Title: Ravishment- In The Miror Universe

Author: Starluck

Fandom: Star Trek

Pairing: Kirk/Spock

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Kirk chases.....Spock runs...and in the end....

RAVISHMENT - IN THE MIRROR UNIVERSE
By Starluck

It took the hunter only eighteen hours to find his quarry.

Had his prey been less cautious, thorough or determined, it would have taken three days. By those standards, then, the hunter's efforts were most impressive. Especially considering that the object of his hunt had erased all computer files that left a trace of his whereabouts, changed shuttle ships every two hours, and lost himself and his party of six in a little-known, distant planet with a population amounting to eight billion. And that planet had plenty of Vulcan expatriates, enough to throw away the hunter's scent. It was like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. But the needle was found, nevertheless. Most impressive, indeed.

But Kirk could not allow himself any congratulations at this point. Eighteen hours were just right. In fact, they just cut a little too thin. Had he arrived an hour late, Spock would have boarded the only ship that left for Vulcan every week. And he would have been lost to Kirk forever.

Kirk looked at his chronometer. In a few minutes, the operation would be over. A gloating Sulu had reported that all of the Vulcan's bodyguards were already disposed of. The four who had been standing guard at the hotel lobby were soundlessly but efficiently executed, phasers set on kill. The only ones remaining were the two operatives stationed right outside Spock's hotel room. The Captain knew them and their credentials by heart: Lieutenants Belinski and Jaeger. Highly trained assassins who had honed their art at the Vulcan Imperial Court.

Famous for being fanatically loyal to Sarek's House, they guarded Spock with their lives. But not even they could overcome the small but ferocious platoon of warriors that the Captain brought with him. Or stand in Kirk's way. James T. Kirk always got what he wanted.

Surprisingly, the Captain did not rejoice at his impending victory. The death of good officers was still something to be mourned. Even in the Empire, he could allow himself to feel that much. When he leaned back heavily on the cushions of the hidden aircar, it was as if he was carrying the whole galaxy on his shoulders. <Damn you, Spock> Kirk cursed under his breath. <You have to do this, you JUST have to do this.> He clutched his sidearm, barely able to contain his inner turmoil. Warring inside Kirk were anger, tension, concern, and a fire that he had unsuccessfully tried to suppress for 5 years. In fact, he had tried his damndest to ignore it or explain it away. Only the discovery of Spock's resignation tape on his computer eighteen hours ago forced him to finally acknowledge it.

The resignation had been unexpected, to say the least. Along with Kirk's, the Vulcan's promotion was imminent. Glory, honor, and wealth were theirs for the taking. The 5-year mission of the ISS Enterprise had been wildly successful, surpassing even the ruling Council's greedy expectations. Entire quadrants of space had been subjugated, rebellions ruthlessly suppressed, the treasures of a hundred planets pillaged for the Empire's coffers. The Captain and First Officer of the finest ship in the Empire could demand the highest positions, and Starfleet had no choice but to pay.

Perhaps that was where the trouble began, Kirk thought angrily. If there was anything else that the 5-year mission showed, it was that he and Spock were a team. Unbeatable. Unbreakable. Inseparable. Kirk's bold leadership and Spock's scientific brilliance were a winning combination. But in an Empire that rewarded ruthless individuality and self-serving ambition, that kind of team-up was unheard of and even considered dangerous. Kirk himself did not know how to deal with his growing dependence on Spock. The very term - dependence - mocked his ego and his pride. He had risen to the top of his career alone, without any debts to anyone. Rivals were eliminated, and partners - both personal and professional - were used and discarded without a second thought.

Until Spock came into his life. Inheriting the Vulcan First Officer along with the command of the Enterprise, Kirk had expected a fight on his hands. A sly, calculating enemy who would probe his weaknesses and plunge the dagger right through. After all, Spock, the only Human-Vulcan hybrid in the Empire, was feared and respected by even the most ruthless Captains. Unlike other First Officers, he never succumbed to greed or intimidation. He could neither be threatened nor bribed. As for his duties, he executed them to perfection - beyond anyone's scrutiny and punishment. Spock was a fortress in himself - cold, unreachable, impregnable. He was also an enigma in that he never sought command. After a rapid rise through the ranks
that mirrored Kirk's own meteoric climb, Spock had stopped at the number two position of the Starship Enterprise. Rival officers aspiring for the Captaincy did not believe at first, then eventually sighed secretly in relief. Hearing the tales as an Exec onboard the ISS Hood, Kirk himself was skeptical.

He had scoffed when a drunken Captain Pike bragged that his First Officer, Spock, would never knife him in the back. Much later, in the wake of Pike's downfall which he had masterminded, Kirk had spent endless sleepless nights waiting for a reprisal from the Vulcan. But revenge never came. Instead, Spock continued diligently with his duties. Over the next five years, Kirk came to see what a valuable and intensely loyal officer he had in him. In an Empire built on betrayal and intrigue, Spock was perhaps the closest thing he could have to a friend.

Marlena, Kirk's mistress, became jealous of their burgeoning friend. She plotted against Spock and tried to influence the Captain against his First Officer, using lies and fabricated evidence. All to no avail. Finally, she demanded that Kirk made a choice: it was either she or Spock. The Vulcan won. "He's the only one in the entire universe that I can trust," Kirk had snapped at her. "I certainly can't say the same about you." Then he grabbed her and threw her out of his room with the rest of her luggage.

After Marlena's angry departure, in the privacy of his empty, lonely cabin, Kirk realized that he did not want to let Spock go. Ever. He wanted to keep him. Take him as his Exec wherever he went. Whether he accepted a ground position, an Admiralty, or remained onboard the Enterprise, Kirk wanted Spock around him. His shadow. His kingmaker and protector. His shield and his strength.

Many months later over a few rounds of beer, McCoy had laughed at Kirk and told him to forget it. "You're reading it all wrong, Captain. Spock's loyalty to you is nothing special. He's just doing his blessed duty, the way he did with Pike, April, and his other commanding officers. Spock's no different from any of us emotional Humans in one important way. His loyalty, Captain, is first and foremost to himself and his duties. In case you haven't noticed, he has a very fierce streak of independence himself. He doesn't have a friend, a wife, or a lover. And he doesn't prolong his service to his Captain once their tour is over. You know, you weren't the first one to have asked him for a---shall we say, more lasting relationship."

Hazel eyes had flashed angrily. "Remember, Doctor," Kirk had retorted, "I never take no for an answer."

McCoy sneered back. He lifted his glass in a mock toast. "All right, Captain. Here's to the match of the century. Irresistible force against immovable object. Let's see who finally wins."

The Doctor did not know how much his sarcastic words had infuriated his Captain. Only Kirk's determination to prove him wrong had saved McCoy's life.

Immediately after that conversation, Kirk began his courtship of the Vulcan. There was no other word for it. He went on a relentless campaign to get to Spock, beyond the cold and efficient Vulcan facade. For all his carefully built walls, the Vulcan was not exactly invulnerable. Kirk sensed Spock's admiration for him, his respect, perhaps even his affection. More than a few times, Kirk had caught Spock staring at him with a wistful, gentle longing. Catching on quickly, the Captain began encouraging that kind of attention from the Vulcan. Their private dinners together became more frequent. The chess games in Spock's quarters. Shore leave in remote areas. Soon, both of them found their carefully fortified guards going down.

Eventually, with an excitement that both thrilled and frightened him, Kirk realized that he began to want the Vulcan himself. More than his efficiency and his loyalty and whatever other contributions he could make in furthering Kirk's career. Kirk wanted to penetrate the logical Vulcan front and touch the concealed heart. He began to look forward to their times together away from the ship, the quiet ecstasy he always experienced in Spock's presence. He had never permitted the same vulnerability with any of his lovers, officers, or both.

Then the Captain started asking more personal questions. Gently, knowing he was treading on delicate ground, Kirk led their
conversations into Spock's barely discussed private life. The Vulcan's childhood in a very powerful and wealthy family. His rise in the Imperial Starfleet. His adventures with Captain Pike. The dissolution of his engagement to T'Pring. His polite but firm rebuffs of Nurse Chapel's seductions. His seeming disinterest in the many women who had given him their eye.

The astonishing thing was that Spock had responded to Kirk's questions.

Though the Vulcan had replied with his customary cryptic caution, there was none of the discouraging coldness that Kirk had expected. Then Kirk started noticing the link. How his mind was becoming more and more attuned to Spock. They always had a good rapport especially since the Vulcan was a touch telepath, but Kirk realized even HE could now read the Vulcan's mind. Share his thoughts, feel the undercurrent of emotions the Vulcan always denied. An invisible bond was forming, drawing them together.

Finally, a few days after mission's official end with the Enterprise safely docked on base, the Captain made his move. During a late night strategic planning session in his Starfleet HQ apartment, Kirk quietly said without preamble, "Name your price, Spock."

"Specify."

"Bullshit. You know I want you with me in the long-run. We make a good team, one that can last for years. And I know that you like...serving under me."

"That is correct."

Kirk felt his hope rise. "Then you'll join me? Align with me---indefinitely?"

But Spock shook his head. "Regrettably, no."

Kirk stood up, the violence in his motion almost causing his chair to fall down. He took a few steps over the seated Vulcan, towering above him. "Why?" he demanded.

Spock only looked up at him coolly, unfazed. "The answer is evident, Jim. No long-term partnership would survive with two such self-willed powerful personalities as the two of us. Eventually, for such a partnership to endure, one party would have to give way and relinquish control."

Kirk glared at him, incredulous. "What are you talking about? I'm only asking you for the same thing we've had the past 5 years. The same kind of service you've given 3 other Captains. It's still going by the chain of command, only longer. What's wrong with that?" He softened his tone. "You know how much I trust you. How much I need you. And there's nothing I wouldn't give you. Together, the two of us can go far. Rise even higher. Between the two of us, there's nothing we cannot do"

For a moment, something flashed in the brown eyes. Regret. Sadness. Doubt. But it was only a moment. Then Spock said, "No, Jim, I AM SORRY."

Undaunted, Kirk tried again the next day, bursting into the Vulcan's quarters unannounced. It was late night, and Spock was preparing for bed. The Vulcan had already removed his boots and almost all of his clothing. Kirk found him only in his black briefs, pulling some Vulcan robe out of the closet. It was not the first time that Jim had seen him in a state of undress. In the past, they had showered together, swam together, changed costumes and uniforms together. But to Kirk it was as if he was seeing Spock for the first time. Whatever he was going to say died in his throat. With a growing shame, he realized that his eyes were wandering over the Vulcan's magnificent olive body, examining it in detail...the broad shoulders and bare chest covered with a delicious rug of hair...the long legs that joined to a slender stomach and curved hip...the bulge at the center of those legs...

A bulge that was a reflection of the one hardening on Kirk's groin...

Kirk mumbled an excuse and got out of the room.

He spent the next day with other starship commanders, desperately trying to lose himself in stories of past glories and adventures. When night came, he caroused the bars and nightclubs. But neither the alcohol nor the women could seem to take the very attractive Vulcan out from his mind. Five bottles and one unsuccessful seduction (by a woman) later, he was still sober when he returned to his flat. And found Spock's resignation tape on his computer console.

The former First Officer had been as cold and stoic as Kirk could remember him. He had simply stated that given the recent end of the Enteprise's five-year-mission, he must return home to Vulcan. No reason was given except "very personal ones." Kirk stormed out of his apartment and marched into Spock's nearby flat, only to find that every piece of clothing and personal possession of the Vulcan was already gone. More infuriating was that he had seemed to disappear without a clue. Nobody had seen him leave for the port or the transporter room.

Spock had left nothing to chance. He took extra pains to clean up his trail. But he could not do anything about the bond that had been growing between them the past year. The invisible threat that now acted like a sharp radar, leading Kirk to Spock's whereabouts. The intimate joining of minds that Spock was running away from. <Damn you, Spock, you had to take the easy way out>, Kirk cursed again.

That was 18 hours ago. Now, Kirk had everything back in control. Almost.

His reminiscence was interrupted by Sulu's triumphant approach. The helmsman saluted briskly. "Mission accomplished, Captain. The two Vulcan-trained operatives have been neutralized and, as per your orders, our men are standing guard outside Commander Spock's room. All the exits and entrances have been blocked. There is no way for him to escape."

"What about by transporter?"

Sulu's self-congratulatory smile reeked of pure arrogance. "Nothing to worry about, sir. We already activated the forcefield around the room."

"Good." Kirk got out of the aircar, putting a phaser on his belt. "Any indication that he knows we're here?"

"Of course not, sir," Sulu was almost indignant. "I personally ensured that the attack was done in stealth. As you ordered. Our scanning devices reported no unusual activity inside his room."

"Then see to it that the guards remain outside. You'll have to shut off the forcefield for a minute to let me enter. Once I'm inside his room, turn it on again. Then make absolutely certain that I am not disturbed. For anything."

"Aye, aye, Captain." Sulu saluted again. Then, after a pause, he said. "Sir, may I remind the Captain that Commander Spock's strength is greater than that of a Human. In combat simulations, it requires at least 5 men to subdue him. Request permission to accompany the Captain with twice that number in making the arrest----"

Kirk cut him off impatiently. "Concern noted, Mr. Sulu. But Commander Spock is solely my affair and no one else's. Understood?"

***********

The forcefield had been temporarily shut off, but the door of Spock's hotel room was locked. One of Kirk's men aimed his phaser at it. But Kirk's hand clamped down on the weapon. One look from the intense hazel eyes and the man backed off.

The assault was unnecessary. The link buzzing in Kirk's mind - the link he shared with Spock - was reverberating in full force now. The closer he got to the Vulcan, the stronger he felt it. A wave of energy pulling him. But it also filled him with a newfound sense of power that was both intoxicating and exhilirating. The link was also telling Kirk something else. He punched a few numbers on the computer lock. The private access code that he and Spock shared, allowing them to enter each other's quarters on board the Enterprise. The lock opened in a few seconds. Kirk entered and locked the door again. The forcefield would be reactivated immediately. Even if Spock did get the upper hand here, he still would not be able to get out.

But no battle-ready Vulcan was waiting for Kirk. Instead, the Captain's eyes were immediately drawn to the sleeping figure on the couch. Inspite of the darkness, he could make out the lean form lying ramrod straight, arms on his side. Kirk approached stealthily, careful not to wake Spock. The Vulcan too was dressed in civilian attire. The blue Science uniform was replaced by a black buttoned tunic tucked neatly inside loose flowing trousers. The dark color contrasted sharply with Spock's pale olive skin, making his face appear softer, gentler. The Vulcan had also shaved off his beard, which lightened his features even further.
<My God, he's beautiful...> Kirk thought. He took his time in examining his prostrate friend, eyes caressing the gorgeous neck, chest, shoulders, then on to the lower part of his body. A vivid memory of how that body appeared without clothes sent a very familiar heat through Kirk's. He gave in to the desire. He lowered his head and pecked a gentle kiss on the Vulcan's chest.

Spock stirred. Kirk lifted his head then kissed him again, this time on the forehead. One hand began stroking Spock's hips. Spock awakened.

Their eyes locked. For a few minutes, Jim had his friend back. The brown eyes gleamed at him in delight and surprise. The lips quirked into that smile that was not a smile that was uniquely Spock's. But it was only for a moment. The pleasure turned into discomfort as Spock remembered where he was and who was before him. He sat up.

Or tried to. Kirk pushed him back down onto the couch. Then without permission or warning, he brought his lips on Spock's. It was not a gentle kiss. As his restless hands firmly held Spock's shoulders down, Kirk devoured the Vulcan's mouth. He sucked the soft lips, then let his hungry tongue explore the insides of Spock's. Over and over and over.

The flame seared them both. The overwhelming heat that ran through Spock's insides caught him by surprise and stripped off his defenses. The Vulcan mind protested as his body found itself unable to ward off the attacking Human hands and lips. Spock could only writhe as Kirk kissed him passionately again and again and again.

When Kirk lifted his head for air, Spock awkwardly tried to rise up one more time. To his surprise, Jim let him. The Human put his arms around him and pulled him up---then pushed him reclining into the couch's back. Kirk's body pinned Spock down. Then Jim bent his head down again, this time to nuzzle the Vulcan's neck. Superior Vulcan strength was rendered immobile as Spock found his will sapped by Kirk's relentless assault. Unspeakable pleasure surged through the Vulcan's being, an invasion that could not be hindered. The link sparked it even more, flowing out from Kirk's rampaging desire while pulling Spock into its flames. Restless hands were already pulling the tunic out from Spock's pants. "Jim, please," Spock managed to
gasp, "Stop..."

"Make me," Kirk whispered silkenly. Then he kissed one ear, his tongue licking at the elegant tip. One hand unbuttoned the tunic and slipped inside it, pinching Spock's left nipple, now hardening. The Vulcan moaned his protest. The sound increased Kirk's arousal. He wanted to hear more. He nibbled at Spock's neck again, more urgently this time, the teeth cutting into the skin. Then the other hand opened the rest of the tunic. Both hands were now on Spock's body, stroking the hairy chest, massaging it with a possessive grip.

Then a buzz sounded from somewhere. It caught them both by surprise. Kirk stopped, his arms embracing the bare-chested Vulcan, in protection and imprisonment. The sound was only the alarm, reminding Spock that his shuttle to Vulcan was leaving within the hour. Standard hotel procedure, unnecessary to one with an inner clock, but in this case Spock welcomed its interruption. He tried one more time. "Jim, you must let me go to Vulcan. It is the only way to free us both." The baritone voice was on the verge of cracking, as was the Vulcan's pride.

Spock's eyes were practically begging.

"Free? Of what? ", Kirk's fierce whisper came through clenched teeth. "I can't let you leave me, Spock. Not now, not ever. Don't you understand? I want you. I love you."

The words impacted the Vulcan like a phaser, disintegrating his last crumbling defenses. The stoic mask that had so infuriated Kirk the past week slipped. For the first time, a very tender almost fragile vulnerability leaped out of Spock's'eyes. But not even desire and passion could make Spock abandon the training and choices of a lifetime. The Vulcan mask---nearly---held. "We---I--- cannot allow this. You must go your way, as I must go mine. I am Vulcan."

Spock's tone had hardened and become unyielding. For a long time, both men simply stared at one another. Then Kirk's countenance changed. The muscles in the youthful face tightened, lips straightened into resolve, and the hazel orbs began to glint. Spock knew that look very well. The Empire's enemies had ignored it to their tragic doom.

Instinctively, the Vulcan slowly crept backward on the sofa, moving away. But it was too late. Click! A sharp metal sound punctuated the clasping of steel manacles around his wrists. Belatedly, Spock realized that Kirk had somehow pinned his hands behind his back and shackled them. "They're not ordinary manacles," Kirk breathed into his ear. "The wiring is connected to the physiological responses of the body. They're programmed to use your own strength against you. The more you resist, the more they'll restrain you."

"You will use force on ME?" Incredulity and shock broke out in the Vulcan's face. Taking what one wanted by brute strength was common enough practice in the Empire. But in their 5 years of serving together, Kirk had never done it to him. Leaving Spock to mistakenly conclude that he never would.

"If that's the only way I'll ever have you." Kirk said bluntly. The raggedness in his voice was a mixture of raw need and desperation. He tilted the Vulcan's chin to face him directly. The other hand continued to stroke the hairy chest. "I want you, Spock, I have for years," the husky voice cooed. Then Kirk pressed his lips against Spock's neck and cheeks, punctuating every sentence with a loud kiss. "I want to see you naked. I want to feel you tremble as I touch you all over. I want to fuck you. I want to hear you cry out my name when I take you."

Against his own logic and control, Spock's heartbeat increased with every lustful pronouncement. Through their bond, the Vulcan could feel his Captain's strength, increasing both in demand and power. That strength called for his, to match force with force, perfection with perfection. The warrior in Spock wanted to rise up and meet Kirk with equal fervor.

But Kirk was more than just a warrior. He was also a leader, and in the Empire, leaders did not share their power. They ruled. They demanded submission. The sheer beauty that was their might claimed supremacy. And in the face of this raw, compelling, overpowering incarnate force before him, Spock found himself wanting to yield. To follow Kirk in total trust without question and hesitation, as he had done so the past 5 years. To set aside his own reasoning and substitute his Captain wishes. James T. Kirk was fire and passion, the blazing light of a million suns. There could be no shame in surrendering to such a man. Kirk's conquest carried its own absolution.

The Vulcan began to shiver with desire. Noticing it, Kirk smiled eagerly and he slid the dark tunic off, stripping the Vulcan to the waist. Then he pulled Spock to lean back even higher on the couch. The Vulcan's upturned olive nipples were pointing at his face. He let it hover over them for a few minutes as if studying which one to first devour. The breath from Kirk's nostrils teased Spock even more. Then Kirk began to fondle Spock's right pectoral. Gently at first, then boldly, squeezing, pressing. A small sound escaped Spock's lips. The murmurs continued as Kirk's mouth sucked on the other nipple, his tongue, then later his teeth, grazing it. The Captain took his sweet time. After the left nipple was thoroughly bathed with Kirk's saliva, Kirk's tongue outlined a path to the other one. Again, it was sucked and licked slowly and thoroughly. Olive nubs glowed green and hardened. Spock's back arched, his head snapping to fall backwards on the couch seat. The raven-haired head lolled as Kirk's lips began licking the rest of the chest. Strong capable hands caressed the slender stomach. Then Spock was pulled
back to his Captain's arms again, the powerful arms crushing him, the hot lips of the Human burning his in a fiery open-mouthed kiss. Kirk's right hand raked Spock's back while the other supported his head. Spock's naked chest crackled as Kirk's rubbed against it, the Human's raw passion flowing through the red civilian tunic. Kirk shifted his position, almost kneeling on the sofa, stretched against the half-lying Vulcan. He thrust his hips against Spock's, pressing their erections together.

Spock could not even moan his reaction, as Jim continued to ravage his mouth, silencing his protests. The Human's free hand went to his buttocks and pressed it, pushing Spock's hips upward to meet his Captain. For uncounted minutes, Jim tortured and teased him, rubbing their torsos together, flooding his body with forbidden passion.

Then mercifully Kirk gasped for air, releasing him from the kiss. "Do you want it here now or on the bed?" he asked roughly in a voice rugged with desire. But Spock could not answer. All Vulcan pretense and dignity were gone now. His eyes were closed, his lips half-parted, every line on the usually expressionless face curved in naked wanting. The warmth in Kirk's groin increased as he allowed himself to be entranced by the sight. It was what he had long wanted to see for years: the cool, self-controlled Vulcan helpless before him, every wall torn down, every mask ripped away, waiting and yielded to his every wish...He shifted again, one arm going around Spock's shoulder, the other going behind his knees.

Spock opened his eyes, jarred as he felt the ground move beneath him. But it was only Kirk carrying him, marching him like a hard-earned trophy to the bed on the other side of the room. Spock felt something rumble inside him in protest, Vulcan masculinity railing against the enforced indignity. Fighting his own pleasure now, he pulled against the chains. Immediately, pain stabbed from his wrists to his shoulders. Feeling Spock jerk slightly in his arms, Kirk only chuckled quietly. "I warned you," he reprimanded Spock almost wryly. Glaring at him in response, Spock thought that Jim looked almost serene, as if the tension had suddenly left him. He walked confidently, eyes level, head held high, the same way he walked on his bridge. Kirk was not just a Captain now, he was also lord and master, and Spock was his captive and his prize.

Then the Vulcan felt the bed under him, Jim kneeling down on the bed at his side. He waited breathlessly for Kirk's next move, squashing the impulse to ask the Human to touch him again and again and again...

But Jim only put one finger on his navel, playing with its soft tuft of hair. "Tell me, Spock", he said, his voice a low sweet caress, "Kalomi and that Sarpeidon lady, have they ever seen you naked?

Spock stared. During his 5-year tour of duty, those were the only two women tha he had bedded. But during those times when he had decided to give in to his desires, albeit temporarily, the affairs were done in secret. He had made sure that nobody knew. The tryst with Leila happened in a remote space station, after the forceful evacuation of the Omicron Ceti 3 colonists. Afterwards, Spock melded with Leila to remove the memory and with it, all her impossible hopes. He resorted to the same method to make McCoy forget his affair with Zarabeth after both of them beamed up from Sarpeidon.

"No need to be surprised, Spock," the honeyed voice continued. "My spies are everywhere. I just had a hard time believing that even you can be celibate for 5 years." Kirk's other hand stroked his right thigh. "Well?" he repeated.

Unable to resist, Spock shook his head wordlessly.

Kirk's unbelieving eyebrows rose. "Not even when you were making love to them?"

"There was very little time..." the words faltered. Spock could not explain anymore.

But the torturous yet pleasurable Inquisition was not yet over. The hand on Spock's thigh pressed harder. "What about men? Commanding officers?

Your other Captains? Pike? There were rumors that he had also wanted you."

"Pike was the only one who...made his desires known. No other officer attempted to."

"And?" One finger started tickling, moving closer to the center of Spock's legs.

Spock could not think coherently. One cool Human hand was sending shards of pleasure on his belly, another at his groin. Teasing him with wanting while denying him at the same time. Under that assault, only the truth could save him. "I denied Pike. He never asked again."

"Good," approval and pleasure were evident in Kirk's voice. Then Spock heard the quick, ripping sound of soft cloth as Kirk's eager hands quickly shoved down his trousers in one movement. Spock felt cold air brush his exposed thighs as the loose pants were pulled down to his knees. Kirk made quick work of his boots and socks, then rolled the trousers down the long legs. Except for his black briefs, the Vulcan was now naked. To Kirk, he looked downright ravishing. The hardness in Jim's trousers was very uncomfortable now. Bending over slightly, Kirk parted the Vulcans legs wide - very wide - moving to kneel between them. Then Kirk's two hands gently stroked the inner thighs, touching the skin now. Spock bit his lip. He
could hardly meet Kirk's scrutiny on every curve and muscle of his prone body.

"For my eyes only. Promise me, Spock." The wordless whimper that left the Vulcan's soft lips was answer enough.

Jim Kirk gazed down lovingly at his best friend---his first officer, the secret object of his desire for years, now his at last. The
intense stab of relief that he felt at Spock's promise made him realize just how jealous he was, and had been for a very long time. Unbidden, images flooded into his mind, unwelcome ghosts intruding upon his passion: Leila, the Romulan Commander, Zarabeth, Droxine, and a hundred other women who had given HIS Vulcan their lustful eye. Never again, he vowed to himself as the hands continued their exploration of the olive body. One hand outlined the bulge on the briefs teasingly while the other stroked the upper body, caressing the shoulders, then the armpit, then the sides. He is mine, Kirk told himself with satisfaction. ...Spock's trembling grew as the hands grew bolder in their strokes. No one will touch him again. I won't let them. That thought flamed through Kirk's mind. He wanted to touch Spock in a way that others never did.

To make him feel and experience things that others will never make him. Not by any man or woman.

He ripped the briefs open, freeing Spock's erection.

Spock's face turned just a fade of green as he realized just how bare he was before his Captain. Never in his entire life had he been rendered this vulnerable, bereft of the protection of his dignity or clothing. Nothing remained hidden from his Captain. Every part of his body was susceptible to Kirk's inspection and caress. Without leaving his eyes off Jim's, the Vulcan began to slowly inch backward, upward onto the bed. Kirk stopped his escape by letting both hands drop to the center of Spock's legs. They fondled the erect penis, masturbating it, causing Spock to emit a low moan.

Kirk heard it like a purr. His precious Science Officer had always reminded him of a panther: sleek, calculating, every inch of that power controlled until it was ready to pounce. And when it did, it liberated from the Vulcan a sensuality that captivated Kirk's senses. Jim wanted nothing more than to master that sensuality, make it respond to his every desire. Keeping it under his control, always his for the taking.

Spock could either be a panther or a pussycat, and Kirk wanted to hold the leash.

Jim bent down to kiss his lover again. The link was pulling them both now to bind them as one. Vulcan lips easily parted as Kirk's tongue explored the insides of Spock's mouth. Then Kirk stretched full-length on Spock, covering his naked body, straddling him. Spock was melting, writhing beneath Jim, as he felt his Captain's carresing hands all over his body, Kirk's mouth now devouring his throat.

"Jim...." he panted. "You must...remove the manacles. I will not...run."

Something in that cry touched Kirk and made him lift his head. The desire he saw in the Vulcan's face sent shivers of pleasure through him. A responsive Spock - touching him, returning his caresses, loving him in return - he had dreamed about it long enough. Thoroughly aroused now, hungry for Spock, he almost gave in to the Vulcan's request. Still, something was not quite right. The link that was inflaming his mind and body was warning him...of something. "Then why? Tell me why." He plucked a kiss on one slanted eyebrow.

"We must meld...It will enhance everything..." The sentences did not almost sound coherent. When Kirk did not answer, Spock raised his head, lifting his mouth to Jim's. His kisses were an open plea. "Please, Jim," the Vulcan was begging now, "Remove the manacles. It will be worth your while."

Kirk closed his eyes, savoring Spock's entreaty, enjoying every touch of the desperate lips on his. Spock's lips were now on his chin. The Vulcan's masculine scent was also strong, filling in his nostrils.

Kirk felt the throbbing on his groin as it pressed against the middle of Spock's legs. He was so hot he could take the Vulcan right now. As Spock raised his head again, Kirk bent his, allowing their mouths to meet. Jim kissed his Vulcan slowly and thoroughly, tasting the delicious copper in the alien's mouth.

<Jim, please.......>

This time, Kirk heard it in his mind. It was the only way he could have. Spock would not have been able to utter a word with his mouth so captured by Kirk's. Jim stopped whatever his hands and lips were doing for a moment, then groped for that buzz inside his mind. Yes, it was there, Spock's voice...and more than that, the link was there, getting stronger, bringing them closer, removing every barrier and impediment. Kirk felt his desire burn through him. His and Spock's. Forging them together even as they demanded for consummation: mind for mind, strength for strength, passion for passion. With renewed urgency, the Captain straddled Spock again, his lips nuzzling his throat. "Request granted, Commander." Eager, grappling hands went
behind the Vulcan's back.

A sigh of relief left the Vulcan's lips. Relaxing, Spock even tilted his neck to allow the Human's tongue more access to his bare
shoulders. He felt Jim's hands on his wrists, playing with the chains.

Spock readied his hands in anticipation. Once freed, superior Vulcan strength would push the Human against the bed and initiate the bond that would join them forever.

Instead, heat once more shot through Spock. Groaning, he belatedly realized that an errant finger was prodding through the opening in his buttocks. Spock thrashed on the bed as the finger continued its exploration. Deeper and deeper. He heard rather than saw Kirk's other hand removing belt and buckle, then the unfastening of trousers. Then Kirk's lips started kissing his left ear. "Sorry I had to change my mind, Spock," the silken voice whispered wickedly, "You've been acting so Vulcan the past week that I think we should try the Human way this time." Kirk's hips thrust at Spock's, trousered legs parting open his thoroughly naked ones. "Besides, I want to be the one to enter you first."

Spock almost passed out from the pleasure as Kirk's erection - freed from his pants - touched his genitalia. Unspeakable immeasurable sensations of desire burned throughout him, lighting sparks wherever Kirk touched him. Vulcan mental disciplines wilted before this Human's determination. Kirk let his own hand drop to the center of Spock's legs, stripping the now totally wet shaft. Spock could not stop the incoherent sounds of pleasure that escaped from his lips. Kirk's arousal increased as he heard them. His lips crashed on Spock's chest, licking the forest of hair covering it, then grazing one nipple with his teeth, then moving to the other. He was already delirious with the Vulcan's taste and his smell. He began to squeeze the Vulcan's genitalia in the same rhythm that his mouth nibbled at his nipples. Unable to grab a pillow or a shoulder for support, Spock only clenched his fists as Kirk continued to ravish him. Jim's mouth continued their downward slide.
Unhurried, teasing, yet with an intensity that swallowed both of them whole, it licked his nipples, then his ribs, then his abdomen. Spock arched back, his body writhing in unconditional surrender.

Kirk paused momentarily from his task, golden head raised and hazel eyes peering seductively through long lashes. His lips were hovering just a few centimeters over Spock's flat stomach, the forest of hair covering it thoroughly bathed by Kirk's tongue. Pulsing green, Spock's erection beckoned just a few inches away, enticing Kirk's smell, sending shivers down his groin. For a second, Kirk wanted nothing more than to nibble that sensitive flesh. But something else was drawing his attention like a magnet. More than any part of that beautiful body, it was Spock himself, his entire being, waiting to surrender to Kirk's every touch, desperately longing to be ravished. Kirk decided that the time of waiting had come to an end.

Slowly, holding back his own ravenous hunger, Jim stretched himself on top of the prone Vulcan. Chest to chest, stomach to stomach, leg to leg. With one broad stroke, Kirk ripped off his own tunic, letting his smooth swollen chest rub the Vulcan's hairy one. Spock moaned and closed his eyes. He was ready. Kirk knew the Vulcan was ready. One strong arm gripped Spock's shoulders, holding him steady. The other hand probed the middle of Spock's legs, searching for the soft opening.

"Jim......" Spock gasped as the fingers continued their assault. The olive body bucked and writhed as they dug deeper and deeper. As Spock's head snapped to one side, Jim began nibbling on the open neck, leaving a mark that would forever brand the Vulcan as uniquely his.

Spock endured it helplessly, conscious of nothing but the tongue swiping his neck and the fingers invading that very private part of his. Then the fingers mercifully withdrew and Kirk raised his head to look down and fix his glare on Spock.

And Spock found he could not speak. Could not protest or make a sound.

Seductive charm and brazen lust he could understand and comprehend. The former he had seen too often enough on his Captain's face, the latter he himself he had experienced in the throes of pon farr. What then was this emotion beaming from Jim's countenance? Spock could not tell. He only had his memories to use for measurement. The look of undivided attention on Jim's face when they had first encountered Edith Keeler, the only woman whose death had brought unabashed tears on Kirk's face for the first time......The rapture with which Jim had gazed at the stars everytime the ship broke orbit....The mixture of gentle longing and unabashed pride everytime he glanced at the Enterprise... Jim's face was now wearing all of them and more, and all of them were honed like a special beacon focused on him...

"I love you," James T. Kirk said clearly, carefully enunciating every word.

No response was possible except one.

Spock sent through the link. He raised his hips even upward.

Kirk slammed his penis in. "Ummmm......Jim...Jim....!" sounds of pain and pleasure erupted from Spock's mouth. Kirk wanted to hear them again and again. His name on Spock's lips was music to Jim's ears.

The Captain's strong arms embraced Spock, locking their bodies together, closing all distance. Then Kirk thrust into him, deeper and deeper and deeper. Spock began to cry out, one precious syllable, repeated in ecstasy like an incantation. "Jim...Jim...Jim... The echoes filled the room even as they engraved themselves in Spock's heart. <Yes, yes, Spock!> Kirk's reply rang out in triumph. Jim began moving in him, riding him, slowly at first, then faster and faster. Spock writhed as his body was alternately impaled and rocked on the bed. The whole universe itself shook, as his Captain pounded on him over and over, taking him with pleasure, branding him with his seed, commanding him with that same force and energy of being that
made him take charge of the center seat on the Enterprise. Spock writhed and twisted, closed knuckles uselessly pulling at the chains, as he surrendered himself and all that he was to his Captain and his friend. Then, a few moments only after Jim emptied all his semen on him, Spock came too. He heard a scream and a moan, not knowing whether it was he or his Captain or both. Then, finally, sweet oblivion.

*****

When he woke up 7.5 hours later, the first thing he noticed was that the chains were gone. His arms were resting by his sides, a healing ointment soothing the bruises left by the chains. Though he was still naked, the blankets were drawn up to his shoulders. A quick check revealed that he had been meticulously bathed, the semen cleansed and washed off. Sunshine streamed in through the partially open window to the table beside the bed. The tray of food on top of it made Spock realize how famished he was. Lifting himself on one elbow, he turned to see Vulcan beans, plomeek soup, a couple of Terran apples and orange juice. More than adequate to replenish the energy consumed the night before.

<But where was Jim?> Spock's hand wistfully explored the tidy but empty space beside him. <After taking what he wanted, had his Captain left him?>

<You should know me better than that!>

Spock almost jumped as that wonderful, unmistakable voice roared through the link. A second later, Kirk walked in from the other side of the room, dressed in a bright red robe. Sitting down beside the lying Vulcan, he gestured at the tray. "I figured you'd need some real food after the work-out we had last night." There was something different in his tone, but before Spock could place it, the Captain's voice returned to its usual briskness. "I ordered Sulu and the others to go back to the ship. We're alone now. Just the two of us."

Spock's baritone deepened, softened into a teasing intimacy. "Am I to assume that the...discipline...is finally over?"

"Don't, Spock," Kirk cut in, almost angrily. "I didn't want to take you that way. But you were so damned stubborn. You made me. Captain's prerogative, you know." Then, incredibly, his demeanor changed. Kirk hardly looked like the young conquerer on the aftermath of his victory. Fatigue lined the young face. The fierce lust and almost angry desperation of the night before were gone. When Kirk spoke again, there was also a sadness---and if Spock did not know Kirk better---and a vulnerability that touched Spock to his core. "But I want you to know that I'm not proud of it."

Then Jim reached down to tenderly brush the now unkempt black bangs back into place. Without thinking, but only intending to lend his support, the Vulcan touched Jim's face.

"You did what you had to do, t'hy'la. I am grateful you had the courage for both of us."

But Kirk took the hand and put it down. "I can't undo what I've done. But I'm not taking you into custody. You're a free man. You can go back home to Vulcan, if that's what you want."

But the Vulcan was shaking his head. "I do---not. We both desire the same thing."

"Do we?" Kirk asked bluntly. "It's not going to be the same after we get back. I'd want you all the time. On my bridge, in my bed, in my heart, in my mind. I won't share you with anyone. Personally and professionally. Not with any woman or any captain. You'd have to share quarters with me. You'll never leave my command. Everyone would know that you belong to me."

"The reverse is also true. You would not want anyone else either."

Kirk said quietly, "After last night, I don't think I can sleep with anyone else. But it's more than that. You were right to run. You saw it long before I did."

"But you were the one who said that we could be stronger, go even farther, together."

"At what price, Spock?" Kirk's eyes brightened, and Spock averted his glance, unable to meet the vulnerability shining from them. But he could not shut his ears from Kirk's words. They came in a hush, from the open heart of a broken man. "I am what I am. I want command. I will always want command. I cannot share that with anyone else. Not even with you. You who made me what I am, too. You helped shape the legend they say I am. The wind beneath my wings. The shadow that protected my every move. My other self, always waiting to execute my every order. No other officer was ever that self-sacrificial. McCoy had his medicine, Scotty his engines, and Gary, had he lived, would have gunned for my job. But you, Spock, were always there for me.

"Devoted to me. And I wanted that, craved that, was jealous of that. But you're a man, for God's sake, a Vulcan male. To be with me always, in my bridge and in my bed, will limit you, can't you see that? Away from my shadow, you can climb the heights in Starfleet. How many times have you turned down promotions, because of me? You should have had your own ship by now! And a wife and kids....wouldn't you want that? But I'm too selfish. I need you---desperately. I can't live without you. I'm incomplete without you. Help me, Spock. Help both of us."

Spock was silent for a while, then he sat up. Strong olive hands closed over human ones. There was no accusation in the Vulcan's eyes. No fear, no reproach, no doubts. To Jim, it was as if the uncertain Vulcan who had fled the ship the night before was gone. Incongruous as it sounded, Spock had made his peace with himself last night. In this lonely hotel room when they were making love.

"Jim, please, listen to me. I know what you are. I am well aware of your needs. I know the power and the passion that make you want to shape the universe to your will. They enabled you to face and conquer everything that the stars can throw at him. To accomplish the so-called impossible. The one thing that made you the finest Captain in the fleet is perhaps also the same thing that draws me to you."

"But I can't regard you as just another lover, damn it! You're different. And you make me feel different. I don't want to control and use you like I did Moreau and the rest. You deserve more than that. But...I will always want to have the upper hand, Spock, even of you. To have the last word always, in our service and in our relationship. That would require an enormous kind of self-sacrifice from you, something which I myself am not capable of giving. How in God's name can I ask it of you? The decent thing to do right now would be to let you go, Spock."

Then Kirk took the Vulcan's face in both hands. He leaned over, pulling their heads together, then whispered fiercely, "Go while you still can. While I can still let you walk away from here. I love you that much."

Spock closed his eyes, allowing his heart to savor the full meaning of every word that Jim said. But it was too late. Far too late for both of them. "Jim, Jim, Jim," he murmured. "No matter how much we try, we will not be able to separate. The link - our bond - will bring us back."

Silence. It took Kirk a few more seconds to assimilate the words, then slowly, almost reluctantly, he removed his hands. "The same thing that brought me here to you. It allowed me to track you, second-guess your motives and actions."

"Precisely. But it is more than just a link, Jim. It is our bond. A total full bond that calls for mating, union, and commitment.
Approximately two months before the end of the 5-year mission, it had already superseded our friendship and was drawing us closer, together---"

"That's why you ran."

"I could not force it on you. I had to know whether you wanted it, too. And you do. One who is less---desirous---of his mate would not have been able to find me last night, much less overpower me."

"Spock," Kirk said gently, "That was quite a gamble you took. What if I didn't follow you?"

"I would have found refuge in Gol, a desert recluse inhabited by our mystics and priests. Only there can our bond be severed."

"But when it brought us together last night---"

"You exercised your dominance, Jim, and thereby established in a sense the perimeters of our relationship. We are not yet fully
bonded, but close to it. Neither of us would be able to bear a long period of separation."

Kirk digested the words. Then, slowly, he said, "Once we're together, you'll be giving up a lot. I don't want to it to be Hell
for you."

One eyebrow flung upward. "I will definitely not wallow in a state of misery. Concerning my Starfleet career, you are well aware that I have never sought command, Jim. It is not what motivates me. For a long time, my scientific duties on board ship have defined my life. But you have shown me more, both as a Captain and as a friend. Our friendship activated the bond, and brought out only that which has been latent in us both. Your desire to command. My loyalty." Kirk opened his mouth, but Spock cut him off. "Let me finish, Jim. The bond must not be judged by Human standards. Bear in mind that Vulcan males are not easily conquered. Even in the ancient days, they chose suicide to surrender.

If Vulcan males are taken, it is because they desire to be---by a stronger warrior, one they admire, respect, and love. It was an honor and a privilege to have followed you, served you as First Officer and comrade. Surely, the honor and privilege are greater---not lesser--- once I give you the same service as lifetime partner and mate."

No other words were necessary. Kirk knew this Vulcan was life itself, more precious even than the Enterprise. Infinitely far more valuable than any friend or woman he ever had. The enormity of what Spock had given for him, and what Spock was still willing to give, and what he, Kirk, was more than willing to take, shook Jim to his core. He crushed the Vulcan to his chest, burying his face on the Vulcan's shoulders. They sat in silence for a while, unwilling to break the moment. Then Spock's hands went around his Captain, stroking his back, caressing the back of his neck. The gentleness in the movement was one of honest acceptance.

"Spock, Spock, Spock..." The name was both benediction and supplication.

"I love you, Jim."

There it was finally out. Spock of Vulcan had said it. Clearly, beyond mistake or misrepresentation. Jim felt the flush in his
cheeks and the sudden watering of his eyes. He knew what it had cost Spock to say those words. Very gently, he caressed the Vulcan's cheek with his hand. Spock savored the touch, turning his mouth so he could kiss Kirk's palm. For a moment, he thought that Jim would kiss him again.

Through the link, he could feel his Captain's love and his concern, confident and serene, washing every doubt and fear. But apparently the Captain had other plans. Jim reached for a nearby towel and placed it around the Vulcan's hips. Then he turned the Vulcan to sit facing the nearby table. "You'd better eat first. We have a lot to talk about in the next few days."

Simple, even trivial words, Spock noted. This early, the solicitude was showing. Compassion, strength, and protectiveness for a beloved mate.

Spock noted it as he silently ate his breakfast. It was not something he was used to. He had been too independent. But he
found himself welcoming this attention from Kirk. The truth was, he had been starved of it for far too long. With satisfaction, Spock thought that from now on he would have no rivals. Without a word, Kirk watched him eat, hazel eyes glinting in amusement. Then they became more probing, raking in the sight of Spock, darting from shoulder to chest to stomach to naked hip. Spock flushed a pale green at the scrutiny. When the Vulcan was finished, Jim took one of his hands and began to massage its wrist, flexing where the bruises had been. Then he tilted Spock's head up and fingered the green love mark on his neck. At the same time, he removed Spock's towel.

Glancing at his nudity, Spock realized with just a little shock that many of those green marks peppered his body. On a shoulder, a part of the chest, a nipple, a thigh. Apparently, the Captain had been busy working on him while he slept. Repossessing him all over again, leaving tangible signs of his ownership. In the next few minutes, Kirk showed Spock each and every single mark, tracing them with a finger tenderly, then later with a loving kiss. As Kirk moved over him, Spock thought that it was indeed fortunate that his own uniform was less revealing than the standard. He would let those love marks remain on his body for a few days before removing them with the healing trance. Those treasures were to be savored.

By the time Kirk finished with the last mark, located at the back of Spock's knee, Spock was sporting a small erection. Kirk was breathing, his eyes glazed. But he merely put one arm around the Vulcan and held him quietly, refusing to give in to his growing hunger and need. His tone was almost apologetic. "You're so beautiful I can't seem to keep my hands off you."

The brown eyes gleamed in anticipation. "Prolonged sexual activity is not uncommon among mates who are being drawn together by the bond. The partner in command is also said to be insatiable during this time."

Kirk allowed himself a chuckle. "Why, Mr. Spock, I didn't know you could be so randy." He began stroking Spock's chest, playing with its hair. Then Kirk sobered. His strong arms drew Spock close, carefully, almost in hesitation, as if afraid he would shatter this beautiful, loving Vulcan who was not afraid to give so much. "Let me be gentle this time, beloved. I want to be gentle."

"I am not afraid, Jim," Spock breathed huskily in Kirk's ear. "Neither should you be afraid to claim what is thine."

This offering was precious. Beyond price or measure or words. Through the link, Kirk heard Spock make an oath, from an age of valor long since gone. <T'hy'la, I will protect thy honor, I will bear thy sword and shield, I will carry thy seed, I will serve thy pleasure.*>

Then, this time, it was the Vulcan who pulled the Human on top of him. Love, need, and desire flamed through the night, burning all doubts, torments, and fears.

END

*Author's note: This line was inspired by the oath taken by Romulan mates in the K/S story, "The Hunt", by Indra, T'hy'la #4.