Instructing the Novice Read online

  Lone usually considered himself a patient person but now his patience was at an end.

  “Lizabeth?” he called, knocking hard on the fresher door. “Lizabeth, come out now. You’ve been in there long enough and we need to talk.”

  He was going to get to the bottom of this no matter what.

  Lizabeth jerked guiltily when she heard the pounding on the bathroom door. She had known she would have to talk to Lone at some point but she just didn’t feel like she could face him right now. He would want to talk about what had happened between them—would want to know why she hadn’t told him she was having a needing attack.

  And she didn’t know what to say.

  Why did I do that? Why did I kiss him? It’s so inappropriate—so wrong.

  So liable to get her hurt. A memory from her past flashed up—Arturo laughing, his dark eyes filled with admiration. Lizabeth pushed it back down again.

  She looked down at the white gown she was wearing, now stained all down the front with the amber nectar that flowed sluggishly from her red and swollen nipples. Her breasts ached fiercely and she had tried to squeeze them, hoping to get the nectar flowing more freely and relieve some of the pressure.

  But though it flowed until her gown was stained, it still wasn’t enough. The ache was so great she could hardly stand it but it wasn’t as painful as the humiliation and uncertainty of asking Lone to help her again.

  Still, there was no putting off this confrontation any longer. Taking a deep breath, she rose from the side of the vast marble tub where she’d been sitting and fastened the black vest again, though even the touch of the soft fabric hurt her sensitive peaks. Lifting her chin, she opened the door of the bathroom and stepped out into the luxurious bed chamber they had been given.

  “All right,” she said, using her best courtroom voice. “I’m here. What do you want to talk about?”

  Lone scowled at her.

  “You know damn well what we need to talk about, Mistress. You’re in need.”

  Lizabeth thought about denying it but really, what was the point? They both knew she was having a needing attack and that she couldn’t help herself.

  “All right,” she said, lifting her chin. “I am in need. What about it?”

  “What about it?” Lone looked more upset than she’d ever seen him. “Look at yourself, Lizabeth!” he exclaimed, gesturing to her. “Your breasts are swollen—you must be in excruciating pain. Why haven’t you asked me to help you?”

  “I…I didn’t want to,” she said but now she had to look away, unable to meet his gaze. “Didn’t want you to help me.”

  “Why? It’s not that you don’t want my hands and mouth on you,” Lone growled softly. “That’s what I thought at first. But I smelled your desire during the oath ceremony. I tasted the wetness of your pussy. So why?”

  “I…it’s not appropriate,” she said at last, fumbling for an explanation. “I’m your boss, Lone. And besides, I didn’t want you to feel like you had to help me like you did the…the first time.”

  “You think I felt obligated to help you?” he demanded. “That I didn’t want to do it?”

  “Well, from what I’ve read about loners, I thought you might not,” Lizabeth shot back, glaring up at him. “I know that often Twin Kindred without a twin don’t have sexual feelings for anyone. I thought you might have been disgusted…repulsed…”

  “What?” Lone ran a hand through his hair, an expression of disbelief crossing his strong features. He stepped forward and took her by the shoulders, looking earnestly down into her face. “Lizabeth,” he said hoarsely. “How could you think that? How could you think that anything about you would repulse me when I…” He shook his head, looking away for a moment, a muscle bunching in the side of his jaw. “Did I give you that impression?” he asked at last. “The first time I helped you?”

  Lizabeth bit her lip.

  “Not exactly, no,” she admitted. “But you’ve always been such a nice guy—so helpful and uncomplaining. I was sure that even if you didn’t like…doing what you did, you would never have complained or showed it. You have too much consideration for my feelings to do that.”

  “You’re right,” he said savagely, releasing her suddenly. “I do have too much consideration. All this time I’ve been giving you space, letting you keep your distance. And this is what happens.” He stabbed a finger at her. “This isn’t the only needing attack you’ve had since the first one, is it?” When she didn’t answer at once he leaned closer. “Is it, Lizabeth?” he demanded in a low growl.

  “No, all right?” she exclaimed. She couldn’t believe she was having a fight with her sweet, good-tempered assistant. Where had the soft-spoken, self-deprecating Lone gone and who was this angry, passionate stranger in his place? It was like she’d only seen the Light Twin part of his personality before this and now the Dark Twin half had come out in full force.

  “All right…” The muscle in the side of his jaw was tensing again. “So how many have you had? I thought the antidote was supposed to take care of it.”

  “The antidote didn’t help a damn bit,” Lizabeth admitted recklessly. “As for the needing attacks, well…” She took a deep breath. “It’s been pretty much constant for the past two weeks.”

  “What?” Lone nearly exploded. “How have you been dealing with this? Don’t you know you could have permanent damage if you don’t get yourself cared for?”

  “Yes, I know that. And I know my own body,” Lizabeth snapped. “I’ve been using a breast pump and…and that’s how I’ve been dealing with it,” she finished quickly. God, she’d almost admitted she’d been using a vibrator as well. Thank goodness she’d caught herself before she blurted out that bit of embarrassing information!

  “A breast pump doesn’t have strong enough suction to draw out the nectar,” Lone said, frowning. “I know for a fact that several unmated females who were affected by the Xi-46 compound tried and failed to control their nectar production that way.”

  “Well, it helps some, anyway,” Lizabeth said defensively. “And if I hadn’t lost the one I brought with me, we wouldn’t be having this conversation now.”

  For a moment Lone looked angry again…then a sadness filled his eyes that made her heart ache.

  “Was it really that distasteful to you, Lizabeth? Letting me help you?” he asked, his deep voice quiet.

  “No…no, of course not,” she said hastily. “But Lone, you’re my assistant not…” She cleared her throat. “Not my lover.”

  “Why should that have anything to do with it?” he asked, frowning. “You’re in pain, Lizabeth—you’ve been in pain for the past two weeks. I’ll ask you again—why didn’t you ask for my help?”

  Her past whispered to her, speaking of that old pain that she’d tried to bury, but Lizabeth pushed it away.

  “This is ridiculous.” She threw up her hands. “I don’t have to justify myself to you! I’m your boss.”

  “No, right now you’re a female in need,” he countered, frowning. “And you’re going to do yourself an injury or have permanent damage to your breasts if you don’t let me help you now.”

  Lizabeth thought with longing of how good his warm mouth felt on her swollen nipples… of how desperately she wished the ache in her breasts would go away. But her pride rose up in her, as well as the bad memories, and she couldn’t give in somehow…she just couldn’t.

  “I’ll be fine,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest—and then wincing and drawing them back immediately. God, even the lightest touch hurt like hell now!

  “No, you won’t. Look at yourself.” Lone took a step closer and pulled open the long black vest, baring her swollen nipples. “You can’t go on like this, Lizabeth. I won’t let you go on hurting yourself!”

  Lizabeth gasped and tried to pull the vest closed but he wouldn’t let her. Instead he got both her wrists in one big hand and held them over her head in an iron grip.

  “Lone,” she gasped, struggling against him. “Lone, w
hat are you doing? Let me go!”

  But instead of obeying her he pushed her over to the vast, four-poster canopy bed that dominated the room and forced her to sit on the edge of it with her arms still held above her head.

  Lizabeth fought him but she might as well have been fighting against a brick wall. She had never felt frightened or intimidated by her assistant’s size before—she’d managed to forget for long stretches at a time that he was over a foot taller than her and probably twice her weight in hard, ungiving muscle. But he’d never pushed her to the bed and held her down before either and she had never seen that dark, angry look in his gray eyes, which looked like storm clouds as he glared at her.

  “Lone,” she demanded breathlessly. “Lone, stop this right now.”

  “No,” he growled and with a quick maneuver he had her hands pinned behind her back instead, so that her breasts thrust out from her chest. “Not until you’re out of danger and out of pain.”

  He knelt before her in front of the bed, one arm curved around her back to hold her hands in place and his big body between her knees. He was close enough to kiss but he just looked at her—looked her in the eyes.

  “I’m going to do this, Lizabeth,” he said in a quiet, intense voice. “I’d rather do it with your permission but I’ll do it just the same without. We’re light years from any other form of help but even if we were back on the Mother Ship in the middle of the med center, you know the only remedy for the needing is a male’s attention. And I’m the only male here you know.”

  Lizabeth stared at him, not certain what to say. Part of her was mad as hell that he would dare to do this—dare to reverse their roles this way and take the leadership when she had always been the one in control. And part of her was frightened—he was so much bigger than her—so much stronger. He had never used his strength against her before and he wasn’t really hurting her now—just holding her down. But still, it was scary.

  She couldn’t believe this was sweet, dependable Lone holding her down and telling her he was going to suck her nipples whether she wanted him to or not. But the look in his gray eyes was implacable—it was clear he meant what he said. He wasn’t letting her go until he had drained the nectar from her breasts and she was no longer in danger or pain.

  “Damn you, Lone,” she panted at last. “All right then. I can’t stop you, so go on—do it!”

  He gave her a long look.

  “Forgive me,” he said and then bent his head to draw her right nipple deep into his mouth.

  Lizabeth arched her back and gave a long, low moan as he began to suck—gently at first and then harder. The tight pressure in her breast had gotten so bad in the past hour it almost felt like someone was sticking knives into her sensitive mounds. As Lone took the first few swallows of nectar, she felt the awful ache begin to ease. She sagged in relief as he continued to suck and swallow…suck and swallow until her right breast felt pain-free and almost normal again, though it still appeared a little larger than it had been before the needing.

  Lizabeth wondered if her breasts had grown a cup size from being so full for so long. Was she going to be a permanent D now?

  But these thoughts barely flitted across her mind before they were overtaken by a much more overwhelming need. Now that the ache in her breasts had begun to subside, the emptiness in her pussy had grown much worse. She squirmed, squeezing her thighs together tightly as Lone switched to the left nipple and began to suck. God, this stupid needing was horrible! Once one craving was satisfied, another started.

  Just ignore it, she told herself firmly. Who knows what he might feel he has to do if you let him know about that particular symptom?

  She had a brief mental image of her assistant between her thighs, his long, thick shaft buried deep in her pussy as he filled her with his cock and his cum to help ease the emptiness inside.

  The mental picture sent a shock of pure lust and longing through her entire body but she pushed it quickly away. As bad as what they were doing now was, letting him fuck her would be so much worse. There was no way they were going there—no way in hell!

  At last Lone seemed to be satisfied that her breasts were properly drained. He sat back and released her arms, looking at her warily.

  “Slap me now, if you want,” he said in a low voice. “Or hurt me in some other way. I should not have taken you against your will but it was the only way to ease your pain, Mistress.”

  “Don’t call me that,” Lizabeth snapped.

  She was still angry and breathing hard, her pussy throbbing with emptiness and need. The feeling of his hot mouth on her nipples had done more than ease the pain in her breasts—it had made her wet and hot and slippery between her thighs when she knew she shouldn’t feel that way at all.

  “I ought to slap you,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him.

  He leaned closer, presenting his face.

  “Go on—I won’t try to stop you.”

  “Stop it. Just…stop it!” Lizabeth pushed him away, so filled with conflicting emotions she didn’t know what she was thinking or feeling. “You’ve never acted like that before,” she said, her voice coming out shaky and uncertain. “I don’t…don’t understand what’s gotten into you, Lone.”

  “The need to make sure you are safe and unharmed,” he said at once. “Of course, I would be lying if I said I didn’t desire you, too, Mistress. But I swear to you, my first motive in sucking your breasts was your safety. And I’ll tell you something else…” He gave her a level gaze. “I’ll do it again. If I see that you’re in need and you’re not asking me for help, I’ll help you just the same.”

  “As apologies go, that’s not much of one,” Lizabeth snapped, frowning. “What if I start having other kinds of need? I know there are several different ways the needing can manifest—you know it too. What are you going to do if I start…start craving male seed, for instance?”

  That was one of the ways the needing had manifested in some women, she knew, though she didn’t know why she was bringing it up now.

  “Then I’ll give you my seed,” Lone said, implacably.

  “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Lizabeth said, glaring at him. “You’d like it if I had to beg to suck your cock.”

  He winced and looked away.

  “I won’t deny I’ve fantasized about many scenarios with you, Lizabeth,” he said in a low voice. “What I never fantasized about was doing what I just did—holding you down and taking you against your will.” He looked at her more directly. “I don’t want to force you. But I can’t stand to see you in pain or let you hurt yourself either. And if you develop the thirst, I’ll help you slake it.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Unless you want to try and find some other male here who’s willing to allow you to—”

  “No,” Lizabeth said abruptly. “No, of course not.”

  The idea of doing that with one of the hairy, bearded guards made her stomach turn. But she wasn’t done with Lone yet—she was still too angry and confused.

  “What about the other symptoms the Xi-46 compound I was exposed to can cause?” she demanded relentlessly. “I know some women need…need to be, uh, tasted…” Her words died off in embarrassment at the end but Lone didn’t seem in the least perturbed.

  “Didn’t I just prove during the oath-taking ceremony that I’ll be more than happy to do that for you?” His eyes were suddenly half-lidded and his voice was a low, hungry growl. “Gods, Lizabeth, I’ve dreamed of tasting you for years. Your pussy is so sweet and soft and wet… Giving you the kiss of obeisance was one of the greatest pleasures of my life.”

  “It…it was?” She stared at him uncertainly. Was he for real? Had her assistant really been fantasizing about her for the whole time they’d been together? It seemed impossible and yet he appeared to be sincere.

  “Yes,” Lone said simply, his eyes so dark they looked almost black. “It was.”

  For a moment Lizabeth had another flash—a mental imagine of the big Kindred between her thighs but this time he
was doing much more than kissing. This time he was lapping her open pussy with his tongue, tasting her completely…taking his time as he made her come again and again…

  No! Can’t think that way—can’t let myself go there! It only makes the needing worse.

  Getting off the bed, she pulled her black vest closed again and began to pace.

  “So you’re saying you’ll do whatever it takes—give me whatever you think my body needs—whether I want you to or not?” she asked Lone, trying to regain her footing—trying to hold on to her anger.

  Lone rose and sat on the edge of the bed, watching her pace. Slowly, he nodded. “Whatever it takes.”

  “And what if I have the emptiness inside?” she demanded, even as her pussy throbbed with need. She didn’t know why she was pushing so hard—maybe she was trying to goad him in some way. To make him give her what she didn’t want to ask for—what she couldn’t ask for. “What then?” she demanded. “Will you hold me down and…and fuck me? Even if I beg you not to?”

  “Lizabeth, please.” He winced again and she saw the Light Twin side of him once more, looking more unhappy than she could ever remember seeing him. Still, she couldn’t let up.

  “Well? It’s a legitimate question since you seem to think you know what’s best for my body better than I do,” she snapped.

  “I never said that,” Lone said in a low voice. “I said I wouldn’t let you hurt yourself—that I couldn’t stand to see you in pain.” He looked up, his eyes sharp. “Are you in pain right now, Lizabeth? I know the emptiness—the need to be filled—often comes along with the fullness of the breasts. Are you feeling it now?”

  “Of course not!” she denied quickly, pressing her thighs together. “I…I was just asking what you would do if…if I was.”

  “I wouldn’t rape you, if that’s what you’re asking.” Lone’s voice grew harsh. “But I would find a way to help you.”