Kept by Luna Voss

Chapter Six

Melyta

“How are you feeling?” Barion asks Jenyta as he enters the kitchen where my friend and I are eating breakfast.

She glances up from her plate. “Much better, thanks. Not quite 100%, but you’re not going to catch me falling down the stairs again.”

“I don’t know about that,” I tease her. “You’ve been clumsy for a lot longer than just the past day.”

She grins. “Oh, shut up. You’re the clumsy one. Or did you forget that time at the restaurant you dropped that entire stack of—”

“Anyway,” I interrupt her, “Jenyta says she’s doing well enough to travel.”

“Mel says you think I’ll be safe on Gerbbbexai IX?”

Barion nods. “We’ll get you set up with whatever you need. I am sorry about the situation. I know you probably weren’t prepared for this.”

She sighs. “Will I at least be able to go back to my apartment and get my things?”

He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, no. Your apartment isn’t safe. Very good chance Sarizor has men staking it out.”

She looks disappointed, even if she takes the news in stride. “Great. So I get to start a new life on a new planet, and I won’t even have clothes or a toothbrush or anything.”

“Don’t worry,” I reassure her, “we can go shopping on Gerbbbexai IX and pick up everything you need. Right?” I glance at Barion.

“Of course,” he says. “First thing we’ll do.”

This seems to cheer Jenyta up a little. “Thanks,” she says to both of us. “I really do appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

I put my arm around her. “Hey. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. You’re basically family. And frankly, it’s my fault you’re in this situation. Of course we’re going to take care of you.”

She throws me a grateful look, then turns back to Barion. “When are we leaving?”

“Early tomorrow morning,” he says. “I booked us a private flight with a pilot Korva recommended. It’ll be just the three of us.”

Jenyta and I both look at each other excitedly. Neither of us have ever left the planet before, and I’m not sure either one of us grew up thinking that would change. The idea of taking a private spaceship sounds so luxurious.

“Korva is driving us to the spaceport tomorrow morning,” says Barion. “It’s a private port on the other side of the city, not Dalax Interstellar. We’re going to have to leave a little early, I’m afraid. Melyta, make sure you do all your packing today so we can go to bed early.”

I nod. “Will do.”

“I have to go take care of some things before we leave,” says my mate. “I probably won’t be back until after dinner. Make sure Jenyta doesn’t answer the door if you order food.”

“Trying to keep me hidden?” Jenyta jokes.

“Yes,” Barion replies simply. “Once we’re on Gerbbbexai IX, you can be out in public all you want. But Dalax City isn’t a safe place for you anymore.”

He kisses me on the lips, then heads out the front door.

Once Barion leaves, it feels almost like old times. Jenyta and I together again. Only this time, we’re in a super nice mansion, instead of a shitty apartment.

“I’d say I’m going to miss Tarsheb 8, but that would be a lie,” Jenyta sighs. “I’m going to miss you, though.”

“I’ll visit you,” I promise immediately. “As often as I can. You’re still my best friend.”

“I know,” she says. “I’m holding you to that.”

We end up spending the day the way we used to when we both had a day off from work: slamming junkfood and binge-watching crappy TV. There’s something comforting about it, even if we both know it’s the last time we’ll be able to do it together on Tarsheb 8. It’s nostalgic, in a way.

“Toss me the bag of chips?” says Jenyta from the other side of the couch.

I glance at the bag, sitting directly between us on the middle cushion. “You get it. Wait, actually— check this out.”

I focus my power on the bag of chips, trying to lift it in the air and float it over to her. Instead, it rises off the cushion, hovers for a moment, and then tips upside down, dumping chips all over the couch.

“What the fuck was that?” exclaims Jenyta, laughing her head off. “Did you do that?”

“Okay, that’s not what was supposed to happen,” I say, laughing as well. “I guess I’m still not very good at some of the finer control.”

“So wait, you’re really telling me you did that with your mind?” Jenyta asks, looking amazed. “I always heard some women could do that, but I’ve never seen it.”

“Same here,” I admit. “Until I met Barion. He just… brings it out in me, I guess. Sometimes it even happens by accident.”

“By accident? That sounds like a pain.”

I nod. “Yup. You thought I used to break dishes at the restaurant, you should have seen me last week. Sometimes it just comes out.”

“Is there anything you can do to control it?”

I blush slightly. “Well… Barion thinks I just need to be disciplined better. He says…” My blush deepens. “He says he’s going to start being stricter with me, and that should take care of it. Apparently it’s a thing that happens sometimes with newlyweds. I know some of the other Vostra wives have gone through the same thing.”

She gives me a mischievous look. “Wow, Mel, I don’t even know where to start teasing you. Should I start with Barion disciplining you, or with the fact that you’re one of the ‘Vostra wives’ now?”

I stick out my tongue. “You can tease as much as you want, but I’m the one with the cool telekinetic powers.”

My friend shrugs. “I suppose that’s true. Next time I want to dump a bag of chips all over the furniture, I know who to call.”

“Hey!” I say, throwing a pillow at her. “Laugh it up, but I used this same power to help rescue you. Ripped the doors off of the garage you were being held in.”

Now she legitimately looks impressed. “Okay, that’s fucking badass. And thank you, by the way. Where can I sign up for some sick powers?”

I giggle. “Just gotta find yourself a mate. And let him spaaaaank you. That’s Barion’s theory on why so many Voorians don’t even know they have powers. It’s all tied to sex and submission somehow.”

She gives an exaggerated eye roll. “Yeah, nice humble brag about how you’re getting laid.”

“Hey, you asked! Just gotta get you a nice Vostra boy.”

“Yeah, right,” Jenyta grumbles playfully. “With my luck, I’d probably end up snagging an Epeshi pirate.”

I grin. “Don’t Epeshis have two penises?”

“Yes, they do, Melyta,” she says, throwing the pillow back at me. “And then where would I be? Two penises? What the hell am I supposed to do with two penises?”

I’m overcome with giggles as I catch the pillow. “You’ll think of something, Jen. I have faith in you.”

Jenyta seems very taken with my new ability, and insists on me demonstrating my power several more times, with varying degrees of success. At least I don’t break anything.

The downside, of course, is that every time I use my power, it makes me a little bit hornier. By the time I’m done showing off to Jenyta, my mind is firmly set on what I can do to get some alone time with Barion the moment he gets home. It feels exactly like I’ve been draining my battery, and now I need him to recharge it.

We order takeout for dinner, Jenyta hiding dutifully upstairs as I answer the door. I say little as we eat, feeling weird to be so turned on around my friend. I probably should have stopped after the bag of chips. I knew this would happen.

Finally, like three episodes after we finish eating dinner, Barion comes home. I feel a twinge of excitement as I rush to the door to greet him.

“Hey, babe,” he says, looking ruggedly handsome in his leather jacket. I’ve always loved that jacket on him. It’s the same one he wore the night he rescued me from Gurtion.

“Hey, Vostra,” I reply, kissing him on the lips for a little too long. “Were you able to handle everything you needed to?”

He nods. “Yep. We’re all ready to go. You’re all done packing?”

Shit. I meant to do that. I pause, a little bit of warmth creeping into my cheeks. “Well, not… entirely done.”

He raises his eyebrows. “Not entirely done? What’s that supposed to mean? How much do you have left to do?”

I cuddle up against him and kiss his neck, trying to earn myself some brownie points. “Most of it.”

He snorts, accepting but not reciprocating my affection. “Most of it?”

I cast my gaze downward. “Okay… all of it,” I admit.

Barion cups my face, preventing me from kissing him as he looks at me sternly. “Why don’t you go do that. Now.”

“Don’t you want to… settle in a little bit first?” I try, stalling for time. What I really want is for him to take me up to our bedroom and have his way with me.

“That’s what I’m going to do,” he says, “because I finished packing this morning. Is there any of that food I’m smelling left?”

I nod. “Yep. Here, I’ll get you a plate.”

I start to head into the kitchen, but he grabs my wrist and stops me.

“I can get my own plate. You’re stalling. Go pack your suitcase, and we’ll watch a movie or something with Jenyta before we go to bed.”

At this point, I’m horny enough to be irritable, and also getting a little desperate. I want to go do adult things with my mate, not pack a suitcase and watch a movie.

“I’ll just pack in the morning,” I say dismissively, knowing he won’t like my tone.

“No, you’ll pack tonight,” Barion growls. “We won’t have time in the morning. We’re leaving early.”

“How about you worry about your suitcase, and I’ll worry about mine,” I snap, using my best you’re not the boss of me voice.

He steps forward, towering over me, and I’m sure he can smell my arousal. God, I like it so much when he takes charge.

“Do I need to take you upstairs for an attitude adjustment?” he asks in a low, dangerous voice, looking me right in the eyes.

“I think what you need is to lighten up,” I shoot back, knowing full well what I’m getting myself into.

“Okay, that’s it,” Barion growls. “Get upstairs.”

A hint of panic trickles down my spine, even though I basically asked for this. I’m not sure getting in trouble with him will ever not be at least a little bit nerve-racking. I glare at him for a moment and he looks right back, not even angry, just firm, authoritative.

Then I look down, submitting. I turn around and stomp upstairs to our bedroom to wait for my punishment.