Valan's Bondmate (11 page)

He sighed, stood, and left their chambers without another word.

Several cycles went by, all of them worse than the cycle before. Each cycle after class Seligson spoke to Valan and he spent the evenings brooding and refusing to talk to her. The harder she tried to get along with the old Educator the worse things got until on the eighth cycle she finally lost her patience with the old stinkgoat. When she asked him about the population of Zarronia, he went berserk and ranted and raved at her and called her horrible names. Finally, embarrassed and enraged, she threw her book at him and cursed him. He dismissed the class but demanded she stay and even ordered a warrior to block the door so she couldn't leave while they waited for Valan to arrive.

Alone and scared, she waited for him. When he entered the room and walked over to stand behind her, she lowered her eyes to the table. His large hands fell onto her shoulders.

"You requested my presence, Educator Seligson?"

"Yes. I'm very sorry to disturb you, Commander, but something must be done about your female. As I have mentioned before she is disruptive and disrespectful." He gave Lia an icy glare. "This cycle, she threw a book and cursed me!"

As the Educator spoke, Valan's hands slid from her shoulders to her arms and pulled her to her feet. 

"She will not return to disrupt your class again."

Valan's voice was emotionless, and Lia shivered remembering the last time she'd heard it this way. She wanted to run but knew he'd find her.

"Thank you, Commander." A small, malicious grin widened Seligson's lips when he looked at her.

Valan grasped her arm and gave it a little tug. "Come, Lia."

On shaky legs, she followed him back to their quarters. Once inside, he left her standing by the door, while he took his usual place behind the desk. "Come here."

Trembling, knowing there was nothing she could say or do to make him spare her, she moved to stand next to him. Before he could reach for her, she pulled her gown over her head, and threw herself across his lap. Biting her lip, she waited for the punishment to begin, and jumped when his hand caressed her bottom.

Valan turned her over then pulled her against him. "I didn't realize Seligson hated you so much, little cat."

A sob of relief left her lips and she threw her arms around his shoulders and began mumbling against his neck. He lifted her and arranged her legs around his waist then stood and walked to the beverage processor. He prepared a glass of wine then carried her and the glass back to his desk.

He eased her away from him, and held the glass to her lips. Sniffling and wiping away the tears on her face, she took a small sip. Valan drank from the glass, then offered it to her again. She took a sip and a drop clung to her lower lip. Before she could lick it away, he caught it on his tongue and placed it in her mouth. Gently, sip by sip, he made love to her.

***

The next cycle, he introduced her to Educator Fergusson, who smiled cheerfully and welcomed her to his class. She glanced around expecting to see the other women turning away from her. Instead she saw Minda beckon and point to an empty chair next to her. A wave of relief flooded through her. Gratefully, she smiled at Valan, and received a gentle pat on the bottom and a quiet reminder to behave before he left. She hurried over to Minda and slid into the chair next to her.

"Lia, I've been so worried about you. Did he hurt you? When I saw the look on his face, I was terrified for you. I asked Cam, but he told me it wasn't my business. That's his answer for most of my questions."

Unwilling to admit the exact means of her punishment, Lia assured her he hadn’t hurt her. "He isn’t as fierce as he looks. What did Cam do to you?"

"He started to use these wretched bands, but I told him if he did, he'd have to force me to his bed from now on. I guess it stopped him. So, he, uh, did something else." The blush on her cheeks told the story.

"Has he ever used the bands, Minda?"

Paling, the younger girl nodded. "Once. The first cycle but only for a few seconds. It wasn’t too bad really." Minda glanced around then asked, "Has Valan used them on you?"

Lia nodded but before she could say anything further Educator Fergusson called for their attention.    

The lessons in his class were loud and fun. He encouraged them to ask questions, often telling them more than they needed to know. Lia, always curious and eager to learn, soon caught up with her classmates.

Educator Fergusson explained the Zarronians used technology to make their lives easier, but they didn't let it rule them. Anything considered excessive was discouraged. 

A statuesque blonde in the back row asked, "If you don't own females does it mean we can leave whenever we choose?"

Thrown by the question, Educator Fergusson paused for a moment. "I understand the males of your planet own and mate with many females, and they also use their females as trade items. Is this correct?" Receiving several nods, he went on. "Living with a Zarronian will be completely different from what you're accustomed to. Zarronians bond with only one female."

"What does it mean—bond?" Minda asked.

"It means to choose and keep one female and, uh, be with only her."

Their reactions surprised him. At first, they stared at him in disbelief, then, slowly, smiles appeared on their faces.

"You mean Zarronians only share pleasure with one female? Ever?" another woman asked.

"Well, no. A young warrior might share sex with many females but he can only bond with one female."

"I still don't understand," Minda said.

Educator Fergusson cleared his throat then shuffled some papers in his hands. "I think I'll have Doctor Veeson visit the class and explain this to you. In the meantime, let me tell you more about Zarronia. As you know, there are five provinces, what you would call strongholds. Kadia is the largest, and is also the location of our High Council. There are five members of the High Council. Four of them are Council Rulers. The fifth is referred to as the High Ruler, and he is the highest member of the Council. Lia, your mate's father, Eirik Dagson, is the High Ruler of Kadia."

Lia smiled but it faded as she wondered if he'd hate her because of her sire. Valan has said his mother and sister died when he attacked Zarronia.

Educator Fergusson continued. "The Council has total and absolute power, ruling over matters ranging from the most insignificant to decisions concerning war. They can also be removed from office by a vote of the warriors if they are derelict in their duties."

The lesson went on, but Lia didn't really hear it. Her mind was still on the subject of bonding.  She'd been raised to accept a warrior could own as many women as he could afford. With Gorm, she would have welcomed another woman who drew his attention from her, but she couldn’t bear the thought of Valan in bed with another woman. Just the thought made her sick.

Educator Fergusson said Zarronians bonded with only one female and Valan once called her his bondmate. Did it mean he'd share sex with only her from now on? Before she could ask him the class was dismissed. She thought about asking Valan but was afraid his answer would hurt her.

The next few cycles flew by. In the evenings, after dinner Valan held her on his lap and asked what she'd learned. She'd tell him and then he'd answer the questions she'd been afraid to ask in class or hadn't thought of at the time. Their conversations always ended the same—with them naked and on the bed when being so near to each other made the fever flare.

During the last session of class, Doctor Veeson arrived and announced he was there to give them a lecture on Zarronian biology. The women giggled and told him they already knew all there was to know about the Zarronian male’s body.

Smiling, he assured them there were a few things they didn't know. "If I may have your attention, we will get through this lesson as quickly as possible. Zarronian males go through a manhood celebration at the age of fifteen. This is the time at which a metamorphosis occurs. During this annual, the young male becomes a warrior. He becomes taller, stronger, and acquires a sensual virility and begins sex sharing with females. Around the age of twenty the mating fever begins. It gradually grows stronger and a warrior usually begins looking for a female to bond with."

Ciryl ad-Pry raised her hand to get his attention. "What is the difference?"

"I was told you didn't understand the difference between sex sharing and bonding. Let me see if I can explain it to you. What you call pleasure giving we call sex sharing. You understand that right?"

The women nodded their heads.

"Well, then, in a way bonding is what you would call child giving. Do you understand?"

They all smiled, but shook their heads indicating they didn’t understand.

Ciryl ad-Pry spoke up. "On Zhang any woman can give a warrior a child if he chooses to make her a child-giver rather than a pleasure giver. Educator Fergusson said a warrior bonds with only one female and only she can gave him children. How can that be?"

"Zarronian warriors can share sex with many females but we bond with only one female who can carry our children. That's why we needed you. You're biologically compatible with us. When the bonding occurs, two things happen. First, the male's fever is shared with the female. This cools its intensity in the male, and prevents his death. Some of you may have noticed an unusual need for your warrior. This is normal, and is caused by the fever. In time, you will learn to control it to a certain extent. The second result of the bondmating is conception. I can safely say that most of you are either pregnant at this time or soon will be."

Feminine gasps filled the room, eyes widened, and slender hands covered still-flat bellies.

Doctor Veeson waited until the room quieted again. "Zarronians always produce twins, one male and one female." He looked around and smiled. "Are there any other questions?"

Lia held her hand up. "What you are saying is the warriors didn't really want us. They had to accept us because otherwise the fever would kill them? Is that right?" The room grew quiet as Doctor Veeson hesitated to answer her. "Please answer me. Is that right?"

"Yes, Lia. That's right."

"And, that's also why we can't leave the warriors because now we have the fever too and we need them as much as they need us. Is that right?"

"Yes." Before she could ask anything more, Doctor Veeson grabbed Educator Fergusson and pulled him out of the room.

Pain gripped Lia's heart and tears filled her eyes. She wished Doctor Veeson had never explained this to them. She'd been right when she thought she wouldn't like the answers. She'd begun to believe Valan wanted her but now she knew he only needed her to take the fever from him. The thought of how he'd used her caused the pain to fade and was replaced with resentment and anger.

Next to her, Minda sobbed into her hands. Lia hugged her and tried to comfort her even though she needed comforting herself. Minda's arms went around her and Lia broke into sobs too.

***

Educator Fergusson entered the room, took one look at the crying women and retreated. Out in the corridor, he saw Commander Eirikson approaching with the other warriors behind him. He led them into the room. Cam pulled Minda away from Lia and the other warriors claimed their mates until only she and Valan were left in the room. 

"Let's go, Lia. We’ll talk in our quarters." 

Silently, she stood and allowed him to escort her to their quarters, and to their usual place behind the desk. He waited for her crying to stop and wondered if she hated the thought of sharing his fever and carrying his children? The idea she might hate the babies he would give her made him sad and then furious. Who was she to reject him when he'd saved her from being owned by a male who would have mistreated her?

"You said you have a kourtisan but Doctor Veeson said you'll only share sex with me from now on."

"What or who I have is not your concern."

"I am your bondmate. Surly that gives me the right."    

"You are a Wrothian and have only the rights I give you."

She pushed away from him. "What rights are those?"

Valan glared at her. "The right to obey me, or suffer discipline. The right to call me bondmate. The right to share my fever. The right to carry my children."

"Those aren't rights, they're curses. You took me from my home and gave me a disease. I hate your touch, and I…"

Standing, he stalked to the bed, dropped her onto it, and leaned over her. "So, you hate me, and you hate my touch?" The hard hand he placed between her breasts pinned her to the bed. "Let's find out how long you can go without it." He glared at her for a moment longer, then stomped to the door. "When you can't stand the burning any longer, let me know. Maybe, I'll put out the fire."

"Never," she whispered to the empty room. Curling onto her side, she hugged her arms around herself, and tried to calm her mind. He must love his kourtisan because claiming the rights of his bondmate infuriated him.

Thinking about Doctor Veeson reminded her of the other things he'd said. Could she already be pregnant? She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling while she stroked her belly. Did she carry his baby? Babies, she corrected herself. Did he hate the knowledge she, and not the woman he loved, would be the mother of his children? As much as he seemed to hate her would he even care about her children?

The ceiling above her blurred as tears gathered in her eyes and ran down her temples into her hair. Unreasonably, she wanted him to come back and hold her in his arms. She wanted him to tell her she wasn't a burden, and he cared for her and wanted the children she would give him. All her life she'd dreamed of being loved by a male who would love only her and give her his children. Her mother warned her it was a foolish dream. Perhaps she'd been right.

***

Valan left her alone until late the following evening. Deliberately, he'd waited for her to summon him. When the first night passed without the expected summons, his fury at her increased. She was stubbornly making them both suffer. As the next cycle passed, and her summons didn't come, his fury increased along with his fever. Pacing the deck of the control bridge, he'd silently cursed her until he'd realized she didn't know how to operate the intercom. Worried about her, he'd hurried to his quarters only to find her peacefully sleeping.