Her Alien Commander (7 page)

Caria was simply so fuckable. He couldn’t believe his luck.

“Turn over,” he instructed. “On all fours with your knees spread wide.”

He was gratified that she obeyed him without a murmur, though he found he still needed to request Morele’s assistance to open the cheeks of her bottom to enable him to reach the remaining curls.

“I see you’ve had some issues to address already, commander.” The doctor was referring to the deep red that still stained her creamy skin.

“Yes. I expect she’s tender so let’s try not to hurt her further.”

The two men worked quickly, and in just seconds Phahlen handed the depil rod back to the medic. He ran his palm over Caria’s newly smooth pussy and smiled to himself.

“Are we done here, Morele?”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, I have all I need and now that the hormonal imbalance has been corrected I foresee no issues as far as fertility and obstetrics are concerned. As you’ve pointed out, she is malnourished and might benefit from a period of recuperation before her first pregnancy. Three of her menstrual cycles should be ample, and will allow her an opportunity to adjust to her new situation. I leave that to your discretion, of course. Meanwhile I can issue advice on nutritional supplements to deal with the recent weight loss.” He turned to Caria who had shifted to lie on her side, but had not yet made any move to put her wrap back on.

“Do you have any questions for me, Caria?”

She pushed herself up onto one elbow, her forehead creased in a frown. “Did you… did you say I
can
have children?”

The doctor offered her a tight smile. “Yes, you can now.”

“But…”

“Do you have reason to doubt my prognosis?”

She shook her head. “No. No, sir, none at all.”

Phahlen watched the exchange with interest, his eyes narrowed. He picked up the wrap from the sofa and handed it to his little human.

“Okay, you can get dressed, Caria. We’re done here.”

Chapter Four

Caria sat in silence, her legs tucked beneath her on the sofa. She hugged the wrap tight around her body and drew in several deep breaths as she fought to process what had just happened to her.

The examination has been horrible, intimate, and humiliating, although neither the doctor nor Phahlen had done anything to make the experience worse for her. Quite the reverse in fact. She appreciated Phahlen’s actions to help calm her, and he had succeeded admirably. She couldn’t quite reconcile herself to the intrusion, the flagrant breach of her privacy, but he’d made it bearable. She was inordinately pleased that the only man to really touch her had been Phahlen, and she knew she owed that to him, to his unexpected empathy for her situation, and his position of authority on this ship.

Then had come the really incredible part. She had been scared rigid as she lay there, helpless, and convinced that with all their sophisticated diagnostic wizardry they were sure to discover her secret. Once they knew the truth, her unsuitability for their breeding project would be obvious, and the consequences for her would be disastrous. At best, she would be extradited to Earth to face imprisonment. At worst, Phahlen could hand her back to the Galeians. She had never for a moment imagined that they would simply cure her. The whole affair had been so casual, so relaxed. And now, a problem that had plagued her for years was gone, eradicated by a few seconds’ treatment and the application of some very advanced technology.

Caria had longed for children of her own, and disappointment after disappointment had all but crushed her over the last couple of years. Now it seemed she was to have what she desired, but at what price? Her freedom? Never to return to her home world unless she was prepared to leave her children behind? To become the property of this arrogant, stern male who now regarded her from his work station across the room?

“Come here and stand before me, Caria.”

His command was unexpected, and his tone suggested he was not best pleased with her. Caria knew why. She had concealed her condition, even knowing the significance of the matter. She had realised he would not leave her deception unremarked, but had thought he might allow her more time to recuperate from her earlier ordeals—including the spanking he had already administered. Reluctantly,
she got to her feet and made her way across the room.

He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers on the desk in front of him as he raked her with his assessing gaze. Caria’s knees weakened and she was not entirely certain it was only
fear that caused that reaction.

“Sir, I—”

“Silence, unless I ask you a direct question.” His brow furrowed and Caria squirmed under his intense scrutiny. She fought the urge to speak again, to explain her fears and plead with him for leniency.

At last Phahlen broke the silence. “Omission of a material fact is every bit as dishonest as an outright lie. Would you not agree, Caria?”

Resentment surged, but she suppressed her angry retort. “Yes, sir, as a rule. But—”

“A simple yes or no is fine. So, you chose not to inform me of your condition. Is that also correct?”

“Yes, sir,” she muttered.

“Speak up, Caria. Is that also correct?”

“Yes,” she affirmed, meeting his gaze. Let him do his worst. She knew by now he wouldn’t kill her, nor would he do her serious harm as that would impede his own plans. She tilted her chin in an overt show of defiance.

“Thank you. So, no doubt you had a persuasive reason for this act of deception. Would you share that with me now, please?”

“I… I…” Caria struggled to articulate the trepidation that had kept her silent. He must know how much he intimidated her. It had to be deliberate on his part and as much as anything that was why she was reluctant to afford him the satisfaction of confessing as much to him. “It was private, and—”

“You have no privacy now, Caria.”

And didn’t she know it? That examination was proof enough. She tilted her chin again but offered no comment.

“Is that it? Have you no more to say to me?”

“No, sir.”

“You surprise me, Caria. I had expected to hear of your fears that once I learnt of your infertility I might find myself with no use for you after all. I don’t flatter myself that you harbour any real enthusiasm for your new station, but the alternatives are perhaps even less palatable. I believe you thought to avoid a worse fate by pretending acceptance of my terms. Am I right?”

Caria flattened her mouth, determined not to answer if she could help it.

“So, despite agreeing with me just now that omission of the truth is as culpable as lying to me, you still persist. You disappoint me, Caria.”

That remark stung her into offering something. Anything. “I… I had no idea what was wrong, that there even
was
anything wrong with me. I thought that maybe I was just unlucky.”

He shook his head. “You knew, or at least you suspected. I wondered why you were so tense, but it’s all clear enough now. You knew we’d discover the truth, just as I’m discovering it now despite your best efforts. Shall we cease this game, Caria?”

“I don’t know what you mean, sir.”

“Liar. I suggest you stop now before you make an already precarious situation infinitely worse.” He paused and watched her.

Caria felt not unlike a mouse caught in a cat’s claws, helpless and unable to escape, an unwitting plaything.

Phahlen continued. “I understand fear well enough, Caria, and I know it can drive us all to make poor decisions. You have no reason, yet, to trust me and it may surprise you to learn I understand why you kept this information to yourself. I might have done the same in your situation. It’s your insistence on clinging to this falsehood, though, which concerns me now. I need to know what you’re thinking and feeling, otherwise I will not be in a position to take care of you.”

“Take care of me?” Caria couldn’t contain her snort of derision. “You call abduction, imprisonment, and assault taking care of me? Please, Commander, do not trouble yourself further on my behalf.”

His eyes narrowed, and Caria knew she had gone too far. This Vahlean had made it clear how he would deal with insubordination and she had no reason to suppose he would welcome her sarcasm either. She stepped backward, her instinct to put more distance between herself and his anger.

Phahlen rose from his seat and came around the desk. He stopped and leaned one hip on the edge, watching as Caria edged further away. He said nothing, just pointed to a spot on the floor about two feet in front of him.

Caria’s brief flirtation with bravado evaporated. He would spank her again, or worse. No one on board this ship would help her, there was no escape. Slowly, her eyes on the floor, she returned to stand on the spot he indicated.

She was surprised when he placed two fingers under her chin and tipped her face up so he could meet her gaze. His eyes were stern, but not unkind. Perhaps he did understand after all.

“How long did you expect your deception to last, Caria? Did you imagine you might get away with it, even?”

“No, sir,” she whispered. “I, I didn’t think it through.” That, at least, was true. Her actions had been on the spur of the moment.

“Didn’t you? I’m not so sure. I wonder if you perhaps thought to make your escape before your little charade was discovered.”

“No, sir, I—”

“Caria…” The warning in his tone was beyond misinterpretation. And yet again he had scored a direct hit.

“I… I believed I might… That you…”

“Quite. But that’s not going to happen. You’re going nowhere unless I permit it, and the sooner you reconcile yourself to that reality, the better. The thrashing I’ll give you in a few minutes, for lying to me, will be nothing compared to the one you’ll receive for an escape attempt. Do not even contemplate such a foolhardy course, Caria. It really isn’t worth it.” He released her face from his light grip and tilted his head to one side. “Before we proceed, there’s another matter I need to discuss with you.”

Caria’s heart sank. What else had she done to anger him?

“You mentioned a partner, a male who died in the crash?”

“Yes, sir.” Caria was puzzled.
She
had not anticipated this line of enquiry.

“What was his name?”

“He was called Petros. He was a cook, sir.”

“A useful skill, though I tend to rely on the food synthesiser. Did you love him?”

Caria had no idea how to answer, or what Phahlen was looking for here. In view of his recent warnings, she opted for the truth. “Of course. He was very good to me.” That sounded lukewarm, she supposed, and perhaps it was. Petros was good enough, when he wasn’t flirting with every female he met who had a pulse.

“You must miss him.”

Caria pondered that for a moment or two, surprised to realise that actually, she didn’t. Not much.

“It was… a shock, but with everything else that happened to me I hardly had a chance to think about it.”

“You may think about it now, Caria, and if you need to mourn for this Petros of yours, I will understand that and make allowances. But you are mine now. Is that quite clear?”

She raised her gaze to his. “Yes, Commander. Perfectly clear.”

He gestured with his chin toward the food station. “Now, you will go to the housekeeping portal and request a strap. Leather, I think, perhaps a metre in length to allow for it to be doubled. It will need to be fairly heavy for the lesson I intend to impart.”

Caria did not move. She remained where she was, stunned. A strap? He intended to take a strap to her over this?

“No, please, I never—”

“Do it now, girl.” His voice hardened. His eyes were dark already, almost black, but they glinted his steely intent.

Caria felt sick. She would never be able to bear this, she just knew it. So much for not showing weakness before him—she was already sobbing, ready to plead with him not to do this.

Phahlen took her face between his hands and forced her to look at him again. His image blurred before her eyes but she couldn’t look away. “This will soon be over, little human, and you need to learn. Go, now, and fetch me a strap.”

There was nothing else for it, no mistaking the implacable resolve in his gaze. When he stepped back and released her, Caria turned and made her way to the food station.

“A leather strap, please. It… it needs to be a metre long.” Her voice wavered but the instruction was clear enough. The object materialised a few moments later, coiled inside the serving hatch. Caria removed it and carried it back to Phahlen. She offered it to him.

“On your knees, girl.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Offer it to me on your knees, Caria.”

With a soft moan, Caria sank to kneel in front of him. She held the strap up, draped across the palms of both her hands.

“Thank you. Very nicely done.” He took it from her. “And now, I want you to remove your wrap and lean over my desk.”

Caria shook her head and covered her face in her hands. “I can’t. Please don’t. Please, sir, don’t…”

He crouched in front of her and took both her hands in his. “If you can’t yet believe in me and trust me not to harm you, then believe in yourself. You survived a spanking earlier, and you survived that medical examination. You’ll survive this too, and you’ll learn from it. Next time you consider lying to me or concealing the truth, you’ll remember how you’re feeling right now. Won’t you? And you’ll be honest with me.”

“I will. I promise I will, just—”

“No, Caria. You earned a punishment and you shall have one. Let’s make it quick, shall we?”

How quick?
She didn’t dare to ask, and stumbled as she attempted to get to her feet. Phahlen caught her elbow and assisted her up. He tilted his head in the direction of the desk. No words were necessary.

Caria started to lean over the desk, then remembered his instruction about the wrap. Less concerned with her nudity now, she removed it and looked around for a place to put it down. Phahlen held out his hand and she gave it to him. He moved aside to allow her to pass him.

Caria stretched her body over the cool surface of the desk. Her breasts flattened against the unyielding top so she started to tuck her arms under her.