Page 50 of Tornn's Mate
I need to feel her sweet surrender while reminding her that she will always belong to me, that she will always be subject to my authority.
“Have you told me everything?” I ask. “Are you keeping any other secrets from me, little female?”
Her eyes widen, and apprehension trickles down the bond. “I’m pretty sure I told you everything.” She pauses for a moment, a look of contemplation falling over her. “Yes, I did. I’m not keeping any more secrets from you, Tornn, I swear.”
I increase the pace of my thrusts. “I sense your honesty through the bond, sweet human.” I give her a regretful look. “If only you’d been honest with me from the start.” Still driving into her, I lean down and delve a hand into her hair, tugging hard enough to bring fresh tears to her eyes.
“Please. Please have mercy, Tornn. I-I am sorry.”
I fuck her faster, and her thighs fall wider apart as she accepts the deep, rapid strokes. “Keep begging, sweet human. You know I like it when you beg.”
Chapter32
ELLIE
I’m kneelingon the bedroom floor, watching and listening as Tornn communicates with Officer Brute. With his wrist comm lifted to his mouth as he paces the room, he speaks in rapid-fire Darrvason. Every few seconds, he pauses and Officer Brute says something in return.
My eyes go to the strap that rests on the bed. Tornn placed it there several minutes ago, and my stomach clenches as I imagine the reckoning to come. He hasn’t outright told me I would be punished for withholding vital information from him, but I know it’s coming, and I know it’s going to hurt.
Just after he’d announced that he was about to call Officer Brute, he’d ordered me to kneel on the floor. Then he’d taken the strap out of a nearby drawer and placed the implement on the bed.
How many lashes will he give me? More than five?
As I remain kneeling on the floor, his essence continually leaks out of me and coats my inner thighs, a reminder of his ownership over me. A reminder that I’m his to do with as he pleases.
But I feel awful that I kept Nathan and his stupid texts a secret. With the heartbond in place, I can sense the affection that Tornn harbors for me. I can sense that he truly cares about me and I’m more to him than a broodmare. Now that I’m aware of his true feelings, I wish I would’ve trusted him sooner.
I hope it’s not too late. I hope Nathan and his accomplices can be stopped. And if they get into trouble with the Darrvasons orJansonna’scommand team, then it’s a fate they brought upon themselves. I cannot in good conscience stand by while they threaten the alliance and put innocents on the worldship in danger.
Still speaking to Brute, Tornn comes to loom over me. He got dressed after our last rough mating session, during which he interrogated me as he fucked me, but I’m still completely naked. Words he spoke to me two weeks ago flit through my mind, and my nervousness increases.
When you’ve committed an offense and I must punish you, you’ll be entirely naked when I do so.
He’d said that while he was undressing me. As he was preparing to spread me wide and search my orifices for contraband. Another flush steals over me.
Tornn crouches down, meets my eyes, and reaches for one of my nipples. As he continues speaking to Brute, he pinches my hardened peak until I whimper. I almost try to pull back, but I know if I resist him, I’ll pay for my disobedience later.
He releases my nipple, only to immediately swat the soft underside of my breast, his flattened fingers landing with a quick, brutal sting. Before I can react, he smacks my other breast. I gasp and resist the urge to rub the sting out of my punished flesh.
He rises to his feet, says one last thing into his wrist comm, then drops his hand to his side, the conversation with Brute apparently over. My pulse races as Tornn sets his full attention on me, his dark purple eyes glittering, an aura of power surrounding him.
“Officer Brute is a skilled spymaster. He’s also very good at interrogating our enemies. If a quiet investigation doesn’t yield any results, he will personally question Nathan and force a full confession from the male. Whatever the traitorous humans are planning, they will fail.”
A chill hastens down my spine, but I remind myself that Nathan brought this upon himself. He could’ve kept his nose down and done his job and settled on planet 58-Zallnanis with the rest of the worldship. By betraying the Darrvasons and Captain Warren, he’s basically sealed his own death warrant.
Tornn turns to the bed and picks up the strap. My stomach bottoms out and it’s on the tip of my tongue to start begging. But my mouth goes dry, and I can’t summon the words. Tremors ripple through my body and it’s all I can do to hold position, kneeling with my hands placed on my thighs.
I lower my head as a wave of remorse hits me, unable to hold Tornn’s gaze for a second longer. My hair falls in front of my face, obscuring my vision, and goosebumps prickle my arms. And though I know the strap will hurt, warm pulses surge to my center and my breaths come shallow and fast.
I’m aching for my mate to claim me again.
I’m aching for his touch.
He crouches in front of me again and tips my chin up, forcing my eyes to his. A tear rolls down my cheek, and he leans forward to lick it away as a pleased growl rumbles from his throat.
“Unruly female,” he says, though his voice is warm. He leans back to meet my gaze. “How many? How many lashes do you need?”
“What?” Confusion flits through me, but then I sense it—I sense his forgiveness through the bond. His understanding. And I suddenly realize that he wants to help absolve me of the guilt that’s twisting my insides.
