AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We zip through contested space without issue. The advantage of space is that it is vast, and though it might be possible to track people down given enough time, finding them at any given point in space while they are running is practically impossible.
I consider the possibility of simply becoming nomadic, but even nomads adopt routes, and a route is too close to being a routine, and a routine can be figured out and intercepted. We would have to move according to a random generator…
“Nemo is asleep,” Kail says. He then says something else, something I don’t hear, or rather, am not interested in hearing.
“Tarni,” he says.
“Hmm?”
“You need to rest.”
“No. I’m fine. You get some sleep.”
“I am not asking, Tarni. The ship is on autopilot. You need to sleep. You haven’t rested in over twenty-four hours.”
I turn my head and snap at him. “I said no, Kail! Leave me be and stop fussing over me.”
I know immediately that using that particular tone was a huge mistake. I’ve never spoken to him that way before. Kail’s eyes narrow at me, and he cocks his head slightly in anexcuse meexpression.
“I’m fine,” I say. “Hey!”
Kail has picked me up out of my chair and is carrying me off to our private bedchamber over his shoulder. He takes advantage of that and slaps my ass hard enough to make me squeal.
“You have never been obedient out of anything besides necessity,” he says. “And it has only gotten worse since Nemo. You act as if you are the only line of defense. You are wrong. I am here.”
He proves his presence by whipping my ass, taking me off his shoulder and putting me over his thick thigh where I am immediately further punished, his powerful palm landing harsh slaps against my increasingly bare ass. Kail is stripping me as he goes, until I am naked, and very sore.
“When I tell you it is time to rest, it is time to rest,” he growls. “I am here, Tarni. And we are on the same side. I will not allow you to hurt yourself by working yourself so tirelessly.”
I get no chance to respond as he unleashes a fresh flurry of harsh slaps against my ass. I can’t believe he is doing this. I am trying to save everybody’s life. I did save his life. I suppose saving each other’s lives is just what we do now, but still.
“I just saved your life! Again! That doesn’t get me a discount on whatever the fuck this is?”
“I am showing you mercy,” Kail growls. “You think a paddling over my knee is even close to my worst after taking that tone with me?”
“I think you should let me up.”
“You’re not getting up. You’re going to bed and you’re going to get some sleep.”
I try to get up, but I am quickly shown the extent of his strength and the relative intensity of my weakness. Kail pins me in place and spanks me even harder for the audacity of having tried to escape his rare but stern discipline.
“Tarni,” he says, his tone deep, resonant, and very warning. “Don’t push this.”
I want to push it.
I am not feeling much in the way of self-preservation at the moment. I am frustrated and angry at having lost our peaceful home. I should be better than this. I should be able to keep my family safe. And there’s some part of me that wants this pain, because I think I deserve it and worse.
I make another squirming effort to get away, forcing Kail to pin my arm behind my back to keep me in place.
“I warned you,” he growls, not understanding that his warning was more of an invitation.
He is no longer using his hand. Instead, he uses a brush, my very own hairbrush taken from the nightstand. This ship was always kept stocked with necessary items.
The moment the brush lands, I make a silent vow to throw it out of the airlock. The blaze of heat is intense, followed by a punitive ache.
“I don’t know what has gotten into you, but I intend to get it out of you,” he vows. “I need you sensible and safe, not some wild thing making reckless decisions.”
What I need is a strong, dominant Kail keeping me sane, because I really think when the Colony came for us again, I lost the last bit of sanity I had been holding onto. I am tired of being hunted. I am tired of running. I am tired of being vigilant. I am ready to throw all caution to the wind.
