“I looked at the cuff and I wanted it to release. And it did.” I bite my lip.
“That doesn’t make sense. Do you have some magnetic implant I don’t know about?” He grabs my free hand, turns it over to examine the underside of my wrist. We both look at my pale, unmarked skin.
“Not that I know of.” I shudder.
He narrows his eyes. “So you did it with mind-control. Really, Danica?”
My eyes fill with more ridiculous tears. “It must have malfunctioned.” I shake my head. “Lucky for me.”
“No. Not lucky at all,” he snaps, then softens his voice. “Where did you think you were going?”
“To the only place humans can live free.” I look across the room to the med bay, where the pod flashes soft red lights.
He scoffs. “You’d never make it there a quarter of the way, alive. It’s impossible, Danica. Even we have trouble getting there undiscovered. Don’t you know how…” he breaks off. “Do you realize how fortunate you are that we found you before you got on that transport ship?”
“I didn’t know. I thought if I could get onto that ship…” I touch my stomach. “It was instinct. I’m tired of being a slave.”
He looks away and his body clenches under mine. “Too bad, Danica. And disobeying us will only make it worse for you, so I suggest you obey in the future.”
“So you’re going to punish me?” I look up at him. His features excite me, even at this moment when all I should feel is fear. Maybe it’s the way he’s holding me against his chest, so firm. Maybe it’s the way he released me when I said ow. Or perhaps it’s the look of concern in his eyes. Most likely adrenaline from the escape.
He leans in until his lips are nearly brushing mine. His voice is low, and his eyes flash. “Yes. We are. You’re not going to like it, either.”
“What if I just said I was sorry?” I can’t look away from his gaze.
“Oh, you’ll apologize.”
“I will?” I breathe out the words.
His hands soften on my arms, and he circles my wrists with his strong fingers, holding gently. “Repeatedly. You’ll beg for mercy over my lap, Danica.”
I blink. Over his lap doesn’t sound too frightening. Besides, his face burns with passion, not anger.
“And after that?”
“After I spank you? Then Benn will take a turn.” He smiles. “Until we’re both fully…satisfied that you’ve been thoroughly and sufficiently disciplined.”
I shiver, but it’s as much from arousal as anything else.
He runs a finger down my cheek. “Don’t worry. You’ll learn your lesson well enough.” He gives me a wicked smile. “And we’re going to vecking enjoy every second of teaching it to you.”
My traitorous body thrums with desire. I don’t know why his threats arouse me.
“Perhaps there’s a better way to teach me the lesson,” I suggest, my voice low. Our lips are practically touching.
He smirks. “No, a spanking is usually the very best thing.” Then his lips brush mine, so softly it’s like air. But before I can kiss him back, the med pod beeps in a new pattern, louder, aggressive.
He jumps into action, sliding me from his lap, getting to his feet.
“Check it,” orders Benn, but Gorde’s already striding over.
He leans over the pod. “He’s fighting the Replenish.”
“Then it’s set too high. Adjust it.”
“Already done.” Gorde types rapidly on the pod controls, and the beeping goes back to the previous pattern.
“Who’s in there?” I lean over, still cuffed to the wall. “You said he? It’s a male? Why do you want a male slave?”