Page 17 of Own to Obey

The shinno continued to arrive at her cabin at some point in the afternoon, lift her into his arms and carry her to the empty deck where they both watched the ocean. Eventually, the shinno would lower into his chair and stroke and suck her until pleasure overcame her and she was limp in his arms. After the next couple of afternoons in his lap, he tilted her on his legs so that she hung over one of his legs further than necessary as he stroked her. She didn't even really pay attention until she felt his breath on her. She squealed in surprise, but he held her tight around her hips as he licked herthereslowly, his rough tongue stroking her sensitive nub. He was slow and tender at first but soon was sucking her wildly, grazing his teeth against her lower lips and twirling that large tongue around her entrance. Shaya gripped onto him, trying to control the sensations rocketing through her, but it was impossible. She had never felt anything like it, and what was worse were the sounds coming from him. The growls and the rumble and the groans coming from the Alpha with his head between her legs turned her on so much. Soon she stopped trying to control anything and just hung over his legs, enjoying everything he was doing to her, even pushing her hips into his face. And when one of his hands crept up her tunic to grip her nipple, she lost all control.

He always said the same phrase whenever he was with her during those times “Tes ni choya detta mthnoy, kysm eshar.” She began to wonder what it meant. But she didn’t allow her curiosity to encourage her to start learning about their culture. He was still a terrible man as far as she was concerned.

And yet those moments that they spent looking at the ocean became something she looked forward to. Soon, the blue-green of the sea couldn't capture her as intensely as the blue-green of the shinno's eyes, especially when they watched her.

One afternoon, as she stared at the ocean, enjoying the breeze on her face, she turned to peek at the shinno while he watched the ocean, and was surprised to find that he was already looking at her. She quickly returned her gaze back to the sea, but the urge to look at him again was too strong, and soon her eyes were back on his. He seemed to find this amusing. “Dess rennon vec lesha ackken ash ren lesha dess, kysm eshar. Fegakke ni laegoy,” he murmured, a smile on his lips as he tilted his head to watch her.

Shaya simply blinked. She had no idea what he said, but she did enjoy the way he said it and tried to memorize the words. His husky, low, and sultry tones had been the same since the moment she first met him, but this time she was not experiencing him through the filter of fear. On the contrary, she no longer felt fear around him at all when he was holding her in this way, when they were on this deck. It was a marked change.

She glanced around the deck, wondering why it was always empty. Although the ship was large, it seemed unusual that they would not be at least one person who would interrupt them.

She saw a glimpse of the chair behind him that he usually sat in, a small shelving unit and a little table, all on the platform. Maybe this was a space only for the shinno.

She returned her eyes to his, meeting his gaze. She didn't even know what shinno meant or if that was even his real name.

Their eyes remained locked for a long moment and the shinno glanced at her mouth, moving her closer to him, and a tension began to build that she had to escape.

“What is your name?” she blurted out.

The shinno stilled, a look of surprise gracing his expression. Since she had stopped grooming him, the hair around the lower half of his face had begun to grow, but she couldn't deny that it suited him. In fact, it made him look even more handsome. She also noticed that the hair on his head had grown a little, but that it was still neat, as though somebody had been tending to it. And she found that the idea of that… did not please her.

“Shinno Kardos,” he said, his voice deep and proud.

“Is shinno your name or is it your title?” she asked, aware that most people refer to him astheshinno rather than as just shinno.

Shinno Kardos' expression deepened into a frown and then to a scowl. Turning, he whipped them around and headed back in the direction he came.

Shaya almost cried out for him to stop. They hadn't even… done anything yet, and she couldn't deny that she was looking forward to it. But she said nothing. Something in the way he was walking, with purpose and directed force, suggested that his mood had changed, and she had no idea what that meant. She trusted nothing when it came to the shinno.

They entered her cabin again, and he placed her down on the bed, and then picked up one of the parchments on the desk.

“Tell me,” he said in the Common Tongue, pointing to the map in his hand.

Shaya swallowed, cursing herself inwardly that she had asked a question that she should have known the answer to if she’d been doing the learning that Treska had wanted her to. She stared at the map, trying to figure out if she could try to guess, but it was impossible.

The shinno didn't even wait longer than a moment for her to answer, and that fiery look entered his eyes. If she had been learning this for two weeks, she would have no problem reciting what she knew. The shinno threw down the map and left immediately. But she didn't have to wait long to find out where he'd gone.

He returned, gripping Treska by the arm and dragging her into the cabin, raging at her.

Shaya gasped, but the shinno ignored her, bellowing at Treska, clearly questioning her about why Shaya didn't know anything.

Treska's eyes were wide as she stuttered an answer, glancing at Shaya but trying to keep her sole focus on the shinno.

“If you can understand me,” Shaya said carefully, trying not to alert the shinno that she knew Treska could understand and speak the Common Tongue, “tell him the truth. Tell him that I have refused to learn.”

Treska's eyes widened even further and the shinno growled at her words, sparking a fear in her that she thought had disappeared. But she would not leave Treska to get in trouble. She had made the determined decision not to learn anything. It was not Treska's fault, and she would not let her take the blame, regardless of what it may mean for her.

“I have been treated badly since I have been here, shinno Kardos,” she said firmly, straightening her back as she spoke. “I've tried to do everything you asked, but in return I have been kept like a prisoner in here, and when I haven't been a prisoner, I have been a slave. That is what we call people who are used for unfair labor, or for sex acts,” she added tightly. “That is what I have been. And I have been so willing, until you showed that you punish without explaining why, and not even allow me the basic courtesy of resting from my injuries. So I will not learn anything about your culture. It is one I do not admire, I do not find anything worthy about it, and I don't want to be a part of it. Every day since Treska arrived, I have refused to learn. She tries her hardest, she tries to trick me into learning, she tries to force me into learning, but I have still refused. So if you are going to blame anybody, blame me and leave her alone!”

The shinno's face contorted with each word she said, until he was almost vibrating with fury. Keeping hold of Treska, he grabbed Shaya by her non-damaged arm and led them both out of the cabin and down a deck.

It was only when they reach the door of the black box room, that she realized what he intended to do, and the fear that gripped her made her mouth dry and her knees shake.

“No!” she cried, trying to yank herself out of his grip. “No, I am not going in there! Please do not put me in there.”

The shinno opened the door, ignoring her.

“I can't go in there,” she said, grabbing his arm. “I won't survive it, please!” Her words faltered as she realized that he had let her go in order to open the door. It wasn't her he was putting in there. With a hard push, Treska entered the room, and the door closed behind her and locked.

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