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  “Very good.” One large, warm hand reached down to caress her hair and Lauren leaned into it, like a cat that wanted to be stroked. “We will have a human bonding ceremony—a wedding—if you like,” Xairn continued. “There we will exchange rings and vows of eternal love. But this is the mark of my people—the final mark of possession which I give you tonight. If you are willing to receive it.”

  Lauren shivered at the meaning in his deep voice. The final mark—the one that would make her his beyond the shadow of a doubt. She’d had her nipples pierced and his initial tattooed on her body. And just the week before, she’d gotten the hood of her clit pierced with a tiny silver ring as well—by a female technician, of course. Lauren didn’t want another man’s hands on her, especially in such an intimate place. Now there was only one mark of possession left—the most visible one of all.

  The collar.

  “I am willing, Master,” she said, looking up at him, letting the adoration and love shine in her eyes as she took in his tall, muscular body and red-on-black eyes. “More than willing—I am eager.”

  “Lauren…my Lauren.” He stroked her hair again, his voice filled with tenderness and love. “And I am eager to fasten it around your neck. To mark you as mine forever.”

  From behind his back, Xairn produced a slender black leather collar with a gleaming silver buckle. Dangling from the center of the collar was a single blood-red ruby, as large as her thumb. It was cut in a perfect square and it gleamed in the dim, romantic light cast by the small fire crackling in the fireplace.

  Lauren gasped when she saw it. “It…it’s beautiful.” She could see that once the collar was buckled in place, the ruby would nestle in the hollow of her throat perfectly. “But…why a square?”

  “Each side represents one of the four Scourge marks of possession.” He handled the ruby carefully, cupping it in his palm to show her. “It doesn’t have to be a ruby—traditionally any jewel will do. But I thought the blazing red would look lovely against your skin.”

  “I’m sure it will.” Lauren was already picturing the sparkling red stone against her creamy, mocha skin tones. It would look amazing. But she didn’t just want to wear the collar because of its gorgeous jewel—she wanted to wear it as a sign of her submission and her love for her man. As a public reminder of what they did when they were alone together in private.

  “I know you’re ready to wear it. But there is one final test.” Xairn placed the black leather collar carefully on the mantelpiece above the fireplace. There was, of course, no need for fireplaces on a spaceship. But since the Kindred catered to their women’s wishes as well as their needs, almost every suite had one.

  “A test?” Lauren frowned. “But I thought…I’ve taken all the marks now, haven’t I?”

  “You have. You have endured pain to show your love for me.” Xairn’s voice was slightly hoarse as he knelt on the rug, facing her.

  “No more than you endured for me,” Lauren murmured, tracing the raised letters of her name which were branded across his broad, bare chest.

  “I would endure that and much more to be with you always,” Xairn assured her softly. “But in order for you to wear the collar, I must link the other marks and then take you with them linked.”

  “Link them?” Lauren frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  “I’ll show you.” From a pocket of his tight, black leather flight pants, Xairn produced a slim golden chain. “This is the first,” he said mysteriously. “Raise your arms.”

  Lauren did as he commanded and he fastened the chain around her hips. The tiny gold links felt cool against her skin and she couldn’t help noticing that the chain fell squarely in the center of the large capital X for Xairn she’d had inked on her skin even before he had bonded her to him.

  Before she could ask what was next, Xairn produced another chain, or rather, three chains all hooked together with a single gold ring at one end. “What’s that?” She frowned as he spread the three golden strands apart.

  “You’ll see.” The gold ring clipped to the chain he’d put around her hips, leaving the three strands dangling. Xairn took one of them and hooked a tiny clip on its end to the silver ring piercing her right nipple. He took a second strand and hooked it to the left. “Like this,” he murmured and plucked lightly at both golden chains which stretched in taut lines from her tight, berry dark nipples to the center ring at her naval.

  “Oh!” Lauren moaned softly as the slender gold chains pulled at her pierced nipples. God, if she’d had any idea piercing her intimate areas could make her so deliciously sensitive she would have done it years ago. But then, it wouldn’t have been as special. As pleasurable as it was, she was glad she’d had herself pierced just for Xairn.

  But as good as her nipples felt, she still felt a surge of uncertainty and nervousness when Xairn reached for the third and final golden chain and began to stretch it down to the tiny silver ring between her legs.

  “Xairn,” she whispered uncertainly. “I mean, Master, I’m still kind of…tender in that area. I haven’t had that piercing as long as the others.”

  “I know, Lauren.” He stopped what he was doing and stroked her cheek lightly with the back of his hand. “And I swear to be very, very careful. But this is part of it the ritual and I didn’t want to wait anymore. I’ll tell you what…” His hand dropped from her cheek and slid down her trembling abdomen to cup her pussy. “I’ll check your piercing before we proceed to make sure you’re ready. Would you like that?”

  As he spoke, one thick finger slipped between the swollen lips of her cunt and stroked delicately over the pierced hood of her clit.

  Lauren, who was already wet and hot from wanting him, moaned. “Che-check it?” she stuttered. “How? With your fingers?”

  “No.” Leaning forward, Xairn kissed her gently on the cheek and murmured in her ear, “With my tongue.” He kissed her again and his voice turned hard. “Now, up on the bed.”

  Lauren bit her lip in anticipation and nervousness as they got onto the vast king-sized bed together. Xairn didn’t have much Kindred blood in him but he had enough to give him the Kindred pleasure in going down. The only thing the huge warriors loved more than licking a woman between her legs was bonding her for all eternity—commitment issues weren’t usually a problem within the alien race.

  She started to lie on her back and spread her legs for her master, but Xairn shook his head. “Not that way. Like this.” He lay down with his head on a pillow near the headboard of the bed and then motioned for her to join him.

  Lauren frowned. “I’m not sure exactly how…”

  “Straddle me—my head.” Xairn beckoned her to come closer. “Then spread your legs wide and come down to ride my tongue.”

  The position sounded simple enough, although she’d never done it before. But Lauren couldn’t help thinking how vulnerable she would feel, how uncertain lowering herself down until he could reach her pussy with his tongue. “I…I don’t know,” she whispered, hesitating.

  Xairn’s red-on-black eyes grew stern. “Did I ask you what you wanted to do, Lauren?”

  She bit her lip, her pussy getting even wetter at his strict tone. “No,” she admitted.

  “No,” he echoed. “I told you what to do. And in the bedroom, I expect you to obey me without question. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.” Lauren nodded. “I mean, yes, Master.”

  “Good.” He nodded and beckoned for her again. “Then come here.”

  Obediently, she came to him and straddled his face with her knees as he had commanded. “I’m here, Master,” she said, looking down to meet his eyes. “But I have to be honest—I don’t understand why you, uh, want me this way. Wouldn’t it be easier for you if I was lying on my back?”

  Xairn’s eyes softened a bit. “Easier for me, Lauren but not easier for you. This position is for your own protection—to keep me from hurting you.”

  She shook her head. “I still don’t understand.”

  “It’s like t