Page 13 of Commander's Slave
In a moment suspended in time, she inhaled a shaky breath and placed her little hand in his much larger one. A jolt of energy shot through him at the physical contact and shook him to his core.
He was supposed to hate her.
He was supposed to want to kill her.
Her people had ruined his life.
They’d taken away his precious family.
Yet her hand felt perfect in his, and a surge of protectiveness for the little human sped through him.
He pushed the unwanted feelings down.
She was his property.
Nothing more.
“I need to know your name and the crimes you committed, little human. I’m tired of asking. Tell me now.” He infused a bit more firmness into his voice this time. When she tried to withdraw her hand from his grasp, he tightened his hold and pulled her closer, so close he felt the heat of her small body wafting against his.
“No,” she said, and the boldness in her tone stunned him.
He fought back a growl, and his palm tingled with the urge to smack her curvy bottom.
Even if he must cause her pain, even a bit of fear, he was determined to get the answers he sought.
Chapter 7
“No,”the human female repeated, much to Edek’s continued astonishment. “No, I-I will not tell you.”
“No?” He wasn’t accustomed to being refused anything. His warriors obeyed his every command without question, and now a mere slave—a mere human female—dared tell him no. It was unfathomable.
“I can’t tell you my real name, but I will tell you that the charges brought against me were false. I didn’t do what the Kall court on Earth convicted me of. I swear it.”
He wanted to believe her. He wanted to trust her. Her name though… he had to know her name. Calling her Heslla, as Draken did, wasn’t an option. Heslla sounded like an endearment, and endearments wouldn’t do because she needed to remember her place.
Heneeded to remember her place.
And he very much needed to do away with this strange and unwanted attraction he felt toward her.
Perhaps it was only curiosity and not actual attraction, he told himself. Perhaps he was simply interested because she was the first human female he’d ever seen.
Taking a deep breath, Edek tightened his grip on her hand and led her to a chair near the bed. He sank down on it and opened his legs, forcing her to stand between his parted thighs as she gazed fearfully into his eyes.
Unable to resist, he cupped her face with one hand, and she trembled at his light touch. But at least the fierce tremors that had wracked her body earlier had lessened. Perhaps the heat of the fire had warmed her adequately.
He regarded her further, allowing his gaze to rove over her body yet again. Holy Fires, she was a tiny thing. Even when he was seated on the chair, the top of her head barely reached his chin.
He steeled himself to be firm with her. He had given her several chances to answer his questions, and she had outright refused. He wasn’t asking for much. Just her name and her crimes.
What was she hiding that she wouldn’t even reveal her name to him?
He had to know, even if he must force the confession out of her.
“I’ve given you several chances to answer my questions and you still refuse. I have no choice but to punish you now, little human.” He planned to punish her lightly, but she didn’t need to know that. The next time he asked her a question, he expected an immediate answer to fall from her lips. Slaves didn’t refuse their masters anything, least of all simple information.
Edek hauled her over his lap and draped one of his legs over hers, trapping her in his hold. Her breathing became labored, and she peered over her shoulder at him with pleading eyes.
“If I told you I was American, would that be enough?”
