Shalia's Diary Book 6 (2 page)

I smiled as he jerked a nod. I hadn’t seen my big, bad Nobek since my birthday. I’ve missed him, though the send-off sex before our imposed ‘separation’ had been spectacular enough to keep a smile on my face when I thought about it.

“It was not easy,” Oses admitted. “After a few hours, I spent every moment wanting to check on her and make sure she was safe.”

Feru made a note. “You were able to discuss her well-being with her liaison Betra, however. Did that help?”

Oses nodded. “Betra was excellent about taking my coms and letting me know everything was all right. I don’t believe I would have made it the entire day if I hadn’t been afforded that ability.”

Feru eased into a smile. “You did it, however. You made it through 27 hours of separation and took another step forward in releasing the trauma. Building on these small successes will allow you bigger gains. I won’t lie and tell you that there won’t be anxiety when Shalia is ready to take shore leaves again. However, you will find yourself better able to deal with it.”

Little by little, Oses and I are both recovering. Baby steps can be frustrating when a person wants to put the past behind them in a big hurry. I keep reminding myself and my Nobek lover that though small, they are still steps forward.

Candy was not too happy to hear I wouldn’t be joining everyone on shore leave. “Oh, but I heard there is going to be an arts trading fair while we visit!” she told me. “I wanted you to pick out a birthday present. That’s why I didn’t give you anything on your birthday!”

“You and Katrina arranged a surprise party for me,” I pointed out. “That was present enough.” They’d even arranged for a five-tier birthday cake. It had delicate candy butterflies and flowers, a veritable garden of a cake. I’d never seen anything so beautiful. Hormonal to the hilt, I cried over it and made Betra take two dozen still picture vids of the thing. I’d even had to leave the room while they cut it up because I couldn’t bear to see them do it. I managed to get over it however, and the cake was delicious.

Candy still pouted. “You are so difficult to buy for, Shalia. We don’t like the same things.”

Katrina, the eldest of our trio, snickered and shook her silvered head. “Just find the frilliest, most precious, pinkest thing at the market, something that will fit in that ruffled nightmare of a room of yours. Then find the opposite of that and buy it for Shalia.”

Candy blew a raspberry at Katrina. “Just because you don’t like girly stuff—“

“Candy, no female over the age of five likes that much frou-frou. Those two Nobeks who you’ve been keeping company with probably have nightmares every time they come over from their destroyer to spend the night.”

“What, you’re seeing just two men now?” I asked. “When did this start?”

“After I met them on the concourse outside the pleasure club,” Candy said. Her smile was sunny again as she dropped her debate with Katrina. “Don’t you remember? Ama and Mihi. They were there the day that we looked at locations for our dance club.”

I had a vague recollection of two Kalquorians, one scarred and another with an appealing devilish smile. I blinked at Candy. “You’re exclusive with them?”

“For now.” Candy shrugged. “They have a long-term thing going with each other and I’m enjoying seeing how I can fit in a committed relationship between men. That’s what’s ahead when I get to Kalquor and join a clan, so why not try it out now?”

I nodded, though I hoped with all my heart Candy would not end up in love with men she can’t keep. That struggle is all too familiar to me.

I turned my attention to Katrina. “So now when you hold a salon, you’ve got more guys to yourself.”

Katrina reddened. “Ah, well, I’m not doing that so much these days. I’m a little distracted what with putting the dance club together.”

“Captain Wotref’s clan wouldn’t be another ‘distraction’ would it?” Candy teased.

“Wait, what?” I spluttered. “What the hell is going on? You too? Why am I just finding out about all this?”

“You’ve had plenty to deal with,” Katrina pointed out. “Plus I’m not making a big deal about it. There is no reason to. I’m simply enjoying the captain and his clanmates’ company for now.”

“Holy Hannah,” I said, throwing my hands up in the air dramatically. “The universe has gone crazy when you two settle down. What happened to all the free love?”

“My pussy got tired,” Katrina said in a droll voice. That left Candy and me shouting with laughter.

Neither woman may want to make a big issue out of their current arrangements, but I know for a fact that they will be joined by their paramours on this shore leave. It kind of makes me wish Oses and I were well enough to go down there, along with Betra. Walking along, hand-in-hand with my temporary sweethearts while playing tourist sounds kind of nice.

But Betra is down on the moon by himself, keeping an eye on his group of Earthers and making sure they don’t get into any trouble. Oses and I are up here in orbit. Since Feru is not making my favorite Nobek stay away from me for another week or so, I think we should console each other.

May 10, afternoon

Sore ass. Sore pussy. Big smile on my face. Forget shore leave. I’m all about ‘Oses leave’ now.

He is so amazing when it comes to sexual torment. That man has a gift. I’m tempted to sit out all my shore leaves for the rest of this trip if I can be tortured by Oses.

It started off like most of our encounters. I went to his quarters, and the door automatically opened for me. I’m keyed in for access without invitation. I walked in to find Oses naked and waiting, hover cuffs in his hands. Oh me, oh my.

My mouth already dry and heart thumping wildly, I stripped off my sheath, folded it neatly, and put it on the shelf designated for my clothing. My slippers went there too. I wore no underclothes in the interest of expediency.

Properly nude, I started to drop to hands and knees when Oses caught me by the arm to stop me. I forgot myself for a moment and glanced up before remembering how we conduct playtime. I caught a glimpse of the Nobek’s rough but adored features in an expression of quiet concern. Then I dropped my head, my eyes cast to the floor in an attitude of surrender.

His rumble of a voice vibrated my bones. “Pet, have you discussed the stress of crawling and kneeling with Dr. Tep yet?”

I frowned at the cushioned space of floor between Oses’ feet. “It hadn’t occurred to me, Master. It seems safe enough for now, I think.”

“It probably is. However, I’d like for you to consult with him just to be sure. Until he gives approval, you may remain on your feet. However, I still wish that while you stand, you to keep arms and legs wide to display yourself for my pleasure.”

Ugh. I hate discussing my kinky sex life with the doctor. Tep knows far too much about the kinds of intimate things I do with Oses and Betra. Betra is the one who enjoys humiliation, not me. Still, I know my body is undergoing great changes with the pregnancy. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Besides, defying Oses is never an option. That man knows far too many ways to make me scream, and not just the good kind of screaming. So I put aside my chagrin and meekly answered, “Yes, Master.”

“On the sleeping mat. Lie on your side in the most comfortable position you can.”

I climbed up on Oses’ bed, which takes up most of his quarters’ floor space. Crewmembers don’t get a whole lot of room for their sleeping quarters, unlike us Earther girls. I have a sitting and sleeping room. Oses has a closet posing as a room. One other piece of furniture besides the sleeping mat takes up almost all the floor space in here – the spanking bench. Due to my pregnancy, I’m no longer allowed to use that for the purpose it was intended.

I snuggled onto the bed, my head propped up slightly on a pillow. I lay on my right side, legs curled up a little so that I was in a semi-fetal position. “Okay, Master. Position has been assumed.”

I thought I heard Oses snicker a little at my pert tone. Something billowy fell on me. “Use this for support,” he said.

I grabbed the object to discover it was a body-length pillow. “Oh, I’ve been looking for one of these to sleep with,” I said. “My hips get a little sore these days, so I’ve been using a regular pillow to keep them in line. Something to do with stretching ligaments, according to Dr. Tep.”

In my enthusiasm, I’d forgotten that I was not to speak until spoken to. Fortunately, Oses was in a forgiving mood. He said, “Take it back to your quarters when we’re done.”

“Thank you, Master,” I said, snuggling with the pillow. I clutched it close, like a teddy bear, with one leg slung over it. It really did make my hips feel better.

Oses took my arm and put a hovercuff on my wrist. He made it snug enough to not slip off while making sure it didn’t compromise my circulation. My heart beat faster as he cuffed the other wrist too. Then he moved on to my ankles. Whatever his plans for me were, I would be helpless to get away. My guts tumbled eagerly at the vulnerability.

“Are you comfortable, pet?” Oses asked. “Make sure, because I’m going to freeze the cuffs in place.”

I squirmed a little, making sure of my position. I was comfortable all right, unless you counted the trembly feelings inside me. Delicious anxiety at what my lover might do to me had my senses on full alert.

“I’m comfortable, Master,” I said in a breathy voice.

“Good. You know what to say if that circumstance changes. Cuffs, freeze prisoner in place.”

Just like that, the cuffs activated. They would not budge from their position until Oses commanded otherwise. Me being me, I tugged at my arms and legs just a little. Nope, my wrists and ankles were stuck right there. I wasn’t going anywhere.

As if I would want to.

I watched as Oses went to the shelf by the bed. He took an opaque white tube from it and opened one end. Squeezing the tube, he squirted a palm full of light blue cream onto his hand. He gave me an evil grin and sat down on the bed. Reaching over me, he rubbed the lotion onto my butt cheeks.

I was dying to ask him what that was all about, but I’d pushed my luck with chattering earlier. I knew Oses was up to no good, judging from that scary smile. Talking without permission was a good way to make his plans for me even worse.

Besides, the ass massage was nice. If there is one thing Oses does that makes me feel amazing, it’s his rubdowns. The man is phenomenal at working all the tension out ... and then doing something to wind me right back up again.

For the moment, I sank into the pleasure of feeling his hands on me. I sighed as warmth seeped into my flesh where he rubbed. Oh, how nice. The lotion spilled heat into wherever it was applied. I liked it ... right up until the sensitivity climbed into something resembling more discomfort than pleasure. Oses’ fingers began to zap fire into my skin wherever they touched.

I made a tiny whimpering sound and shifted away from his hands. My forearms and lower legs were immobile, but I could move the rest.

Oses stopped at that point with a chuckle. Uh-oh. He had planned for pain to be involved. I felt a familiar tumble of nerves and excitement as he rose from the bed and went to his closet.

He drew something from it that I was all too familiar with. It was a wand-like device with a soft, round, bulbous tip. My breath caught to see him coming towards me with the toy that vibrated when switched on. This thing was designed for pleasure, but Oses knew how to wield it for torture too. Holding that wand against my clit while it vibrated violently was one of the Nobek’s favorite activities ... along with forbidding me to climax while he did it. Or forcing me to orgasm over and over until I begged him to stop.

I moaned in mixed gratitude and fear. I was in for it.

The Nobek’s grin grew brighter and scarier. Had I not known Oses would never cause me harm, I would have screamed
sholt
at the top of my lungs. He’s so effective when it comes to playing games with my head. Just a look can be enough to drive me crazy.