Creation's Control

Creations - 2

by

Marie Harte

Chapter One

Planet Mardu, the eastern territory, year 2955

Three blood-red moons hung low in the sky, bringing light to the black reaches of Easfra’s seedy port. Several run-down transports, smuggler trawls and a slave ship docked close to the outer reaches of the eastern territory. System law avoided the place like the plague, making it perfect for a man hiding his identity. Most of the dregs frequenting the underbelly of Easfra left Ryen well enough alone. Seven feet of pure rage tended to fend off even the most curious. Unfortunately, these assholes didn’t know better than to equate numbers with success. As if he’d let a half dozen barbarians take him down after what he’d lived through.

Ryen slammed a fist into flesh and bone, adding another knockout to the two men already sprawled on the ground. The others circled him, hoping to win an impossible fight.

The scent of blood made it hard for Ryen to focus on anything more than trapping his inner fury. He knew that if he gave in to temptation, this small skirmish would turn from dangerous to deadly. He couldn’t risk the threat of exposure.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to hold still, absorbing the punch that met his unprotected belly. The glancing blow didn’t phase him. Piss poor fight, and it’s not giving me a damned thing.

“Fuck, he’s like a rock,” the tallest of the three opponents swore. “Damned Ragga.” Ryen curled his lip and waited for the rest of the Cortami barbarians to attack, aware his smirk often provoked others into action. Hell, that expression had irritated his Handler to no end. In his four years at the now defunct Blue Rims Laboratory, Ryen had spent more time recovering on his back than standing on his feet. Synster, that prick, got off on torture, to see how much Ryen could take. Ryen, stubborn bastard that he was, could take a lot.

“Yeah, well even a Ragga has weaknesses,” another of the barbarians said with a sneer.

Which might have been true of a real Ragga—a native of the planet that gave birth to the strongest men in the System. But Ryen was so much more. Stronger, faster, harder, his kind had such a lethal reputation that they lived with a death sentence over their heads if discovered. I should be so lucky, he thought with a snort, waiting for someone to make a move.

The man to his right swung a hard punch. Ryen blocked it and the kick from the idiot’s friend. Irritated they weren’t giving him what he needed, he growled and took the offensive.

The space dock rang with curses, scuffled footsteps and physical blows. Ryen put down two more barbarians and approached the last, praying for something more. With frustration, he silently urged this piece of shit to fight like his life depended on it, because it very well might.

“You druns have no idea how to brawl.” Ryen dodged what would have been an ineffectual blow to the stomach and retaliated. The snap of the asshole’s ribs went a short way towards satisfying his need to destroy. Another two kicks and the barbarian dropped to the ground, his body limp, broken and bleeding.

“Maybe next time you’ll think twice about targeting people on the docks.” Applause sounded behind him. The need to vent his anger grew, and with death on the brain, Ryen spun around to meet the next fool stupid enough to goad him.

Fuck. “Drekk. I should have known.” If only another group of bullying thugs had found him. The docks, however, remained silent and empty save Ryen, his unconscious attackers, and Drekk.

The man stood a head shorter than Ryen, still making him taller than most of the System inhabitants Ryen came into contact with. Bright grey eyes dominated a face too rough to be called attractive by Nebite standards. Yet the scar on Drekk’s left cheek and the rugged meanness in his gaze constantly urged Ryen to take a second look. Where Drekk’s anger should have been a quiet peace remained, and Ryen had a hard time fathoming the composed man before him with the dangerous Creation he knew Drekk to be.

“Ryen, I’ve been looking for you.” Drekk didn’t look happy as he crossed powerful arms over a broad chest. “What have I told you about keeping a low profile? You aren’t wearing your visor—”

“I can’t see with that damned thing.”

“—And without it your eyes, those spectacular blue orbs, proclaim your differences better than that gigantic frame. At least with your visor on we can pass you off as Ragga.”

“Whatever.” His eyes hadn’t seemed to bother his new ‘friends’.

Drekk vanished and reappeared in front of him in a blink. “Not whatever.” Unlike everyone else Ryen had ever met, Drekk showed no fear of him. “I’m telling you what you need to do to survive.”

“I’m tired of this shit. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep.” I’m so hungry... Ryen didn’t know how to explain his constant need for something just out of reach. The only things that had kept him sane in the labs were his never-ending physical training and the constant orgies he’d been forced into. It had been hard enough to sate himself with the weak women Synster brought him. At least the artificial intelligence he’d fought had stimulated him with challenge. But damned if he could find a fight or a woman who could handle him in Mardu.

“Give yourself a break, Ryen.” Drekk’s voice gentled, doing strange things to Ryen’s balance. “You spent years being conditioned to react a certain way. You’re free now. It’ll take time to lose the urge to destroy.”

“Like you did?” He huffed, wishing for once Drekk would tell him what his own experiences had been like. Like Ryen, Drekk was man-made. Eyran scientists had tampered with genetics to create the perfect weapon. Unlike Ryen, Drekk blended into society. His eyes looked normal, white around light grey irises and black pupils. Ryen’s eyes were unique.

Midnight blue surrounded lighter blue bands and pinpoints of gold.

Both dark haired with coppery skin and warrior builds, the men shared only a similar outward appearance. Drekk carried an air of self-possession that Ryen sorely lacked.

Frustration rode him hard, and lately Ryen worked to stave off his rage at even the littlest thing.

“I’ve been where you are, Ryen. It’ll get better.” Ryen clenched his fists but reminded himself that Drekk wanted to help him, as annoying as the male might be. “You don’t understand.”

“No, I don’t, because you won’t let me.” The normally stoic Drekk frowned. “Every time I try to help, you tell me to ‘fuck off’. I know you’re having a hard time, but I’m not your enemy. If you keep up this attitude, I’m going to show you just where to put all that rage. You forget I’m every bit as strong as you are.”

Excitement churned. “Prove it. Fight me.” That he welcomed. Drekk’s psychological bullshit he could do without. Ryen didn’t need understanding words and gentle reproach.

He needed action, physical release. Hell, I need to get laid. It’s been too long. Yet he abstained, fearful of harming his sexual partners with uncontrollable desire.

Drekk’s constant presence didn’t help. Around Drekk, Ryen ached. Arousal flared whenever he neared the annoying male, which made little sense and increased his aggravation with life in general.

Drekk raised a brow and spoke in a reasonable tone, shooting Ryen’s anger into overdrive. “I won’t fight you. I don’t need to prove anything. Ryen, the sooner you accept who you are, the better you’ll feel. Those meditation exercises I gave you will work if you let them.”

“Yeah, right.” Sit and stare at the walls? Think about nothing at all? How the fuck would that get Ryen in touch with his ‘inner self’?

“Look, why don’t you come with me to see your sister again? Erin misses you. She’s worried.”

Drekk’s concern made him want to punch something. Ryen didn’t want concern, he wanted... Hell, he didn’t know what he wanted.

Drekk blew out a breath. “Let’s go back to my place and talk. I want to help you, Ryen.”

I want to help you, Ryen, Synster’s voice echoed in his mind, memories of his Handler shoving a needle in his arm feeling all too real. Muted screams and white-hot agony flared.

Then the burning pain faded into a numbness that scared Ryen more than anything.

“Fuck off, Drekk,” Ryen snarled. “You’re not my Handler.” He slammed into Drekk in an attempt to push him out of the way. “He’s dead, remember?”

“How could I forget?” Drekk smiled, but amusement didn’t reach his eyes. Nor did the shove Ryen gave him make an impact. Drekk didn’t budge one step.

“Stop being such a pussy and fight me.” By the stars, Ryen needed to let go before he exploded. As he thought it, he knew it was too late. Unable to stop himself, he threw a punch.

Not surprised when Drekk caught his fist, Ryen waited with anticipation. Drekk did nothing, and Ryen caught him with a knee to his gut.

Drekk’s gaze darkened, his eyes going completely black. The light, delicious scent of pheromones pervaded, a talent Creations possessed to draw in their opponents and weaken their wills to resist. For Drekk to let loose meant Ryen had finally breeched the wall holding back Drekk’s precious control.

“Let it out, warrior. Go ahead, hit me.” Ryen didn’t understand his need to relentlessly pressure Drekk into battle. An instinctual urge to master another, he supposed. Though he’d been created to submit, Ryen couldn’t bring himself to bow down to anyone not his equal.

Erin he tolerated with love and affection, emotions that surprised him. His other sister, Anin he wanted to protect, which usually soothed much of his aggravation. When serving and protecting others, Ryen felt at peace. Or at least, he used to.

Battling Drekk’s lure, he pulled the male close, uncomfortably aware of the press of Drekk’s hard body against his. Without thinking, Ryen gave in to impulse and head-butted him, knocking him back.

Dark red blood dribbled from Drekk’s nose, and he let loose a full burst of pheromones.

A clear offensive manoeuvre Ryen had been waiting for.

“That’s it,” Drekk growled and clamped solid arms around him.

In seconds, black bands of time and space collapsed on them both. Ryen hated the pressure of teleportation, and Drekk knew it. The experience ended as soon as it had begun, but instead of fighting on the run-down docks in Easfra, Ryen found himself in a shadowed room that looked like the rooms in Blue Rim he’d known all too well.

Sudden, irrational panic took hold, and Ryen began to fight for real. Drekk met him blow for blow, blocking and countering with a sudden swift strike to Ryen’s chest that left him momentarily winded. Drekk released more of his pheromone, and as much as Ryen wanted to counter it, he found himself lost in the scent.

He took another deep breath and felt Drekk push him away. Ryen stumbled, wondering what the hell Drekk had in his system that allowed for such a drugging effect.

Before he could question the man who’d saved him not so long ago, Drekk lifted him over his shoulder.

Shocked Drekk could carry his weight, Ryen struggled for freedom. He stilled when Drekk landed a hand on his ass, holding him steady. That hand warmed, and a tingling sensation spread through Ryen’s body from his ass to his groin. What the fuck is that?

“There we go.” Drekk’s voice sounded very far away. “I’ve been waiting.”

“Waiting for what? For me to...” He wanted to argue, to force Drekk to hurt him, to make him feel something besides the dissatisfaction of his life, even if it meant pain. But the incredible arousal pooling within distracted him. Without meaning to, Ryen shifted his hips against Drekk’s shoulder, groaning at the fire spearing his cock.

Drekk tossed him onto a bed and smothered him with scent.

“What did you do to me?” Ryen rasped, blinking through slitted eyes at Drekk’s bent frame. Limp with a drowsy awareness, Ryen watched Drekk chain his ankles and wrists to bars on the head and footboard of the bed. “Tying me up like an animal? Like I’m back home,” he muttered.

“This is your home now, Ryen.” He thought Drekk might have sighed. “Get used to it.”

“What is this place? I’ve never been here before, have I?” Ryen blinked, trying to focus, but he could only make out shadows and darker forms against the five-walled room in which he lay.

“We’re back in Tekar. I should have done this as soon as we arrived. Stubborn drun.”

“I don’t understand.” Ryen licked his lips. A cup appeared at his mouth and he greedily drank down the sweet if overpowering liquid. Like lightning, another dose of fire shot through his groin. “Fuck. What did you give me?”

“Something you should thank me for. Something that will make you forget.” Ryen closed his eyes, impossibly sleepy yet physically aware. Something sharp edged close to his skin. A knife. Drekk is slicing at me? Dammit, I can barely move. He’d definitely pushed Drekk too far. Strangely enough, the thought proved arousing, and the constricting trousers over his cock aggravated him.

He sighed with relief when the pressure eased, only to wonder why the hell Drekk thought it necessary to remove his clothing. “Drekk?”

“You need healing, my friend.”

“No shit.”

During his escape from Blue Rim, Ryen had killed dozens without guilt, but he hadn’t come out unscathed. The impact of a cannon grenade against his back should have ended his life. He’d nearly bled to death before Drekk had healed him. By mixing his blood with Ryen’s, Drekk had managed to close most of Ryen’s wounds. But after several weeks, Ryen’s internal injuries still hadn’t healed properly, and somehow Drekk knew it.

Nearby rustling made him curious. “Dammit, Drekk. Why can’t I open my eyes?” He sounded as sluggish as he felt.

“Because you don’t need to, not for this.” Drekk joined him on the bed. Ryen could feel the heat of the male’s body bleeding into his own. Far from repulsing him, that heat had him squirming to get closer. “Remember when I healed you?” Drekk asked.

“You bled on me.”

“The healing agent I possess is in my fluids.” Drekk paused. “I know you’re still hurting. I see it when you move, and you don’t smell the same.”

“How do I smell?” The thought amused him, though he couldn’t have said why.

“Like you need me.” Drekk’s quiet answer puzzled him.

“What?”

“I’m going to give you something to ease your pain.” Drekk seemed to be waiting, for what Ryen didn’t know.

Ryen caught a different scent. Something soothing, a tangy wildness that lingered just beneath calm, centred male. Drekk. Ryen breathed deep, wanting more.

“That’s it.”

A hand stroked his face, and Ryen turned into the unfamiliar comfort of touch. Fiery need raced through his body.

“I didn’t want to do it this way, but you’re so damned stubborn.” Drekk sighed. “The sad part of it is you won’t remember it later.” Drekk shifted on the bed and Ryen sensed the male over him. “I’m going to give you the release you’ve been craving.” Ryen’s body tightened with understanding, even if he still felt fuzzy about what Drekk meant. Did Drekk mean release as in—

He hissed as a mouth engulfed him completely. Heat, delicious wet heat surrounded his cock. The suction stole his very breath before it disappeared. Ryen growled in frustration, arching his hips for more.

“You need that, don’t you? But the only way to get what you want is to open that mouth wide. Take what I give you and swallow it down. Understand?” The silky command underlying Drekk’s question prodded the submissive tendencies buried deep in Ryen’s psyche.

To his astonishment, the menace in Drekk’s voice aroused him even more. Ryen nodded, too much in need and overpowered by whatever Drekk had given him to think straight. He felt Drekk manoeuvre over him. Operating on feeling, he opened his mouth wide.

Something brushed his lips and pushed through.

Drekk’s cock.

Ryen’s Handler would have been repulsed. Men and women copulated for pleasure, but men who used men were perverted, unclean. Such had been drilled into Ryen the one and only time he’d questioned same sex couplings. Despite his Handler’s teachings, the impulse to push a male away didn’t come. Whether Ryen’s acceptance was due to the mutual pleasure he expected or not, he didn’t know. A surprising need to take what was offered shook him. He pulled harder on the chains binding him tight and closed his mouth around Drekk, sucking as he did so.

Drekk groaned and released Ryen’s shaft. “Just so you know, my saliva would work as well to heal you, but in such small quantities it would take forever to restore you.” Ryen half heard what he said, his focus entirely on the foreign, but sweet flesh in his mouth. The more he tasted, the greater his thirst. He sucked, pulling on the shaft with lips and tongue. Drekk withdrew, then pushed back in, a light thrust that surged a fraction deeper. Ryen grunted and sucked him harder, and Drekk pushed in so hard he nearly gagged.

“Take it all,” Drekk said thickly. “Like this.” He took Ryen back in his mouth, cupping his balls with his hand. The pleasure extreme, Ryen mimicked everything Drekk did with his mouth. They surged inside one another, mouths and tongues sucking and licking.

Ryen didn’t understand why or how, but the fury normally balled up inside him began to dissipate even as his hunger to release grew. Drekk fucked his mouth while Ryen arched up into the ecstasy of Drekk’s warmth. Moans and grunts circulated between them, animalistic need building as finesse was lost under raw hunger.

Time seemed to stand still as they exchanged pleasure.

Ryen sucked especially hard. With a low groan Drekk spewed, his seed rushing down Ryen’s throat. Excited by the taste of Drekk’s passion, Ryen continued to swallow as he bucked under Drekk’s persuasive tongue. Those hard, callused hands cupping and massaging his balls teased at his thighs, his ass.

And then Drekk stunned him by sliding a finger towards Ryen’s anus. Drekk swirled his tongue along the base of Ryen’s cockhead, and with a particularly hard suck, shoved the tip of his finger between Ryen’s cheeks. The intrusion shocked Ryen past control. Forcing Drekk’s cock from his mouth, he caught his breath as ecstasy crashed over him. Drekk pushed his finger in deeper, triggering the desired effect.

Coming hard, Ryen exploded down Drekk’s throat. Shoving deeper when that small finger inched higher, Ryen strained against the chains holding him tight, trying to get as deep as he could into Drekk’s perfect mouth.

Moments later, when he could think again, calm settled over him. Ryen could only lay there, his eyes glued shut, his mind and body lethargic.

“Sleep now. You’ll be better by morning.” A soft touch caressed his forehead, the press of hard lips warm with passion. The need for rest overtook him, and within moments Ryen fell asleep, at peace for the first time in his short life.

Chapter Two

Drekk frowned at Ryen’s slumbering form and left before he succumbed to temptation and joined him in bed. He grabbed a set of clothes, dressed and headed out the door, sealing the unconscious male inside.

For the past few weeks he’d watched and waited, wondering how long Ryen might take before asking for help. He should have known better. Erin, Ryen’s sister, had told him as much. But he’d thought he could outwait the stubborn male.

“Why the hell live in pain if you don’t have to?” Granted, Drekk doubted Ryen had considered a blow job as a means to heal. His dick twitched, feeling Ryen’s mouth all over again. Good night, but he hadn’t expected to feel any of that. The sexual frenzy Drekk had anticipated. He’d felt a furious attraction from the minute he’d laid eyes on Ryen. Though Ryen avoided any subject pertaining to his own needs, Drekk wasn’t unaware of the lingering stares Ryen gave him when he thought no one was watching. But the quagmire of feeling accompanying his physical reaction... Drekk didn’t know what to make of it.

He’d experienced much in the millennia of his existence, but never such chemistry with another. Perhaps that explains it. Chemical attraction. Drekk also couldn’t ignore the empathy he felt for Ryen. He’d seen Ryen tear men apart, had witnessed the male injured, nearly dead, which brought back memories of Drekk’s first time away from the labs, a memory he quickly suppressed.

Freedom always came at a price, Drekk reminded himself as he entered his rover and manually drove to his associate’s house. He needed distance, time to get his mind off of Ryen and back on his job. His friend and partner, Rafe of Mardu, was an undercover peacemaker who used the cover of Cheltam, a criminal with connections the System wide. As only one of a handful of people who knew what Drekk truly was, Rafe held a coveted tenet of trust. The rest of the System wouldn’t hesitate to kill a hated Creation—a being not born from under the gods’ watchful eyes, but by mans’ clumsy hands.

The current standing order among both civilians and peacemakers mandated certain annihilation of any and all Creations. The System council had justification for enacting such a decree. Years before Drekk’s time, scientists on planet Eyra created beings meant to serve the greater good. Instead, those same ‘Creations’ had turned into genius, raving psychotics that killed half the planet’s inhabitants and began a takeover of the System. The Eyran War of 2845 had ended badly for all involved, with the Creations and their Creators deemed the biggest losers.

The war and the law hadn’t stopped the scientists on Eyra from producing more Creations. Those handful who’d survived from Drekk’s generation blended into the populace, unlike Ryen and his family. He and his sisters had the eye and skin colour that could only belong to an artificial being. Not to mention Ryen’s sheer size and strength, which topped even that of most Raggas.

Memories of Ryen’s power stirred Drekk’s libido, and he worked to suppress the unwanted desire that continued to plague him whenever he thought about the troublesome male. His skin itched, his temples throbbed and his loins burned with an unnatural hunger; the plague of his ‘Created’ existence. Sometimes it hit harder than others. His fierce attraction to Ryen wasn’t helping matters, but Drekk resolved to push past it. He had more control than this.

Breathing deeply, he called on the meditation techniques that helped him sate the beast within. Though thoughts of Ryen still plagued him, he managed to accept his physical attraction and desire, forcing himself to be patient. Grumbling under his breath, he welcomed the rover’s sudden deceleration in speed.

The rover pulled in front of the Cheltam residence. Located in one of Tekar’s greater slums, the north-eastern sector of the small province catered to the criminal element.

Cheltam fit in right at home. The area around the street remained empty, though plenty of eyes watched his progress as Drekk made his way into Rafe’s secure mausoleum. After several twists and turns, Drekk found the study and entered unannounced.

Rafe, as usual, sat at his desk, his golden eyes narrowed as they stared at Drekk without welcome. Drekk glanced to Rafe’s right, aware his lack of greeting had more to do with Erin’s state of undress than any real hostility on Drekk’s behalf.

“Drekk?”

He smiled at the scantily clad woman. Erin wore a black skirt that barely covered her ass. Her shirt was unbuttoned to her navel. Golden skin glittered with arousal as she nervously stepped away from Rafe. Still, she glowed with happiness, and Drekk couldn’t fault Rafe for wanting to keep her all to himself. The woman had beauty and brains, and a fierce love for the man she’d claimed with her whole heart.

“Erin. You look wonderful.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek, aware the action would annoy Rafe to no end.

“You need something, Drekk?” Rafe growled.

“Just wanted to double-check the status of our next job.” Drekk sat in an antique Elaran arm chair.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Rafe muttered, then began an hour-long discussion on what their next project entailed—exposing a detailed scam involving crooked peacemakers and illegal mining from the Cortami caves in barbarian lands. “But the mining ring isn’t going anywhere. Like I told you before, we’re clear for a solid week.”

“Good. I can use the break.” As can Ryen. “So what’s the story on your brother?”

“Which one?” Rafe snorted. “Gar has a lead on Sernal, finally. The ass doesn’t want my help, so I’m not going to interfere. Yet.”

Drekk wondered at Rafe’s calm. Sernal, Rafe’s oldest brother, had been missing for several days. The second oldest, Gar, was after him. And Gar on his own, without someone to rein him in, was never a good idea. “You’re letting Gar take charge of Sernal’s rescue?”

“We still don’t know it’s a rescue,” Erin added, circling behind Rafe. She twined her arms around his neck and leaned close. “Gar only said he’d found Sernal and would soon bring him home.”

“Have I told you how glad I am that I don’t have brothers?” Drekk chuckled.

“Speaking of brothers...” Erin stared, waiting.

“He’s doing better.” Since I forced him to ease up. Drekk crossed his legs recalling such ‘ease’. Who knew Ryen had such a talented mouth?

“He wasn’t the last time I saw him.” Erin frowned. “Ryen looked pissed off, more agitated than usual. He needs me to help him.”

“He’s not ready to see you yet. Your brother is a stubborn, arrogant ass. He has no concept of what the phrase ‘I need help’ means, and he gets a thrill from bugging the crap out of me.”

“He likes you.” Rafe grinned. “I say that with surety because you’re not dead yet.”

“Rafe.”

“Erin.” Rafe shook his head. “You know I’m right. Ryen’s a lot calmer around Drekk than he is around the rest of us. Besides, Drekk’s dealt with this kind of situation before. Let him help your brother.”

Erin studied him for a moment, then sighed. “Alright. But I want you to bring him by soon. Please?”

Drekk nodded. “I will. I promise.”

“Erin, why don’t you give Drekk and me a chance to talk,” Rafe suggested. “Go wait for me in the bedroom and take off your clothes. Make sure you’re nice and wet for me.” Erin flushed. “Not in front of Drekk,” she rebuked in a low voice.

Drekk didn’t know why she felt embarrassed. Not long ago he’d watched her and Rafe engage in some delightful carnality that made him long to share the same...with Ryen. He could all too easily imagine taking Ryen’s virgin ass, of wrapping his fist around that monstrous cock and watching it explode.

“Do it now.” Rafe’s order had the desired effect. Erin glared at her mate before turning on her heel. Despite her glower, arousal wafted around her. The natural submissive in Erin responded to the dominance in her mate. Drekk couldn’t help wondering if Ryen would ever respond in kind.

“That scent goes straight to your head,” Drekk murmured as she flounced from the room.

“It does. She’s not happy with me, so she’ll make me pay. I love it when she makes me pay.” Rafe grinned, and Drekk grinned with him. “Now tell me what the hell is really going on with Ryen.”

“Like I told Erin—”

“Please. After five years, I know you a little better than that. Is Ryen as bad off as I think he is?”

“Not now.” The orgasm and the amount of seed he’d swallowed had healed much of his pain and rage. How long that would last was anyone’s guess. “He needs time to relearn.”

“Relearn what?”

“How to respond to others without violence. Even when he spent time with Anin, he was always poised to protect her. The man was bred to fight.”

“Which makes him perfect to work with us. Imagine the two of you working for Cheltam. I’ll be the talk of the town.”

“Braggart. You already are. No one can take their eyes off Erin. I do believe her Creators took the best of every Nebite pleasurer in existence to Create her. Every male in the System wants her.”

Rafe took his measure, testing him. “But not you.”

“Why, because my last lover was male? I’m not discriminating about gender when it comes to relationships. Rafe, Erin is a walking wet dream.” Drekk continued as though Rafe’s anger weren’t a palpable thing. Damn, the Mardu was fun to rile. “As entertaining as I find your jealousy, no, I don’t want her. I find myself interested in her male counterpart. Ryen is every bit as beautiful as she is. He’s just...harder.”

“Really?” Rafe smirked.

“That’s not what I meant.” Though come to think of it, Ryen had been deliciously solid.

“I meant he’s harder to get to know.”

“You just make sure you can handle him. I won’t have you or Erin hurt by an uncontrollable warmonger.” Rafe sobered. “If it comes to it, I’ll take care of the situation.” Drekk knew he meant it. “Don’t worry. I’ve been around enough of my kind to know when to stop. Ryen is far from that edge.” Or so Drekk hoped. “I’m going to take the next few days to work some intense therapy with him. You have no idea what they did to him in there.”

“Erin told me some of what she went through. She said Ryen suffered ten times worse.

After seeing what he did to those assholes at the labs, I can readily believe it.” Rafe grimaced.

“Help him, but be careful. I’ve gotten used to that ugly face of yours. I don’t want to break in a new enforcer.”

“You still owe me from the last job we did. I’m not going anywhere until I’m paid in full, Cheltam. Now go take care of your woman before she brings half the city down on your bedroom. Her pheromones are all over the place.” Drekk stood sporting a hard-on. “Unless you don’t want her, because I’d be happy to—”

“Get the hell gone.” Rafe cursed and stormed from the room. “Erin,” Drekk heard him yell. “Tone it down before I smack that ass bright red. And if you don’t want to be punished all night, I suggest you be waiting for me on your hands and knees.”

“Ah, true love.” Drekk chuckled and let himself out the front door, eager to return to the male he considered his responsibility.

In the rover heading home, he pondered his troubled housemate. The drugs Ryen had ingested would wear off in a few hours. How would Ryen behave then? He wouldn’t remember what Drekk had done. From what Ryen had told him about his psychotic Handler, Drekk knew it was for the best.

Synster, that homophobic prick, had tortured Ryen repeatedly for four years. The physical and emotional abuse had forced Ryen to shut down, letting his anger build. That constant rage needed an outlet, one provided by the labs in the forms of warfare and orgiastic repast. Considering what Drekk knew about Ryen’s appetites, it was no wonder the male had a hard time releasing that inner rage.

Yet it was that storm in Ryen that gave Drekk hope. The violent Creations Drekk had encountered over the years wouldn’t hesitate to hurt others to relieve that pressing ache.

Ryen refused to take a female, worried for her safety. Such consideration spoke of his character even as it added to his burden. If he wouldn’t sate his needs, they’d grow. And they had. The Cortami barbarians should consider themselves lucky they’d only lost two of their number when Ryen could have easily killed them all.

It had taken strong pheromones along with the opiate he’d given Ryen to calm the male. Though Drekk didn’t want to presume, he thought perhaps his seed had done the same. Ryen certainly succumbed to passion quicker than Drekk would have thought, especially considering Ryen’s bias against same sex encounters. Then again, Ryen had need.

Drekk shifted to relieve some of the tension from his uncomfortable erection. Just thinking about Ryen aroused him. An irritating reaction, one he couldn’t remember ever having before, even with Master. What that man could do with restraints...

Shaking off such carnal thoughts, Drekk focused on his current mission. To make Ryen whole. To that end, Drekk needed patience. He would ease Ryen into his new life with kindness and understanding. After they talked about Ryen’s feelings, his needs and... Shit.

Who the hell was he kidding? That approach had failed dismally with Drekk. Why did he assume Ryen would respond well to niceties? The bastard had head-butted him, for stars sake.

Such violence, such hunger. Drekk knew well those feelings, which made him want to help Ryen all the more. He felt a kinship with the stubborn male because they were so much alike. He wanted badly to hold Ryen tight and soothe his aches, as much as he wanted to push him away as far as he could.

The memories, the violent urges that possessed Ryen lay buried in Drekk, as evidenced by his recent need to meditate. As hard as Drekk worked to exorcise those demons, they never quite disappeared, nor would they. Predisposed towards chaotic aggression, he struggled to overcome those ever-present tendencies. Working for Cheltam helped a lot.

Purpose, the need to protect and serve directed in an altruistic light made his life worth living.

Serving will help Ryen as well, if the stubborn lout will let me in. ‘Nice’ didn’t work with me.

No, but remember what did.

Drekk turned right at the next intersection, a new destination in mind. He exited the rover and entered the large, underground store with a goal. Bypassing the whips and rods, he lingered over the collars. He selected one and continued on, adding items as he imagined working on Ryen. Picking up a pair of magnecuffs, Drekk moved to a vast assortment of bright and shiny objects. It’s all about control, he remembered his Handler say as if it were yesterday. Which gave him a hell of an idea...

Chapter Three

Ryen groaned and rubbed his temples, a monster of a headache swamping him. He eased his legs off the bed—the bed? How the hell did I get into a bed? The last thing he remembered he’d engaged Drekk, finally, into a bloody fight. A glance down at himself showed no wounds at all.

“Must not have been that good of a fight.” Ryen rotated his arms and legs and rubbed his stomach. He felt fine, better than fine, in fact. His constant aches no longer bothered him.

For the first time in a long time, he felt strong, healthy, and surprisingly calm. Still, he couldn’t overlook the fact that he wore nothing but strange bands around his wrists and ankles in a room he’d never before seen.

He glanced around. Something about this place reminded him of the cells he’d been raised in on Eyra. Yet, the tidiness of his surroundings felt warm. Pictures of outlying planets and galaxies graced the walls. The surfaces in the room were clean without smelling of that hideous antiseptic always present in the labs.

Ryen stood and his headache vanished. No pain, neat quarters and the sense of peace?

Too good to be true. Wanting a weapon, Ryen searched but found nothing more than a locked armoire—one he couldn’t breach. Dammit. Not a hint of closet, lav, or anything else resembling a typical berthing quarters. Good thing I don’t have to take a piss.

Turning his attention to the bands, Ryen tried to remove them and found that he couldn’t. Frustrated, he again explored the room from top to bottom. Except for the armoire and the monster of a bed, there was nothing, which made no sense. Concentrating, Ryen finally spied a door that blended seamlessly into the blue-grey walls. Intent on escape, he reached the door as it opened.

A beautiful woman stared up at him in awe. “Drekk, you never mentioned how hot he was. Flor, look at those eyes.” Ryen moved back as she entered with Drekk on her heels.

His relief at seeing Drekk should have annoyed him, but for some reason it didn’t. Ryen waited for an explanation. What he got instead aroused him into a full-out hard-on.

“I brought you something to apologise for yesterday,” Drekk said in a gravelly voice.

At his words, the comely female began to strip out of her clothing. She had large breasts, full hips and a slightly rounded belly. Just the type Ryen normally avoided, afraid of hurting such softness.

The woman smiled and, bold as you please, took hold of Ryen’s cock. She massaged with such expertise he couldn’t doubt her occupation.

“Pleasurer,” he muttered, trying not to fall into a rut.

“Tenth class, baby.” She cupped his balls before she went down to her knees in front of him.

Tenth class meant expensive, and damned if she didn’t prove her worth.

“Glaia’s got a great mouth,” Drekk murmured as she sucked Ryen.

The whole situation felt surreal, moreso when Drekk removed his shirt and pants until he wore nothing but skin. His huge cock grew as Ryen stared.

“That’s hot, Glaia. Really good.” Drekk stroked himself as he watched them.

“Drekk?” Ryen moaned. “What’s this about?” The need to release his scent, to trap the female and Drekk close, pushed at him. For that reason, he held it tight. Control it, don’t let it control you.

The woman released his shaft and grinned. “Pleasure, baby. Come down to your knees for me.” She went down on all fours and waited, licking her lips.

Drekk nodded. “Trust me, Glaia doesn’t disappoint.” Not sure what the hell was going on, Ryen couldn’t deny his lust. On his knees, he waited with anticipation. The woman’s ruby-red lips parted as she took his length balls deep.

She knew just how hard to press him. The grip of her lips and the stroke of her tongue took the edge off, just what he needed. Then Drekk knelt behind her and desire rushed Ryen as he understood what Drekk meant to do. Unable to contain it, Ryen’s scent wrapped around the trio. The woman moaned and sucked harder. Drekk held his weeping cock, his eyes turning completely black as he inhaled. He watched Ryen as he nudged Glaia’s knees apart, angled himself, and pushed forward.

Ryen thought it the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. Drekk’s massive cock disappeared inch by inch into Glaia’s pussy. Watching Drekk take Glaia gave him a sense of satisfaction Ryen was hard pressed to name. It was as if she bridged them together. Ryen had the incredible feeling that he was fucking Drekk, that if he pushed hard enough they might touch.

“Glaia likes it rough.” Drekk grunted, his gaze glued to Ryen’s. “Fuck her mouth, Ryen, don’t baby her.”

“Don’t want to hurt her,” he rasped, holding onto his control.

“Do it.” Drekk’s command, coupled with Glaia’s moan as she raked him with her teeth, shot his control all to hell.

“You want more, honey?” Happy to oblige, Ryen fucked her mouth as hard as Drekk pounded into her. Like a well-oiled machine, they took her in a rhythm that soon had them tensing with approaching climax.

Drekk groaned. “Milk it, Glaia. That’s it. Oh yeah, I’m coming.” To his surprise, Ryen was too. Watching Drekk tense and spill pushed him into doing the same. He shouted as he filled Glaia’s mouth to overflowing. She greedily drank what she could of him and climaxed several times before he withdrew.

“Glaia’s stimulated by seed,” Drekk said thickly. “She likes a lot of cum.” Drekk pulled out, his dick shiny and thick. He blinked hard at Ryen before shoving back into her, thrusting in and out. “Damn, Ryen. I think I’m coming again. That scent...” Ryen released a tremendous amount of pheromone into the air, wanting to see it happen. To his delight, Drekk pulled out of Glaia and shot all over her back.

The urge to lean over Glaia, to smell, touch and taste the essence of Drekk felt too compelling to resist.

Even as he knew he should be repulsed by such thoughts, Ryen leaned forward and rubbed Drekk’s cum into Glaia’s back. She arched and purred like a kitten. Ryen experienced the same contentment, which surprised him. Normally it took several females, one after another or all-together, to relieve his urges. This day it took one pleasurer...and Drekk’s company.

He stared down at his sticky hand rubbing Glaia’s back and stilled. What the hell am I doing? Yanking his gaze to Drekk as he wiped his hand on his stomach, he saw that Drekk appeared mesmerised by the action.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Drekk asked, his voice low and seductive.

“So good,” Glaia moaned as Drekk withdrew and helped her to her feet. He showed her to the hidden lav. When he turned around, he and Ryen shared silence.

“I guess I should thank you.” Ryen didn’t know what to think. What did Drekk mean by sharing this woman for sex? And why couldn’t Ryen tear his gaze from the male?

Between Drekk’s impressive cock and his sparkling grey eyes, Ryen couldn’t look away.

“You’re welcome.”

“Right.”Ryen clenched and unclenched his fists. “So how the hell did I get here? What are these bands?” He held his wrists out to Drekk.

“You’re at my place. After I soundly trounced your ass yesterday, I felt bad.” He winked at Ryen. Mr. Stoic winked. “I brought you back here and knocked you out.”

“Yeah, with some kind of scent. Some knock-out drug? What did you use on me?”

“My secret.”

Drekk’s cock, amazingly, swelled again. Ryen’s responded in kind, and he wondered if all male Creations had the same drive. Embarrassed by Drekk’s sly grin, he turned and paced, willing his mind away from Drekk—from sex.

“I want my clothes back. I have to go.”

Drekk sat on the bed and lay back, his hands behind his head. “Why?”

“Why? There’s no why. I want to go.” The thought of imprisonment was enough to spike his adrenaline, ruining the peace he’d just experienced. “You can’t keep me here.” Drekk sighed. “Ryen, you killed two of those barbarians last night. I had to dance around their overlord to prevent him from seeking Barbarian justice. So think about what you’re rushing out to do. This is all new to you, your freedom. And it’s precious. You don’t want to lose it before you can appreciate it, do you?”

“No.” Ryen opened his senses but caught nothing more than Drekk’s willingness to help him. “I want to remain free. What I don’t understand is why you’re helping me.” Drekk glanced at the door to the lav before he answered. “Someone once helped me, and I’m trying to return the favour. You don’t know how many ‘friends’ I’ve had to put down because they wouldn’t take my help. Out of control, they were a danger to themselves and everyone around them. You know what that’s like.” Ryen didn’t want to understand. He didn’t know what he might have said had Glaia not exited the lav. Drekk rolled off the bed and escorted her to the door. He whispered something in her ear that had her laughing and looking back at Ryen.

“Bye, handsome. Anytime you want more fun, you come to Sacha’s at the quad and ask for me.” Glaia sighed. “Yummy.”

Drekk paused with her at the door and said to Ryen, “Wait here for me. Please?” Ryen should have demanded to leave. Should have pushed past Drekk given the opportunity. “Don’t make me wait long,” he growled, wondering why he stayed.

Smiling, Drekk escorted Glaia away.

Ryen waited with a patience that pleased him. He might be annoyed with Drekk for so many unanswered questions, but he couldn’t fault the man’s attempt to apologise.

Glaia had one helluva mouth.

Drekk returned to find the bedroom empty. A noise from the lav answered that question. Sated and pleased with Glaia’s visit, Drekk pressed a few buttons on his hidden control panel. The bedroom engineered two chairs, a dresser and unlocked the armoire.

Drekk pulled Ryen’s clothing from his bottom drawer and set out something for the male to wear.

Then, taking a deep breath, he walked into the lav. The sight of Ryen’s face titled up, his eyes closed as water and solar rays bathed him from head to toe, stoked Drekk’s lust into a roar. Which made no sense considering he’d climaxed twice not minutes ago.

Tamping down his lust—which he thankfully found easy to handle—he held onto his pheromones and waited for Ryen to finish. Much as he would have liked to join the male in the shower, he didn’t think Ryen was ready for that yet. A glance at Ryen’s cuffs had him grinning. Not ready yet, but soon.

“You going to stare at me all day?” Ryen asked, his eyes still closed.

“Just until you get your tight ass out of my shower. I’m a little sticky.” Drekk swore Ryen blushed. “Glaia’s good, hmm?”

“Yeah.” Ryen said nothing more and left the shower. Drekk handed him a towel, deliberately grazing Ryen’s fingers as he did so. The short frown on Ryen’s face satisfied him.

“I’ll be right out. Clothes are on the bed for you. You have the run of the house, but I’d ask you not to leave until we talk.” The first test. He’d left the bedroom door open. He’d also programmed the cuffs not to move past the front and rear entrances of his domicile. The windows had also been magnetically sealed.

Ryen nodded as he dried himself, then left the lav.

Drekk wondered how difficult today would prove. A new game plan, outstanding sex, Ryen’s compliance...

“Controlling asshole,” roared from the other room.

So much for compliance. Sighing, Drekk took his time in the lav. After drying and dressing, he left his bedroom. In the outer room staring out one of two large, laser-proof windows, he found Ryen clad in the clothes he’d laid out for him—trousers and a thin white sleeveless shirt. Annoyance, not fury, darkened Ryen’s beautiful eyes to a midnight blue.

“Why am I a prisoner here when you told me I wouldn’t be?” So sexy when riled. Drekk walked past him to the dining area, aware that by giving his back to Ryen he showed a measure of trust. Thankfully, Ryen didn’t attack, which meant that sex had a remarkable effect on the male. So far so good.

“Are you hungry?”

Ryen glared. “Yeah.”

“Two glar steaks, frell and blan juice.” Drekk waited for the processor to work. “I feel just like my Creator when I order breakfast.”

Ryen blinked in surprise, then gifted Drekk with a rare smile.

The processor finished and Drekk took Ryen’s plate and his own to the table by the second window. “Grab the drinks, would you?”

Ryen did so and sat with him. He looked as if he wanted to say something but the scent of food must have taken his will to argue. As he ate, Drekk explained the reason for Ryen’s ‘imprisonment’.

“The reason you’re here, my friend, is that you need help. No, no arguing while you eat. Hear me out while you devour your meal.”

Ryen frowned but said nothing more and tucked into his food. The return of his appetite relieved Drekk. For the past week the giant had eaten half that much. It seemed Ryen was truly on the road to recovery. Physically, at least.

“As a Creation, we’re built to submit,” Drekk continued. “The first generation of us didn’t take, as you know. They were weak, barely able to function unless told to breathe every day. The second batch was no better. The monsters tortured and killed thousands.

“Those didn’t work either. Gradually, the Creators realised they needed to incorporate both submissive and dominant markers into our genetic coding. Unlike many in the System, we don’t have a choice about our natures. Our traits aren’t environmentally stimulated, but programmed.”

“I know,” Ryen said quietly.

“My generation looked promising. We appeared normal. We even acted normal, for the first few decades of our lives. Then, I’m afraid, science proved, once again, that man shouldn’t tamper with things best left in the gods’ hands. Many of my line became homicidal. Those that didn’t killed themselves.” He remembered too clearly the deaths of his friends. Watching Mertan kill his Creator before he understood what he’d done and killed himself.

“Drekk?”

“Death and madness descended,” Drekk said in a hoarse voice. He cleared his throat, aware Ryen watched him without blinking. “I managed to escape with a few others who’d retained their sanity. My only regret is that I failed to kill my Handler. My Creator didn’t fare so well.”

“Good.”

“Once I escaped, I tore through the System looking for a place to hide. The hungers, the need to destroy filled me for years. Like the rest, I was tainted with warring desires. The relief I craved wouldn’t come.” What he’d done before he’d found salvation still haunted him. “Then I happened upon a planet in the outer rim. A man unlike any I’d ever met showed me how to deal with my feelings. How to make the pain go away.”

“Another Creation?” Ryen asked.

“I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me anything about himself, not even his name. He told me to call him Master.”

Ryen frowned. “Master?”

“Distasteful, but he was kind, nice, pleasant. He drove me fucking nuts.”

“Tell me about it.”Ryen’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on Drekk.

“I tried to kill him several times. To my surprise, he overpowered me. He looked like a Mardu, or even a Nebite. He had pleasing features but not the brawn or overt strength to overtake me, so I thought.”

“A weaker man conquered you, and you enjoyed it?” Ryen’s distaste showed Drekk what he’d suspected of the larger male. Ryen didn’t know what it meant to truly submit. In the labs he’d been forced to endure, to lose to those weaker than himself. Which was why he constantly chafed at Drekk’s decision not to fight him. Ryen didn’t understand yet, but he craved submission—freedom. Until he resolved those conflicting parts within himself, he always would.

“That’s just it, Ryen. Master wasn’t weaker. His internal strength showed me how to control myself. How to adjust to accept who and what I was. Through Master’s teachings, I learned to be myself. To love women and men. To see without prejudice.”

“A lot of bullshit.” Ryen shook his head. “Come on, Drekk. Admit it. You got your ass handed to you by somebody stronger and he broke you.”

“You don’t understand. But you will.” Drekk stared at Ryen’s cuffs.

Ryen tensed. “Explain.”

“When Glaia brought you to bliss, what did you feel?” he asked, avoiding a direct response.

Ryen looked as if he meant to argue, surprising Drekk when he answered. “At ease. Her mouth took me to bliss. The rage I normally feel wasn’t there.”

“Exactly. Like your time in the labs, sexual surrender relieved you.”

“It’s not surrender.”

“You physically release and a part of you that hungers is fed. In the labs, how else did you find a measure of sanity? By fighting, as you’d been bred to.”

“I fuck and I fight. Easy answers.”

So why haven’t you found that same peace here on Mardu? “Let me ask you something else.

In the four months of limited freedom you had from the labs before they found you again, were you happy?”

“What the hell kind of question is that? I wasn’t free. I was on constant guard defending Anin. You think I have issues? That poor girl could barely function without my guidance. I helped her to decide for herself, to live with a measure of independence, before they found us again.”Ryen narrowed his gaze. “I still want to see her. How do I know those bastard Raggas are helping her? I’m supposed to take your word for it?”

“Yes.” Drekk finished his meal and smiled. “That was really good. I worked up an appetite this morning.” And he meant to do so again.

“Look, you little prick, I want answers. I’ve tried to be patient—”

“A stretch, I’m sure.”

“—but I’m done. I want out of here and I want to see Anin.”

“Your sister is relearning just as you are. Don’t tell anyone on Mara’s Light this, but I’d trust Erin with those Raggas, and you know I hold your sister in high regard. Nu and Set Fas won’t harm a female. It’s not in their ‘bastard Ragga’ nature. What you need to focus on is you, Ryen. Anin will be fine.”

“Yeah, well, you won’t be if I don’t get the explanations I need.”

“You always want to fight. I thought sex would have left you in a calmer state, at least for while. I can see I need to re-evaluate things.” Ryen knocked his chair back as he pushed to his feet. He reached for Drekk.

“I’m sorry, but this is for your own good.” Drekk pushed the button of the small handheld device he had in his pocket.

Ryen froze. “You son of a bitch,” he snarled, struggling with the bands stifling his mobility. “I’m going to tear you apart.”

“Not smart to tell me that.” Drekk finished his juice, aware of his own skyrocketing temperature. Ryen in a rage excited him. His cock throbbed with need, fuelled by the memories of things they’d already done together. Standing, he decided to take Ryen’s mind off his imprisonment with the truth.

“What the fuck is that?” Ryen paled, his gaze glued to Drekk’s tented trousers.

“A hard-on.”

Ryen swallowed nervously, and Drekk couldn’t wait until Ryen swallowed him again.

“I, ah, I know you like women and men. But if you even think about fucking me...”

“Ryen, I think about it all the time. What it would feel like to stick my dick between those lovely cheeks, to ream that tight, virgin ass. I’d love to suck that strong cock, to taste your seed as it flowed down my throat.” To Drekk’s delight, Ryen grew a massive erection.

“Cut it out.”

“Your Handler had a real problem with men loving men, didn’t he? Did he tell you of the evils of anal sex? Did he convince you that only a woman could contain a man’s seed?” Drekk took pity on Ryen’s panic. Learned behaviour has to be unlearned. “It’s okay. They told me that too.”

“Then why are you hard?” Ryen pulled at his arms. “You think you can rape me and I’ll suddenly be healed?”

“Not at all.” Drekk walked around the table and stared into Ryen’s eyes. “I have never raped another, nor will I. Relax on that score.”

Ryen let out a deep breath.

“With you it won’t be rape. Why do you think you want to fight me all the time? Did you want to fight your Handler as much? Your Creator? Did you want to dominate them?” Ryen snorted. “I did dominate them. The only way they controlled me was through artificial means.” Ryen glared at his bands. “A coward’s way.” Anger pulsed and Drekk immediately willed it away. He’d never liked being called a coward, as his Handler knew. Pride had been a huge failing of his, and still was, to some extent. “Ryen, I don’t want to hurt you. A fight between us will be ugly, one I don’t want to win. My class of Creations could...” he paused before he blurted a few truths no one knew.

Truths he had no intention of ever sharing.

“Pussy.”

“You leave me breathless with your compliments,” Drekk said dryly. “My ass is better than any pussy you’ll ever get. And why does that arouse you, I wonder?”

“Fuck off.”

“I will. Trust me on that. Ryen, I think the answer to your problem is to show you how sexual dominance and submission really work. We’ll start with the magnecuffs until you progress to a point where I won’t have to physically control you to make you submit.”

“Get rid of these damned cuffs and fight me like a man. Let’s put an end to this.” Ryen sounded desperate. He strained at his bonds as his erection strained against his trousers.

“An end I have no intention of allowing, not until you’re past your rages.” Drekk sighed and took out the controller. “Allow voice command, broad range,” he instructed. He left the room to hide the controller, then returned to Ryen. “I don’t want to hurt you. I want to heal you. Can’t you trust me, Ryen?”

“Go to hell.”

“That’s what I thought. Now we’ll do it the hard way.”

Chapter Four

Ryen didn’t know how to free himself from the magnecuffs. Fuck. He glared as Drekk advanced, pissed as hell that he’d given the man the advantage. What bothered him even more was the fact that Drekk’s arousal pushed his out of control. He hungered for Drekk’s touch, even as he knew he should feel repulsed by it.

Drekk made no apology for his desire. Hell, he’d told Ryen flat out he wanted to fuck him. Why did those words make Ryen so uncomfortably aroused?

“You’re not natural, Drekk,” he said in a hoarse voice. “Sex with men is—”

“Not allowed?” Drekk chuckled and walked around him, as if eyeing up a prize stallion. “We’re free men, Ryen. What we want and desire is natural. In case you hadn’t noticed, I haven’t released my scent. You, however, have.” To his horror, Ryen realised he’d loosed his pheromones to bring Drekk closer. And not to engage him in battle.

“It’s okay,” Drekk said softly. He palmed Ryen’s cheek.

The sensation of comfort scared the hell out of Ryen, who yanked his head back and cursed.

“So difficult. You’re going to be a hard one to break, aren’t you?” Drekk murmured and cupped his own arousal. Ryen wanted nothing more than to put his own hand there, an unnerving discovery that made him fight harder.

“’Hard one to break’? Set me free of these cuffs and I’ll show you the breaks.” Ryen sneered. “I’ll rip off your dick and shove it up your own ass. How do you think that will feel?”

Drekk raised a brow, his grey eyes glinting with...humour? “So imaginative. Ryen, the minute you put your hand on my cock, you’re not going to want to rip it off. Anything but that.” Drekk moved behind him. He ran his hand over Ryen’s back and rubbed his ass with a firmness that made Ryen want to spread his legs wider.

Drekk reached between his legs to cup his aching balls. Shit.

“What you need is to face some unpleasant truths,” Drekk said softly as he caressed Ryen’s sack. “You’re living the life your Handler made for you, Ryen. Let go of what he told you to feel and recognise what your body wants. If you didn’t like my touch, you wouldn’t be rock hard and hurting right now, would you?”

‘Rock hard’ described him exactly. “My Handler is long gone. Synster has no hold over me. He never did.”

“Then why is your desire for another male unnatural?” Drekk asked as he let go of Ryen and circled to his front. “You came in Glaia’s mouth, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” Ryen answered. “I fucked her good and hard, though I didn’t want to.” Anger surged. “I could have hurt her.”

Drekk gripped Ryen’s erection and squeezed. “That’s how I know you’re a man worth saving. A ravaging Creation would have fucked her no matter her wants and safety. You’re a good man, Ryen. You just need to release your anger to see it.”

“Let go of me,” Ryen said hoarsely.

“Why? Afraid you might come?”

Hell yes. “Let go.” To his dismay, Drekk did so.

“I don’t think you understand, Ryen. I’m your new master.”

“The fuck you are.”

“Have you never wondered why the rage leaves you after you orgasm? Like I said, it’s that sexual surrender you need. Watch me.”

Drekk stood back and unbuttoned his trousers. Ryen wanted to look away but couldn’t tear his eyes from Drekk’s thick cock.

“I’m going to stroke myself, to let go of everything but my need for calm. At one with myself, I’m centred.” Drekk watched Ryen while he put his big hand over his cock. Up and down he jerked, his shaft tight as fluid beaded the tip. “I want to fuck you, Ryen. To feel you around me. To feel that mouth swallow me whole,” he rasped and quickened his hand.

Ryen groaned as he unconsciously arched his hips towards Drekk.

“You want me. You want to feel me as I do you. It’s natural. It’s right.” Drekk let go of his cock and fondled his balls. “See this? You make me so hard. I can’t think of anything better than fucking you. So who’s the master now, do you think?” Ryen wanted to take that cream into his mouth. To swallow Drekk’s load and feast as he gave Drekk the same.

“I’m going to come, Ryen. Do you want to watch me come?” Ryen fought the urge to say yes.

“Do you want to come? Do you want my mouth over you? My hand taking you to bliss?”

“No,” he denied, contrary to what his body wept for.

“Such a liar,” Drekk said around a taunting grin. The bastard let loose a hint of his scent and Ryen swore. “What do you want?”

Ryen wanted it all, damn Drekk. He let loose his own scent and Drekk’s grin faded.

“Tell me what you want,” Drekk said again, his eyes going totally black, his voice deep and commanding. His power curled around Ryen with such force Ryen wanted to bow down in supplication, to give over to Drekk’s control.

“Nothing.” The urge to cry struck him hard as he denied his base instincts.

“Fine. Then watch what could have been yours.” Drekk stroked himself again, faster and harder until he came. He didn’t make a sound as he jetted over his hand and belly.

Ryen licked his lips, ravenous for that something he constantly craved. So close, so within reach...

Drekk wiped his hand on his shirt before removing it. He tossed it to the ground and tucked himself back into his trousers. “That took the edge off. How ‘bout you? Cuffs, follow me.”

The bastard had the nerve to chuckle as he led Ryen back into the bedroom. Each step felt like torture as Ryen’s swollen shaft rubbed against his constricting trousers. Ryen wondered what the hell was so wrong with him that the sight of Drekk jerking off nearly had him creaming his own pants.

“You’re going to be in pain for a bit, I’m afraid.” Drekk shook his head. “Pity. I look forward to watching you spill. Unlike my generation, yours was made with pleasuring in mind. You can’t be oblivious to your attraction.” Drekk ordered Ryen to stand straight, hands at his hips, feet shoulder width apart.

“I had plenty of willing women in the labs, Drekk. I have Nebite blood in me.”

“As do I. Yet not a hint of it’s in my face.” Drekk grinned, his lips full and kissable.

Kissable? Alarmed, Ryen changed the subject. “So what’s with this? Jerking off? Making me watch? The sex talk? You think you can seduce me into succumbing? Hell, Drekk. You want to prove you’re better than me? Just take off the cuffs and fight me like a man.”

“No can do. This, my friend, is the way to go. A fight is an easy, physical solution. One that involves pain. We won’t associate pain with your surrender. It needs to be voluntary.”

“Coward.” Ryen enjoyed the brief anger that passed through Drekk’s clear gaze.

“Believe what you want, but you know, deep down, you want to give in. You want to bow to a master, to fulfil the ultimate purpose behind your existence. To Serve. I know because I’m the same. I fought, as you do. It’s not the sex so much as the desire, Ryen. I love women and I love men. We shared Glaia, didn’t we?”

“Yes.” Ryen would give anything to have her hot mouth again. He felt like he would explode.

“But she wasn’t really there, not in here.” Drekk tapped his head. “I was fucking you, Ryen.”

A wet spot on Ryen’s trousers attracted Drekk’s attention.

Drekk smiled. “Lesson number one, your dick is going to lead you into trouble.”

“Asshole.”

“Lesson number two, we’re going to will that arousal away. With meditation.”

“Shit.”

“Don’t you have a better vocabulary than that?” Drekk winced at the words Ryen threw at him. “Fine. But if you won’t let me touch you and you can’t touch yourself, how do you intend to get rid of that?” Drekk pointed at his arousal.

Ryen gritted his teeth, not amused by any of this. Much as he wanted Drekk to touch him, he held back. “I’ll deal with it.”

“Yes, until you break out in a violent rage, the way you normally do. You have to learn to control your needs, Ryen. So either I touch you or we meditate. Your call.” Knowing if he let Drekk touch him he’d go off like a shot, Ryen relented. The sooner he gave Drekk what he wanted the sooner Ryen could get out of the cuffs and kill him.

“Show me how to meditate.”

“Pity.” Drekk flexed his hands. “Cuffs, down on the floor, cross-legged, Petal One hand position. Ryen, close your eyes and breathe...”

Several tedious days later, Ryen had nearly grasped the technique. Creations were quick to learn, but even Drekk seemed surprised at Ryen’s progress.

“Very good. It took me a lot longer to focus. Takes most people months if not years to get to where you are now. Another difference between us and the rest of society.” Drekk smiled, as if pleased to be in a class all their own.

“Drekk, tell me. How is it you’re so accepting? So glad to be different?”

“I wasn’t at first. Remember, I’ve been around a lot longer than you.”

“How long?”

“A thousand years, give or take.”

“So how long did it take you to relax and ‘submit’?” Drekk frowned. “That’s not important.”

“I think it is. You’re asking a lot of me and you never share information about yourself. A few days ago you told me about this Master guy. Why is that?” Drekk remained quiet but murmured a command to allow Ryen the complete use of his body again. Fucking magnecuffs.

Though the urge to take Drekk down and give him some payback was strong, Ryen appreciated this new clarity of thought. He wouldn’t admit it, but Drekk’s meditation crap might have some merit after all.

“What do you want to know?” Drekk asked.

Bemused, Ryen wondered how to phrase his questions. He asked the one that bothered him more than the others. “How is it you like men? Women talk about you. Hell, they practically throw themselves at you. And I watched you fuck Glaia.” Ryen took a deep breath, forcing himself not to linger on the memory. He’d just regained control of his body.

Drekk shrugged. “They used to force me into the same situations you faced in the labs.

Except I fought other Creations as well as artificial intelligence. They hadn’t quite progressed to the machines you battled.” Drekk frowned. “Fighting hand to hand has a different effect on you than you’d think. It makes you hungrier.”

Drekk clenched his fists and flexed, his muscles prominent. Though he stood a head shorter and was less brawny, Drekk had a frame filled with strength. Clear lines denoted the hard abdomen and steely pectorals of his chest. His biceps and forearms had been as solid as iron when wrapped around Ryen’s neck a few days ago.

“When done fighting, I wouldn’t be satisfied unless I released. The rage would leave me, but the hunger for more grew. It would take several women before I’d ease. Like you, I had a hard time giving in to my raging lusts.

“I served my Handler well for years while I battled my inner fury. It took a long time for me to free myself. When the lot of us rebelled, we—” He suddenly stopped, uncomfortable.

“We what?”

“It’s not important. You wanted to know why I like men. It started with Master. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t kill him. We fought long and hard, and I nearly defeated him,” Drekk said quietly. “Thank the stars he prevailed. I was a wreck, close to madness after our battle. My blood mingled with his during our fight, allowing him to heal.” Drekk smiled.

“And then he fucked me.”

Ryen shifted. “Rape?”

“No. A savvy seduction that showed me a whole new world. With Master, I learned to sexually submit. In doing so I released the anger, the pain, everything that held me back from the normalcy I craved. He hurt me and he helped me. With him, I could be as rough as I needed. He handled what those other women couldn’t.”

“There must have been some time between fleeing Eyra and finding that guy. If you never took anyone by force, you must have found some women who—”

“Who could take that pain? Yes, there are women out there who can handle anything.

Some like to be beaten, caned, flogged to the point of death. It’s a sickness, Ryen. There are those out there who worship true pain for pain’s sake, not for pleasure.” He shuddered. “Our kind should never have that. Ever.”

Ryen wanted to press him but sensed now was not the time. “So how did your master seduce you?”

Drekk left the bedroom and Ryen followed. Fetching them both something to eat, Drekk nodded Ryen towards the dining area. He answered Ryen between bites of succulent fruit.

“He seduced me with word and deed. You’re very interested in my sexual submission.” Ryen flushed and kept his attention on his food. “It’s just odd. You’re a strong guy. Why would you want a man when you can have a soft woman?” Drekk chuckled. “What you really want is an explanation as to how you can want me when you’ve been warned against it your whole life.”

“Not true, I—”

“It’s not a weakness to admit what you want, to accept it. I love women too. I love their softness, their curves, so different from my own. To be deep inside a female as you suck from her breasts, to kiss her lips as you drive deep... What’s not to love? Unlike most males, I have no need to procreate. I use sex as a release, not as a drive to produce young. The same as you, Ryen. Why then are males not acceptable as receptacles for our lust?” He had a point. Ryen chewed his food, lost in thought.

“Your Handler told you it was wrong, as did mine. My master showed me another way. In certain males I can loosen that hold on my control. I don’t need to worry about how hard I grab, how deeply I thrust. Within reason, of course. Master was very strong.” The jealousy Ryen experienced shocked him. What did he care how much Drekk felt for another? A male at that?

“If your Handler had not warned you against sex with other men, would you have tried it?” Drekk asked.

Ryen found himself admitting the truth. “Yes.”

“Good. Curiosity is human, Ryen.” Drekk winked. “We were Created to be human, weren’t we? Why then wouldn’t we want to experience everything? Perhaps after you bed a male, you’ll find you don’t like it.”

Ryen hadn’t thought of that.

“What do you have to lose? If you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

“How do I know you’ll stop?” Ryen held up his wrists. “If you want to earn my trust, try it without these.”

“I would if I could trust you. I don’t. I know what it’s like in the early years. You need help with restraint.”

“You said you’re strong. You don’t need these.” Ryen glared at the magnecuffs.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

Every time Drekk mentioned hurting Ryen, Ryen’s blood spiked. The thought that Drekk had enough might to overpower him intrigued him to no end.

“You’ve done well today with the meditation. Now it’s time to relax. Pull your chair over here.”

“I could use the rest. Where should I bunk down?” Ryen deliberately ignored Drekk’s command. Nervous and not liking it, he forced himself to pretend Drekk didn’t have the upper hand. Because as much as Ryen despised the cuffs, the knowledge that he was under Drekk’s authority didn’t repulse him as it first had.

“Do I have to use the cuffs to move you? Relax, Ryen. I’m not going to hurt you.” The smirk on Drekk’s face irritated him anew. Ryen stalked to within an inch of the male and glared down at him. “I’m not scared of you, Drekk.”

“Then pull your chair next to mine and sit. I have another exercise for you to complete.” Ryen sat, as stiff as a board, prepared for an attack of some kind.

“Open your mouth.”

“What?”

“Say nothing. Open your mouth. ” When Drekk’s gaze blackened before returning to light grey, Ryen felt his will to resist fade.

More curious now than alarmed, Ryen opened his mouth. Drekk took a piece of fruit and placed it on his tongue.

“Close your eyes and your mouth and chew. Then swallow it and tell me what it tastes like.”

Ryen closed his eyes and mouth, catching the tip of Drekk’s finger in the process. The taste of salty flesh mixed with the ripe sweetness of the fruit before Drekk slipped his finger free. Ryen chewed and swallowed, hypersensitive to the weight of Drekk’s gaze, to the subtle scent of the male mixing with the fruity sensation on his tongue.

“The fruit is sweet.” He couldn’t help the rasp in his voice.

“And? What of its texture?”Drekk murmured.

Ryen started to answer when a hand landed on his thigh. He opened his eyes and stared at Drekk’s large hand.

“Close your eyes and answer the question. What of its texture?” Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Ryen closed his eyes and said, “It’s fleshy, soft and chewy. The fruit fills my mouth with juice when I bite into it.” That hand inched higher on his thigh before lowering towards his knee. The tension in the room thickened.

“Relax, Ryen. Now keep your eyes closed, open your mouth and take another bite.” Ryen didn’t understand what Drekk expected him to learn from this ‘exercise’ but didn’t see the harm in complying. The fruit tasted delicious. If Drekk got out of hand, Ryen could take him down and mute him before Drekk had an opportunity to voice-command the cuffs. He hoped.

Another piece of fruit landed on his tongue. A bit of juice dribbled down his lip. Before he could wipe it away, Drekk took it with his thumb.

The soft caress over his mouth nearly caused Ryen to choke. Such carnality in a simple touch. The hand on his leg moved from knee to upper thigh, close but not touching his hard cock, much as Ryen tried to will his desire away.

“It’s okay, Ryen. I’m familiarising you with touch. Not every male you meet wants to harm you. For so long you’ve seen men as your enemy and women as no more than sexual objects or beings to protect. I’m a male. I don’t want to hurt you. Take comfort in this contact,” Drekk said softly.

“It feels strange,” Ryen admitted, his voice huskier than he might have liked.

“But not bad.” Drekk eased his hand over Ryen’s other leg. His knuckles brushed Ryen’s groin, sending fire through Ryen’s entire body. “Not harmful.” Ryen kept his eyes shut, not wanting to see Drekk’s smug face. Drekk surprised him by saying nothing about his excitement. He continued to feed Ryen, petting him into a sensual lassitude Ryen found amazingly comforting.

Not sure how long the two of them sat there, Ryen finally noticed Drekk’s stillness.

He blinked his eyes open. Drekk stared at him with a curious look on his face, one that confused Ryen as much as it captivated him. What the hell was Drekk thinking about?

Drekk gripped his leg and patted him. To Ryen’s chagrin, Drekk seemed unfazed by their interaction, whereas Ryen had an aching erection needing ease.

“It’s been a long day. I think it’s time we turned in.” Excitement touched the dreamy reality of the moment as Ryen followed Drekk into the bedroom. Would Drekk try to take him tonight? Would the male finally mount him and fuck him? Force Ryen to suck him off, to swallow his seed?

“Remove your clothes.”

Ryen wavered on his feet. What the fuck? Baffled by his sudden weariness, Ryen put up no protest. He disrobed and remained standing, watching Drekk through half-slitted eyes.

“Now get into bed.”

Ryen lay down in the middle of the monstrous bed, consciously forcing Drekk to order him over. Though tonight had been a pleasant surprise, Ryen didn’t know what more Drekk might want from him, or if he should allow it, as much as his body wanted some ease. The past few days had been sheer hell.

“Good night, Ryen. Rest well.” Drekk left, his mysterious gaze both tender and calculating.

Bastard. Ryen thought on a yawn, and then thought no more as sleep overtook him.

Chapter Five

Ryen woke the next day to see Drekk at the foot of the bed, wide awake and smiling.

“What? You been staring at me all night?”

“In your dreams.” Drekk chuckled. “You look better.” Ryen felt better, more centred, his limbs relaxed. Damned if he’d admit it to Drekk. He stretched, satisfied when Drekk’s gaze darkened and lingered on his chest before sweeping down his front.

“I’ll meet you at the table in the front.” Drekk pivoted on one foot and left.

Maybe he’s not as calm as he’d like me to believe he is. Stars knew Ryen wasn’t. As he took care of his morning needs in the lav and dressed in clean clothes—clothes Drekk had apparently stolen out of his dwelling—Ryen pondered his new state of mind. He wouldn’t say he was miraculously healed of any and all anger, but his pressing desire to lash out wasn’t there.

Fastening his trousers, Ryen grazed his cock, not surprised when it failed to respond.

He’d been conditioned never to experience pleasure at his own hands. Creations were meant to focus on what their Handlers wanted. Sex had its place, a reward for a job well done, to soothe the savage beast. Masturbation took a warrior’s mind off his mission. If he could please himself, why work so hard to earn that sexual favour?

Drekk had taken himself in hand yesterday, Ryen remembered with startling clarity.

Like a switch, his libido turned on. His cock rose at the recollection of Drekk coming over his hand, his belly...

Damn it. Ryen willed his body under control. He even called on that crappy meditation to calm himself, and was surprised when it worked.

Stepping outside the bedroom, he paused to study Drekk grabbing their food from the processor. Drekk wore snug rak-hide trousers and a sleeveless grey shirt. He remained barefoot. More training indoors. Ryen tugged at the cuffs Drekk hadn’t activated since he’d begun the meditation training. So long as they kept this fragile peace, he might not need to.

Though Ryen still intended on some payback for this entire situation, he grudgingly admitted Drekk meant him no harm.

Truth be told, Drekk could have done anything to him. The male had openly admitted to wanting Ryen. He possessed enough strength to make life difficult, even without the cuffs.

Yet he’d helped Ryen soothe that ball of rage inside him, had touched him with reverence and gave up his bed.

Drekk glanced up and smiled. The warmth in his gaze tore down another of Ryen’s defences. How the hell could he beat Drekk senseless when the male looked at him like a...well, like a friend?

“Took you long enough,” Drekk teased. “There’s only so much water on the planet, you know.”

“Shut up.” Ryen surprised himself by enjoying the sense of camaraderie. “Where’d you sleep last night?”

“On that again.” Drekk pointed to a lump in the corner. “It really does make into a comfortable bed. Just the press of a simple button and instant comfort is mine.”

“Pneumatic pump?”

“No, Eyran technology.” Drekk’s smile dimmed. “The assholes made more than just us. They actually have a knack for nanite technology. I appropriated it years ago. Along with the design to build more.”

Ryen approved. Anything that fucked with the scientists on Eyra was okay with him.

“So what’s on board for today? You letting me go yet?”

“Are you kidding? You have yet to master your meditation. You can barely tolerate anyone touching you, and you haven’t hit the wall yet.”

“Hit the wall?”

“You haven’t come across a situation that tests your control.” Ryen snorted. “You’re still alive, aren’t you?”

“Very funny. I’m talking about a dangerous scenario. Remember, we’re going to be working for Rafe. Cheltam, his alter-ego, has some major bad-asses he deals with on a daily basis. I—hopefully we—are his defence and muscle to make things right. Ryen, this job can give you what you’ve been missing for so long. A righteous purpose. We help those in need.”

“Yeah, well, I need less lectures and more food.”

“No kidding. You eat twice as much as I do, and Rafe complains about my intake.”

“Probably because you eat gourmet. What is all this shit?”

Rare fruits and vegetables, the nutritious crap reminded him of the stuff he’d once been forced to eat in the labs. The sumptuous meat Drekk served was his only saving grace.

“You didn’t complain about the coya fruit last night.” Drekk’s bland tone contrasted with the wicked look in his eyes.

“Asshole,” Ryen muttered as he attacked the plate Drekk set before him. Much as Drekk annoyed him, the jerk also amused him.

“Damn, is that a smile I see?” Drekk stared in mock astonishment.

“Cut it out.” Ryen’s grin grew wider.

“I think I may pass out from the shock.”

“Good. Then I’ll get my hands on that controller and fly out of here.”

“Have fun searching for it.”Drekk rubbed his chest. “I hid it on my body today.” Ryen wanted to look for it, right now. Shaking free of such thoughts, he tried to focus on his food. But as he ate, he couldn’t stop glancing at Drekk’s sculpted chest through the v-neck of the vest he wore. Nor could he avoid the large arms Drekk flashed as he gesticulated while he ate. The taciturn man he’d once thought Drekk to be never seemed to shut up.

Oddly, Synster’s warnings of perversions and unnatural longings seemed less significant each day Ryen spent in Drekk’s company. What could it hurt to indulge in some human curiosity? Drekk was a hardy male. Ryen wouldn’t break him, as Drekk had said.

Which made Ryen wonder what it would be like to lose control during sex, to let it all out...

“Okay. Today we work on your control.” Drekk stood and put his dishes into the wash receptacle. “If you finish that mound on your plate, we’ll get started.” Ryen finished his meal in record time, eager to see what Drekk had in mind— to hasten his exit out of this place, he reminded himself. “We going to lose the cuffs today?”

“You’re kidding, right? You’re going to need them later.” Ryen immediately went on alert. “Why?”

“See? That’s why. I’m just screwing with you, and you’re ready to take my head off. I’m trying to teach you a new way to live, Ryen. I can’t be on my guard one hundred percent. Once you ‘hit the wall’, like I know you will, we’ll both be glad for the cuffs.”

“You keep threatening it. Just do it. Push me as hard as you can. Watch me handle it.” Ryen could taste his excitement. “I’ve been good the past three days, haven’t I?” Drekk shook his head. “You’re not ready yet. Get over here and assume Petal One hand position.” When Ryen hesitated, Drekk turned mean. “Now. ”

The need to obey hit him hard. Off balance, Ryen grumbled as he sat down and crossed his legs, but he had no thought to refuse. He tuned out of his surroundings and followed Drekk’s instruction. Soon basking in the harmony within himself, Ryen came to a sudden realisation, one that both shocked and unnerved him. He wanted to submit to Drekk, to a male who had saved his life, but who hadn’t bested him in combat. Emotionally stable and even-tempered, superior when it came to control, Drekk had yet to prove himself in an all-out fight.

Why do I want to submit now that I’m free? How fucked up am I? Uncomfortable with the truth, Ryen pulled himself from his meditative state.

Drekk sat across from him, his legs crossed and his arms assuming Petal One position above his head, his hands entwined. Drekk’s sluggish pulse and stillness told Ryen he’d entered a similar state of calm.

The strong column of Drekk’s throat rippled when he swallowed. The scent of honeyed citrus lingered on his skin, from the blan juice he’d consumed. Muscles tanned by the harsh sun strained as he held his pose, and Ryen wanted to feel that skin under his palms. To cause the male’s rosy nipples to pebble, to feel the delineated form of Drekk’s abdomen as Ryen worked his way lower.

The temptation Drekk had planted, to see if sex with a male would equal what he imagined, taunted Ryen to take what he wanted. The advantage was his for the moment.

With Drekk inwardly focused, Ryen could take him down. Not to harm him, but to test his friend’s— the man’s—reflexes. Now, when Drekk was vulnerable, Ryen could take what he needed, a warrior’s right. It wouldn’t be rape, he knew. Drekk had openly admitted he wanted Ryen. What better way, then, to see if Ryen returned the attraction wholeheartedly?

But under Ryen’s direction, not Drekk’s.

Ryen pounced.

He pinned Drekk underneath him in two seconds, one hand over the male’s entwined hands, holding him to the ground, the other around Drekk’s neck.

“One word from you and I’ll disable your tongue.” The angle of his fingers under Drekk’s jaw meant business. “Nod if you understand.” Drekk glared and nodded.

“Good.” Ryen couldn’t help his arousal, nor could he miss the hardening bulge in Drekk’s trousers. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he mimicked. “I just need to confirm something.”

Drekk remained still, curiosity warring with the anger in his gaze. Ryen didn’t care.

He’d danced to Drekk’s tune, now it was his turn.

Ryen studied Drekk’s face, lingering on his lips. Wanting more, he slowly lowered his mouth. Drekk started to speak and Ryen tightened his hand.

“I know you feel my hand around your neck. I’m not playing, Drekk. Shut up and let me...do this. I need to know.”

With a sigh, Drekk surrendered. The power crushing through Ryen swamped him.

Heady that he’d regained control, he kissed Drekk full on the mouth. Unlike a female’s soft lips, Drekk’s felt firmer. Ryen plundered his mouth with a seeking tongue, tasting the sexual essence of Drekk as his excitement grew.

He ground into Drekk’s belly, rubbing his cock along Drekk’s while he deepened the kiss. Groaning, he loosened his hold on Drekk’s throat and devoured the male. He tasted so damned good, so familiar yet foreign at the same time. Lust built into an all-consuming blaze as Ryen took and took. Drekk moaned under his assault, and it was all Ryen could do to give him some air.

He removed his hands from Drekk’s throat and wrists, caught in his own game.

Leaning up on one elbow, he ripped Drekk’s shirt down the middle and pinched his nipples.

Harder, with a roughness that made him want to burst.

“Fuck,” Ryen growled and latched onto Drekk’s nipple. So unlike the flesh he normally played with, the feel of solid muscle under the taut nipple aroused Ryen with its difference. No fleshy mound, but a steely plane of strength under such tender skin.

Drekk arched into his mouth and thrust against him, pushing Ryen to take more. In a frenzy, he shoved his hand down Drekk’s trousers and gripped his hot cock. Drekk moaned his name.

“Oh yeah. Better.” Ryen returned his attention to Drekk’s chest. He bit hard.

Drekk sucked in a breath and moisture beaded at the tip of his shaft. “Stop,” Drekk breathed when Ryen let go of his shaft to massage his balls.

The feel of another man’s shaft hard and slick for him sent Ryen over the edge. Like an animal, he tore at Drekk’s clothes. He nipped and sucked, laving his way down Drekk’s body, using any and all excuse to rub against his grey-eyed seducer.

“More,” Ryen rasped until he captured Drekk’s cock in his mouth. So fucking good... He let go of the pheromones bursting at the seams.

“Dammit, Ryen.” Drekk ground into his face, holding him close by the roots of his hair.

Ryen sucked hard, wanting more of the salty-sweet cum beading at Drekk’s slit. He wanted to drink it down, to swallow every fucking drop.

Drekk yanked on his hair. “Let go, dammit.”

Forced to release Drekk’s cock, Ryen stared up at Drekk in a daze. “What—” In a heartbeat, Drekk shoved him flat on his back and held him down with ease.

Amazed at Drekk’s speed, agility and a power he’d never accredited the male, Ryen could only stare up at him. Sure Drekk was strong, but to manage him with such ease...

“Cuffs, spread wide.”

Ryen’s arms and legs spread open, turning him into a human X. “Dammit, let me go. Let me touch you, taste you.” He licked his lips, drugged on Drekk’s taste as he watched that slit fill with milky seed. “Stars, Drekk, let me suck you.”

“No.” Drekk’s voice was hoarse when he answered. “Remember who’s really in charge, Ryen. You don’t please me unless I let you.” Ryen bucked, enraged in an instant. Denied his desire, frustrated to be so close and rejected yet again, he went crazy.

Through it all, Drekk sat over him and waited until Ryen exhausted himself.

“Done?”

Ryen didn’t know why, but this torture seemed worse than anything he’d been through. Though Drekk hadn’t physically harmed him, not allowing him the ecstasy he craved, the intimacy he knowingly sought, wounded him.

On the verge of tears and fucking pissed about it, Ryen readied himself to break every bone in his body to escape when Drekk leaned down and kissed him.

So softly, so gently. The touch undid him.

Sighing into Drekk’s mouth, Ryen’s tension faded. He demanded more, then quieted when he realised Drekk had indeed resumed control.

“Please,” he whispered, wanting the untouchable offering Drekk held so near.

“Please what?”

Confused, Ryen didn’t know what to say. Drekk stared down at him with compassion, and the hurt within faded.

“Wait here.”

Like he was going to get up and leave? Ryen tugged at his wrists and ankles, his cock tormenting him with every brush against his rough trousers.

Drekk returned with another band, this one wider and studded with grey stones the colour of Drekk’s eyes. Grey stones? Not a band, then. “A collar.” He cringed when Drekk put it on him. But as the fastening cinched closed, a surge of meekness took him by surprise.

“Please what?” Drekk asked again and straddled Ryen’s belly, resting on his knees.

His glorious cock bobbed, flushed and ready, the head wet with arousal.

Drekk had earlier told Ryen when submitting to call him ‘Sir’—a reality Ryen had discarded until this very moment.

“Please, Sir,” Ryen choked on the word, though Drekk’s delight soon soothed the sting.

“Very good.” Drekk ran a finger over the synthetic collar that was surprising smooth against Ryen’s flesh. “You acknowledge my control. Your subservience to someone else. To your master.”

“Yes,” Ryen whispered, confused as to why this felt so right, when he should have felt degraded.

“Tell me what Synster did to you.”

Shocked at the question, Ryen didn’t answer, and Drekk repeated himself. The sound of that demon’s name on Drekk’s tongue, here now, was a perversion.

“No.”

“Yes. Let that festering sore heal. Let the ugliness out.” Drekk removed Ryen’s clothing, petting him with callused hands where he met bare flesh. The touch offered comfort while the words threatened to undo this careful peace. “Share with me, Ryen. Tell your master what he wants to hear.”

Ryen had trouble breathing, anxiety riding him hard. The sudden urge to please almost hurt, worse than the memories of what he’d been through.

“Easy. I’m here.” Drekk put the clothing aside and knelt between Ryen’s spread legs, understanding in his eyes. “Tell me.”

Ryen saw a face that knew what his life had been like. Compassion and acceptance lent him the strength to share what had only been his private suffering.

“Synster hated me. For no reason I could ever understand, he pushed me harder than the others. Even as an adolescent, I was beaten for minor infractions. I never did anything right enough for him. He taught me to hate before I learned how to love my sisters.” Ryen would never forgive him for that. For all the negative bullshit he struggled with on a daily basis. “When I outgrew him, he set the AI’s on me.” Constant battles with artificial intelligence machines that nearly bled him out. Several near death experiences. And one instance where Ryen did in fact die, where he saw countless star systems and the vague impression of a soothing presence just out of reach.

“Maybe he envied your strength,” Drekk offered in the sudden quiet. “As I recall, my own Handlers were weak. The scientists of Eyra are a puny lot.”

“Yeah, they are.” Were. Ryen eased at the reminder that Synster was no more. His sister’s new mate had seen to that. “The bastard got off on watching the AI’s beat me bloody. Enduring the beatings stirred my hungers. For what I was never really sure, but Synster filled that void with sex. The pervert would order me to fuck while the nanites fixed me. Painful pleasure. And each time the desire grew, until one woman wouldn’t satisfy. I needed two, then three. Many at the same damned time.”

“When you were alone? What did you feel then? The same need for many to sate you?”

“All I wanted was space alone, time to ‘be’ without an audience. But I was never alone.” Ryen couldn’t look away when Drekk began stroking himself. Talk of Synster didn’t matter as much as watching Drekk.

“Never.” Ryen swallowed. “Never given any privacy from my Handler or the guards. They would make me want, so fucking bad. They took women in front of me, aroused me, then left me there. I wasn’t allowed the same pleasure. I’m still fuzzy on the details, but I found the notion of masturbating distasteful. My frustration turned to rage, and it built until I could think of nothing but killing. Synster used that energy to experiment. I’d meet greater and greater tasks, almost impossible tests that I didn’t fail. Yet instead of taking pride in his successes, Synster tried harder to defeat me. The bastard would assign me more killing until I came to crave it. I couldn’t stop myself. The destruction...”

Ryen didn’t want to think about it anymore. He wanted to be here, in the now. The memories were dragging him under. Fury rose once more, tempered by the mesmerising stroke of Drekk’s hand. Pleasure and pain, he reminded himself.

“Cuff, release right wrist.” Drekk ordered in a quiet voice. “Synster’s gone now. Your Creator is dead as well. You’re free to take pleasure. So pleasure yourself.”

“I can’t.” An automatic reply that alarmed him. Another damned instance of his conditioning. So much for being free.

As much as he wanted to vent his frustration, he couldn’t tear his gaze from Drekk’s arousal. Desire began to replace his anger as he listened to the rasping breaths of his sexy ‘master’.

“You can. When you watched those women, when you felt arousal, you could do nothing about it. But now, you can.” Drekk’s hand moved faster. “Touch yourself, Ryen. Do what I do.” He leaned forward and took Ryen’s free hand. Placing it over Ryen’s groin, he said thickly, “Take that fat cock in your hand and grip it hard. Up and down, like this.” Enthralled, Ryen mirrored Drekk’s actions. As if he were the one holding Drekk. The scent of sex and desire flooded the room, eroding any need to distance himself from such physical joy. Ryen imagined himself jerking Drekk off, and he groaned with desire.

“That’s it. Pretend it’s mine. Pretend that thick cock in your hands is my shaft. I’m going to come all over your sweet skin. Oh yeah. That’s it. Faster. Good, so good,” he panted as he shot all over Ryen’s belly.

The flash of warm wetness on his skin, coupled with Drekk’s ecstatic expression, sent Ryen into orgasmic bliss. The smell of spent passion, of the beautiful spice Drekk released to hold them close, took his inhibitions away.

Ryen moaned as he watched his cum spatter, mixing with Drekk’s.

“All of it, every last drop.” Drekk panted as he wrung himself, shaking the last of his seed onto Ryen. He wiped their mingled cum over Ryen’s belly, chest and nipples, arousing him anew. “You did well. Very good for your first lesson in obedience.” The satisfaction and dominance in Drekk’s posture as he knelt over him forced Ryen to look away. It was a minute before he realised how deeply he’d succumbed, and Ryen struggled to accept what he’d done. No. He’s not my master.

As if sensing Ryen’s turmoil, Drekk fused their mouths, drugging Ryen with a bruising kiss that sparked Ryen’s erection with new life. So firm, so demanding. Ryen flexed his ass, instinctively wanting to hurt there. Fucked hard, taken.

“Cuffs, release,” Drekk ordered. He quickly clamped his hands over Ryen’s wrists with enough might to hold Ryen down indefinitely. Such raw control seduced Ryen past any hint of disobedience. “Say my name.”

“Drekk.” Ryen breathed hard, winded, as if he’d just run a race. Drekk kissed him again, his dick sliding through the mess on Ryen’s belly. Drekk held Ryen’s wrists with one hand and reached with his other between Ryen’s legs. Warmth engulfed Ryen’s cock as Drekk squeezed him tight.

“Say my name.” Drekk started to jerk him off, harder and harder as he waited.

“Drekk.”

“No. Stop dicking around and say it.”

“I don’t know—”

“You damn well do.” The meanness was back. “Fucking say it.” Drekk’s grip was so tight it hurt. Stars, it hurt so good...

“Sir,” Ryen rasped as he prepared to come.

Drekk let go and suddenly replaced his hand with his mouth.

“Yes, that’s so good.” Ryen couldn’t think as he tangled his hands in Drekk’s hair, urging him for more.

Drekk rubbed his hand over Ryen’s belly and sucked harder. Then, to Ryen’s shock, Drekk pushed a finger in his ass.

“Oh, oh yeah.”

Drekk shoved that finger past Ryen’s sphincter, a painful intrusion that, coupled with his heavenly mouth, forced Ryen into an orgasmic shock. He came hard, jetting into Drekk’s talented mouth. The rapture was so extreme it forced Ryen to shut down, mentally and physically, while he tried to accept so much pleasure. And he faded with Drekk’s scent over him like a blanket of comfort.

Chapter Six

Drekk swallowed every bit of Ryen’s passion. Like a drug, Ryen’s seed made Drekk want more. Satisfied when Ryen’s cock, and then Ryen, went limp, Drekk stood on shaky legs.

“Damn, you’re a handful.” And a mouthful. Drekk licked his lips and moaned, his body quickly rejuvenated and wanting more. Rough urges rocked the control he worked so hard to maintain, and Drekk concentrated to keep his inner beast at bay. Fuck me, Ryen is eating away at my self control. And I’m loving every minute of it.

When Ryen had knocked him down and attacked him, Drekk had almost put a stop to it. Then he’d sensed Ryen’s need to explore, to understand what it was he truly needed. He’d let the larger man gain control. For a while, he hadn’t intended to stop him. Ryen had been made to suck cock. Stars, but his mouth fit Drekk’s shaft like perfection.

He could only imagine what that ass would feel like gloving him as well.

Trying to cool his libido, Drekk cleaned himself in the lav and dressed. He brought supplies out to clean the mess off Ryen as well and paused. Waves of satisfaction filled him at the sight of his cum and Ryen’s mingled over Ryen’s belly. Uneasy at the intensity of such feelings, Drekk wiped evidence of their passion away. He took his time cleaning, unable to resist the beauty of Ryen’s frame.

He trailed a damp cloth over Ryen’s muscular arms and chest, past his ruddy cock, thick thighs and sculpted calves.

“I am in way over my head with you,” he murmured to his sleeping lover. What he’d intended as no more than a way to help Ryen—a fellow Creation—overcome what fate had handed him now seemed a path towards a new relationship. Drekk readily admitting to loving the intimacy he and Ryen had shared. But a relationship with a male so like the ravaging animal he’d once been? Could he afford to release that side of him when he’d worked so hard to bury the past?

Ryen could pull that out of him as no one had in hundreds of years. In all the time since his escape from madness, Drekk had shared sex and affection, but he’d never truly loved.

Around Ryen he wanted to possess and be possessed. His inner balance, at peace with dominance and submission, now fluctuated upon Ryen’s moods.

I’m the master. Me, he reminded himself. This domination, this sexual closeness exists only to save your sorry ass, Ryen. Your beautiful, tight, firm, sorry ass.

Drekk rubbed his eyes in frustration.

Ryen, fortunately, chose that moment to moan, interrupting his moment of self-crisis.

“Drekk? What happened?”

“I fucked you so hard you passed out.” Drekk grinned at the astonished look on Ryen’s face. “Actually, I think your newfound passion fried your circuits. It’s happened to me a time or two. You’re healing, Ryen. All that emotion bubbling inside you is finally leaving you without violence.”

Drekk resisted the urge to glance away from Ryen—the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. Fascinated didn’t begin to describe Drekk’s feelings. Kaleidoscopes of blue sparkled and meshed around the golden pupils of Ryen’s eyes. The black collar’s studs gleamed against his now-glowing golden skin. The strength apparent in Ryen’s frame contrasted with the uncertainty in his expression. Exotic, powerful, and achingly vulnerable, Ryen made Drekk want to indulge himself in his infatuation and fuck him now.

But after such progress, sex would not only be foolish, but selfish. Though Drekk knew he’d satisfied Ryen, Ryen wasn’t yet ready for the burden of intimacy real sex between them would create.

For that matter, Drekk wasn’t sure he was ready either.

Ryen shook his head and stared at Drekk’s body as if he couldn’t help himself. When he zeroed in on Drekk’s perpetual hard-on, he flushed. “Did we really just fuck?”

“Not exactly.” But we will. “How did it feel when you took control?” Ryen paused in thought. “It felt, well, good. I was in charge one minute and not the next. Your taste, it, ah...”

Drekk grinned. “Yes, yours as well. We complement one another, Ryen. That’s not a bad thing. Tell me how it felt when I took that control back from you.” Ryen frowned. “At first I didn’t like it.” He struggled with his next words. “Then it felt right. I wanted, hell, I can’t believe I’m saying this. I wanted...more. Penetration more, if you can believe that.”

His candour warmed Drekk from the inside out. “I can. That’s called progress. You wanted to be taken.” Stars knows I want to take. “The need to submit is so ingrained in you that even Synster’s abuse couldn’t mute it completely. We were Created to serve. You can’t deny that as much as you and I might want to. Your problem is that you’re a strong male.

That dominance wars with your submissive yearnings. But you can have both. You can be commanding in the world outside, and free yourself to serve sexually, at least until you feel confident in your control. ”

For a minute, it looked as if Drekk had gotten through to the stubborn male. Ryen seemed on the verge of agreeing, maybe even accepting the truth.

“You know,” Ryen said as he tried to sit up. The cuffs holding him down stopped him.

“Fuck. You going to let me up yet or what?” He grimaced at his restraints and tugged harder.

Drekk sighed. “Cuffs, release.”At least they’d taken a step in the right direction. And he’d found some ease. Hell, helping Ryen had turned him into a rutting pig. He had a hard time thinking about anything but fucking the mulish Creation.

Ryen stood. He glanced in surprise at his belly and blushed, the sight so becoming Drekk had a hard time keeping his distance. “Thanks for cleaning me up.”

“My pleasure.” Drekk felt his vision clouding with desire, with the urge to take what he wanted. Whenever that happened, his pupils expanded and he saw more of everything. Not what he needed right now with a naked Ryen standing so close. “Why don’t you go clean up while I figure out what else we’re going to do today?” Ryen grunted his agreement and left.

Drekk took the time to straighten the room and calm his libido when his communicator sounded.

He answered the call, keeping his video signal black. “Yeah?”

“Is that any way to answer that expensive-as-shit communicator I bought you last year?”

“I thought you said I had a week,” Drekk said to Rafe, not amused. He wanted nothing to come between him and Ryen— not after the progress we’ve made today, he quickly amended.

Ryen had allowed himself to desire another male, but even better, to act on it. Aside from one instance, he hadn’t lost control of himself since his arrival.

“The mining op actually got pushed back by another week. This is something else that’s just come up. I need you on this right away.”

Glancing at the bedroom and weighing his options, Drekk cursed. As if he had a choice.

“What do you need me to do?”

“You’re not going to believe this, but some Ebrellions are making noise in Shathra.” Rafe lowered his voice. In the background Drekk could hear deep voices arguing. “I’m trying to placate a bunch of ruthless gang leaders pissed off that their women are on the market.” The slave market.

“I thought the Ebrellions were long gone.” Surprised to hear of the ruthless aliens once again in the Vrail System they’d once been banned from, Drekk well understood Rafe’s position. “You said gang leaders? Who are we talking about?”

“Nennit, Dog and Tangle.”

“All three of them in the same room? That can’t be good. Shit. Didn’t Tangle just take a mate?”

“Yeah, and the damned female’s Nebite. You know the Ebrellions aren’t going to give her back without a fight. I might manage to trade a few pleasurers for Nennit’s woman, Dog’s daughters and the others. Hold on.” Rafe yelled at Erin to keep Tangle from killing Dog, then threatened to rip Nennit’s balls off if he touched one hair on Erin’s head.

What a mess. Luckily for Rafe, he had Erin to keep the animals at bay while they worked.

The pleasurer angle made sense. Why fight when you could buy your way out of trouble? Drekk didn’t need to ask if the pleasurers would be willing. Rafe played at being a bad guy. He at times tweaked the rules, but he’d never consent to slavery.

“What do you want me to do?” Drekk asked.

“The Ebrellions have blockers, so I can’t teleport in any of my contacts to make this right. I need you to use your magic and find a way into their warehouse. One of the females retained a comm unit. She’s been feeding us live info.” What Rafe didn’t say out loud; his contacts, the peacemakers, were ass out of this one since they couldn’t teleport into the area. Their presence would only worsen hostilities amongst the gang leaders anyway. Drekk would need to use his abilities to teleport into that warehouse to rescue the girls.

A pregnant pause cautioned Drekk to ask, “What aren’t you telling me?”

“It’s not a handful of Ebrellions we’re dealing with. It looks like they brought a fucking contingent. Like three or four dozen of their warriors. Peacemakers are streaming through Mardu’s atmosphere as we speak, just what we don’t need. My boys here don’t much like the law interfering in family business,” Rafe said loudly, most likely for the gang leaders’ benefit.

“They’re paying me a pretty bek to make things happen, now.” Drekk thought fast. “How many females total?”

“Eleven. Three women, eight girls.”

“Fuck. Give me five minutes and patch your contact through to me.”

“Her name’s Olla, Tangle’s woman. Oh and Drekk? This is rescue only. You don’t engage, got it?”

Drekk didn’t answer, too busy racing through the house. He donned a protective chest plate, boots and armaments—two Melan pistols, a laser sword and several grak grenades that he fitted to his weapons belt.

The communicator buzzed and he spoke with Olla, one scared, gutsy female. She gave him a detailed description of the threat. She’d come into contact with a dozen Ebrellions planning to ‘void’ into their System. Once they left the System, the women would be lost forever. Unfortunately, Ebrellion transport had advanced way beyond what those in the Vrail System possessed.

“Go easy, Olla. I’ll find you. I’ll be the guy with grey eyes and a scar down his face.”

“Hurry, please,” she said around sobs and disconnected.

“What’s going on?” Ryen stood with his arms crossed over his bare chest. He wore trousers and the fresh scent of soap.

Even with the threat of danger looming, Drekk couldn’t stop himself from taking another whiff. Ryen smelled so damned good. “I have a small job to do.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

“You’re staying here. If I’m not back in a few hours, Rafe will contact you. Cuffs, resistance enforced.” Drekk ignored Ryen’s glare. “You can’t leave the building. Sorry, Ryen, but you’re a liability until you can fully function. I won’t endanger those women for you. I can’t.” Drekk smiled to take the sting out of his words. “While I’m gone, work on pleasuring yourself. We’ll compare notes later tonight.” Stars willing.

He took a deep breath and psychically prepared for a long trip thanks to Olla’s coordinates. Then he let himself go. Landing in the middle of a battleground, Drekk quickly assessed the situation.

Three women and eight worn, weary girls tensed with dread when he neared.

“Is he one of them?” the youngest asked another, most likely her sister due to the resemblance.

“I don’t think so.” Olla’s familiar voice answered. “Drekk?”

“At your service.” He frowned at the squalor of their surroundings. What looked like a large warehouse was covered in filth, river dredge and a plethora of nasty insects. The centre of the area was dimly lit and filled with wooden boxes and metal containers large enough to fit a small house. Still, the condition of the space didn’t sit right.

Not what he’d expect for a slave auction, even from the Ebrellions. No one sane could consider this a fitting station to hold women for sale. “They aren’t planning on selling you?”

“Me and the other women will make ‘willing’ brides,” Olla said with disgust. “The others,” she paused and toned down her voice. She hurried to Drekk and whispered in his ear, “The others are for sacrifice. To their gods for safe passage through the great void.”

“Terrific.” No bartering for any of them. Cheltam couldn’t fix this one. “I’ll be right back.”

Drekk grabbed one of the girls and teleported with her into the location he and Rafe had agreed upon. Erin stood waiting, her war face on. One look at the pitiful young girl with him and her fierce demeanour crumbled.

“Come here, sweet.”

The girl ran to her open arms.

“I have ten more coming. Be ready,” Drekk warned and shot back to the cell in the middle of the warehouse.

He made eight more trips, tiring rapidly. On his ninth trip with just Olla and another woman left, he found the pair cowering behind a few large crates.

“Hurry, Drekk. The others are coming back. I can hear them,” Olla warned.

Drekk heard them too. Swearing, he grabbed the other woman and jumped into the temporal stream.

He stumbled when he returned to the room in Tekar filled with crying females.

“Here.” He handed her to Erin. “That’s ten. Just one more.” He leaned over to catch his breath, tense knowing time was of the essence.

Rafe joined them and locked the door behind him. “The others are upstairs. I left them secured in the parlour.” He blinked in surprise. “Damn, Drekk. You did it already. Wait, I count ten.”

“Gimme a break. I’m travelling several hundred miles here. It’s not as easy as you might think. Olla’s last. I’ll be right back.” He missed what Rafe said in response and appeared just in time to watch a hulking Ebrellion shake Olla like a rag-doll.

“Where are the sacrifices?” one of the two next to him said with a growl.

Though the Ebrellions looked human, rumour had it they shapeshifted. A rumour Drekk had no intention of putting to the test. He didn’t want to know what the hell they could do. Several blasts of his pistol took care of the asshole holding her as well as his friends.

“Come on,” Drekk shouted over the growing din outside the warehouse.

Olla ran to him. She’d nearly reached him before her eyes rolled back in her head and she crumpled to the ground.

“Mine,” one of the bastards roared as he exited a hallway Drekk hadn’t noticed in the dark. The Ebrellion aimed an oddly-shaped gun at Drekk.

Drekk dodged the discharge as all hell broke loose. He reached Olla when an explosion took him off his feet. Crashing into a metallic container hard enough to break a few ribs, he slid down in a heap of pain. Spotting Olla, it was all he could do to focus when she blurred.

Several more Ebrellions had joined the one that shot Drekk. Yet shots firing around him showed the Ebrellions weren’t alone. Either the Mardu gangs had found them already or...shit. The men streaming through the new hole in the ceiling didn’t speak Mardu. They sounded Ebrellion. When they began shifting, Drekk saw more than he wanted.

Giant six-legged thrells— wild, vicious canine variants found in the Anate Jungle—now stood in place of the bastards shooting at their own kind. A monstrous brawl erupted around him and Olla. Drekk crawled to her, sucking up the pain. Before he could reach her, claws raked his back, shredding his armour.

More a hindrance than a help, the armour gave him a fit before he twisted loose of it.

Drekk barely managed to get to his sword and lop off a few threll limbs before their hideous shrieks summoned more of the bastards to him.

Damn it to hell. Drekk hurried to heal his wounds as he fought but it was slow going.

Teleporting so often and in such distances had weakened him. He did manage to stop the bleeding on his back, though the wounds remained raw, his ribs still cracked.

An Ebrellion lifted him off his feet and slammed him into another container, undoing the work he’d just done on his back.

Annoyance grew into that familiar fury that scared the shit out of him. Unable to stop himself, Drekk released a large amount of pheromone into the air and relieved the itch in his arms. Several of those nearest him faltered. He made quick work of them with the claws in place of his hands, but not before two more opponents landed a few punches.

Knocked to his knees with an uppercut to the face, Drekk shook his head, dazed out of his rage as his hands returned to normal. Before another of the Ebrellions could attack, one of his own kind pulled him away. A battle cry turned the fighting downright savage as more aliens entered the place until the warehouse was crawling with them. They fought each other and soon what Drekk recognised as Mardu gang members.

Not a war he needed to be in the middle of. On his hands and knees, Drekk crawled to Olla. Not sure if she suffered from any internal injuries, he forced some of his blood into her mouth and made her swallow it.

Fatigued, he fought to hold onto his awareness. Drekk felt the energy of the battle around him. Blinking through the blood dripping down his face, he noted one set of eyes focused on him and knew he needed to leave before he was no longer able.

Everything around him grew hazy. Shit, have to go...now.

Drekk closed his arms around Olla and reached deep within himself. Fuzzy, he pictured the one thing he couldn’t stop thinking about, even this far gone. He’d almost made it into the temporal stream when a hand grabbed his leg.

Ryen cursed again and resumed pacing. That fucking drun. Leaving Ryen here to ‘pleasure himself’ while Drekk battled it out with Stars-knew who. Did Drekk know how damned condescending he’d sounded? A liability, he’d called Ryen.

I know I have control issues, but I can handle myself in a battle. To lock me inside like an animal at the observatory? I am going to seriously kick his ass when he gets back. If he gets back, his conscience added, which pissed him off even more. The thought of not being able to tell Drekk off annoyed him. That the male might be broken and bleeding somewhere while Ryen paced safely in Drekk’s house angered him. Not seeing Drekk alive again, ever, panicked him to no end.

Swearing, Ryen punched a whole in Drekk’s wall. Dammit. He’s going to see that and use it as proof I’m not stable. Ryen relished the confrontation before a disturbance in the air caught his attention.

A bruised woman, bloodied Drekk, and a huge, dark-haired male entered the space.

Drekk and the woman lay unmoving on the ground covered in bloody bruises while the male crouched over them. Ryen immediately went into battle mode.

“Help him,” the male said in a heavily accented voice. His eyes glittered and in the light looked almost reptilian. He vanished before Ryen could attack.

Ryen wasted no time. He scrambled to Drekk and found a pulse, weak but there. The woman seemed unharmed except for a few scratches which even now were healing. Seeing a spot of blood on her lips but nowhere else on her face, he suspected Drekk responsible for healing her.

A communicator buzzed, finally. He’d been searching for a hint of a communicator for hours. Ryen found it and hit ‘receive’.

“Drekk?”a low voice asked.

“Who the fuck is this?”

“Cheltam. Ryen, have you seen—”

“Drekk’s right here. He’s not moving but the woman he brought with him seems to be waking. We need help right away.”

In an instant, Rafe and two others appeared. Rafe rushed to Drekk’s side, and Ryen had to resist the urge to break Rafe’s fingers where he touched Drekk. See, Sir? I’m controlling myself. Wake the hell up so I can show you... Fuck, I just called you ‘Sir’.

“Fellin?” Rafe called. “Bring your kit. Drekk needs help.” The medic attended to Drekk while another medic saw to the female.

“What happened?” Rafe asked in a hard voice.

“He just showed up, right before you called.”

“He’ll live,” Fellin said, relieving everyone of the immediate threat.

Ryen allowed himself to take his eyes from Drekk, satisfied his ‘friend’ would make it.

Conscious of Rafe’s scrutiny, he snapped, “What?”

“Those bands. The thing around your neck. Everything okay?” Rafe asked gruffly. “Erin’s concerned.”

The magnecuffs wouldn’t come off until Drekk commanded them to. But only a thin clasp of metroleum held the collar together, easy enough to undo. Ryen fingered the synthetic band at his throat, unable to remove it in spite of what it meant. Or maybe because of it.

“I’m fine.” Ryen fought a telling flush. “Fine as can be considering this asshole’s out killing himself while I’m stuck here under orders.”

“If Drekk thought you needed to stay—”

“Fuck Drekk. Soon as the idiot wakes up his ass is mine.” Rafe raised a brow and Ryen turned three shades of red. “Fuck you, too. You know what I mean.”

Drekk groaned and Ryen wanted to sag with relief. Instead, he pushed the medic and Rafe out of the way and knelt beside Drekk.

“Ryen?” Drekk rasped.

“You try leaving me here again and I’ll kick your ass all the way to Mornio.” Ryen carefully lifted him in his arms and took him into the bedroom. “Yo, medic, in here,” he yelled. Fellin hurried in. “So what’s the deal?” he asked the medic. “You going to tend to his wounds or not?”

“I, ah,” Fellin stuttered as he stared up at Ryen in awe or fright, Ryen couldn’t tell.

“Well?” he asked in a low voice, impatience gnawing at his temper.

“I’d like to, but he’s doing it all by himself. He must have injected a thraxian supplement before he arrived.”

Thank fate, Drekk’s natural healing abilities continued to work. “Yeah, right. Thraxian supplements.” Ryen cleared his throat, relief making him dizzy. Drekk really would be alright. “I think Cheltam wants a word.”

“Cheltam? I don’t hear...” At Ryen’s glare, Fellin raced from the room.

Drekk coughed. “You going to threaten everyone in my dwelling?”

“Hell, yes.” Ryen sank to the bed next to him. “How bad do you feel?”

“A few busted ribs, a concussion, some lacerations on my arms and chest. Nothing a few night’s rest won’t cure.” Drekk blearily opened his eyes. “Nice collar you got there.” His shit-eating grin should have irritated Ryen, and it normally would have.

Ryen grinned back.

“Maybe next time I’ll bring you with me,” Drekk joked. “You could have kicked some serious Ebrellion ass.”

Ebrellions? Even on Eyra in the labs Ryen had heard about the Ebrellions. Aliens from another star system who could supposedly do all manner of things. Deadly warriors who could shapeshift and communicate telepathically. And teleport, he thought with suspicion, recalling the male who’d appeared with Drekk and the female.

Ryen fumed. No one fucked with what he considered his. As if he’d allow anyone but himself to screw with his...lover.

Drekk closed his eyes with a goofy grin on his face. “Just gonna sleep this off,” he slurred. “Tell Cheltam—” He didn’t make it past the name.

Ryen didn’t look up when Rafe entered minutes later.

“The others took Olla back to her family. She woke enough to tell me what she remembers of the situation. Apparently, Drekk put down a shit load of Ebrellions. Olla was in and out of consciousness in that warehouse, but she thought the damned things shifted into thrells.”

Rafe handed him a communicator and nodded at Drekk. “I don’t trust the sorry bastard to tell me if he’s hurt. You call me if Drekk doesn’t heal properly, if anything at all looks off.” Rafe walked to the door and paused. “You know, he was pretty out of it. He brought the rest of the females to my place. Yet he brought this last one back home, to you.” Rafe gave him a look he couldn’t decipher and left.

Ryen settled in for the night next to Drekk. He lay on his side, his head propped on one hand as he studied the confusing male next to him. ‘Back home, to you’ played like a broken audio clip in his head.

Chapter Seven

Two days later, Drekk glared at the door and reconsidered his decision not to pound Ryen into glar-meat. For all that Ryen wore magnecuffs and a collar, he acted decidedly in charge, which negated all the progress Drekk had made with the stubborn male. Though Ryen catered to Drekk’s every unspoken whim, the humorous gleam in his eyes pissed Drekk the hell off. It was as if Ryen knew something he didn’t—like the location of the magnecuffs controller. Or that Ryen considered himself somehow superior since he waited on an injured, inferior Drekk hand and foot.

Having never challenged Ebrellions before, Drekk hadn’t been prepared for such a long recovery time. The other Creations he’d encountered during the years had been relatively easy to defeat considering his abilities. A whole two days in bed and Drekk was just beginning to waken from his body’s sluggish insistence that he rest while he healed. He remained conscious, though languorous through the process.

Damn it all, he hated immobility—a weakness he associated with his time spent in the labs. Even after a thousand years, he could still smell the ong disinfectant, could feel the metallic coolness of the table under him, the table upon which he’d bled to death countless times while sharp scalpels dug through his flesh, poking and prodding for answers...

“Time for a change.” Ryen entered unannounced, wearing nothing more than the damned collar and his bands. So much glorious flesh... The real crux of annoyance Drekk didn’t want to deal with.

This lust for Ryen was growing out of control. Due to his construct, Drekk fought against constant desire, his physical state notwithstanding. Normally he willed the feeling away, satisfied it with a skilled pleasurer, or buried it deep in the violence of his missions for Rafe. But with Ryen around, his libido wouldn’t quit.

Drekk shifted against the discomfort of his aching balls and sat up. Some ‘master’ he turned out to be, ruled by his cock.

Swearing as he helplessly stared over Ryen’s conditioned frame, he settled on the pert nipples begging for clamps. On the ridged abdomen his fingers itched to touch. And lower, on that large, growing shaft he could still feel spurting in his mouth...

“Problem?” Ryen asked. He crossed his arms, the sight of the magnecuffs an obvious reminder of what Drekk had done to secure Ryen’s presence.

A welling of rage took Drekk by surprise, because he knew his anger stemmed not from this situation, but from the fact that he still needed to force Ryen’s compliance. Without those cuffs, Ryen would leave without a backwards glance.

Drekk faced a hard truth he’d wanted to ignore. He needed Ryen’s full acceptance.

Not for Ryen’s sake, but for his own. The more time he spent around the maddening Creation, the longer he not only lusted after him, but cared for him.

Ryen’s gentleness the past few days added another facet to his intriguing personality.

When Ryen acted so tender, Drekk wondered if he was truly as damaged as he at first had appeared. And if he wasn’t, then Drekk had no real reason to keep him here.

“Roll over,” Ryen said to break the silence.

Drekk frowned. “On my belly? Why?”

“So I can see the last bandage on your back. You might not believe it, but the threll toxin that hit you really affected your wound. It healed and reopened several times over the past few days. Nasty stuff.” Ryen waited with a patience not in keeping with his character, alerting Drekk to be wary.

“I can take care of it myself.” Drekk felt much better, though his back still twinged.

His front twinged as well, especially when he caught Ryen’s pheromones floating around the room. “Cut it out.”

“What?” Ryen frowned. “You hurting?” he asked gruffly.

Yeah, I’m hard as hell. “I think you’ve forgotten who’s in charge. I said I can handle it. Now go get me something to eat. And none of that grainy shit. I want some meat.”

The bastard had the audacity to smile when three days ago he’d been scowling at anything with a pulse. “Yes, Sir. I’m here to serve.” Why the hell does he keep calling me ‘Sir’? He’s acting anything but submissive. That blow job before I left must have really done the trick. So why do I feel like I’m missing something here? Drekk studied Ryen, wishing he could read minds. Ryen’s actions didn’t fit with the hard, unstable warrior he’d left behind.

Ryen turned, and as he walked out, Drekk swore he saw something between Ryen’s ass cheeks.

The blood still in his head rushed straight to his groin. Drekk suddenly had to see his toy collection hidden in the armoire. Ryen made sounds in the dining area outside. No time like the present. Just as he’d reached his feet and the dizziness had run its course, Ryen returned.

“Stubborn drun,” Ryen murmured and forced Drekk back into bed.

“I can get up if I want to,” Drekk snapped.

“No, you can’t.”

“Who’s in charge here?”

“You are,” Ryen answered without missing a beat. “I’d be remiss in serving my master if I let him harm himself, whatever the hell his intentions.”

“I’m not going to harm myself, you ass. I wanted to,” he paused. I wanted to see if you have my favourite toy shoved up your ass, which is ridiculous. Both times I forced you to come, seduced you past reason. Why the hell would you want it now?

“Yes?”

Drekk felt foolish. “I, ah, need to use the lav.”

“I’ll help you.”

“No,” Drekk protested as Ryen lifted him in his arms. They reached the outer door of the lav just as Drekk recalled his ability to speak. Not groaning at the feel of Ryen’s smooth yet battle-hardened skin took effort, as did his ability to quell the ache in his balls. “Put me down. Now.” Drekk drenched the room in scent.

Ryen tightened his arms before letting Drekk slide down his hot, hard body.

“Are you sure you don’t want me...to hold you?” Ryen licked his lips, focusing on Drekk’s mouth.

Drekk fixated on Ryen’s shallow breathing, racing heartbeat and steely cock. Moisture beaded at the tip of Ryen’s shaft, clear arousal he magnified by adding his tempting scent.

Hell, he wants this as much as I do. Fuck it. “Ryen, turn around.” Ryen nodded slowly. “Yes, Sir.”

Drekk couldn’t put his finger on it, but he sensed a subtle relaxation in Ryen’s frame, much like a slave’s willingness to submit. His temperature warmed and then burned when Ryen turned around. “Bend over,” he growled.

When Ryen did, the sight shook Drekk’s very foundation.

His favourite toy, a bright yellow dildo was buried up to its length in Ryen’s ass.

“When did you decide to play with this?” Drekk asked in a hoarse voice he had no way of controlling.

“I live to serve,” Ryen murmured, still bent over. Without being asked to, he spread his legs wider. His plump sack begged to be touched.

“You live to serve who, Ryen?” Drekk cupped Ryen’s balls, fascinated at their hardness. He eyed the dildo, considering what to do.

“I serve you, Sir,” Ryen rasped.

“Why did you use this? Did I give you permission to touch my toys?” Ryen said nothing. His breathing grew heavier as Drekk played with his balls. Such taut, firm globes. So tight, so needful.

“Did you touch yourself, Ryen? Did you practice as I told you to before I left?”

“No, Sir.” Ryen groaned and pushed back into Drekk’s hand.

What amazed Drekk as much as Ryen’s audacity was his willingness to call him Sir. Just what the hell had he missed while he’d been out of it?

“Turn around.” He waited for Ryen to straighten and face him. Heavy-lidded eyes stared at him, blatantly begging to serve. “Get on your knees.” Yes, yes. It’s time. I need this. We need this.

Ryen fell to his knees without question.

“Suck me off.”

Ryen took Drekk balls deep.

“By the stars, Ryen. Have you been practicing this?” He sank his fingers into Ryen’s hair, controlling the pace, if not his response.

As much as he’d watched Ryen flaunt his nude body, it was nothing compared to his fantasies while asleep. He couldn’t breathe for want of sex with Ryen. Full sexual contact, penetration, anal, oral, whatever and whenever. Drekk felt as if he’d reached the end of his patience, which made no sense. In this training relationship, he was supposed to be the dominant, Ryen his submissive.

Yet here, now, Ryen commanded his reactions with that persuasive tongue. Those firm lips gave no quarter as they hugged Drekk’s shaft. Over and around his crown, laving the sensitive underside of Drekk’s cock with long, sweeping licks that made Drekk’s vision blur.

Ryen cupped Drekk’s balls and ran his fingers over Drekk’s ass and along his crack.

Without asking, he pried Drekk’s cheeks apart.

“Ryen,” Drekk warned in a throaty whisper.

Ryen groaned and released Drekk from his mouth. “Sir, turn around,”

“No.”

“I want to do this.”

“I’m telling you—”

“Please.”

Shaky from Ryen’s touch and wishing to hell he wasn’t, Drekk gave up this particular fight and turned around, facing the wall.

“Brace yourself, Sir,” Ryen said silkily.

Drekk leaned a forearm against the wall and allowed Ryen to spread his legs wider, unable to fight his pressing needs.

“That’s it,” Ryen soothed, no longer subservient. No matter how many times he called Drekk ‘Sir’, the truth was in the doing.

Drekk felt better realising Ryen hadn’t changed all that much. The conniver thought to disarm Drekk with sex and a false servitude. “You’re going to be punished, you know that,” he warned, eagerly anticipating such discipline.

“I can’t wait,” Ryen said on a chuckle that soon faded. Pressing his mouth to Drekk’s ass, Ryen licked his asshole. Rimming the sensitive flesh, Ryen used his whole mouth to stir Drekk into a frenzy. “Mmm, so good,” Ryen murmured as he thrust his tongue into Drekk’s hole.

It had been such a long time since Drekk had allowed anyone to breach him there. A small touch of a pleasurer’s finger, perhaps. But no real penetration. In spite of the few partners he’d formed relationships with, he’d never felt right allowing another to claim him there. The doing would feel too intimate, stealing into that small reserve Drekk held from the rest of world. That he allowed Ryen to lick him spoke volumes to the male’s potential danger. Only Ryen could reduce Drekk to desperate need.

Drekk squirmed, desperate to come. He arched his hips, pressing his hard cock against the wall when he wanted to be shoving deep inside Ryen. Ryen thrust his tongue deeper and reached around to grip Drekk’s shaft. The pleasure was all for Drekk, for an unworthy master who couldn’t command his servant’s obedience.

It nearly killed him, but Drekk called on every bit of inner strength he possessed. “No, stop.” He layered the room in scent. Need drove him. But he’d be damned if he’d let Ryen take charge. If he gave in now, he’d be proving his weakness. “Stop it, Ryen.” Ryen finally ceased, his loud breathing mingling with Drekk’s in the silence.

Beyond caring about the way he’d wanted to go about taking Ryen, Drekk forced his frustration inward and sought a hold on his tamped fury. He took a deep breath, turned around, and shoved his hands in Ryen’s hair. “Open your mouth.”

“Yes,” Ryen hissed.

Not waiting a second more, Drekk pushed his cock past Ryen’s parted lips. He held Ryen tightly by the hair as he fucked his mouth, staring into the other male’s eyes as he did so. Energy flowed between them, shoving Drekk into the swell of passion cresting near.

To see such a large, powerful male on his knees sucking him down gave Drekk a huge, addicting thrill. To know it was Ryen, a male he needed in ways he couldn’t explain, made him yearn for so much more. I have to take him every way. I have to come all over him, to mark him as mine.

“First your mouth,” Drekk breathed as he exploded.

Ryen swallowed it all, and Drekk realised Ryen held as tightly to Drekk’s ass as Drekk held to Ryen’s head. Finally letting go, Drekk watched Ryen suck him down, licking and stroking his semi-hard cock with his tongue.

“So good,” Ryen moaned, his face flushed with unfulfilled arousal.

“It’ll get better.” Drekk caught his breath and drew Ryen to his feet. “Turn around and bend over that table.” He followed Ryen a few steps to his right. Staring at Ryen’s ass, Drekk pulled out the dildo until only the head of it remained inside. “How does it feel in you?”

“Tight. Drekk!” Ryen yelled when Drekk shoved it back in, hard. “So fucking good.”

“That’s right. But it’s not as thick as my cock.” Which was growing harder as he worked Ryen. The lust for Ryen was all-consuming and not normal, at all. “When I shove inside you, you’ll hurt. I’m thick and long, and this thing in your ass is just a toy. But if feels good stretching you, doesn’t it?”

“Yes,” Ryen breathed.

“Why did you put it in?”

“I wanted to get ready for you.”

His words stopped Drekk. “Why?”

Ryen groaned. “Please, Sir, don’t stop.”

Drekk worked him again and reached a hand under him, propping Ryen’s waist off the table. He grabbed Ryen’s slick cock with a possessive hand. Pre-cum slithered down the shaft, making it an easy pleasure to get Ryen off. “Imagine what it will feel like when I’m digging inside you. Fucking you hard while you jerk yourself off. I’ll come inside you, bathing you with my seed.” His own breath came faster as his erection returned.

“Oh yeah. Do it. Fuck me, now.”

Drekk wanted to. Stars, how he wanted to. But their interaction worried him enough to hold back. Hell, he’d imagined marking Ryen. A Xema trait to claim a mate. Considering both Drekk and Ryen held rare Xema blood in them, marking Ryen would have mated them in truth. A scary situation when Drekk still wasn’t sure if he could handle being around the volatile male all the time. Already Ryen eroded Drekk’s control over his baser impulses.

“I’ll fuck you when I’m ready. Not before.” Drekk shoved the dildo in harder and Ryen cursed. Roughly jerking Ryen’s cock, Drekk applied more pressure. Nothing soft or tender about this taking. Brute force and animalistic need. He let Ryen feel his erection, brushing it against Ryen’s ass cheeks while he fucked him with the dildo.

“I’m gonna come,” Ryen said in a guttural tone. He groaned.

“Do it all over my hand.” Drekk felt hot cream spurt over his hand and continued to milk Ryen’s seed as he shoved the dildo home and kept it there. His own arousal proved annoying. Not wanting desire to rule him, Drekk accepted what he felt and left it alone, more than ready to show Ryen who was really in charge.

Ryen gasped, trying to catch his breath.

“It was good, wasn’t it? But not as good as it’s going to be.” Drekk pulled out the dildo and tossed it aside. He teased Ryen with his dick, pushing its tip into Ryen’s ass. Ryen froze.

“Imagine me splitting you open when I ram inside you. Because once I have you, I’ll keep taking you whenever and wherever I please. You’ll be mine to fuck, mine to share if I please.”

Ryen glanced over his shoulder, confusion on his face.

Finally, a reaction other than acceptance. The possibility of conflict made Drekk feel better. Maybe with Ryen’s help he could resist mating. “Now go into the lav and clean yourself up. When you’re done, I expect you on that bed on your back. And I will find the controller to the magnecuffs, so don’t even think about anything cute. Stand up.” Ryen slowly stood and wobbled on his legs. Drekk wondered how adjusted Ryen had actually been to the anal toy and felt a small measure of guilt that he hurriedly tucked away.

He’d nearly lost control. The past few days were bad enough while Drekk was forced to rely on Ryen’s strength. But he’d proven himself today.

Drekk had dominated Ryen, sexually. A step in the right direction if Ryen were to truly heal and accept his passive tendencies. Ryen needed to submit, so why did Ryen actually doing so make Drekk want to run in the other direction?

Because you want him no matter what he really needs. You’ve finally found someone you want to keep all for yourself. It scares you because you’re not as in control of yourself as you want to be.

He’s not like all the others. With Ryen you’ll lose the wall around yourself keeping the world safe from what you really are. Abomination...

Drekk stepped back. “Clean yourself and return to me when you’re ready for some ‘guidance’.” Drekk smirked, but instead of the anger he expected to see from Ryen, he received a quiet nod before Ryen did what he’d been told.

“What the fuck is going on around here?” Drekk sat as soon as Ryen left, his hands at his throbbing temples. Glaring at his engorged cock, he shook his head. “What the hell are you doing to me?”

Ryen waited until the lav door closed behind him before he sagged against the wall.

Dear space, but he’d come so hard. His dick still pulsed and his asshole puckered, waiting for another taste of Drekk’s cock.

He’d never imagined sex to be so satisfying.

“I don’t hear any water in there.” Drekk yelled through the door.

Ryen yelled back, “I’m getting there. Just using the facilities.” A good idea he took advantage of before stepping into the cleansing feature. While he stood under a burst of water and solar rays, Ryen wondered if Drekk might catch on to Ryen’s real agenda. While helping Drekk the past few days, Ryen had learned something astonishing about himself. He loved caring for Drekk. Taking care of the stubborn male was different than taking care of Anin, Ryen’s vulnerable sister.

Though at first incapacitated, Drekk had wakened with his strength returned. A hardy male who had the discipline to control not only himself, but take on a horde of Ebrellions. In defeating so many, Drekk had unconsciously wormed his way through Ryen’s safeguards.

Now the thought of submitting to Drekk didn’t bother him in the slightest. If anything, Ryen burned for the opportunity to bend over and be taken. He wanted nothing more than to feel Drekk’s dick deep inside him, controlling him with whatever means his master deemed necessary.

Ryen quivered with desire and a satisfaction bordering on ecstasy. Finally. That missing part of himself, that frustrated void had been filled. Drekk’s scent, his body and soul called out to Ryen on every level. It was with sheer will that Ryen remained aloof, not wanting to show Drekk how easy he’d find the taking. Much as Ryen needed to submit, he also needed to fulfil what he sensed of Drekk’s desires. Drekk wanted to conquer by seduction. He didn’t want an easy, too-willing partner. No, Ryen’s lover needed a challenge.

Ryen took the controller out of his hiding spot behind the soap collector and removed his magnecuffs with a small ping. He kept his collar on, a soothing reminder of where he belonged. To his strong, sensitive yet domineering new master.

The need to submit took away his anger, but Ryen wondered if that meant he’d always be free from violent rages, from the desire to kill. He tugged at his collar, wanting to feel at ease. To not worry that anytime he faced a possible threat he’d go off the deep end.

Experiencing love in whatever guise it came to him would be a welcome change from panic attacks and the terror of harming an innocent.

Be it a male or female, Ryen wanted the intimacy. Though to be honest, lately his desire catered towards a specific man. Thanks to Drekk, the thought of a same sex union no longer bothered him. On the contrary, Ryen had a hard time remembering how good it felt to be buried in a woman. And a part of him wanted to feel Drekk’s ass taking him deep. Feeling such tight flesh hugging his cock as he pumped the male full of seed.

Groaning at yet another hard-on needing relief, Ryen turned off the shower and dried himself. He left the lav with the towel around his waist, only to find Drekk holding nipple clamps and a paddle. Stars, I want this male more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life.

His master had a menacing grin on his face, the meanness back in full effect.

With a lusty sigh, Ryen straightened to his full height and gave Drekk the fight he’d been looking for since he’d woken this afternoon.

“Hey Drekk. I have to hand it to you, you taste really good. But as far as the penetration part of this... What say we fight to see who gets it up the ass and who gives it? I’d like to hear the word ‘master’ on your lips.” Ryen held up his bare wrists with a grin. The fury in Drekk’s eyes was worth every minute he’d spent worrying about the bastard. He almost came when Drekk tackled him to the bed in a move so fast he nearly missed it.

“You drun. Keep pushing and you won’t like me very much.” Hell, I like you enough right now. So much I ache. Now fuck me ‘til I can’t breathe. Make it hurt. Ryen needed more power than he might have thought to flip Drekk onto his injured back, not playing fair. “Pussy. You’re too weak to give me the fight I need. We’ll do this my way.”

Drekk roared. His eyes grew completely black and he saturated the room in scent.

“Too weak? Your ass is mine, you hulking slave.”

Grabbing Ryen, Drekk rolled him over and fought to keep him down. They slid against each other, from the moisture on Ryen’s body or from something else, Ryen wasn’t sure. The friction between their bodies had him distracted. Though he didn’t want to win this fight, his struggles grew weaker when he realised he couldn’t win even if he had wanted to.

Drekk was too damned strong.

Drekk twisted him onto his belly and ripped his towel away. He shoved a pillow under Ryen’s waist, and the possible reason for that had Ryen shaking and suddenly breathless. Blanketing Ryen, Drekk manacled his wrists on either side of his waist and prodded Ryen’s ass with a hard cock.

“You’re lucky I lubed up while you were in the lav or this would hurt a lot more,” Drekk snarled as he shoved his dick hard and fast straight into Ryen’s ass.

Chapter Eight

Ryen couldn’t budge under Drekk’s incredible strength. Like a demon possessed, Drekk pounded into him with violence. The pain Ryen felt didn’t surprise him, but the sheer, growing pleasure did. Each rasp of Drekk’s skin against his, of the swell of his cock inside Ryen’s body made him want to come. The magnetic connection between them intensified as Drekk came hard and continued to thrust.

“That’s right, take my cum, Ryen. Take your master’s seed. I’m going to fuck you until you’re bathing in it. All of me, Ryen, all of me,” Drekk rasped as he fucked harder. Ryen’s balls filled, needing release. Each shove of Drekk deep inside him, the grunts, the sweat, the slick glide of flesh between them only sweetened the desire riding him hard. Fuelled by Drekk’s passion, Ryen groaned, begged and pleaded for Drekk to touch him.

“No, you take what I give you. You don’t spend until I let you,” Drekk said in an odd, echoed tone that made Ryen want to grovel at his feet. Such sheer pleasure, such blissful relief to please another.

“Fuck yes, more, again,” Drekk groaned and pulled out, jetting all over Ryen’s back.

Ryen would have thought he’d wrung Drekk dry even as felt the hot wetness on his skin. Dear night, he ached so badly for Drekk’s touch he hurt.

“Don’t move,” Drekk said between breaths as he lowered his head. Ryen could feel Drekk’s forehead between his shoulder blades. Then the soft press of lips.

Tears of joy filled Ryen’s eyes as he fought not to spill into the bedsheets. His cock was so sensitive he feared he’d burst any minute.

“On your back,” Drekk said and rose.

Ryen shifted onto his back. Drekk disappeared into the lav and returned wiping his dick down with a damp cloth. As he neared, Ryen smelled Drekk’s musk and the citrus scent of soap.

“Put your hand around your cock.”

Ryen groaned. “I’m going to come if I do.”

“No, you won’t.” Drekk stared, his gaze still dark with emotion. “Grip it hard. Jerk it up and down. Let me see that pearly tip.”

Pulling his flesh up and down, Ryen held himself for Drekk’s pleasure. To his astonishment, Drekk was thick and aroused again.

“Now I’m going to cum down your throat,” Drekk said thickly. “In you and on you, in every hole, Ryen.”

Ryen groaned and jerked faster. He stilled when Drekk leaned down and took the head of his cock between his lips.

“Oh, yes,” he hissed, arching up, trying to shove more of himself into that heavenly mouth.

Drekk sucked and ran his tongue over Ryen’s shaft and fingers. He licked at Ryen’s slit.

Quickly turning he straddled Ryen’s face. Ryen didn’t need an invitation. He angled Drekk’s shaft and took it deep. He nearly came off the bed when Drekk engulfed him as well.

The familiarity of the situation struck him, but Ryen couldn’t think past the need building. Drekk’s mouth promised bliss he was helpless to ignore.

When Drekk massaged his balls and shoved a finger into his ass, Ryen groaned around Drekk’s thickening cock. He swallowed the small spurts of cum, and by the feel of Drekk’s own tightening mouth, knew his lover neared the end.

The sudden hard suction around his shaft, in addition to the stroke of Drekk’s talented tongue, shot Ryen into ecstasy. He sucked harder on Drekk’s cock as he spewed, unconscious of anything but the pleasure coursing through his veins.

Hearing Drekk’s groan prepared him to be ready, and he swallowed Drekk’s load.

Sweet and spicy, the wonder of Drekk’s desire rushed through him like lightning. Ryen moaned and swallowed mouthfuls of cream, then licked his lover clean.

Drekk released Ryen’s shaft and shook, panting. Ryen tried to catch his breath once Drekk withdrew from his mouth. They lay together, limp and sated. And then Ryen’s entire world shifted.

Affection wrapped around him like a blanket. He blinked and saw the world in brighter colours, heard sounds sharpened and felt tenfold every whisper of air over his skin, like a physical caress.

“Drekk?” he rasped, knowing he should be concerned but was too out of it to rouse himself.

Drekk groaned and turned around, hugging Ryen to him. He kissed Ryen tenderly, and Ryen tasted a bit of himself on Drekk’s lips. The rightness of it all sent him into a tailspin of emotion.

Tears hit him again. Joy, sadness, fear and acceptance swirled inside him like a solar storm.

“Shh. It’s okay,” Drekk comforted, repeating words of reassurance. He stroked Ryen’s back and arms, curling him into warmth.

“I don’t understand,” Ryen stuttered, having never before felt such conflict. He felt like a pussy for crying, but he couldn’t help himself. The feelings were so intense. Then, as suddenly as they’d come, the feelings departed, leaving a hazy warmth in their place. Peace filled him, calm wonder that seemed to shine around Drekk’s frame like a visible aura.

“Light surrounds you.”

“It surrounds you too,” Drekk said with a sigh. “I can’t believe it, but I think we’ve found wainu together.”

“Wainu?”

“You and I are an amalgam of species, Ryen. One of those is Mardu, but specifically, Xema. A rare race of warriors from this planet. They experience a psychic bonding with potential life mates,” Drekk added with a distinct flush to his features. “One you can accept or ignore once you’re used to the sensation.”

“Life mates, huh?” Ryen wrapped an arm around Drekk. The touch of Drekk’s skin felt like norwali silk, a priceless material much sought-after in the System. And Ryen had full access to it at his fingertips.

“Potential life mates,” Drekk repeated, then swore. “What the hell did I do?” He moaned.

“You made me shoot so hard I lost the feeling in my toes. This beats the hell out of meditation, Drekk. I don’t think I’ll ever be angry again.” Ryen chuckled. “Fuck, this feels so good.” He kissed Drekk on the lips, savouring the contact. “You taste sweet. Once I’m off this euphoric high, I’m going to fuck you again.”

“You’re going to fuck me? I think it’s the other way around.”

“For now.” Ryen snickered. “Can’t wait ‘til I’m buried in your ass. You’re so fucking hot when you come. I want to see it when I’m buried deep inside you. When I collect from my master.” He sighed, completely happy for the first time in his life.

Drekk tried to shake himself from the wainu stealing into his consciousness. He’d mated with Ryen. Fully. Xema taking Xema, never parting, never leaving. The wainu made it hard to be panicked about the huge step he’d just taken. Instead, he basked in Ryen’s touch, in his scent. Senses intensified in this plane of wonderment, of utter union with another.

Though he’d felt it once or twice before with other partners, Drekk had never felt it so deeply. Of course, he’d never before been mated.

He and Ryen were as one in this plane. He sensed Ryen’s peace, experienced his lover’s growing affection and deep satisfaction. Ryen’s entire body tingled with joy, which pleased Drekk to no end.

Not meaning to, he’d finally taken Ryen from his angered life and pushed him in another direction. Drekk had a feeling Ryen would no longer lash out at any and every thing.

And with practice, he’d be able to better control his anger as well, now that he had a mate, a Xema’s ultimate purpose in life.

Fuck. The pleasure sating Drekk faded as he realised what he’d done. He’d just tied Ryen to him without asking for permission. Though they could live apart, they would always need each other in their lives. The sex would be disappointing with anyone else, and in time build a craving just for one another.

Ryen had escaped from a life in the labs only to be bound to Drekk forever. Drekk felt guilty as hell, more so because of the deep satisfaction that filled him. Ryen had pushed him, had taunted him to take control. And he had. Completely. The question was, how would Ryen take it knowing he’d been claimed and mated by a male, by Drekk?

Drekk cursed his exhaustion and hugged Ryen tighter, nuzzling the space between the curve of his cheek and his neck. He smelled so good, so right. Drekk didn’t want to give him up. Stars willing Ryen would accept their bond. Inhaling deeply, Drekk settled into sleep, knowing that only time would tell if he’d made the mother of all mistakes.

Hours later, Drekk woke to the feel of callused hands all over his body. His cock was on fire, hard and hungry for more of his mate.

“Need to come again,” Ryen grunted, then plastered his mouth to Drekk’s.

Drekk immediately took control, conscious of Ryen’s pleased sigh. Though Ryen’s instinct was normally to control a situation, he had finally relinquished his trust and command to Drekk.

“Give it all to me, that’s it.”Drekk lapped up the intimacy needing more. He turned Ryen onto his back and licked his way down Ryen’s body. Latching onto Ryen’s nipple, he teased and bit until Ryen cried out. “I’ve got to see these in clamps,” Drekk murmured as he turned to Ryen’s other nipple.

All the while he felt Ryen arching into him, the male’s thick cock rubbing against his belly with a hunger he too possessed. Wanting more, he left Ryen and dragged him to the edge of the bed.

“This time I’m going to watch you come,” Drekk promised and stood on the floor. His mattress was the perfect height for bedsport, especially now. He pushed Ryen’s legs apart.

“Bend your knees. Watch me fuck you.”

Ryen’s eyes glittered, a blue ocean of desire around golden pinpoints of light. So beautiful. “Oh yeah. Take me.” He hugged his knees.

Drekk slowly pushed through Ryen’s tight opening. Slick from their last time, Ryen still took effort to work through. “You’re so new, so tight.” Drekk panted. “I want to watch you spew while I’m taking you.”

“Fuck yeah. Do it.” Ryen stared up at Drekk through heavy-lidded eyes. “Please, Sir.” Drekk reached forward and grabbed Ryen’s cock while he sank deeper into Ryen’s body. Slowly fucking him in and out, he pumped Ryen, awash in their shared pleasure.

Incredibly, without achieving climax, Drekk and Ryen shared wainu.

“I can feel you inside me, and I can feel me around you, like you’re feeling it,” Ryen said with wonder, his voice impossibly deep. “Drekk, I’m so close. Knowing how much you want me... I’m gonna come hard.”

“Do it.” Drekk squeezed and shoved deeper into Ryen’s ass.

Ryen groaned and came, ropy jets of seed covering his belly and Drekk’s hand.

“That’s it, baby. That’s good,” Drekk said as he rubbed Ryen’s cum over his belly.

“Now me.” He pistoned and came after the third thrust.

Such incredible pleasure. Drekk thought he’d die of it. Worries about the future, about the past and present faded in the web of wainu joining him and Ryen. He eventually pulled out and pushed his cock over Ryen’s semi-hard shaft. Sliding through the sticky mess on Ryen’s belly made him shudder, and he spilled what was left inside him on his mate’s stomach.

“That’s so fucking sexy,” Ryen rasped. “Stars, I don’t ever want to move again.”

“Me too.” Drekk grunted as he pulled away. He hurried into the lav to clean up, returning to clean his lover as well. Tossing the rag aside, he fell alongside Ryen on the bed.

“Watching you spew is almost as good as tasting your cum.” Ryen flushed. “You too.” He squirmed, a moment of discomfort pinging their plane of joy. “You called me ‘baby’.”

Drekk laughed. “And you liked it. I could feel how hot that made you. Oh man, you’re blushing like a woman.”

“Fuck you.”

“Anytime, lover.”

Ryen swore at him again, but there was little heat in it. He linked his hands behind his head and lay in their shared bliss.

Moments of contented silence turned to hours. Drekk ignored his need to talk to Rafe and enjoyed this quiet time with Ryen. With his mate.

“You look pretty damned happy with yourself,” Ryen growled softly. “But let me tell you, that’s not going to happen again.”

Drekk froze. “What?”

“Next time we wake up, I’m on top. I’m still half-hard wondering how you’re going to feel around me. If it’s half as good as I seem to feel around you, we’re going to spend a lot of time in this bed.”

Drekk relaxed. “Fine with me.”

“Really?” Ryen turned on his side. “I thought you were all about the dominance thing.”

“I mean we’ll spend a lot of time in this bed.” He wasn’t yet ready to give himself to Ryen and surrender his all. Not until he knew his control wouldn’t waver. Since the Ebrellion fiasco Drekk felt off, not quite himself.

“Oh.” Was that disappointment in Ryen’s voice? “That’ll work too.”

“So you don’t want to escape any longer?” Drekk asked in a light voice.

“Nah. I gave that up when you came back all bruised and bloody. Face it, Drekk, you need me.”

“I do?” Hell yes, I do.

“Yep. You need me to take care of you. You’ve been on your own so long you’ve forgotten how to need anyone. The next mission, you’re not going solo.” Ryen’s voice roughened. “When you came back last time, some asshole was with you. An Ebrellion, I’d guess. I would have pounded him but he vanished before I could grab him.” Ryen paused, and Drekk met the question in his eyes. “He told me to take care of you.”

“Huh?”

“Why would he do that?”

“I have no idea.” Drekk groaned as he leaned up. “All the blood’s rushed from my head.”

“No kidding.” Ryen sat up as well. “You have a big cock.” He winced. “Going to take some getting used to.”

“Good.”

“Right. But that still doesn’t answer the question of why an Ebrellion would help you.”

“I don’t think they’re all bad.” Drekk recounted to Ryen all that he’d witnessed during his battle with the Ebrellions. “I’d say there were two factions. The ones that had captured the women and the ones that fought against them. I was out of it when I grabbed onto Olla. I remember jumping into the temporal stream when a hand grabbed me.” He frowned. How had he managed to get himself and Olla back here?

“I think we should talk to Rafe about it. I’ve been waiting for the Ebrellion to show again, but he hasn’t.”

“What?”

“He came through once. Why not come through again? Oh, and I didn’t tell Rafe about the guy.”

“Why not?”

“Didn’t seem right to. Oh hell, I can’t explain it. I wanted to talk to you about it first,” Ryen growled.

Drekk leaned over and kissed him. “Have I told you how sexy you are when you’re pissed off?”

“Then you must be in perpetual heat since I’m always angry.”

“Exactly.” Drekk grinned.

Ryen laughed, surprising them both. “Drun. So what say we clean up and get out of here? I don’t know about you, but I can’t handle being locked up.” He waited.

Drekk nodded. “I think we’ve fixed your uncontrollable rages.”

“Oh yeah.” Ryen sucked in a breath when Drekk grabbed his cock. “But we should probably make sure I’m good. Maybe you should suck me off in the shower.” Drekk raised a brow, amused, and released Ryen. “Or maybe you should suck me?”

“As my master commands.”

“Dick.”

“Asshole,” Ryen retorted. He stood and pulled Drekk to his feet. “And speaking of assholes...when are you gonna lick mine?”

“Ryen, keep talking like that and we’ll never get out of here,” Drekk said, aroused again. Normally quick to recover, around Ryen he felt perpetually horny.

Ryen knelt and kissed the inside of his thigh. “I like the way you think.” Ryen licked his lips and took Drekk’s heavy shaft in his mouth. Everything else paled next to Ryen’s tongue and the wainu stealing Drekk’s weakening resistance.

Several hours later, Ryen inhaled a deep breath, overjoyed to feel the sun on his face.

Though Tekar wasn’t nearly as pretty as the eastern section of Mardu, its aggressive and lawless citizens made Ryen feel at home.

He wore an outfit similar to Drekk’s. Rak-hide trousers, a short netter’s jacket over a linen shirt and weapons belt. He also wore a new pair of glasses Drekk had found for him.

No visor, but a dark eye-camouflage that allowed him to see while masking his unique eyes.

Feeling the Melan pistol and Easfran dagger at his side added to his security, though not nearly as much as having Drekk by him.

Casting another side-glance at the male walking next to him, Ryen wondered how his life had changed so drastically in just a few short weeks. Since his rescue from Blue Rim, he’d fought to retain his sanity. Protecting Anin had helped, but he’d had no time to see to his needs or let down his guard. Then they’d been recaptured, and his Handler had been beyond pissed in meting out justice.

Erin’s rescue had been right on time. Had she not shown up, Ryen feared he might have killed every living, breathing body in the damned lab and died while doing it. Instead, Drekk had hauled his ass out of the building and blown Blue Rim to pieces.

Another mark in Drekk’s favour. Ryen smiled.

“Hell. You’re smiling again. Your sister’s going to think I drugged you.”

“Your cum has that effect.” He laughed at Drekk’s discomfort.

“It’s not supposed to have that effect. You’re in better health, no doubt. And you’ve put on some muscle in the short time you’ve been with me.”

“Easy, buddy. I was just kidding.” Was it just him, or did Drekk look guilty? “Okay, what aren’t you telling me?”

“Look, don’t read anything nefarious into this.”

“’Nefarious?’ Must be something pretty bad if you’re pulling out the big words.” Ryen joked but he felt anxious. He didn’t want his incredible happiness to end. Yet a part of him insisted it wasn’t real, that Drekk was too good to be true.

Drekk remained silent and Ryen stopped them on the street. “Drekk?”

“It happened that first night on the pier, when you fought the barbarians.”

“We fought too, as I remember.” Just the start of a budding sexual relationship. Ryen recalled his confused attraction. “If I’d known that would have led to stellar sex, I’d have—fuck it. What are you hanging your head about? What did you do?”

“I didn’t realise I was ‘hanging my head’.”

“I know you.” And he did. As understanding dawned, Ryen relaxed. Whatever Drekk had done might annoy him, but it wouldn’t be the worst that had ever happened to him. For all that Drekk aggravated and bossed him around, he’d always done it with the intention to help, not hurt.

“Yeah, well. That night you pissed me off. I took you down and made you drink some sarfa, to put you out.”

“Sarfa? That shit increases arousal.” The little bastard. “What did you do to me?”

“If you weren’t such a stubborn drun, I wouldn’t have had to do anything. You weren’t healing right and you wouldn’t let me help you.”

“So that’s why I woke up feeling so much better. What did you do, bleed on me?” He narrowed his gaze. “You fucked me. In the ass?”

“No. I, ah, I fed you my semen.”

Ryen blinked. “You made me suck you off while drugged?” Had anyone else admitted to this, Ryen would have pounded him into next week. Yet the enormous weight of conscience that sat so heavily on Drekk’s shoulders forced Ryen to consider that the circumstances must not be what they seemed. Even stranger than this news, an odd sense of respect for Drekk grew; Ryen had never considered him so devious.

“I’m not a rapist,” Drekk growled. “We pleasured each other. You wanted me before I’d drugged you. The sarfa was to ensure that you took everything I gave you. Swallowing my seed healed you from the inside out.”

“Too bad I didn’t remember it.” Ryen inwardly smiled at the guilt on Drekk’s face. His scar whitened, as it normally did when the male was annoyed with something. “You know, you can make what you did right.”

“What I did was right,” Drekk insisted. “I healed you, didn’t I?”

“How would you feel if the same were done to you? ‘For your own good.’” Drekk flushed. “I’d be fucking pissed. What the hell do you want from me? I helped heal you, you giant ass.”

“You owe me.”

“What?”

“Some payback.” Ryen shrugged, concealing his excitement at the prospect. “You took a night from me. You owe me one in return.”

“A night?”

“Yeah, a night where you’re completely mine.”

“Sure, whatever.” Drekk seemed relieved Ryen wasn’t more angry.

“Seal the deal.”

Drekk swore at him in several languages.

“Once you seal the deal, no welching. It’s against Mardu custom, yes?” And legally binding, as Drekk well knew.

“You are such a controlling asshole. Fine.” Drekk put out his hand and they shook. “I owe you one night. The deal’s sealed.”

“Perfect. Remember Drekk, I’ve always been a controlling asshole. It’s in my nature. Submitting to you in bed is something else entirely.” Something I can’t live without.

Drekk gave him one of those looks he still couldn’t figure out. A glance filled with emotion that spoke so much without a word between them. They continued walking down the road in companionable silence.

“We’re here,” Drekk said and turned to Ryen before they entered Rafe’s—Cheltam’s—dwelling. “I haven’t mentioned this before, but I want you to know I’ll keep what we shared private. It’s up to you if you choose to take our association public. You know I have no qualms about doing so.”

Ryen started, not having thought about that. He’d been so consumed with happiness and lust he hadn’t thought about how others might see him and his lover. To some, like his deceased Handler, same-sex relationships were evil, impure. He narrowed his gaze. Then again, Drekk hadn’t said ‘relationship’.

“Association?”

Drekk shrugged. “Call it what you will. I know what we shared.” But do you really? Hell, for that matter, do I? Ryen had just learned how to live in peace.

He had yet to truly test himself around others. Now that he understood sex with Drekk could heal him, not just physically, but emotionally, should he try to experiment with other males?

Was it truly a gender issue, or was it that special something only Drekk possessed?

“Ryen?” Drekk waited, a frown on his rough, sensual mouth.

“Let’s go, associate. I want to talk to my sister.” Drekk muttered under his breath and opened the door. He didn’t seem pleased with Ryen, and his annoyance gave Ryen the boost he’d been needing. So Drekk knew what they’d shared, hmm? Then maybe he wouldn’t mind explaining to Ryen what that meant, in detail...

Chapter Nine

Rafe of Mardu smiled at his wife and winked. When the woman was on a tear, she could set him off with just one kiss of that carnal mouth. He loved the sparkle in her magnificent eyes.

“Glad to be seeing your brother again?”

She twined her arms around Rafe’s neck and kissed him solidly on the mouth.

Squirming over his erection, she deliberately teased. “I’m so happy, Rafe. I’m going to show you how happy after they leave.” She whispered what she planned on doing and his forehead beaded with sweat.

He lifted her off him and glowered at her smirk. “Do you really want me to sport a hard-on when Drekk’s coming? He’s got a thing for me, you know.” Erin rolled her eyes and fixed herself and Rafe a drink. “We all do, darling. In fact, just yesterday Mearla at the club was telling me how much all the ladies miss you. You have quite a reputation downtown.”

Rafe inwardly groaned. “That was all before I met you, honey. You know I’d never look anywhere else but at you.” She released a dose of pheromone into the room that had him ready to blow. “Shit. Cut it out,” he breathed, willing his erection away. That a Xema warrior should be so lacking in control around his woman... Her wicked grin made him laugh. “I love you so much, baby. Just wait until we’re alone again.” Drekk’s signal at the doorway distracted him.

“I’ll get it,” Erin offered. She wore sturdy trousers and a bland, sleeveless shirt. Still, the woman had been created to appeal to every male in the System. She could wear a sack and men would be panting after her.

“Fine, but no kisses or hugs.” He loved Drekk like a brother, but Rafe didn’t like anyone around his mate.

“Not even Ryen?”

“Only Ryen.”

Erin left him and returned minutes later between Drekk and her almost unrecognisable brother. In the few days since Rafe had last seen the male, Ryen’s demeanour had done a one-eighty. Though he still possessed that hulking frame and dangerous mien, his stance seemed normal, not as aggressive and battle ready as he normally was. Damned if he wasn’t smiling.

“Drekk.” Rafe stood to take his friend’s arm. “You’re looking much better.” A glance at Ryen showed Rafe had misjudged him. Just as feral as he used to be.

“Ryen.” Drekk disengaged from Rafe. “Why don’t you give your sister a hug? She won’t bite,” he said with humour and pushed Ryen forward. At his touch, Ryen seemed to shake free from his tension.

Erin and Ryen shared a hug and Erin led him to the chairs at the back of the room. She forced him to sit and began blathering about Anin and the latest news about Eyran science.

Drekk sat across from Rafe’s desk without being asked and graciously took the drink Rafe handed him. “So how goes the Ebrellion kidnapping?” Rafe sat, wondering about the strange feelings in the air. By no means empathic, his kind, the Xema, possessed psychic gifts that enabled them to better size up and deal with potential opponents. Drekk continued to release pulses of energy in odd bursts—typical for the large male—while Ryen emitted bursts of stress that cautioned Rafe to be wary.

“We haven’t found a single Ebrellion since your encounter a few days ago. They must have passed back through the void. The gangs have quieted, though Dog made a play for Olla that didn’t turn out well. Luckily, in the confusion with all the women and girls returning, I convinced Dog to forget he ever saw her.”

“Good move. New mates don’t take kindly to interference.” Drekk looked over his shoulder and Ryen glanced up. Ryen’s lip curled before he gave his attention back to his sister.

“You’re shitting me.” Rafe didn’t believe what his senses, and his eyes, told him to be true.

“I’m sorry?” The warning in Drekk’s gaze forced him to guard his words.

“Ah, right. I was just agreeing with you. Erin and I don’t like being apart much. I can’t stand another male around her, and she hates whenever I have to deal with females.” Drekk’s eyes crinkled. “Well, my offer to help you two conceive is always on the table,” he murmured. “It would no doubt be a huge sacrifice.”

Instinctive possession ruled Rafe before he could tamp it down. In that instant, Ryen stood behind Drekk, his fingers curled over the back of the chair.

Erin raced behind him with a stunned look on her face. “I didn’t even see him move.”

“Problem?” Ryen asked in a low voice.

Drekk shrugged. “Nothing. Just fucking with Rafe’s mind.”

“So long as that’s all you’re fucking with,” Ryen grumbled in a low tone. He turned and dragged Erin back to their seats with a final glare at Rafe.

Drekk coughed to cover his laughter.

Rafe wanted answers, but didn’t think he could get them with Ryen so near. “Erin, honey, why don’t you show Ryen around? I don’t think he ever saw more of the house than that spare room in the back he used to live in. If he’s going to work for Cheltam, he’ll need to know where everything is.”

“Great idea.” Erin beamed, no doubt at the idea her brother would eventually work with them. Rafe just hoped he wasn’t jumping the gun. Ryen still seemed anxious, but he was treating Erin with brotherly affection.

“The only other person here is the cook, Ryen,” Rafe reassured.

“I’m not worried about the cook. I smelled him the moment we entered.” Ryen shared a look with Drekk then left.

“Now how about you tell me how you bonded with Ryen. Just a few days ago he wanted to rip your head off. Now he’s your mate?” Rafe asked, incredulous.

Drekk sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“With you it always is.”

“All I know is that Ryen’s rages are gone. Test him, without me present, and you’ll see. He’s only aggravated with you because he can sense your hostility.”

“Yeah, hostility to you fucking my wife.”

“I was kidding, Rafe. You know that. I only offered to help heal her reproductive organs.”

“I know.” Rafe rubbed the back of his neck. Erin had mentioned babies again last night.

Damned if he didn’t want to please her every whim, but the thought of what she’d have to do to get there... “I’m just not ready to see you coming down her throat.”

Drekk let out a breath. “You’ll never be ready for that. If it’s any consolation, I healed Ryen the same way. He’s mine now, Rafe. I won’t ever want another. I’m part Xema too, remember?”

“So how did he take the news?” Drekk glanced away and shifted in his chair, and Rafe knew. “You drun. Remember when we had this same conversation? When I mated Erin and didn’t tell her?” Rafe laughed long and hard. “At least I never worried about Erin ripping me a new one when I told her.”

“Ryen won’t either,” Drekk said testily. “He’s just now adjusting to a new way of life. I don’t want to throw everything at him at once.”

“Bullshit. You’re scared, same as I was.”

“It’s not the same.”

“It’s exactly the same.”

Drekk stood and paced from one length of the study to the other. “You don’t understand.”

“So make me. Because this isn’t like you, Drekk. You make everyone around you march to your tune. You have since I’ve known you.”

“It’s all about control.”

“So what? Everyone has control issues. You think it’s easy being mated to a woman who can crush my larynx with her little finger? She’s carried me to safety and put me on my ass a number of times.” Rafe glared. “Embarrassing. But I love her. That’s my reality. So why can’t you tell Ryen you mated him? Maybe if he knew you loved him he’d settle in more easily.”

“I didn’t say I loved him.”

The defensiveness of his tone said otherwise. Funny, but Rafe wouldn’t have pegged Drekk as afraid of anything. He’d lived for a thousand years and destroyed bad Creations as easily as breathing. By Flor’s Dagger, the male had even demolished Ebrellions.

“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face.”

“Dammit.” Drekk clenched his fists. “I can’t afford to feel this.”

“You feel emotions, Drekk. Come on. You love me, you love Erin.”

“That’s different and you know it. Ryen is...special.” A Creation. “Like Erin, like me. Except I’m not like anyone else, Rafe. It’s taken me years to control myself. Yes, Ryen seems stable, but he has so much passion under that surface. I’m afraid if I let him in too far, I’ll lose what hold I have on myself.”

“What?”

“I’m not normal.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Rafe tried for humour, but the sombre look on Drekk’s face took him aback. “Come on, Drekk. It’s honest emotion. What’s bad about love?”

“I’m really not normal. I can do things that I shouldn’t be able to do, even for someone like me. Like a Creation,” he added in a quiet voice.

“What kinds of things?” Rafe rounded the desk and perched on its edge. “Things like teleporting? Like healing? I already know that.”

Drekk shoved his fingers through his hair, obviously not liking this discussion. “Things like blacking out. Like coming to surrounded by bodies, by hundreds of bodies,” he whispered, as if remembering. “Like tasting meat that you haven’t eaten but crave. Like moulding your bones and muscles into something else. With no control over any of it when the hunger hits you. That sweet hunger that’s so tempting to indulge.” Okay. Drekk was starting to scare the shit out of him, especially when his eyes darkened, then turned completely black. Rafe could feel static in the air. His sense that Drekk was not a threat evaporated as someone he didn’t know took form in front of him.

“I can’t let this out again,” Drekk said, speaking in a choir of voices. “I worked too hard to bury it deep. It’s all in there, inside of me.” Rafe watched in stunned amazement as Drekk struggled against himself. His skin rippled. His fingers lengthened and turned into claws. His eyes shifted from black to grey to a thin pupil surrounded by alien green and gold.

“It’s okay, Drekk. You’re good, man.” Rafe continued to murmur the words but kept still, sensing that the smallest movement might send Drekk over the edge. Minutes passed while Drekk fought himself. Slowly, steadily, the tension in the room faded and his features returned to normal.

The door to the study banged open and Ryen stormed inside. As if nothing had happened, the remaining energy surrounding Drekk disappeared.

Ryen latched onto Drekk’s arms and pulled him close. “What the hell’s going on?”His words were rough, but his touch was not.

Rafe thought it interesting that for all Drekk’s protests, the moment Ryen had returned he calmed. “Tell me this, Drekk.”

Drekk turned, wary.

“You felt wainu?”

“Ryen.” Erin stomped into the room. “I was right in the middle of a discussion about the cellar’s hidden entrances.” A look at Drekk had her pausing. “Drekk? Are you okay?” Drekk shook his head. “Fine. I’m fine.” He cleared his throat and stepped back from Ryen, who frowned. “Rafe was just telling me about a mission for Ryen. I think the time has come.”

“Answer the question,” Rafe insisted, knowing the importance wainu suggested.

“Yes, dammit.”

Ryen scowled and placed himself between Drekk and Rafe.

“Oh, this is just great.” Erin huffed and put her hands on her hips. “Ryen and I were having a wonderful conversation and then we come back to find a testosterone war. Everyone just back down.” She emitted a light scent into the air that relaxed Rafe in no time.

To his bemusement, one of the others covered her scent with his own. Drekk took a step towards Ryen before he recovered himself. Ryen’s scent, apparently.

“Sorry, Erin. That won’t work. He’s mine.” Ryen sat Drekk down next to him in a chair and covered Drekk’s hand with his own. “Now Rafe, about this mission?” Erin didn’t do more than smile, which alerted Rafe to the fact she knew about the pair.

“Rafe, the mission?” she prodded.

Rafe took his gaze from Drekk’s and Ryen’s clasped hands. “And to think I worried about your lack of control,” he said to Ryen. “There’s a small burglary ring in the southern sector of Four Walls. I want you to take them down tonight. This is for Cheltam, to reinforce our presence. Not for the peacemakers.”

Drekk gripped Ryen’s hand before sliding free. “No need to keep everything nice and legal?” He smiled. It was strained, but there all the same.

Seeing it, Ryen grinned, his attraction suddenly apparent. Rafe didn’t realise he’d been staring until Erin tugged his hair.

“Ow.”

“Just remember who you belong to.”

Rafe flushed. “Gimme a break, baby. They’re guys.”

“Doesn’t seem to matter much,” Drekk said with a steamy look at Ryen. “Whatever went into Erin’s genetic make-up went into Ryen too. I can only imagine Anin is running her rescuers ragged as well.”

“You saying I’m running you ragged?” Ryen asked in a throaty voice.

Drekk coughed. “Rafe, how about you give us some details on this mission?” Rafe quickly did, glad to change the subject. By the time he’d finished, he was more than ready to see to his wife’s less than subtle hints to leave. If she ran her fingers over his scalp and down his neck one more time...

She did.

“Meeting adjourned.” He stood and hoisted the naughty woman over his shoulder. She knew how much he liked being petted that way. Since she normally followed that caress with a journey down his body to his willing and hungry cock, he expected she knew the reaming she was in for. Her throaty chuckled told him so. “I expect a full report tomorrow.” He slapped her ass and headed for the bedroom.

Drekk stared at the doorway and watched it slide closed. Before he could move, Ryen was on him. He knelt between Drekk’s thighs and growled at Drekk to be still. Ryen had Drekk’s trousers open, his cock freed and surrounded by his hot, wet mouth in less than a minute.

“Fuck, Ryen. What’s this about?”

Ryen lifted his head and said, “I don’t know. I just couldn’t stand him being in here with you while I was with Erin,” he rasped. “I have to taste you right now.” Desperate to feel Ryen as well, Drekk helped ease his boots and trousers off and spread his legs wide in the chair. Ryen immediately found his balls and massaged them.

“Yes,” Drekk hissed as Ryen took him deep into his throat. “That’s it, Ryen. Suck it down.”

Ryen groaned and licked at his slit. He continued to fondle Drekk’s sack with one hand and with the other shoved a finger up Drekk’s ass. Then he added a second finger, stretching him.

“More,” Drekk pleaded, oblivious of his duty to master Ryen. He could only respond to his feelings. The emotions that threatened, once again, to run free. Yet with Ryen, the urge to change was smothered under waves of passion.

Ryen used his teeth on the underside of Drekk’s shaft. “That’s it. Give over,” Ryen said and licked up and down Drekk’s cock. “Come in me,” he urged and sucked harder. He rammed his fingers in Drekk’s hole and greedily lapped up the cum spurting in his mouth.

“Oh, yes, yes, Ryen,” Drekk groaned and gripped his hair, thrusting harder.

As soon as Drekk spent, Ryen stood on shaky legs. He was so huge against his trousers that Drekk knew it wouldn’t take much to send him over. Blinking up at him with a lazy smile of thanks, he said, “Put your cock in my mouth.” Ryen hastily removed his trousers and standing, straddled Drekk’s thighs. Drekk scooted down in the chair and met Ryen’s turgid shaft. At the touch of his lips over the sensitive flesh, Ryen sighed his need.

Drekk licked him up and down, sucking his crown as he toyed with the soft head, nibbling and tonguing his slit in time with Ryen’s breathy groans. His desperate thrusts and tight balls suggested he neared the edge. Wanting the large male to lose control, Drekk suddenly engulfed Ryen’s shaft, taking him to the back of his throat as he raked him with his teeth.

On a yell, Ryen exploded and shot his load. Drekk swallowed every drop, addicted to Ryen’s scent and taste.

Trembling in the aftermath, Ryen stroked Drekk’s hair. Choosing to join Ryen in wainu, Drekk sensed Ryen’s feelings.

Ryen continued to run his fingers through Drekk’s hair, marvelling at its softness which so contrasted with the rough warrior sucking him dry. The warrior he couldn’t help but love—

Understanding more than he wanted to, Drekk broke from the blissful plane. His mate loved him. Such acceptance, such incredible caring in Ryen for the male he thought was Drekk. The dam Drekk barely managed to keep in place broke. That need he’d locked deep inside him for hundreds of years threatened to cause all sorts of chaos if he couldn’t control it.

“Stars, Drekk,” Ryen said when he could collect himself enough to speak “That was—”

“Just what I needed. Thanks,” Drekk said gruffly. He stood and hurriedly dressed in silence, ignoring Ryen’s confusion. Always before Drekk added some type of affectionate hugging or touching after sex. But this time, he couldn’t, not and remain separate from the male eroding his self control.

His palms itched and his eyesight suddenly went thermal. He saw heat signatures instead of colour, scaring him. Not again. Destruction, chaos...

“Now what?” Ryen asked quietly.

“Now we get you ready for tonight,” he forced out. And I work on not turning into a hellish Creation needing to be put down. Why the hell is this happening to me? Why won’t it go away?

Ryen said nothing.

“What?”

“Why won’t you look at me?”

Drekk made the mistake of turning his head towards his mate.

Ryen swore. “What the hell happened to your eyes?” He didn’t step back, as he should have. Instead he leaned closer. “You look just like—”

“Stay back.” Drekk had a sudden urge to bite Ryen hard. Excitement and hunger feeding one another, wanting appeasement. Fuck.

“It’s okay, Drekk. I think I know what’s wrong with you.”

“Shit. I have to go.” Because the notion of bending Ryen over and fucking him until he couldn’t walk felt like the right thing to do. To bite him until he tasted blood, then mingle it with Ryen’s seed thrilled him past his controls.

The thermal image of Ryen faded, replaced by bands of carnal hunger that caused Ryen to stand out in the bland room. Colour flared, scent intensified and his arousal caused Drekk to double over. If Ryen took another step closer he’d hurt him oh so good.

He had to leave.

“I’ll call you when I can. Focus on tonight, it’s important.” Fangs pierced his gums. “Let Rafe know you need a ride home.” Drekk teleported away before he’d finished his sentence.

Not knowing where to go, he sent himself to the fringes of the Eron Forest, where the wild land met dangerous jungle. There, away from everyone, Drekk succumbed to his body’s demands. He tore off his clothes and screamed in anger and pain at his loss. Ryen was gone, and the loneliness ripped Drekk from reality.

Animal needs roared and without thinking about it, Drekk shapeshifted and bounded after prey. Blood, meat and bone. A feast to quell the gnawing hunger. After that, he would claim his mate the right way. He howled as he ran, scaring the wildlife into the shadows.

Chapter Ten

Ryen sat with Rafe and Erin, wondering what to do. He wanted to go after Drekk but had no idea where to look. The drun had taken off like a shot, fear and desire radiating from him in waves of extremes. Still caught in wainu, Ryen had felt his lover’s lingering emotions, the greatest of which had been terror for Ryen.

“Drekk’s going through a rough patch,” Rafe said. An understatement. “He’s had moments before, but nothing like this. I’m not sure what set him off.” But the look he gave Ryen suggested he knew more than he was saying.

“I don’t know where to look.” Pissed that Drekk had left, Ryen smashed his hand through Rafe’s table. “Oh shit. I’m sorry.” Ryen stood. “I should go.”

“No,” Rafe and Erin said at the same time.

Ryen rolled his eyes. “It’s okay. I’m not going to decimate the population of Tekar. I’m going back to Drekk’s.” To my home. He needed to work a few things out.

“I’ll take you,” Erin offered before Rafe could say anything. She kissed Rafe’s cheek.

“I’ll be back soon.”

In the rover, she mimicked Drekk’s voice and altered her forefinger’s print to access the drive feature of the vehicle.

“I could have done that,” Ryen said.

“So you lifted Drekk’s prints already?”

Damn. “No. Just his voice. How do you have it?”

“I stole his rover once. Funny story. So what’s going on with you and Drekk?” she asked as she manoeuvred the vehicle towards Drekk’s dwelling.

“I don’t know.”

“You had sex with him.”

“Yeah, I know. I was there.”

“A male,” Erin reiterated. “I thought you liked women.”

“I do.” And he did. Thoughts of Glaia, however, didn’t turn him on. Even a good-looking guy like Rafe did nothing for Ryen. He didn’t want anyone else but his lover, his master. “There’s just something about Drekk.”

“Yeah, I felt it too before I met Rafe. Drekk made me uncomfortable.” He gets me uncomfortably hard, Ryen wanted to say. Instead, he asked, “Are you happy, Erin?”

“More happy than I’ve ever been in my life.”

“Because of Rafe?”

“Because I’m free to love Rafe or whoever I want to love. I chose Rafe. Or rather, he chose me when we mated.”

“So you didn’t want him at first?”

“I desired him, yes. But I wasn’t sure about the rest. Love is such a foreign emotion for us. Trusting another...it doesn’t come easy. And Rafe’s Xema. I didn’t know about our own Xema heritage, not with so much other crap inside us. But when a Xema takes another Xema, it’s for keeps. I’ll never want another with Rafe around.” Ryen had a thought. “I’m Xema too, aren’t I?”

“Yeah. So’s Anin. That and a half dozen other aggressive species accounts for your bossiness.”

He couldn’t help grinning. “I’m no more bossy than Drekk.” My part-Ebrellion lover.

And isn’t that a kick? Bad enough to be a Creation the System feared. The Ebrellions were even worse, technologically advanced warriors the System had little defence against. No wonder Ryen hadn’t been able to stop himself from falling in love.

Yeah. That’s why you want Drekk. Because he’s a shapeshifting, teleporting alien who fucks you into a stupor. That’s it.

“What aren’t you saying?” Erin asked doggedly. “You love Drekk, don’t you? I can see it on your face when you look at him.”

“So you’re an expert on love?”

“Why can’t you admit you love him?”

“Why can’t he?” Ryen retorted. “I know I’m a hothead, but I’m learning to settle down and think before ripping a guy’s head off.” Erin snorted. “Drekk makes me feel something other than pain and duty. I’m not sure he feels the same. That wainu is one thing. I’d hoped he felt something more, especially the way he looks at me sometimes... What?”

“Did you say wainu?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow. That’s a Xema love thing for sure.” Erin laughed as they pulled up to Drekk’s house.

Ryen didn’t want to talk about this with his sister, but he wanted so badly to understand Drekk he’d do anything he could to learn more. “What do you mean?” Erin turned to face him. “Wainu is that blissful plane you share with that special person after sharing sex. But it only occurs between a Xema and his or her potential mate.” Drekk had mentioned the same. Hell, he and Drekk had shared wainu a number of times. “So does it let you feel what the other person feels? Do you share a deep connection as if you’re one person?”

Erin narrowed her eyes. “You do after you’ve been mated.” Ryen stilled. “Mated how?”

“In the regular way I suppose.” Erin flushed. “Anin is much better than I am at talking about sex. Okay.” She took a deep breath. “When a Xema male mates, he has to achieve climax in his lover’s body. Three times he’ll mark his mate. Then you feel this intense connection, even when the wainu’s not there.”

“Son of a bitch.” Ryen was stunned. Drekk had marked him, mated with him, and he hadn’t known. For a moment he saw red. Lies, deceit, hidden agendas... Then he recalled Drekk’s passion, the well of love Ryen felt from the male every time they fucked before holding each other afterwards.

“Ryen?”

“The mating. It can’t be faked, can it? Does the bond lead to emotional ties, or just physical ones?”

“I don’t know. Rafe might. But what I do know is that Drekk had a special interest in you from the very first. He wouldn’t let me see you until he thought it was best for you. And according to Rafe, his best buddy is falling for some drun who probably won’t appreciate what he’s got.”

Ryen tried to absorb it all. He tamped his exhilaration at thoughts of being tied to Drekk. The male had lied to him, after all. Then again, Drekk wasn’t himself, not since he’d encountered the Ebrellions.

“Thanks, Erin,” Ryen said. “I’ll think about what you’ve said.” She kissed him on the forehead and patted his cheek. “Go easy on Drekk. He’s having a hard time. Don’t tell Rafe, but I overheard most of their conversation while the cook was boring you. Drekk’s got something bottled up inside him that he’s afraid to let go. I think his feelings for you are getting in the way of his control and he’s frightened of hurting you. Then again, I could be mistaken. Maybe it’s all just about sex,” she teased.

Ryen muttered under his breath about nosey females, though he couldn’t fault her for telling him what she had. He understood so much more now. Thanks to Drekk, he’d filled that lonely void inside him with love, a connection to another. His mate. He left the rover and waved good-bye to his sister.

He grinned stupidly, then lost the smile worrying about what Drekk was doing at this moment. Entering the dwelling, he stopped abruptly at the sight that met his eyes.

Four men stood in the centre of the room while another two suddenly caged him on either side. They blinked, inner lids closing sideways before the outer ones did, and he noted the reptilian pupils. Ebrellions. Reacting on instinct, Ryen sent the two next to him into the wall. He drew his pistol on three of the remaining aliens charging him, but it was the fourth Ryen kept his eyes on. That was the same fucking alien who’d come back with Drekk and the female days ago.

“Wait,” the fourth Ebrellion, likely their leader, commanded, and the others froze. “We mean no harm,” he rasped, his hands held high. “I would like to converse with the other one,” he said to Ryen. Drekk.

“Well so would I,” Ryen snarled and clenched a fist. He braced for the next attack, realising that Drekk hadn’t fallen into enemy hands if said enemy was looking for him.

“You’re not like the others in this star system.” The leader cocked his head, as if in thought. “Yet you’re not like us, either.”

“But my friend is, right?”

“Correct.” The Ebrellion nodded. “I hadn’t meant to leave him so soon after finding him, but I had to return to my ship. Rebel scum needed tending.” The alien smiled, showcasing sharp white teeth. “Your friend,” he paused. “I scent him on you. Mated, yet not?”

“That seems to be the running question.” Ryen was having the oddest conversation with a creature he’d never thought to meet. For all the Ebrellion’s differences, he appeared very human. A large, muscular male. Short dark hair, normal Mardu clothing. Only his eyes and teeth looked alien.

“There is something. I can sense a psychic bond. Yet he has not performed the Rite.” The male frowned. “This is dangerous.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s nearing his Time. I sensed it when I saw him the other day. He’s nearing his Time and has only partially mated. Without taking from you what he needs, he’ll turn...not right.” The male said something Ryen didn’t understand.

“What the hell does he need? How can I give him what he wants? Does he even know what to do? Because I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know he’s Ebrellion.”

“As I suspected.” The leader spoke to his companions and one by one they departed. “I am Tarn. We will find the male and you will fix him.” Ryen was no one’s fool. “You want me to believe you want to help a guy who took down a dozen or more of your own kind.”

“He helped me take care of the rebels I was sent to dispatch. He’s a powerful male. And he’s of my brother’s line.”

Ryen blinked, not having expected that. “What?”

“It’s in his eyes. I saw it for a brief moment when our gazes collided. You’re not Ebrellion, so you can’t understand, but it’s something I know. Come here, Ryen.”

“How do you know my name?”

“Your male called for you several times in the warehouse. I followed his trace back here to you through the void. I carried him here. He wasn’t able to move once the threll toxin worked into his system.”

Ryen wanted badly to help Drekk, but he didn’t trust this Tarn as far as he could throw him.

“Every moment you tarry you put your mate in jeopardy.”

“Fine. But you try fucking me over and I’ll break your neck. You don’t want to know what I’ll do to you if you harm Drekk.”

“Drekk, hmm? An Ebrellion name.” Tarn smiled, and his teeth looked normal, like that of a human once more.

“Whatever.” Ryen stepped closer to Tarn and tucked his pistol back into its holster. If the Ebrellion made a wrong move he’d use brute force to take him down. Not as effective, but more satisfying. “Now what?”

“Think of your mate. I will take us there.” Tarn grabbed his arm just as Ryen reached for the pistol at his back, holding onto it.

Ryen concentrated on Drekk. On his ready smile when he teased Ryen, of his clear grey eyes that saw so much. His firm lips and the rough scar that only accentuated his danger.

Dark black hair over swarthy skin. A rugged frame and large hands with long fingers that could cause pleasure or pain. What struck Ryen most about his memories was the love they engendered. Every time he though of Drekk, he warmed with the need to just spend time around his lover. To hear him laugh or growl with passion.

“Enough,” Tarn muttered and dropped him into a dark wooded area. Ryen sensed another presence just as something wild leaped at Tarn. This threll was three times the size of a normal threll with an anger that stunned Ryen. He made a move to shoot the thing with his pistol when Tarn threw himself in Ryen’s sights.

“No. This is Drekk,” Tarn said as the giant threll threw him to the ground. The thing swiped two of his six claws over Tarn’s belly and snarled. The thin hide Tarn wore over his shirt like a vest deflected the venomous attack.

Stunned, Ryen called out Drekk’s name. The creature snarled once more, then ceased its attack on Tarn and jumped in Ryen’s direction.

“Do not move. Let him scent you,” Tarn said quietly.

Ryen released a torrent of pheromone.

“That’s very good,” Tarn said in a choked voice. “No wonder Drekk claimed you.” The threll snapped at Tarn but didn’t attack. Instead it focused on Ryen. Slowly, the threll began to shrink and change shape, until only Drekk remained on his hands and knees, his hair askew, his features still alien until they too evened out. Only his eyes remained like Tarn’s. Green and yellow with a slitted pupil.

“My brother’s line,” Tarn said proudly, sadly. “Drekk, you must finish claiming your mate in order to become whole.”

“Become whole?” Drekk rasped, his eyes glowing with anger and shame.

The shame tugged at Ryen’s heart.

“I would have killed him and any who stood between us. What good is becoming whole?” Drekk clutched his head. “I’ve kept it contained for years.”

“Too many years. It is your Time. In your cycles, you peaked many times, and all safely because you had no bond, no mate.”

“My Time? Peaked?” Drekk asked, his gaze glued to Ryen.

Stars, even naked and covered in sweat, Drekk mesmerised him.

“Your Time, like a female’s cycle when she goes into heat,” Tarn explained. “Ebrellion males feel it as well, but the unmated deal with it using certain herbs and rituals. When mated, the Rite is necessary to stimulate the trigger that allows control over the shifts.” Tarn softened his voice. “You controlled your peaks for so long, Drekk. An amazing feat. That you command the void—that you teleport,” he clarified, “is a testament to your power. Your strength, your healing, they are wonders that awe me. But now that you have a mate you will no longer be able to control yourself during your Time. You must finish what you started.” Tarn turned to Ryen. “Will you accept this?”

“Whatever he needs.” Ryen nodded.

Drekk shook his head. “I won’t endanger him.”

“You already do. You clamour for this male. You have taken him as your own with your mind and body. But your Ebrellion shei, the essence that makes you what you are, demands you claim all of Ryen.”

“Will it harm him?”

Tarn grinned. “On the contrary, I think you and he have already begun this path.”

“What?”

“You must bathe the male’s honet with your seed, releasing a touch of shei. He in turn must give it back to you the same way.”

Drekk frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Release your seed in Ryen’s rectum,” Tarn explained stumbling over the word.

“My lucky day,” Ryen murmured.

“That’s it? Just ass-fuck him?” Drekk narrowed his gaze.

“That and a few bites. Nothing shattering. But blood and seed must mix. You need to do this before your next wave hits.”

“Next wave.” Drekk pressed his hand to his belly.

“That hunger. That’s your craving for your mate. You must take his essence into you.

And then Ryen will give it back. Once you do, all the pain and lusting violence you’ve experienced will vanish. Ryen’s release inside of you—a combination of your shei and his energy—will trigger your control centre. It’s a chemical stimulant only your mate can give you.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you this sooner. I felt your struggle in the temporal stream, but I didn’t realise its source until I met your mate.” Tarn eyed Ryen up and down. “Though he cannot procreate, he would be considered quite attractive on my world, where strength is prized above all else. His eyes are, of course, extraordinary.” Sensing Drekk’s mounting rage, Ryen glared at Tarn. “Don’t push him—”

“Too late. Good luck.” Tarn grinned and vanished.

Ryen half turned only to find Drekk all over him, ripping his clothes to shreds. Then he used his mouth. They weren’t kisses so much as bites and nips. Drekk gentled as he lapped Ryen’s skin, savouring his nipples with such skill that Ryen fell headlong into lust. His cock ached at the harsh treatment, the stings of Drekk’s teeth adding to the pleasure of sharp nails against his belly.

“I need you.” Drekk sounded inhuman but Ryen didn’t care.

“Take what you need, Sir.”

Drekk groaned and flipped him over a large, fallen tree, spreading his cheeks with brutal force. Expecting more pain, Ryen was unprepared for Drekk’s long tongue. It snaked around his rim and into his ass, touching and flicking along sensitive nerves Ryen hadn’t thought he possessed.

“Oh fuck, yes,” he moaned.

Drekk grunted his pleasure and continued to eat him, reaching around to clutch Ryen’s cock with a hard grip. Ryen tensed at the almost painful jerking while Drekk continued to lick his ass, shocked at the painful pleasure.

When he was on the verge of orgasm, Ryen smelled the sweetest damned perfume that went straight to his head. He barely felt Drekk turn him around. Barely noticed the scrape of teeth down his cock that drew beads of blood as he thrust hard and fast into Drekk’s mouth.

And then Drekk was swallowing his cum, licking and sucking it down.

Euphoric, Ryen ignored the wainu waiting for him. Though he registered his orgasm and wanted another, he wanted to be ultra aware of Drekk, who pushed him back onto his belly and spat onto his hand. He’s lubing up with my cum, Ryen thought, astonished Drekk could think to do so in his animalistic state. Then he could think no more as Drekk shoved inside him. Even slick with Ryen’s seed, Drekk’s cock was thick and bruising as he pushed deeper.

Drekk seemed bigger, and his thrusting hurt as he took more. Drekk groaned Ryen’s name over and over as he rammed home. “Yes, Ryen. Yes.” Gripping Ryen’s waist with clawed fingers that drew blood, Drekk suddenly stiffened as he shot into Ryen’s ass. He howled his pleasure. Ryen felt a sense of something passing between them, something more than seed. But the vicious bite at his shoulder shocked his inner beast. The rage he’d lived with for so long, and thought he’d conquered, rushed from him. He knocked Drekk back and turned with a roar.

“Give it back to me,” Drekk rasped as he licked his blooded lips. “Fuck me.” Yes, yes. That’s what I need. In the blink of an eye he pushed Drekk over the tree and spread his thighs apart. The sight of Drekk’s plump sack hanging low, of the musky perfume lingering over the two of them, and the hunger to finally fuck Drekk pushed him to take what he’d been wanting for so long.

He grunted as he put the head of his cock at Drekk’s hole. Need overwhelmed him as he pushed forward. To his surprise, Drekk was cool and moist, accepting Ryen with ease.

The unexpected chill on his shaft sent him deeper inside, seeking heat. Such perfection, fitting each other as if born to. Sensation overwhelmed Ryen as wainu settled over them both.

He was unable to ignore it this time, nor did he want to.

“Drekk. Damn, I love you,” he moaned as he fucked his lover. Pistoning his hips, he ground against Drekk’s ass, wanting nothing more than to cause his lover to climax again.

“Come with me.”

“Yes. Inside me. Hit that spot again. Yes, again,” Drekk cried out as he shuddered and shot against the tree.

Ryen continued to thrust, not relenting until he’d come hard. The deep love he felt from his master, his partner, took him to another plane of rapture altogether. He held Drekk tight, not letting go even when Drekk fidgeted beneath his heavy weight. Finally, when he’d spent his all, he withdrew and took Drekk to the ground with him. He settled Drekk on his lap, ignoring his lover’s scowl.

“You should sit on my lap.”

“Hell no. You’re sitting on mine. You’re wearing my cum,” Ryen said with satisfaction.

“And your Ebrellion side seems to have been tamed.”

“My Ebrellion side.” Drekk stared at him. “That’s why I started turning into a monster, because I have alien blood in me, too.” Drekk laughed tiredly. “Good night. What else is in me I need to know about?”

“Well, I’d say me but I just pulled out.” Ryen grinned before he shifted and caught sight of his own cock. “Holy shit. What the hell did you do to me?” Drekk’s smile froze as he sat back and saw the welts and bite marks all over Ryen’s body. “Oh, no. Ryen, I’m so damned sorry. I never meant to hurt you—”

“Shut up. I couldn’t care less about my body. But my cock has your teeth marks. How am I going to explain those to Glaia the next time we share her?” Drekk opened his mouth to speak and stopped. “There is a ‘we’ then?”

“Didn’t you hear me say I love you?”

“Say it again.”The stupid grin on Drekk’s face made him want to shout with joy.

Then Ryen scowled, realising Drekk had yet to say the words. “How about you say it once, mate?”

Drekk had the decency to flinch. “I was going to tell you we’d mated. Hell, you pushed me into it. I’m Xema. It was all I could do not to take you before I had.”

“Yeah, well I’m Xema too. And I don’t remember getting a chance to fuck you in the ass before now.”

Drekk flushed. “I can’t help it. I like fucking you.”

“I have to admit, I like it too. Still, coming in your ass turned me on. Considering I’m bigger than you, I should be on top.”

Drekk scoffed. “You may be bigger, but I’m an alien. That definitely gives me rights when it comes to taking charge.” Drekk’s carefree attitude vanished. “I’m an alien. Fuck, Ryen. Talk about being an abomination.”

“What did you say?”

“Abomination. Do I need to spell it out for you?”

“Who called you that?” Ryen wanted to kill.

“I call myself that.”

“Well, don’t. I heard enough of it in Blue Rim. You’re a man who can heal, who can teleport and who gives the best head I’ve ever had.” Drekk snorted.

“You’re so much more than what they made of you, Drekk. You healed me.”

Drekk scooted off of Ryen’s lap and reversed their positions, seating Ryen over him. He positioned Ryen to straddle his hips, their faces a breath apart. “Did I help you? I’ve tied you to an abom—” he corrected himself. “To an alien for the rest of your life.”

“Yeah, well, I have anger issues. We can work on that.”Ryen smiled. “I think I might be cured from the uncontrollable urges. I didn’t kill the Ebrellions hanging in your apartment.

And my ride home with Erin wasn’t annoying or frustrating in the slightest. At least, it wasn’t until she told me I had a mate I knew nothing about.” Drekk groaned. “How long are you going to hold that over my head?” Ryen reached down and smoothed the cum from Drekk’s ass over Drekk’s cock. A spark lit Drekk’s gaze and he helped, grabbing Ryen to lower him slowly over his erection.

Fully seated, Ryen answered him on a groan. “You’ll be hearing it until I’m done reminding you of it. For the rest of your life, I’d say. We need to work on your control issues as well. Let’s fuck a few more times to see if our mating took.” He rode his lover for a few heart-shattering strokes, then paused. “I still haven’t heard the words.”

“Can’t you feel what I feel? I love you so much,” Drekk moaned and threw his head back as Ryen sank down and rose over him time and time again. He wrapped a hand around Ryen’s cock while Ryen controlled their pace, and it wasn’t long before Ryen climaxed into bliss. The moon rose high while they made love. Two men Created for each other under the stars. They fell asleep in each other’s arms, until Ryen woke remembering he’d had someplace to be tonight.

Chapter Eleven

Ryen smashed his fist into the burglar’s face with just enough force to knock him unconscious. Not too creative, but at least he hadn’t killed the bastard, Drekk thought.

The half dozen criminals still standing stared in confusion. Ryen fought them in front of an audience. Cheltam, Erin and Drekk drank while they watched and traded comments from the corner of the seediest bar in Four Walls.

“That’s it?” Drekk asked. Ryen’s glare was all he needed. Like clock-work, his dick spiked.

“Considering he’s only taken out half their number without a casualty, I’d say he’s on the right track.” Rafe nodded at Ryen to continue and ordered another round for the table.

“I don’t know,” Erin said as four Mardu launched themselves at Ryen. “I think he’s getting sloppy. He would have had this mess cleaned up in no time in the old days.” Drekk snorted. “Erin, in ‘the old days’ he’d have had this mess dead. I think he’s using considerable restraint.” Pride was his constant companion around Ryen. Tall, dark and handsome, with a new, more relaxed attitude, Ryen drew men and women to him with ease.

Only the dim-witted ever thought they could take him in a fight.

“Look, are we done here? Do I really have to beat up every single idiot in this stupid gang to prove myself?”Ryen drawled as he punched another man in the face. This one looked less like a burglar and more like an enforcer. He was huge, yet still went down like a sack of rocks by a distracted Ryen.

“Who you callin’ an idiot?” one of them snarled and withdrew a pistol.

It vanished in an instant, vaporized out of his hand by a laser held by a hulking, familiar male that set Drekk’s teeth on edge. Tarn stood right next to his chair, way too close considering the alien could teleport stars-knew-where through that damned void.

“My bar, my rules. You are an idiot, Tolner. To you, my large friend,” he said to Ryen.

“I appreciate you not destroying more of my bar than you could have.” Tarn spoke easily, as if an Ebrellion appearing in Mardu was commonplace.

“Sure thing.” Ryen tensed, alerting Drekk all was about to go to hell. Drekk narrowed his eyes and shook his head when Ryen would have gone for Tarn’s throat.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Tarn smiled down at their table. “I didn’t introduce myself. The name is Tarn. I just moved to Mardu from the outer rims. Nasty lot out there. Really uncivilised.”

“Yeah, so they say,” Rafe said, studying Tarn closely. “You look familiar. Where have I seen you before?”

“I’ve been around, Cheltam. This must be your lovely wife, Erin.” Tarn nodded his head in respect but made no move to approach her.

Rafe eased a bit, but Drekk remained on full alert. What the hell was Tarn doing? His bar?

“Ryen you’ve met,” Rafe introduced. “This is Drekk, my other enforcer. “ Humour glinted in Tarn’s surprisingly normal gaze. His eyes were a dark green and showed no hint of the inner lid of the Ebrellions. “Drekk. I’ve heard good things about you. Felicitations on your mate.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Tarn smiled, showing flat, white teeth. More camouflage. “I decided to invest in this rundown part of town, hoping to clean things up. Four Walls has the capacity for growth. Who knows? Maybe I can interest some of the pretty females around the place to take an interest in my family.”

“An interest in your family?” Erin asked.

“I have a lot of brothers, cousins and relations. We’re nearly all male in my family, and my parents are dying for younglings.”

Erin grinned. “Yeah. I’m dying for a few myself.” Rafe groaned and Drekk stifled a grin.

“Maybe Ryen and I could spread the word,” Drekk offered, meaning to look into Tarn’s presence immediately.

Rest assured, Drekk. I mean only to offer recompense to those females desiring an Ebrellion mate. I would never drag an unwilling woman from her world. I was in fact put here by my superiors to make sure that doesn’t happen again, Drekk heard in his mind.

“Your help would be much appreciated.” Tarn walked towards Ryen and intercepted the last thief crazy enough to take him on. Tarn threw him against the wall. The criminal hit hard and crumpled to the floor.

“Nice,” Rafe murmured. “Where did you say you were from?” Tarn paused. I believe you wish to keep your origins a secret? he sent Drekk, who subtly nodded. As do I.

“He didn’t.” Drekk coughed to clear his dry throat. He swallowed another mouthful of ale. “I can vouch for his contacts, but I’ll also be keeping a close eye on him, just in case he needs help.”

“Me too,” Ryen rumbled. “Real close.”

“Excellent.” Tarn beamed and crossed thick arms over a broad chest. “I look forward to doing business with Cheltam in the future. Remember me as a source of information, dear friends. Drinks are on the house.”

With a nod, Tarn walked back into the murky shanty he called a bar.

“That was weird,” Erin said.

“Yeah.” Rafe glanced at Drekk, then Ryen. “But if you’re vouching for him...?”

“I am,” Drekk answered.

“That’s good enough for me.” He shrugged. “Ryen, you passed. You’re in. You could use a little technique on your wristlock, though. You broke three of their wrists.”

“And?”

“The wristlock is supposed to be used to pin down your opponent, not cause damage.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Ryen joined them at their table and drank from Drekk’s glass. “Cheltam? Sorry again for missing the other night. I, ah, completely forgot.”

“No problem, so long as we’re all good now. Are we, Drekk?” Rafe asked, his gaze probing.

Drekk grinned. “Never better. I’m finally where I’ve always needed to be. Speaking of which, I have to head home. Got a debt to repay.” The look he gave Ryen left little to the imagination.

“Hell. Get out of here before my eyes burn from their sockets.” Rafe grimaced. “I liked you better when you barely talked, Drekk. All this happy shit is killing me.”

“Rafe, really.” Erin glared.

“He’s hurting my feelings.”Ryen gave her his sad face, and Erin kicked Rafe in the shin.

He rubbed his leg. “Ow. Dammit, remember to be gentle, baby.”

Erin nodded at Drekk. “Have a good time. Keep treating my brother right or I’ll kick your ass, too.”

Drekk laughed. “No problem. Send Anin our regards.” The minute they walked out the back door, Drekk grabbed Ryen and teleported home.

They landed in the living room.

“I hate when you do that.” Ryen shuddered and pushed away.

Expecting annoyance, Drekk wasn’t prepared for the wicked look in his lover’s eyes.

“What?”

“Time to pay up, baby. ” Ryen licked his lips and crossed his arms. “I’m not wasting a second of tonight. Strip.”

Drekk felt anything but calm. When he and Ryen had made love in the forest, he’d felt no reservations about giving Ryen the lead. The Ebrellion in him had needed it to cement the bonding, and their affection afterwards just seemed right.

Now, however, he had to consciously give up his control. The thought both excited and unnerved him.

“We sealed the deal,” Ryen reminded him.

“I know that,” he snapped and stripped out of his clothes. The noticeable bulge in Ryen’s trousers helped.

“Relax. I won’t make you call me ‘Sir’. Then again,” he paused and concentrated on Drekk’s cock. “I think a trip to the toy closet is in order. Get me the dildo, some clamps and the lube.”

Drekk’s arousal overcame his nerves. Did Ryen plan to wear the clamps for him? He shifted, aching to shove his dick into something. But not tonight. Tonight I’ll be taken by the man I love. The mate I trust.

Coming back to Ryen now naked in the middle of the living room, Drekk tossed the items onto the table next to him.

“Nice, Drekk. Very nice.” Ryen’s deep voice and thick cock told him he was appreciated. “Now come here and suck me. Get me in the mood.”

“I’ll get you in the mood,” Drekk growled. “I’ll suck your cock until you blow, you hulking drun.”

“I thought I was a ‘hulking slave’? Isn’t that what you called me when you first took my ass?” Ryen asked through laughter, which quickly turned into a groan.

He clasped Drekk’s hair tight and shoved roughly between his lips.

“Don’t move,” Ryen rasped. “Let me fuck you.” He thrust in and out of Drekk’s mouth in a slow glide. “That’s it, baby. Let me take you for once. Submit, pet. Be mine.” Ryen pulled out and waited for Drekk’s response.

“I am yours. Always,” he answered the only way he could. With the truth. “Whatever you want is yours.”

Ryen’s eyes seemed to glow. “Good answer,” he growled. “Now, pet, put these clamps on me. I know you’ve wanted to see me in them.”

Drekk rose and fetched the magneclamps. They were small enough to fit over Ryen’s nipples, and the force exerted on them would respond to the controller lying next to them.

“How hard?” Drekk asked in a thick voice. He’d been dying to see Ryen wearing them.

“As hard as you think they should be.” Ryen’s look smouldered. He took Drekk’s mouth in a dominating, powerful kiss. “Now do it so we can get back to fucking.” Drekk was surprised to find himself shaking.

“Oh yeah. I can’t wait to finally ream that ass. Slow and easy, then fast and hard.

Imagine my cum sliding down your thighs. Imagine me sucking you off. Won’t that be good, baby?”

“Ryen.” Panting now, Drekk had a hard time focusing on the clamps.

“I want you hard and hot.” Ryen grabbed his cock and slid his hand over the wet tip. “I want you mindless with need. To know you want me that much.”

“I do.”

“Put the clamps on.”

Drekk wanted to give Ryen added stimulus and sucked hard on both nubs, though he needn’t have bothered. Ryen’s nipples were erect, his arousal impossible to miss. Attaching the clamps, Drekk set the level low, not wanting to over-stimulate Ryen his first time.

A dark chain connected the clamps, like a mark of ownership as striking as the collar Ryen insisted he would never take off.

“So fucking hot.” Drekk sighed into Ryen’s devouring kiss, moving like a puppet as Ryen positioned him.

He lay sprawled across a waist-high sex table Ryen had recently moved from the back room.

“Scoot back. I want your cock front and centre.”

Drekk moved back and immediately stilled when Ryen fondled his balls.

“These are so pretty. So perfectly round and firm when you’re aroused.” Ryen squeezed with enough pressure to set Drekk off. Then he eased up and lowered his mouth. A breath of hot air kissed Drekk’s cock. Ryen followed with a tongue through his slit. “You’re crying for me, aren’t you, pet?”

Pet. A love name that signified his submission. The dormant slave within him for so long thrilled. “Yes, yes I need you.” So much.

“I know.” Ryen’s eyes filled and he hastily blinked the tears back. Looking annoyed that he’d expressed such sentiment, Ryen took his aggression out on Drekk’s cock. He sucked hard, licking and nipping and teasing until Drekk wanted to never leave the man’s mouth again.

On the verge of coming several times, Drekk cried out in frustration each time Ryen pulled away.

“Not yet, baby. Not until you see to your master first.”

“Yes, please. Whatever you want.”

“I want you to bend over. I want that ass now. Lube me up.” Ryen waited, his own cock hard and wet with desire.

Drekk retrieved the lube and eased the gel over Ryen’s cock, gratified by his drawn out hiss.

“That’s it. Stroke me, pet. Get me nice and thick for you.” Ryen threw his head back as Drekk worked him. “How long has it been since you’ve been taken? Before last night, I mean,” he murmured.

Drekk didn’t stop fondling his lover as he answered. “Over a thousand years.” Ryen started and stared in wide-eyed astonishment. “What?”

“Not since Master. It was such an intimate thing.” Drekk felt his face heat. “I could do it to others, but to feel another inside me felt too personal. Now I know it was because only my mate had that right.” Drekk closed his hand hard around Ryen. “The man I love above all else.”

“And the man who loves you above all else,” Ryen rasped. He kissed Drekk hard on the mouth, then softened the kiss with gentle stokes of his tongue, the delicate press of his lips.

The contact seemed to go on forever, their connection unbreakable.

Drekk was on the verge of climax, so completely under Ryen’s thrall.

“On your belly, pet.”

Drekk immediately laid on his stomach on the table, his dick uncomfortably sandwiched between the table and his belly.

“I’m going to get you ready for me with your favourite toy. Now I’ll bet this has been up that tight ass a time or two.”

“Yes.”

“I’m jealous.” Ryen sounded amused. “I can’t wait to watch it slide up my ass. Because I own all of you, don’t I? You’re mine. Say it.” Ryen shoved Drekk’s ankles apart.

“I’m yours.”

Moments passed in silence, but for the sound of their harsh breathing while Ryen greased the dildo.

“Say it again,” he said huskily.

The cold tip of the toy grazed Drekk’s balls and slid up his crack. Ryen stuck the head of the dildo in Drekk’s ass and waited. Drekk nearly lost it.

“I’m yours. All yours, Ryen.”

“That’s right. Oh, that’s pretty, pet.” Ryen pushed the dildo in, all the way in. Past the initial discomfort and the tight ring of Drekk’s sphincter. The toy continued until it was fully seated. “Stars, yes,” Ryen hissed and began fucking Drekk with the toy. “I want to do this. To shove myself deep inside you. Does if feel as good as it looks?”

“Oh, oh... Fuck.” Drekk couldn’t help humping the table while Ryen played with him.

Every time that toy seated, it hit that bundle of nerves inside him readying him for climax.

He was so damned close, but he wanted to come around Ryen. “Please.”

“You’re not going to come, are you? Because you serve me, don’t you?” Slave. Serve. Submit. Drekk’s arousal damped the room with scent.

“Fuck me,” Ryen whispered. “You’re going to have me spilling before I’m inside you.” Ryen pulled out the dildo and replaced it with something warmer. He pushed himself in, his girth thicker and fuller than the toy’s. “Yes.” He shoved himself all the way in, and Drekk felt Ryen’s sack graze his ass cheeks.

“Take me, Master, all of me.” He was barely aware of his words, concentrating so fiercely on the burning pleasure in his ass. Ryen was huge, and his possession was so incredibly right.

“You called me ‘Master’. Fuck, baby. I love you.” Ryen began fucking him, pounding without gentleness, but with the hard touch Drekk needed. “Come while I take you. Show me your love.”

Drekk groaned, unable to stop himself. At the words, he released his restraints. Ryen’s hands on his hips, his dick pummelling, stroking. The scent of their togetherness. He couldn’t handle any more.

“Ryen,” he shouted as he came, messing the table, his belly, hell, everything under him.

He continued to shoot as Ryen’s strokes grew frenzied. Multiple orgasms, something he’d never before felt and didn’t assume he’d ever have, threw him into wainu.

He felt Ryen spend inside him, felt himself tense around his lover as he continued to come.

They remained locked for several minutes, each feeding the other’s climax until neither one had the energy to do more than breathe.

“Oh my stars. Drekk.” Ryen ran kisses over his neck and shoulders. He turned Drekk’s head and met his lips. “I’m too heavy, but damn me, I can’t move.”

“You weigh more than the planet,” Drekk murmured. “And I love it. I love you. I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard or for so long. I’m completely wrung dry.”

“Finally.”

They both groaned when Ryen pulled out, and they stood on shaky legs.

“Let’s go clean up,” Ryen suggested.

“Good idea.” Drekk gently removed the clamps from Ryen, sucking the engorged nipples to ease the blood rush. When Ryen looked on the verge of passing out, they left the table.

Arm in arm, they made it into the lav, cleaned and dried, and stumbled into bed.

There, they hugged tight, wrapped in each other. Drekk woke hours later to find Ryen awake and staring down at him.

“What time is it?”

“We’ve been sleeping for a few hours.” Ryen shrugged and stroked Drekk’s chest with a large, callused hand. “You know, the other night when you came in me, I felt your shei. I felt it then. I feel it now.”

Drekk woke fully as he sensed a hint of something wrong. “What does it feel like?”

“Like you. Like I have a part of you in me now, forever.”

“I’m glad. Because you’re a part of me as well. My lifeforce is tied to yours. I’ll never let you go.” Drekk meant every word. Ryen wasn’t like the others. He had become as vital to Drekk as breathing.

“So we’re mated.” Ryen watched Drekk nod. “I’m assuming we’re going to live together?”

Drekk frowned. “Stupid question. Of course we are. We can stay here or move somewhere else if you want. But together. ”

“No, this is fine. Drekk, I love you. I want to know about everything. About your likes and dislikes, about your time in the labs. Everything. Not now,” he said when Drekk started to tell him. “I don’t want there to be secrets between us. Just truth.” Drekk nodded, relieved. “Just truth. So ask what’s on your mind.” The giant male who intimidated nearly all he came into contact with squirmed when pressed with a question he didn’t want to answer to his mate.

“Ryen. Truth, remember?”

“Okay.” Ryen huffed. “I was just remembering what I said to you about Glaia. About what she’ll think the next time we share her.”

Drekk considered him. “Is that what’s bothering you? You don’t want a third in our bed?”

“If I recall, you told me that as my master, you could share me if you wanted to.” Drekk felt Ryen’s hurt like his own. “I was screwing with you. Not literally. Oh, come on. You don’t seriously think I’m going to share my mate?” The thought of it had his Xema and Ebrellion instincts rising. He suddenly saw everything in thermal lines and could feel himself changing.

“Easy, easy. Okay, I misjudged that one.” Ryen nuzzled Drekk’s cheek, and like that, Drekk’s urge to explode out of control vanished. “Can’t say I’m not pleased by your reaction.”

“Drun.” Drekk chuckled. “Yeah, I’m a possessive kind of guy. That doesn’t mean we can’t still share women between us if we have the urge. I won’t share you with another male. I can’t. But a woman’s different. She has things we don’t that I like to play with.” Ryen grinned. “Like tits and pussy. I love eating pussy.”

“And watching you do that would make me hard in seconds.” It’s making me hard just thinking about it.

“Sharing a woman would be okay. I agree with you about males. When Rafe gets too near you I get really angry, jealous I guess. But it’s different than the rages I used to have. I don’t feel that same anger anymore. I’m in control of myself.” Ryen sounded delighted by the fact.

“I’m happy for you. But Ryen,” Drekk paused to look deeply into his lover’s beautiful eyes. “I like your anger. I love how pissy you get when you don’t always get your way. That’s part of who you are. I love that you’re a Creation. So don’t change all that much.” Ryen smiled. “I don’t get ‘pissy’. Hell, I’m a man. I get pissed.” He laughed. “And speaking of manly... I called you ‘baby’ and ‘pet’ before and you loved it.” Drekk scowled. “I did not.”

“You did. So maybe we won’t have to go searching for a woman. I’ve got one right—”

“Here,” Drekk ended after he broke off his punishing kiss. “Now go to sleep, baby. Because the night’s over. “

“The hell is it. Cuffs, X position, spread wide.” Drekk swore as Ryen scuttled out of the way, and his wrists and ankles spread wide on the bed. “You found the controller I take it,” he said wryly. The bastard must have put the cuffs on him while he slept. Nicely done.

“Hot damn. No wonder you didn’t want to give up the controller. You have any idea of how sexy that is? You under my control?” Ryen eased next to him. “Stars, I love you.”

“It’s all about control,” Drekk agreed, swept away by Ryen’s kiss, his touch, his taste. “I love you, Ryen. Take me, mate. I’m yours.”

Chapter Twelve

Anin stared at the Fas brothers, stunned at their news. “Ryen is mated?” Nu Fas nodded with assurance, the giant male simply lovely in his arrogance. Tall, broad and full of hard muscle, he was a Ragga through and through. Both he and Set, his brother, looked enough alike to be twins. Long dark hair, orange eyes, ruddy skin, with the height and brawn of warriors. Yet she had no trouble telling them apart. Nu rarely smiled, always growling, whereas Set was the more charming of the two.

“Where will I go?” she asked, not sure what to do. For the past month, since her escape from the hated labs on planet Eyra, she’d lived aboard Mara’s Light. She tended to the domestic duties on the ship, given her own berthing, clothes and responsibilities. Heaven for a woman needing some space and a new direction in her life. But she’d always known this stay was temporary.

The Fas brothers had convinced her to remain with them while their ship docked on Mardu. The captain of Mara’s Light was taking time off with her mate. The other crew members had been encouraged to do the same while their ship received its due maintenance.

Anin wanted to stay with Erin but didn’t want to intrude on her sister’s happiness with Rafe. She’d thought to stay with Ryen once he settled in. Even though he had trouble controlling himself, Ryen would never hurt her. In the short months of their initial escape, he’d taught her to stand up for herself. To believe in her own opinions and make decisions.

“You’ll stay here,” Set said with a smile. He refused to look away from her eyes, and she knew it was because he didn’t want her to see his fascination with her body. The few times she’d caught him studying her ass and breasts, he’d been hard. Like he was now.

“Agreed?” Nu asked. “You’ll stay with us. We’re taking our break on Ragga. We’ll be leaving on a shuttle in a few hours.”

“Yes, Sir.” She bowed her head, at one with the submissive tendencies bred into her.

She smiled to herself when she heard Set’s low moan. He had a real thing for sexual dominance. She could sense it in him, the arousal whenever she neared, but especially when she tried to serve him.

“None of that,” Nu said, his voice thick. “You’re not our servant, Anin. You’re our guest.” He reached under her chin with his large hand, holding her still so he could look at her. His fingers felt like silk, so tender, so careful over her flesh. “We wish to show you our world, if that is your desire.”

Her desire? She wanted to please him and Set. Together, apart, at once. And not just in a platonic way, but sexually. He and Set seemed to take pleasure in her nearness. Though she kept a tight rein on her pheromones, her body and face had been designed to appeal to all males in the System. These two were no different, in that respect.

Except that they maintained such a wary distance. They knew she was a Creation, and she hated it. Her kind was right to be feared. Hell, look at what Ryen had done to the scientists who’d enslaved them. Killed them all in brutal, painful ways. But Anin was different. She didn’t want to hurt anyone. She wanted to please.

Would they ever see her as a woman needing love and not a monstrous Creation? Her eyes filled with tears.

“Don’t do that,” Nu growled. He wiped a tear from her eye, and the drop clung to his thumb.

“Idiot. What’d you do to make her cry?” Set asked in a harsh voice.

He ripped her from Nu and hugged her, careful not to crush her in his arms.

Anin shivered. She couldn’t help her arousal. His touch was perfection, like his brother’s. She’d never felt such attraction for a male before meeting them. When her pheromones settled over the three of them, she couldn’t help her sigh of relief. It was so difficult keeping her needs in check.

“Dammit, Anin. I thought we’d agreed you’d keep that perfume under wraps,” Nu rasped and caged her between himself and his brother. His cock dug into her back, and Set shifted to bring her inline with his erection in front.

On no. She’d displeased Nu. She hadn’t thought past her own needs. Selfish Creation, she could almost hear her Handler say.

“Dammit.” Set leaned down and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Ignore my brother. You want to serve? Go ahead, baby. Serve as much as you want to.”

“Set—”

“Nu, you don’t understand. But I’m beginning to.” Set smiled down at her, his harsh features beautiful in their savagery. “You want to please me, Anin? You go ahead.”

He bent his head, waiting for her kiss. But Anin wanted something else. She dropped to her knees and reached for the fastening of his trousers.

She heard dual groans but couldn’t think past her own desire. Nu lifted her quickly to her feet, but before she could protest, Set stole her words with a kiss.

“This is going to be one helluva trip home,” Nu rumbled. He grabbed Anin from his brother. “My turn.”

Content

Creation's Control
Creations - 2
by
Marie Harte

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve