Page 9 of Tornn's Mate
Tornn places a finger beneath my chin and tilts my head upward. My gaze collides with his and all the air whooshes from my lungs. His visage softens just a little, and I can’t help but marvel at how handsome he is. He has a strong square jaw, a long straight nose, high cheekbones, and there’s an otherworldly beauty to him that makes it difficult to look away.
“You’re trembling, sweet human.”
I suck in a steadying breath. “I’m sorry. I-I can’t help it.” My heart thunders in my chest. Is he displeased with me? I try to calm myself enough to stop shaking, but my deepening arousal converges with the healthy fear I have of Tornn, leaving me a quaking mess. At any moment, I’m certain my weakened legs will give out and I’ll tumble to the floor.
“You don’t need to apologize.” He strokes my cheek. “Are you truly that frightened of me?”
My throat closes up, and I can only manage a quick nod. Of course I’mthatfrightened of him. He’s so huge and powerful, he could do whatever he wanted to me, and I wouldn’t be able to stop him. I’m utterly defenseless against him, and I’ve never felt more vulnerable in my life.
Swiftly punished. Forced to conform.
His threat keeps echoing in my head.
Would I ever displease him enough to warrant a punishment?
“Are there rules?” I suddenly blurt. “Specific rules that you expect me to follow? I don’t want to accidentally break one.”
His eyes light with amusement as he continues stroking my face and even plays with my hair. He’s silent for so long, I start to think he won’t answer, but finally he says, “I don’t have a prepared list of rules for you, sweet human,butknow that I expect you to be an obedient and well-mannered wife.”
“That’s not very helpful,” I say, and instantly wish I could retract my words.
To my immense relief, he smiles. His eyes twinkle in a thousand shades of purple as a deep chuckle reverberates from his throat. But then I notice his white,pointedteeth. I can’t look away. His teeth. Oh my God, his teeth…
He could rip my throat out if he wanted to.
“Do you not understand the definition of obedience?” he eventually asks, a smile still tugging at his mouth.
I flush hotly and press my lips together, fighting the urge to make a flippant comment. He’s not the one who might receive awhippingif he makes a wrong move. I have every right to question him about rules, every right to fear the outcome of a misstep.
“It’s simple, really, Ellie. If I issue a command, you must follow it. I am your husband—your master—and my word is law.”
“But physical punishment,” I whisper, “forgive me, but that is so… barbaric.”Shut up shut up shut up. Why can’t I stay quiet? Why can’t I nod meekly and let him get on with the frisking? I swallow hard as I await his response, praying I haven’t angered him.
“Barbaric?” His smile fades.
He leans down and places his lips at my ear. His breath wafts along my neck, and a shiver rushes down my spine and somehow merges with the heated pulses in my core, the intense physical sensation nearly causing me to whimper.
“Perhaps after I finish frisking you, sweet human,” he says in a deep, rumbling tone that further provokes my desires, “I will show you just how barbaric I can be.” He takes a long inhale and growls. “The scent of your slickness is driving me mad with the need to be inside you, to pound into you with my cocks and fill you with my seed over and over again.”
This time, a whimper does escape my throat.
Cocks. He saidcocksss.
Plural.
Holy freaking hell. No wonder his bulge is so huge.
My legs tremble harder, and I start to feel lightheaded.
Yet my excitement doesn’t abate. The quaking pulses between my thighs keep coming, faster and harder, and I swear the wetness in my panties keeps growing. Arousal. Actual arousal. He’s right. I am getting slick. Embarrassingly so. I wish he couldn’t smell it. I wish I could hide my desires from him. Shame heats my face over my lack of control.
Humans aren’t supposed to act this way. We’re supposed to remain in control of our baser urges—even kissing is frowned upon—and those who struggle are given extra hormone suppression shots. Frequent and careless fornication can lead to disease and unplanned pregnancies, along with a host of other problems a worldship with dwindling resources cannot handle.
But Tornn wants to copulate with me frequently, and he definitely wants to plant his seed in my womb. That’s the whole point of this. That’s why I was given to him as a bride. As payment.
He kneels briefly to remove my slippers, then rises and cups my face, settling his intense, purple gaze on me. “We need to remove your dress now, sweet human. It’ll be easier for me to frisk you if you’re unclothed.”
Chapter4
