Deep, Hard, and Rough (9 page)

She had run away from imprisonment, but what Erak
was saying was that she was their mate, and she did know what that meant to any
species. She couldn’t taste freedom and have these huge warriors that she was
theirs. If she knew anything it was that when a male found their female they
were possessive and territorial, and she could look into all three of their
faces and see that was how they felt toward her. No, she couldn’t be anyone’s
mate. She wanted her own life, and that meant wherever they landed she would be
off this ship, and finding her own way in the world. She didn’t need a male, and
didn’t even know these three before her. They were the biggest, most powerful
beings she had come across, and they were right before her, telling her
everything she
didn’t
want to hear.

“You killed the male who did this to you?” Erak
lifted his hand and gestured to her. She nodded because her throat was suddenly
so tight and dry. He stared at her, his violet eyes so piercing she couldn’t
seem to hold his gaze for long. A muscle under his jaw ticked, as if he was
angry at her words. “Good.”

That certainly wasn’t what she expected him to say.
He took another step closer. The smirk he gave her made her think of an
arrogant male, and whatever he was thinking about had her insides tightening.
She could only imagine what they were. He may set her blood on fire with just a
look, as did Genet and Raimi, but she couldn’t be theirs, ever. And that was
exactly what his expression spoke of.

“
Fallina
.”
His
eyes dipped down to her lips, and she couldn’t help but lick them. This wasn’t
her, to melt for a male with just a look, to want their hands on her when she
should be running away from the possessive gleam in their eyes. “You’re so
strong, yet so fragile.” Erak’s voice was low, his eyes still on her mouth.
“You’re ours, Luna.” She looked over at Raimi and Genet, and at least they had
the decency to look wary, like they knew Erak was going too far.

“I am not a possession.” One of his dark eyebrows arched
at the last part. She meant to sound fierce, but her voice had come out soft.

“I never claimed you to be a possession. I told you
that you’re our mate, and that is not something we take lightly.” He let his
eyes travel up and down her body, and a shiver ran up her spine. “We tended to
you because it was our desire, need, and duty as your mates to care for you,
and we couldn’t have done it any other way.” He took a determined step toward
her. “We will watch over you, care for you, and treat you like the treasure you
are.” He lifted his hand and brushed the very tip of his finger along her bare
shoulder. A shiver raced up her spine at that very gentle touch. “Luna, tell me
what I want to hear, surrender this one thing to me and I promise you, we all
do, that everything will be okay. Just give us what we want, what we gave,
little one.”

She couldn’t hear past the pounding in her ears. “And
what is it that you want?”

He stared into her eyes, and she watched in awe as
the violet irises appeared to spark to life, becoming a rare crystal of intensity
and power.
“Your submission.
Your
acceptance.
But most of all … your trust.” His words could have been so
sweet and she would have melted right then over them, but the way he said them,
as if he had no doubt she would just accept what they said, didn’t set well
with her.

“I just escaped from a life of servitude, and don’t
have any intentions of belonging to anyone but myself.”

The bastard smirked at her, actually smirked. He
took a step back, and she couldn’t help how her eyes widened when she saw how
aroused he was. His erection was huge as it pressed against his leather pants. She
had just told him she didn’t belong to anyone, yet he was still aroused.

“Erak, you’re pushing her. Ease up, brother.”
Genet’s voice was calm, but Erak just grinned broader.

“Genet, I am
what
I am, and I am
who
I am. And the
sooner our mate realizes that, the better.”

“Erak, she is still healing, and the things you’re
saying—” Erak held up his hand and stopped Raimi from finishing. “Luna, is what
I’m saying making you uncomfortable?”

Was
it?
She was uncomfortable, but it wasn’t because he was directing those statements
at her, but because she was feeling her body betray her from hearing them. The
corner of his mouth kicked up, and she knew she wouldn’t have to answer,
because he knew.

“You see, Luna, your body knows that you were born
to be our mate, even if your mind is having trouble realizing that right now.”
 
He smiled, his straight white teeth reminding her
of the predators their species truly was. “And when it comes to my mate
standing right before me, her body knowing what it wants, but her mind being
stubborn, I will do everything in my power to make you realize and understand
what you want here.” He placed a large hand on her chest, right over her heart.
Luna was so stunned by his actions all she could do was stand there and stare
at him. “Right now your heart beats wildly, because you can sense who and what
we are to you.” He leaned in ever so slightly until their lips were an inch
from each other. “And you can run from anything you want, but never from us.
You are our mate.” His eyes lowered so that he was staring at her mouth. “And
when the time comes when you come to us, accepting what is
inevitable,
it will be the sweetest of all things.”

Luna held her head higher and stared Erak in the
eye. Shame and desire warred within her, and self-disgust that she was so very
wet between her thighs moved inside of her like another entity. They could
smell it, smell how much she wanted them even though she was furious, and that
had humiliation filling her. His cockiness was astounding.

“I could never be yours, not in the way you want me
to be.” Her voice was soft, but she made sure to keep her words clear and to
the point. Maybe she was being ungrateful, but there was a part of her that
refused to bend to this male that expected everyone to bow before him.

A low, deadly rumble left his chest, and she
swallowed roughly. Had she pushed him too far with her defiance? They had saved
her, after all, but she couldn’t go back to living as something that was
ornamental. She wanted her freedom, but would these alpha males allow it?

Forcing
herself
not to cry
from her turbulent emotions, she licked her lips and flicked her eyes to the
other two men standing stoically behind Erak. Genet and Raimi were just as
physically superior as their brother, but unlike Erak they could actually wield
a gentler disposition and not be so intimidating and blunt. “I just want to be
free.”

The muscles under his cheeks ticked as he ground his
teeth, and she knew she should have kept her mouth shut. They had saved her,
and made it clear she was their mate and would stay with them, and here she was
acting ungrateful. But in her defense she felt she had every right to feel this
way, to not bow down and let another dictate how her life should be. He may say
she wasn’t a prisoner, but a treasure to them, but in reality how much leeway
could they give her when she wanted nothing but freedom?

Erak moved back, and she could see his unrestrained
anger. She knew he wouldn’t harm her, could feel that he wanted to do the
opposite … protect. That didn’t mean the aggression and testosterone that came
from him didn’t frighten her all the same.

“You think we mean to keep you in a cage like a
pretty little bird?” His voice was low, deadly, and she pressed herself fully
against the wall. Genet and Raimi glanced at each other warily, and their
reaction had her growing even more uncomfortable. They moved closer to their
brother and each laid a hand on his shoulder.

“Brother, calm down,” Genet said softly, but Erak
shoved their touch off and lowered his head but kept his eyes on her.

“Well, Luna, answer me. Is that what you think,
Fallina
, that
we intend to keep you our unwilling little captive,
to have our wicked, filthy alien ways with you?”

God, did she? She looked between the three brothers,
and knew, in her heart, that Genet and Raimi would be gentle, coaxing, if she
ever agreed to any such acts with them. It was strange, to say the least,
because she didn’t know these males, and certainly had no way of knowing what
they were capable of. Then she looked back into Erak’s powerfully pulling
violet eyes, and knew that if she ever gave herself to a male like him, she
would be ruined, but in a way that would make her scream out in pleasure and
beg for more. Did she really want to let herself be consumed by male like that?
She hadn’t even touched them, or let them touch her, yet she just knew that if
she ever did, that would be the end of it.

The thoughts that played in her mind had her feeling
disgust and hatred for herself and for Erak because he made her feel this way.
How could these men confuse her in such a way that thoughts of her
independence, running in an open field without the fear of being followed, and
enjoying the sun upon her face, vanish so quickly?

Luna knew about different species finding their
mates, going territorial and possessive and carrying the females back to their
lairs. And even if the Aktullas weren’t like that, she couldn’t allow that,
wouldn’t
allow her mind or body to be
taken. Even though her body was on fire, and the image of being under these
three powerful built and physically superior men played through her like a
broken hologram recording, she refused to back down. The escape had changed
something inside of her, forced her out of the victim role and into a survivor.

“Yes, that is what I think, and I won’t let it
happen.” She straightened her shoulders and made herself appear strong and
warrior-like even if she didn’t particularly feel that way at the moment.

Erak took a step forward, and when Genet and Raimi
followed suit as if they meant to stop him, he held up his hand. They halted
immediately, but she didn’t miss how their bodies were tense, waiting for what
would happen next. Erak stepped closer to her, so close that she felt his body
heat surround her, and smelled the scent of him wash through her. Placing his
massive hands on the wall on either side of her head, he leaned in so close she
swore their lips brushed together. He may look human, but that was the only
thing their kind had in common. In front of her was an animal, one that smelled
her every emotion, felt her every tremble, and wanted all of her, whether she
agreed or not. His cockiness infuriated her, but she would be lying if she
didn’t admit it also had her growing wetter. He closed his eyes, and the way he
inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring slightly, let her know he was very aware
of what his presence did to her. When he opened them again a gasp left her at
the way the purple of his eyes glowed brightly, and of the way his pupils
dilated right in front of her.

“You see, your words contradict what your body is
screaming.” His voice, all gravelly and harsh, like a serrated blade scraping
along her flesh and nicking its way over her body, had her panting for air. Her
mouth parted, but nothing came out. His self-satisfied smirk had her toes
curling in lust, and her hands fisting in anger. And then he was gone, without
another word, or a look back as he strode out of the room.

For several long moments Genet and Raimi stared at
her, their silence like a cloak suffocating her. Raimi started rubbing the back
of his neck, and Genet coughed in his hand. For such big, hulking warriors, it
seemed they were embarrassed and unsure over what she could only assume was
their brother’s actions.

“His intentions are in the right place, even if he
is acting like an asshole.” Raimi grinned over at her, and she melted at the
almost boyish charm that came from him.

“I don’t know how familiar you are with our species’
reactions when we find our mate, but to some it is more intense than others.”
Genet glanced down, not meeting her eyes.

With Genet and Raimi she grew warm and welcoming,
but she suspected it had to do with the fact they didn’t try to push their
dominance on her like their brother did. Then there was Erak, with his
overbearing ways, telling her what he wanted her to do after she had just woken
up and was disoriented. Because he wanted her to do what he said, it made her
that more determined not to.

“It seems you two are far different from your older
brother.” She suddenly felt so
very
drained. Closing
her eyes and bowing her head, she inhaled deeply, trying to calm the steadily
building ache behind her forehead.

“Erak is a species all of his own.” Genet’s deep
voice was right before her, and she snapped her head up. There was only warmth
and understanding, and the need to help her that came from him. “It’s the fact
he is next in line for the throne, and the power that he gets from being the
eldest circulates through him, making him more of a predator than any other
Aktulla males, including Raimi and me. He was trained differently as well,
because he is the eldest. He was conditioned to be more ruthless and
unforgiving. I think it is hard for him to separate his life from the
battlefield.” Genet explained it perfectly, because that was exactly what Erak
was, a predator that maimed, took, and killed without remorse. “He is used to
getting what he wants at all costs, and has never had to fight for a female’s
attention.” Genet smiled and kept eye contact with her. “I’m not making excuses
for him, because I’ll be honest when I say I have never seen him be that
intense before, even when we are in battle.” When he lifted his hand to brush a
lock of her hair away she didn’t flinch. “I can’t tell you he won’t get worse
the longer you deny him, because that would be a lie, and I will never lie to
you, but I will also never push you. Erak may be dominating in all things, but
he will never take from you what you do not give willingly. You are our mate,
Luna, and I know it is hard for you to understand since humans don’t have that
kind of bone-deep connection and pull as my species does.” He let his hands
trail down her arms, mindful of her still healing injuries, and took hold of
her hand. “We can talk about this when you feel better. None of this was
supposed to be thrust on you this soon.”