Bound at the Ball (Siren Publishing Allure) Read online

  “Every year a Unity Festival is held to both remember and honor the treaty. Without the strength and might of the Zabyr warriors, all of Terraxan would have perished.”

  “Good, now flip to the section outlining the viral attack that caused the Zabyr race to produce only male offspring, and read out loud.”

  She hated reading the histories of the two races on their world. What did she care if the warriors could only produce male offspring? Her race seemed to be as equally harmed. The number of females produced to each mated pair far outnumbered that of males. She turned the pages and cleared her throat. Her cheek still stung from the slap earlier but she wouldn’t give in and rub it. She’d earn herself another slap, or worse.

  “While the Zabyr warriors fought against the alien intruders, an engineered virus was unleashed upon them. The virus was designed to attack and kill the warriors while preserving the Tropustyr races. It had a different effect upon their physiology. The only effect was to cause changes to the genes passed from the males during copulation. Only male offspring can be sired by the warriors, greatly changing the population numbers for that race.

  “The Terraxan government, to thank the warrior races, instituted mandatory attendance to the Unity ball for all Terraxan males and females between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-four to assist both races to find suitable mates and to maintain appropriate population levels for both races.”

  When she was done reading, she waited, head down, for the next instruction. She still didn’t see how reading the same history book year after year was going to help her, but if anyone knew what to expect, it would be her sisters. She swallowed the urge to ask questions. Bana wouldn’t tell her anything anyway. If she wanted information, she’d wait until Marena arrived home. Marena was more open, and perhaps tonight she would actually answer some questions.

  Rella sat through her lessons on mathematics and reading, drifting off as often as she could to ponder the Unity ball’s happenings. Bana smacked the back of her head a few times to refocus her, but Rella still couldn’t concentrate enough to really care about her studies. After another torturous bout of being yelled at, her sister gave an exaggerated sigh.

  “Go prepare supper. Papa should be home soon. We will eat before your Cleansing Ceremony. The timing has to be perfect. You are required to have a full day between the cleansing and your arrival at the ball. That leaves you little time to eat before your ceremony begins.”

  Rella stood and nodded before turning toward the kitchen. She wanted to ask Bana about the ceremony, but kept her lips smashed together and swallowed the words. She’d make it through whatever was coming, just as she’d done before.

  As the youngest, it was her duty to prepare most of the meals. She didn’t mind the cooking. It allowed her time without the always-present sisterly eyes that watched for every mistake she made. In the kitchen she could be herself and not worry about keeping her eyes down and being proper.

  She wondered absently why Bana didn’t have her read the next section in her history text that outlined the genetic predisposition for submissive behavior in their races. That was a favorite topic for her sister. Rella didn’t fit the mold. She was constantly being reprimanded and disciplined for being too dominating or not subservient enough in the presence of her elders. She couldn’t help it. No, truthfully, she didn’t want to be a pushover, a stepping stone for everyone. If she was to follow the rules, she would never see the sky or the birds in the trees. She’d spend every minute of every day looking down at the ground. I can only stare at dirt so long before it gets boring and causes spasms in my neck.

  Chapter 2

  “Strike.”

  The shout could be heard over the clashing swords and male grunts. Harsh winds whipped sand through the fighting men, coating their sweaty bodies. The Commander’s voice echoed off the canyon walls and Sabar reacted the moment the order hit his ear. His sword arm moved in a practiced arc, bringing the weapon quickly to his opponent’s midsection. Matner’s armored forearm moved at lightning speed and deflected the blade. Sabar couldn’t help but smile at the move.

  “Nice. You’ve been working on your hand-to-hand I see,” Sabar said.

  He grunted as he swung his sword around, grinning as it whistled through the air. His eyes trained on the face of his friend and sparring partner. Matner’s dark hair was pulled back from a dark face and even darker eyes. A flash of amusement shone in the other man’s gaze before they broke eye contact. The large scar that ran down his face marked him from the corner of one eye to his mouth. The jagged, angry red line made the male look foreboding and grim, so different from his real personality.

  “Porchas has been working with me. Ow.” Matner grunted when he swung his blade at Sabar. The clash of the two weapons was deafening.

  “Good. He’s taught you much,” Sabar answered as he turned away in a quick move, smoothly deflecting the next blow and bringing his weapon up. He stopped a hairsbreadth from drawing blood from Matner’s throat. He grinned at his friend. “Dead.”

  Both men lowered their swords and sucked in deep, gulping breaths. They stood watching the rest of the group practice moves until the commander ended the round a few moments later.

  “Good job, warriors,” the commander barked. “Get in formation again and we’ll see if you can do better this time. Remember even though we are currently in a state of peace that doesn’t mean you won’t be needed to protect this planet again at a moment’s notice.”

  All of the men shifted until they were in position, facing their training partners and weapons at the ready. Sabar grinned across the small piece of yard separating him and Matner. They both tensed for the signal.

  The commander’s shout came moments later. “Strike.”

  Matner grunted as he swung his weapon. The two men leveled their blades at each other and came together in a clash of metal. “Do you think we’ll ever see real action? I get sick of tracking down rouge males.”

  Sabar spun just in time to stop the sword aimed at his chest. With a growl he launched into a set of movements, driving the other male back. “I don’t know. I do know that if we weren’t here this planet and the Tropustyr race would be nothing but slaves. You know that.”

  “I know. It just seems interesting to me that we showed up to save the planet but never returned to our own world.”

  Another round of strikes had both men gasping and grunting. Sabar pushed his attack when Matner faltered. “My father says that the world was already suffering when the warriors left. I know that the government doesn’t want us to know that, but according to him the mother planet was dying. The group was looking for another planet to populate. It just worked out that this one needed our protection and had a compatible race on it.”

  “You believe that it was just by chance?”

  Sabar thought that question over as he swung his weapon. Fatigue was starting to burn in his muscles, but it felt good. The ache helped him focus his thoughts. “No. I don’t believe that it was happenstance that we showed up just in time to save this planet. But, I do believe that we didn’t start the war that was being waged. Perhaps our government and the Terraxian government are hiding things, but that doesn’t change what’s going on.”

  “Very true. Stop.” Matner bent at the waist. “Wow, politics and practice don’t mix well, huh? I’m beat. Either way, at least we’ve got a planet to call home, a job to do and the possibility of pussy at the festival tomorrow.”

  Sabar’s thoughts moved once again to his night’s appointment. He’d been chosen to attend a female’s cleansing ceremony, and the thought of it kept his brain simmering with excitement. It wasn’t his first ceremony, and it surely wouldn’t be his last, but each one was unique and intimately beautiful. He wondered for the thousandth time what the female would look like. It usually didn’t matter if the females were overly beautiful. Being part of their sexual awakening was intimate enough.

  Unwanted, the memories of girls crying invaded his mind. He silently cursed
his government. Most of the females weren’t ready to be handled by males. The women were taught to ignore their needs. So many beautiful nights had been turned uncomfortable and embarrassing because of the laws. How were males supposed to find mates if the females feared them?

  “What’s got that look on your face? It looks like someone slipped something sour onto your tongue.” Matner’s words jerked Sabar from his thoughts.

  “I have a ceremony tonight. My dick’s been hard since they called me to attend. I just hope she’s not a crier. I hate when we’re forced to touch females that don’t know what’s being done to them. I wish the girls knew we’d be there. Wouldn’t it be so much better if we walked in and the girls actually welcomed us to their innocent bodies?”

  “Don’t let the higher-ups hear you talking like that. You know they have some archaic reason for the way we deal with the females. At least you get asked to attend the ceremonies. I haven’t been requested since my accident. Seems my scar is too scary for blindfolded females.”

  Sabar snorted. “I would love to change the practices, but at least we’re aware of what’s happening at each stage. I’m sick of tricking females into being with me at gatherings and forcing my touch on them at ceremonies. How are we to find a female we want as a mate if they are terrified all the time?”

  “I hear you, but I don’t agree, at least about finding a mate. Right now I am just happy to be allowed at the ball tomorrow night so I can get my hands on some warm flesh that doesn’t belong to another warrior I’ve been battling. It’s been too long since my cock’s seen any action.”

  A bark of laughter erupted from Sabar. “I totally understand, my friend. I’m hoping for the same thing. I’m going to wash up and get ready for tonight. I just hope the female I’ve been selected for isn’t a screamer. I hate when they start screaming in terror. My ears ring and my cock shrivels for hours after leaving their home.”

  “Have a good time tonight. I hope you get a sweet, quiet one.” Matner grinned and waved as he wandered off.

  * * * *

  “Go to the bathing room with Lena. She can start the cleansing process while we clean up the dishes.” Bana was being bossy again, and it grated on Rella’s nerves. She did what she was told but sneered at her sister’s back. Her nerves were already on edge, and she bit her tongue to keep from voicing her annoyance. The lack of eye contact from her other sisters and father throughout the meal had her mind working overtime on scenarios and worries. Her father had been silent, tensing each time she tried to speak to him. His reactions set her fear in motion. What could be so bad that it sent her father into a stupor? Was he ill? Worried about the next night?

  The only conversation she could pull from him had ended with him giving her a lecture about being a good citizen and following the teachings. He’d hinted that the Cleansing Ceremony was the start to doing just that. She huffed. What was that supposed to mean? Her stomach rolled with fear again. I’ll be so much happier when tomorrow night is over.

  Entering the bathing room was like walking through a dimensional mirror. Gone was the normal quiet, serene atmosphere. The floor and cabinets were littered with implements she’d never seen. Bottles, tubes, and small containers were spread around the sink, covering the counter. Some she recognized as beauty products, others were completely foreign to her. The air nearly vibrated with agitation and mystery. There was a massive trunk in the middle of the floor that one of her sisters must have dragged in a short time before. The bath was steaming, a scent wafting to her on the clouds of moisture. She sniffed the air and tried to place the smell. It tickled her nose and made her skin tingle, tugging at a memory.

  “Get in. We have much to accomplish tonight.” The soft voice sounded loud in the room.

  Rella hadn’t noticed Lena entering the room. Her sister was so quiet now, sedate. Even with a swollen belly, the woman moved with smooth refinement and grace she hadn’t had before her mating. She stood in the shadows, watching with a pitying look on her beautiful face.

  Dropping her clothing took only a moment. A sigh whispered from Rella’s lips when she climbed into the steaming bath. The heated water wrapped around her body in a warm embrace. It felt different, slippery, as it surrounded her. It must have been from the same substance causing the fragrance that had been added to the water. She rubbed her hand along her arm and almost giggled at the slickness of her skin. She leaned back, closed her eyes, and hummed in satisfaction. Soaking in the tub wasn’t something she was allowed to do often. Baths were for special occasions. She rarely had enough time to enjoy a soak, and never had she been ordered into the bath.

  After a few moments, her body felt hotter than normal. Her skin blushed with the heat. A fine sheen of sweat broke out over her face. The scent in the water was invading her body with each breath she took. It seemed to be changing as she warmed, becoming stronger and strangely seductive. The sensations of arousal began to build under her skin, starting with goose bumps racing along her arms and legs. Shivers shot down her back. Her belly warmed and her nipples beaded, tingling as the minutes passed.

  The sudden urge to run her hands over her body and cup her pussy made a small gasp escape her lips. Her fingers twitched with the need to touch herself, even if it was just to pull on a nipple or tap her clit. Her body wanted something and the ache was building quickly. She barely fought the urge to keep her hands from her cunt.

  She mustn’t touch herself was the thought that had been engrained in her. She followed the rules, most times. But now… Her body cried out for release. Rella rolled her head against the edge of the tub and moaned. Her skin felt like it was on fire. The throbbing discomfort skated along her arms and legs and centered at the apex of her thighs. She moved, trying to find a position that alleviated the ache building there. While she shifted again, she brushed an arm across her breasts. The sensation was so intense she opened her eyes to make sure nothing had changed. She stroked her fingers across her puckered nipples and panted as liquid sensation throbbed between her thighs.

  “Don’t do that or it will just make it worse.” Bana’s voice pulled a gasp from her, and her eyes flew to the doorway.

  She’d forgotten that her sisters would be helping with the ritual cleansing. She couldn’t focus on anything else besides this need. All three stood watching her. Their faces held a mixture of regret and sympathy. Blushing, she tried covering her breasts and mound with her hands. She closed her eyes and tried to swallow a moan when her palms skimmed her sensitive skin.

  Fear burned through some of the heat pulsing in her veins. She didn’t know what was happening to her, and she didn’t like it. Her skin felt too tight, and the ache between her legs was so intense it took her effort to focus. She knew it would take one tap of a finger on her clit and she’d climax right there, in front of her sisters. She couldn’t act on that knowledge without giving away the fact that she knew how to masturbate.

  “Rella. Stop touching yourself. It will just make the sensations worse.” Marena’s voice was quiet and sad. “Let’s get this over with. You must wear this blindfold so you can’t identify the males that will assist during your ceremony.”

  Rella opened her eyes wide, fear skated down her spine. She didn’t know males would be entering the home. Other than her sisters, she hadn’t been seen naked by anyone in years. Having unknown men intimately involved in something she knew nothing about, without being able to see, seemed over the top. She opened her mouth to argue, but the look Marena gave her stopped the words. There was compassion and understanding in her eyes, but tears rolled down her sister’s cheeks. What was going to happen in this room if her sister was crying for her? Fear gripped her chest, squeezing her lungs, making it difficult to pull a breath in. Would they let someone harm her?

  “Just do as you’re told and all will be fine. Please, put on the blindfold and do not remove it until you’re told to. You are in no danger and we will be here the entire time.”

  Rella nodded and reached out to take the piece of
cloth from her sister’s hand. Before she wrapped it around her eyes, she watched all three sisters move around the room. Lena collected a shaving kit and a bowl of steaming water. Marena knelt near the tub and dropped a cloth in the water. Bana knelt on the other side and handed a pair of safety gloves to each sister.

  “What are you guys doing? Why do I feel so hot and achy? It’s the oils in the water, isn’t it?” Her voice came out reedy and quiet. She groaned. The water moved over her skin in small waves, teasing her nipples. The urge to rub her clit was getting stronger with each passing moment. Her body burned with the need for release.

  “Yes, Linax oil is causing the reactions within your body. Our job tonight is to prepare you for tomorrow. Just relax and let us do what we need to do, okay?” Lena’s voice was soft. Rella looked at her sister and almost teared up at the look of compassion she saw there. What could be so bad that all three of the women were looking at her as if she were on her death bed?

  “Now put the blindfold on. You will feel other hands on you. Males will be entering the bathing room the moment you put the blindfold on. Don’t fight them. The punishment will be far worse than anything else you’ve endured if you struggle against them.” Even Bana looked sick to her stomach. Males? How was she supposed to lay, naked and exposed, while unknown males entered the room? Well, she’d survived enough beatings and pain to be able to endure much. She would make it through this. She nodded stiffly in understanding.

  She wrapped the black cloth over her eyes and lay back in the tub. Whatever happened, she’d be safe. Her sisters wouldn’t let anyone hurt her. She hoped.