Mastered for Their Use (Ventori Masters Book 5) Read online

  “If a woman is tied down and screaming as the punishment unfolds, she’s being forced.”

  Not wanting her to feel pressured by his nearness, he stepped back. “Were these females claimed or were they still within the thirty-day trial period?”

  She folded her arms across her chest, but admitted, “They’d been claimed.”

  “Can a pod force their claim on a female?”

  “It’s not the same.” She punctuated the statement with a glare.

  “Answer the question.”

  Her glare intensified and her lips pressed into an angry line. “She has to accept the claim. It can’t be forced.”

  “Then it stands to reason that these females accepted their pod’s authority and agreed to abide by their rules.”

  “That doesn’t mean they agreed to be abused,” she shot back.

  “We don’t try to hide the sorts of discipline our culture utilizes. We make sure every female understands what will happen if she disobeys. Is this true? Did these women know what would happen if they broke a rule?”

  She looked away from him, likely searching for a counterpoint. Then she sighed and returned her gaze to his. “They knew.”

  “Then they agreed to the penalties when they accepted their pod’s claim.”

  “That still doesn’t mean they were willing,” she challenged.

  That was exactly what it meant, but she was clearly going to argue with whatever he said. “Did the males explain the reason for the punishment or were they simply disciplining their female to reestablish their dominance?”

  “They’d each done something wrong.”

  Oseth nodded, glad that she continued to be honest with him. “And were the males specific about how the behavior needed to change?”

  “Yes. From their perspective, they were teaching the female a lesson.”

  From their perspective. The qualification made him smile. She was incredibly stubborn. A trait Urrya and Azra would no doubt delight in curtailing. “Maybe it will help to think of it in a nonsexual context. Let’s say you lost your temper and punched someone in the face. This person brings charges against you, and when your case goes before the judge, you are required to perform a task you find demeaning. Community service, I believe it’s called on Earth.”

  “I don’t see what this has to do—”

  “Let me finish. Citizens of your country agree to abide by its laws, so you are required to do the task whether you want to or not. Does this mean the penalty is forced on you?”

  “Again, it’s not the same,” she objected. “We’re required to follow laws whether we agree with them or not.”

  Which was exactly the conclusion he’d needed her to draw. “I agree. The females you saw agreed, in fact they vowed to accept their mates’ authority. So they were not forced to do anything. They were just frightened and ashamed.”

  She shook her head, but didn’t argue. “Hitting a woman for any reason is wrong. Especially when you’re as big and strong as all of you are.”

  “Even if she finds pleasure in the pain?”

  “Yes. Pain is not meant to be pleasurable. It’s the body’s way of warning that something is wrong.”

  He narrowed his gaze, suddenly hearing someone else’s voice speaking through his mate. “Why do you believe that?”

  “My... I saw firsthand how damaging an abusive relationship is.”

  His patience was wearing thin. He was tempted to drag her inside and spank her naked bottom until she came. Unless he was reading her wrong, it wouldn’t take long. “Explain.”

  She took a deep breath and raised her chin. “My aunt was married to a violent man. He beat her bloody over and over and she kept running back to him.”

  “Where did he strike her?”

  “Everywhere. He usually avoided her face, because he didn’t want others to know what he was doing. But when it got really bad, he’d lose control and hit her face too.”

  He clasped his hands behind his back and searched for words capable of penetrating all she’d been taught. “This male had no honor. Above all, it is a male’s obligation to protect his female from harm.”

  “You can’t tell me that whipping a female’s back doesn’t ‘harm’ her!”

  “If it’s done correctly there is no lasting harm,” he stressed. “But whipping is an extreme example. Very few males I know use a whip on their mate. Were any of the females you witnessed whipped?”

  After a tense pause, she shook her head.

  “Did any of the punishments draw blood?”

  Again, she only shook her head.

  “Did the females seem abused once it was over? Did they rush to get away from their mates?”

  “Fine.” She went back to glaring at him. “So they weren’t forced. That doesn’t mean I want any of that done to me.”

  He could easily prove her wrong, but one step at a time. Helping her see the difference between discipline and abuse was a big step in the right direction. He held out his hand with a smile. “Where would you like to go now?”

  “Do I get my own room? Where I woke up was Azra’s bed, wasn’t it?”

  “It was, and you do,” he told her.

  “Then, please take me to my room. I’m feeling really tired.”

  She was running away, but that was alright. Let her process all she’d learned today. Her training would resume tomorrow.

  Chapter Three

  After indulging in a long hot bath, Erin crawled between the sheets in her private suite and tried to fall asleep. Her rooms were in the mansion, so everything was sleek and minimalistic. The holographic entertainment center, and food and beverage dispenser were nice amenities, but she found herself longing for the masculine boldness of the castle. She closed her eyes and willed her mind to go blank, but her conversation with Oseth kept looping through her memory.

  If Oseth was right, did that mean her father was wrong? Or could the two perspectives both be accurate? If a man struck a female, or a child, with the intent of harming them, that was cowardly and wrong. She would never change her position on that. But Oseth contended that the Ventori males hadn’t meant to harm their mates, in fact they were trying to teach them some important lesson.

  She thought back over the scenes she’d been required to watch. Each time, the males had been specific about the infraction, most had even required the female to verbalize what she’d done wrong and agree that she needed discipline. It had all seemed so strange, so unbelievable to Erin, that she’d just shut down emotionally. Then the actual punishments didn’t trigger horror or anger as she’d expected. She’d gradually grown more and more aroused as the correction became extreme.

  Rolling onto her stomach, she squeezed her thighs together and fought the pressure building between them. Even now, the memories teased her mind with forbidden pleasures and situations she didn’t fully understand. The problem was, she wanted to understand them. She wanted to experience them for herself. Her father was dead. The reality he existed in had been redefined. Nothing was the same. She wasn’t the same. So were her past beliefs even valid anymore?

  She let the question soothe her, ease her anxiety. Honesty. Oseth was right. Lying to herself was pointless. There was no family reputation to sully, no demanding father to disappoint. Besides, she’d decided not to be ruled by those forces even before the Skarilians attacked. Her father’s only interest in her had always been what she could do to further his ambitions. The only adult that ever paid attention to her had been Kyla’s mother, one of their live-in servants. How pathetic did that make Erin’s family?

  Forcing away the past, she rolled to her side and stared at the wall across from the bed. A pale stream of moonlight sneaked in between the window coverings, but the room was still very dark. If she called out to Oseth, would he come in and take her in his arms? Would he make love to her, slowly and tenderly, introducing her to the mysteries of sex in a way that wouldn’t overwhelm her?

  She pushed up, bracing her weight on her forearm as
she turned her head toward the door. Oseth’s name was on her lips when a strange weighted lethargy overcame her. Her arm buckled and she fell to the mattress on her stomach. Her eyelids grew heavy and a spinning sensation whirred through her mind. Reality blurred as her emotions spiked, fear, confusion, and anticipation all meshed into one. Her last dream had been incredibly intense, detailed, and vivid. Would she feel it all again, rippling bursts of pleasure and the tantalizing pain that ignited a fire deep inside her?

  As if to answer her question, Azra’s image appeared before her. His clothing was odd, a formfitting tunic with armored chest and arms. Was he preparing to do battle? His sleek black pants were tucked into knee-high boots, and draped around his shoulders was a fur-lined cloak. All of his garments were black, a stark contrast to his smoke-colored hair and dove-gray skin. His neck and a small portion of his upper chest were left bare by the tunic’s wide neckline. What she could see of his body was a pretty good indication that the man was lean and muscular, just like the rest of the aliens.

  “Did you miss me?” he asked with a humorless smile.

  She knelt before him, ass on her heels, hands lightly resting on her thighs. As before, she was naked and trembling, but she wasn’t really afraid, just unsure of what he would do to her.

  He moved closer and pushed her legs apart with the toe of his boot. “That pussy is mine. You will not hide it from me.”

  “Yes, Master.” Resentment spiked through her as she spoke the last word. He could make her say it, but he was not her master!

  “Stand up.” He still stood right in front of her, but made no move to assist her.

  She unfolded her legs and climbed to her feet, staring daggers into his chest as his scent reached her nose. Why did these aliens smell so damn good? She wanted to press her face against their necks and inhale until she was dizzy. “May I speak, Master?” she whispered. The answer had never been no, but the formality seemed to please him.

  “Yes, but first lock your hands behind your head.”

  She lifted her arms and entwined her fingers at the nape of her neck. The position lifted her breasts and arched her back. He cupped both her breasts, squeezing firmly. She hadn’t noticed before, but he was wearing gloves. The leather or synth-leather felt cool and supple against her skin, yet she resented the separation. Didn’t he want his skin to touch hers?

  His thumbs stroked her nipples as he stared into her eyes. “Did you have a question?”

  Shaking away the distraction of his casual touch, she nodded. “Where are Oseth and Urrya?” Numerous memories scrolled through her mind, other nights, other training sessions. But always they had visited her together. This felt odd. Not unpleasant, just unusual.

  “It’s just you and me tonight. Try not to be too disappointed.” He caught her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers and gave both a firm squeeze.

  She gasped, then shivered as tingles raced down her spine. “Have I displeased them in some way?”

  “Relax. We will each spend time alone with you. I just made my move first.” He slowly bent and pressed his lips over hers. “Offer me your mouth.”

  Azra had never kissed her before. She didn’t understand his mood. Still, she parted her lips and closed her eyes, standing tense and unresponsive.

  His arms wrapped around her, pulling her up onto her toes. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, inundating her senses with his taste. She wanted to hug him, but he hadn’t told her to release her hands from behind her head. He shifted his head to a different angle, sealing his mouth over hers. She gradually kissed him back, responding in the only way he’d allowed her.

  “So sweet,” he whispered, lips moving against hers. Then he kissed her again, his possession of her mouth deeper and more demanding.

  Desire cascaded through her, awakening her senses and flooding her pussy with liquid anticipation. All three of them had brought her to orgasm repeatedly, her hymen was long gone, but none had actually fucked her yet. They’d penetrated her with fingers, tongues, and even a thin vibrating toy, but never one of their cocks. Would this be the night? Would she finally know what it felt like to have a long, hard shaft thrusting deep inside her?

  He pulled away and set her back on her feet. She wobbled a bit then centered her weight and adjusted her arms to a more comfortable angle.

  “You are progressing beautifully. You respond without hesitation and generally obey every command.”

  She tensed. He made her sound like a dog. She hated it when he referred to all the attention they’d given her as ‘training.’ She didn’t know much about sex, but she did not need to be trained!

  “One area remains problematic,” he paused, his gaze boring into hers. “You’re still afraid of your nature. You must accept who you are, or you will never be truly free.”

  “I don’t know what you mean. I know who I am.” Yet she struggled to hold his gaze, saw too much in his dark eyes. She could deny it all she liked, but she knew what he meant, knew she was still hiding from herself.

  “I offer you a wager.” His fingers curved around her chin and he tilted her face up. Again, his glove felt cool and smooth against her flushed skin. “If I can make you come, using nothing but pain, you will suck my cock.”

  “And if you can’t?” Would he even allow her to refuse the wager if she didn’t like the terms?

  He shrugged, and the corners of his mouth twitched. “Name it. What do you want from me?”

  “The same thing you want. Get on your knees and lick my pussy until I come.” Excitement squeezed her chest as she heard her own words. She was never this bold, not with Azra. He was the least indulgent of her three suitors.

  “I’ll gladly lick your pussy just for the asking.” He suddenly fisted the back of her hair, dislodging her hands in the process. Then he pulled her head farther back. “I will not be on my knees.”

  “Then it’s not a deal.” Her scalp stung and her eyes watered, but she stubbornly met his gaze. “I want you on your knees. That’s the punishment.”

  He laughed, the sound brittle and cold. “You think you’re strong enough to punish me?”

  “You offered the wager,” she reminded. “This is what I want.”

  He stared at her for a long, silent moment, then released her hair. “Then I better not fail.” He grasped her nipple with one hand, but she quickly grabbed his wrist.

  “Wait! This cannot go on all night. You have fifteen minutes to make me come, or I win the wager.”

  “Thirty.”

  She was shocked he’d offered a limit at all. Compromise was not his strong suit. “Twenty minutes. That’s my final offer.”

  “I should forget the wager and spank you for your insolence.” His tone growled and tingles broke out on her forearms. How could such an animalistic sound be so damn sexy?

  “You proposed this, Master. I am merely negotiating.”

  His expression darkened as he searched her gaze, for what she had no idea. “Agreed.”

  She slowly let go of his wrist and lowered her arm. His fingers squeezed. The pressure felt good for a moment, then suddenly spiked into pain. She cried out and tried to twist out of his grasp, but he wrapped his other arm around her waist, anchoring her in place. The second pinch was just as painful and anger burst inside her.

  “That fucking hurts!” Amusement finally lit his gaze, but it only made her angrier.

  “Isn’t that the point?” He watched her closely as he pinched and twisted her nipples, abusing one and then the other. She squirmed and cried out, even kicking at him.

  His hand cupped the fullness of her breast as he bent and sucked her nipple into his mouth. She gasped and went up onto the balls of her feet. He sucked hard, allowing his teeth to scrape against her areolas. Pain mixed with pleasure as he continued to suck and release, suck and release. His hand slid up from her waist, pressing against the middle of her back, encouraging her to arch into the harsh caress.

  Moving his mouth to the other side, he used his leather-clad fing
ers to keep the first nipple hard and throbbing. Heat coiled through her chest, working its way toward her abdomen. This wasn’t fair. His mouth felt as good as it did bad. And the combination was confusing the hell out of her nervous system. Her clit twitched, then echoed the persistent throb of her nipples. Pressure rippled along her inner muscles, and she panicked. Shocked at how easily he’d brought her to the brink of orgasm, she instinctively brought her knee up toward his balls.

  He twisted away with a snarl, glaring down at her. “If you harm me, human, there will be consequences.”

  It was the only warning she got, before he slapped her pussy. She screamed in frustration rather than pain. The slap barely hurt, but her blow hadn’t even landed, and he’d still punished her. “Am I just supposed to stand here and take it?”

  “Yes.” He grabbed his face between his hands, staring deep into her eyes. “You are mine, Erin. Mine to fuck, mine to use, mine to hurt. Do you deny it?”

  She wanted to tell him to fuck off, to call him a bastard and insist she hated him. But her mouth refused to form the words. The ache in her core intensified and her nipples tingled. She wanted to belong to someone so completely that they would risk everything to possess her. She’d been neglected and ignored her entire life. Azra’s obsessive desire fed a hunger that had been building for all of her twenty-two years. She wanted to be important to someone. No, more than that. She wanted to be the most important thing in someone else’s universe. She wanted to feel special, treasured—owned.

  But that made her a slave and Azra her master. She shook her head, terrified of her own feelings. “I don’t want that,” she cried, but the words felt wrong.

  He sighed, looking intensely disappointed. “What happens when you lie to me?”

  Oh, God. Her core clenched and her clit twitched as her mind formed the words. “You p-punish me.”

  “Get on the bed, face down, legs bent, ass in the air.”

  She glanced to the side and saw his bed, not the one in which she’d fallen asleep. This was a dream. It had to be a dream. Still, she felt the carpet beneath her feet and the bedding under her knees as she positioned herself on her hands and knees. Why was she doing this? He was going to hurt her, make her scream. So why was she offering up her ass like a sacrifice?