Kraving Khiva by Zoey Draven
Chapter Eight
The mating room was silent, except for the sounds of the flickering, crackling fire. Khiva stood near the window, remembering that just a short while ago, Evelyn’s reflection had been staring back at him. Her eyes were haunting him, the memory of her keeping him aroused and aching.
For the first time in a long time, Khiva considered manually bringing himself to orgasm. He didn’t even remember what it was like to masturbate. And while his clients sometimes liked that they left him aroused, Khiva let that mental trick drop the moment they did step out of his door.
Even with his clients, he didn’t remember the last time he was organically, naturally aroused.
But with Evelyn…he was.
It had never happened, not in the ten years he’d been working for Madame Allegria’s brothel.
Despite being curious about this, Khiva was…dismayed. Attachment to a client was dangerous. Attachment to any female, for that matter, was dangerous, not to mention a hopeless endeavor. If Madame Allegria found out, it would mean punishment. But even more so, there was nothing a Krave could do about it.
Growing attached would only mean pain, physical and emotional pain.
As if hearing his thoughts, Madame Allegria stepped into the mating room, a room that still lingered with the scent of the innocent human female plaguing his mind.
Khiva had been expecting her and his shoulders tensed, his arousal for Evelyn immediately falling away, though he wondered if Madame Allegria would demand a mating from him that night. She hadn’t sought a mating with him in over a month, though Khiva knew he was one of her ‘favorites.’
He turned from the window, glad he had dressed after his newest, most maddening client had left. And he marveled at how different two females could be, since Madame Allegria looked to be the polar opposite of Evelyn and not simply physically.
The female standing in front of him exuded power and sexuality. She always had. It was what had drawn most of the Keriv’i to her from the beginning, like moths to a flame, or so the old human saying went.
At one time, Khiva had worshipped her, grateful for the opportunity she’d given him. Once their planet had been destroyed during the Great War, credits and food and shelter had been scarce, as the Keriv’i scattered among the stars. It had seemed like salvation when Madame Allegria had offered all three.
Whoring himself was not an act Khiva had ever thought he would do. Then again, so did most that found themselves in hopeless, desperate situations…until the price outweighed the act.
Madame Allegria had hair the color of the hottest of fires, with painted lips to match. Her blue eyes, that held the tell-tale signs of color altercation, regarded him from the doorway, her slim arms crossed over her ample chest. She was wearing all black, much like him. In human years, she was probably ten years older than he was, but like all aging, wealthy Everton females, she looked much younger.
“Valerie tells me that your client this evening left an hour into your visit with her,” Madame Allegria said, her voice so soft that it almost sounded like a sensual purr. But Khiva’s jaw tightened, hearing the unspoken, barbed message underneath. “Care to explain why?”
It seemed a betrayal to tell Madame Allegria that Evelyn was a virgin. Khiva wanted to keep that to himself.
Instead, he told her, “She wished to start slowly with me, to become more comfortable.”
Madame Allegria’s eyes narrowed the slightest amount, the only change in her in reaction to his words. Then, she slowly walked towards him, her slim hips swaying. Khiva made sure not to tense up and he kept his expression neutral.
When she stopped in front of him, so close that the smell of her burned in his nostrils, she placed her red-tipped nails on his chest. Deceivingly gentle, she ran them down until they rested on the waistband of his pants.
Softly, she purred, “The only reason I’m not whipping you senseless right now for letting your client leave an hour into her visit is that she booked another session with you next week.”
Khiva made sure to hold in his relief and excitement that Evelyn had chosen to see him again. Later, when Madame Allegria was gone, when he had returned to the Cluster, where they all slept, he would allow himself to feel it.
He watched as her eyes ran over his face. She was an intelligent woman, highly intelligent. It was why she had made such a successful businesswoman. But Khiva knew that if she sensed even the slightest change in him, she would know what that meant.
Then her shrewd gaze changed. Khiva recognized that look and his jaw twitched when her eyes left his face to trail down his body, where her fingers rested.
Suddenly, she gripped his soft cock through his pants and he already knew then that his month of reprieve from her attentions was over. Immediately, he urged his body to grow aroused once more, letting his cock fill her gripped palm, knowing that if he remained unresponsive to her touch, he would be punished.
“I’ll take Miss Tesler’s place tonight,” she said softly, stroking his hard cock. “I need a good fucking and you’ve always known how rough I need it. None of the Krave dare to fuck me like you do.”
That was because when she wanted him, Khiva fucked her like he hated her. Because he did.
“Undress, Krave,” Madame Allegria said.
And like an obedient whore, though every strand of him was screaming inside, Khiva did as she ordered.
