Chapter 23 #2
Vytln still didn’t bother with giving him a response as he turned and followed Tanin and the others out of the room.
His old family remained behind; their message having been delivered.
There was no doubt that they’d come back again.
Even with Kldyn basically promising him that he’d do so, the fact remained that, to the family, Kldyn was right.
J’tll had been given instructions to go somewhere, and he had abandoned his post and therefore disregarded his orders.
In the family, that was worthy of maiming or death – maybe even worse.
None of Vytln’s crew talked as they returned to their ship.
That same female dock worker was there, and she smiled at them, yelling across the open docks that they were cleared to go, their payment already transferred, before returning to her tasks.
The moment they were all inside, the large ramp began lifting, closing them back inside.
No doubt, Alred was already preparing for lift off.
“He seemed nice,” Garnet said, turning to Vytln with a grin. The rest of the crew, aside from the captain, were already dispersing, heading off to complete their take-off procedures.
“He’s being a hothead,” Haven said, patting Vytln’s chest – a silent order to put her down.
One he ignored as he said, “He’s always been like that. Hot headed? That’s a good way to put it. Lets his temper get the best of him and acts before he thinks.”
“He’s going to make himself a problem,” Tanin said – it wasn’t a question.
“Sorry, captain,” Vytln said, lowering his head to him.
Tanin waved his words away. “That’s his choice to make. We’ll deal with it when he does. For now, we have another job already lined up. Get back to work.”
“Aye, captain,” Vytln said. Not at all afraid or concerned about his brother and what he might do. He didn’t really care about his old family, and the captain would deal with them if they wanted to force this issue.
And they would force the issue.
Until then…
He turned, still holding onto Haven. Enjoying the way she fit in his arms. Liking that she was trapped there, against him. She had been out of his trap entirely too long. He needed to get her back in there. He needed to punish her for her pestering.
He needed to claim her.
“I am seeing now why she is choosing your brother.”
Haven’s soft, mocking voice made him frown. Not just at her words, but at the pain. The way it struck at his chest. Hard. Like he’d just been knocked down, the breath punched out of him as though for the first time.
She understood why Yl’ln chose his brother? Would she choose his brother?
Haven gave him a snickering grin. “She can controlling him.”
“What?” He glanced at her, the hurt blinding him to what she said for a moment.
“She can controlling him,” she repeated, whispering like it was a salacious secret. “She picking him because he does what she saying. You wouldn’t being letting her controlling you like that. That’s why she not picking you.”
Yl’ln chose Kldyn not because he was better but because he was weaker…
Easily led.
Controlled.
She had eased his temper with a word. Something Vytln never let her get away with. If he made a decision, no sweetness she poured in his ear would change his mind. He’d listen to her opinions, but he wouldn’t let himself be bound by her wiles.
And that’s why he lost her to Kldyn.
A single snicker broke through his lips. Then another. And another. Until he was throwing back his head, laughing at the hilarity of it all.
It was ridiculous. His brother, for all the bravado and pretention he had at control, was led about by his female so easily. Yl’ln controlled him, and through him, she probably controlled the family. Yes, that was exactly the sort of thing Yl’ln would want and choose in a male.
And Vytln simply wasn’t the sort to be led about by his cock like that.
It was an answer to a question he didn’t even realize had been festering in his head. A sense of hurt and confusion about why he was so inferior to his brother. What he lacked that Yl’ln saw instead in the emotional and labile Kldyn.
And it was just simply that. The fact that he was emotional and labile. She took advantage of that and made a space for herself of power and control. Which was both exactly like her to do, and exactly like Kldyn to fall for.
Still laughing, feeling that last tie to his old life snapping in the answering of that final question, Vytln returned to his workroom. To the trap that Haven made her home. The place she belonged. Where he would keep her safe and warm, well fucked and well fed.
Haven never fought him when he put her in the trap. Though she hadn’t climbed in under her own power since that first time, she didn’t resist when he returned her, even if she was complaining about going back too soon.
This time, when he lifted her to slide her in, feet first, he noticed that she not only didn’t fight it, she looked excited, relieved even, to be going back inside.
She laughed, a happy little giggle, as she slid down through the ramp into her nest. It was a bed of silk and pillows that wasn’t nearly as well organized as it had been when he first put it together.
He was no female; he knew nothing about proper nest building.
But he could admit that there was something rather comfy and cozy about the disorganized mess she had made.
And the way she fell into it, dramatically flopping forward before rolling over, locs flying so they spread across the pillows, looking back up at him with a laughing smile…
Vytln didn’t hesitate. He didn’t think about it. That tempting look, that playful sparkle in her eyes, urged him forward and, this time, he didn’t try to fight his own instincts.
Putting his hand on the edge, he lifted himself up and dropped into the nest with her.
She laughed as she bounced. Laughed harder when he snatched her up and yanked her back against his chest. His nose immediately went to her hair, taking a deep breath of her scent.
Oil, smoke, female, and something inexplicably enticing.
He would never be able to compare that scent to anything.
It was neither sweet nor floral, but it filled his brain with fog and his body with heat.
Haven moved and he struck without thinking. Grabbing her with his teeth, right there at the juncture between her neck and shoulder. And, of course, she laughed. Unhurt, unafraid. Still wiggling against him.
“Vytln, my hands…”
His eyes focused, looking down as she wiggled her fingers. He didn’t realize he had grasped her by the wrists, but he was holding them tight. Keeping her arms still. Binding her.
Yes. She needed to be bound. Unmoving. Completely at his mercy.
Mercy that he wouldn’t grant until her laughs turned to desperate cries, until she was shaking and weak.
Until she was so full of him, she could never escape.
No one would ever be able to take her away.
No other male would ever take place her thoughts again.
Only him. Tainting her endless curiosity until he infested her mind beyond its incredible ability to function.
Yes. She was his. She would always be his.
Releasing the grip his teeth had on her, he let her lean to the side so she could look at him. She was still smiling. Still willing. She hadn’t actually asked him to remove the grip he had on her hands. She’d just brought his attention to it.
Because she didn’t want him to stop. She’d never asked him to stop. He was the one who had been hesitating. Haven knew what she wanted. She knew what she desired. And just like everything else, she’d gone for it without holding back.
“You will never get away from me,” he promised, the threat obvious and sincere.
“Yay,” she beamed, wiggling her feet.
So excited to be his. Yes, that’s how she should be.
Once again, Vytln didn’t think about his next move. He let his instincts take him.
Vytln transferred her wrists into one hand, and held it tight as he reached up.
The ceiling of the nest was mostly hidden behind the gauzy, sparkling fabric he’d draped there.
Partially for decoration, since females enjoyed soft, shiny things, but also to hide the small doors he’d installed.
Simple things that slid open with just a bit of pressure, revealing the spools of chains, ropes, and silks he’d installed overhead.
Chains and ropes to bind her. Silks to protect her pretty skin from the ropes and chains. He wanted her bound and helpless, not hurt or harmed.
She giggled with excitement, her little feet wiggling again as he grabbed the silk and chains and pulled them down together, the spools creaking as they spun in their houses.
“Ooh, fun,” she laughed as he freed her wrists. Only so he could carefully remove the leather jacket she seemed so fond of. He set it aside, out of the way where he couldn’t damage it, then grabbed her by the arm and jerked her around.
He was rough with her, but she was laughing.
Still beaming so brightly as he yanked her hands behind her back.
He bound them together behind with silk first, the soft material gliding against her equally soft skin with a whisper that belayed its true strength.
She wouldn’t be able to escape the silk with strength alone, no matter how she tugged and pulled.
But she looked so pretty with the chains over the silk.
The metal would keep her from moving at all, but it was actually the silk that was really binding her.
And that was just right. His delicate human mate with her soft skin looked beautiful bound, but it was even better knowing that she was cradled and adored at the same time.
With her arms immobile, he could move her around and start binding the rest of her. He worked almost feverishly. Now that he’d let these instincts take control, he was overcome with the need to get her trapped. To get her controlled.
No. Not controlled. That wasn’t the right word.
He never wanted her controlled. Some part of him didn’t think he could control her. He certainly had the strength to do so, of course. The Brute that he once was could easily force her to his will and hurt her if she wouldn’t comply.
But that was just the thing. He could never do that to her. It was an action that he couldn’t even properly imagine, it felt so wrong.
He adored Haven exactly as she was. Wild, untamable, curious, free.
He liked that she climbed all over him. He liked that she would do whatever she wanted and expected him to follow along.
Not because she demanded he did so, like she was Yl’ln leading him about by his cock.
Not because she needed him to be there. Just because she expected him to follow because he wanted to.
In that way, maybe she was leading him about by his cock, but he found he didn’t mind. It was a journey he was happy to walk.
No, he certainly wasn’t binding her to keep her still or contained. He was binding her because she loved it.
Even now, as he was forcing her legs apart, wrapping them in silk and chains, she was giggling.
She had flopped back, her arms behind her forcing her chest up, and her feet were still wiggling.
Like she couldn’t help but move something the more he kept her still.
She laughed, she smiled. She looked like she was having a great time.
Because she had no fear of him. She held no worries for what might occur. She trusted him – him – completely to have her totally at his mercy.
Because both of them knew, he was the one at her mercy.
If she disliked this, if she stopped smiling, if she looked him in the eyes and told him no, he’d have her down before she could take her next breath.
He would still claim her, but if the only chains she wanted were his hands around her wrists, or hers over his, it would be fine for him.
The bonds didn’t matter. His female did.
And she smiled at him so happily as he used the chains and pulleys in the roof to hoist her up.
Her arms behind her back. Her legs forced apart, calves tied to her thighs.
She was still fully dressed, aside from the carefully removed leather jacket, but that didn’t matter.
It was more important that he get her up.
Get her bound. And here she was, spread, open to him, looking at him with such happy joy, like this was a great game they were playing.
Meanwhile, Vytln was breathing hard, his heart thudding in his chest. The sight of her like that, suspended in the air, feet still bouncing like there was music in her head, struck him in the chest like a bolt of electricity straight from the central generator.
It seemed to stop everything yet kick it into full motion at the same time.
His female. His mate. His family. His future.
His. Only his. Forevermore.
The sweetest, best part of this new life he lived. A place of joy and relief.
His Haven.