head down so that she could reach his mouth. It was a sweet kiss. Almost cold, considering the taste of her pussy still clung to his tongue, but it was by far the most treasured touch she had ever gifted him with.
One freely given kiss. It was something no amount of strength might pry from her.
“Good night, Janus.”
She shivered as she waited to see what he might do with her command. It was a gentle dismissal, but one that tested the foundation of their future relationship. Trust was not something that might be taken from her. All his mastering and demands still 41
Dawn Ryder
had to respect that moment when she decided enough was enough. At least while she was chaste, it did. They were both too excited by each other now. They needed to part before nature pushed them beyond their control. Perhaps that was what made it so exciting—the conflict between control and need. The two forces pushed against one another sending out a shower of sparks that was mesmerizing.
“Agreed.” He caught her chin once more, cupping it in his palm as he leaned down to press a firm kiss against her lips. He lingered over that kiss, teasing the opening to her mouth with the tip of his tongue before he drew away from her.
Fay wrapped her arms back around her body as she moved to the doorway of her sleeping chamber to watch him leave. He never looked back, his back stiff in his Hunter’s uniform. She caught the faint scuff of his boots against the floor.
At least she was not alone in her turmoil. Small comfort, but there was intimacy in it. That was the most surprising thing she had learned tonight. Of all of the things she might ever have considered to find in Janus’ embrace, intimacy wasn’t one of them. She felt exposed, and shivered. Even now that he had departed the dwelling space was marked with his scent. She no longer felt buffeted against his encroachment by his invasion of the living quarters she had always called home. It wasn’t the safe haven that had cradled her since childhood. It was now a place where Janus might corner her and use her own body against her will.
Her body urged her to follow Janus and invite him back, but surrender still sat uneasy in her mind. No good answer presented itself as she pressed her palm against the door to seal it. She frowned as she looked at her new wristbands. Her hand imprint was no longer able to lock the door completely. Janus had entered her dwelling because he was a Hunter, and she the daughter of a convict now. For the remaining six days until she made her formal choice to stay or follow her father, any Hunter might override the lock on her front door. It left a harsh taste in her mouth but she forced herself to swallow it because living in a penal colony would be even more exposed.
42
Janus’ Conquest
She would have to learn to live with it no matter her choice because Janus had proven his point. She might not like it but her body did. A little bubble of joy formed in her heart as she savored the fact that he was still interested in her submission. She frowned at her own joy but couldn’t erase it. There was no denying that being valued was sweet and far more valuable than anything else in life. The possessions in her dwelling meant nothing. Tonight, what she valued most was the friendship of a little coworker named Zoe and the frustrating demands of a Hunter called Janus.
It was a perplexing tangle, to be certain. But she was sure of one thing.
He would be back as long as she was in the Hunter sphere.
* * * * *
Edric didn’t worry about looking for his deviants. Laying a trap was far more his style. The penal sphere was crowded, and gossip moved faster than an open flame.
Leaning against the doorframe to his assigned dwelling, he considered the eyes watching him. Greed was a powerful demon. It took control of the soul and drove its victim insane. All around him were creatures who spent their lives as willing slaves to possessiveness.
It turned his stomach.
A man
One freely given kiss. It was something no amount of strength might pry from her.
“Good night, Janus.”
She shivered as she waited to see what he might do with her command. It was a gentle dismissal, but one that tested the foundation of their future relationship. Trust was not something that might be taken from her. All his mastering and demands still 41
Dawn Ryder
had to respect that moment when she decided enough was enough. At least while she was chaste, it did. They were both too excited by each other now. They needed to part before nature pushed them beyond their control. Perhaps that was what made it so exciting—the conflict between control and need. The two forces pushed against one another sending out a shower of sparks that was mesmerizing.
“Agreed.” He caught her chin once more, cupping it in his palm as he leaned down to press a firm kiss against her lips. He lingered over that kiss, teasing the opening to her mouth with the tip of his tongue before he drew away from her.
Fay wrapped her arms back around her body as she moved to the doorway of her sleeping chamber to watch him leave. He never looked back, his back stiff in his Hunter’s uniform. She caught the faint scuff of his boots against the floor.
At least she was not alone in her turmoil. Small comfort, but there was intimacy in it. That was the most surprising thing she had learned tonight. Of all of the things she might ever have considered to find in Janus’ embrace, intimacy wasn’t one of them. She felt exposed, and shivered. Even now that he had departed the dwelling space was marked with his scent. She no longer felt buffeted against his encroachment by his invasion of the living quarters she had always called home. It wasn’t the safe haven that had cradled her since childhood. It was now a place where Janus might corner her and use her own body against her will.
Her body urged her to follow Janus and invite him back, but surrender still sat uneasy in her mind. No good answer presented itself as she pressed her palm against the door to seal it. She frowned as she looked at her new wristbands. Her hand imprint was no longer able to lock the door completely. Janus had entered her dwelling because he was a Hunter, and she the daughter of a convict now. For the remaining six days until she made her formal choice to stay or follow her father, any Hunter might override the lock on her front door. It left a harsh taste in her mouth but she forced herself to swallow it because living in a penal colony would be even more exposed.
42
Janus’ Conquest
She would have to learn to live with it no matter her choice because Janus had proven his point. She might not like it but her body did. A little bubble of joy formed in her heart as she savored the fact that he was still interested in her submission. She frowned at her own joy but couldn’t erase it. There was no denying that being valued was sweet and far more valuable than anything else in life. The possessions in her dwelling meant nothing. Tonight, what she valued most was the friendship of a little coworker named Zoe and the frustrating demands of a Hunter called Janus.
It was a perplexing tangle, to be certain. But she was sure of one thing.
He would be back as long as she was in the Hunter sphere.
* * * * *
Edric didn’t worry about looking for his deviants. Laying a trap was far more his style. The penal sphere was crowded, and gossip moved faster than an open flame.
Leaning against the doorframe to his assigned dwelling, he considered the eyes watching him. Greed was a powerful demon. It took control of the soul and drove its victim insane. All around him were creatures who spent their lives as willing slaves to possessiveness.
It turned his stomach.
A man
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