Nikol's Surrender (A World Beyond, #10) Page 10

  Amia sat behind the Earth woman and undid the braids in her hair. Soon she was brushing red waves that fell in a tumble down a slim back. Nikol’s cock surged, drawing his pants tight. He stared at the curve of her spine, wishing the shellam did not hide the rest of her figure from him or those sweet, enticing curls he’d only glimpsed once before.

  Cecilee had requested clothing for the Earth woman and Nikol had made sure the shellams he ordered were of the finest fabrics. The note for shoes had him sending thin sandals with straps covered in costly gems from Marenian mines owned by the Majad. Oils and lotions were added, exclusive scents only available to those with the means to pay the exorbitant price. Each time he caught a whiff on the air in his suite, desire tugged at his control, demanding he take what was his.

  A single jeweled bracelet dangled from her right wrist. Not requested by Cecilee but Nikol had slipped it in with the things he’d ordered. It had belonged to his mother. Mirim saved it to give to Nikol and he’d hid it under his bed for years, saving it for what he was unsure.

  In a moment’s weakness, he’d given it to the Earth woman and she was none the wiser. She was wearing something worth seventy-five thousand credits so casually as she flicked water over her shoulder at Amia for some joke Nikol couldn’t hear.

  If he could have, he would have bought more jewelry. Showered her in them. Shiny necklaces to grace her beautiful neck, belts made of gold links to adorn her hips and bracelets to line her entire arm. Nikol couldn’t explain his inclination to see the Earth woman draped in riches.

  Such a show of costly wealth would have labeled her a prized possession though. It also would have put a target on her back.

  With gritted teeth, Nikol turned away from the vision she made. The women would soon return inside and Nikol wasn’t sure he could hold out from touching the Earth woman if she was near. Being around her, hearing the melodic cadence of her voice was drawing him deeper into her spell. Spy for Lothar or not, his resistance wouldn’t last much longer.

  She would be his. Tonight.

  ***

  He was finally gone. Darcy let out the breath she’d been holding as Amia finished her hair and declared it done.

  “Beautiful, Darcy.”

  “Thanks, Amia.” She shook her head and it fell about her shoulders easily. It did feel better. She stared at the empty arch that led back inside where he had stood. Nikol was constantly watching her. She felt his smoldering stare burning her no matter where she went in the kitse. Sometimes she thought he would approach and her heart raced in trepidation.

  To keep from drawing his attention, she made sure to kneel and bow whenever she caught sight of him. Her poor knees were tender from how quickly she hit the tiles in his presence. She expected him to be smug and lord it over her, but he merely arched a brow neither pleased nor displeased that she could tell.

  “Are you feeling alright?” Stasia asked at her uncharacteristic silence.

  Darcy was sure she didn’t fool any of them with her feigned smile. “Of course.”

  She’d never be able to repay any of them when she made her escape. Her time in the kitse over the last month was far easier than it could have been due to these four women. They were kind to her, explaining the way of things. If she had to be abducted and held prisoner, this was probably the best place.

  So far she hadn’t truly been harmed aside from her initial arrival. Thoughts of the man who’d brought her here had her chest tightening. Brax. He hadn’t hesitated to strike her with his fist. Darcy had never been punched in the face before. It was an eye opening experience and one she didn’t want to repeat. In light of that, one would think she would be more leery dealing with Nikol.

  She wasn’t. Her treacherous body craved him. He’d threatened her. Demanded she obey his rules. He didn’t even care that she’d been bought and sold. But someone had made sure to have one of the guards from the door escort her to the medical center where the same medic, who’d not blinked at Brax’s abuse of her, healed the very same injury.

  “You should come in from the sun. Your skin is more sensitive than ours,” Cecilee said, rising to her feet after Tashire stood.

  The others followed suit, getting to their feet in tandem and picking up the items they’d brought outside. It was always that way. The women worked together in harmony and despite their differing personalities, they never seemed to anger or turn on one another.

  One of the biggest issues on Earth was the shortage of men, so this was a novelty to Darcy. From what she’d witnessed, none of them fought over Nikol.

  Which reminded her that they had been his sex slaves long before she arrived. She came to an abrupt stop on the path. Did he sleep with them still? Darcy pressed a palm to her belly to squash the sudden quivers. She hated the sickening way they fawned over him but nothing sexual had occurred in front of her.

  Her gaze flew to the backs of the women as they filed inside one after the other. All of them had probably satisfied him at some point. Her hands fisted at her sides and she wanted to...to what? Claw their eyes out?

  Darcy drew in a breath and exhaled softly. There was no reason for jealousy. She had no claims on him and definitely wasn’t sticking around.

  ***

  Evening drew near and Nikol grew tired of waiting. The Earth woman was trying his patience.

  “Would you like more?” Amia held up a container of amber colored liquid, excitement at serving him clear to read in her gaze.

  Daljou was Nikol’s preferred drink and he’d already downed two cups of the potent liquor to create a pleasant buzz. He reclined on the body length pillow propped beneath him in the main room where the Earth woman couldn’t avoid seeing him.

  The other tutanis fluttered about him feeding him from their hands which he’d never allowed before and massaged a scented oil over his bare chest.

  “Yes.” He didn’t really want nor need a third but it gave him an excuse to stay right where he was, doing nothing, and had the added benefit of drawing a dismissive sneer from the one tutanis who steered clear of him all evening and stayed on the opposite end of the suite.

  It was patently obvious she disliked the treatment he was receiving, which drove him to continue the pretense further. To make sure she couldn’t avoid him, he’d locked the glass doors leading to the garden, barring her from escaping his presence as she clearly wished to do.

  He couldn’t say why he was so intrigued. She was prickly and disrespectful. Qualities that would see any other woman disciplined on Marenia.

  The physical punishment for a female lacking in manners was harsh but deemed acceptable and even supported by the law. Especially a tutanis as they were considered an expensive treasure to own. Yet he didn’t correct her as was his right. He would never abuse a woman especially one under his protection.

  Aside from his odd emotional reactions around her, Nikol’s shaft thickened each time he caught sight of her. He wanted to fuck her. He wanted to drive so deep inside her there would be no way for her to escape. He’d pound his cock into her over and over until he was covered in sweat and released his seed.

  Denying the physical attraction that existed between them was pointless. Her feigned disinterest only made him want to push harder to prove the lie for what it was. The two of them sex sharing would happen. They’d been playing a waiting game all week.

  Wicked humor teased his senses. He allowed her to believe she would win this round but there wasn’t a single moment he wasn’t aware of her and where she was at any given time.

  At night, the curtain of the alcove she slept in was drawn tight. He snorted. As if the flimsy barrier would keep him out. He still couldn’t fathom Lothar’s plan and had questioned Cecilee extensively to see if the female behaved suspiciously when he wasn’t around.

  So far, she hadn’t attempted to seduce him with her alien wiles or any other telling behavior to get close to him. In fact, she was as rebellious as she dared to be in his presence if the mutinous twist to her mouth was anything to
go by.

  Nikol felt a small smile play about his lips. Their confrontation after he arrived home from his horrendous trip to check on the warehouse did have an upside. She was now the first on her knees when he entered his kitse.

  His intent hadn’t been to threaten Cecilee, but he knew the Earth woman had taken it to heart. He would never hurt Cecilee or the other women for the actions of the disobedient Earthling. It did, however, benefit him for her to think so.

  Nikol finished the Daljou and waved Amia away. Tashire continued to rub his feet and Stasia and Cecilee sat with their legs turned to the side on either side of him, awaiting any instructions. Cecilee occasionally sent questioningly looks in his direction. She was acutely aware he didn’t like them to touch him and yet all week that was exactly what he’d insisted on when he returned to his kitse late each evening.

  He spotted the object of his obsession rushing across the room to get to her alcove and withdraw behind the curtain. Her shellam today was blue with gold threads throughout, glimpses of her legs taunting him.

  He’d had enough of her ignoring him. The Earth woman’s time had run out. Nikol planned to win this foolish game and take her to his bed tonight.

  Knowing he’d lost his mind but unable to stop, Nikol nonetheless called out, “Join us, Earth woman.”

  Without missing a beat, she snapped over her shoulder, “My name is Darcy!”

  How could he forget when he shot his seed wastefully into his sheets each night while saying it? Nikol bit his bottom lip to contain his groan at the reminder. Not using it was his weak attempt at creating distance between them. He waggled his fingers at her. “Over here, Darcy.”

  Chapter 12

  Darcy knew it was only a matter of time. She wasn’t stupid. The horned bastard was playing with her. Coming in here every day and having the women drool over him. How much scented lotion and oil did a body really need? He laid there, stretched full length on a blue pillow like a glistening ruler of all he surveyed.

  If she was brave enough, she would refuse him. But again, Darcy wasn’t stupid, and such an action would have had dire consequences, no doubt. She wasn’t ready to test his idea of punishment.

  “Darcy.” He dragged her name out as he said it the second time.

  She hated the way her nipples perked at the heavy lidded way he watched her. All sprawled in front of her as if he was available for the taking.

  Oh, how Darcy wanted to take. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I was getting ready to go to sleep. It’s late.”

  “Come here,” he repeated. His voice was darker, deeper, and did things, uncomfortable things to her body.

  “I need sleep,” she lied.

  “Then you can do so beside me.” He eyed her from head to toe and she felt stripped bare. The shellam didn’t cover much. “If you wish to rest.”

  “No, thanks.” She turned to leave, her limbs trembling.

  “It wasn’t an option,” he said in a much colder voice.

  Darcy cursed under her breath and turned back around. He’d pushed up on his elbows and waited. The relaxed spoiled prince was gone and in his place was the scary man she was more familiar with. His eyes dared her to defy him.

  Steps slow, she made her way to his side. Cecilee and Stasia vanished. Darcy stopped with a foot of space between them.

  “Closer,” he murmured in a suggestive tone.

  She moved forward, stopping when her toes touched his pillow. Nikol looked at her. Then pointedly to the floor. Bastard. Darcy went to her knees. Tashire and Amia took the opportunity to disappear. Her pulse thumped and her mouth dried. Darcy lowered her head and waited for his next move.

  He deliberately drew out the moment. Silence weighed on her like a wet blanket. The touch when it came startled her. Darcy drew in a deep breath when his finger tapped her chin.

  “Tell me about yourself.”

  Darcy’s head snapped up but she pursed her lips. He could make her degrade herself by kneeling whenever he was around but he wasn’t owed her thoughts, feelings or memories. Those were hers to keep.

  “Surely, you can talk about yourself,” he chided, all the while his finger stroked back and forth in a maddening pattern against her skin. His thumb pressed down on her bottom lip. “Talk.”

  Darcy narrowed her eyes. “You won’t like what I say and I don’t want my friends to be punished because of my words.”

  He studied her with those dark eyes she could no longer read. Darcy studied him in return. His hair was loose and fell about the brown horns at his temple. She’d become used to seeing horns on Cecilee and the others so her first reaction wasn’t the disgust or fear she expected. They curled back from his head to rest above his ears. This close, she could see thin striations running along the length. Tiny grooves that looked etched in but were probably natural.

  Thick lashes lined eyes so dark she could drown in them. What a waste that one as horrible as him had eyelashes she’d kill for. He didn’t have on a shirt and his torso was row after row of muscles ending at the dip above his waist. Sheer white pants covered his lower half, the material loose and flowing except where it clung at the apex of his thighs. The bulge at the center was hard to miss and made her curious about how he was built there.

  Flushing, she jerked her gaze away.

  “Would you speak with me if you weren’t worried about harm to the others?” he asked, letting his finger fall away from her face.

  Darcy had to refocus on his question and blocked out her aroused interest in the shape and length of his penis. “Sure.”

  “Then speak freely.” He twisted to his side and rested his jaw on his palm. His hair swiveled about his shoulders and fell in a straight wave with no hint of curl behind him.

  Darcy cleared her throat and tested his permission. “I don’t want to be here.”

  “You’ve made that clear.” He signaled with his other hand for more.

  “I think you’re an ass.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched and she hated how it increased his handsome appeal. “I’m sure that would have more impact if I understood the derogatory way you are using it.”

  She frowned. It was pretty clear to her. “What do you mean?”

  He touched his temple to the side of one of his horns. “Translator. Ass in the English spoken language you use on Earth is an extinct animal occasionally used for farming practice.” He paused for effect. “I have the feeling you meant it otherwise.”

  For a moment, she was thrown off by her insult flying over his head due to a communication error. Then heat singed her cheeks and Darcy was sure it spread down her shoulders because Nikol’s gaze followed the path of her embarrassment down to her midsection. “Well. Yes. But it’s also used to describe a rude, overbearing jerk in the way I said it.”

  She expected anger but to her surprise he didn’t react other than to bring his eyes back up to her gaze and nod. “Continue.”

  “I wish I could punch you for how you’ve treated me.” As Brax had punched her.

  His expression spoke volumes. “That I won’t allow. Continue.”

  “It’s humiliating to be forced to be topless and wear these shellams.”

  That drew a definite reaction. His eyes darkened as he murmured, “And yet you look exquisite in them.”

  Darcy blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected compliment. “That’s not the point.”

  He brushed a thumb over one of her nipples, making the bud peak. She held her breath, scared yet interested in what he’d do next. Instead, he lowered his hand. “Continue.”

  “You’re a bastard for keeping women as whores.” Her voice was softer now. The arousal made her lose her edge.

  His brows went up. “Explain how the females in here are whores.”

  She shouldn’t need to explain that concept to him. Shoving the arousal away, Darcy raised her chin. “Tutanis. It’s nothing more than a form of sexual prostitution except without the pay.”

  “Tutanis,” the word rolled off
his tongue. “What does your translator say when you hear me speak?”

  Was he serious? Darcy grew irate and started to push up from the floor.

  “Don’t.” He pointed to the floor and she reluctantly sat back on her heels. “What does the translator say?”

  “Pleasure giver,” she snapped, pissed as hell that he was making her state the obvious.

  He caught her wrist and tugged until she fell forward. “Exactly. Pleasure giver. Though there are those who would give it a negative connotation, it is not so. Females who decide on this path are raised with care and in depth training to give a male divine satisfaction. It is an honor to be accepted as a tutanis and even more so in a prominent household. Don’t do them a disservice and call them whores.”

  Darcy balled her hands, nails digging into her palms. “Fine. They may have chosen this lifestyle but I didn’t. I refuse to be your whore.”

  Instead of matching her anger, arousal rolled from him in waves. “You will be anything I want you to be.”

  ***

  Nikol didn’t have any idea what he was doing. He wanted to blame his muddled thoughts on the alcohol but that wasn’t the case. It was Darcy and the fiery passion she blasted at him without hesitation.

  His hands slid through the wild tangle of curls in her hair, bringing her in close as he rolled on to his back. She was small. Much smaller than the females he was used to bedding. His hands spanned her waist, fingertips touching at her lower back.

  There was a strong possibility he could break her if he let his sexual appetite run free. The very thought of conquering this woman, using her for his needs while she begged for more only enhanced his growing hunger.

  “I don’t know what it is about you,” he muttered angrily.

  “Then let me go,” she countered.

  Nikol laughed. There was no way he’d let her go. He positioned her slight frame over him. Her knees bracketed his hips and her groin centered perfectly over his growing erection. “Are there more things you wish to say to me before I kiss you? More insults to hurl?”

  “What makes you think I want to kiss you?”