Chapter 9

MANDY

Failure to comply will result in punishment.

Chief Kameer’s threat echoes in my head and causes steady warm pangs between my thighs that leave me breathless. Yet I don’t make a move. I can’t. Because I can’t let him get used to ordering me around.

If we start out our mating union —I shiver at those two words—with me always jumping to fulfill his every command, it will set a precedent I’m not keen to set. I think about Ned’s order that I stop working at the salon and irritation sparks within me.

I’m tired. So fucking tired of males telling me what to do. First my father. Then, Ned. Now, Kameer.

Maybe I’m being foolish for refusing to remove my panties and hand them to Kameer, but I don’t want to be ordered around all day long.

If I push back against Kameer’s domineering ways, will he bend? Will he meet me halfway?

I remind myself it’s our first night together. He expects us to mate. Surely he won’t actually punish me. That’s what I tell myself as I shake my head and utter, “No, I will not,” in as calm a voice as I can muster. But inside, inside I’m quaking with nerves as I await his reaction. “I prefer to keep my underwear on.” I reason that he can move the fabric aside when it’s time for him to penetrate me, and this way I can maintain some semblance of modesty.

His expression remains eerily impassive as he takes two slow steps toward me, his unblinking gaze holding mine. I can’t look away. I’m mesmerized by those glowing red eyes of his. “I mean to impale you with my cocks, one after the other, in the very near future, pretty human. The panties must go. Be an obedient little female and remove them at once, or I will take you over my knee.”

My heart skips a beat.

He must be jesting. He must .

That’s what I tell myself as I back away while shaking my head. “No.” I press my thighs together and feel the wetness that’s gathered in my panties, and shame heats me all over.

Beyond my desire to make Kameer understand that he can’t get away with ordering me around, I can’t fathom handing the undergarment over to him. Am I picking a weird hill to die upon? Maybe. But I lift my chin and hold his gaze with an air of challenge that helps settle some of my nerves.

This, this is the attitude I should’ve given Ned when he said my job embarrassed him.

Speaking of Ned, I pray Kameer had nothing to do with his death. I pray the elderly Founder truly passed from natural causes. God help me if I’m having a panty standoff with someone who committed murder just a few hours ago.

My bravery wavers a bit as the huge Darrvason comes closer, until he has me backed into a wall. He places his hands on either side of me, blocking me in. Then he leans down and drags his nose along my collarbone and neck, taking deep inhales. His calm silence intimidates me more than I would like to admit, but I try to keep my chin lifted high as I stare straight ahead while he takes his time smelling me.

Without warning, he starts hauling me toward the bed. My heart races with panic, and I try to pull out of his hold, but he’s gripping me too tightly.

There’s no escape.

My anxiety deepens, and the last of my courage flees.

“Wait!” I blurt. “I’m sorry. I’ll do it. I’ll remove my panties and hand them over.”

“Too late, pretty human.” He sits on the bed and guides me to stand between his spread legs. He’s so large that even when he’s seated, we’re at eye level. I gulp as I notice the impressive span of his shoulders and the thickness of his arms. His form-fitting, long-sleeve shirt accentuates his muscles, displaying his strength.

How could I ever hope to win a fight against him?

A sense of helplessness descends, and I feel vulnerable and chastised as he gives me a severe look. A scolding look.

I’m starting to believe he truly intends to punish me, and a quiver races across my bottom cheeks.

How badly will it hurt?

“A Darrvason male is his mate’s master, and females are expected to obey their husband’s every command. Males are meant to lead, guide, and protect, while females are meant to follow, trust, and submit.”

“I-I’m not a Darrvason,” I whisper in a pleading tone. “I’m not accustomed to your ways. Please, give me one more chance.” I reach for the waistband of my panties, but he grasps my wrists and forces my arms down.

“I gave you ample time to obey, Mandy, and you chose not to.” His tone is strangely gentle considering he’s about to inflict pain on me, and I’m not sure what to think about his calm demeanor as he explains my misdeeds and the consequences I’m facing. “Due to your continued defiance, you’ve earned a punishment, and it’s my hope that you will learn something from the experience, which is certain to be painful and humiliating for you. But perhaps the next time I issue an order, you will be faster to comply.”

My mouth goes dry as he guides me over one of his knees. Stunned disbelief radiates through me, but so does a heated wave of shame.

He’s about to spank me.

Though he hasn’t struck me yet, the embarrassment of being draped over his knee is sobering. Already, I’m reconsidering my plans to resist his domineering ways. Honestly, what was I thinking?

He cups my ass over my panties, then commences rubbing my cheeks. Shaky breaths leave me as I clutch the bedcovers. I shouldn’t enjoy his touch when he’s preparing to hurt me, but it’s all I can do to keep from moaning.

Without warning, he rips my panties off in one quick motion. The sound of fabric being shredded briefly fills my ears, and a second later it’s replaced by the rapid beating of my pulse. Though it’s not cold in the room, I feel a blast of coolness stroke my most private places.

To my utter mortification, he nudges my thighs apart and readjusts me in such a way that I can’t easily close my legs, especially with my feet dangling above the floor. Exposed. My nether parts are fully exposed to his gaze.

How long will he spank me?

Nerves skitter through me as he starts caressing my cheeks again, this time without the protection of my panties. I’m ever aware that my thighs are spread wide.

He can see everything .

I know he’s looking. I can feel his eyes raking over my slick folds like a physical caress. My awareness of his rapt focus causes more goosebumps to rise all over my body, and a spasm of heat clenches in my core.

He stops rubbing and takes a cheek in each hand, then spreads me shamefully wide. I gasp and squirm on his lap, only to feel the growing hardness of the bulge in his pants. His cocks. Why do they feel so hard? Why do I detect a steady vibration beneath my center?

“So slick and pink and perfect.” He rearranges his hold on my cheeks and keeps me splayed open with one hand. Then he delves his other hand between my thighs to tap at my sensitive button.

I whimper with need as he gathers moisture from my core and slowly spreads it over this pulsating area. A wave of dizziness sweeps over me, and a strangled noise emits from my throat.

Why hasn’t he started spanking me yet?

Why must he torment me so first?

Yes, his touch is pleasurable—it’s making my toes curl—but it’s also agony because there’s no end.

As he strokes, the euphoria builds and builds, but then he retracts his hand, and I’m left hanging and wretchedly unsatisfied.

With a desolate groan, I try to undulate my hips, but I still can’t move easily in this shameful position. My only respite comes from the steady vibrations beneath my center that seem, oddly enough, to be coming from his pants. I attempt to press my core more firmly to Kameer’s crotch, but again, it’s difficult when my feet can’t find purchase on the floor.

He chuckles darkly and resumes caressing my cheeks. “Don’t fret, my little mate. I’ll make sure you climax at least a dozen times before the night is through. But first, there’s the matter of your punishment.” His hand leaves my bottom. “Remember that I expect your obedience at all times, Mandy, and I won’t hesitate to impose discipline when you’re rebellious.”

He brings his flattened palm down across my bottom with a resounding crack. I gasp at the stinging pain. Oh, it’s so much worse than I expected. Before I can draw my next breath, he strikes me again, this slap harder than the first.

Panic sets in and I struggle. I grasp at the bedcovers and try to pull myself off his lap. But he’s quick to drape his free leg atop my flailing ones, then maneuvers my hands to the small of my back where he holds them down firmly.

My heart hammers in my chest. There’s truly no escape. His strength surpasses mine, and he seems very determined to make an impression on me. Determined to teach me a lesson.

He alternates smacking my bottom cheeks, moving from the left one to the right and back again, quick firm slaps that build into a blazing sting that I’m desperate to escape.

Oh, how I want it to end.

Frantic pleas linger on the tip of my tongue. I want to scream and beg him to stop. I want to promise to never defy him again.

Regret swells within me. True regret. Why didn’t I obey him? He only asked me to remove my panties and hand them over. What was so difficult about that?

Oh, right. My pride. My stupid pride.

I’d wanted to make a point and teach Kameer that he couldn’t boss me around. But given my current predicament, it’s safe to say he can boss me around.

He’s bigger than me, stronger than me, and if I don’t listen, he’ll punish me in the most embarrassing ways imaginable.

To my frustration, as the sting continues to build alongside my shame, warm pulses affect my core. The sensitive button in my nether area also throbs with need.

The vibrations coming from his pants are maddening, yet I can’t help but try to press my center against his crotch. I also can’t help but clench my bottom cheeks each time I anticipate a blow, though it does little, if anything, to alleviate the scorching fire he’s ignited upon my flesh.

Smack smack smack! Tears burn in my eyes, and I’m not certain I can take much more. The prospect of breaking down is unnerving. I don’t want him to see me cry, and I blink fast and try to control my emotions.

To my confusion, a wave of surrender suddenly washes over me, and I find myself yearning to please Kameer, as well as yearning for his forgiveness. I’m also ashamed for disobeying him, and if I’m being honest, for testing him.

As though sensing the abrupt change in my mindset, he pauses and rubs my tenderized bottom. “Are you learning anything from this, pretty human?”

“Yes. Please, that’s enough. I am sorry.” It’s true. I am sorry. I can’t explain why or how, but remorse continues building inside me, and the waves of submission come stronger, causing a strange peacefulness to permeate me. I grow still over his lap, and somehow, I believe he’s pleased by my surrender.

“I hope you’re being honest.” He lifts his hand from my bottom, and I tense, thinking he’s about to resume spanking. But then he splays my ass cheeks apart, spreading my pussy wide yet again.

His sudden growl nearly startles me, and the vibrations coming from his pants increase. The hardness in his pants also becomes… harder. Larger. Quivers rush through me as I think about what it could mean.

“ Fluxx , pretty human, you are so drenched, so slick and swollen. Your clit is engorged too.” He flicks that extra sensitive part of my nether area, which is apparently called a clit . I cry out as the pleasure spirals outward from my center, sending shockwaves of heated tingles throughout my body.

I’m about to plead for his touch, about to ask him to stroke my slick folds and rub moisture over my clit again, but before I can draw in my next breath, he resumes swatting my bottom. The sting instantly spreads, another relentless inferno of heat.

Though the pain is worse this time around, I’m better able to remain still and accept the blows. I’m no longer clenching my cheeks or trying to squirm away from the punishing smacks.

I lean into the feelings of submission as well as my growing desire to please Kameer, even if I don’t understand it. He’s going to be my mate, my husband, and he expects me to be an obedient wife. I mustn’t forget his nature, just as I mustn’t forget his expectations for me.

Finally, just when I think I cannot take any more, he stops spanking, lifts me in his arms, and sets me upright on his lap. It’s over. I think it’s over. Relief fills me.

A spell of shyness descends when I meet his eyes, and I quickly look away. Though the worst of the pain is already fading, the humiliation of being turned over his knee remains fresh in my mind.

He rubs a hand up and down my back, and it takes me a few seconds to realize he’s offering me comfort. My breath catches as he draws me closer, hugging me to his chest. He also settles his chin atop my head, and this gesture feels so very intimate.

My throat abruptly burns and tears swell in my eyes, though I can’t say why. All I know is that I feel oddly safe in his arms, and I’m touched by his desire to bring me comfort after he just inflicted a painful punishment, one that I’d practically goaded him into giving me. The interaction we’re sharing feels so very… intimate .

Somehow, I manage to blink the tears back. But my throat continues burning, and emotion keeps tightening in my chest. Kameer’s comforting embrace is more soothing than I could have ever imagined. I’m tempted to wrap my arms around his waist and hug him back, but I don’t. I shouldn’t allow myself to get too comfortable with him.

He’s forcing me to become his mate. He bought me. I want to ask how much he paid Captain Warren, but I don’t trust myself to inquire in a calm tone, and I don’t want to start an argument and end up back over his knee.

I shift uncomfortably on his lap, wishing I could rub my punished bottom. The sting hasn’t quite faded, and I wonder if I’ll still be sore tomorrow.

A thought strikes me. If I resist Kameer on an emotional level, will it prevent a heartbond from forming between us? It’s my understanding, based on the rumors I’ve heard as well as my conversations with Leona, that heartbonds don’t form within a set time frame for each Darrvason-human couple. Sometimes it happens in mere hours or days, but there have been cases where the heartbond didn’t form for a few months. Supposedly, it took about three moon cycles for Emperor Radakk’s heartbond to finish forming with his mate. This thought brings me a bit of hope. Perhaps I can stall the formation of the heartbond. Perhaps while stalling, I can figure out a way to escape Kameer for good.

Freedom. I long for the freedom to make my own choices.

The huge Darrvason pulls back slightly and cups my face. His hands are large and warm and rough. I swallow hard as he peers into my eyes with such intensity that I worry he’s reading my mind. Alarm winds through me, but he gives no indication that he just heard my scheming. The idea of sharing a heartbond and having Kameer know my most private thoughts is frightening, and I pray it never comes to pass.

“I like holding you in my arms, pretty human.” The tender warmth that infuses his voice takes me aback.

How can I resist him if he’s being… sweet?

I squirm on his lap just to reinvigorate the pain of the spanking, wanting to remind myself of his beastliness. I must guard my heart. If my defenses fall and a bond forms between us, there will be no going back.

Darrvasons mate for life.