Price of Passion
Aubrey Ross
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Copyright ©2007 Aubrey Ross
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ISBN: 978-1-59596-740-4
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Price of Passion
Aubrey Ross
Jazz and Bluz are adjusting to their new lives as Sabrotine Privateers when they
rescue Treena from an angry mob bent on drowning her. She was stranded on the
primitive outpost by her resentful lover and the superstitious occupants decided her
clairvoyance proves she is a witch.
She is strongly attracted to both brothers, but she’s unsure how to express her
feelings. Bluz is aggressive and intense, while Jazz is fun loving and tender. Her
ability to read their minds assures her the desire is mutual, so she insists on
becoming their pleasure pet for the remainder of the voyage. Jazz is more than
willing to explore the possibilities, yet Bluz keeps his dominant nature carefully
suppressed.
Jazz knows a past betrayal is making Bluz overly cautious, so he agrees to help
Treena seduce his reluctant brother. She knows they can be happy together. All they
have to do is erode the barriers Bluz has erected around his heart.
Chapter One
Treena Moreno stared into the face of death and patiently waited for her life to
pass before her eyes. It shouldn’t take long. Her unhappy childhood would lead to a
misspent youth. Then seven wasted years with the Bastard would culminate in this
ridiculous death at the hands of two lecherous idiots!
“Do you have anything else to say before I announce my decision?” the beady-
eyed magistrate asked with an arrogant sneer.
“You haven’t listened to a word I’ve said so far; why should I waste my breath?”
“You see --” Reverend Fatass swept his arm toward her dramatically. “-- only
Satan’s whore would have no fear of death. She has used her evil charms and nubile
body to bend unsuspecting mortals to her will.”
“It was my unwillingness to bend over your desk that landed me here!”
He gasped, his outrage remarkably believable. “Blasphemy! Entrust your soul
into my keeping and you might yet be saved.”
She had no doubt her penance would be paid on her hands and knees. No, thank
you! She’d take her chances with… A shiver of fear intruded on her bravado. Would
they actually go through with it? They were small-minded and backwards, sure, but
would they really drown her in the river?
“You are not her only accuser,” Magistrate Ferret-face reminded the reverend.
“Only a witch could know the things she knows.”
Treena rubbed her temples. Her big mouth had gotten her into some interesting
situations, but this one took the cake. The Bastard had flown to Ceallon, an isolated
outpost on the fringes of Sabrotine space, and stranded her here. A final shot at a dying
relationship, goodbye and good riddance.
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Knowing she’d be stuck in the settlement for months, perhaps longer, she’d done
her best to fit in. But becoming a country bumpkin was harder than she’d supposed.
Not only were they technological infants, their attitude toward women was prehistoric.
“Can you explain how you knew where to find young Jack?”
“Lucky guess?” Calm logic had been completely useless with these men, so she
loosened the stranglehold on her temper. They had dragged her out of her bed with
dawn’s first light, no warning or explanation. Her bare feet still ached from the snowy
trek across the village commons. “I didn’t realize saving a life was a crime.”
If she had been able to rescue the boy without assistance, she would have done
so then clouded his memory. But he’d been missing for two days and she couldn’t
endure the visions any longer. She’d guided the search party in the right direction as
opposed to telling them where to look. Then she’d made sure someone else actually
found him. There was nothing more she could do to avert their suspicion. She just
hadn’t been callous enough to let a nine-year-old die.
“Everything she said was true and nothing was harmful. How can you --”
“Silence!” Reverend Fatass lunged for his wife so suddenly the poor woman
tried to meld with the pew. Fate loved her little ironies. Not only did the village church
double as a courthouse, Reverend Fatass was the driving force behind this farce.
“We tolerate no witchery of any kind. We are a God-fearing people.” The
magistrate squared his shoulders and turned to his audience.
Treena crossed her arms over her breasts and tried not to shiver. Body heat alone
had raised the temperature in the church, but she still wore nothing but her calf-length
nightgown. The entire village had turned out for this charade. No jury of her peers or
defense attorney. The reverend and the magistrate were prosecutor, jury, and judge.
That only left… executioner. Her insides twisted and her mouth went dry.
“Mistress Treena was embraced by this community despite her oddities.” This
sounded a lot like a closing statement. “We provided her with an opportunity to
become a productive member of our society and she repaid us with treachery.”
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“Is it treacherous to save a life?” Jack’s mother objected in a tight, quiet voice as
he paused to take a breath.
“She also made rash accusations and created conflict.” Magistrate Ferret-face
showed no sign of softening toward the accused. It might be because Treena strongly
suggested he take responsibility for the young woman he’d impregnated and
abandoned in a shanty on the edge of town. Much to the chagrin of his wife. “She
intentionally stirs the flesh with her immodest garb and bold demeanor.”
Well, that much was true. She had a curvy figure and enjoyed showing it off.
Everyone here made their own clothes and she couldn’t thread a needle. She was only
here until she could catch a ride going anywhere else, so she hadn’t seen the need to
alter her appearance.
“She was swimming naked in the forest pool,” Reverend Fatass added. “Some
satanic ritual to be sure.”
“Now that’s just ridiculous.” Not the swimming naked part, just making skinny-
dipping a satanic ritual.
“You deny baring your body to the moonlight?” the magistrate asked.
“It’s called a bath. You should try it sometime. The question is, why was a man of
God lurking in the forest… or was he following me?”
“You’ve bewitched him,” someone offered.
“We are all bewitched.”
You are all ignorant imbeciles, who beat their wives and fuck their servants. She could
put up with many things, but hypocrisy pissed her off. “I agree that my ways are not
your ways. I noticed an abandoned cottage near the lake where I took my swim. How
about if I stay there until the next supply ship comes? I promise not to ‘bewitch’ anyone
else.”
The magistrate clutched his chest and staggered back a step. “Then you admit to
bewitching Reverend Pendergrass?”
Damn, she had walked right in to that. “I do not.”
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“She comes to me in dreams and torments me with… unspeakable acts of
depravity. I have not slept through the night since she arrived in our village,” Reverend
Fatass said. “Her evil spirits must be cast out or this community is damned.”
It was all she could do not to roll her eyes, but the pit of her stomach went cold
and trepidation gripped her heart. As ridiculous as this all seemed to her, they fully
intended to punish her for her “oddities.”
“Are you willing to submit yourself to Reverend Pendergrass? He will --”
“It’s either fuck that depraved old man or be drowned in the river?” She’d had
enough of this farce. Shoving back her chair so forcefully it toppled over, she glared at
her accusers. “Is that where this is leading?”
She ignored the startled gasps at her profanity. For three and a half hours she’d
subjected herself to their questions and their leering gazes. She’d been calm and honest,
carefully weighing every word.
“The fact that your mind immediately leapt to that conclusion is only further
proof of your depravity.” Fatass turned to Ferret-face and shook his head. “She is too far
gone. I can’t save her.”
Treena snorted. “I thought God alone could bestow salvation.”
“Drown the witch.” Someone near the back of the room whispered the phrase
and it rippled across the rows like a putrid wave. Their lust for violence was palpable
and disgusting. Treena’s heart slammed against the wall of her chest, launching her into
action.
She shoved Fatass aside and dodged Ferret-face’s hands, running as fast as her
legs would carry her. She would grab her things and disappear in the forest or hide in
the mountains beyond the --
Halfway down the narrow aisle someone caught her around the waist, trapping
her arms against her sides. She screamed and kicked back at her captor, twisting wildly.
He laughed and shoved her toward the door.
“Drown the witch! Drown the witch!”
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This couldn’t be real. Her captor was tall and strong, the blacksmith perhaps or a
woodcutter. He propelled her out of the church, a mob following in their wake. Cold air
stung her nose and snow crunched beneath her bare feet. She screamed again and
someone slapped her hard enough to snap her head against her captor’s shoulder.
Lights burst in front of her eyes and bile rose into the back of her throat.
“Please don’t do this,” Jack’s mother cried, hanging off the arm of Treena’s
captor. He flung her aside and trudged onward.
Treena dug her feet into the frosty grass and scratched at her captor’s forearm.
He ignored her fingernails and rushed her closer and closer to the half-frozen river,
which meandered through their charming village.
“This is crazy!” she cried. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Silence, witch.” Someone thrust a handkerchief into her mouth. She tossed her
head and pushed with her tongue, trying to dislodge the wad. They reached the river
and Fatass leaned in close, whispering into her ear, “It’s too late to save your corrupted
body. Concentrate instead on your immortal soul.”
The smug pleasure in the reverend’s tone reinforced her terror with fury. She
renewed her struggle, kicking up her legs and throwing her weight forward. Her captor
stumbled and others joined in. Hurtful hands and pinching fingers added indignation
to the mix.
They forced her to her knees on the sloping riverbank and she managed to dispel
the makeshift gag. “You can’t -- do this!”
The reverend knelt beside her and grabbed the back of her hair. “Admit your evil
deeds and beg for mercy. I might yet spare your life.”
She looked into his lust-filled eyes and her blood ran cold. Fucking her was no
longer enough. He would degrade her and abuse her in ways she didn’t want to
consider.
“Go to hell,” she snapped. “I’ll meet you there!”
With the help of the other men, he bent her forward. She twisted and thrashed,
sucking in a frantic breath before she hit the water. Icy liquid slapped her face and filled
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her nose. She jerked against their hold and fire branched across the back of her head, a
shocking contrast to the frigid deluge.
Panic clawed through thought and speculation. There was no glorious light, no
cosmic review of her life, just the dismal realization that she was about to die.
She was dragged from the rushing current. Gasping and sputtering, she
frantically blinked the water out of her eyes.
“Are you sure death is preferable to redemption?”
“Fuck you,” she said with less conviction.
He forced her deeper, submerging her to the hips. Pain crawled across her skin
as the freezing water rushed over her exposed flesh. She clawed at anyone she could
reach and turned her head sharply to bite one restraining hand. Sound distorted,
amplifying her thundering heartbeat. She could not die like this. She would not!
As if impacted by the ferocity of her desperation, her burly captor let go. The
reverend was off balance and stumbled. His weight pushed her under completely. She
elbowed him in the stomach and tugged her hair free of his hurtful grasp. With violent
kicks and weakening strokes, she propelled herself toward the surface.
Jazz leveled his pulse pistol at the apparent leader of the mob, ready to fire again.
Omid fished their prize out of the frosty river. She fought like a tigress, deaf to Omid’s
reassuring words.
“You have no right to interfere.” The leader had a long, narrow face and cold
dark eyes. “This woman has been justly convicted and sentenced --”
“Get her out of here! She’s done nothing wrong.” The woman’s defender was
grabbed from behind and silenced before she could say more.
Omid lost his grip on the accused and she landed on her hands and knees in the
snow. She coughed and gasped, her long black hair streaming to the frozen ground.
More naked than not, her slender body shook with violent shivers.
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Glancing at the men they’d blasted to make sure no one was seriously injured,
Jazz focused on the leader. “It looked a lot like you were trying to drown her. Did I
misunderstand what I saw?”
“Drowning is the sanctioned punishment for witchery.” His chin came up, but he
took a step back each time Jazz advanced. “Water is the only medium capable of
trapping the evil. Fire only makes it stronger.”
“You think she’s a witch?” Holy Mother Creator! Did such superstitions still
exist? “Omid, cover this brilliant individual.” As soon as his lieutenant shifted his
weapon, Jazz unzipped his coat and went to one knee beside the woman. “Would you
like to get out of here?”
She looked up through the dripping strands of her hair, her fathomless eyes wide
and disbelieving.
He draped his coat around her, careful not to touch her. “Your destination is up
to you, but I’m taking you inside until you warm up.” He smiled, hoping to put her at
ease.
“Thank -- you.” Her voice rasped and her body trembled as he helped her to her
feet. Her bare feet!
She clutched his arm and straightened her shoulders, tilting her chin to a defiant
angle as the crowd parted for them. Her movements were measured and Jazz felt pain
lance up his legs with each step she took. “Sweetheart, don’t be frightened. I’m going to
pick you up. Your feet can’t take much more of this.”
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw they were out of sight of the mob, and
collapsed into his waiting arms.
Jazz quickly snapped his pistol into the holster strapped to his thigh, then swung
her high against his chest. Her eyes drifted shut and she went completely slack. “You
want to explain this to Bluz or should I?”
Omid chuckled. “He’s your brother.”
“Yeah, but he likes you better.”
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The Chrysalis looked nearly as conspicuous in the open field as it would have if
they’d landed in the center of the provincial village. They didn’t need assistance or
supplies, just an opportunity to power down all systems so they could repair the
engines. Jazz had gone to ask permission for a short stay and the ruckus led him to the
river.
“Maybe I can stash her in my cabin and…”
Bluz stepped into view at the top of the ramp leading into the cargo bay. “What
the hell is that?”
Jazz laughed. “A woman. Has it been so long, you’ve forgotten what they look
like?”
“You’re not bringing her on my ship.”
“The Chrysalis is half mine.” They reached the bottom of the ramp and the
woman stirred in his arms.
“Why is she all wet?”
Omid snickered, but Jazz resisted the urge to piss off his brother with a smart
aleck reply. “The enlightened people of this village were trying to drown her in the
river. They think she’s a witch.”
“Is she?” He put his fists on his hips and narrowed his gaze.
“I don’t know.”
“We can’t stay here, sir,” Omid said. “We might have made a few enemies
during her rescue.”
Shaking his head, Bluz stepped to one side and allowed them on board. “Can
you ever leave the ship without getting into trouble?”
“It hasn’t happened yet,” Omid admitted.
They trudged up the alloy ramp, their footfalls echoing in the empty cargo bay.
As Jazz passed his brother, Bluz was presented with his first unobstructed view of their
guest.
“Damn,” he muttered.
“Damn indeed.”
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“Where are you taking her?”
“To my cabin.” They didn’t have an infirmary. The Chrysalis was a sleek, fast
smuggler. She operated with a minimal crew and reserved the majority of her space for
cargo. Bluz was clearly displeased with the decision, but he offered no alternative.
“We need to get out of here,” Omid reminded them. “It won’t take long for those
bastards to rally. If they show up with pitchforks and plowshares, we can ignore them.
I’d rather not find out the hard way that they’re more advanced than we thought.”
“Can we limp out to the inner moon?” Bluz asked. “You said the atmosphere
was breathable.”
Jazz headed off across the cargo bay. He was head of security. They didn’t need
his input to determine their next destination.
“I don’t want to risk losing auxiliary propulsion as well as our main thrusters. I’ll
find a clearing away from the other settlements.”
“Carry on.”
Bluz hurried after him and Jazz smiled. His surly big brother might pretend to be
indifferent to all things romantic, but Jazz knew better. There had been a time when
Bluz chased skirts more aggressively than he did, and that was saying a lot.
“Does she need a medic?” His gaze returned again and again to the woman,
worry creasing his brow. “Why is she so still?”
Their “medic” specialized in pulse burns and broken bones. Jazz suspected all
she needed was warmth and reassurance. Coming that close to death tended to rattle a
person. “I think she’s in shock. Wouldn’t you be if you’d nearly drowned?”
“What kind of people still drown witches? Are you sure she’s still breathing?”
Jazz glanced down at the tempting swell of her breasts, visible between the
gaping sides of his coat. “She’s still breathing.” He triggered the privacy panel to his
cabin with a voice command and placed her on his bed.
Even soaking wet, her hair formed perfect ringlets, a hint of silver shimmering in
the black. Her oval face was divided by a pert little nose. Pale and slightly parted, her
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lips were lushly curved and smooth. High cheekbones added dimension to her delicate
features and a thick fringe of black lashes rested against her ivory skin.
“Let’s get her out of these wet clothes.” Jazz ignored the pressure rising in his
crotch and the heat saturating his blood. His hands trembled as he spread his coat and
loosened the laces at the front of her… Was it a nightgown?
Bluz tested the saturation of her skirt before reluctantly assisting Jazz. They lifted
her arms from the wide straps and tugged the garment to her waist. Her breasts were
high and round, the nipples tightly puckered. As if in a trance, Jazz reached out to cup
one perfect globe only to have his brother catch his wrist.
“Behave.”
“Have you ever seen --”
“It doesn’t matter. She’s unconscious.”
Somewhat cowed by the sharp reminder, Jazz lifted her hips while Bluz tugged
the damp gown along her shapely legs. “Mother Creator, have I been in space that long
or is she spectacular?”
Bluz cleared his throat before admitting, “She’s spectacular.”
Jazz lifted her shoulders and Bluz tugged the coat out from under her. Bluz
pulled the bedding to her waist and passed it to Jazz. After tucking the blankets under
her chin, Jazz stepped back with a shuddering breath. It had been years since lust
stampeded through his system.
“She’s still shaking and her skin is icy.” Bluz briskly rubbed one of her arms.
Jazz wrestled his desire to the back of his mind and rubbed her other arm. Her
teeth chattered and the shivers intensified. Her lips were blue and her breathing seemed
labored.
“This is hypothermia, not shock,” Jazz said. “Get undressed. We’ve got to warm
her up fast.”
Chapter Two
Warmth curled through the numbing chill, drawing Treena back from the
slumbering void. Prickly sensations swelled into searing pain. She moaned and
writhed, unable to ease the cramping. Fingers rubbed her straining muscles, dispersing
the discomfort with firm pressure and heat. So many fingers, so many hands. Where
was she?
She inhaled, savoring the clean scent hanging in the air, yet unable to identify its
source. Each rolling spasm assured her she was still alive, so she welcomed the pain.
Was she dreaming? How had she gotten… wherever she was? And who was touching
her?
Calming her chaotic thoughts, she took stock of her surroundings. A man held
her snugly against his chest, their legs entwined. His hands stroked her naked body,
brushing the outer swell of her breasts, her hips, and thighs. It was a calming touch,
meant to soothe and comfort. Her neglected body responded immediately. Her core
pulsed to life and her nipples hardened.
The last thing she remembered clearly was being dragged from the church, bitter
cold blasting her face and making her feet burn. Then the river…
She pushed away from the man and raised her head. Iridescent eyes stared back
at her from a face both starkly male and graceful. The fascinating mixture of lavender,
purple and violet was echoed in his long hair. Lifting her hand from his shoulder, she
combed her fingers through the loose strands, captivated by the vivid color and the
silky texture.
“You’re real,” she whispered as a shiver slipped down her spine. Another person
pressed in close behind her and she gasped.
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“Don’t be alarmed,” her rescuer said. “That’s my brother Bluz. The river sucked
the heat right out of your body. We’re just making sure you’re warm.”
Their caressing hands and naked skin were making her more than warm. Electric
awareness danced along her nerve endings and sensation cascaded through her
abdomen. The unfamiliar scent was slightly stronger as she turned to look at the other
man. Heady and intoxicating, she breathed in the exotic scent. She didn’t care that she
was naked. She was safe. She was alive! And they were… beautiful.
Bluz looked very much like his brother, though their coloring was different.
Every imaginable shade of blue combined within his eyes and flowed through his sleek
hair. Unable to resist, she tucked the long strands behind his ear and sighed,
disappointed by their rounded shape.
“We’re from Limbaria,” he told her. “Many speculate that we’re descended from
elves, but no pointy ears.”
Their smooth skin had a faint pearlescence that made Treena anxious to explore.
She turned her attention back to her rescuer. “I don’t even know your name. Did I
thank you before?”
“My name is Jazz, and blasting those bastards was my pleasure.”
She smiled, sensing a kindred spirit. “I owe you my life.” His hand rested against
the underside of her breast, touching but not caressing her. She stared into his eyes, lost
in the wonder of cheating death. Each sensation was precious, each breath a gift. She
guided his hand to her breast and pulled his face toward hers.
After only the briefest kiss, he eased back. His hand still cupped her breast, but
his gaze clouded and regret shaped his expression. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I want to do this. I need…” For eight long months she’d suppressed her sensual
nature, ignored her sexual desires, and conformed. The narrow-minded villagers had
criticized her bold speech and immodest clothes. They’d accused her of lustful
intentions no matter what she did. They’d made her feel dirty and depraved. Sex was
not unnatural or evil. She needed balance restored to her life. But Jazz had
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misunderstood her too. She didn’t want to barter with her body. She just needed to feel
alive again. “I didn’t mean it as repayment. I’m sorry.”
He kissed the corner of her mouth, while his thumb brushed over her nipple. “If
you’re sure you want to play, I’d be happy to oblige.” Illustrating his claim, he kissed a
trail down the side of her neck and captured her nipple between his lips. She pushed
her fingers into his hair, encouraging the caress.
Bluz watched them through narrowed eyes, lips compressed, nostrils flared.
Even with the bedding covering his lower body, his conflict was obvious.
She reached for him with her other hand. “Kiss me, Bluz. Please.”
His gaze spread fire from her face to her breasts and back. I can’t take advantage of
her. She’s still delirious. Unbidden, his thoughts sounded within her mind.
“I’m not delirious. I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“You’re telepathic.” His tone was hushed with speculation. He swayed toward
her as he slipped his arm beneath her neck. “That’s why they thought you were a
witch.”
“That was part of it, but I’d rather talk after.” She smiled, tracing his lower lip
with her fingertips. “You aren’t afraid of witches, are you?” Jazz moved his hand to her
other breast, while he firmly suckled the first. She stroked his hair and rubbed her leg
between his, all the while staring into his brother’s eyes. “If you just want to watch, I
don’t mind. But I really want to kiss you.” She wanted to be brazen, to lose herself in
forbidden pleasures.
Lowering his face by degrees, Bluz covered her mouth with his. She sighed and
parted her lips, waiting for him to deepen the kiss. Surrounded by heat, luxuriating in
decadence, she arched and wiggled. All the cold, lonely nights fell away. She reveled in
the moment as possibilities scrolled through her mind.
Bluz pressed his palm to the side of her face and caressed her lips with his. An
occasional brush of his tongue kept her tense with anticipation. Jazz worked one nipple
with his mouth while he rolled the other with his fingers. His patience and
thoroughness made her restless for more.
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Tangling his fingers in her hair, Bluz finally pushed into her mouth. She groaned,
curling her tongue around his and inhaling his breath. He tasted as good as he smelled,
faintly spicy and undeniably male. He delved deeper and moved faster. Then his touch
started to roam.
For just a moment both brothers caressed her breasts. Framed by them, pressed
between them, she had never felt so wonderful. Bluz moved lower, rubbing her tummy
and cupping her mound. With a breathy sigh, she parted her thighs and made room for
his hand. Her pussy fluttered, ripe and ready for his questing fingers. His middle finger
parted her folds, hesitated, then pushed deeper. He rubbed across her clit on his way to
her opening. She clutched them to her, one man at each breast.
The firm pull of their mouths sent aching need curling deep into her abdomen.
Her clit throbbed and her head spun. This was wicked and she never wanted it to end!
Bluz pushed into her waiting passage. One finger? No, definitely two. She rolled
her hips, taking him deeper. Another hand teased her outer lips and gently rubbed her
clit. Bluz couldn’t be doing both. His other hand remained on her breast. They
combined their efforts, coordinating their caresses with effortless skill. Had they done
this before? She didn’t care, as long as they kept touching her.
Jazz worked his way up the side of her neck, turning her head so he could kiss
her. She opened for him and stroked her tongue over his. So similar, yet unique. His
tongue slid in and out of her mouth, while Bluz had lingered and caressed.
Sensations gathered in her core, tingling tension and restlessness. She arched as
Bluz thrust faster and Jazz circled her clit. Jazz held her chin, his kiss demanding. It was
so easy to imagine other ways they could pleasure her and she could pleasure them.
With a muffled cry, she came in rhythmic waves. Heat raced through her,
gaining speed as it spread outward. Bluz kept his fingers inside her until the last tremor
passed. Jazz nuzzled her neck and prolonged the spasms with careful strokes of his
thumb.
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Long moments passed as she basked in the afterglow. Bluz slowly withdrew his
fingers and raised them to his lips. He licked her cream from his skin, his gaze boring
into hers. Jazz noticed the direction of her stare and grinned.
“I prefer a more direct approach.” He scooted down the bed, but Bluz grabbed
his arm.
“No more. She was hurt and terrified. We are not going to exploit her
vulnerability.”
She nibbled at her bottom lip. Why was Bluz so insistent that this was
exploitation? Did he want her to beg? They’d only begun to fulfill her fantasies.
Bluz scooted off the end of the bed and snatched his pants off the floor. Jazz
trailed his fingers from her collarbone to her navel, making her shiver. She watched the
bunch and flex of Bluz’s compact butt before a mark on his back caught her eye. It
followed his spine from waist to the middle of his back, then branched out across his
shoulder blades and disappeared beneath his hair. Was it a tattoo? He pulled his shirt
down over the mark and turned around.
“Jazz, get out of her bed.”
“This is my bed,” Jazz objected, his gaze still fixed on her breasts.
“Not anymore. You’re bunking with Omid.”
“The hell I am. If…” Confusion creased his brow and he looked into her eyes.
“You never told me your name.”
“Treena.”
He continued as if he hadn’t paused. “If Treena wants me to sleep somewhere
else, I will. But I don’t take orders from you.”
“You might own half interest in this ship, but I am the commander. Get your
things and move them to --”
“Commander --” She sat up and reached for the sheet bunched at the foot of the
bed. “-- I’d rather he stayed here, if that’s all right with you. It takes me awhile to adjust
to new situations and I’m terrified of the dark.”
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Price of Passion
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Bluz raked his hair away from his face and shook his head. “Fine.” He turned his
angry gaze on his brother and went on, “Get her something warm to drink and
something to wear. She has had a terrible shock and you will treat her accordingly.”
Without waiting for his brother’s response, he left the cabin.
Jazz chuckled, propping himself up on his elbow. “The real shock is that he
touched you at all. He’s been on a sexual hunger strike for months.”
She understood that frustration all too well, though her hunger strike hadn’t
been self-imposed.
“Are you really afraid of the dark or did you just want the company?”
“I’m really afraid of the dark and I wanted the company.”
They stared at each other in silence for a moment. She waited for the sizzling
awareness to abate, but it only intensified. They’d brought her to climax, so why were
her senses still smoldering? She had never formed an attraction to anyone this rapidly.
Tucking the sheet beneath her arms, she struggled for something to say. “What
are you doing on Ceallon? I was told the supply ship wasn’t expected for another six
weeks.”
“We aren’t the supply ship. We just needed a place to set down and make
repairs.”
He trailed his fingertips along her spine, dipping into the crack of her ass. Her
eyes widened. She might have covered her front, but her back was obviously bare.
“How did a psychic human come to live among the xenophobes of Ceallon?”
She wasn’t human, but the distinction wasn’t important enough to correct. “It’s a
long story. I really would like something to drink, if it’s not too much trouble.”
He repeated the teasing caress. “And if it is too much trouble?”
“I’d like it anyway.”
Sitting as well, he turned her to face him and smiled into her eyes. “Somehow, I
think you like it best when it causes trouble.”
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 21 -
She licked her lips, amazed by the beauty of his iridescent eyes. There was a
wealth of emotion in his bright gaze -- warmth, compassion, and tenderness. Had she
really inspired all that?
“I don’t set out to start trouble.” She dragged her gaze away from his face,
intoxicated by the power of his stare. “Trouble has a way of finding me whether I want
it or not.”
“So I saw.” He kissed her chin, then brushed his lips against hers before scooting
off the side of the bed. “Anything in particular strike your fancy?”
“Any sort of herbal tea would be wonderful. Something sweet would be even
better.” Completely unashamed of his nakedness, he strolled to a compartment inset in
the wall and issued a sharp voice command. She admired his broad back and tight butt,
struck again by the similarity between the two brothers. “Are you two twins? And do
your names mean the same thing in your language that they do in Standard?”
“Bluz is two years my senior and our mother is a musician.” He glanced over his
shoulder as he added, “Our sisters are named Rock and Roll.”
She laughed. The sparkle in his eyes assured her he was joking. “All of those
genres are based on Earth. Is your mother human?”
He collected the steaming mug from the replication device and turned around.
Her breath hitched and she tried not to stare. Even semi-hard, his cock was long and
thick, the pearlescent quality more apparent than on the rest of his skin.
“Both of our parents are native to Limbaria,” he told her as he returned to the
bed. “Father observes the ancient traditions, avoiding other races as much as possible.
Mother toured extensively in her youth. They’re no longer together. I’m not sure they
ever really were.” He handed her the mug and sat down beside her. “Back to your
story. How did you end up on Ceallon?”
How much should she tell him? How much did he really need to know? She
blew on the hot tea and inhaled the sweet fragrance. Despite the rapid-fire events, she
felt comfortable with him. Perhaps too comfortable. The Bastard had taught her how
easy it was to misjudge attractive men.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 22 -
“This is nice,” she murmured.
“You’re stalling.”
“I left home when I was quite young.”
“How young?”
“Fifteen.”
“Damn, that is young to be on your own.” He tucked her hair behind her ear, his
fingers lingering against her skin. “Why did you leave? No, back up. Where was
home?”
The truth would reveal more than she was willing to share, so she said, “New
Cheyenne. My parents were miners and I wanted a different sort of life.” She had
wanted a vastly different life from the regimented customs ruling her parents, but
wrestilian ore had nothing to do with it.
“You said your parents were miners. Are they still alive?”
She shook her head, unable to speak the lie. “I ended up on Outpost Ten in sector
eight of Sabrotine space.”
“Skarbone Valley?”
His distress made her smile. SV Ten was not as bad as its reputation, if you knew
how to navigate its dangers. The outpost had once been the premier pleasure
destination for the Sabrotine elite. As the empire expanded and their ambitions led
them farther and farther abroad, many of the original outposts were taken over by less
desirable elements.
“How did you survive?” He raised his hand before she could answer and said,
“It’s none of my business. What brought you to Ceallon?”
She crossed her arms over her breasts and looked away from his handsome face.
Most of the people on SV Ten did whatever it took to survive. Crime was rampant, but
so was exploitation and… She couldn’t explain why, but she’d expected more
compassion from him.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 23 -
“I’m not a public pet, but what if I were? Have you ever fucked one?” The rise in
his discomfort told her all she needed to know. She stood and set the mug on the
nightstand. “I can’t believe that prejudice still exists.”
“You’re right.” He grabbed his pants off the floor and pulled them on. “I have no
right to criticize people who provide a service I’ve enjoyed. It’s a double standard and
I’m sorry.”
That was too easy, but she let go of her frustration with a sigh. She had no energy
left to argue with anyone. “I transformed myself into a gypsy and rented a little shop. I
read auras and gave predictions.”
“Your clairvoyance is real. Why would you need to transform yourself into
someone else?”
“Fortune telling is allowed under the Entertainment Codes as long as each
session begins with a disclaimer. Genuine clairvoyance is not sanctioned by the
Sabrotine Federation.”
“I see. How long were you on the outpost?”
“A long time,” she evaded, adjusting the sheet more snugly around her body.
“And to answer the question that started this entire tangent, I met a man. He was a
dashing Sabrotine pilot and he filled my eyes with stars and made me dream of a better
life than I would ever find on SV Ten.”
He crossed to the replication bank and made himself a beverage. “Do you want
more tea?”
“I’m fine.” She crossed her arms over her breasts, keeping the sheet in place and
helping her feel less naked.
“Go on.”
She cleared her throat and resumed her story. “The Bastard visited me every
time a mission brought him anywhere near the outpost. This went on for years. Then he
swore he couldn’t be separated from me and the thought of me unprotected in such a
dangerous place tormented him. How he had survived the torment for the first five
years, I can only imagine.”
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 24 -
“Passengers aren’t allowed on Sabrotine ships. What was the Bastard’s
solution?”
“He offered to requisition a cottage in one of their spousal communities.
Socializing with the other spouses while we patiently waited for our men to rotate
home for a few weeks didn’t sound like a good time to me. If it would have been a
temporary arrangement, I might have considered it. But I’d known the Bastard long
enough to realize if it ever came down to the Federation or me, I didn’t stand a chance.”
“You wouldn’t be this angry if that were the end of the story.”
“I’m not angry.” She flashed a playful smile. “I’m bitter. Anger requires a lot
more energy.”
His mobile lips returned her smile, yet his eyes revealed concern. If she’d sensed
pity, she might not have told him the rest, but it had been a very long time since anyone
showed her compassion.
“What was the alternative to the spousal community?” he prompted when she
didn’t immediately continue.
“Sabrotine ships don’t allow passengers, but they allow pets.” She rushed on
before disdain could harden his expression. “I got my officer’s certification, which
protected me from the rest of the crew. No one could touch me unless the Bastard
rescinded his… ownership of me.”
“What about his commander?”
“Good question.” She heaved a sigh and turned away, not brave enough to
watch his reaction. “I thought it was a grand adventure. I would see distant planets and
enjoy the intimacy of being with the man I loved. Being a pet appealed to a part of my
nature I’d never acknowledged before. The first few months were amazing. I was an
obedient pet and my master indulged me outrageously.”
“What happened after the first few months?”
“The Bastard lost interest in his pet and I saw aspects of his personality that I
didn’t like at all.” She shuddered as memories inundated her mind. It was hard to
decide which had hurt her worse, his sporadic cruelty or his utter indifference. “We’d
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 25 -
been fighting for weeks. The cook allowed me to sleep in the galley, but he couldn’t
protect me from the crew. I knew it was only a matter of time before someone
challenged the Bastard.”
“I don’t know that much about -- pets.” He stumbled over the word, clearly
unsettled by the concept. “You were an officer’s pet, so only an officer could claim you,
right?”
“Correct. But none of the other officers could touch me until the Bastard
relinquished his claim.”
“Did he fight for you?”
She snorted her derision. “I think you know the answer to that one. The
commander requisitioned my services and the Bastard had no objection. He saw it as a
way to advance his career. Commanders create opportunities for the officers in their
good graces. If I could endear him to his commander, he probably would have tied me
to his bed.”
“And you had no say in this?”
“I frantically read my contract and was appalled to realize I had no legal
recourse. The commander was within his rights to requisition any resource on the ship
and I had become the property of the Sabrotine Federation when I signed my contract.”
“I’m so sorry.” Pity tinged his tone. Thank God the story was almost over.
“You don’t know me very well if you think I passively accepted the situation. I
was a fool to sign a contract I didn’t fully understand, but I had no intention of
submitting my body to a man I despised. I stole an escape pod and set off for the
nearest outpost.”
“Not that I’m complaining, but why didn’t they shoot you out of the sky?”
“And destroy a valuable escape pod?” She laughed. “Have you ever dealt with
the Federation?”
“We operate under a Sabrotine charter, but it’s a recent development.”
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
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“I’m not so lucky. I’ve dealt with various members of the Federation for most of
my life. They’re greedy and ruthless and have the misguided impression that they own
the entire galaxy.”
“As I understand it, that’s not far from true.”
“Which doesn’t make it right.”
He inclined his head, acknowledging her statement without agreeing or
disagreeing with her position. “How did you end up on Ceallon?”
“The Bastard was sent to clean up the mess he’d made.”
“Does the Bastard have a name?”
“Lieutenant Commander Arrik McGuire, Prick Extraordinaire.”
His lips twitched as he fought back a stubborn smile. “LC McGuire for short?”
“No, the Bastard is the only acceptable diminutive of that man’s name.” She
narrowed her gaze and looked at him with new interest. “Do you know him? He’s been
assigned to the outer sectors for as long as I’ve known him.”
“I’ve heard the name, but never dealt with him directly.” Any hint of amusement
left his expression as he asked, “What did cleaning up his mess entail?”
“He’d been ordered to recover the escape pod and find a suitable punishment for
me.”
“So, he deserted you on a primitive outpost, filled with bigots and superstitious
fools?”
“That about sums it up. He dressed me in one of my most provocative gowns
and ‘set me adrift’ outside the main village. I was there eight months… and you know
the rest.”
“I know they found you guilty of ‘witchery’ and I interrupted your execution.”
He followed the contour of her face from her temple to the tip of her chin, brushing his
index finger lightly across her skin. It was barely a caress and still her lips tingled and
her pulse accelerated. “What I don’t understand is how they learned of your
clairvoyance.”
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 27 -
“I have prophetic visions.” She watched his eyes, waiting for the suspicion or
distrust she’d encountered so often. His gaze remained curious as he waited for a more
detailed explanation. “Sometimes they’re just flashes of insight and sometimes they
foretell events. The flashes are a pain in the ass. I can’t control them and I seldom want
to know what they reveal.”
“Give me an example.” His wandering fingers drifted back across her cheek.
“I bumped into a woman as I passed her on the street and saw the magistrate in
bed with her. The magistrate is married and this woman was very pregnant and
painfully undernourished. It infuriated me and I made the mistake of thinking I could
shame him into doing something to better her situation.”
He dragged his fingers through her hair, not grasping, just making her
undeniably aware of his touch.
“He didn’t respond well to your suggestions?”
“Well, they started out as suggestions, but his indifference made me more
outspoken than I probably should have been.”
He stepped closer and rested his hands on her shoulders. “Was the magistrate,
perchance, actively involved in your trial?”
“That would be a fair assessment.”
“Were there other incidents?”
She nodded. “A little boy fell down a ravine and broke his leg. No one had any
idea where to look for him, until I saw him in a vision. I tried really hard not to let them
realize how I’d figured it out, but it was impossible to explain.”
“So they used your compassion against you?” Disbelief finally appeared in his
gaze, yet it was reflected on her behalf not to her detriment. She wrapped the
realization around her like a blanket, letting it soothe her inner chill.
“They’re mean-spirited and hypocritical and I’ve never been so relieved to be
away from anywhere in my life.” She purged her mind with a cleansing breath and
changed the subject, determined to know more about her charming rescuer. “What did
you do before you started running cargo for the Sabrotine?”
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 28 -
He lowered his hands to his sides as he became the focus of the conversation.
“We actually ran the Sabrotine blockade of a planet called Palonti until a short time
ago.”
Feeling the absence of his touch with her entire body, she reluctantly asked,
“What made you switch sides?”
“Self-preservation. The Palontian empire fell and we met a very successful
Sabrotine privateer. He showed us that doing business with the Federation was
different than joining their cause.”
“Anyone who willingly does business with them is joining their cause.”
He arched his brow and a challenging smile curved his lips. “Were you this
passionately opposed to the Federation before the Bastard betrayed you?”
He had a valid point which annoyed her even more than his defense of her
enemy. “How long will it take for you guys to finish your repairs?”
“It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days.”
“And where are you headed next?”
It took him much longer to answer. Why had that question upset him?
“I’m not sure.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’d take you with us
in a minute, but it’s not up to me. Any time Bluz and I disagree on a decision that
directly affects the crew, they vote and the outcome is final.”
“Why would they vote against giving me a ride?”
“The Chrysalis has never carried passengers and our charter reinforces that rule.
The crew is never going to risk losing our charter, regardless of my feelings on the
matter. I’ll make sure you have plenty of credits to book passage on the next transport.”
He obviously didn’t understand the situation. They had just left the only village
that accepted offworld deliveries. There was no such thing as a passenger transport on
Ceallon.
She took a deep breath and considered her options. He had been kind and she
didn’t want to take advantage of his generous nature. Unfortunately, she had precious
little with which to barter.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 29 -
“How large is your crew?”
“Twelve men. Why?”
“How many officers?”
He shook his head, easily guessing what she was thinking. “Bluz will never
allow it.”
“How many?”
“Bluz and I are the only officers.”
Perfect. The electric attraction arced between them still and she was every bit as
fascinated with Bluz as she was with Jazz. If they would just give her the opportunity,
she would… She suppressed the hope bubbling up within her. Allowing herself to
dream only made reality harder to bear.
One step at a time, Treena. Get your ass off this planet. She cleared her throat and
refocused her thoughts. “Is the crew allowed to vote on personal matters?”
“I have no interest in owning you.”
“And I have no interest in staying here! Your charter is not at risk if you contract
a pet. All of my certifications are still valid.” She loosened her hold on the sheet,
exposing the upper curve of her breasts. “What do you have to lose, Master?”
Chapter Three
Jazz took a deep breath and forced his gaze away from Treena’s tantalizing
cleavage. “I am nobody’s master.”
“It’s just a word.” She took a step closer, a heady mixture of determination and
desire illuminating her dark eyes.
He caught her upper arms and held her away from him. “I’ve had masters and
so have you. We both know it’s a whole lot more than a word.”
“You’ve had masters?”
“Not in the sexual sense. Bluz and I were pressed into service when we were
little more than children. The original owner of the Chrysalis bought us along with the
ship.” He shook his head and admitted, “We were sold with the Chrysalis three times
before we ended up with Ivy.”
She smiled, mischief relaxing her expression. “You served a female
commander?”
“Next to Bluz, she was the best of the lot.”
For a long, tense moment she just stared into his eyes. All the pain and bitterness
accumulated over the past few years were there for her to see. He longed to shelter her,
to show her how she deserved to be treated, how he would treat her, if he were free to
love her. But his life made a romantic relationship impossible.
“The only village that has any contact with offworlders is the village we just left.
How can I arrange for transport if I can’t go back there?”
“Is that true or is it just what needs to be said to gain my cooperation?” He
waited for her indignation, a shocked gasp or petulant pout. He couldn’t be distracted
by her beauty.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 31 -
“It’s true.” Uncertainty flashed for an instant before she looked away. “If you
don’t want me, we can make this strictly a business arrangement. I’ll find a way to
repay you once we reach civilization.”
He cupped her chin and turned her head back around. “I’ve hardly thought of
anything except how much I want you since we fished you out of the river.”
“Then let’s draw up a contract. It will protect me and --”
“Bluz will be furious.”
“Are you afraid of your brother?”
He chuckled. “No, but you should be. If we push him hard enough, you might
find yourself requisitioned again.” Her gaze darted away and a telling flush crept up her
neck. “Is that what you’re hoping?”
“I’m extremely attracted to both of you, but I didn’t think it would be a problem.
When you two touched me, you seemed… that is I got the impression you had…”
He took pity on her and said, “The opportunities for bond-servants to fuck are
few and far between. Our first sexual encounter happened at the same time with the
same woman. After that it seemed almost unnatural to fly solo.”
“You and I can get to know each other better and let the rest develop naturally.”
Her mischievous smile returned. “Until Bluz decides to end his sexual hunger strike, I’ll
do my best to make your solo flights as enjoyable as possible.”
“And if Bluz decides to punish you?”
“It depends what you mean by punishment.”
“He has never intentionally harmed a woman and I wouldn’t allow it even if he
had.”
“Then I see no downside to the arrangement.” Her expression was open and
guileless as she said, “I want to explore what’s happening between us.”
“If what you said about the settlements is true, I’ll contract your services.”
Holding her in his arms and kissing those soft lips had only left him hungry for more,
much, much more. “There is one condition, however.”
“What’s that?”
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 32 -
“Don’t call me master.”
She inclined her head, hiding her expression with the fall of her wildly curling
hair. “What would you like me to call you?”
“How about Jazz?”
“All right, Jazz.” She slowly licked her lips. “Would you like a sample while you
wait for verification of my information? It’s customary, you know.”
He sat on the edge of the bed, concealing the sudden weakness in his knees. This
was ridiculous. He had never been this affected by a lover, never felt a connection so
tangibly. A laugh bubbled up within him. He hadn’t even fucked her yet!
“Why don’t you start with a preview? Show me all those glorious curves.”
Her smile turned wicked and she loosened the sheet even more. It dipped low
over her breasts, revealing one dusky nipple. Before he could enjoy the view, she turned
around and unwound the sheet, holding the trailing ends out to either side of her body.
She wiggled and swayed, rubbing her delectable ass against the filmy material.
His cock hardened, expanding to unprecedented proportions. His fingers itched
and he fought back a wolfish grin. He didn’t have to stop this time. He could touch all
he wanted -- and taste!
“More,” he urged.
She opened one fist and the sheet slipped to her knees, revealing those soft ass
cheeks and the shadowed cleft between. Shifting her legs apart, she folded the sheet
into a neat square, then bent from the waist and placed it on the floor.
Holy Mother Creator, he was in serious trouble. His cock bucked and his balls
tightened until he wanted to howl. Her position displayed her sex and the tiny rosette
above. He wanted to kneel behind her and thrust his tongue into her cunt. Then he’d
finger-fuck that tight little ass while she wiggled and moaned.
“Very nice,” he croaked out as she straightened.
She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “You approve?” Gathering her waist-
length hair with both hands, she piled the thick mass on top of her head. This presented
him with her slender back and merciless glimpses of her full breasts.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 33 -
Doing his best to sound assertive with his mouth so dry he could hardly speak,
he said, “Keep your arms raised and turn around. I want to see the rest.” One step
offered him the most spectacular profile he’d ever seen. With a second step, she faced
him, arms raised, one knee bent. His chest tightened right along with his cock. “Come
here.”
He spread his legs, making room for her to stand between them. Her nipples
hardened, their pink hue darkening to dusky rose. Reaching behind her, he caressed her
ass, savoring the velvety texture before squeezing the firm mounds. He bent toward her
breast, but she leaned back, taking her nipple out of reach.
“A sample is all you’re allowed --” She released her hair and lowered her arms.
“-- until the contract is signed.” Her long black curls cascaded down her body,
concealing her breasts and brushing against his arms.
The resolve in her tone annoyed him. He didn’t want this to be a negotiation. He
wanted to discover all her secrets and feel her eager hands stroking him in return.
“What are my options?”
“Oral stimulation is the most common form of sampling. Pleasure can be given
or received. The choice is yours.”
He pictured her on her knees between his legs, breasts swaying as her head
bobbed. Her warm lips and wet tongue would… But licking her cream-soaked pussy
was easily as appealing. Why didn’t he just sign the contract now?
He reined in his libido with the last of his rational mind. Regardless of her
fabulous packaging, she was a stranger to him. She’d made a claim he could easily
verify. It was foolish not to do so before entangling his life with hers.
“What if I want to give and receive?” he asked.
Her gaze swept down the length of his body and her lips parted in an
appreciative smile. “That’s permissible. Would you prefer the top or bottom?”
Again his vivid imagination made the decision harder than it should have been.
Having her above him, straddling his face, would offer him greater access to her
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 34 -
succulent flesh. Yet the thought of pressing her into the bed while he thrust into her
mouth sent a hot rush of lust crashing into him.
He stood, intentionally rubbing his chest against her breasts. “Undress me.”
Her deft fingers unfastened his pants and eased them to mid-thigh. She caressed
his hips and squeezed his ass, pushing her fingers deep into his crack. He reached for
one of her breasts, but she twisted away and shook her head.
“You chose oral stimulation.”
“I can’t touch you?”
“You may place your hands on my hips while you eat my pussy.” Her voice
dropped to a husky whisper. “But everything else will have to wait until our
arrangement is solidified.”
He narrowed his gaze, dominant urges rising within him. She was offering him
choices, alluding to his authority, but he knew better. By disallowing certain options,
she remained in control.
“Get on the bed,” he growled.
Uncertainty flickered within her eyes; then she averted her gaze and obeyed.
That instant of hesitation was all it took to defuse his aggression. Dominating a
willingly submissive partner was one thing. He enjoyed asserting his sexuality when his
partner found pleasure in the passive role. Still, no power in the universe would
motivate him to frighten or abuse Treena after all she’d been through.
He gentled his expression and softened his tone. “I want to look at you.”
She arranged herself on her back, tense and waiting. “You’ve been looking at me
since I dropped the sheet.”
“What did you expect?” He tugged off his boots and finished undressing. “You
are easily the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Tension melted from her posture, replaced by anticipation. She spread her hair
out over the pillows and bent her knees. Dragging his gaze away from her lovely face,
he took a moment to appreciate her breasts, before focusing on the apex of her thighs.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 35 -
Her pubic hair was dark and neatly trimmed. How had she managed that on this
primitive world?
She eased her legs apart and his speculation evaporated. Her delicate folds
peeked out, waiting for his intimate exploration. He crawled onto the bed and knelt
between her thighs, tracing her slit with the tip of one finger.
“I thought you wanted to receive as well as give.” Her tone sounded breathless
and shaky.
“I want to focus on you first; then we’ll enjoy each other.”
He stroked her inner thighs and passed his fingers over her mound, using his
thumb to tease her folds. She’d endured so much, subjugated herself for so long. He
wanted to show her what it felt like to be cherished. Kissing his way from her knee to
her slit, he followed the intriguing crease once with the tip of his tongue, then moved
up the inside of her other leg.
“Oh, Jazz.” Her thighs shook and her belly quivered. Parting her outer lips with
his thumbs, he warmed her with his breath. “Please.”
Again and again he blazed a path from her clit to her anus. He wanted to thrust
his fingers into her openings, to feel her warm flesh clench around him, but he knew
she’d object. This was a sample, a taste of all the pleasures waiting for him once Treena
was… his pet.
He closed his lips around her clit, pressing and gently sucking. She seemed
comfortable with the title, but pet felt far too similar to slave. She bucked, grinding
against his mouth, so he pulled back and looked at her passion-flushed pussy. Cream
trickled from her passage, disappearing into the shadowed crease between her ass
cheeks. He wanted to follow that tantalizing path with his tongue and then his fingers.
Had the Bastard taught her all the ways a woman could be taken?
“Shall I pleasure you now, sir?” She sounded nearly as rattled as he felt. He’d
stopped before she came, knowing he wouldn’t last long once he felt the velvet heat of
her mouth.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 36 -
“Move away from the wall.” He helped her scoot down, making room for his
legs. She looked so small, and soft, and vulnerable. His heart leapt within his chest.
She licked her lips and raised her arms, passion shining in her eyes. “I’m not as
fragile as I look.”
Suppressing the last of his hesitation, he moved into position, kneeling on either
side of her face. “If you want me to stop for any reason, just dig your fingernails into
my ass.”
A siren’s smile parted her lips. “What if I just want to dig my fingernails into
your ass?”
He groaned and a bead of moisture formed on the tip of his cock. Before he could
think of another means of communication, she captured the drop on her tongue and
closed her lips around his rock hard shaft.
Wet heat enveloped him. Scalding sensations rocketed through his body as her
tongue swirled and her lips slid. He tossed his head, fighting desperately against the
orgasm thundering toward him.
Grasping the back of her knees, he spread her legs wide and pressed his lips
against the outer lips of her sex. She murmured, rolling her hips, while he licked her
folds and circled her clit. He breathed in her scent, savored her taste, then thrust his
tongue right into the core of her body.
* * *
“It’s no use, commander,” Omid said. He motioned toward the reactor behind
him with a discouraged shake of his head. “I’ve tried every trick I know. The wrestilian
injectors have to be replaced.”
Bluz nodded. The news wasn’t a surprise. Omid had repaired the injectors twice
already, replacing them was inevitable. “And the Limbarian lunar cluster is the nearest
outpost with maintenance facilities.”
“Unfortunately. I know you’d rather be anywhere than your homeworld.”
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Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Bluz did a quick calculation. “It will take at least
three days to reach the nearest moon and probably another two for your team to
complete the installation.”
“It’s a relatively simple procedure once we have the parts, but we really have no
other choice.”
Bluz activated his comlink and told the pilot to lay in a course for Limbaria, then
turned back to his engineer. “Can you keep her running until we reach the moon?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“You always do.” Bluz headed for the doors leading out of the power station.
“Commander.”
Glancing over his shoulder he waited for Omid to go on.
“What are you going to do with the woman? I know Jazz’s affinity for strays
drives you crazy, but this time was different. If we hadn’t come along when we did,
she’d be dead.”
“No one on board will fault you for intervening. I’d like to think every member
of this crew would have done the same.”
“But?”
“But our assistance has to stop there.” He kept his tone calm yet emphatic,
knowing he’d repeat the speech the next time he saw Jazz. “If our charter is revoked all
charges against us are reinstated. Has my soft-hearted brother forgotten that fact? We’re
under contract with the Sabrotine Federation for the next five years. It’s either work for
them, without incident, or rot in one of their penal facilities. I don’t need to imagine
what that’s like; I can remember.”
Omid returned to his work without another word, a rare occurrence for the
outspoken engineer.
As Bluz entered the main corridor, he accessed the telepathic link he shared with
Jazz. They’d both had time to calm down, to analyze the situation without…
Consuming desire blasted his senses and he staggered to a stop, grasping the wall for
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balance. Jazz was fucking Treena! Despite his express order forbidding the act, Jazz was
fucking her.
A violent surge of jealousy accompanied the telepathic sample of his brother’s
lust. Bluz thought back on what he’d said as tingling heat played havoc with his calm.
He’d insisted Treena be treated with respect and told Jazz to consider her recent
trauma. He hadn’t specifically told Jazz to keep his dick to himself. Obviously his
orders had been too vague.
Grumbling under his breath, he entered his cabin and crossed to the workstation
in the far corner of the small room. Had Jazz locked out the surveillance feed? There
was no reason for Bluz to spy on them, except for the gnawing hunger consuming his
heart. He needed to see her again, if only on a vidscreen.
“Why are you doing this to yourself?”
The answer was simple. In the three years since the Genadda debacle, Treena
was the only woman who had interested him in the least. He hadn’t lost his sexual
appetite. He’d just had no desire to develop more than a passing flirtation.
Then he’d seen Treena’s lovely face and touched her soft body. He’d held her in
his arms and sensed her fierce spirit. With one kiss she’d awakened longings he’d
abandoned long ago.
His fingers hovered over the controls. Did he really want to see them? He knew
good and well what they were doing. Jazz would never fuck an unwilling woman, but
there were many forms of consent. She might accept his advances out of obligation.
Bluz raked his hair out of his eyes and smiled at the feeble justification. He
wanted to see her, period. She had responded readily when they touched her. Being
with two men hadn’t intimidated her in the least. Was it possible they’d found… She
was human. What point would there be in mating with a female who could never bear
their children? There were so few of his people left, they had to consider such things.
Letting the complication slip to the back of his mind, he accepted his weakness
and activated the security grid. Treena lay on her back as Jazz fucked her mouth with
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long, even strokes. Bluz forced himself to breathe, unable to drag his gaze away from
the erotic scene.
Jazz arched over her, his face buried between her thighs. Bluz couldn’t see
exactly what Jazz was doing. Still, her urgent cries and muffled gasps made it obvious
she was enjoying his attentions. She bucked beneath Jazz and he wrapped his arms
around her hips.
Helpless to resist the temptation, Bluz sank into his brother’s mind. He inhaled
her scent and the salty, sweet taste of her cream filled his mouth. Why did she taste so
sweet? He could feel her hot folds pressed against his lips, while Jazz thrust his tongue
into her cunt. She shuddered, her inner muscles rippling as Jazz drew out her orgasm
with ruthless skill.
Jazz arched his back and thrust one last time. Blinding pleasure rolled across the
telepathic link, knocking Bluz out of the meld. Panting harshly, Bluz watched on the
monitor as Jazz shuddered and moaned, his cock buried deep in her mouth.
Ignoring the painful pressure in his groin, Bluz scrubbed his face with his hands.
It had been months since he fucked a woman, longer still since he… His gaze focused
on his brother’s back as a pattern emerged through his skin. Combining the same
purple hues as his hair, the cords of pigmentation intertwined along his spine, then
branched out across his shoulders.
He rubbed his eyes and refocused on the image. The pattern was still there. How
was this possible? Bluz adjusted the surveillance feed, zooming in on his brother’s back.
The twisting pattern was unmistakable, testadermian flare.
Anger burned through his confusion. No human could make a Limbarian flare. It
was a physiological impossibility. If Treena wasn’t human, what species was she? And
why was she misrepresenting herself?
His audiocom beeped, interrupting his speculation.
“Go ahead.”
“You asked me to scan the surface for anything resembling a space station.”
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He triggered visual when he heard Lenstat’s voice. The science officer was on the
bridge, looking rather haggard. They’d all busted their asses trying to keep the Chrysalis
operational. “What did you find out?”
“Only three of the settlements are capable of long range communications, and
I’m talking across continents, not offworld. The only settlement that has direct contact
with offworlders is the one we just left.”
“Are you sure?”
“They’re living in the dark ages and seem content to stay that way.” He
shrugged one shoulder and fiddled with something on his control panel. “I intercepted
a message meant for one of the Sabrotine commanders shortly after I started scanning.
The transmission was so degraded I have no idea if it reached SF headquarters or not.”
“Audio only?”
“Barely even that. I could only pick out random words.”
“Who was the recipient?”
“Arrik McGuire. It was sent general delivery.”
Which meant the sender didn’t know where the commander was stationed.
Curious, though likely unimportant. Still, he better check with Traborn just to be sure.
“Thanks.”
“Does this have something to do with the woman in your brother’s cabin?”
Lenstat asked with a sly smile.
“What woman?” Bluz leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest.
“We aren’t permitted to transport passengers. I’m sure you were misinformed.”
Lenstat laughed. “If you say so, sir.”
Chapter Four
Arrik McGuire reclined in the simulator waiting impatiently for the program to
begin. It was ironic that the best entertainment emporium in the star system was found
on a penal moon. Only after ten years of rehabilitation and mental conditioning was
any inmate considered for reintegration into the minimum security areas of Limbarian
society. Few were ever allowed to leave. Most menial tasks in the booming pleasure
district were assigned to “reformed” inmates.
The Cosmic Cabaret was Limbaria’s pride and joy, the most successful nightclub
on a moon crowded with similar facilities. Every imaginable pleasure could be found
within its walls. State-of-the-art technology, combined with an extraordinary staff,
provided the exclusive clientele with anything they desired.
Light flashed and a stinging pulse passed through Arrik’s eyes and along his
optic nerves. Similar sensations erupted all over his body as hundreds of sensory relays
initialized. This was the fourth time he’d visited the Cabaret. Each time the Limbarian
programmers provided a simulation closer to his memory. Perhaps this time they
would succeed in creating the perfect fantasy.
A silhouette appeared out of the darkness, with luminous skin and dark, curly
hair. She was naked. Her gaze was downcast as was proper for an obedient pet.
Without having to be told, she knelt and clasped her hands behind her back, thrusting
her breasts forward.
“How may I please you, master?” the simulation asked.
Her skin was a bit too pale and her tone far too subservient. Treena never
surrendered completely. There had always been part of her distant and unattainable. If
she’d given herself without reservation, he never would have sent her away.
“Do you love me, Treena?”
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“You know I do.”
“Will you do anything for me?”
“Of course, master.”
She still hadn’t raised her head and there was no inflection in her tone. He
accessed the control panel and upped her anxiety level before launching the newest
phase of the program.
“Come here.” She crawled toward him, her hair brushing the floor as she went.
When she knelt before him, she glanced up, fear knitting her delicate brow. “I would
never hurt you. Do you believe that?”
“Why are you asking me, if it’s not a possibility?”
Much more authentic. Challenge had always tainted her submission. “I only
want what’s best for you, what’s best for us.”
“What do you consider best for us?”
He chuckled, noting the subtle distinction. “A secure future, where we can
indulge our every desire.”
“What is your desire?” She risked another nervous glance. “You haven’t told me
what to do.”
“I want you to take my cock in your mouth and close your eyes. You will suck
me gently… keep me hard without making me come. Can you do that?”
“Why don’t you want to come? If you do, I’ll make you hard again.”
“Not this time. I have something else in mind.” She looked around the empty
room, then licked her lips. “That’s right,” he encouraged. “Offer me your mouth.”
“May I touch you with my hands?”
“No, keep your hands on the floor.”
The position was a bit awkward, but she managed. She opened her mouth and
he rocked forward. Heat encased his cock, moisture and a distinct pressure as if lips slid
up and down his shaft. Goddess, these Limbarians were good.
He triggered the second image, thrilled at the detailed likeness of his former
commander. Powerful body and brutish features, even his cock looked brutal, like a
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battering ram or a club. He approached with his characteristic strut, lust gleaming in his
eyes.
“Oh, McGuire, she’s even more amazing than I’d imagined.” He fisted his cock
and stroked himself to greater hardness. “This might hurt a bit, pet. I’m a good deal
bigger than your master.”
“She’ll do anything you want, sir. I only ask that we play with her together. It
would please me greatly to watch you master her.”
“Permission granted.” He knelt behind the pet and lifted her hips to the perfect
angle, then drove his full length into her cunt with one violent thrust. She cried out and
the pressure on Arrik’s cock intensified.
“Don’t you bite me, bitch!” The sting instantly eased and she whimpered.
The captain plowed into her, fucking her fast and hard. Arrik twisted her long
hair around his hand and matched his movements to the solid rhythm of the other man.
They crammed into her as if they were trying to meet in the middle. His cock bucked
and pulsed, his balls drawn up and aching.
This was all he’d wanted. One night of sacrifice would have secured their future
and --
“Oh, fuck…” He came in hot spurts, his eyes closed against the overwhelming
stimulation. It wasn’t supposed to end here. He’d wanted her to climb on top of him, so
the captain could fuck her ass.
The images flickered, then faded. Darkness swallowed his mind for an instant
before he returned to reality.
“Was everything to your satisfaction, Commander McGuire?”
He couldn’t very well complain because he’d lost control. “The simulation was
much improved. I look forward to our next session.”
An attendant arrived to help him dress after leisurely cleaning his body with
warm, scented cloths. Arrik left the simulation station and found a place at the massive
bar. Holodancers undulated and swayed as they gracefully shed their clothing. The
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Cosmic Cabaret was one of the few nightclubs that still boasted live entertainment. The
holodancers just filled the time in between shows.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked. Her voice had the synthesized timbre
mandated for every IA, which was a damn good thing because she looked completely
organic.
“House ale is fine. I’m not going to be here long.” He’d reserved two public pets
for the entire night, an extravagance few could afford.
“Pity.” She flashed a flirtatious smile that was completely wasted on Arrik, then
went to fetch his beverage.
His audiocom vibrated and he looked at the tiny display to see who had dared to
interrupt his leisure outing. His communications officer stared back at him, patiently
waiting for a response. Arrik sighed and opened the link.
“This had better be important. I haven’t been off-duty for sixteen months.”
“I honestly couldn’t say. An audio transmission arrived a few minutes ago from
the magistrate of some place called Ceallon. It is addressed to you and you alone.”
Arrik’s heart lurched for an instant before resuming a regular rhythm. “Send it to
suite thirty-nine at the Cosmic Cabaret.”
* * *
Treena snuggled against Jazz’s side as she struggled to catch her breath. He’d
turned around and pulled her into his arms moments after his shattering climax. She
didn’t want to move, was nearly afraid to blink or find it had been a spectacular
fantasy.
All of her life she’d dreamed of finding her perfect mate, the other half of her
soul. She’d longed to be rescued and protected, cared for and loved. After her years
with the Bastard, she’d dismissed the concept as romantic nonsense. Yet that shriveled
part of her soul had flickered back to life when she woke up between two Limbarians.
The cabin vibrated and swayed, abolishing her dreamy thoughts. She sat up and
tucked her hair behind her ears. “Did we just take off?”
“Felt that way.”
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“Where are we going?” Uncertainty made the question sharper than she’d
intended. She couldn’t let emotion cloud her thinking. Jazz had been nothing but kind
and giving. Still, she had to protect herself against the rest of the crew. “Doesn’t your
charter prohibit passengers?”
He folded his hands behind his head and smiled at her. “I guess you just joined
the crew.”
“I don’t want to…” She shuddered and averted her face. “I’m not a public pet.”
Jazz sat as well, stroking the side of her face with his knuckles. “That’s not going
to happen.”
“Not if you contract me first.” She couldn’t trust the affection she saw in his eyes
or the answering warmth in her heart. Regardless of his easy charm, she needed a
contract.
“If Bluz accepted --”
“I will not be left at the mercy of the crew.”
“Do you honestly think a contract will stop a bunch of sex-crazed men if they
decide to rape you?”
She sensed compassion, not mockery. Still, she couldn’t quail a lifetime of fear in
an instant. One of the few things she appreciated about the Sabrotine Federation was
their swift and decisive punishments. A pet must submit to anything their master
demanded of them, but if a pet was taken against their will, by anyone other than their
master, the penalty was dishonorable discharge and chemical castration.
“I wanted this settled before we took off. I don’t want…”
He pulled her back into his arms. “No one on this ship is going to hurt you. If a
contract will make you feel more comfortable, then I’ll contract you.” He kissed her
brow before he admitted, “I have no idea how it’s done.”
“I’m sorry to be so insistent. I want to relax and enjoy being with you. This will
be the first step toward disentangling myself from my past.”
“I understand.”
“Is there a ship’s log?”
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“Of course.”
“Make an entry in the ship’s log, stating the conditions and duration of our
contract.”
Releasing her with obvious reluctance, he crossed to his workstation. She
watched the fluid movement of his lean body, soothed by his willingness to indulge
her. With his easygoing personality and selfless attitude, he would be a rare and
wonderful Master.
“Ship’s log, official entry, Security Chief Jazz Averel. Pause entry.” He looked
back at her with a helpless smile. “What are the conditions and duration?”
“Just say standard compensation for an officer’s pet and six months is the
shortest acceptable duration.”
“What’s your full name, sweetheart? Somehow I don’t think Treena sounds very
official.”
“PaTreena Effyeh tect Moreno.”
He chuckled. “That’s quite a name.”
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and joined him, trying to be as
comfortable with her nudity as he was. “Just get it started and I’ll fill in the blanks.”
“That I can do. Resume entry. I, Jazz Averel, officially contract…”
“Officer’s pet 26-93-3169, also known as PaTreena Effyeh tect Moreno.”
“For the duration of six months or until we mutually agree to part ways. I agree
to the standard compensation for an officer’s pet and all expenses for the proper care
and pleasuring of my pet.” He halted the recording and asked, “Anything else?”
“That’s perfect.” Emotion choked her and tears blurred her eyes. Just let him be as
wonderful as he seems.
“End log entry.” He kissed her gently on the lips.
A chime drew her attention to the door.
“It’s Bluz.”
“How do you know?”
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He snatched his shirt off the floor and tossed it to her, then pulled on his pants.
After making sure she’d had enough time to don the shirt, he triggered the door.
Bluz strolled into the room with his hands clasped behind his back. He’d pulled
his hair back from his face and bound it at the nape of his neck. Even with the colorful
strands confined, he had an ethereal air about him. His gaze settled on her face and she
spotted shards of gray she’d never noticed before.
“Who is Arrik McGuire?” he asked without preamble.
Treena pressed her hand to her throat, unable to hide her astonishment. “Where
did you hear that name?” The obvious answer reared its head and she glared at him.
“You were spying on us.”
“That’s not how I heard the name.”
“But you don’t deny spying?”
“Answer the question.”
Jazz moved in front of her, blocking his brother’s piercing stare. “What is this
about?”
“Do you recognize the name?” Even without his fierce expression, his tone made
her tense.
Glancing over his shoulder, Jazz asked, “Isn’t that the Bastard’s name?”
She stepped out from behind Jazz, refusing to let the commander’s surly mood
intimidate her. “He stranded me on Ceallon. Why did you ask me about him?”
“Our science officer intercepted a message meant for him.”
“What did the message say?”
“We weren’t able to decipher it. The encryption algorithm was too distorted.”
“Will he have the same problem unscrambling the message?” she asked
hopefully.
“Not if he has the encryption key.” He took a step toward her.
“Who sent the transmission?” Only two people on Ceallon had interacted with
the Bastard. Unless he’d managed to plant a spy.
“The magistrate,” Bluz told her.
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She shuddered as the memory of his cruel eyes and sneering features appeared
in her mind. “I wonder if he was reporting my failed drowning or my escape.”
“Why would McGuire care if you left the planet? He abandoned you there.”
A twinge of shame compressed her heart. It sounded so much worse when he
said it in that terse tone. “I always suspected he meant to return for me.”
“You don’t sound pleased by the prospect.”
“I think I’d rather have drowned.” She was shocked by the truth of her
statement. She hadn’t thought too much about it, but almost anything would have been
better than being under the Bastard’s control again. “Drowning would have been
faster.”
“If he learns you’ve escaped, will he search for you?”
“I don’t know.”
Bluz turned his shimmering gaze on his brother as he went on, “I contacted
Traborn and asked how concerned we need to be about McGuire.”
“Who is Traborn?” Treena asked.
“Remember Ivy, the woman who last owned the Chrysalis?” Jazz slipped his arm
around her waist and pulled her close against his side. “Traborn is her mate. He’s also
responsible for having the charges against us dropped.”
“In exchange for five years of service to the Federation,” Bluz clarified. “Five
years of obedient, uneventful service. Traborn said McGuire is one ruthless bastard.
Most believe he killed his commander after being passed over for a promotion.”
The promotion she was supposed to help him attain. If he’d killed the
commander, did that mean… “He commands his own ship now?”
“Not only does he captain his own ship, he’s become one of the commandant’s
favorites.”
“None of which has anything to do with Treena,” Jazz insisted. “She didn’t ask
to be rescued. I all but forced my assistance on her.”
“Did you force her to become your pet?”
Treena gasped. “You were spying on us!”
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“Everything that transpires onboard this ship is my concern. A security scan is
not spying.”
“You’re full of shit.” Jazz studied his brother’s expression for a long strained
moment. “What’s really bothering you?”
Bluz leaned in, his nose nearly bumping hers. “Speak one untrue word and I’ll
slap you in restraints. Where were you born?”
She licked her lips and looked at Jazz. Why was Bluz being such an ass? “What
difference does that make?”
“She was born on a mining colony,” Jazz answered for her. “New Cheyenne, I
think she said.”
“I asked her.”
“It’s irrelevant,” Treena snapped.
Bluz grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the door. “I warned you.”
Chapter Five
“I haven’t said anything yet!” Treena dug her feet into the lightly textured tiles of
the corridor, momentarily halting their progress.
Bluz bent and shoved his shoulder against her abdomen, lifting her flailing body
with relative ease. He ignored her thrashing legs and pounding fists, striding toward
his cabin.
“Are you pissed off about the contract or… Why are you so angry?” Jazz rushed
after them, bare feet slapping the floor with each step.
“Her planet of origin is anything but irrelevant. I told her not to lie.”
“Why are you so certain she’s lying?”
They reached his cabin. Jazz ducked through the opening before the door slid
closed. Bluz didn’t object. Desire and frustration twisted through him, confusing and
intense. It was probably better if Jazz was here to keep him from doing something
they’d all regret. He felt wild and aggressive and he wasn’t sure why.
He dumped her in the middle of his bed and stepped back, not trusting himself
to touch her. “Let’s try this again. What is your planet of origin?”
“Fuck you.” She kicked out at him, defiance blazing in her eyes. “I will not be
threatened and treated like --”
“A pet? You seemed anxious enough to be my brother’s fuck toy. Have you
forgotten that I’m an officer too?”
“Are you jealous?” Jazz grabbed his arm and swung him around. “The contract
is a formality meant to protect her from the crew. You don’t understand the specifics of
what she’s suffered.”
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He jerked free of his brother’s hold and stalked toward the bed. “Do you want to
be restrained? Is that why you lied to me?” The bed was situated in one corner of his
cabin. Even if she scrambled off the end before he caught her, where would she go?
“What have I said that’s untrue?” Her tone calmed and her chin rose,
belligerence turning to challenge. “Relevance is objective. I stand by my statement. My
planet of origin has no bearing on the current situation.”
“How long have you been passing yourself off as human?” He arched his brow,
daring her to deny the truth.
“I never claimed to be human.”
“She’s not human?” Jazz stepped up beside him, consternation creasing his
brow. “Your parents aren’t miners?”
“My parents are dead -- to me. This conversation is pointless!” She got to her
knees. Her breasts heaved and fear flashed through her anger.
Focusing on the fear, Bluz softened his expression. It really wasn’t his intention
to terrify her. “Did you have your wings removed or just reshape your ears? Why
would an elf want anyone to believe she was human?”
“Holy Mother Creator.” Jazz shook his head, his gaze filled with wonder as if he
were seeing her for the first time. “The tilt of her eyes and the silver sparkle in her hair.
Why didn’t we notice this before?”
“Stop staring at me like I’m a freak.” She scooted back against the wall and
clutched the front of the shirt. “How did you know I wasn’t human? In all the years I’ve
been away, no one has ever figured out what I am.”
“Which brings us back to my original question,” Bluz said. “Why are you
passing yourself off as something you’re not?”
“You didn’t ask me why. You asked me how long.”
“Enough,” Jazz interjected. “Stop avoiding the issue. If you’re not human, what
exactly are you?”
“I’m an elemental elf,” she admitted. “My father was fire clan nobility and my
mother was an air clan whore. I left home when I was fifteen and had my ears reshaped
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to avoid unwanted attention. I had no use for elvin traditions and pointless rituals, so I
made a life for myself, on my own terms.”
“At fifteen?” Jazz sounded forlorn, but his expression was pure compassion.
“Didn’t anyone try and stop you?”
“I was an embarrassment to my father and an inconvenience to my mother. No
one gave a damn when I took off.”
Jazz explained how she’d scraped out a living in Skarbone Valley telling fortunes
and reading auras. Then she’d met the Bastard and become an officer’s pet. Bluz knew
there was much his brother wasn’t saying, but the information gave him a glimpse into
the psyche of their guest. Her inner strength amazed him. Many would have been
crushed by the adversity she’d faced.
“Your turn,” she said when Jazz had finished his recap. “How did you know I
wasn’t human?”
Taking Jazz by the shoulders, he tried to show her the mark on his back. “Turn
around,” he ordered when Jazz refused to budge.
“I’m not leaving you with her.”
“I’m not turning you toward the door. I’m turning your back toward the bed.”
He looked directly into Jazz’s eyes before he added, “She made you flare.”
Jazz just gaped at him for a moment. Then he shook away the shock and asked,
“What are you talking about?”
“You know damn well what I’m talking about. You licked her pussy and your
testadermis flared, vivid and intricate from your tailbone to the nape of your neck.”
“That’s impossible.” Jazz craned his neck, trying in vain to see his back.
Ignoring his stubbornness, Bluz finally turned him toward the bed. “It’s faint,
but still visible. Tell him what you see.”
“It’s beautiful. If I look closely enough there are four distinct shades of purple all
woven together like vines. I’ve never responded to anyone as intensely as I responded
to you. Does this affect my reactions as well?” She traced his spine and splayed her
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fingers across one shoulder blade. He shivered and arched into the light caress. “What
exactly did I do that caused this?”
“The hormones that produce pleasure, intensify attraction, and ultimately allow
us to procreate are produced in the testaderum, a gland at the base of our skull,” Bluz
explained. “Our bodies have developed a sort of genetic signal. We’re able to fuck
whomever we choose, but only with the best possible match will our testadermis flare.”
She snatched her hand away and rocked back on her heels. “If Jazz and I have
sex, I’ll get pregnant?”
Her expression had been soft and dreamy until she made the connection. Her
discomfort annoyed Bluz. Limbarian females were honored by the flare.
They had just rescued Treena from an execution! What did he expect?
“It’s not that simple,” he told her. “Conception is hard for our species. It never
happens accidentally.”
“I’ve never flared before.” Jazz rolled his shoulders with a silly grin.
“Not for lack of trying.” Bluz shook his head. “What are we going to do with her
now? I’d intended to buy her passage to wherever she wanted to go once we reached
Limbaria.”
“Why are we going to Limbaria?”
“Omid needs parts. The injectors finally gave up the ghost.”
“Aren’t you from Limbaria?” Treena asked. “Jazz sounded disapproving when
he said the name.”
“We were born on one of the lunar outposts, but neither of us considers Limbaria
home.”
“If Treena’s my testadermal match, she’s not going anywhere,” Jazz digressed.
He crawled onto the bed and grinned at Bluz. “I say you lick her pussy.” He arched his
brow, challenge unmistakable in his tone. “Let’s see if you flare too.”
Bluz felt his heartbeat race at the possibility. Treena shifted her gaze from his
face to Jazz and back. Women had no trouble accepting Jazz’s playful passion. His
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aggression was another matter entirely. Finding a true submissive was tricky enough.
Finding one eager to abandon herself with them both had been beyond hope.
Genadda had “subjected” herself to his dominance so she could “enjoy” herself
with Jazz. Bluz would never make that mistake again.
Jazz grabbed Treena’s ankles and pulled her down the bed. She gasped, her
alarmed gaze darting back to Bluz.
“Stop it,” he snapped. “She’s your pet, not mine.”
Slipping beneath her torso, Jazz pulled her against his chest and quickly
unfastened the front of her shirt. He parted the material and revealed her naked body.
“Look at her, Bluz. Touch her.” He bent his knees and draped her legs over his,
spreading her wide in overt invitation. “She liked it when we both touched her. She told
me so.”
Bluz glanced at the apex of her thighs and longing spread through his abdomen.
“If you don’t want this, tell me now. I won’t ask again.”
“I respond to you just as strongly as I respond to Jazz. Nothing like this has ever
happened to me before. I don’t fully understand it, but I know it’s special. Besides, I
saw a similar mark on your back before you stormed out.” Her voice was shaky and
breathless, her eyes passion bright. “I want to know for sure, one way or the other.”
Had she actually seen him flare or did she just want him to fuck her? He looked
at her soft pink folds and felt his back tingle. He wanted her, needed her. The rest
would have to sort itself out because he was sick to death of fighting his true nature. He
tore off his shirt, kicked off his boots, and joined them on the bed.
Kneeling between her thighs, he paused to savor her scent. Rich and earthy, like
a rain washed forest. He smiled. Of course, she was an elemental elf. He swiped her
with his tongue, pausing again to absorb her taste. She was sweet, as only an elf could
be, yet evocative and musky.
Parting her outer lips with his thumbs, he dragged the flat of his tongue from her
vaginal opening to her clit. She gasped and wiggled as Bluz learned her secrets. He
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licked and sucked, then nibbled, intoxicated by her taste. She buried her fingers in his
hair and rocked her pussy against his mouth.
He looked up and saw Jazz caressing her breasts, rolling her nipples and kissing
her hairline. Together as they were meant to be, lavishing their affection on their mate.
Hope washed over him and rolled through him. Please, let this be real!
Closing his lips around her clit, Bluz sucked carefully on the tender nub. Her
core pulsed in time to the motion of his lips. He could sense her urgency, her need to be
filled. His cock throbbed in response, more than ready to oblige.
An abrupt orgasm forced a sharp gasp from her throat.
Lapping at her cunt like a hungry cat, Bluz devoured the proof of her pleasure.
“Goddess, you taste good.”
“Everything is better with your testadermal match.” Jazz chuckled.
Bluz raised his face as his heart gave a mighty leap. “I flared?”
“No doubt about it.”
“Let me see,” she said. He turned and showed her his back. “Your pattern is
blue. I should have realized.” She touched his flare hesitantly and he trembled. His skin
felt electrified. “Does it hurt?”
“It’s extremely erotic,” he admitted. “Keep it up and I’ll come on the bed.”
Treena smiled as feminine power rushed through her. Even her wildest dreams
paled when compared with her -- mates. Everything about them appealed to her and
even their genetics approved of her. She had never felt so confident or so filled with
hope.
“I can think of much more interesting places for you to come.”
As if a curtain dropped over his eyes, she could no longer detect any emotion.
He pushed away from her, his lips pressed into a grim line.
“Tell her or I will,” Jazz said from behind her. “This is too important to screw up
with your pride. She is a testadermal match to both of us. Do you know how rare that
is?”
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“I know.” He grated out the two words as if they were painful.
Jazz sat, pushing her forward as his chest rose. “We know you’re a trained pet,
but what do you enjoy? Was the Bastard your only lover?”
She was in bed with two fascinating men. They had just learned that she was
their biological match. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about her past. “Can’t
this wait?”
“No,” Jazz insisted. “I enjoy sex in all its myriad forms, but Bluz only finds true
satisfaction when he controls his partner. Have you ever been with a Dom?”
She closed her eyes, tiny shockwaves of excitement leaping along her nerve
endings. “My most fulfilling relationships were with skillful Doms. Notice I stressed
skillful. The Bastard was something else altogether. I tend to get punished a lot because
of my sassy mouth…” She smiled. “… or maybe I’m sassy because I enjoy being
punished. Would either of you find pleasure in punishing me?”
Bluz groaned and her nipples tingled. Would he spank her or whip her? It had
been so long since the stinging kiss of the lash shattered her senses.
“She’s perfect,” Jazz said emphatically. “Did you honestly expect anything less?
She was delivered to us by the hand of providence, a gift from the Goddess herself. She
is our mate in every way. What are you waiting for?”
A tiny part of her mind held on to caution. If something seemed too good to be
true, it generally was. Still, it was damn hard to be realistic when faced with these two
men.
“Top or bottom?” Jazz got off the bed long enough to shed his pants. “You’re
older. It’s right that you choose.”
“You know I like nothing better than the tight grip of a hot ass, but I want to
watch her come while we take her for the first time.”
Treena shivered, his graphic description leaving no doubt what was about to
happen. Bluz pulled her toward him and peeled the shirt down her arms. After tossing
it aside, he framed her face with his hands and stared into her eyes.
“This is happening really fast. What does your heart tell you?”
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“I have never felt as peaceful as I did when I woke up between you two. It felt
right. It felt like home.”
He brushed his lips across hers, warming her with his breath. “Then let’s go
home, my love.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he pivoted to his side, angling her body toward
the foot of the bed. His kiss distracted her for only a moment and Jazz pressed against
her side. Their hands stroked everywhere. She caressed Jazz’s hip, while she dragged
her nails down Bluz’s back.
Hands slid over her body, caressing, squeezing, and pinching. It was impossible
to keep track of who was touching her where, so she surrendered to the building
sensations. Bluz kissed his way along her jaw and guided her head to the side, offering
her mouth to his brother.
Jazz didn’t hesitate. He stroked her face with his fingers while his tongue
explored the interior of her mouth. His cock pressed against her hip and he cupped one
of her breasts.
Fingers combed through her pubic hair, then eased between her thighs. The
touch was bold and focused, definitely Bluz. He pushed into her with his middle finger,
massaging her mound with the heel of his hand. The indirect stimulation was
surprisingly effective. Her clit pulsed and her inner muscles clenched, needing much
more than the teasing slide of his finger.
Jazz traced the crease between her ass cheeks, his fingers suspiciously slippery.
Where had he gotten the lubricant? He wasn’t using her cream.
“When’s the last time someone took you -- here?” He pushed his finger into her
ass, punctuating the question.
“It’s been eight months since I was taken anywhere. Unless you count my
mouth.”
Jazz slid in and out several times. She leaned against Bluz, wrapping her arms
around him as their combined caresses sent pleasure spiraling through her body. “Oh,”
she gasped. Their fingers synchronized and she trembled.
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“You like that?” Jazz whispered into her ear.
“Don’t let her come.” Bluz sounded even more strangled than she felt. “You both
took the edge off earlier. I’m dying here.”
With a sexy chuckle, Jazz removed his finger and wrapped his arm around her
waist. “That’s really sad because I was just thinking that she needs to be spanked for
lying to you. You told her you would slap her in restraints and that’s clearly not the
case.”
A wicked smile parted Bluz’s lips and his hot gaze swept up and down her body.
“I don’t make idle threats.”
Unmitigated lust stabbed into her pussy and she quickly looked away, not yet
willing to reveal the true depth of her hunger. “Clearly you do or I’d be restrained.”
Jazz pulled her wrists to the small of her back and thrust her breasts toward his
brother. “She really does have a sassy mouth.”
“We’ll explore that fact at greater length another time.” Bluz caught both her
nipples between his thumbs and forefingers and applied pressure until she gasped.
“Look at me.” Their gazes collided and heat cascaded through her body. “Who is
holding you?”
“Jazz,” she whispered.
He moved closer, his lips brushing against hers as he asked, “And who am I?”
“My Master.”
“Did you lie to your Master?”
“Not intentionally.” She closed her eyes as she heard her own words. That
wasn’t what he’d wanted her to say.
Jazz chuckled and let go of her arms. “We’ve got ourselves a naughty little pet.”
With a dizzying economy of movement, Bluz wrapped his arm around her waist,
sat on the foot of the bed, and bent her over his lap. Their lean builds were deceiving.
Both brothers were surprisingly strong. She twisted and arched, kicked and shoved,
testing his ability to control her.
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He splayed his fingers between her shoulder blades and brought his other hand
down against her ass. Blessed heat sank into her flesh after an instant of sting. The
second slap was harder and she gasped.
“Can I touch her?” Jazz asked. “I want to feel her pussy react to her
punishment.”
“Treena, part your thighs.”
She hesitated and Bluz swatted her hard. “That hurt!” Turning her neck sharply
to the side, she glared at him.
“I don’t repeat my directives.”
His fierce expression sent a ripple of pleasure through her body. God, he was
beautiful when he scowled. She quickly turned her head to hide her smile, amused by
the irony. For a fraction of a second she was tempted to rebel. It was better to discover
their boundaries gradually. She moved her legs apart, anticipation making her
breathless. Jazz knelt behind her and traced her slit with his fingertips.
“Oh fuck, she’s wet.” He pushed into her core with his brother’s next swat.
Sensations shot up her spine and her inner muscles fluttered. She groaned as
tension built within her. They repeated the motion again and again, Bluz spanking her
ass, while Jazz finger-fucked her pussy. Bluz paused between each swat, allowing her
flesh to absorb the heat and register the full range of sensation.
She teetered on the brink of orgasm, her core pulsing wildly. “Please, Master,
may I come?”
“No,” Bluz said. Jazz pulled his fingers out and she whimpered. Bluz pressed his
palm against one burning cheek and then the other. “Your response pleased me. Now,
get up and straddle my lap.”
Her legs were shaky and each movement intensified the heat in her ass. This was
only the beginning. Bluz would fill her aching pussy and Jazz would push into her ass.
A heady combination of excitement and fear twisted inside her. She was accustomed to
anal play, had even had lovers use toys while they were inside her. Still…
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Grasping Bluz’s shoulders, she prepared to climb onto his lap. Her gaze
gravitated downward and she sucked in a ragged breath. He was huge, thick and long,
with a distinct vein running up the underside of his shaft. The head of Jazz’s cock had
been an intriguing shade of mauve. She closed her fingers around Bluz and rubbed her
thumb over the deep blue tip.
“You are both so wonderfully colorful.” She stiffened. She hadn’t asked
permission to speak. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry you find pleasure in my body?”
“I spoke out of turn.” She kept her gaze downcast until he lifted her chin.
“There are many kinds of Masters and the only rules I recognize are the ones that
heighten our mutual pleasure. Why would I want to silence your sassy mouth when it
amuses me?”
“And gives you reasons to spank her amazing ass,” Jazz added.
Bluz actually smiled. “There is that.”
Remaining silent had always been hard for her. She was thrilled by the
development. “May I taste you?”
“Not right now. I need this more.” He grasped her waist and helped her settle
across his lap, one knee on either side of his lean hips. Gazing deep into her eyes, he
guided his cock to her vaginal entrance.
She felt suspended in time as if the rest of the universe had spun on without
them. Jazz reached around and found her clit with his fingertip, circling and lightly
flicking. Her body melted, inviting Bluz inside with her liquid arousal. With his hands
on her hips, Bluz steadily impaled her.
The flared head parted the way for the rest of his cock. She had never been so
acutely aware of her lover’s entrance. Had it been that long or was he that big? He
pushed deeper and her body surrendered, taking more of him into her aching channel.
“Almost there,” Jazz whispered, an inadvertent reminder that this had barely
begun. As soon as Bluz worked his entire length inside her, it would be Jazz’s turn.
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Bluz lay down, taking her with him. His fingers pushed into her hair and
brought her mouth to his. The consuming kiss only partly distracted her from what Jazz
was doing. He stroked her ass cheeks, reigniting the fire his brother had built. Then he
inserted something thin and ridged. Was that lubricant? A warm gush confirmed her
suspicion.
Jazz withdrew the applicator and positioned his cock against her anus. Bluz held
her shoulders, keeping her snug against his chest. Pressure gave way to pain and she
cried out. The sound was muffled by their kiss.
Rubbing her hips and back, Jazz waited for her to relax, for her muscles to accept
his penetration. She took a deep breath and pushed back against him, signaling her
willingness to take more. He drove deeper, filling her and stretching her.
She tore her mouth away from Bluz, panting harshly.
“Are you all right?” Jazz asked, his voice tight and hoarse.
“You are both too damned big.”
Bluz chuckled, his cock bobbing inside her. “If I’m going to be criticized for my
size, I guess I’d rather be too big than too small.” She slapped his shoulder and he
laughed again.
“A little more lube and you’ll be good as new.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
Jazz pulled back and she felt his fingers moving around and against where their
bodies were joined. When he pushed back in, he slid smoothly, his groin coming to rest
against her ass cheeks.
“See.” Jazz peppered kisses along her spine. “We fit just fine.”
They remained like that for a long moment. Bluz nuzzled her neck and Jazz
rubbed her back. She reveled in the fullness, allowing the slight sting to intensify the
pleasure. Jazz moved his hands to her waist and pulled his hips back. Tingling heat
trailed in his wake and her pussy throbbed.
Sliding his hands down to her hips, Jazz showed her how to move. She dragged
her body off Bluz and pushed it onto Jazz. Each rolling motion was both an out and an
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in stroke. It took a few tries before she found the perfect angle. Jazz steadied her hips,
but she controlled the speed and depth of each thrust.
Tension gathered within her. She moved faster, taking them deeper before
reversing direction. Bluz squeezed his eyes shut; his features contorted with his effort to
fight off his climax.
She braced herself against his shoulders and tossed her head. Lights danced
before her eyes as each stroke drove her closer to her own crisis. Jazz pulled her
backward hard, his body shuddering against her. She reached back and grabbed his
hips, pulling him down with her for the final drive.
Her inner muscles pulsed in deep, rhythmic spasms, shooting darts of pleasure
all through her body. She gasped and shook. Bluz bucked beneath her, finally releasing
his seed.
Sandwiched between their strong bodies and surrounded by their warmth,
Treena had never felt so replete. “I don’t suppose there’s a bathtub on this ship?” she
whispered a few minutes later.
“Sorry,” Bluz replied. “Just a shower.”
“We’d be happy to scrub your back.” Jazz brushed his fingers along her ribs and
took advantage of her wiggling to cup her breasts. “In fact, we’ll scrub any part of your
body you’d like.”
“We can start with all the slick, creamy spots,” Bluz added. Jazz eased out of her
body, but Bluz sat and wrapped her legs around his waist, keeping his cock buried
inside her. “Unless you’re ready to explore another position?”
She groaned and shook her head. “I’m going to have my hands full with you
two, aren’t I?”
He smiled into her eyes. “Your hands, and your mouth, and your pussy, and
your --”
She silenced him with a passionate kiss.
Chapter Six
The next three days passed in a blur of sensual discovery. Treena indulged her
carnal desire, abandoning herself completely to the decadent freedom of serving two
masters. Jazz still refused the title, but she found comfort in the role. After sleeping
between them the first night, she was disappointed when Bluz suggested she spend the
next night with Jazz.
Jazz was a tender lover, worshiping her body with his hands and his mouth. He
enjoyed giving her pleasure, building her need until she was frantic for the fullness of
his cock.
The third night belonged to Bluz. They shared an intimate meal in the privacy of
his cabin. He told her to strip and kneel at his feet; then he fed her with his fingers. She
finally got the opportunity to pleasure him with her mouth. The memory of his thick
cock sliding against her tongue sent heat plummeting to her feminine core. He’d used
assertive commands and taken her from behind, while he held her forearms at the small
of her back. Still, she knew he was suppressing the intensity of his true nature. She just
didn’t know why.
“We’re about an hour from the lunar outpost,” Jazz said from the archway
leading into the galley.
The Chrysalis was small. The galley was the only common area on the ship.
Treena enjoyed the large viewports and the casual atmosphere. The easy camaraderie of
the crew fascinated her. During her time with the Bastard, she’d been forced to spend
the majority of her time in his cabin, a data terminal her only companion.
“You said your mother was a musician. Does she still live on one of the moons?”
He ambled across the galley and sat down across from her. “She still lives here
and so does our father -- not together, but they’re both here.”
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“You’re not on speaking terms with your parents?”
“Not since our loving father sold us into bondage.”
Her jaw dropped and a full second passed before she recovered enough to close
her mouth. “Your father sold you into slavery?”
“It’s a common practice. Limbaria is a harsh and unforgiving place. And
technically speaking, indentured servants are different than slaves.”
“But why would he do such a thing?”
“He needed the money and he wanted us out of his sight.”
“I don’t understand.”
“We reminded him of her.”
“Your mother?”
He nodded and glanced away. “Mother left when I was five to pursue her
dreams. When she returned six years later, we were gone.”
“Bluz was sold as well?”
“That’s the only thing that kept us alive. Our indentures were linked. We
couldn’t be sold separately.”
“How long were you bond-servants?”
“Twenty-seven years.”
Reaching across the table, she squeezed his hand. “My life has been harsh, but I
can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you.”
“The past only has as much power over you as you allow it to have. We survived
and learned a valuable trade, and now we’re co-owners of our own ship.”
She caressed his knuckles, remembering how gently he stroked her skin and the
pleasure his long fingers released within her. Would they spend tonight together or
continue the rotation? Heat crawled up her neck. Could she lure him away from his
duties for an hour or two?
“I know what you’re thinking.” His smile was warm and inviting. “It will take a
day or two for Omid to finish the repairs. Bluz has agreed to spend the night in one of
the hotels. You’ll get that long, hot bath you wanted so badly.”
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With an excited squeal, she leaned across the table and kissed him. “That is
wonderful! Is it wrong to hope for complications with the repair?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “The thought crossed my mind too. Four or
five days in a luxury suite sounds just about perfect right now.”
“I thought Limbaria was a penal colony. Where are we going to find a luxury
suite?”
“Limbaria is complicated. Two separate industries have combined to drive the
economy in this entire system.”
“I know for a fact there are penal facilities, so what’s the other industry?”
“Adult entertainment,” he supplied, amusement clear in his tone.
She shook her head, trying to comprehend how two vastly different trades had
developed side by side. “What’s the connection?”
“Technology. The penal facilities were established first and the Limbarian
government was determined to find non-violent means of motivating behavioral
changes.”
“If a prisoner behaves correctly they get to fuck?”
“Basically. They are given access to simulators, not pets, but the concept of
positive reinforcement has been around for centuries. Pleasure is a powerful
motivator.”
“I still don’t see the connection.”
“The simulators and pleasure devices became so sophisticated and intuitive that
they were marketed to the general public. Suddenly nightclubs and pleasure
emporiums were being built faster than the prisons. Now they have work release
programs, which add an element of danger to the clubs. The tourists can’t get enough.”
“Does your mother work at one of these nightclubs?”
“She used to headline at the Cosmic Cabaret, but that was years ago. She works
behind the scenes now.”
“Do you ever see her?”
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“I’ve dropped her a message from time to time. She was selfish and we suffered
because of it, but she did everything in her power to find us once she found out what
had happened.”
“Why didn’t she buy out your contract?”
“She came back to Limbaria with a suitcase full of shattered dreams and her tail
tucked between her legs. She couldn’t have bought us a change of clothing much less
the balance on our indenture. We’ll never be close, but she is our mother.” He waved
away the past and straightened in his chair. “Enough of yesteryear. Every imaginable
pleasure is available on Limbaria. What would you like to do first?”
She glanced down at her rolled up sleeves and baggy pants. “Is there any way
we could buy me some new clothes?”
“I’m contractually obligated to provide whatever it takes to please you.”
She laughed. “That’s not an offer you want to make to any woman unless you’re
a very rich man.”
An odd intensity came into his eyes and the corners of his mouth quirked. “The
clothes won’t be a problem. We’ve done rather well the last few years. Anything else?”
Did she dare share her concerns about Bluz? Maybe she could figure it out
without being too specific. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
A glance confirmed that they were alone in the galley. “Why was Bluz so
hesitant to admit… what he likes?”
“We’ve always dreamed of finding a woman who would be comfortable with
both of us.” He shook his head. “Not just be comfortable, someone who would
complement all that we are and be fulfilled in a shared relationship.”
“You’ve tried to find her before?”
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but a few years ago we thought we’d found her.”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“I can.” He grinned.
“Will you?”
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“I met her first, but she seemed genuinely interested in Bluz as well. We became
lovers and everything went smoothly until he revealed his need to dominate.”
“She didn’t trust him with her pleasure?”
“Worse, she pretended to find pleasure in submission -- for a time. Then, little by
little she pulled away. She spent more time with me and became cold and resigned
whenever Bluz touched her. Bluz is reasonable and we both cared deeply for her. If
she’d been honest…”
“No, Bluz never would have been satisfied if he had to deny his true nature. He
would have become as dishonest as she had been.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Who ended the relationship?”
“She did. She told Bluz he was perverted and she had never enjoyed being with
him. She claimed she loved me enough to try and make it work, but she just couldn’t
face a future with the sort of degradation Bluz expected her to endure.”
“Oh my God. No wonder he’s gun shy.”
“He didn’t seem gun shy when he bent you over his lap and spanked your round
little ass.”
“You suggested it and I provoked him. He’s holding back and it breaks my
heart.”
“So, do it again and again until he realizes that you want it as badly as he does.”
“Provoke him?”
“Disobey him. Give him no choice but to punish you.”
“Will you help me push him in the right direction? I don’t want to hurt him more
than he’s already been hurt.”
“It’d be my pleasure.”
* * *
Arrik lay on his back staring up at the vidscreen suspended above his head. The
couple on the monitor could be seen live in the Suck Me lounge. The blue-skinned
female was tiny, her long hair streaming to the stage as her partner held her upside
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down. She braced herself against his thighs and skillfully sucked his cock, her ankles
hooked behind his head. He licked her pussy and tongue-fucked her with dramatic
stabs, making sure the audience could see exactly what he was doing.
“You want a good suck?” one of the three masseuses asked. He was a pretty
young man with the sort of full-lipped mouth Arrik adored.
“Yes, and use your fingers. I come much harder that way.”
The attendant adjusted the table, spreading Arrik’s legs so he could stand
between his thighs. The two females continued their massage in silence, their lovely
faces expressionless. Lifting the soft white drape to Arrik’s waist, the male cupped his
balls with one hand and fisted his cock with the other.
Arrik looked back at the vidscreen. The blue-skinned man placed the woman on
a padded bench and arched over her body. His cock never left her mouth and his
tongue continued to arouse her pussy.
“Use my fingers like this?” The attendant stroked up and down his shaft, hard
and fast. “Or like this?” His other hand left Arrik’s balls and he thrust his oily fingers
into Arrik’s ass.
With a throaty groan, Arrik said, “Like that. Use your mouth on my cock and
finger-fuck my ass.”
The attendant required no further instruction. His warm mouth slid up and
down, while his tongue swirled and jabbed. One of the females moved beneath the
table and held his ass cheeks apart, allowing the man’s fingers to reach deeper and
shuttle more smoothly.
The blue female motioned to a man in the second row and he joined the
performers on stage. Her partner moved between her legs and the transmitter zoomed
in on her pussy. He slowly positioned himself, his smoke-blue cock head parting her
creamy folds, also smoky blue. Did a blue pussy taste different than a pink one? The
man impaled her, then waited for the audience member to open the front of his pants.
The woman arched her head back over the edge of the bench and took him into her
mouth.
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Arrik felt the warm suction on his own cock while he watched the performance
on stage. Visual stimulation combined with reality in a dizzying kaleidoscope of
sensation. The fingers in his ass thrust harder and someone was sucking on one of his
balls.
His legs tensed and he clutched the edge of the table as he pumped his cum
down the attendant’s throat. The young man swallowed and swallowed, sucking hard
until the last spasm passed. Then he pulled back and licked the very tip of Arrik’s cock
as he eased his fingers out of his ass.
“Better?”
“Much. Now finish my massage.”
“Yes, sir.”
Arrik closed his eyes, no longer caring about the performance. He felt relaxed
and happy for the first time in weeks. After the massage he dressed and returned to his
suite. The pets had kept him busy all night and he had insisted they fuck each other
before they left this morning. He had always had a fascination with watching sex. It
held nearly as much appeal as participating. At times he had come with nothing but
visual stimulation. It was a fact that amused him greatly.
“You have a message, sir,” the computer informed him as he walked through the
door.
He crossed to the control panel and checked his message log. The entry bore the
commandant’s avatar. Had he located the ship already or was he just letting Arrik
know he’d received the request?
After switching to a private channel and scrambling the security feed, he
activated the message. The commandant’s assistant provided the information, but the
content quickly soothed Arrik’s disappointment.
“Your request wasn’t easy. The image you got from the magistrate was of
horrible quality. The name of the ship is the Chrysalis and it’s registered to Limbarian
brothers named Bluz and Jazz Averel.” The lad chuckled. “It must be your lucky day.
You don’t have to search for them. They’re headed to Lunar Three for repairs.”
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* * *
Bluz looked at the Chrysalis and sighed. “Maybe I better stay with the ship.”
Limbaria was decadent. It made him restless and savage. If he went to the Cosmic
Cabaret, Treena would experience the full range of his desire. She wasn’t ready for the
unleashed intensity of his dominant nature or he wasn’t ready for the possibility of
rejection. He wasn’t willing to examine his hesitation too closely, all he knew was he
didn’t want to lose her. “Omid might --”
Jazz grabbed his arm and dragged him down the concourse. “Give it up. The
shuttle leaves in twenty minutes and all three of us are going to be on it. Two nights of
sexual indulgence is exactly what you need.”
He looked at Treena, unsure what he’d find in her expression. If she couldn’t
accept him without reservation, it was better he find out now. She was genetically
compatible with Jazz. If they could make each other happy, he wouldn’t… Her night
black eyes caressed his face, enveloping him with warmth and welcome. He closed the
distance between them, unable to resist touching her.
“Stay close.” He framed her face with his hands and brushed each temple with a
kiss. “Don’t let the glitz and glamour fool you. Limbaria is a dangerous place.”
“I won’t leave your side.” She rubbed her cheek against his palm, a dreamy smile
bowing her lips. “Where are we staying?”
“Best of the best,” Jazz said. “The Cosmic Cabaret is one moon over. You’ll be
soaking in a bubble bath before you know it.”
After a crowded shuttle took them to Lunar Four, Bluz insisted on hiring a
private skimmer for the remainder of the voyage. The automated transport accepted his
credits and logged their destination, then took off with a subtle lunge.
They settled onto one of the bench style seats. Treena peered out the window,
fascinated by the colorful lights and towering buildings. Casinos, pleasure emporiums,
and mammoth hotels lined the wide boulevard. Multi-level trams kept the need for
individual transports to a minimum and dissected the sky with gleaming rails.
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Bluz gave her a few minutes to absorb the scenery then he pulled her onto his
lap. With only two days at their disposal, he had no intention of wasting a single
instant. “I think our pet is overdressed for the occasion. Don’t you?” He crossed his
arms over her torso, trapping her arms at her sides.
“Absolutely.” Jazz knelt in front of her and pulled off her shoes. She protested
and wiggled as Jazz stripped off her pants.
“I can’t walk across the lobby naked!”
Bluz pulled her shirt up around her shoulders, baring her breasts without
removing the garment. “You’ve obviously never been to a place like this.” He nipped
her earlobe and shifted his hold, freeing one of his hands.
“This shirt reaches mid-thigh.” Jazz spread her legs and traced her feminine
crease with his index finger. She shivered, resting her head against Bluz’s shoulder.
“We don’t want to draw too much attention.”
“The first thing we’re going to do is shave this.” Bluz moved his hand down and
covered her mound. “There is nothing softer than a smooth, hot pussy.”
“Maybe I don’t like to be completely bare. It makes me feel naked.”
“That’s too damned bad.” Bluz caught one of her nipples and gave it a careful
pinch. She must learn to obey without question, to trust him with her pleasure. He
squeezed her breasts and rolled her nipples, while Jazz trailed his fingers along her
inner thighs. They caressed her skin and stimulated her nerve endings, intentionally
neglecting her clit.
Without warning he set her from him and said, “Cover yourself. We’re almost
there.”
Her breath escaped in a shuddering sigh. Her gaze was muddled, her nipples
pebble hard. She pulled down the shirt and reached for her pants. Jazz kicked them out
of reach and shook his head. With shaky fingers, she slipped on her shoes and
smoothed down her tousled hair.
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Bluz made no effort to hide his erection. People came to pleasure emporiums to
indulge their carnal appetites. He wasn’t ashamed of his needs. He only hoped Treena
could find fulfillment with the sort of pleasure they could give her.
Careful to keep her between them, they crossed the bustling lobby. Crimson and
ivory, with elegant touches of gilt, created a posh ambiance. Having visited before, Bluz
knew the amenities grew bolder, more blatantly sexual, the deeper one ventured into
the building.
The grand theater had live entertainment nightly, while smaller shows ran non-
stop in the smaller lounges and intimate venues scattered throughout the casino. Public
pets and a massive dungeon were located one level below ground. Role playing sets
and simulator salons dominated the second level of the Cabaret. Most services were
available in the hotel rooms for those who could afford the extra credits.
“Don’t we need to check in?” Treena asked as they led her directly to the bank of
transparent lifts.
“Anonymity is the name of the game in places like this. Room assignments are
transmitted the day of arrival.”
Jazz wrapped his arms around her as the lift door closed. He covered her breast
with one hand and slipped his other up under the shirt. She glanced out the transparent
panel, her eyes widening as she realized anyone who looked up could see them. Bluz
moved in close and kissed her.
“You can sit in the lobby and watch people fuck,” he whispered against her
parted lips. “That’s why the cars are transparent.” He slipped his hand inside her shirt
from above, while Jazz concentrated his touches below.
“Are you going to…” Jazz found her clit and she gasped.
“I’m too possessive to perform,” Bluz said with a smile. He unfastened the front
of her shirt, leaving it hanging open from her shoulders. The inner swell of her breasts
was visible as well as a teasing peek at her feminine curls. She started to protest, but he
placed his fingers over her lips. “One word and you lose the shirt completely.”
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The door slid open and she reached for the gaping halves of the shirt. Jazz stood
in front of the door, keeping it from sliding shut.
“Clasp your hands behind your back and walk out into the corridor.” Bluz used
his fiercest expression to reinforce the command.
She glared at him in mutinous silence, her hands hovering over her half-exposed
breasts. He couldn’t back down now. She knew he was a Dom, had indicated she
enjoyed submission. Did she not understand what those words meant?
He searched her expression as tension banded his chest. Training her would take
patience and time, but if she were honestly willing to learn… Lust, challenge, and
expectation twisted together in her expressive eyes. She knew exactly what she was
doing. Passion smoldered beneath the defiance, warm and welcoming.
He pointed to the hallway. “Move.”
“No.”
Lust punched into his gut and hardened his cock. He barely stifled a moan.
Tangling one hand in her hair, he cupped her chin with the other. “Any disobedience
will be punished. Is that what you want, sweet slave?” He kissed her then, boldly
stroking her naked body.
“Can we have the car or are you going to fuck her?”
Bluz didn’t even glance at the intruder. He stared into Treena’s eyes as his
fingers memorized the enticing contours of her soft body.
“Find another car,” Jazz said, his tone sharp and dismissive.
“If he’s going to fuck her, we’ll stick around.”
Hearing the taunt, Treena jerked out of his hold, overlapped the sides of the
shirt, and rushed into the corridor.
“Damn. That’s one gorgeous slave you’ve got there, friend.”
“I’m not your friend,” Bluz growled as he passed the mouthy young man.
Treena came to a stop halfway down the hall. “I don’t know which room.”
“Give me the shirt.” Bluz held out his hand expectantly.
“I will strip as soon as we get to our room.”
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He pushed her against the wall and caged her with his arms. “You would have
been hidden by my body and protected by Jazz. Instead you disobeyed and made us all
look like fools. I don’t make idle threats. Now, take off the shirt.”
She looked up and down the corridor, then slipped the shirt from her shoulders.
He snatched it from her hand and told her which room. They were only four doors
away and Jazz had it open by the time they reached it.
“I’m going to take a bath,” Treena announced as Bluz locked the door.
“Not yet you’re not,” he snarled.
Chapter Seven
Treena fought for control of her expression before she turned around. She had
not only provoked Bluz, she’d challenged him in a public place. He had to punish her
now. She’d left him no choice. After a long, deep breath, she turned from the bathroom
and faced her Master.
Raising her arms, she interlaced her fingers behind her head and gazed into his
eyes. “I displeased you. I await your discipline.”
“Come here.”
She walked to him, lowering her gaze to the floor.
“Why did you disobey me? Answer honestly.”
She dared a glance into his gleaming eyes. “I… long for the pleasure only found
when sensations border on pain. I need the tempest I see in your eyes. Why do you
withhold it from me?”
“I will never hold myself back from you again. You will have all that I am and I
will expect nothing less from you.”
Liquid heat unfurled within her. Her heartbeat sped and her lips trembled. She
teetered on the brink of orgasm just thinking about the pleasures awaiting them.
Bluz and Jazz both undressed then stood before her naked. “We offer our bodies
to you alone,” Jazz told her.
“We will never take our rest until we are certain you are satisfied.” Bluz
motioned toward the bed. “Jazz will hold you while I administer your punishment. You
may touch him and kiss him, but you are not allowed to put his cock in your mouth.”
Jazz sat on the side of the bed and told her to kneel in front of him. He bent her
forward and turned her head to the side, pressing her cheek against his thigh. Her
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breasts brushed the front of his knees and he moved her hands to his hips. “Part your
thighs. He needs to be able to see how well you respond.”
Moving her knees farther apart, she tried to determine what Bluz was doing by
the sounds he made. A compartment opened and then she heard a soft rustling. A silent
pause followed and then the unmistakable swish of a multi-stranded whip. There had
been no crack, it was definitely a flogger.
Her pussy clenched and her clit throbbed. She shifted restlessly and dug her
fingers into Jazz’s hips.
“Don’t be afraid. He knows what he’s doing.”
She almost laughed. Fear was the farthest thing from her mind. She ached for the
heat, the searing intensity that would free her inner animal.
“I have been a neglectful Master,” Bluz said softly as he approached. “I should
have recognized your need. You may come as often as you like while I discipline you.”
To her astonishment, Bluz knelt behind her and lifted her hips. He pressed his
face against her bottom and licked her cunt. Teasing her folds and brushing her clit, he
offered another unexpected apology. Her abdomen came alive with tingling sensations.
Her core rippled and her clit pulsed each time his tongue swiped over the sensitive nub.
She hovered on the brink of release when he lowered her knees to the floor. He
parted her ass cheeks and she tried to look back at him. Jazz held her head down, his
hand stroking her hair.
“Relax,” Jazz coaxed. “Reward his selflessness with your trust.”
She felt the faint pressure of a lubricant applicator. She tried not to analyze his
movements, to surrender to his touch and trust him with her pleasure. He removed the
applicator and circled her anus with his fingertips.
“You need to be prepared if I’m going to take you here, and I’ve waited as long
as I’m willing for the tight grip of your ass.”
She couldn’t argue with that. Jazz had ass fucked her twice, but Bluz was thicker
than his brother. Something blunt and warm nudged her opening. She relaxed her inner
muscles and raised her hips.
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“Good girl.” Bluz pushed the toy past her sphincter and kept right on going. She
gasped, refusing to tighten up until he stopped pushing. The pressure stopped and he
rubbed her bottom, his hands warm and soothing. “How’s that feel?”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“Good. I’ll adjust it twice during your discipline, so don’t be alarmed when you
feel the pressure increase.” He wrapped slender straps around her legs and another
around her waist to keep the plug lodged within her anal passage. “You can squeeze as
hard as you like. It won’t come out.”
The fullness was shockingly stimulating. Cream trickled onto her inner thigh.
She heard him stand and waited for the first kiss of the flogger. It landed on her right
ass cheek an instant later and she hissed.
“Don’t hold back. Your cries will tell me what you need just as well as words.”
He switched to the other side and she gasped, then made a needful whimper.
The next lash was harder, the strands fanned out across her entire cheek. She made her
cry loud and joyous. He repeated the sweeping caress on her other side.
Jazz moved her hair out of the way as Bluz moved up her back. The strands
kissed the outer swell of each breast before he began his descent. Each hot sting built
upon the next until her entire body pulsed with sensations.
“Who’s holding back now?” Bluz adjusted the butt plug and her body exploded
with an abrupt, unexpected climax. “Much better.” He released one side of the straps
and moved the plug in and out several times before he reattached the straps.
She panted, her breasts rubbing against Jazz’s legs with each ragged breath.
Bluz gave each ass cheek a light stroke, reigniting the fire in her welted skin. She
shivered, reveling in the pain, embracing the overwhelming sensations. He adjusted the
toy a final time, then carefully aimed the flogger at her pussy.
She screamed and dug her nails into Jazz’s hips as another climax tore through
her. Bluz kept the hard, raking spasms going with skillful slaps of the flogger. Harder
and higher the pleasure soared until light burst behind her eyelids and reality blurred.
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Not giving her time to recover completely, Bluz slipped the plug from her ass
and positioned his cock as he unwound the straps from her thighs.
Jazz pulled her arms away from his hips, bent her elbows, and angled her arms
behind her. Bluz hooked one arm through her bent elbows and pulled her upward. Her
skin tingled and her anus burned, his shaft firmly pressed against her opening. Jazz
brushed her lips with his cock and she obediently opened her mouth.
“Don’t bite him,” Bluz warned, then began his entry.
Pressure flared to sting and sting burst into pain. She cried out around Jazz’s
shaft, sucking in air through her nose. Bluz drove deeper, stretching her and filling her
as only her Master could. Heat radiated up through her passage and sank into her cunt.
Her clit throbbed and she cried out again, overwhelmed by the contradictory
stimulation.
“Come for me,” Bluz demanded. “Welcome your Master home.”
She tightened her inner muscles as Jazz reached down and found her clit. He
brushed his fingers across her twice and she came hard, her body convulsing with
blinding intensity.
As the pleasure receded, she felt Bluz pull back. His cock slid out as Jazz pushed
into her mouth. They controlled her, filled her, and pleasured her as she had never
dreamed possible. Even the first time had not been as wondrous as this primal mating.
Jazz rocked his hips, his fingers tangled in her hair. Bluz moved with deep,
steady strokes, his cries nearly as loud as hers.
Awareness unfurled within her lust addled brain. She could sense them in her
mind, their beings caressing her every bit as tangibly as their bodies. Reaching out to
them with unskilled enthusiasm, she encouraged the telepathic melding. She opened to
them, taking them deeper into her soul. Jazz surged in without hesitation, while Bluz
progressed more slowly.
Please. She wasn’t sure if he could hear her, only hoped he would understand. I
want all of you, both of you, without reservation.
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My love, my life. Bluz sent the thought directly to her mind as his presence burned
brighter. This is more than I ever dared hope.
I told you she was perfect. Now stop distracting her.
Joy rippled through the pleasure, warm and soothing. She arched her back,
meeting each forceful thrust. Jazz slid against her tongue and she swirled her tongue
over his tip each time he reached her lips.
Now! Come now. I can wait no longer.
The words were so distorted she wasn’t sure who sent the command. Her body
obeyed regardless. Tilting her head back, she took Jazz into her throat as Bluz buried his
full length in her ass. Pleasure rushed from Bluz along with his cum, triggering her
orgasm at exactly the same time Jazz released his seed. They shook together, lost in the
wonder. She savored the blessed fullness as she swallowed again and again. Jazz
stroked her hair away from her face, tenderness glowing in his eyes.
Long moments passed in breathless silence. Jazz reluctantly eased out of her
mouth.
“Ready to be rid of me?” Bluz whispered.
“Never.” She looked over her shoulder and smiled.
“I think we owe you a bubble bath,” he said as he separated their bodies. Bluz
swept her into his arms and headed for the bathroom.
“You are not going to call the shots all night,” Jazz warned.
Bluz paused in the doorway. “We’ve got the rest of our lives to enjoy our mate.
Besides, you’re the one who promised her a bubble bath.”
Treena laughed, thrilled by the attention. They climbed into the enclosure with
her and used sweet scented soap to clean her body before they filled the tub. Their
hands glided over her skin, slick and warm. She flinched when they caressed her tender
bottom, but the memory of the flogging sent aftershocks of excitement through her.
“We better get out if you really want to relax.” Bluz stroked her breasts, his
fingers lingering over her nipples.
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They knelt in the tub, facing each other. She soaped them as they soaped her.
“What if I’m not quite ready to relax?” Closing one hand around each cock, she
pumped her fists up and down their rapidly hardening shafts.
* * *
Arrik straightened the jacket of his Sabrotine uniform and approached the
security desk in the main lobby of the Cosmic Cabaret.
The attendant looked up from the security grid. “May I help you?”
“I’d like to report a theft.”
“You are?”
“Commander McGuire of the Conquest.”
“What was taken from you and how were you made aware of the theft?”
“I left my registered pet on an outpost for her protection, while I completed a
perilous mission. When I returned for her, I was informed that she had been kidnapped
by two Limbarian privateers. I tracked them to this facility.”
“Do you have any proof of these allegations?”
“Fetch your supervisor.” He waved his hand dismissively. “You obviously don’t
possess the authority needed for this assignment.”
Glaring his annoyance, the whelp went off to find his supervisor. An older man
returned with the lad. His coldly assessing gaze made Arrik smile. Much better.
“Jackson wasn’t out of line,” the older man told him. “If you expect us to intrude
on the privacy of one of our customers, we’re going to have to have more than your
word.”
“Can you access the Sabrotine central database?”
“Of course.”
“Run a contract search for PaTreena Effyeh tect Moreno.”
Moving behind the workstation, the older man asked for the correct spelling,
then ran the search. “She is contracted to Commander Arrik McGuire.”
Arrik exposed his hand and allowed the man to scan the chip imbedded in his
skin.
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“Well, we appear to have a thief. Give me a few minutes to gather some men and
we’ll --”
“I’d prefer you simply open the door. She knows me and she’s less likely to put
up a fight if she understands that her adventure is over.”
“She was not completely unwilling in this kidnapping?”
“She was upset by my unexpected delay, but our contract was never terminated.
She is legally my property.”
“I understand.”
“Good. I’m anxious to have her back.”
* * *
Water sloshed around Treena’s hips as Jazz slid her up and down. She straddled
his lap as he impaled her again and again. Her breasts bounced and her bottom burned,
still tender from the flogging. Bluz stood beside her, knee-deep in the sudsy water. She
sucked on the very tip of his cock and worked his thick length with her hand. It was
wicked and wonderful to be treated to so many sensations. Cool air drifted over her
damp skin, while Jazz bent to suckle her breast.
The privacy alarm sounded and Bluz jerked his head toward the door. “I locked
that thing.” He pulled out of her mouth and reached for a towel. “Stay here. I’ll get rid
of them.”
Jazz held her against him, his expression tense and watchful. He turned off the
water with his foot and listened as Bluz slipped out of the bathroom.
“What the fuck are you --”
The sizzling pulse of a weapon sounded and Treena pushed to her feet. Jazz was
right behind her. She reached for a towel, but he didn’t bother. Throwing open the door,
he rushed to his brother’s aid.
Treena looked out into the main room and froze. The Bastard pointed his pulse
pistol at Bluz while one of his men wrestled Jazz to the floor. Bluz held his arm against
his side, his shoulder blistered and raw. A stranger stood in the doorway, looking
decidedly uncomfortable. He must have let the Bastard into the locked suite.
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Easing the bathroom door open, she addressed the stranger. “This man has no
right to be here. Have him removed at once.”
“Are you Treena Moreno?” the man asked.
“Yes, but…”
“Your contract with Commander McGuire is still valid. Until you register an
official termination with the Sabrotine Directorate, there is nothing anyone can do.”
“He deserted me. Any contract is null and void after six months. I was on
Ceallon for eight. You cannot force me to go with him.”
“Why didn’t you register the split? My hands are tied here. According to the
registry, your contract is still valid.”
“To hell with the registry,” Bluz snapped. “She is not leaving this room!” He
lunged for the Bastard, but another pulse knocked him to the floor, unconscious.
Jazz went wild beneath the soldier. “He will kill her! You can’t do this!”
“Get her out of here.” The security guard drew his weapon and covered Jazz.
The Bastard strolled toward her, a smug smile parting his lips. “I guess I missed
you more than you missed me. Let’s go.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” She looked around for a weapon. Bluz
always carried a gun. Where were his clothes?
She spotted the messy pile near the foot of the bed and made a dash for it. Arrik
caught her around the waist with a pleased laugh. “Lose the towel and I’ll march you
out of here naked.”
“There’s no need for that,” the guard argued. “There are spa robes in the
bathroom. Have her put one on.”
Arrik dragged her into the bathroom and snatched the towel away from her
naked body. He leered at her breasts and licked his lips as his gaze swept lower. “I
forgot how truly amazing you are.”
“You’ll never get away with this.” She crossed her arms over her breasts, hating
herself for the impulse. She had cowered before him far too often in the past.
“If you want a robe, get one. I’m enjoying the view.”
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She grabbed one of the robes off the shelf beside the towels and pulled it on. He
barely gave her time to tighten the belt before he shoved her toward the door.
Bluz hadn’t moved. Her heart gave a sickening lurch. Was he still breathing?
Despite the gun pointed at his head, Jazz twisted and writhed against the soldier
restraining him. “We will come for you, Treena. Never doubt we will come.”
Torment contorted his elegant features and tears blurred Treena’s eyes. No one
had ever cared about her before. No one risked their lives to help her.
The Bastard shoved her into the hall before his hateful voice jeered, “No, you’ll
be coming for me and hating yourself for your weakness.”
She didn’t dignify the comment with a response.
Arrik’s shuttle was tiny and crowded. She was never so happy to be
uncomfortable in her life. The cramped quarters made it impossible for her tormentor to
do more than stare. Unfortunately, it took less than an hour to reach his ship.
He marched her through the corridors like a war prize. She kept her head held
high, refusing to make eye contact with any of the crew.
We’ll come for you. Never doubt we’ll come. She wrapped Jazz’s assurance around
her like a coat of armor. All she had to do was stay alive until they returned or find a
way to jettison an escape pod. No, the Bastard would be expecting her to try something
like that.
“Why so quiet? You never had trouble thinking of things to say in the past.” He
scanned open a door to a tiny cabin and shoved her inside.
“Why are you doing this? You threw me away like a worn out toy.”
He stood in the doorway, keeping the door open. “I temporarily exiled you when
you became a hindrance to my career. I never stopped wanting you.”
“Well, I got over you a long time ago.” She glanced around the dismal cabin with
growing dread. A tiny bunk and a combination toilet and washstand, no shower, not
even a viewport. How long did he intend to keep her locked up in here? “If you rape
me you’ll lose your commission. So this is a waste of time. We both know the
Federation has no tolerance for this sort of abuse.”
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“I have no intention of touching you until you’re begging for my cock.
Fortunately for me, I know just what it takes to make you beg.” Without further
explanation, he stepped back into the corridor and the door slid shut, leaving her in
darkness.
Chapter Eight
Bluz paced the bridge of the Chrysalis, too anxious to sit down. “Anything?”
Lenstat shook his head, his gaze fixed on his scanner screen. “They have to be
using some sort of shielding mechanism. Are you sure of their trajectory?”
“We’re not sure of anything,” Jazz admitted with a muttered curse. A moment
passed in silence; then he let out an audible sigh. “Thank the Goddess! Traborn just
hailed us.”
“Put him on screen.”
Traborn’s swarthy image materialized, amusement gleaming in his dark eyes. “I
told you not to pick a fight with this guy.”
Bluz bristled at his nonchalance. “This isn’t funny. We have to get her back
before he hurts her and I didn’t get the impression he was going to wait long to get
reacquainted.”
“She isn’t just an amusement, Traborn,” Jazz said. “She’s our testadermal mate.”
“Congratulations. I know how rare it is to find one.”
“You know how this bastard thinks.” Bluz grabbed the back of his chair, his
fingers clutching the cool material. “How do we get her back?”
Traborn crossed his brawny arms over his chest and smiled. “The only way to
deal with a bully is to kick the shit out of him.”
“The Chrysalis is no match for his ship.”
“That’s why I’m en route to assist you. There’s nothing I like better than kicking
the shit out of bullies.”
Bluz glanced away from the screen, frustrated by his helplessness. “We have to
find him first.”
“Why do you think I hailed you? Ivy just got a sensor lock on him.”
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* * *
The door slid open and Treena squinted against the light. How long had she
been encased in darkness, tormented by every shudder of the ship, every unfamiliar
sound? She’d always been afraid of the dark and the Bastard knew it.
“Are you ready to be reasonable?”
“You’re wasting your time. I’d rather endure the darkness.”
“And the hunger? And the stench? Did you happen to notice that there isn’t a
shower in this cabin?”
“I figure after four or five days I’ll get used to the smell.”
“Four or five days without food or water? Well, I guess you could drink out of
the toilet if you get desperate enough, but why put yourself through that?”
“I don’t want to be here. You intentionally left me on an outpost where I
wouldn’t be able to register the termination of our contract.”
“You needed time to contemplate the error of your ways.”
She closed her eyes, disgusted by the sight of him.
“I thought you were terrified by the idea of fucking two men. Why did you
refuse my commander? You accepted the exact same thing to get a ride off Ceallon. One
night with him and my future would have been secure. Was that so much to expect?”
“Yes.” She didn’t raise her voice, barely changed her expression. She just opened
her eyes and met his gaze. “If you ever loved me, you wouldn’t have been willing to let
him touch me, much less insist I go through with it after I refused.”
“You agreed to allow me to use your body in any way that pleased me. It pleased
me to have my own ship to command. Fucking one fat old man for one night was not a
high price to pay.”
“Then why didn’t you fuck him?”
“What makes you think I didn’t?”
The mental image was so disturbing, Treena shook her head. “Leave me alone.”
The ship rocked violently to the side, throwing Treena off the bunk. She landed
on the floor with a grunt as a second impact closely followed the first. The sudden
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motion tossed Arrik across the corridor. He caught his balance against the wall as
muted explosions echoed through his ship.
Without explanation, he headed down the hallway. Treena scooted across the
floor and blocked the threshold with her foot. The door hissed a protest and slid back
into the wall. She scrambled to her feet and tightened the belt on her robe.
The corridor was empty, but crewmen jogged past in the adjacent passageway.
She crept toward the intersection and pressed herself against the wall. Had her rescue
party arrived or was someone else shooting at the Bastard? She didn’t know her way
around the ship and she had no weapon. She was not going to die in that airless cell if
this ship went up in flames!
Treena, can you hear me? Jazz’s voice sounded in her mind.
She pressed her lips together as relief made her tremble. Yes. Please tell me that’s
you knocking on the door.
Battering it down is more like it, but yes, that’s us. I told you we’d come after you.
I’ll hold you to it as soon as you get me back on your ship.
Tingling warmth passed along the telepathic link, soothing her and calming her.
She smiled. Her psychic abilities had always made her feel like an outsider, different
and odd. Knowing her lovers had unusual abilities as well made it all the more
wonderful.
“Halt!” She turned around to find one of the crewmen pointing his pistol at her.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Arrik told me to stay in his cabin, but I wanted to see what was going on.” She
used a casual tone, doing her best to ignore the ongoing shudders as the ships
exchanged fire.
“If the commander told you to stay in his cabin, get your ass back to his cabin.”
She moved toward him with a slow smile, glancing at his face then looking
away. “If you’ll hide me until this is over, I’ll see that you’re --” She kneed him in the
groin and ripped his weapon out of his hand as he collapsed to his knees.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 88 -
Gripping the gun tightly in one hand, she sorted through her limited options.
She could try and find an airlock or an escape pod.
Shots echoed in the distance, not the booming blasts of laser cannons, but close
range weapons, like the one in her hand. She crept along the wall and peeked around
the corner. Two uniformed soldiers crouched with their backs to her as they fired on
Jazz and a man she didn’t recognize.
After a moment’s hesitation, she blasted Arrik’s soldiers in quick succession,
then ducked back around the corner.
“Nicely done, my warrior elf,” Jazz called out. “Let’s get the hell out of here!”
She ran into his arms. He kissed her quickly, then hurried her down the corridor.
They made it to the airlock without incident, but another team arrived before they were
able to secure the hatch.
Jazz pushed her behind him, but she knelt and fired, careful to keep her pistol
well below his. The pilot dove into the shuttle and Treena followed suit. After a final
volley, Jazz drove back the Bastard’s crew far enough to activate the airlock.
The pilot launched the shuttle and Treena held her breath, waiting for the
massive warship to open fire.
Silence.
“Why are they letting us go?” Treena was almost afraid to speak the question.
“I don’t know.” Jazz pulled her onto his lap and kissed her soundly. “I’m sure as
hell not complaining, but it is odd.”
The shuttle glided smoothly toward the Chrysalis. Treena glanced back at Arrik’s
ship and gasped. “What the fuck is that?” She pointed to the third ship hovering above
the warship.
“That is Traborn Morel,” Jazz informed her, “or at least his ship. Thank the
Goddess for good friends with bad reputations.”
The pilot opened the hatch moments after they docked. Jazz escorted her to the
command center, where Bluz was thanking the gorgeous dark-haired man on the
vidscreen for his assistance.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 89 -
“That’s Traborn?” she whispered.
“Let me introduce you.” Jazz stepped forward. “Commander Morel, I’d like to
introduce you to the cause of all this excitement.” Treena glanced down at her bathrobe
and wanted to sink into the deck. “This is Treena, our bonded mate.”
The privateer captain inclined his dark head. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Thank you for assisting my Masters.” Her cheeks flushed as she said it out loud
for the first time.
“Why didn’t they shoot at the shuttle?” Jazz asked no one in particular. “I
thought for sure the Bastard would go down in flames.”
“He had a transmission from the commandant ordering him to cease and desist,”
Traborn explained. “He’s been called back to headquarters to answer for his
misappropriating of Sabrotine resources.”
Treena tucked her hair behind her ear. “Why would the commandant care about
what was happening here?”
“I sent him a detailed message pointing out the poor decisions of his newest
commander. I included the audio log of your contract with Jazz. You wouldn’t contract
yourself to someone else if you had any interest in continuing your arrangement with
McGuire. Even the commandant couldn’t argue with that.”
“It would have taken the commandant months to get around to responding to
us,” Bluz put in. “We owe you big time for this.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Traborn turned his sparkling gaze on Treena and offered
her another smile. “Try and keep them out of trouble. I have a mate of my own to
entertain.”
Another hour passed as they put distance between the warship and the Chrysalis.
Treena stood to one side of the command center watching the men work. She had to
find a way of making herself useful if she was going to remain on the Chrysalis. This
was a no-frills, working ship and she refused to be a fixture.
The kind-eyed science officer shooed them all away once they determined their
next destination and were safely underway.
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 90 -
“You realize if you hadn’t insisted on that silly contract, Traborn would have had
no legal means of defending you to the commandant,” Bluz told her as they walked
toward the captain’s cabin. “He was a valuable asset in resolving this quickly, but so
were you.”
She smiled, pleased by the praise. “I know how the Federation works. What I
don’t know is what I can do to be an active member of this crew.” She raised a hand,
stemming his objections. “Officer’s pet doesn’t count. You each are bound to me and
you both have other responsibilities. I want something to do while you two are… doing
whatever it is you do.”
Bluz scanned open the door and ushered her inside. “The galley is automated. I
can’t make you ship’s cook.”
She smacked him on the arm. “As if I’d let you! What kind of a chauvinistic crack
is that?”
He laughed. “We’ll have to give it some thought. We can cross-train you to pitch
in wherever there’s a need. I plan on having you around for a very long time.”
She rewarded his answer with a beaming smile.
“I still owe you some new clothes, don’t I?” Jazz asked as Bluz unfastened her
robe.
“The bubble bath was interrupted too.”
“So it was.” He moved up behind her and slipped the garment down her arms.
“How is your shoulder?” She unfastened Bluz’s shirt and found his shoulder
bandaged. “When he blasted you the second time, I was terrified he’d killed you.”
“I’m too mean to die that easily. The shoulder will be sore for a while. We’ll just
have to be creative.”
She looked at the bed and licked her lips. “I remember what we were doing
before we were so rudely interrupted. I’m pretty sure that won’t strain your shoulder.”
“I’ll never turn down the pleasure of your mouth.”
“Do I get to be where I was too?” Jazz asked hopefully.
“Why?” she teased him. “You didn’t get shot.”
Aubrey Ross
Price of Passion
- 91 -
He stripped off his shirt and promptly showed her several scrapes and bruises.
Bluz just shook his head and grabbed her wrist. “One of these days you’ll figure
out how this works. There is only one way to win an argument with a woman.” He
swatted her on the butt and pulled her with obvious purpose toward the bed.
Playfully tugging against his hold, she looked over her shoulder and smiled at
Jazz. “You can come too.”
“Glad to hear it.” He chuckled and hurried after them.
Aubrey Ross
Aubrey Ross writes an eclectic assortment of erotic fiction. From power struggles
between futuristic clans, to adventurous Mystic Keepers, her stories are filled with
passion and imagination. Some of her recent awards include an EPPIE finalist, two
Passionate Plume finalists, and a CAPA Nomination from The Romance Studio.
With a pampered cat curled on the corner of her desk, Aubrey dreams of
fascinating words and larger than life adventures -- and wouldn’t have it any other
way! Visit her website at: http://www.aubreyross.com. Join Aubrey’s Newsletter
group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Anything-but-Ordinary
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