Valan's Bondmate (21 page)

"How many females do the warriors on Zhang usually have, Lia?"

"As many females as they can feed. The richer the warrior, the more women he's allowed to own."

"How many did your father own?"

"Seven, including my mother."

Valan had forgotten Lia's mother was still on Zhang. He decided he would find her and bring her to his home, for Lia. His memories of his own mother had faded.  Mostly he remembered the way she'd smelled, and the sound of her laughter.

"What is your mother like?"

Surprised, she hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Her name is Nessa, and she's one of the youngest of my sire's women. He claimed her when she was twenty and I was born before her twenty-first cycle. She has blonde hair and beautiful kind eyes. They are blue and when she laughs they sparkle. When I was a child and I got into trouble she hardly ever punished me." Her voice broke on the last word.

Panicking when he thought she would start crying again, Valan hugged her and rushed into speech. "Did you get into trouble very often?"

"Constantly! I was always sneaking out of the women's quarters to play with the servants’ children. I spent most of my time with the babies, playing with them and pretending they were mine. My mother was very understanding, until I got too old to be doing such things. Then, of course, she had to put an end to my adventures." A troubled expression appeared as she thought of the last time she'd seen her mother.

"Lia?"

"My mother and I argued the last time I saw her. She told me I was disrespectful and disobedient. She'd never spoken to me so harshly before."

"Are you close to your father'?"

"No, of course not. I've only seen him twice in my entire life. Women don't mix with men on Zhang."

Every time he and Lia spoke about her life on Zhang, he was amazed by the things she told him. He thought it was the strangest society he'd ever heard of, and that it was a good thing he’d taken her away. "Then, how do females find warriors to bond with?"

"Bond? They don't bond. Our sire's trade us to another warrior. Like my sire traded me."

"What!" The idea of someone else having a claim on her, no matter how weak, had him snarling. "Who is this warrior? Was it his home I took you from?"

"Valan, it doesn't…"

"Answer me."

"His name is Gorm ad-Jai, and you took me from my sire's home, not Gorm's."

The name tore through him. The image of Lia with such a blood-thirsty animal sickened him. "Has this warrior touched you?"

"No. At least, not the way you mean."

"How?"

"He used to grab me when he caught me alone. He hates me. He'd tell me the things he planned to do to me when he claimed me. Sickening things. You saved me from him."

His rage grew as she spoke, but her last words calmed him a little. Pulling her onto his lap, he held her close. For the moment they forgot their private battle.

"Were you afraid?"

"Yes," she whispered against his neck. "Terrified."

Hearing her fear, he held her closer and stroked his hand down her hair. They sat in the peaceful room, quietly holding each other. The narrator on the info-disc began to describe the birth ceremony. Lia turned her head on Valan's shoulder so she could see the screen.

An image of two warriors standing outside of a house appeared. The door opened, and a warrior stepped out, carrying a baby in each arm. He held them up and announced their names. The other two warriors approached and kissed their tiny foreheads. The narrator explained these two men would be the children’s mentors for the rest of their lives. It would be their duty to see to it the children always had a friend to go to in times of need, or a home, should something happen to their parents.

Valan slid his hand over Lia's belly. She blushed, and lowered her eyes.

"Who will you choose as mentors?"

"I've already asked Cam to be primary mentor and Hugh Elofson to be secondary. They've accepted."

"Will you name our babies?"

"Yes. It is a warrior's right."

"What names have you chosen?"

Valan grinned at her curiosity. "I can’t tell you. It’s a secret until they are born."

Lia brushed her hand over the healed scratches on his chest. She frowned and gently circled them with one soft fingertip. Leaning down, she placed a kiss on each of them, and felt his chest leap beneath her lips.

He cupped the back of her head and groaned. She moved lower on his lap and tongued his hard nipples. He strained towards her, lifting his hips against her soft buttocks.

"Let's go to our chamber."

"Why?" She licked a nipple, then softly blew on it and felt him shudder.

"It's time for your first lesson."

"What lesson?" Her lips kissed a path to the other nipple and licked it.

Valan had to think for a moment before he could answer her. "Meditation." He groaned as he felt her hot, moist tongue slide down his chest, and stab into his navel. He jerked against her, then held himself still, waiting to see what she would do next. He bucked and groaned when she kissed him just above the waistband of his pants.

"Lia?" He didn't know if he was warning her to stop, or asking her to go on. Remembering her penchant for biting he wondered for a moment if he should stop her. When she slid her hand over his hard cock and gripped it through the soft leather, his mind went blank. Her nimble fingers opened his pants and freed him. Groaning, he laid his head back and felt her lips slip over him. A moment later her tongue slid along his length and over the head to surround him. He grasped her head and held her in place as he thrust his hips upward and she took him into her mouth.

Gradually, Lia took more of him until he bumped the back of her throat. She relaxed her jaw as she took him deeper and swallowed as she swiped the underside of his cock with her tongue. His groans and the tightening of his hands in her hair let her know she was pleasing him. Swallowing again, she hummed with pleasure and felt him shiver. Waves of heat followed by waves of cold fire ran through her, and she increased her efforts as her own arousal grew. She swallowed once again as she hummed. Valan roared her name as his cum spewed down her throat. She swallowed, then swallowed again. His cum was hot, salty, and musky. She moaned her approval and felt him jerk as more cum filled her mouth.

She clenched her hands on his waist as she sucked on his softening cock.  Swirling her tongue over the head, she licked it one more time before she released him. He pulled her onto his heaving chest and closed his arms around her back, hugging her to him as he rearranged them on the couch with him on the bottom and her on top. A moment later, his hard cock probed at her pussy just before he slid into her and flipped them over.

"Oh, Valan," she breathed, enjoying the fullness of his hard length.

"Wrap your legs around my back."

Even before she locked her ankles around him, he thrust into her pushing her toward an explosive release. As he thrust, he bumped against a sensitive place forcing a little cry of pleasure from her lips. Valan rose above her, adjusting his thrusts and smiled as he began a series of short, sharp thrusts pushing her over the edge and into an electrifying orgasm. Screaming his name, as thick blue mist of heat surrounded them, her muscles tightened holding him prisoner as his hot cum filled her again.

Valan collapsed on top of her, barely avoiding crushing her as he slid to his side and pressed her between his chest and the back of the couch. Gradually their hearts slowed and their breath returned to normal. Lia nuzzled against him and closed her eyes. She didn’t make the effort to open them again. Valan would take care of her.

Chapter Nine

The next morning Lia returned to her old stubborn self. Feeling surer of herself and her place in Valan’s life, she decided it was time to improve her position. She'd fallen asleep the previous night on the couch in his den but she'd woken in their bed. After leaving him sleeping she dressed then snuck down to the kitchen. She was halfway through her breakfast when he caught up to her and demanded she prepare him a breakfast tray. She prepared one and set it in front of him.

He frowned and held up a chunk of savory bread spread with fruit before popping it into his mouth. "This is an odd choice for breakfast, little cat."

"You said they were your favorite food."

"Not for breakfast and you know it," Valan said as he took a sip of stinkgoat milk and grimaced. "After we eat we’re going to the marketplace."

"Why?"

"So I can trade you to the first Alterian slaver I see."

Knowing it was an empty threat, she laughed. Her barbarian was coming along quite nicely. She wasn't exactly sure when, or why, but she'd decided to give him another chance to earn her forgiveness. She did know she was beginning to enjoy her life on Zarronia.

"I can’t go to the market dressed like this." She waved her hand down her body. The material of her gown hugged her body and rounded belly before it fell to her ankles.

"All Zarronian females dress this way. It's hot outside and you will appreciate the coolness of your gown once we're in the heat of the sun."

"My breasts show." She blushed. "Everything shows."

Valan grinned and nodded. "So?"

Frustrated, Lia picked up their empty trays and carried them to the disposal unit.

Valan glanced at the shoes on her feet, grinned, and led her into the foyer where he picked up a sheer piece of cloth that turned into a cloak when he swirled it around her shoulders.

Grasping the fabric, she examined it. "It’s beautiful, Valan. Thank you."

"It’s a special material and will keep you cool in the heat or warm in the cold." He pulled a hood over her head. "It’s also waterproof so it will keep you dry in the rain." He slid the hood from her head, using his thumbs to lift her face until their eyes met. "You will remain at my side at all times. If I tell you to do something you will do it without question. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Valan."

He took his fire sword from a hidden panel by the front door. He slid it into a sheath on the back of his vest, and held out his hand. She took it and they left the house together.

As they walked to the marketplace she saw males and females working in the yards and pathways. They all wore clothes made from the drab material she’d worn when she’d first arrived on Zarronia. They also had bright red bands around their ankles. "Valan who are those people?"

"They are lawbreakers," he said. "When a law is broken the person is sentenced to work for a warrior. The clothes they wear and the bands around their ankles identify them as lawbreakers."

"Are the bands used for punishment?"

"Yes, but only if they try to escape which is very rare. It is a proven way to prevent crime as each broken law carries with it a certain time of punishment including the type of work the lawbreaker will be ordered to do."

Lia nodded. "It seems like a good way to solve the problem. Is there much crime on Zarronia?"

"Very little," Valan said.

"When you took me to that place was I being punished as a lawbreaker?"

Valan pulled her to a halt on the path and tightened his arms around her. "You are not a lawbreaker. You are my bondmate and I will kill anyone who tries to harm you ever again." He held her away from him, his eyes intently focused on her face. "Do you understand?"

Lia smiled and snuggled into him. "Yes, I understand."

He squeezed her so hard she squealed. Releasing her, he grasped her hand and escorted her to the marketplace. It was crowded, noisy, but clean. The paved paths were completely free of any kind of debris. Everywhere she looked were flowering bushes and well-kept trees. On Zhang the marketplace had dirt paths that turned muddy when it rained, and the air stank of unpleasant odors. Here the air was sweet with the fragrance of flowers.

Women escorted by hard-faced warriors strolled along stepping in and out of the shops lining the wide paths. She studied their smiling faces. They all looked happy and content. Occasionally, she saw one take the arm of her escort and smile at him.

She looked at Valan, and frowned when she saw him giving warning glances to anyone who tried to approach them. On two occasions warriors tried to speak but he'd rebuffed them and pulled her away. Was he ashamed to be seen with her? Cringing at the thought, she peeked at the warriors around her. Several of them returned her gaze and smiled. Seeing one of the young warriors who'd given her a tour of the training field she smiled and he rushed towards them.

Valan saw Dag Arneson's approach and gave an exasperated sigh. He didn't want to allow the eager young warrior to greet Lia. If he allowed this one to speak to her, it wouldn't be long before a crowd gathered around her. The younger warriors were fascinated by the bondmates of the older warriors. Fascinated and infatuated! Not that he blamed them. Just thinking about his ability to impregnate Lia was enough to send him into a blazing frenzy. Before he could grab her and escape, Dag arrived.

"Greetings, Commander Eirikson," Dag said but his eyes were on Lia.

Valan didn't return his greeting and Dag shuffled his feet then began to back away.

"Valan, don't be so rude."

Dag gave her an alarmed look. "I shouldn't have bothered you."

Valan sighed and then grinned. "Bondmates are difficult creatures, Dag. You may greet this one."

Dag smiled and turned back to her. "Greetings, Madami Valan."

"Greetings, Dag Arneson."

"Now go away," Valan said, as he saw the approach of several other young warriors. He grabbed Lia's hand and tugged her down the path and into a rainbow of colors. Flowing gowns in every color imaginable surrounded them. She pulled a cream colored gown from a hanger. The cool, shiny material slid through her fingers and changed color. As she examined it she saw tiny, almost invisible bronze threads woven into the material.

Valan examined it, and tossed it over his shoulder. He reached for her right arm, grasped the armband and tugged, surprising her when it slid off.