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Nikol slouched against the opened glass entryway leading into the garden as he coldly assessed the Earth woman. Currently, she was laughing at something said by one of the other tutanis, her face tipped up to enjoy the mid-day sun. There had been no such laughter or smiles when he’d arrived home earlier in the week. Only stilted silences and blatant defiance. His cock hardened in remembrance.
Sparring with Dain at night left him fatigued, but his appetite for this new tutanis continued to grow. At the beginning of his enforced grounding from Lothar, Nikol had planned to avoid the female as much as possible. He’d discarded one scenario after the other on how to dispose of her. None would work and leave his actions unnoticed.
Gradually she’d gained his interest beyond the idea of getting rid of her. Inexplicably, he continued to be drawn to her.
The way she attempted to ignore him all week only made him pay closer attention. She had to be up to something. Any other female who looked like her would be fighting for a top spot and to be favored in his kitse. This one did none of that and it made him suspicious. He couldn’t figure out her angle.
Because of his fascination, Nikol was spending more time than usual in his kitse. Sometimes he stared at the Earth woman, trying to discover the reason for the attraction she held for him. No doubt, she was lovely to gaze upon. Breasts like perfectly formed melons found in the forest and tipped by plump wine colored nipples he longed to taste.
Her hair was lush, the brilliant red color a vibrant splash against her creamy shoulders. Marenians were darker with hints of burnished copper beneath their skin, making her unusual pale coloring stand out all the more. She glowed amongst the other females like a vivid jewel set amongst her counterparts.
She had a smooth forehead, high cheekbones and a slim arrogant nose set in an oval face. Her lips were plump, the bottom forming a pout that dared him to remove it.
Nikol wasn’t well versed in the behavior of those who came from Earth. What he did know came from the visits to the detestable auctions Lothar occasionally sent him to oversee. From what he noted, Earth men were weak willed and lacking in any form of honor. The females, to the contrary, were strong, fierce. Both genders, however, broke under pressure and couldn’t sustain long term pain.
Compared to other races for sale, the Earth people were a poor bet, yet they drew a high price each time one was available. They were exotic toys to some.
Torkel was bonded to one though, and the match appeared to fulfill him. Perhaps that was why she drew Nikol’s eyes. Marenian females were reared to be subservient and that behavior increased around Nikol as they doubled their effort to draw his attention. Malice and greed gleamed in their eyes while soft spoken words glided like slick honey from their tongues.
He wouldn’t be caught in that trap. Off world was only slightly different. When he came in contact with females of other races, they either sought his regard with overly flirtatious gestures which he ignored for their safety, or they avoided him out of a strong sense of self-preservation.
At any rate, Nikol selected his own bed partners, they didn’t select him. This one, this perilous gift from Lothar, had him wary. Every day for the last week, he’d observed the way she moved, the things she said to the women. Every day he battled a hard on and the need to throw her to all fours and mount her.
“Let Amia do your hair, Darcy. She has a way with taming the thickest locks,” Stasia called out from her seat on a large rock near the carefully constructed stream running alongside the pathway.
The Earth woman held out a long length of red hair over her shoulder. “Blech! It’s longer than I’ve had it since my teens. I should cut it all off.”
Nikol jolted, his arms dropped from their crossed position over his chest. Never! He would not allow her to destroy such beauty.
“No,” Cecilee rushed in. She smacked at the Earth woman’s hand until she dropped the strands of hair. “It’s lovely. All the waves and coils at the bottom. And the color. You have hair women dream of.”
And men too, Nikol thought, resuming his position. He dreamed of wrapping the fiery strands about his fists and using it to guide her movements beneath him.
She blew out a breath in exasperation. “Fine. Let Amia have her way with it.”
Amia quickly left the flowers she’d been collecting in a basket with an eager look and picked up a discarded brush. Stasia reclined on her side on a blanket and Cecilee sat with her legs folded to the side. Tashire had her head in Cecilee’s lap and appeared to be dozing. Nikol couldn’t believe how accepting Lothar’s former tutanis were of the female.
She was younger, her body nubile and had a face that would have drawn fiercely loyal Pethis’ attention away from Asmine. Yet they’d flocked to her and mothered her as if she was the child none of them had managed to bear.
Amia sat behind the Earth woman and undid the braids in her hair. Soon she was brushing red waves that fell in a tumble down a slim back. Nikol’s cock surged, drawing his pants tight. He stared at the curve of her spine, wishing the shellam did not hide the rest of her figure from him or those sweet, enticing curls he’d only glimpsed once before.
Cecilee had requested clothing for the Earth woman and Nikol had made sure the shellams he ordered were of the finest fabrics. The note for shoes had him sending thin sandals with straps covered in costly gems from Marenian mines owned by the Majad. Oils and lotions were added, exclusive scents only available to those with the means to pay the exorbitant price. Each time he caught a whiff on the air in his suite, desire tugged at his control, demanding he take what was his.
A single jeweled bracelet dangled from her right wrist. Not requested by Cecilee but Nikol had slipped it in with the things he’d ordered. It had belonged to his mother. Mirim saved it to give to Nikol and he’d hid it under his bed for years, saving it for what he was unsure.
In a moment’s weakness, he’d given it to the Earth woman and she was none the wiser. She was wearing something worth seventy-five thousand credits so casually as she flicked water over her shoulder at Amia for some joke Nikol couldn’t hear.
If he could have, he would have bought more jewelry. Showered her in them. Shiny necklaces to grace her beautiful neck, belts made of gold links to adorn her hips and bracelets to line her entire arm. Nikol couldn’t explain his inclination to see the Earth woman draped in riches.
Such a show of costly wealth would have labeled her a prized possession though. It also would have put a target on her back.
With gritted teeth, Nikol turned away from the vision she made. The women would soon return inside and Nikol wasn’t sure he could hold out from touching the Earth woman if she was near. Being around her, hearing the melodic cadence of her voice was drawing him deeper into her spell. Spy for Lothar or not, his resistance wouldn’t last much longer.
She would be his. Tonight.
***
He was finally gone. Darcy let out the breath she’d been holding as Amia finished her hair and declared it done.
“Beautiful, Darcy.”
“Thanks, Amia.” She shook her head and it fell about her shoulders easily. It did feel better. She stared at the empty arch that led back inside where he had stood. Nikol was constantly watching her. She felt his smoldering stare burning her no matter where she went in the kitse. Sometimes she thought he would approach and her heart raced in trepidation.
To keep from drawing his attention, she made sure to kneel and bow whenever she caught sight of him. Her poor knees were tender from how quickly she hit the tiles in his presence. She expected him to be smug and lord it over her, but he merely arched a brow neither pleased nor displeased that she could tell.
“Are you feeling alright?” Stasia asked at her uncharacteristic silence.
Darcy was sure she didn’t fool any of them with her feigned smile. “Of course.”
She’d never be able to repay any of them when she made her escape. Her time in the kitse over the last month was far easier than it could have been due to these four women. They were kind to her, explaining the way of things. If she had to be abducted and held prisoner, this was probably the best place.
So far she hadn’t truly been harmed aside from her initial arrival. Thoughts of the man who’d brought her here had her chest tightening. Brax. He hadn’t hesitated to strike her with his fist. Darcy had never been punched in the face before. It was an eye opening experience and one she didn’t want to repeat. In light of that, one would think she would be more leery dealing with Nikol.
She wasn’t. Her treacherous body craved him. He’d threatened her. Demanded she obey his rules. He didn’t even care that she’d been bought and sold. But someone had made sure to have one of the guards from the door escort her to the medical center where the same medic, who’d not blinked at Brax’s abuse of her, healed the very same injury.
“You should come in from the sun. Your skin is more sensitive than ours,” Cecilee said, rising to her feet after Tashire stood.
The others followed suit, getting to their feet in tandem and picking up the items they’d brought outside. It was always that way. The women worked together in harmony and despite their differing personalities, they never seemed to anger or turn on one another.
One of the biggest issues on Earth was the shortage of men, so this was a novelty to Darcy. From what she’d witnessed, none of them fought over Nikol.
Which reminded her that they had been his sex slaves long before she arrived. She came to an abrupt stop on the path. Did he sleep with them still? Darcy pressed a palm to her belly to squash the sudden quivers. She hated the sickening way they fawned over him but nothing sexual had occurred in front of her.
Her gaze flew to the backs of the women as they filed inside one after the other. All of them had probably satisfied him at some point. Her hands fisted at her sides and she wanted to...to what? Claw their eyes out?
Darcy drew in a breath and exhaled softly. There was no reason for jealousy. She had no claims on him and definitely wasn’t sticking around.
***
Evening drew near and Nikol grew tired of waiting. The Earth woman was trying his patience.
“Would you like more?” Amia held up a container of amber colored liquid, excitement at serving him clear to read in her gaze.
Daljou was Nikol’s preferred drink and he’d already downed two cups of the potent liquor to create a pleasant buzz. He reclined on the body length pillow propped beneath him in the main room where the Earth woman couldn’t avoid seeing him.
The other tutanis fluttered about him feeding him from their hands which he’d never allowed before and massaged a scented oil over his bare chest.
“Yes.” He didn’t really want nor need a third but it gave him an excuse to stay right where he was, doing nothing, and had the added benefit of drawing a dismissive sneer from the one tutanis who steered clear of him all evening and stayed on the opposite end of the suite.
It was patently obvious she disliked the treatment he was receiving, which drove him to continue the pretense further. To make sure she couldn’t avoid him, he’d locked the glass doors leading to the garden, barring her from escaping his presence as she clearly wished to do.
He couldn’t say why he was so intrigued. She was prickly and disrespectful. Qualities that would see any other woman disciplined on Marenia.
The physical punishment for a female lacking in manners was harsh but deemed acceptable and even supported by the law. Especially a tutanis as they were considered an expensive treasure to own. Yet he didn’t correct her as was his right. He would never abuse a woman especially one under his protection.
Aside from his odd emotional reactions around her, Nikol’s shaft thickened each time he caught sight of her. He wanted to fuck her. He wanted to drive so deep inside her there would be no way for her to escape. He’d pound his cock into her over and over until he was covered in sweat and released his seed.
Denying the physical attraction that existed between them was pointless. Her feigned disinterest only made him want to push harder to prove the lie for what it was. The two of them sex sharing would happen. They’d been playing a waiting game all week.
Wicked humor teased his senses. He allowed her to believe she would win this round but there wasn’t a single moment he wasn’t aware of her and where she was at any given time.
At night, the curtain of the alcove she slept in was drawn tight. He snorted. As if the flimsy barrier would keep him out. He still couldn’t fathom Lothar’s plan and had questioned Cecilee extensively to see if the female behaved suspiciously when he wasn’t around.
So far, she hadn’t attempted to seduce him with her alien wiles or any other telling behavior to get close to him. In fact, she was as rebellious as she dared to be in his presence if the mutinous twist to her mouth was anything to go by.
Nikol felt a small smile play about his lips. Their confrontation after he arrived home from his horrendous trip to check on the warehouse did have an upside. She was now the first on her knees when he entered his kitse.
His intent hadn’t been to threaten Cecilee, but he knew the Earth woman had taken it to heart. He would never hurt Cecilee or the other women for the actions of the disobedient Earthling. It did, however, benefit him for her to think so.
Nikol finished the Daljou and waved Amia away. Tashire continued to rub his feet and Stasia and Cecilee sat with their legs turned to the side on either side of him, awaiting any instructions. Cecilee occasionally sent questioningly looks in his direction. She was acutely aware he didn’t like them to touch him and yet all week that was exactly what he’d insisted on when he returned to his kitse late each evening.
He spotted the object of his obsession rushing across the room to get to her alcove and withdraw behind the curtain. Her shellam today was blue with gold threads throughout, glimpses of her legs taunting him.
He’d had enough of her ignoring him. The Earth woman’s time had run out. Nikol planned to win this foolish game and take her to his bed tonight.
Knowing he’d lost his mind but unable to stop, Nikol nonetheless called out, “Join us, Earth woman.”
Without missing a beat, she snapped over her shoulder, “My name is Darcy!”
How could he forget when he shot his seed wastefully into his sheets each night while saying it? Nikol bit his bottom lip to contain his groan at the reminder. Not using it was his weak attempt at creating distance between them. He waggled his fingers at her. “Over here, Darcy.”