But his way of extracting information from the opposite sex was no picnic, either.
He pointed toward the swirling lines snaking up her flat stomach. “Tell me about these symbols.”
The hostile’s lush lips went flat and tight. Not unexpected.
Up close, the golden shapes, even if smudged and blurred, were fascinating. He was pretty sure he’d seen similar symbols carved on the shaft of her glowing spear. Though it had been swinging toward his head at the time, so there hadn’t been a lot of room for design appreciation.
The hands he’d bound had calluses, along with nicks and scars. More proof that despite her delicate looks, the humanoid wasn’t some coddled princess.
“If that’s the way you want to play it, we will. But this is my final nice-guy warning.” He tapped her lower belly. “Last chance.”
She hissed at the contact.
“So be it.” Guiding her back to the ground, he grabbed the rope between her thighs and tugged upward, the fiction pressing the thin cord against her pussy, hitting her clit like a quick, hard tap. “Rule number one. No shouting.”
Her eyes went wide. Her scream cut off. Shock clear in her iridescent blue eyes.
“Good.” He released some of the pressure, a small reward. It was a relief to know that, though she might look a little different, she was as sensitive as New Earth females in this respect. It would make the interrogation that much smoother.
“Rule number two. You’ll give me your full attention.”
Whatever one thought of his methods, he could almost promise they were far kinder than what Hope and Melody’s mother had suffered.
“You with me?” He flicked the rope so that it rubbed lightly against his captive’s clit, pleased to note he had her entire focus.
Pleasure, when pain was expected, could be an extremely effective controlling tactic. Few could bear the idea of having their bodies turned against them. Another lesson he’d learned personally early on.
“Rule number three,” he let the rope go slack, “you’ll answer my questions or there will be consequences.”
Panting, the hostile stared up at him. Her pointed ears rigid. Her tightening nipples proof that, even after a long stay in the labor mines, his skills in this department were still sharp.
“Now,” he cleared his throat, “be a well-behaved captive and tell me about those symbols.”
Eyes darkening, she opened her mouth.
Strange sound erupted from between her lush lips. Lilting, melodic noises that were pretty, but incomprehensible. Or maybe not totally incomprehensible. They sounded insulting.
He scowled down at her. “Right back at ya, wild thing.”
She only trilled louder. Defiant.
She might look delicate, but there was fire in her gaze. One he’d have to extinguish.
“New English. Speak New English.” He seized the harness between her legs and snapped it against her core, sending blood rushing to the area. Twice. Three times.
She gasped. Moaned.
For a heartbeat, she seemed as surprised as he by the low needy sound. He was an expert at inducing forced pleasure, but even for him, it usually took time to wind a subject up.
This one had gone from zero to sound velocity at laser speed—and the look of confusion on her face was riveting. Almost as if she had no clue what was happening to her body.
He shoved aside the flare of curiosity.
Didn’t matter. Interrogation subjects, even exotic ones, were nothing more than targets to be cracked, dissected, and analyzed.
He snapped the rope once more against her clit. Then, he gentled the pressure, rotating his wrist in the shape of a figure eight. Now that the skin had been sensitized, it wouldn’t take much to shift the burn to arousal, especially given her initial reaction.
Another low moan proved him right. Her thighs strained against the ropes. She was trying to wiggle free of the intense sensations coursing between her legs. Not going to happen. From here on out, he was in full control.
Not interested in half measures, he used his other hand to flick the frayed, rough end of his rope against one pebbled nipple. “I warned you.”
She shook, her head rolling back and forth as those pretty sapphire eyes of hers sank to half-mast and her back arched in supplication. Her mouth fell open, those lips the perfect shape for sliding between, despite the tiny fangs glinting within.
But that was a line he wouldn’t cross. Business was business. Even when no one was looking. Otherwise, he’d be as bad as the monster who’d made him.
He worked the rope faster between her thighs.
Her body trembled, every muscle tightening as her spine bowed upward and her pupils dilated to pinpricks, her nipples elongating and darkening to a deep gold. “P-please.”
New English. It was a start.
He increased the level of pressure. “Answer the question.”
“A-ancient blessings.” Her voice was a keening, desperate rasp. “The se-ymbols are blessings to…to safe me.”
Her accent was intriguing. Her surrender even more so.
“Good girl.” He let the rope go slack.
Her body went limp in the dirt, her eyes glazed with relief as she stared up at him. She had no idea. Soon the lack of pressure against her sensitive clit would be more torturous than no rope at all.
All in good time.
“What did you do with the female slaves from my camp?” His hand hovered over the harness between her thighs.
She stiffened, her gaze locked on his outstretched palm.
“Tell me and this stops.”
Defiance flashed in her eyes, transforming her grim acceptance to calculating—and exposing steel beneath that delicate exterior. “I-I…no understand.”
“Bullshit.”
“We bargain.” She spoke fast, her New English pronunciations off, but still understandable in her honeyed tones. “I have whalh—”
“No bargaining. Answer the question. You already know what happens when you don’t follow instructions.” He was curious about the spear and the metal she’d traded to the gang, but that would be discussed when the time was right. He had no intention of letting her use his interest as a negotiating chip.
“No. You—” Her words turned to a wail as he gripped the rope once more.
Ignoring her protest, he tossed her over his shoulder, her weight so light he barely had to brace himself.
She growled.
He cut off the threatening sound with a sharp slap to her bare ass. “I told you the rules. Now you’ll see what happens when you ignore them.”
More lyrical unintelligible words that could have been insults or pleas for mercy.
Didn’t matter either way.
He sauntered forward, barely registering her vigorous struggles, his mind returning to the torment in Hope’s and Melody’s gazes as they’d watched their mother being dragged away.
Help me. Another pair of broken eyes flickered through his mind. Another haunting he’d never shake.
At least he could make up for his mistakes this time around.
He’d already taken the liberty of setting up a nice, cozy spot where he and his captive would not be interrupted.
He’d circle back to the pit, pick up his pack, her broken spear, and a few supplies. Then, the real work could begin.
6