Page 22 of Commander's Slave
Naked, she realized.He sleeps naked. She hadn’t watched him leave the bathroom after he’d finished getting ready for bed. She hadn’t seen him climb under the covers because she’d been hiding and pretending to sleep. But now she was certain it was his naked flesh pressing against her through her nightgown.
“Go to sleep now, little human. If you have another bad dream,” he said, “I will wake you up immediately.”
She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but finding her rest soon became difficult when the unmistakable hardness of his erection poked at the backs of her thighs. Her heart raced and little shivers affected her, but they weren’t the scary kind of shivers that preceded one of her attacks. In fact, she realized that her nervous shaking had already ceased. Perhaps talking about it had helped after all.
Oh God. The aching in her core kept deepening, a relentless pulsing sensation that made her breath come in short, faint inhales. It took a long time to fall asleep, but after she did, the nightmares stayed away for once.
Chapter 11
Draken grimacedas he stretched his wounded leg and put pressure on his foot.
“A little more,” Betsy urged. “You can do it.” Smiling, she moved three steps in front of the railing and held out her hand. Each morning she pushed him to place more weight on his foot. The Holy One who’d taught her how to help Draken said the hit he’d taken to the head during the mountain explosions slowed his recovery, but if he kept up a rigorous schedule of physical therapy, he would one day be able to walk without a limp.
“You slept in Edek’s room last night, did you not?” Draken took a slow, unsteady step. “I glimpsed you rushing downstairs this morning.” Concern filled his eyes.
Her face heated, and she quickly explained what had happened, omitting the spanking. Of course, then she realized Edek knew her name, and Draken still did not. She swallowed and met the Kall’s eyes. “He made me tell him my name. It’s Betsy. Betsy Carson. I-I am the American president’s daughter. I suppose now that you know my name, you won’t have to call me Heslla anymore.”
“Ah, I suspected you were someone of importance. Thank you for sharing your identity with me.” He grinned, and the rising sun reflected off his shiny dark hair. The lines around his eyes remained crinkled as he gazed at her. His smiles and kind words always put her at ease, and she once again experienced a surge of guilt over her initial refusal to reveal her name. Surely, she could have trusted him. “Betsy. That’s a pretty name, but you’ll always be my little Heslla,” he said in a fatherly tone that squeezed her heart. Another step and he grasped her offered hand.
A cool breeze ruffled her hair, and she glanced at the trees swaying in the wind. The railing to practice his walking had been set up outside, behind the house, because Draken claimed having a view of the mountains and the open sky boosted his energy.
Farther down the mountain, Betsy spotted the town and repressed a shudder. The one and only time she’d been there had been on the day of her auction. She had no desire to return. The hatred she’d glimpsed in the eyes of the many Kall who’d stared at her haunted her dreams, especially the expression of the pervert who’d tried to buy her.
“He didn’t hurt you, did he? Edek? How did he get your name out of you?” Draken scanned her face as if searching for bruises. He sighed and his shoulders sagged when he spotted none.
Betsy gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.” Though the spanking had brought her to tears, she couldn’t bring herself to admit she’d been over her master’s knee. It was too humiliating, and she hoped to avoid such punishments in the future.
“You remind me of Renna.” Draken squeezed her hand and his countenance turned wistful.
“Renna? Edek’s wife? I don’t see how that’s possible. I doubt we look anything alike.” It was then that she noticed Edek approaching from the house. His sudden appearance caused her stomach to flip, and his unreadable mood sent her nerves into overdrive.
Everything that had happened between them last night flashed in her mind.
Would he be angry that she’d snuck out of his room early? She’d started her household duties earlier in the morning than usual, but that didn’t negate the fact that she had intentionally snuck away.
“Relax, little Heslla.” Draken patted her back as they turned to face his brother. “Yes, you remind me of Renna. Soft-spoken but with a fiery spirit. Not as submissive as most Kall females. She made life interesting for Edek. And despite their match being a political marriage, he loved her very much, and she loved him.”
“I have no interest in love,” Betsy whispered back, but the words tasted like ashes in her mouth. Once upon a time, she might have had an interest in love. An interest in settling down with the right man and starting a family. But all those dreams would never come to pass. She wasn’t on Earth anymore and she was a slave. A slave who belonged to a fierce Kall warrior.
Draken chuckled. “You have an interest in home. Earth. But home doesn’t have to be on Earth. Home is where love blooms, little Heslla.”
She wanted to point out that she’d only met Edek yesterday, but she didn’t have the heart to argue with Draken when he looked so happy at this moment. Especially when she was still trying to come to terms with the comfort she’d derived in her new master’s arms last night. She’d had a nightmare, and he’d not only woken her, but he’d held her until morning.
Not only that, but he’d asked about her shaking, and she’d told him everything. Well, almost everything. She’d told him about her scary near-death experience and how she’d lost her toe. But she hadn’t told him about her father’s rejection and how his treatment of her still haunted her dreams, months after he did nothing to help her as she awaited trial in a crowded prison.
She inhaled deeply as Edek finally came to stand before them, his stance wide and his shoulders tense. In his black-and-gray military uniform and tall boots, he looked ready for battle.
To her relief, he wasn’t carrying a weapon.
Kall warriors usually preferred rudimentary but still very deadly weapons like swords, massive axes, and long knives. But she’d seen some warriors—not just prison guards—carry those terrifying electrified batons. She gulped at the memory and hoped she never saw Edek armed with such a weapon, even if she doubted he would use it on her.
Edek’s dark gaze focused on her and she shifted nervously in place. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she detected a glint of question in his eyes.Why did you sneak away this morning?She fought back the flush that threatened to engulf her face.
“We were just about to come inside for breakfast, brother,” Draken said, nodding toward the house.
Edek glanced from Betsy to his brother and eyed the railing. “I saw you outside and thought I’d come see how your therapy is going.”
“It’s going quite well, as I told you before. Your Betsy pushes me further each day. Soon I’ll be able to outrun you.”
