Owned by Luna Voss
17
Melyta
Three months later
Barion’s pheromones must be having an effect on me, because I’ve been irritable as all hell lately. Horny, too, though that surprises me less. But I mean, the calendar says I’m not due to go into heat again for another three months, and it doesn’t feel like I’m three months out. Three weeks, maybe.
I find myself snapping at the strangest times, and wanting to defy Barion even when it doesn’t make sense. He takes it very much in stride, being patient about the small things but punishing me firmly when I cross the line. There even comes to be a playful element to it, bleeding into how we flirt. It gives me a pleasant and unexpected freedom to just be myself around him, knowing that he won’t hesitate to make the boundaries plain to me.
Over the course of the last three months, everything about my life has changed. I’m Barion Dultaz’s woman now, and everyone knows it. And boy, do they treat me different. If you ever want to find out how much your interactions with people are influenced by your social status, try dating a well-connected gangster. All of a sudden, I have random people in public offering to carry my bags for me, and cafes giving me my morning drink for free.
I live in Barion’s house now. We share a bed. And instead of working a grinding, thankless job, I have a hefty allowance, and time to spend it. Within an amazingly short period of time, I’ve become one of those pampered, kept Vostra women, hanging off her mate’s arm without a care in the world. I used to roll my eyes at those women, but now I realize it was just jealousy. Who wouldn’t take the opportunity to live this kind of life, given half a chance? I’ve smiled and laughed more over the last three months than in the entire year prior to it. Even the specter of Gurt reawakening is starting to fade, as he wastes away comatose in the hospital.
“On second thought, I do want that dress.”
Barion stops walking and scratches his head. “The red one?”
“Yeah. You remember, the one with the hem you thought was too short?”
He raises an eyebrow. “I didn’t say it was too short. I said that if you wear something that short around me, I’m going to take frequent advantage of the easy access. There’s a difference.”
We’re walking through the Dalax City Mall, an enormous, seven-story shopping center that serves as one of my hometown’s most well-known landmarks. I’ve been here in the past, but only to go window-shopping: like most things worth doing, the Dalax City Mall has always been just a little out of my price range.
Not anymore. Now, Barion buys me whatever I ask for. More than that, he encourages me to buy things, seeming to take a great pleasure in spoiling me. I’ve already eaten a ridiculously overpriced lunch at the food court, had the best Dajorkan funnel cake of my life for dessert, and picked up several expensive clothing items that three months ago, I could never have dreamed of purchasing. Right now, I pretty much feel like the queen of the world.
And I’m pretty sure if the queen of the world wanted a sexy red dress to keep her partner’s blood pressure up, she wouldn’t hesitate to go get it. Especially if said partner was actively encouraging her to spend money and look pretty.
“I’m just going to run up to the second level and grab it, okay? You don’t have to come with me. You can wait down here on a bench or something, and I’ll be right back.”
Barion laughs. “I knew you’d change your mind. Send me a message if you think you’re going to be long?”
“I won’t be long,” I assure him, kissing him on the cheek. “You’ll see.”
I take the lift up to the second level and move through the crowd of people toward the store that had the dress I wanted. I’m just about to make my way inside, when—
“Melyta! Mel! Over here!”
Jenyta is sitting on a nearby bench holding a shopping bag. I rush over to her, excited. I’ve barely seen Jenyta in person since I went to live with Barion.
“She lives!” my friend greets me with a broad grin. “I was worried you’d left the planet or something.”
“Sorry, things have just been crazy lately,” I tell her, sitting down. “How are you liking the new place?”
The first and only time I’ve introduced Jenyta and Barion, we were helping her move into another apartment in a different neighborhood. Barion insisted on paying for the whole thing, to make up for the sudden and necessary move.
Jenyta’s eyes light up. “I’m loving it. I’ve never had my own place before. Not that I didn’t like living with you, don’t get me wrong. But being by myself is wonderful.” She giggles. “Now I can be naked in the living room whenever I want.”
I laugh too. “I mean, I guess you could have done that before, if you really wanted…”
We spend the next few minutes catching up, and I completely lose track of time. It’s great to see my friend again. I’ve been so occupied lately with my new relationship and learning my new role within the Vostra that I’ve barely had time for any of my old friends outside the life.
My former roommate’s eyes land on something behind me, and she smiles as though in greeting. I turn and see Barion standing behind me, his eyebrows raised. Oops. I definitely told him I would be right back. And it’s been at least 20 minutes.
“Hi, Barion!” Jenyta greets him warmly. “I was just telling Mel how grateful I am for your help with the apartment. I really like living there.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Jenyta,” he replies. “Doing some shopping?”
She holds up her bag. “They were having a sale on my favorite makeup brand. I stocked up.”
Barion smiles at her, then puts his hand on my shoulder. “Melyta, is it okay if I talk to you in private for a moment?”
I know exactly what he wants to talk about, and I’m not really in the mood for a big spiel on why I need to listen to him more carefully. Okay, so I got distracted in a shopping mall. Big whoop.
“Why don’t we talk after I say goodbye to Jenyta?” I counter him sweetly.
Barion just raises his eyebrows, as if to say we’re not going to argue about this. He reaches out his hand to help me up from my seat.
I stay sitting. What can I say? I guess I have a defiant streak.
“Why don’t you wait for me on that bench downstairs?” I suggest, my tone innocent, helpful. “You almost did such a good job of waiting for me this time.”
In front of me, I see Jenyta wince. Barion keeps his hand on my shoulder and leans down to whisper in my ear:
“Melyta, I’m not going to give you another warning. You need to fix your attitude, now.”
I’ve already started digging my grave. What’s another couple shovelfuls of dirt? I maintain my mock-innocent tone, and stay firmly in my seat. “Barion, Jenyta and I were going to have lunch together. It would be rude to interrupt.”
But Jenyta gives me a mischievous look and gets up from her seat. “Actually, I was just leaving. Mel, Barion, it was great to see both of you.”
My jaw drops and I look back at her imploringly. “Don’t you want to stay a little longer, Jenyta? We haven’t even had lunch yet.”
“I’ve already eaten,” she says with a wink. “I’ll leave you two alone to, uh, talk about whatever it is you need to talk about. But let’s get together soon, okay?” She leans in and whispers in my ear before gathering her bag and taking off: “Hope your butt isn’t too sore.”
Jenyta disappears into the crowd, and I’m left on the bench with Barion, my nervousness growing.
I know I’m in trouble.
“She’s nice, that Jenyta,” Barion chuckles. “Knows when to make an exit.”
“Come on,” I say, standing up and hoping to diffuse things. “We can just grab the dress from that shop over there and go home.”
He shakes his head. “No, you had that opportunity. Now we’re going straight home, and I’m going to have to think about your what punishment will be.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Really? I’m in trouble because I wanted to catch up with Jenyta?”
“No, you’re welcome to spend time with Jenyta. You’re in trouble because you disappeared without telling me. And because you talked back to me in front of your friend.”
I feel the need to protest, even though my cheeks are getting hot. “I didn’t talk back to you, I just—”
He smiles and shakes his head. “Melyta, this is backtalk. This. Right now.”
I fall silent, fuming. He can be such an absolute fucker sometimes. And I reaaaally shouldn’t tell him that I think that, even though I badly want to.
Barion holds out his hand again. “Come on. With me.”
“What if I don’t want to?” I say grumpily, unable to control myself. I know I’m making things worse, but for some reason I just need to be defiant right now. Maybe I really am going into heat.
With a sigh, Barion grabs me under my armpits and lifts me out of my chair into a standing position. “Okay, Melyta, you know what? I thought I was just going to discipline you when we got home, but it’s obvious that you need correction sooner than that. Come with me. Now.”
He finishes in a tone that makes it very, very clear that he means business. And now I find myself starting to panic, worried that I might have bit off more than I could chew. The idea that he would consider punishing me here at the Dalax City Mall of all places is something I hadn’t even considered.
“Okay, I’m sorry, okay?” I mumble, following him obediently. “I’ll come with you. Let’s just go home.”
“We will go home,” he hisses, “and you’re going to be sitting very carefully during the car ride.”
He marches me through the mall until we find a single-occupant bathroom with a bench outside it, then sits me down on the bench.
“Stay,” he orders, and looks at me sternly, as though to warn me that if I disobey him this time, I’m going to be in real trouble.
As if this isn’t real trouble.
I don’t dare move. My heart is pounding as I wait for him on the bench, face red, a pit growing in my stomach. I feel like everyone around me knows I’m being punished, even though they couldn’t possibly. This is a new, nerve-racking experience for me.
After ten agonizing minutes, Barion comes back with a brown paper bag. He gestures for me to stand up, then grabs my upper arm and walks me into the bathroom with him.
I feel utterly vulnerable as the door closes behind us. No one can see us now. I’m Barion’s to discipline as he sees fit.
“Facing the wall,” he growls, roughly positioning me. “Hands at your sides.”
I obey him without a word, my stomach churning. I feel like I could die. I can’t believe I’ve reached a point where I’m getting disciplined in a public bathroom.
“What do you have to say for yourself?” Barion asks from behind me, his voice slightly more measured than before.
“You could have at least waited until we got home,” I whine. “This is embarrassing.”
I can practically hear him shaking his head. “I guess you should have thought of that before you started acting out.”
“I didn’t know you were going to discipline me in public!”
“Now you know. As far as I’m concerned, it’s my role to correct your behavior whenever it needs correcting. The fact that we’re in public doesn’t mean the rules are any different, or that you can get away with more.”
“I get that,” I admit, biting my lip nervously. “But you could still at least wait until we get home.”
“Melyta, I was going to wait until we got home. I gave you like, multiple chances to get with the program. You chose to disobey me, and sassed me at the same time. You know that’s not okay.”
“It was fun, though,” I spit out, unable to resist.
He sighs. “Are you even taking this seriously?”
“I mean, I’d like to, but you’re making it pretty hard.”
I look back at him, worried that I might have crossed the line. And by his raised eyebrows, I can tell that I have. He doesn’t even reply, just the yanks my pants and underwear down to my knees in one forceful motion. Instinctively, I reach down to pull them back up, but he pins my wrists behind my back.
“If you’re going to act like a little brat, I’m going to treat you like one,” he snarls, spanking me hard on the ass. “I will not tolerate disrespect from you.”
Even though I’m trying my best not to, I can’t help but yelp and squeal as he punishes my naked bottom. Every slap stings. My ass, and my pride. Getting spanked in the bathroom like a disobedient little girl is incredibly humbling.
“When we go places together, you respect my authority,” growls Barion, punishing me soundly. “You don’t disappear without telling me where you are. You listen when I say something. And you donot talk back to me!”
He finishes with a loud slap across both cheeks. I return my hands to my sides, knowing I’m not allowed to rub my bottom. My chest is heaving.
“Do you have anything to say to me now?” Barion’s voice comes from behind me.
“I know I shouldn’t have disrespected you,” I whimper. “I just… It’s hard sometimes.”
His voice becomes a little gentler. “I’m sure it is. But I need you to remember what I am to you. Especially when we’re in public.”
I nod. I really want to touch my stinging butt.
“I think I’m going to need to be a little stricter with you, Melyta. It’s cute when you’re a handful, but clearly I need to do more to reinforce exactly how this dynamic works.”
I pout at his words. “That’s not fair. I’m usually good.”
“Usually can mean a lot of things. Usually, as in most minutes of most days? Yeah, I’d say that’s true. Usually, as in, I can go an entire week without having to punish you? Tell me, when is the last time that happened?”
I’m glad he’s behind me and can’t see me blushing. The truth is, he’s right. Lately, it’s been more like every other day. I guess part of the problem is that it excites me so much when he asserts his dominance.
“It’s normal for you to test the boundaries,” he says, his fingers stroking lightly over the crease between my butt cheeks, “and I’d be bored to tears if you never put up any fight at all. You’re still my Fated Mate, and you still mean more to me than anything else in the world. I just need you to know that when we’re in public together, disrespecting me isn’t acceptable.”
“I understand,” I say, still somewhat resentfully.
“Good,” says Barion. “Then I’m sure you’ll be very obedient for the rest of your punishment.”
He reaches into the brown paper bag and pulls out a brand-new butt plug, still wrapped in plastic, and a bottle of lube. I gulp, watching over my shoulder as he opens the packaging. He doesn’t really intend to…
“Spread your cheeks,” Barion orders me.
“Barion, I—”
“If I have to say it again, you’re getting another spanking.”
Apparently he does have to say it again, because my pride will just not allow me to participate in this. He disciplines me with another firm round of slaps, then forcefully bends me over and spreads my cheeks apart himself.
“You’re going to keep this inside you the entire way home,” he growls, sliding the lube-cover plug between my cheeks. “And if I get any lip from you while we’re driving, I swear I will pull over and spank you on the side of the road.”
I let out a gasp as the plug pops inside me. Barion turns me around and puts his hand on my throat, giving me a long, warning look, then reaches down and pulls my pants and underwear back up. I feel very small as he does the buttons for me.
“Don’t let go of my hand,” he orders me as we leave the bathroom together and begin to walk to the exit.
