His Human Slave (Zandian Masters 1)

She checked the timer Zander had given her. He allowed her to leave his chamber on limited excursions without guard for set periods of time. If she didn’t return by her curfew, he would punish her. She hadn’t dared disobey. She’d pushed hard for the freedom, and fought especially not to have a guard accompany her, not wanting to be alone again with the thief Gunt.

Three minutes until Zander expected her back in his chambers. Veck. She’d lost track of time. She ran down the lemon-hued corridor, dusting her hands on her skirt as she went. She arrived at the door and lifted her chin, waiting for Gunt to let her in. She hated the few moments when she had to pass him at his post.

He didn’t move, but his horns twitched. “Have you reconsidered my offer?”

Seriously? The dungheap wouldn’t give up. “I wouldn’t veck you if you were the last male in the galaxy,” she hissed, reaching past him to open the door herself. Of course, it didn’t work. It required the handprint of someone with authorization to open the door, and apparently hers didn’t fit that requirement.

His eyes and skin a dark-purple, he shoved her up against the door and curled his fingers punitively, painfully into her clothed sex. “You’ll regret that, you vecking slave-whore.”

She shoved hard against him, but he didn’t budge. His fingers groped with bruising intensity.

The door slid open and Gunt sprang away from her. She whirled and practically fell into Zander’s arms.

He ignored his guard and dragged an appreciative gaze over her. His hunger showed in the darkening of his horns, the way they tilted toward her. Her body reacted to his nearness, allowing her to put aside Gunt’s nasty pawing. Soon, she would tell Zander about it, when she knew him a little better and was sure he would believe her.

“Ah. I thought I might have to punish you.”

Her pussy clenched. Zander looked incredible in a body-hugging exercise suit, his huge muscles bulging. It took great resistance not to reach out and touch his hard chest. “No, my lord.”

“Come.” He pushed her into the room.

She balked. He would put her in the cage. That’s what he did when he left her in his room. He didn’t trust her alone in there. Probably didn’t trust her with his communication devices. “Are you going to exercise, my lord?”

He gripped her upper arm and pulled her toward the cage. “Yes.”

She tried to slow their steps with no result. “May I watch you? I’ll be good. I’ll kneel in the corner and won’t make a sound.”

He raised an eyebrow, as if suspicious it was a trick.

Well, maybe it was. But the only trick was getting out of the boredom and claustrophobia of the damn cage.

“Please?” She gave him her best pleading slave eyes, which she knew he loved.

His horns stiffened and twitched in her direction. “Promise you’ll be good?”

She nodded quickly. “I promise. I won’t disturb you a bit.”

He tugged her elbow in that commanding way he had. “Let’s go.”

“Really?” She scurried along beside him. “Thank you.”

“Don’t make me regret it.” He could be gruff, but she’d found he wasn’t terrible. Over the past week, he’d only punished her three more times, each time for disrespect. Despite all the new implements Daneth had brought him, he’d only used his hand and each spanking had concluded with a rough breeding session, which she had come to love.

He bred with her once or twice a day. He didn’t always hold her afterward the way he had her second day, but when he did, she melted—turning as slave-y and submissive as a human who’d been born and bred to serve a man. And she hated herself for it.

Gunt’s eyes burned a hole in her back as they walked away, as always. She’d decided he was harmless. If he really thought he could get away with raping her, he would’ve already accomplished it. Still, she planned to avoid him at all costs.

Zander led her to a room she had not seen before. Like the din

ing hall, it was lit with natural sunlight magnified by a giant crystal. The room was small with a domed ceiling and raised platform. Seke, the fierce-looking master at arms stood on the platform holding a wooden staff as tall as his body.

Zander pointed silently to a wall and left her, walking up to face the older male and offering a soundless bow.

She knelt with her back to the wall and marveled at Zander’s behavior. It was the first time he’d shown subservience to another. In a moment, she saw why. Seke’s staff shot out, directly in line with Zander’s head. He ducked and swung a foot out to knock the middle-aged male off balance, but Seke jumped, looking as spry as a child.

He swung the staff at Zander once again. Zander dived away into a graceful forward roll.

She bit her lips against the gasp that rose at his magnificence.