Liked his roughness.
Fear, mixed with anticipation, heightened her arousal. What was he going to do to her? He was right. She’d deliberately provoked him. Her mind filled with erotic images of what was to come. Her body quivered in anticipation.
Without a word, a force as unstoppable as time itself, Zade unknowingly fed her darkest fantasies, the vulnerability of her position amplifying her desire.
With one final tug on her hair, he released his grip and stroked his way down her body. She was open to him, and he didn’t hesitate in taking advantage. His fingers prepared her with deliberate and knowing strokes, teasing her until she was nothing but a quivering mass of longing. The remnants of alien drugs in her system had her riding the edge of orgasm at once.
"Please," she found herself pleading, though for cessation or fulfillment, she couldn't be certain. With trembling hands she reached for his belt, quickly unfastening the buckle and the front of his pants.
His cock sprang free, hard and ready, dripping with precum. With one long punishing stroke, he filled her. His possession was absolute, each inch claiming his territory in a way that left no room for doubt: she belonged to him.
The invasion overwhelmed her senses, her inner walls pulsating in concert with Zade's fierce possession. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. She was full, too full, but he kept coming. He was huge and made her take every hard inch with no time to adjust, to move, to accommodate the friction of hard steel driving through her tight channel. She had no defense.
Zade growled his pleasure, his hand gripping her with an iron hold, anchoring her to the reality of his claim. "Yield to me, Ashlyn," he ordered between thrusts, his command weaving her submission into the very fabric of their union.
Each movement he made within her was a stroke of domination, a rhythm set by the pulse of primordial instinct. His pace relentless, he drove into her, the sound of their bodies colliding, a drumbeat to the dance of creation.
Her world narrowed to the point of singularity—to the overwhelming fullness, the stretch and burn, the rapture in surrender.
He pulled away just long enough to growl, “The words, shenga . I’ll give you what you want, but I have to hear the words first. Tell me what you need. What you want. Tell me everything.”
"Zade..." she moaned, his name an invocation, a surrender, a claiming of her own amidst the tempest of sensation that threatened to tear her apart and remake her anew. The universe narrowed to the cadence of his possession; each punishing thrust an affirmation of his unyielding desire.
"Tell me what you need, and you shall have it." Zade promised, his voice a low rumble that resonated within her very core.
"Harder," Ashlyn gasped. “Please.” The word torn from her lips was both a plea and a demand.
With a roar, he redoubled his efforts, gave in to his own fantasy to take, rut inside her like the beast he knew he was, rough, raw, ruthless, give no quarter, breed her, fill her with his seed until he was sure it had taken root. He could never let her go. Not now. “You were made for this. For me.”
Her body, a conduit for the waves of pleasure that crashed through her, surrendered to the pounding, brutal, relentless rhythm he now dictated. There was no escape. Her climax built like a tornado, unstoppable and fierce. As it broke over her, she cried out, her voice a raw testament to the power he wielded over her senses.
"Again," he growled approvingly, the vibration of his voice sending aftershocks rippling through her.
“Oh god,” she screamed as yet another wave broke over her. “Zade!”
“Mmm.” The grueling pace he set stole his ability to do much more than grunt, his breath as rapid and choppy as hers. “Have…to…beg,” he growled between thrusts.
“Zade! Zade, please!”
There was no buildup this time–she barreled straight over the cliff, screaming his name, screaming and begging him to take her, to make her his.
Every sound she made, every gasp, tightened his body more, drove him closer to the edge.
"Mine," Zade declared, every muscle in his powerful form taut as he claimed her again and again, each stroke harder than the last, his forceful penetration spiraling her towards climax after shattering climax.
Her vision blurred as her voice broke on cries of release, each one a testament to the intensity of their coupling, a chorus of passion that echoed off the chamber walls until they were both too spent to continue.
Exhausted and satiated, Ashlyn drifted in subspace as Zade tenderly cleaned her up and carried her to his bed. Wrapped securely in his warm embrace, she fell into a deep, contented sleep.
Two hours later, Zade still held Ashlyn in his arms. He’d watched her sleep the entire time, not wanting to miss a single moment. She was adorable, and had snuggled into him as she slept, her arms and legs tangling with his. He’d never allowed a female to sleep in his quarters, yet the thought of Ashlyn waking up and leaving filled his chest with a strange pang.
A red light began to blink on the wall opposite the bed, accompanied by a beeping noise. Someone on the ship needed his attention.
“Connect to bridge,” he ordered. When the beeping stopped, he continued. “This is the Commander.”
“Forgive the intrusion, Commander,” Bren replied. “The Ubrions have sent an urgent message to you.”
Zade gently woke Ashlyn before responding. “We’re listening.”
“They accuse you of kidnapping their kin and demand her immediate, safe return to their ship.”
He snorted. “She was never on their ship, there was no kidnapping involved, and the Council is well aware of this fact. So, what is this really about?”
“They said they have the Council’s support. Ashlyn is an Ubrion through her marriage to C’Bor and she was taken aboard an enemy ship. They’re moving into firing range and threatening to fire on every ship we have if she is not returned immediately.”
Zade untangled himself and stood, his entire body rigid with tension. “They want to start a war with Caldor, and they have the Council’s support?”
“It appears so.”
“Sound the alarm.”