Chains of Desire (18 page)

Jarrod strove not to show any emotion the bastard could feed
off of. “I’m not going back to the mines.”

“Oh you’ll go back. Dead or alive, makes no difference to
me.”

“You’ll have to kill me then.”

“My pleasure.” Gaylock pushed the safety off the weapon.

Hanna walked in the door. Jarrod’s heart kicked up into
double time. She looked from Jarrod to Gaylock and then boldly stepped right
between them.

“Hanna, get out of here!” Jarrod called out in frustration.
She ignored him. Turned her back on him.

“My, my, my,” Gaylock said, slime dripping off every word. “How
did you get yourself your very own Norian sex slave?” He rubbed his crotch with
his free hand. “I’ll just have to take her as my own once I’ve killed you.”

“Don’t touch her,” Jarrod growled.

“You don’t have to kill him to get me,” Hanna said, softly, seductively.
She sauntered closer to Gaylock, still standing between him and Jarrod. Her
damn dress was slipping off her shoulder. In the back of his mind he knew he
should be worried about more important things, but right now he wanted
desperately to yank that dress up where it belonged.

She lifted her hair off her shoulders and then let the silky
gold rain down her back. “Can you offer me more as a Master than he can?”

“Oh most certainly.” Gaylock licked his lips and Jarrod
shuddered. He felt so helpless, but if he tried to jump Gaylock now, Hanna
would be caught in the middle. “Take off that dress. I want to see what I’ll be
getting.”

She didn’t even hesitate. She stripped and tossed that dress
she loved so much into the corner. Gaylock’s eyes glazed over as he let his
greasy gaze run all over her body.

“He doesn’t appreciate me,” she said with a bit of a pout in
her voice. She walked closer to that bastard. She was almost within his reach.
“You’d appreciate me, wouldn’t you?”

“I appreciate you already,” he chuckled. “Come closer. Would
you look at those nipple rings? You could hang a hell of a lot of weight off
them. That would really stretch out your nips, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, it would.” She took another step forward. Jarrod was
trembling with frustration. He wanted to jump Gaylock, beat his face to a pulp
for even thinking about touching her. But he knew he had to trust Hanna.

He’d been so stupid to underestimate his little slave.
Didn’t he already know how strong and brave she was? She could take on anyone.
Even his archenemy. She didn’t need him to protect her.

And he knew in that moment that he loved Hanna. What he felt
for her was so much more than the mere devotion of a Master and his slave. How
could he have ever doubted it? He loved her and now he might never get the
chance to tell her.

“Would you like to touch me?” she asked Gaylock. She swept
her hands down her ribs and over her hips. Jarrod’s stomach knotted, his hands
balled into fists as he watched her offer herself to that bucket of slime. “My
skin is so very soft.”

Gaylock groaned and motioned her forward. He glanced over
her shoulder at Jarrod and smirked. “Step a little closer, slave.”

Had Gaylock’s grip on his weapon loosened a little? Jarrod
focused on Gaylock’s hands, waiting for the opportune moment. Maybe he could
move fast enough if Hanna got out of the way.

“Would you really kill my Master?” she asked softly, leaning
over Gaylock, letting her breasts sway in front of his face. The tone of her
voice made her sound merely curious.

“I’m
going
to kill him,” Gaylock said, chuckling
evilly. “But I think I’ll tie him up first and make him watch while I enjoy
your sweet body for a few fun-filled hours. Then I’ll kill him.”

“No, you won’t,” she whispered so softly that Jarrod barely
heard it.

He watched in astonishment as Hanna grabbed the weapon from
Gaylock’s hands, turned it on him and pulled the trigger. At such close range,
the energy ball swallowed him up whole.

“Get back!” Jarrod shouted. He lunged for her and pulled her
back before she could get caught up in the energy field. They fell to the floor
and curled up in a ball, limbs entwined, cheek to cheek.

“Are you all right?” he asked when the breath had returned
to his body.

She nodded. “Is he dead?”

Jarrod looked over at the empty spot on the floor where
Gaylock had been before Hanna vaporized him. He wouldn’t have to worry about
burning that chair now. “He’s dead.”

“Good.” Hanna pulled him closer. She began to shake, after
being so calm when it counted. Jarrod held her tighter and rubbed her back. “I
was outside the door when I heard him say he was going to kill you if you
didn’t go back to the mine. I knew it must be Gaylock.”

“That was him.” He kissed her soft hair. “Can you sit up
now?” She nodded. As soon as they sat up, he cupped her face in his hands and
kissed her softly. “I love you, Hanna, my brave little slave. I love you with
my heart as well as my body.”

She gasped. “I didn’t think we were allowed to love each
other.”

“Love doesn’t listen to rules.” He gathered her close. “I
know I don’t deserve it, but I hope someday I will earn your love.”

“I do love you, Jarrod. I just never let myself believe it
was possible.” She took his hands and kissed them. “I’m sorry. I’m so lucky to
have you as my Master. If I can please you by keeping your house and being
ready to pleasure you, I will do it willingly. You’re right. It’s all I know.”
Tears glittered in her eyes. “I don’t want another Master. I don’t want another
life.”

“I’m sorry too,” Jarrod said, knowing he was lucky to have
the chance to apologize. “I was a fool to want to keep you locked up here. I
thought you’d be safe in our home and look what happened.” He kissed her back.
“But I don’t know how
not
to be a Master when we’re not having sex.”

“I want you to be my Master in all things,” Hanna told him.
“What pleases you will please me. I’m sorry I forgot that. I will trust you in
all things. We just need to learn to communicate a little better.”

“I’m not used to explaining myself, but I’ll try. We’ll
learn as we go.” He kissed her again. “And I will trust you, my smart little
slave. Once the settlers hear how you vaporized Gaylock, they won’t bother
you.” He helped her to her feet and picked her dress off the floor and handed
it to her. “I would love to have your help with the trading post. We can work
side by side during the day and pleasure each other at night. How does that
sound?”

“Perfect.”

* * * * *

Hanna put the final touches on a new display of gardening
equipment in the front window of the trading post. Jarrod hadn’t been sure they
needed to carry gardening tools and supplies, but he’d let her give it a try.
The last few months had brought an influx of new settlers, many of whom wanted
to grow flowers or vegetables or both. The goods had been flying off the
shelves.

She waved at Lissa through the window as she climbed the
porch stairs. The young mother had moved to Daybreak with her mate, who was
opening a school for the children of the town. Jarrod had hired Lissa to work
part time behind the counter to give Hanna more time to work on ordering and
displaying the stock in the store, something she’d discovered she had a talent
for.

When Hanna backed out of the display area, she bumped into
two large hands cupping her ass through her long skirt. She laughed and whirled
around into Jarrod’s arms. He pulled her close and his hard cock nudged her
stomach. Her Master had an incredible appetite.

Her pussy clenched. Her desire was just as great.

Lissa called out a hello and they kissed lightly before they
broke apart and answered her greeting.

“I wish I worked with Aarick,” Lissa said with a sigh. “I’d
love a few hugs and kisses for lunch.”

“But then you’d never get away from him bossing you around,”
Hanna said lightly.

Jarrod gave her a playful swat on her bottom. “Watch your
mouth, slave.”

Lissa laughed. “Has it been busy today?”

“Very,” Hanna replied. “Morriss and Taggertt are back
looking over the fishing supplies and that new family, the Manns, are checking
out footwear for their children. I think they have some goods to trade.”

“We’re taking a lunch break,” Jarrod said. “If you need any
help, I’ll be back in a little while.”

Lissa rolled her eyes and grinned. “Take your time.”

Jarrod hooked his finger in Hanna’s collar and tugged.
“Come.” She followed him to their home out back. The sun was shining brightly,
a cool breeze keeping the temperature pleasant. “I’m hungry.”

She knew what he hungered for. “I have a surprise for you.”

Holding onto his hand, she led him through the house she was
beginning to decorate and out the back door into their own private meadow. The
first thing Hanna had wanted for their new home was to have a high privacy
fence built from the back of the house, encompassing a large section of meadow.
Jarrod hadn’t asked any questions, just did as she asked.

While he’d been helping a couple trappers load supplies
earlier in the day, she’d snuck out to spread a blanket over the soft grasses
and set down a stocked cooler chest beside it. She gestured at the blanket.
“Have a seat, Master. Your slave would like to dance for you.”

He grinned and dropped down onto the blanket. The robe Hanna
wore was actually several layers of thin gauze that covered her from shoulder
to toes. She closed her eyes and listened for the music that had played in her
head back on that last day on Vanya. She swayed her body to the melody, moving
her hips in lazy circles, realizing that all the things she wished for that day
that had come true.

Slowly, she stripped each thin robe over her head, one by
one, revealing more of her body with each layer that was removed. The brush of
the fabric teased her nipples. The light breeze lifted her hair. She heard
Jarrod’s heavy breathing over the music in her head. She felt the heat of his
gaze.

Finally she slipped the last layer off her body and
continued to dance for her Master, her love.

“Come here, slave,” Jarrod called out a few minutes later,
his voice passion-rough, the way she liked it.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. “Yes, Master.”

She stretched out on the blanket in front of him, arching
her back the way he liked her to do. “How do you like my surprise?”

He swept his hands along her body and she sighed with
delight. He bent her knees and quickly attached wrist cuffs to ankle cuffs,
leaving her spread for his enjoyment.

“Fresh air, sunshine and a willing slave. How could life be
any better than this?”

She chuckled and nodded toward the cooler chest.
“Sunberries.”

I fell in love with the written word as soon as I could
read. I started writing my own stories while I was still in grade school. I
even passed around my own version of fanfic to my classmates long before the
term was ever coined. As I grew up, I fell in love with romance and I love the
chance to add some extra sizzle to my stories.

I live with my own real life hero who is happy to tell
everyone that he’s my inspiration. We travel in our RV whenever possible—the
great thing about writing is I can take it anywhere. See you down the road.

Natasha welcomes comments from readers. You can find her
website and e-mail address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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