Codename Summer

Aubrey Ross

Undercover Embassy, Book Four

Malik Wanatee is an unwilling servant of the Gathosians, aliens who have

overtaken and enslaved Earth. When he’s ordered to investigate a series of suspicious
incidents, he’s shocked to find a connection to his past. Back on his home world he and
Saroji were to marry. That hope was killed when the Gathosians destroyed his world
and interrupted his “claiming” ceremony. Could Saroji now be the agent known as
Summer, part of Earth’s Resistance?

Saroji is infuriated when she learns Malik has sent for her alter ego. If the traitor

doesn’t realize she’s Summer, the Resistance can gain much from his knowledge. Malik
is the only man who ever touched her body and tantalized her heart until she willingly
surrendered control. She can’t afford to trust him, yet squandering the opportunity
could extinguish Earth’s last hope.

To save Earth, they must trust and submit to one another, body and soul.

C

ODENAME

S

UMMER

Aubrey Ross

Aubrey Ross

4

Chapter One

“So, Agent Wanatee, to what do I owe the honor of your esteemed presence?”

Malik smiled. The auburn-haired madam had managed to keep most of the sarcasm

from her voice but her expressive blue eyes revealed her apprehension. “After the
success of my recent mission my superiors insisted I take some time off and enjoy the
amenities of Earth.” Another smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “As we both
know, the embassies supply the only form of recreation remaining on Earth, and your
embassy is the best.”

Autumn scooted to the edge of her chair and folded her hands on the desktop.

Unlike the lavish grandeur of the embassy’s common rooms, her office was small and
cozy. Her features remained calm, almost serene, while her gaze narrowed with
speculation. “Do you have a specific adventure in mind, or would you like me to create
something unexpected?”

“I’d like to experience one of your ‘seasons’. You are under contract with General

Noirte, so I presume you’re not available, but I would like access to either Winter,
Spring or Summer.” He watched her closely, waiting for the flicker of panic sure to
result from his request. She inclined her head, acknowledged his statement then
glanced at her folded hands.

A trail of suspicious incidents had followed in the wake of Autumn’s “seasons”.

The men involved always remembered a passionate night with an uninhibited beauty,
yet the information leaks and unexplained failures had no other common denominator.

“I’m afraid the ambassadors you’ve mentioned are all under contract elsewhere.”

Autumn produced a thin smile. “I’m sure I can find—”

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“Ulrick Brant contracted Winter, and Spring hasn’t been seen since Evard Keenan

mysteriously disappeared. Who claimed Summer?” He made the word “claimed” sound
harsh and accusatory.

Autumn paled as she worried her bottom lip. “Summer went to… That is, Summer

is currently unavailable. My clients depend upon my discretion. I’m sure you
understand.”

He could easily verify any destination she supplied, so she’d been wise to keep her

excuse vague. “You will make her available to me or I will close this embassy. The best
and brightest of your employees might be absorbed by your competitors, but I suspect
the majority of your ambassadors would be forced to enter the workforce.”

“There’s no reason for threats, Agent Wanatee.” Her shoulders squared and

determination reignited within her eyes. “Summer’s contract allows her to choose her
customers. I’ll present her with your proposal and see if—”

“Why would you allow her such privileges? None of the other embassies

have…free agents.”

“I assure you, Summer is anything but free. The seasons are special. They make

themselves available to an extremely limited clientele. Only the most wealthy and
powerful are able to afford their services.”

“Cost is no obstacle. I can afford any fee you set. I would prefer to be one of your

loyal customers, but I am prepared to be your enemy. The decision is yours.” He
pushed his chair back and stood, gazing down at her as she fidgeted behind her desk. “I
require your finest suite for one week and I expect Summer to be waiting when I return
tomorrow evening.” Without waiting for her reaction, he turned and left the room.

* * * * *

“He knows!” Saroji pressed her hand over her thudding heart, determined not to

surrender to the emotions assailing her composure. She paused for a deep breath then

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6

leaned toward her brother and whispered, “Don’t you understand what this means?
Malik knows I’m Summer.”

Ra’jen shook his head, his gaze as turbulent as her mood. He looked fierce and

unapproachable in his black and silver uniform. His pale hair was drawn back from his
face, accentuating the sharp angles of his features. “It’s not possible. He’s definitely up
to something but there is nothing connecting you with Summer.” He glanced at
Autumn and his expression softened as it always did when he looked at his mate.
“We’ve all worked too hard to protect your anonymity. Besides, if Malik figured out
where you are, why wouldn’t he just walk into the clinic and reassert his claim?”

“‘Reassert his claim’?” Autumn waved away the hovering waiter after he’d filled

her coffee cup. “I’ve tried not to pry, but I think it’s time someone explained the
connection between Saroji and Malik.”

Rather than reply, Ra’jen looked at his sister with silent expectation.

Autumn was right. She needed to understand the underlying conflict if they were

going to make logical decisions. Saroji sighed, dreading the rush of emotions that
always accompanied thoughts of her wayward suitor. Tall, dark and dangerous, Malik
had always been able to ignite her senses with a look or the merest touch of his strong
hands.

“Malik and I were betrothed when the Gathosians arrived in our star system. The

final bonding was preempted by their raids but Malik still considers his claim valid.”

It took a moment for Autumn to comment and when she did her tone was soft and

careful. “There are only a handful of your people still alive. His attitude can’t be
surprising.”

Saroji looked around the bustling restaurant. Nearly every customer present was

dressed in a Protectorate uniform. Many stole discreet peeks at their fearsome general,
but no one dared more than an occasional glance. The events Saroji was relating were
ancient history. Even if someone overheard them, there was nothing to be gained from
the information.

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“Saroji is avoiding a few important facts.” Ra’jen offered her a rare smile before he

returned his attention to Autumn. “Barton and Pryett had been at war for centuries.
Hostilities ebbed and flowed but neither side could manage to establish a lasting
peace.”

“So Father offered me to Barton’s high king, hoping to solidify a peace treaty.”

Nearly two centuries had passed and still she felt pangs of bitterness and regret. Her
dreams of a tender courtship and loving spouse had been sacrificed on the altar of
political duty. “Though Father legitimized me, I was born of his Bartonese concubine,
not his queen like Ra’jen.”

Autumn looked at Ra’jen, clearly shocked by these revelations. “Your father was a

king?”

“Our father is dead, as is our planet.” He sounded gruff and impatient, revealing

the wounds inflicted by the events he so casually dismissed. “Who I was before the
Gathosian invasion is irrelevant now. Reality has a way of changing whenever they
appear.”

Earth was not the first planet they had ravaged. The Gathosians were scavengers,

ruthless beings that obliterated populations and stole each planet’s natural resources
then moved on to the next conquest.

After a thoughtful pause Autumn asked, “Then Malik was high king of Barton?”

“No. He was a favored bastard, just like me.” Saroji released a bitter chuckle as her

mind swept back in time, making each memory sharp and crystal clear. “Despite my
resistance, the match made sense. I wasn’t happy about my personal circumstance but I
was excited by the prospect of bringing my world one step closer to peace.”

“What happened? Was it just the Gathosians that ruined your plans or were there

other factors?”

“The potential union was soured before the Gathosians arrived. I quickly figured

out that Malik’s character was what made him a bastard, not the circumstances of his
birth.”

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It had all been so long ago. How could it still cut so deeply? She hadn’t just resisted

the idea of a political marriage. She’d railed at her father for his cruel manipulation and
begged for him to reconsider. Then she met Malik, looked into his velvety gaze and
came alive beneath his skilled caresses.

But his whispered endearments and charming smiles had masked a heart of ice. He

hadn’t even attempted to curtail his outrageous behavior or be discreet with his nightly
conquests. He might have been obligated to bond with her but he made it obvious to
everyone that he had no intention of changing his lifestyle.

Emotion thickened her voice and tears gathered in her eyes, so Ra’jen picked up the

tale. “When the Gathosians realized they were highly compatible with Bartonese
physiology, Malik and the other survivors of his planet were segregated from the rest of
the Protectorate. We heard very little about them until they reemerged some years later
as physical hosts for the Gathosian leaders.”

“Is Malik an anchor?” Autumn asked.

“He was for many years, but when the Gathosian he hosted died, Malik refused to

accept another.”

Confusion creased Autumn’s brow. “Why did the Gathosians allow Malik to

refuse? They don’t seem concerned with anyone else’s objections.”

“Damn good question,” Saroji muttered. “To our knowledge Malik serves them

faithfully without any form of coercion.”

“He’s not addicted to the compound?” Autumn sounded skeptical. Addiction was

the Gathosians’ primary method of control.

“That’s unlikely,” Ra’jen told her. “No one is exempt from that rule.”

Their conversation was paused as the waiter arrived with their meal. The artfully

arranged food and tantalizing aromas did little to stir Saroji’s appetite. Her life before
the Gathosians seemed like a dream, a nearly forgotten memory. Unfortunately, Malik
had followed her into the present, resurrecting with frightening ease each time she
thought him dead and gone.

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“Jocelyn told me you both thought Malik was dead, that it sounded like Ra’jen had

killed him,” Autumn prompted.

Ra’jen looked into Saroji’s eyes, waiting for her assent before he related the more

recent events. “When I was promoted to general, many facts became available to me
that had been unattainable before. I learned that Malik was still alive and a member of
the Gathosians’ trusted inner circle.”

“The campaign on Earth was the first time we’d been in the same star system as

Malik since our worlds were attacked,” Saroji explained. “When he learned I was again
within his grasp he arrested me and took me to one of the detention centers.”

Ra’jen set down his fork and clenched his hands, obviously upset by the memory. “I

learned of her arrest and responded with all the authority of my new position.”

Autumn shivered, her gaze shifting to Saroji. “That must have been one hell of a

confrontation.”

“The pissing contest only accelerated the conflict.” Saroji rubbed her upper arms as

vivid memories flowed through her mind. She’d been bound and naked, trembling on
the brink of surrender when Ra’jen crashed through the door. “They fought, and we
both believed Ra’jen had killed Malik until Jocelyn told us he was still alive.”

“The Bartonese are able to regenerate. That’s why the Gathosians use them as

anchors.” Ra’jen shook his head, his gaze filled with regret. “I should have burned his
body, made absolutely certain he could never hurt Saroji again.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Saroji glanced away, unable to bear the guilt in her brother’s

eyes. If he realized how easily she’d succumbed to Malik’s seduction she doubted he
would be so tormented by his perceived failure. Malik attracted her like no other man.
He called to something dark and dangerous inside her, something she was almost
afraid to acknowledge. If only his personality matched his physical appeal she would
have happily bonded with him. But he was ruthless and self-serving, cowardly and
arrogant. He’d revealed his true colors long before he became a trusted agent of the
enemy.

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“I have to agree with Ra’jen,” Autumn said after another long pause. “If Malik

wanted you, there’s no reason for him to play games. His demands have nothing to do
with you. He’s suspicious about the seasons.”

“So what’s our next move?” Saroji pushed her plate aside, tired of pretending to eat

when her stomach was tied in knots. “We can’t let him shut down the embassy. We
need discreet lines of communication more than ever.”

“And we’d planned on utilizing the ambassadors once Evard’s formula is ready for

distribution,” Ra’jen reminded them.

“How are the test subjects doing?” Saroji knew a select few of Ra’jen’s trusted men

had volunteered to test the antidote but she hadn’t spoken with him since the trials
began.

“It’s only been four days. So far there are no adverse reactions. Each man has been

able to wean himself off the compound with minimal discomfort. A second, larger,
group is scheduled for tomorrow.”

“Which leads us back to the beginning. What do we do about Malik?” A shiver

raced down her spine, triggering unwanted sensations in all the wrong places. Her
nipples pebbled and her pussy clenched, reminding her of pleasures better left in the
past. She would not be manipulated by desire.

“If he has no idea who Summer is, I’ll just send one of the real ambassadors to his

suite and be done with it,” Autumn decided.

Saroji shook her head. “It would take him about five minutes to realize she’s a

fraud. You would have to fill her in on all of my missions. You can be certain Malik has
done his homework. He’ll know every detail of every appointment each season has
taken. That’s why he’s so suspicious. He’s obviously connecting the dots.”

“The real question is, are the Gathosians behind his investigation or is Malik still

gathering information to present to them?” Ra’jen stroked his chin as he considered the
possibilities.

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“There’s one way to find out.” Malik had haunted her for far too long. It was time

to resolve their love-hate relationship once and for all. “He’s expecting to interrogate an
unsuspecting human female who will be unprepared for the savage appeal of a
Bartonese male. I say we—”

“You are not going anywhere near him.” Ra’jen’s tone rang with finality.

“It’s not your decision to make.” Saroji placed her napkin on the tabletop and

straightened her spine. “This is an incredible opportunity and we all know it. Malik
knows more about the Gathosians than any other person on this planet. We have to turn
the tables on him, twist this thing to our advantage.”

Ra’jen leaned in and whispered between clenched teeth, “And how will spending a

week as his sexual slave help the Resistance?”

“You’re underestimating me. Unlike anyone else we could send to him, I know

what to expect. I have the best chance of controlling the situation.”

He shook his head, his expression mutinous. “I remember how well you were able

to control him before. If it had taken me ten minutes longer to locate you, Malik would
be your bonded mate!”

Autumn cleared her throat, drawing Ra’jen’s attention. “She’s right, love. This is her

decision. He’s expecting Summer to be weak and malleable. Finding out the woman he
wants for a mate is one of the spies he’s trying to expose is sure to rattle his cage.”

“That’s the problem,” Ra’jen persisted. “Malik won’t be caged. Saroji will be at his

mercy, and he’ll eat her alive.”

* * * * *

Malik paced the spacious suite like a caged animal. Where was she? He’d expected

to find Summer in the suite, awaiting his pleasure, when he arrived at the central
embassy nearly an hour before. A table in the dining area contained an assortment of
beverages and hors d’oeuvres, but the appetite consuming him had nothing to do with
food.

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A light tapping drew his attention to the door and eagerness coiled within him. He

took a deep breath and steadied his voice before calling, “Enter.”

The door opened and a slim blonde stepped into the room, pausing to close the

door behind her. She was dressed in a sexy variation of a military uniform. The short,
fluttery skirt barely grazed the top of her thighs and the cropped jacket, complete with
elaborate epaulettes, left much of her red velvet bustier visible. The matching hat,
combined with the fall of her long, silky hair, shielded her face from him, prolonging
the anticipation.

Malik held his breath, waiting for his suspicions to be confirmed, more than ready

to begin the long-awaited battle of wills. She turned from the door and tossed back her
hair, offering him a smart salute.

“Good evening, Agent Wanatee.” A smile slowly bowed her lips as she added, “It’s

been a long time.”

Their gazes locked and reality paused as awareness arced between them. It had

always been like this with Saroji, only with Saroji. She fascinated him, challenged him
and infuriated him all at the same time.

Her smoky blue gaze searched his face, intense and expectant. If she was waiting

for him to react to her “surprise” she’d be sorely disappointed. It was his suspicion that
she was Summer that had turned moderate curiosity into obsession.

“Does your brother know about your fondness for role-playing, or is this

arrangement between you and Mistress Autumn?” He stalked toward her, unable to
bear their separation a moment longer.

“Should I be jealous?” She held her ground, sultry gaze locked with his. “You

haven’t seen me in over a year and your first thought is of my brother?”

He snatched the hat from her head and tossed it aside. “Did you miss me?” He

advanced again, backing her against the door. “Do you close your eyes and think of me
while your customers are on top of you?” The thought both excited and repelled him.

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He wanted his image lodged securely in her mind, but thinking of anyone else touching
her sent fury ricocheting through his spirit.

“I’m here with you now.” She bit her bottom lip, her lashes sweeping down to

shadow her eyes. “Nothing else matters.”

“Spoken like a practiced whore!” He slapped his hands against the door on either

side of her head, crowding her, caging her with his body. “Is turning tricks really better
than being my mate? I could have provided for you and protected you.”

“Spoken like a Gathosian pet.” She glared at him, breasts swelling with each

agitated breath. “We might be fighting a losing battle but we’ll never surrender. We’ll
die with our souls intact, which is more than I can say about you!”

Her bitterness shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did. “You have a rather

pronounced opinion of me, considering what little you know.”

“Is this where you list your justifications for betraying your own people? The

Gathosians are monsters. How can you willingly serve them?”

Willingly? He almost laughed. No one willingly served the Gathosians and she

knew it.

He didn’t argue. It would be a waste of breath. She wasn’t ready to accept the truth

or even listen to his side of the story. Their only common ground had always been
passion. That would have to be enough, for now.

He cupped her chin and tilted her head back. “Are you Saroji, my betrothed, or

Summer, a skillful spy for the Resistance?”

“I’m not your anything, so I guess that makes me Summer.”

His gaze narrowed and Saroji wanted to pull back the words. She wanted his

mouth on hers and his cock buried deep inside her, but not like this, not while anger
and resentment hardened his gaze.

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“Fine by me.” He spun her around and placed her hands against the door. Then he

kicked her feet apart and reached beneath her skirt, dragging her thong down around
her knees. She waited for the brutal thrust of his cock, the fullness she so desperately
needed. He ran his fingertips over her hips, up and down her thighs and across her ass
cheeks.

The restriction of her thong around her knees was oddly evocative, increasing the

tension inside her. She wanted more, longed for the firm grasp of cuffs against her
wrists and the security of cords around her ankles.

His hand pushed between her thighs, his fingers barely grazing her folds. “You’re

already wet.” There was no mockery in his tone, just a calm statement of fact.

She closed her hands into fists, hating her weakness even as her passage clenched

painfully. Once the decision was made for her to keep the appointment, her body had
gone into sexual overdrive. She’d rubbed herself to a quick orgasm before she fell
asleep the night before, but her dreams had been filled with images of Malik. She woke
up restless and needy and she’d been wet ever since.

He pushed two fingers into her pussy and she squeezed as hard as she could. “Oh

yes. Push back against me. Ride my hand.”

Beyond shame or regret, she bore down on his fingers, taking them as deep as she

could. Then she pulled her hips forward, savoring the slide before she rammed herself
back onto his hand again.

“That’s right.” His voice was deep and commanding, just the way she remembered.

“Harder.”

She eagerly obeyed, spreading her legs wider to increase the pressure on her knees.

He reached around her hip with his other hand and splayed his fingers against her
pelvis, slowing her thrusts to better match the rhythm of his hand. She arched her back,
tightening her inner muscles again and again.

She was close, so damn close, but her orgasm remained just out of reach. He was

intentionally avoiding her G-spot and her clit, keeping her simmering and desperate.

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With a frustrated cry she moved her hand downward, but he caught her wrist and

returned her hand to its place on the door. “You know better.”

“Please, let me come.”

“You come when I say you come, and not before.”

She trembled, concentrating on the wet slap of her pussy against his palm.

She heard the frantic shuffle of his clothing. Then he shifted both hands to her hips

and adjusted the angle of her body. His cock pushed between her thighs, the thick
intrusion unmistakable.

He paused against her opening and whispered into her ear, “Is this what you want,

sweet slut?”

She gritted her teeth to keep from begging. He would not bend her to his will so

easily. Her body might need his but her mind and spirit were securely protected from
his hypnotic sway. “This is why you summoned me, isn’t it? What are you waiting
for?”

His fingers tightened on her hips, and his hot breath ruffled her hair. “Works for

me—Summer!”

He drove his entire length into her aching passage with one violent thrust. The head

of his cock brushed across her G-spot and the fullness compressed her clit. She started
to come and threw back her head, slapping him in the face with her hair.

“Not yet.” He wrapped his arms around her, holding her immobile as the

sensations receded.

“Malik, please,” she cried, squeezing him as hard as she could.

“So it’s Malik now? What happened to Agent Wanatee?” He pulled back and

shoved inward with short, sharp strokes.

Pushing her head toward the door, he bent her forward. The new angle allowed

him deeper, and Saroji moaned. She’d waited too long for this, needed the sweet release
she’d only known with Malik.

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“Please, Sir, may I come?” She whispered the request, terrified of rejection, yet

unable to withstand the pressure a moment longer.

He cupped her mound and drove deep, molding his pelvis against her ass. His

middle finger eased between her folds and circled her clit. “Come for me, Saroji.
Squeeze me tight.”

Suspended in a haze of sensation, Saroji submitted to his touch. She relaxed and let

him take her, responding with her stillness. He dragged his finger across her clit and
her orgasm released in forceful spasms, radiating out from where their bodies were
joined.

Her knees gave out as the last spasm faded and he followed her down to the floor.

Pulling her away from the door, he pressed against her back. He resumed the gentle
orbit of her clit as he dragged his cock nearly out. She folded her arms and lowered her
head, offering him a better angle.

The position must have pleased him. He groaned and grasped her hips with both

hands. Then he rode her hard, his cock shuttling in and out with long, deep strokes.

His energy brushed against her mind, gentle yet insistent. “Open for me.”

Dreading his reaction, she shook her head. His rhythm stuttered but didn’t stop.

“Why?”

It was time to throw down the gauntlet and he wasn’t going to like it. She pushed

up against him, taking him as deep as she could with her knees restrained. “My body is
yours to do with as you will, but my mind belongs to me.”

“Damn it, Saroji.” He growled then grasped the front of her thighs and thrust even

faster.

She closed her eyes, reveling in the frantic surge of his cock. He was thick and long,

filling her completely with each sharp lunge. Her senses soared toward another orgasm
as her heart ached for so much more.

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He pulled out suddenly and her cunt clenched in protest. She dug her fingernails

into her palms as his seed splashed against her upturned ass. “I never come inside a
whore.” His voice was so gruff and strained it was barely recognizable.

Less sure of her strategy than she had been moments before, she glanced over her

shoulder. “Ambassadors are required by law to be free of disease and on some form of
birth control. Mistress Autumn should have explained that these archaic concerns need
not hamper your pleasure.”

He just glared at her as he struggled to his feet and righted his clothing.

“Vaccinations protect me from disease, but I have only your word that you’re not
fertile. No pleasure ambassador is worthy of my seed.”

She had established their roles to provoke him, so why did his words sting so

badly? Refusing to give in to the tears stinging her eyes, she wiggled out of her panties
and used the small scrap of cloth to wipe his come off her skin. Then she stood as
gracefully as her wobbly legs allowed and held out the soiled thong.

“Would you like to keep this as a souvenir?”

With a snarl contorting his handsome face, he batted the offered wad out of her

hand then fisted the back of her hair. “Do you really want to continue this game? You
might not like where it takes us.”

She dove into his night-black gaze and greedily absorbed the heat of his nearness.

He wouldn’t hurt her, at least not physically. Indifference had always been his weapon
and he’d wielded it ruthlessly.

His long black hair had come loose from its tie, making him look savage and

wicked. She wanted to feel the rasp of his short beard against her inner thighs as his
mouth devoured her pussy. He’d been her first lover, had become the standard by
which she judged all others, which probably explained why there’d been so few.

“Why do you consider this a game?” A bit of her composure returned as she

surrounded herself with the turbulent emotions so apparent in his expression. He was

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anything but indifferent now and that’s the way she intended to keep him. It was his
turn to be off-balanced and undone, to want more than his lover was willing to give.

“After Spring helped Evard Keenan escape, I looked into her history more closely.

Spring led me to Autumn, and Autumn led me to your brother. General Noirte is either
leading the Resistance or he’s turning a blind eye to their treasonous activities. And if
Ra’jen is involved, you’re involved. It took me less than a day to figure out you are
Summer.”

Saroji remained silent. His suspicions came as no surprise. What she needed to find

out was how much of his information he’d turned over to the Gathosians.

“You don’t deny it?”

“You didn’t ask questions. You stated accusations.”

“Do you let them fuck you?” He gritted out the question between clenched teeth,

sending a thrill down her spine. If he didn’t care about her on some level, the question
would never cross his mind.

“Isn’t that a bit hypocritical?” Instead of resisting his hold, she moved closer, easing

the pressure on her scalp as her breasts brushed against his chest. “You let the
Gathosians flow through your mind and inhabit your body. What’s the difference?
We’re both doing what we must to survive.”

“Surviving on a Gathosian-occupied world requires obedience.” He wrapped his

free arm around her waist and drew her flush with his body. “The Resistance is a futile
endeavor that is likely to get you killed.”

Cursing the layers of clothes separating their skin, she gazed into his eyes.

“Participating in the Resistance is the only thing that keeps me going. Without some
flicker of hope, life isn’t worth living.”

“But it’s pointless.” His expression hardened and he pushed her away. “I’ve seen it

over and over. Uprisings are nothing new to the Gathosians. They know how to
extinguish a rebellion better than anyone.”

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“Then why does the Resistance still exist?” Unused to stilettos, Saroji kicked off her

shoes and wiggled her toes.

“You were a miniscule annoyance, not worth the effort to address.”

“‘Were’?” She rubbed her sides with a frustrated groan. The bustier was cutting into

her ribs and constricting her breathing. No wonder ambassadors were so eager to strip.
Their costumes were torturous. “Does that mean we’re more than annoying now?”

“As soon as they realize Evard is still alive, they’ll—”

“What makes you think he’s still alive? We tried to rescue him. That’s true, but he

was shot during the escape and didn’t survive.”

“Yeah, I read the guards’ reports. But I also know what it takes to kill a Bartonese in

his prime. Evard is still alive and it’s only a matter of time before the Gathosians figure
it out.” He crossed to the dining table and poured himself a drink. “Do you want
something?”

“Whatever you’re having would be fine.”

He chuckled. “Pryett fire ale? Are you sure?”

She moved toward him, ridiculously aware of her naked pussy beneath her short

skirt. All he had to do was reach beneath or bend her over and she’d be exposed and
accessible. “I’m half Pryett, remember? I had fire ale for the first time when I was…far
too young to be drinking fire ale.” She smiled as he passed her a glass of the reddish
liquid.

He leaned back against the table as he studied her. “Where is Evard stashed?

Needless to say, they’ll want him back.”

She paused for a couple of slow sips before responding. “I have a better question.

Why didn’t you do anything to prevent his rescue? You were there, Malik. Are you
going to pretend you didn’t know what Spring was trying to accomplish?”

His lips curved as he raised his glass, making his expression hard to read. “I was

focused on my mission.”

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20

“Bullshit. You knew exactly what was about to happen and you walked away.”

He shrugged then set his half-drained glass aside. “Does that mean I still have a

soul, or am I just growing careless?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

His brow arched and a lazy smile parted his lips. “At least you’re honest. Why

don’t we continue in that vein? What was Evard really working on, and why was it
necessary to blow up the lab?”

“How much of this is your speculation and how much do the Gathosians know for

sure?”

“Why would you believe anything I told you? I’m their lapdog, remember?”

Bitterness flickered in his gaze before he managed to conceal it. He was not as immune
to the need for freedom as he wanted her to believe.

“If you knew I was Summer, why did you arrange this meeting? You know I won’t

tell you anything that will endanger the Resistance.”

“And you could have sent someone else in your place. I would have called your

bluff, of course. But you’re here because you wanted to see me.”

“I don’t deny it.” She reached around him to set her glass down then placed her

hand on his upper arm. “I’ve always found pleasure in your arms, and pleasure is in
short supply on this world.”

“So this is about pleasure and only pleasure?” His gaze narrowed and his muscles

flexed beneath her fingers.

Her attitude angered him, as she’d intended. She wasn’t ready to offer more than

her body. He’d have to earn her trust first and she wasn’t sure he was capable of the
task. Pleasure, on the other hand, flowed naturally and effortlessly between them. It
always had.

“Did you have something else in mind?”

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21

For a long, strained moment he stared at her, his expression carefully guarded.

Then his gaze swept the length of her body and he said, “You said you’re mine to do
with as I will. So prove it. I want you naked and on your knees.”

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22

Chapter Two

Malik’s gut clenched as he watched Saroji undress. She was easily the most

beautiful woman he’d ever seen, with pale-blonde hair and flawless skin providing the
perfect setting for her unusual eyes. Framed by thick dark lashes, her eyes could shift
from silver to midnight blue and every shade in between.

She slipped off her jacket and unzipped her skirt, wiggling a bit as the teasing fabric

slipped over her hips. Black stockings highlighted her shapely legs and led his gaze to
her bare pussy. She turned, presenting him with her back and the tantalizing curve of
her ass.

“Could you unlace me?”

He was tempted to have her leave the bustier in place. The garment sculpted her

figure into an intriguing hourglass, but he wanted access to her nipples. With
determined tugs he freed the laces and pulled the garment away from her skin.

She stretched and rubbed her torso, releasing an appreciative sigh. “Thank God! I’d

forgotten what it felt like to breathe.”

He might have freed her breathing but his chest felt so damn tight he could hardly

fill his lungs. “Give me your stockings.”

Turning slightly to the side, she displayed her figure to perfection as she bent and

rolled the stockings down her legs. His cock rose, thick and hard, pressing against his
zipper with enough force to make him groan.

She handed him the stockings, not asking why he wanted them. The gleam in her

gaze assured him she knew exactly what he had in mind. She liked to be bound, came
faster and harder when she was at his mercy.

“On your knees.” His voice rasped over the words and his balls felt heavy and

tight.

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23

He helped her kneel and she put her hands behind her back so he could secure

them with one of the stockings. After snugly binding her wrists he looked at her ankles.
No, he had a better idea. Moving in front of her, he wrapped the stocking around her
throat, and her eyes widened. She needed to trust him, as she had when they first met.

As she had before he broke her heart.

The thought constricted his heart and he whispered, “Relax. This is about pleasure,

not pain.” He hadn’t meant to soothe her but the words just slipped out. He used the
stocking to form a makeshift collar and left a small length resting on her upper chest. If
he grasped the miniature leash the stocking would pull on the back of her neck, not
choke her. “Move your legs farther apart.” She did and her outer lips separated,
allowing him to see her flushed folds.

He stepped back and took in her beauty, savoring the tension as his cock ached for

attention.

She didn’t speak but she glanced up through her lashes. Uncertainty had crept into

her gaze and the last thing he wanted was her fear. “You are even more beautiful than I
remembered.” Her lashes lowered, shielding her gaze. Annoyed by her retreat, he
closed the distance between them and raised her chin until she met his gaze. “Don’t
hide from me. If you won’t let me share your emotions, I must be able to see your eyes.”

“I’m sorry, Sir.”

He traced her bottom lip with his thumb, fascinated by the softness. He wanted to

kiss her, knew how readily she responded to the intimate twining of tongues and the
intoxicating slide of lips. But she was Summer, and he didn’t kiss pleasure
ambassadors.

With a frustrated sigh, he unfastened his pants and freed his cock. He was fully

dressed and she was naked. He stood and she knelt. Each detail was intentional and
necessary for his pleasure. And hers. Grasping the end of the stocking with one hand
and his shaft with the other, he guided his cock into her mouth.

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She swirled her tongue around the tip and drew on him with slow, firm suction. For

a long time he let her play, enjoying each soft lick and the persistent sucking of her
warm mouth. Her eyes were closed and her head slightly tilted as she lavished attention
on his needful cock.

His balls pulled up tight against his body, aching with the need to release. He

fought back the urge, determined to take his time and savor each tingle. His hand
tightened on the end of the stocking and he pulled his hips back, watching his cock
emerge from her mouth.

Her gaze rose as he pushed back in and it nearly snapped his control. Burning with

blue fire and unrestrained passion, her eyes softly glowed. He took her face between his
hands and steadily fucked her mouth as he stared into her eyes.

Unable to restrain the urge, he brushed against her mind. She was only half

Bartonese. He could easily overpower her but that wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted
her to open for him, to accept him into her mind as she allowed him inside her body.

She closed her eyes and her lips released for a second before reestablishing the ring

of pressure. Damn her! The message was clear. She was willing to fuck him, but that
was all.

Angry and frustrated, he pulled out of her warm, wet mouth and quickly finished

with his hand. His seed jetted from his cock, beading on her breasts, a mocking tribute
to her stubbornness.

“Why?” He trailed his finger through the cloudy liquid, enjoying his scent rising

from her skin. “I’ve been in your mind before. Why refuse me now?”

Saroji licked her lips, trying desperately to calm her breathing before she spoke.

“We weren’t enemies then.” His fingers caught her nipple and gently squeezed,
sending sensations cascading from her breast to her pussy.

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25

“I need to share your emotions for my pleasure to reach its full potential. You’re

half Bartonese. You understand what I mean.” He worked her other nipple into a tight
peak, his gaze stubbornly fixed on her breasts.

“I can’t trust you not to snoop around.” She fidgeted, unsure if she wanted more

superficial fucking while the past loomed between them. “You understand the danger
of revealing too much to the enemy.”

His gaze finally rose but his expression was shuttered. He released a heavy sigh

and moved behind her. After untying her hands, he helped her to her feet and turned
her to face him. “I’m not your enemy.”

“Then prove it. Tell me something that will help the Resistance.”

“Is this why you’re here? You’re trying to recruit me?” He laughed and shook his

head. “You’re the one with the death wish, sweetheart, not me.”

“Neutrality is no longer an option. Can you really stand back and watch this world

burn, then head off with those bastards to ravage the next one?”

“I’ve done it before.”

Though his expression remained blank, she heard pain in his voice. “Then learn

from your mistakes. Make different choices. No one is beyond redemption.”

“It’s not that simple and you know it.” He ran his hand through his hair and stared

past her. “I could tell you everything I’ve learned about the Gathosians, their
weaknesses, exactly where and how to strike. But it wouldn’t do you any good. You
can’t defeat them.”

“You have a rather pronounced opinion of us, considering how little you know.”

He took her by the shoulders and drew her toward him. “I’ve seen it before. If the

rebellion starts building steam they’ll close up shop and pull out. Do you understand
what that means? They’ll take the compound with them. Everyone will die a slow and
excruciating death. Not only is the formula for the compound their most closely
guarded secret, it contains things not found on Earth.”

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She wanted to tell him that Evard had cracked the code. That he’d figured out an

antidote for the dreaded compound, but common sense held her back. She couldn’t
trust Malik. Experience had taught her that lesson with painful clarity.

“Unless…” His gaze bore into hers, his fingers lightly squeezing her shoulders.

“Did that sneaky lab rat actually do it? Has Evard found some sort of cure?”

She lowered her gaze with the blink of her eyes, unable to hide the truth from him.

“For the sake of argument, let’s say he did. Would that change the equation? Do you
have information that could help us put together a viable strategy?”

He didn’t reply for a long time, so she looked up. He was staring off into the

distance, speculation etched into every feature. She knew the look, understood what it
meant. Possibilities. For the first time in a very long time, he was allowing himself to
hope.

“For the sake of argument—” His gaze shifted back to her face, intense and

challenging. “Let’s say I do. How the hell would I stay alive? You can’t stage my death
like you did with Evard. They’ll never fall for the same trick twice.”

“Evard is the one who told us how to rescue him. It wouldn’t have been possible

without his input.”

“Go put on a bathrobe or something,” he grumbled, his hands slipping from her

shoulders. “I need to think and that’s not going to happen as long as you’re naked.”

Thrilled with the opportunity for a moment alone, Saroji made a beeline for the

bathroom. She closed herself inside and leaned against the door, releasing a ragged
sigh. Was this really happening? If she could convince Malik to assist them… A violent
shiver interrupted her optimism. She couldn’t trust him. He’d betrayed her during their
betrothal, and he’d betrayed her when fate brought them back together again.

No, that wasn’t fair. The fiasco on Barton had been entirely his doing, but what

happened on Earth was convoluted. He’d pursued her and used the authority of his
position in an attempt to bend her to his will, but his resolve had never wavered. He’d

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27

insisted that he loved her and wanted her as his mate. And then her brother had tried to
kill him.

She shook away the useless thoughts and crossed to the vanity. All she could do

was proceed with the utmost caution. Malik was uniquely placed within the Gathosian
power structure. He had access to information that would be invaluable—if she could
trust him.

Wide haunted eyes gazed back at her from the mirror. Why had she ever thought

she could control this situation? Her attraction to Malik had always been electric. It had
been foolish to think she could keep her emotions separated from the pleasure they
brought each other.

Her breasts were streaked with come and his scent filled her head each time she

inhaled. She untied the makeshift collar and set the stocking aside. A hollow ache
erupted low in her belly. This wasn’t real. Malik was an assignment, perhaps the most
important assignment she would ever undertake. She had to find some objectivity.

She turned on the water and reached for a washcloth. A shower would have been

even better, but he hadn’t given her permission and she needed to strike while the iron
was hot. After washing her face and chest, she slipped into a bathrobe and tightened the
belt.

Her heart lurched as she faced the door. She had to leave the past behind. Focusing

on the present was the only way to make the future worth living. She pushed the door
open and returned to her assignment.

He sat on one of the sofas, looking composed and gorgeous. He’d tied his hair back

and poured himself another glass of fire ale. “How would you have reacted when
Ra’jen rushed to your ‘rescue’ if I hadn’t had you restrained?”

So much for leaving the past behind. “What happened between us should have no

bearing on your decisions now.”

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28

“I have a hard time being rational where you’re concerned.” He patted the cushion

beside him, the corners of his mouth curving upward. “If you haven’t noticed, I tend to
turn possessive and overbearing whenever you’re around.”

As soon as he touched her any hope of logic would abandon her, so she sat in the

chair facing him, separated by the coffee table. “If I hadn’t been bound I would have
tried to stop Ra’jen.” She chose her words carefully, not wanting to reveal too much.
“But I’m not sure it would have mattered. He was in a blind rage. I doubt any force on
the planet could have made him see reason. That was thirteen months ago. Why did
you allow me to believe you were dead?”

He took a sip of ale, his expression revealing nothing. “It took me months to

regenerate, months with nothing to do but think about how foolish it was to chase after
a woman who didn’t want me. I’d just about convinced myself to focus my energies
elsewhere when my investigation led me to the embassy.” He paused for another sip,
then his voice grew hushed as he asked, “Do you consider my claim valid?”

“Oh for God’s sake.” She pushed to her feet and headed for the beverage tray.

“There are far more important things for us to discuss than a moldering contract. Both
of our planets have been abandoned. Our societies no longer exist.”

“We belong to a dying race, which is all the more reason to proceed with the

bonding.” His voice was low and dark, filled with emotions too complex to name.

She returned to her chair with a frothy glass of fire ale, pausing for several sips

while she organized her thoughts. “If you honestly felt this way about me, why did you
intentionally drive me away?” Emotion welled within her, making her lips tremble and
her hands shake. This was the last thing she wanted to talk about. Why was he doing
this to her?

He stood and set his glass down on the coffee table. “Fine. Let’s go back to the

beginning.” Shoving the table aside, he knelt in front of her and rested his forearms
across her knees. “Were you pleased by the announcement of our joining?”

“You know I wasn’t. I was mad as hell and so were you.”

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29

“That’s right.” He took her glass and set it aside, insisting on her undivided

attention. “We were both resentful and distant when we first met, but that didn’t even
last through our first dance. Our attraction was instantaneous and powerful.”

She pressed her lips together and looked away as vivid memories assailed her. He’d

seemed dark and dangerous, yet sensual and charming, far more than any young
woman could withstand. “I opened my heart and allowed myself to imagine a life at
your side.”

His warm fingers touched her cheek and guided her gaze back to his. “I was

conflicted beyond belief. When we met I had a lover named Shirra. In fact, she was my
first lover and I had planned to make her my wife.”

Pity tugged at her heartstrings. “Is that who you were with when I walked in on

you?” He nodded and she found it hard to breathe. She’d been so angry and hurt she’d
refused to see him that night. By the time her temper cooled, the Gathosians had arrived
and obliterated life as she’d known it. “But it wasn’t just that one woman. People I
trusted had seen you before, with other women, kissing them and touching them. You
flaunted your conquests and—”

“I was provoking my father. I didn’t want to be a political pawn, and I—”

“Wasn’t sure which of your lovers you desired most?” She wrapped herself in

indignation, refusing to be hurt all over again.

He had the audacity to smile. “In a way. My rebellion only made my father more

determined to see me joined, so I explored my feelings for you.”

“You pursued me like a predator.” She shivered. Just the memory of their courtship

made her temperature rise and her pussy moisten. She wanted his body covering her,
filling her, controlling her and pleasuring her as he drove them both beyond reality.

“I won’t apologize for my nature. I’m Bartonese and so are you. You wouldn’t have

responded to a gentle wooing. Admit it.” Tension built between them, drawing their
faces closer with each heartbeat.

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30

“What happened to Shirra?” It was a cheap shot and she knew it, but she wasn’t

ready to surrender to the insanity that was Malik.

He sighed and sank back on his heels, lowering his arm to his side. “Shirra sensed

the change in me when you and I became lovers. The night you walked in on us she had
begged me not to abandon her. She suggested I bond with you and make her a royal
concubine.”

“My mother was a concubine.” Royal males were expected to produce as many

children as possible, which often led to the designation of concubines. She lapsed into
thoughtful silence, unable to determine how she felt about the details. Was it less
damning that he’d only had one serious lover rather than a horde of meaningless flings?
The ache in her heart gradually deepened. He would have shared his body with the
one-night stands, while Shirra had shared a piece of his heart. “Is Shirra still alive?”

His hand eased beneath the robe and rested on her thigh. He didn’t caress her, just

reestablished skin-to-skin contact. “She isn’t, but it wouldn’t have mattered if she was.
As I huddled in the darkness and endured Gathosian torture, it was your face I saw,
your scent I remembered and your taste I craved. I’ve tried to forget you, to move on,
but I can’t let go. You are my destined mate, not Shirra.”

She pushed his hand away and closed the front of her robe. “I don’t believe in

destined mates. Our physiology is compatible for reproduction so our bodies attract us
to each other. It’s a genetic apparatus that evolved over time to ensure the survival of
our species. There’s nothing mystical about it.”

He pushed her legs apart and pulled her toward him. “You give the credit to

evolution and I’ll believe in destiny. The result is the same. You belong with me.”

“Why are we talking about this now?” She put her hands on his shoulders, keeping

some distance between their bodies. “Are you afraid to explore the real issue?”

His hand shot into her hair then closed into a loose fist. “I need to know the future

is worth fighting for. Will you be waiting for me on the other side?”

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31

Did he mean on the other side of the conflict, or in the afterlife? She could sense the

tension coiled within him but didn’t fully understand the cause. “Freedom is its own
reward. You can’t do this for me. We’ve been captives so long we’ve forgotten what it
feels like to live without fear. Hopelessness numbs the soul.”

“If I betray them they’ll tear this world apart. You have no idea how badly they

need me.” The absolute desolation in his tone assured her it was no idle boast. He
released her hair and pushed to his feet, obviously agitated by the direction they were
headed.

“Can they track you?” Allowing Summer to take control, she suppressed her

emotions and watched him closely. Every gesture and micro-expression could reveal a
half-truth or exaggeration. It was time for her to do her job.

He snatched his glass off the end table and went to refill it. “I’m not linked with

them like I was when I was an anchor. But there is enough of their energy left in my
system for them to easily find me.”

“Do they know where you are right now?”

He faced her again but remained by the table. “Yes.”

“How much do they know about the seasons?”

After draining half the glass he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I told

them I suspected there was a spy at the central embassy but I wasn’t any more specific
than that. They were still interrogating Inwatta. I don’t know what she told them or
how much she knows.”

Malik’s investigation into Inwatta’s unacceptable behavior was what had drawn his

attention to the central embassy. If it weren’t for the wayward Gathosian, Saroji would
likely still believe Malik was dead.

“Why do they trust you?” She had to know why they gave him freedoms no other

corporeal being was allowed. “No one refuses them anything, yet you’re no longer a
host.”

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32

“The Gathosian I hosted died while he inhabited me. The energy he left behind is

tainted. It would poison—” He stopped and finished his drink. “That’s bullshit. It’s the
lie I’ve been telling for years.”

“Then what’s the truth?”

“I don’t understand the specifics, but there’s something about my DNA that

allowed their experiments to succeed where all other combinations failed.” He glanced
at her then averted his face. “When I realized they have to have samples from a live,
healthy donor, my position strengthened considerably.”

She blew out a slow, quiet breath, not sure she wanted to know where this led.

“What sort of experiments?”

“They’re cloning anchors, creating biological puppets they can operate without the

hassle of controlling a sentient being.”

“How close are they to…” The possibilities spread out before her and bile rose to

the back of her throat. “Why the hell did you cooperate? If they can mass-produce
anchors it will fortify their only weakness.”

“I only just figured it out.” His tone was sharp and defensive. He slammed down

his empty glass and stalked toward her. “When I’m in the Hub I can sense things,
echoes of thoughts and images. It took me years to piece it all together. I knew it had to
do with anchors but I was told they were trying to prolong the lifespan of the existing
hosts. If I’d known what they were doing, I would have fought them every step of the
way.”

She didn’t argue. They had all been deceived by the Gathosians. Manipulation was

their specialty. “What is the Hub?”

Dread chilled Malik’s blood and clenched his fists. If he told Saroji about the Hub

there would be no turning back. He’d be a member of the Resistance. He was here to
learn about Autumn and Ra’jen’s operation, not be interrogated. How had Saroji
flipped this on him?

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33

Saroji hadn’t done anything. That cool, calculated look belonged to Summer, the

well-trained spy.

Forcing his emotions under control, he offered her a sexy smile. “It’s your turn,

sweetheart. I’ve shown you mine, now show me yours.”

She didn’t look pleased but she didn’t object. “What do you want to know?”

“How far have you gotten with the antidote?” He sat on the end of the coffee table,

his body angled toward her. “Is it still theoretical, or is Evard conducting human trials
even as we speak?” Uncertainty crept over her features and he sighed. She didn’t trust
him. Even after all he’d explained she was unsure of his motives. “I didn’t ask for a tour
of his lab. I’m just trying to establish a timeframe.”

“A timeframe for what?”

“We’ll only get one chance at this. If anything I say or do makes the Gathosians

suspicious, there’s no telling what they’ll do.”

She was quiet for a moment then asked, “Are the clones operational?”

“Sort of. They have a working prototype. Inwatta’s replacement intends to field-test

the unit. If all goes as they hope, the next step is mass production.”

Her uncertainty turned to panic and she shot to her feet. “I have to warn Ra’jen. We

need to move before they have time to mass-produce the clones.”

He caught both her hands and gave them a squeeze. “It can wait until morning. It

will take months for them to begin production.”

“How can you be sure?”

“The prototype has to be proven.” He slid his hands up her arms inside the sleeves

of her robe. “They won’t waste their time or resources on a flawed product.”

After one last glance toward the door, she calmed and looked into his eyes. “Then

what shall we do until morning?”

“We forget about the Gathosians and the Resistance, and rediscover each other.”

“What did you have in mind—Sir?”

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The title sent heat straight to his balls and his cock bucked beneath the confines of

his pants. “That depends. Are you Saroji, or Summer?” He braced for the answer,
longing for the return of his betrothed, yet understanding her hesitancy. So much had
happened to both of them, and even their courtship had been tempestuous. How could
he expect to pick up where they had left off all those years ago? He was being
unreasonable.

Her gaze clouded and she stepped back, dislodging his hands in the process. “I

can’t let you into my mind, Malik. Too many lives are at risk.”

He accepted her decision with a stiff nod while his heart ached in protest.

Possessing her delectable body would only make him crave a true joining all the more,
but he couldn’t resist, refused to deny himself what she was willing to give him. “Then
lose the robe and let’s begin.”

She loosened the belt and let the robe slip off her shoulders, revealing the upper

curve of her breasts. Her image had kept him sane through the long, lonely years of
Gathosian training. Anchors couldn’t be forced. They had to willingly accept the energy
tether or their brains were irreversibly damaged. Years in the military, and inherent
stubbornness, had allowed him to hold out longer than most.

With her arms still in the sleeves, she allowed the robe to bunch around her waist.

Her breasts were full and firm, the nipples surprisingly vivid given her pale skin. His
fingers itched to touch but he suppressed the temptation. If she was going to torment
him with limitations, he would make her wait for each orgasm and challenge her
physical boundaries. They had only begun to explore her sexual potential during their
betrothal but he’d sensed the depths of her carnality.

“Off. Now.” She immediately obeyed. He kicked off his shoes as he said, “Undress

me. You do not have permission to touch me, only my clothes.”

Objection flickered in her expressive eyes, but she moved toward him and went to

work. Her hands were deft and quick. Apparently this was a directive she was happy to
obey. When he stood before her naked, he allowed her a moment to caress him visually.

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35

Her hands rubbed her thighs and her gaze zeroed in on his cock. As if to welcome

her stare, his shaft lengthened and swelled, arching away from his body. “He can’t wait
to be inside you again.” He fisted his shaft and stroked, enjoying her body’s reaction.
Her nipples hardened and she licked her lips as a lovely flush crept up her neck. “Are
you wet?” She nodded. “Show me.”

She pushed her hand between her thighs and shivered, then showed him her

cream-covered fingers.

“Come here. I want a taste.” She brought her hand to his mouth and he sucked her

essence off her fingers. “More.” With a needful moan she touched herself then offered
him the shiny proof of her arousal. He sucked and licked, curling his tongue around her
fingers until her hand began to shake. “Where’s the playroom? Mistress Autumn
assured me this suite had every amenity I could imagine.”

She looked as if she might object then inclined her head and moved toward the

bedroom. He followed, watching the graceful sway of her hips and the tempting flex of
her rounded ass. If all she would allow him was access to her body, he would access her
body in every way possible.

Lust stabbed his balls at the thought of covering her, feeling her writhe beneath him

as he thrust strong and deep into her tight back passage. He’d only taken her like that
once before but she’d screamed with pleasure as she came hard enough to make him
groan.

The playroom wasn’t large but it was well equipped. He left her standing in the

middle of the room as he explored the possibilities. He wanted to take her from behind
but he wanted to see her face. The large mirror covering the far wall would allow him
to do both. A narrow, padded table with arm and leg restraints was positioned adjacent
to the mirror. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who liked to watch while he fucked.

“On your back on the table, arms over your head.” Her lips parted and she started

to say something, then she moved silently toward the table. “What’s the matter?”

“I want to touch you before you restrain me.”

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And I want to feel your emotions while we make love. He didn’t allow the thought

beyond his mental shields, and all he said was, “No.”

She positioned herself as he’d directed, hands clutching one end of the table while

her feet rested on the other.

Moving to the table’s edge, he grasped the underside of her knees and pulled her

toward him. He draped her legs over his shoulders then lowered his head between her
thighs. “You do not have permission to come.”

Saroji trembled as his mouth pressed against her pussy. She understood his

strategy. He wasn’t punishing her, exactly, just protesting her stubbornness. He would
tease her, let her need build until she was screaming for release… But what if he never
allowed her to come?

His agile tongue stroked up one side of her slit, avoided her clit, and ran down the

other side. She clutched the edge of the table and closed her eyes, knowing his teasing
had just begun. He gently sucked on her delicate inner folds and circled her opening
without pushing inside.

Reaching around her hips, he caressed her torso and sides. He squeezed her breasts

from time to time but avoided her nipples. Each touch was designed to drive her wild
and it was working far better than she’d imagined.

Her inner muscles clenched, accenting the hollowness waiting to be filled. She

rocked and wiggled against his mouth, trying to bring his cruel tongue into contact
with her clit. For just an instant, his lips closed around the swollen nub and gently
sucked.

Sensations rushed toward his mouth, her core rhythmically tightening. Then he let

go and raised his head. The orgasm fizzled, and she cried out in exasperation. “If it
were only myself at risk, I would—”

“I didn’t give you permission to speak.” The reminder sounded calm and distant.

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She watched him as he rose and moved to the compartments inset in the wall

beside them. His features were locked in an expressionless mask but his gaze revealed
his frustration. “Turn over.”

She wasn’t sure she wanted to let him restrain her in his current mood, but her own

desire was making rational thought difficult. He wasn’t capable of harming her. Even
after all the Gathosians had done to him, she knew she could trust him with her body.
Their minds had just begun to meld when Ra’jen interrupted them. She’d sensed pain
and fury in Malik, but no cruelty.

He needed to control her. Refusing to open her mind was hurtful enough; she

would freely submit in every other way. She turned over and spread out on her
stomach, resting her cheek on her folded arms. The floor-to-ceiling mirror allowed her
to see the entire room, so she relaxed and watched him.

His body was amazing. Long and lean, rippling with muscular definition. She

wanted to touch him, run her hands up and down his back and squeeze his flexing ass
as he thrust inside her aching pussy. But he obviously had something else in mind.

He looked through the drawers and cabinets, concealing his selections with the

angle of his body. After arranging what he’d chosen inside an open drawer, he turned
around and met her gaze in the mirror.

“Fold your legs beneath you but leave your arms as they are.”

In other words, ass in the air, head down. She couldn’t suppress a smile. It was his

favorite position. At least he couldn’t restrain her like that.

Moments after she adjusted her position, he proved her wrong. He reached beneath

the table and retrieved leather cuffs she hadn’t noticed before. The cuffs were attached
to the underside of the table by metal cables.

Her heart fluttered as he laced the cuffs, securing her wrists to the table. Then he

wrapped leather straps around her elbows, providing just enough tension to hold her
forearms in place.

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He trailed his fingers across her skin as he worked, teasing her arms, her back and

the outer swell of her breasts. Tingles followed in his wake, keeping her senses on alert.
He moved down her body and eased her legs apart, angling her feet over the side of the
table. He strapped her knees down then restrained her ankles with wide leather cuffs.

The position became more provocative as her ability to move was restricted. She

could lift up far enough to move her head from side to side and rock her entire body
forward and back, but that was the extent of her mobility.

He circled the table, leisurely admiring his handiwork. His fingers teased as he

went, making her squirm as he bumped along her ribs and sigh as he caressed her hips.
He raked his nails down the backs of her thighs then paused to trace her slit.

Her clit twitched and a fresh rush of cream inundated her pussy. He chuckled and

slowly pushed a finger into her. “You’re dripping, literally. I think you missed me as
much as I missed you.”

She rocked back, needing more than a finger. “Please,” she whispered, not wanting

to anger him by speaking without permission.

“Please, what?” He rotated his hand and leaned in close, flicking her clit with his

tongue.

“Let me come.” An unexpected whimper robbed the demand of its autocratic snap.

“I don’t think so.” He straightened, shifting his hands to her hips as he looked in

the mirror. “Figure out how we can both have what we want, or I’ll enjoy your
responsive flesh for the rest of the night without letting you come.”

“I can’t let you into my mind! It’s too dangerous.”

“Then come into mine! Push your emotions into my mind. I promise I won’t take

advantage of the link.”

Establishing a link was like opening a door. Could she trust him to stay on his side

of the threshold? Trust. It always came back to trust.

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His hands tightened on her hips and he sighed. Pain and longing bled through his

expressionless mask as his gaze bore into hers. “Saroji, I could scan you, absorb every
scrap of information tucked away in that convoluted mind, and there is nothing you
could do to stop me. You are safe because I have no intention of hurting you or
compromising your cause.”

He needed her to bend. How could he prove himself worthy of trust if she never

gave him an opportunity?

“I’ll allow the link as long as you let me come to you.”

“Fine.” His eyes narrowed and a devilish smile curved his lips. “Come to me, and

I’ll let you come.”

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Chapter Three

Needing to regain control of the situation, Malik didn’t immediately give Saroji

what she wanted. He moved in front of her and traced her lips with his index finger.
“Offer me your mouth.”

She opened without hesitation and he pushed his finger inside. Her brow creased in

confusion but she sucked his finger and swirled her tongue. He’d only meant to tease
her for a moment, but the wet heat of her mouth and velvet caress of her tongue felt so
good he couldn’t resist the temptation.

He pulled his finger out and guided his cock toward her parted lips. Her tongue

extended, welcoming him with a lazy swirl. She closed her lips around the head of his
cock and sucked in slow, deep pulls. Pleasure and urgency cascaded through his body
and he slipped his hand beneath her, rolling her nipple as he enjoyed the firm pressure
of her mouth.

Her mind brushed against his and he gasped. He carefully weakened a tiny section

of his mental shield, creating a fissure through which she could enter. Desire stabbed
into his being, hot and demanding, every bit as incendiary as his need for her.

He dragged his cock out of her mouth then knelt and pressed his lips over hers.

Thank you. He let the thought resonate in his mind, careful to keep his word. Then he
kissed her, lingering over her lips and savoring the sensual slide of his tongue against
hers.

I really need to come.

He chuckled at the reminder and moved back to the end of the table. A small pool

of her juices had formed on the table and his balls contracted so hard he moaned. He
drove his cock into her cunt then reached around and found her clit with his middle
finger. He didn’t move. She was desperate and he wasn’t nearly ready to join her, so he

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gave her something to squeeze and let her fly. He rubbed over and around her clit,
savoring each firm spasm of her pussy as he prolonged her orgasm.

Pleasure blazed through his mind, intoxicating and amazing. Without this mental

bond, sex was hollow and unfulfilling.

“Better?” He waited until the last ripple passed before he separated their bodies.

She craned her neck and looked back at him. “Why’d you pull out?”

“Who knows how long it will be before we can do this again. I intend to take full

advantage of our time together.”

Returning her gaze to the mirror, she whispered, “Yes Sir.”

Her surrender thrilled him, nearly as much as her presence in his mind. He turned

to the drawer and glanced at the tapered butt plug. If she resisted the toy he wouldn’t
insist on ending the way he’d planned, but his dominant nature craved the savage
pleasure.

He picked up the lubricant and poured a generous pool into the palm of his hand.

After dipping two fingers in the gel, he eased between her delectable cheeks and
stroked her anus. The puckered star twitched beneath his fingertips and he felt her
arousal building right along with his.

“I want all of you.” He breached her with his middle finger, the lube easing his

way. “Are you willing?”

“Of course, Sir.” Tenderness flowed into his mind along with the assurance.

He’d expected lust and need, but the sweeter emotion made him wild. He slid his

finger in and out, the need to claim her nearly overwhelming. She was incredibly tight.
“Has it been a long time?” He worked a second finger past her stubborn sphincter and
she gasped.

“A very long time.”

Drizzling gel around his embedded fingers, he prepared her body more with each

stroke of his hand. He glanced at the open drawer but couldn’t bear to separate from

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her even for a moment. If she came again, he could work his cock in while she was lost
in the afterglow.

He drove his cock into her pussy, pairing the steady penetration with the new

sensation of his fingers. She tensed for a moment then relaxed and accepted the
additional pressure. He drew his hips back while his fingers remained deep, then
pulled his hand back as his cock surged forward.

He looked at his lube-covered hand and debated what to do. She came faster when

he rubbed her clit, but he didn’t want to lose momentum by pausing to retrieve the
bottle of lube. Her hips pushed up and her inner muscles were already squeezing him,
so he rested the back of his hand against her ass cheek and concentrated on the motion.

She raised and lowered her knees, trying to find the perfect angle. He felt her

restlessness and her hunger. She responded with wild abandon, yet her mental shields
shimmered in the distance, a continual reminder of her lack of trust.

Her entire body jolted when he found her sweet spot. She gasped and locked her

knees, ensuring the steady slide of his cock over the sensual trigger. “Come for me,
baby. Let me share your pleasure.”

Three more strokes sent her over the edge. He held still inside her, absorbing her

emotions while battling back his need for release. The intensity gradually receded and
he gave himself a mental shake.

He slowly pulled out of her hot cunt and smeared the rest of the lube over his wet

cock. Her cream might have eased him past her entrance, but lube would keep him slick
for the entire ride. He drew out his fingers and positioned his cock. With slow, steady
pressure, he drove into her ass. Her anus unfurled, opening and stretching to
accommodate his thickness.

Her body suddenly gave and his cock head disappeared inside her. The grip of her

ass on his shaft was torturous bliss. He pushed deeper, savoring the firm grasp around
his shaft. It felt so damn good, all he’d have to do is let go and he’d come.

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He paused when she’d taken about half of his length and forced himself to think

past the pleasure. She’d retreated emotionally. The link was still open but he sensed
nothing from her. “Do you want me to stop?” He trembled as he waited for her answer.

Overwhelmed by the brutal invasion of Malik’s cock, Saroji did her best not to

scream. “No. I’m fine.” She forced the words out, determined to see this through.
Pleasure hovered all around her, but all she felt was the inescapable fullness. She tried
to relax, to recapture the flow of sensations. They’d done this before and she’d enjoyed
it. Of course, that was a lifetime ago.

Apparently sensing her frustration, he wrapped his arms around her. He cupped

her breast with one hand and her mound with the other. “Fine will never be good
enough for us.” His finger eased between her folds and gently circled her clit. “Just
relax and get used to the pressure. I won’t rush you.”

Her body seemed to coalesce beneath his fingertip. The pleasure surrounding her

rushed back into her body. Her pussy clenched, tightening her other passage at the
same time. They groaned together at the increased pleasure and her clit pulsed in time
to the rhythmic ripple of her inner muscles.

“Move. Please.”

He needed no other encouragement. Pulling back slowly, he drew the sensations

down through her body then launched them higher with his sharp inward thrust. She
cried out, arching her back to take him deeper. The restraints held her securely as he
slid against and inside her. The combination of intensity and stillness was perfect.

“Show me.” His voice sounded gruff, yet needful, revealing far more than he

realized.

She pushed her emotions into his mind, holding nothing back. His thrusts sped in

response and his pleasure spun before her, a metaphysical tornado ready to sweep her
away. All she had to do was surrender and they’d join as they were meant to join.

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His hands moved to her hips and his tempo raced out of control. His cock slammed

into her, the impact igniting bursts of pleasure all through her body. His finger pressed
against her clit and she threw her head back, coming in violent spasms. She felt his seed
deep inside her as she released her hold on reality. Their bodies shuddered and strained
as the release went on and on.

Warm, gentle hands lured her back into her body. His groin cradled her ass and his

cheek was pressed against her back.

“That’s the disadvantage of these contraptions. We can’t just fall over and go to

sleep.”

“You can’t.” She laughed. “I’m pretty sure all I need to do is close my eyes.”

“Your legs will go numb.”

“I’ll risk it.” He carefully pulled out, leaving her with an overwhelming emptiness

and an ache in her heart she didn’t even want to consider. If she wasn’t careful he’d
abolish all of her defenses before the night was through.

She lazed in a contented haze as he released the straps and buckles then lifted her

into his arms. He carried her through the bedroom and set her down in the shower,
activating the multi-directional spray with a voice command. Before she could locate
the soap or shampoo, he guided her arms up and told her to lock her hands behind her
head. With a wicked smile his only communication, he proceeded to wash her entire
body, lingering over strategic areas until she wiggled and moaned. It was sensual and
tender, yet also emphasized his power over her. He’d already conquered her body. Was
she ready to surrender more?

Just when she thought she’d lose her mind, he lifted her and told her to wrap her

legs around his waist. He held her suspended for a moment, poised at the entrance to
her body. Longing and tenderness smoldered in his gaze as he slowly lowered her onto
his cock.

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She stared into his eyes, savoring the intimacy of making love face-to-face. Their

bodies meshed and slid, hers soft and giving, his thick and demanding. She tightened
her legs and squeezed her inner muscles, wanting him as wild as she felt.

He wrapped his arms around her and claimed her lips in a passionate kiss,

possessing her mouth with the deep, surging strokes her clenched legs were denying
his cock. She tilted her head and tangled her fingers in his hair, offering her mouth
freely while she stubbornly postponed the rest.

Suddenly he tore his mouth from hers and growled low in his throat. He pressed

her against the cold, wet wall and unhooked her legs from behind his back, then draped
them over his forearms. Passion and hunger burned through the softer emotions until
his eyes blazed with lust and demand.

He slowly pulled his cock back until only the head filled her opening. “Beg me.”

She drank in his savage beauty, mesmerized by his brutality. He’d been ready to

take her slow and tenderly. Why had she provoked him?

Slamming his entire length back inside her, he forced a startled cry from her throat.

Then he reached up with both hands and pinched her nipples as she was helplessly
pinned against the wall. “Beg me to fuck you, or I’ll pull out and make you watch while
I jerk off.”

His fingers remained at her nipples, the pressure oscillating from pleasure to pain.

She tightened around him as hard as she could and closed her eyes. “I…please. I don’t
want you to pull out.”

He nipped her bottom lip, his chest pressing against her breasts. “I thought you

needed soft and slow. We’ve had nothing but fast and hard.”

“I’m still figuring out what I need.” She opened her eyes and returned his playful

nip. “Let’s try slow but hard.”

He drew his hips back and paused, letting anticipation build, then lunged forward,

filling her completely with one deep thrust. Again and again he filled her, out slow and

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in fast. She caressed his face, his chest, and his shoulders with her hands, and hugged
his cock with her inner muscles, wanting to savor each step of the journey.

His gaze bore into hers, searching, penetrating. “Show. Me.” He panted harshly in

between each word.

She opened her mind, pushing her emotions toward him. Each time she formed the

link it felt more natural, and more foolish to mistrust him. Her pleasure excited him.
She could feel the heat of his arousal burning beyond the doorway separating their
minds. It would be so easy to step through the opening, to merge with him and allow
him to merge with her.

He groaned against her mouth and thrust faster, his shaft rubbing across her clit

with each long stroke. She focused on physical sensations, tilting her hips to maximize
the slide. The added pressure triggered rings of sensation radiating out from her clit.
She cried out, clutching his shoulders as she came in hard, shuddering spasms. He
drove in one last time, grinding against her while his cock jerked with each powerful
spurt.

For a long time the only sounds were the rush of the water and their panting. Then

he closed the door to his mind with a resounding bang and disentangled their bodies.
“Go soak in the tub,” he muttered, lowering her feet to the floor. “I need to check in
with my supervisor.”

He snatched a towel off the warming rack and hurried from the bathroom. Saroji’s

heart groaned in protest. It would have been impossible to miss the frustration in his
movements or the disappointment in his eyes.

Damn it. What did he expect from her?

Trust.

The answer was painfully obvious. He demanded the one thing she was unable to

give. If it was only her life at risk she would have given him the opportunity to prove
himself. But so many lives depended on her discretion. Yet none of those lives had
anything to lose without freedom from the Gathosians.

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With an aggravated curse she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower.

She couldn’t work through this on her own because she was anything but objective.
Hopefully Ra’jen hadn’t arrived yet. She really needed to speak with Autumn.

* * * * *

Easily spotting the courtyard in the center of the Pentagon, Malik landed his

skimmer-cycle and flipped up the visor on his helmet. He was required to check in
every twenty-four hours. Still, this could have waited until morning.

He needed some time away from Saroji, away from her responsive body and the

challenges surrounding her. How was he supposed to make rational decisions when all
he could think about was claiming her, proving to her, once and for all time, that they
were destined mates?

A subdermal chip in his wrist triggered an entrance in the southeast wall of the

courtyard. After a quick jaunt down a nondescript corridor, he took a stairway down
two levels and hurried along another hallway. Storerooms and utility closets were more
common than offices on this floor, but the Gathosians had only targeted the secluded
room when they’d established their Hub. They hadn’t created it.

He paused, listening for the telltale buzz of distant conversation or the muffled

rhythm of approaching feet. All was quiet. He was alone.

Except for a few highly placed anchors, Malik was the only humanoid on Earth

who knew how to find the Hub. He took his orders directly from the Gathosian high
command so he used the interdimensional link far more often than anyone else. It was a
window into the Gathosians’ home dimension and he suspected they had no idea just
how far he was able to see into their world.

Stepping in front of an unmarked door, he waited as multiple beams scanned his

face and body. The beams blinked out and a subtle click indicated the door’s release.

The interior of the room was no more impressive than the door. The walls were

bare and a rickety desk shoved into one corner was the only furniture. He moved to the

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center of the room and waited. The Gathosians had been alerted to a visitor by the
scanner. Verbal greetings were a humanoid practice. Relying on the primitive custom
would reveal his agitation so he remained silent and still.

Light penetrated the walls and energy rolled through Malik’s body, but the wave

lacked its usual intensity.

Speak, Fibarre, the Gathosian leader, commanded, his presence a distant rumble

rather than his usual boom.

“My investigation has produced more questions than answers. I am more

convinced than ever that one or more of the ambassadors are exchanging more than
sexual favors, but I have been unable to verify which one, or ones.”

Inwatta was equally useless. Her energy has been dispersed.

Images flashed through Malik’s mind, accompanied by stabs of uncharacteristic

emotion. It all happened so fast he wasn’t able to unravel the jumble, only absorb it.

Five days were approved for this mission, Fibarre snapped. Do not waste time with these

pointless conversations. Return when you have something to report, or not at all! He retreated
so suddenly the suction drove Malik to his knees.

He gasped and trembled, forcing air past his burning throat. What the hell was

going on? The Gathosians were the ones who had demanded daily reports. He
struggled to his feet and stumbled out into the hall, not willing to risk Fibarre’s
unexpected return.

Retracing his footsteps, he soon found himself in the courtyard straddling his

skimmer-cycle. He paused with his helmet in his lap, enjoying the cool night air. As
soon as he returned to Saroji all thoughts of the Gathosians would be eclipsed by their
passion, so he closed his eyes and allowed the strange images to replay within his mind.

Over and over he experienced the scene, examining the emotions as well as the

disjointed images. It was another piece to the puzzle, a possible chink in their armor.
And the knowledge endangered him as never before. The Gathosians might need him

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alive but that didn’t prevent them from employing any number of physical and
psychological tortures.

The disquieting thought accompanied him all the way back to the embassy. He

tried not to dwell on the possibilities but he didn’t have to imagine what Gathosian
torture would be like. All he had to do was let down his guard and remember.

Isolation, first and foremost. An isolated victim fell more quickly into despair. Then

deny them simple creature comforts like food, furniture, a place to answer nature’s call.
If these basic steps failed to bring about the needed results they moved on to more
direct means—pain, humiliation, degradation.

He forced away the unwanted memories, refusing to wallow in their self-defeating

mire. The past could not be changed but the future was unwritten. He stood at a
crossroads. It was time for him to choose a path, to continue on in this endless
drudgery, or fight for a better life.

The doorman let him in with a polite smile and he went immediately to the suite

he’d reserved for the week. The errand had taken longer than he’d intended. Was Saroji
still angry, or was she restless and ready for the next round of their courtship?

“Are they really cloning anchors?”

He snapped his head to the side at the sound of Autumn’s voice. He wasn’t sure

what he’d expected, but finding Mistress Autumn and General Noirte seated on the
sofa wasn’t anywhere on his list.

“Where is Saroji?” His eyes narrowed and his hands clenched.

“I’m right here.” She stepped out of the bedroom and hurried to his side. “I needed

to use the bathroom.” She slipped her arm around his waist and gave him a firm
squeeze. “You’ve been gone forever.”

“We were beginning to think you’d gotten what you needed and had no reason to

return.” The corners of Ra’jen’s mouth quirked but his gaze remained unreadable.

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Rather than respond to Ra’jen’s provocation, Malik looked at Autumn and asked,

“What would I gain by spreading a lie?”

“Have you seen the prototype for yourself?” Even the hint of a smile left Ra’jen’s

lips as he answered for his mate. Malik’s investigation had revealed that they were
lovers. Seeing them together made the true depth of their devotion undeniable.

“Define ‘seen’.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Malik crossed to the overstuffed chair facing his visitors and sat. To his surprise,

Saroji sat on one of the wide armrests rather than finding a chair of her own. The simple
gesture of solidarity, whether intentional or not, pleased him immensely.

“There are many ways to see. I have seen the prototype in my mind, or actually in

the mind of his maker. To my knowledge none of the clones have been brought into this
dimension.”

“How have incorporeal beings managed to manufacture clones?” Autumn asked. “I

thought their entire dimension was…nonphysical.”

“Their dimension is not all that different from ours.”

“Have you been there?” Ra’jen’s brow rose in obvious challenge. The women might

be ready to accept Malik into the fold but the general trusted no one. Malik smiled
inwardly. That’s probably where his sister had learned to be so suspicious.

He reached over and took Saroji’s hand. Once he started down this path there

would be no turning back. He was about to join the Resistance. “There’s a conduit
linking their dimension with ours. When I access the energy stream I’m able to see into
their minds as they see into mine. The conduit is called the Hub and I don’t think the
Gathosians are aware that the access works both ways.”

Ra’jen rested his ankle on his knee, foot tapping out his tension. “We’ve been

searching for these Hubs forever. We’d begun to think they were urban legends.”

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“They exist on each inhabited world and each Hub is networked with the others.

But only those with Gathosian energy can access them.”

“You’re no longer an anchor.” Ra’jen’s gaze turned cold and piercing. “Are you still

able to use these Hubs or can you just lead us to them?”

“The last Gathosian I hosted died while he possessed my body. His dispersal left

me with enough residual energy to activate the Hub.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Autumn interjected. “How were the clones built

by incorporeal beings?”

“The Gathosians’ dimension is small and densely populated. After systematically

enslaving each world in their dimension they realized their tactics had done irreparable
damage to their universe. So they tore a hole in the barrier separating their dimension
from ours and created the Master Hub. It’s the only conduit large enough for ships to
pass through.”

“That’s how they get all the minerals they scavenge here back to their dimension.”

Autumn’s realization was posed as a statement but Malik felt obligated to reply.

“Yes. On this side of the Master Hub they’re only interested in natural resources. They
have hordes of subjects waiting in their own dimension so there is no reason to worry
about our fate.”

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to bring their people here rather than strip-mine our

planets and drag everything back there?”

“Though we are both carbon-based life forms, our chemical composition is different

enough that the vast majority of our worlds are not habitable for their subjects.”

“That’s why they needed the clones,” Ra’jen mused. “Their energy is toxic to people

in our dimension.”

“And unfortunately for them, Barton was one of the first planets they ravaged.

They had no idea they were slaughtering the only race of beings capable of tolerating
their energy.”

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They lapsed into thoughtful silence for a time, then Malik scooted to the edge of his

seat and said, “Now it’s my turn. How large is your network and how quickly can they
be ready to strike?”

“Is there a specific need for haste? I prefer to advance with caution. We’ll only get

one chance to make this work.”

“I just met with Fibarre, the Gathosian leader, and he seemed weak and frustrated.

As you know, Inwatta became obsessed with corporeal sensations and it twisted her
mind.”

“Or her mind was twisted, causing her obsession,” Ra’jen countered.

Malik waved away the distinction. “Either way. I believe her dispersion affected the

leaders, weakened them in some way. I have no way of knowing how long the effect
will last but the sooner we strike, the better.”

Ra’jen nodded, pausing for a moment before he said, “I control the Protectorate and

the Protectorate controls every inhabited planet in this dimension. Without us, the
Gathosians will be forced to slink back to their dimension permanently.”

Malik smiled. “I suspected as much when I learned your lover was involved with

the Resistance. It made more sense for you to have recruited Autumn than the other
way around. But even with your support I found it hard to believe the Resistance could
accomplish what needed to be done.”

Ra’jen chuckled, the sound spontaneous and unexpected. “You of all people should

know how determined I can be.”

They stared at each other for a moment as the women began to squirm. Knowing a

pissing contest would accomplish nothing, Malik moved on. “So what’s the next step?”

“We’re facing two primary obstacles, the compound and the Hub network. I have

the first well in hand. Can you take out the second?”

Malik took a moment to answer. He didn’t want to promise something he couldn’t

deliver. This was too important. “If we take out the Master Hub the others will go

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offline. The entire network draws its power from their home dimension. I can get you
inside the local Hub, which links to the master, but destroying them will be tricky. A
scanner verifies identity and checks for munitions before it unlocks the door.”

“Are you willing to do it?” Ra’jen met his gaze, challenge clear in his smoky blue

eyes.

“Are you trying to finish what you started last time I saw you?”

Saroji slipped her arm around his shoulders and pressed in close against him.

“We’re just gathering information. There’s no way it will come to that.”

Not trusting the distraction of her warm body, Malik pushed to his feet. “If my life

is the price that must be paid to end this madness, I’m not afraid to die. But I will not do
it because of some vendetta you’ve harbored—”

“I don’t use suicide bombers,” Ra’jen stressed. “I find the practice deplorable. Saroji

has made it clear that her choices are her own and she will not tolerate my interference
again. You need to fight this out with her. Now can we focus on the Resistance?”

As Malik lowered himself into the chair beside Saroji she slipped down the armrest

and sat in the chair he’d just vacated. “Let’s say we have an explosive that doesn’t
trigger munitions scanners. Is there any way to exit the Hub while it’s still turned on?”

“The Gathosians control activation.” He pinched the bridge of his nose as pressure

began to throb behind his eyes. “Let me think about it. If you have an explosive I can
sneak past the scanners I’ll figure out the rest.”

“What about all the people in their dimension?” Autumn’s voice was soft and sad.

“Don’t they deserve freedom too?”

“We have to choose our battles, love. There is only so much we can do.”

“Rebellion often breeds rebellion. If we succeed in driving them back to their own

dimension it could embolden the people there.” Malik shifted his gaze back to Ra’jen
and asked, “What sort of timeframe are we talking about? How close are you to mass
production with the antidote?”

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Ra’jen looked at his sister and Malik felt the subtle ripple of telepathic

communication. General Noirte was still hesitant to reveal their secrets to a Gathosian
lapdog. Malik couldn’t really blame him. If the situations were reversed he’d be
suspicious too.

“It will take months to produce enough of the antidote for everyone,” Ra’jen finally

explained, “but the existing supply will last longer than the Gathosians realize as more
and more of us no longer depend on the compound.”

“Have you begun live trials?”

The general looked at his mate and smiled. “I’ve been off the compound for the past

four days and Autumn is three days post-compound. We should both be in excruciating
pain by now, and yet the withdrawal has been nearly nonexistent. All of the other
volunteers report similar results.”

“Congratulations. How long will it take to produce enough of the antidote for your

men? We can transition the general population over time, but at least the commanders
need to be fired up by the reality of what we’re trying to accomplish.”

“I agree—Agent Wanatee.” Ra’jen added his title with sarcastic emphasis. “You

focus on destroying the Hub network and I’ll orchestrate the rest.”

“Sorry. It’s been a long time since I collaborated. I’ll try to stay off your toes.”

“The Resistance is thrilled to have you, and—with your permission, of course—I’ll

explain the challenges you face with the Hub network to a select few of my trusted team
members. We’ll see if anyone has any fresh ideas.”

“I’d appreciate the input.”

Ra’jen stood and offered his hand to Autumn. “Then we’ll get out of your way. I’m

sure you and Saroji still have plenty of issues to work through.”

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Chapter Four

Saroji waited until Ra’jen and Autumn left the suite before she posed the question

that had been eating at her since Malik left. “Where did you go? You were gone for over
two hours.”

“I told you, I needed to check in with my supervisor.” He pivoted toward her, brow

creased with annoyance and confusion.

“I thought you meant a video chat or—”

“An interdimensional telephone is called a Hub and there is only one on Earth.

Weren’t you listening to anything I told your brother?”

“Don’t be snide. I was worried about you.”

He reached down and pulled off his boots, not bothering to look at her. “Worried

about my safety, or worried that I’d—how did Ra’jen put it—gotten what I needed and
had no reason to return?” He kicked his boots to the side and glared at her. “Is that
really what you concluded after all we shared?” He scoffed and shot to his feet. “God,
that sounds pathetic. You’ve reduced me to platitudes.”

Ignoring the fact that he hadn’t invited her touch, she hurried toward him. “I didn’t

arrange this ambush. Ra’jen sensed my upset and—”

He spun and backed her against the wall then pushed off until his body surrounded

her without touching her. “Why were you upset? Have I been cruel and unreasonable?
Did I bully you and use your sexuality to manipulate you?”

“You’ve forced me to examine possibilities I’d rather not consider.”

“Why is the possibility of joining with me so…intolerable?” His gaze searched hers

but when she raised her hand to touch him, he shoved away from the wall and stepped

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back. “I’m too tired for this. I can’t remember the last time I slept. It’s been at least three
days. I’d prefer you lie down with me but you’re not my prisoner.”

She opted for a nonverbal response to his statements. Following him into the

bedroom, she slipped out of her bathrobe while he shed his clothes. They crawled into
bed together. He rolled to his side facing away from her, so she snuggled against his
back and draped her arm over his lean waist. He seemed to be ignoring her for a
moment, then he reached down and covered her hand with his, lightly entwining their
fingers.

“Many of the worlds the Gathosians have pillaged are desolate wastelands.” Malik

sounded tense yet sleepy. She understood the contradiction. Many nights she’d stared
at the ceiling, her body exhausted, yet troubled thoughts refused to let her sleep.
“Without the supplies provided by the Protectorate their inhabitants will die.”

“The Protectorate will still exist,” she reminded him. “Their purpose will simply

shift from enforcing Gathosian dictates to establishing interplanetary cooperatives and
pooling resources. Consolidation is inevitable. If cultures hope to survive, they’ll have
to mix in ways they would never have considered before.”

“Like Autumn and Ra’jen? How was he able to mate with a human? The Pryett are

even more xenophobic than the Bartonese.”

“Apparently humans are like universal blood donors. Their physiology makes them

remarkably easy for other species to assimilate.”

“Really?” He perked up for a moment, his tone suddenly more alert. “How many

different species have successfully mated with humans?”

“You’ll have to ask Ra’jen for the details. It’s a new discovery so there might not be

that many.”

“But they realize how important the finding could be once we begin repairing the

Gathosians’ damage?”

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57

“Yes, love. They’re fully aware of the importance. The Resistance has been planning

this uprising for years. They’ve tried to anticipate every obstacle before they make their
final move.”

“Does the Resistance exist in the other dimension?”

She smiled into the darkness. He didn’t miss a thing. “It’s nothing like it is here.

Gathosian slaves have just started to organize. Ra’jen recruited the captain of one of the
Gathosian ships. The captain refused to divulge the location of the Master Hub,
wouldn’t even confirm that there was such a thing. But he’s been passing information
between the dimensions. Why do you ask?”

“Ra’jen has to give them the formula for the antidote before we blast the Master

Hub to bits.”

“I’m sure he figured that out but I’ll bring it up to him just in case. Now relax.” She

kissed his shoulder, savoring the softness of his thick hair against her cheek. Little by
little the tension eased from his muscles.

“It’s hard to believe these possibilities are real.” Sleepiness was finally winning out.

His words slurred a bit more with each sentence. “We’ve all been…slaves for…so long.”

She held him close, enjoying the steady rhythm of his breathing and the hard

contours of his body. Driving out the Gathosians was the beginning, not the end.
Everyone realized that. It would be hard to reestablish individuality and cooperation in
civilizations that were both scattered and suspicious. But they would face each
challenge with determination and integrity. The only choice had been servitude, and
they’d all reached the point where death was preferable to subjugation.

Sleep claimed her so gently she couldn’t remember succumbing to its pull. One

moment she floated in velvet tranquility and the next something warm and soft
brushed against her ankle. She murmured and wiggled her foot, moving away from the
butterfly wings.

Someone eased her legs apart and the butterfly grew bolder. The fluttery caresses

both tickled and aroused as they worked their way up to her knee. She felt so warm and

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lazy she didn’t want to open her eyes and face the inevitable conflicts, or the man
commanding the army of butterflies.

“I know you’re awake,” Malik whispered, teasing her kneecap. Was he using his

fingertips or his hair? “Your breathing hitched and your naughty little nipples are
hardening in anticipation of my lips, and my teeth.” He added the last with dramatic
emphasis as he bent her knees and made more room for himself between her thighs.

“My nipples can wait,” she responded without opening her eyes. “I can think of a

more interesting place for your mouth.”

“Show me.”

It was a challenge. If she wanted his mouth on her pussy she had to brazenly offer

herself to him. Reaching between her thighs, she parted her folds and displayed her clit
and the silky inner flesh surrounding her opening. She opened her eyes and smiled then
listed her suggestions. “Lick this,” she lightly flicked her clit, “until I’m dying to come,
then fuck me with your tongue.”

Maintaining eye contact as long as he could, he lowered his head between her

thighs and circled her clit with his tongue. “Like this?”

“Just like that, only don’t stop until I tell you to shove it inside me.”

He chuckled, his breath wafting across her damp folds. “Are you always this bossy

in the morning?”

His lips closed around her clit and the firm suction of his mouth kept her from

replying. Sensations shot up through her body and her hips bucked helplessly. He
cupped her ass with both hands and raised her hips off the mattress, controlling her
movements as well as her arousal. She relaxed and her fingers started to slip, releasing
her folds.

“Let go and I’ll stop.” The ultimatum was more growl than articulation but she

understood.

Offered, opened, surrendered. He would have her no other way.

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He caressed her clit in firm circles, pausing every so often for a long, slow suck. Her

passage clenched and melted, desperate for fingers, or better yet his cock. Sensations
gathered beneath his lips, following the slow rotation of his tongue.

“Now.” She moaned, arching against his mouth. “I need you inside me.”

His tongue jabbed into her pussy and she came in strong, rhythmic bursts. He

draped her legs over his shoulders and moved his hands to her breasts. The firm pinch
of his fingers prolonged her release, keeping sensations zinging through her as his
tongue thrust in and out.

She sprawled on the bed, lost in the wonder of his carnal kiss. She felt light and

giddy, yet invincible. Exalted and free.

“You taste so damn good.” His lips moved against her pussy. “I could live on your

cream.”

“You’re welcome to try. I love having your mouth on me and your tongue inside

me.”

He kept her legs over his shoulders as he moved up along her body. His cock found

her pussy and surged inside. His mouth swooped, muffling her sudden cry of pleasure
as he folded her body in half. She parted her lips and welcomed his tongue, savoring
the taste of her own passion.

He lifted his weight without allowing her to unfold her legs. Each sharp thrust of

his hips pressed her knees into her breasts, keeping her firmly pinned beneath him. She
caressed him with her inner muscles and her tongue, understanding his need for
dominance.

She’d learned long ago to relax into his demands and her own nature would do the

rest. When she trusted him to… She had to trust him, had to make him understand that
they were in this together.

Before he could ask it of her, she carefully weakened her mental shields, creating a

small opening. Please, Malik, come inside. I want you here with me.

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He thrust to the hilt then tore his mouth from hers and stared into her eyes. “Why

now?” He shrugged, dislodging her legs as he rocked back onto his heels. “What
changed your mind?”

“Trust has to start somewhere. You’ve taken several steps toward me. I thought it

was my turn to bend. If you’d rather not—”

He silenced her with a long, deep kiss.

They were both panting by the time he pulled away. “I will gladly meld while we

make love, but we can’t actually bond until this is over. It would be too dangerous.”

She shook her head and brushed the hair back from her damp face. “Then why all

the pressure? You’ve had a one-track mind since I agreed to meet with you.”

“I’ve had a one-track mind since I first saw you and that was long before we came

to Earth. I want you as my mate, and I wanted—no, I needed—to know you were
willing to join with me. But I will not endanger you to soothe my pride. If the
Gathosians sense any change in me they’ll probe and scan until they figure out what
caused it.”

“And then they’d use me to manipulate you?”

“Exactly.” He pressed his hand against the side of her face. “I will do nothing that

harms you in any way. Our bonding will have to wait a bit longer.”

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth then smiled into his eyes. “But we can

enjoy each other fully until the battle begins?”

He pulled back his hips, drawing his cock nearly out before he filled her completely

again. His energy flowed into her mind, hot and dazzling. She closed her eyes against
the blinding beauty but the swirling colors and pulsing light still burned within her
mind.

Needing the extra intimacy of their kiss, she guided his mouth down to hers. She

absorbed his energy with greedy abandon as she flowed across the link and offered
herself without reservation.

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They mixed and merged, bodies, minds and spirits. Sharing, blending, joining.

His body covered and possessed her, surrounding her with warmth and intensity.

She sensed the depth of his desire and the blissful realization that she would finally be
his.

Now and forever, my love. She raised her arms above her head, displaying her

absolute surrender. She trusted him with her body, her mind and her heart.

He slid his hands up her arms one at a time, clasping her wrists in a firm grip

without disrupting the rhythm of his hips. Now and forever.

Even in her mind his voice sounded breathless and tense. She opened her eyes as

their lips separated but he hadn’t gone far. His face was inches above hers, his eyes
ablaze with passion, yet tender.

His hips pumped, frantically working them toward release, and still his gaze

caressed. She flowed with him, propelled by the rush of their combined energy.

He drove into her one last time, grinding against her pussy as he released his seed

deep inside her. She came an instant later, the powerful spasms stealing her breath and
muddling her mind.

He let go of her wrists and gathered her close as he rolled them to their sides, his

cock still buried inside her. “Good morning,” he whispered into her hair as he gradually
pinched off the link connecting their minds.

Their beings had only been melded for a few minutes and already she ached for a

permanent joining. She’d resisted their attraction for so long that it felt wonderful not to
battle her own nature. Rather than dwell on what was missing, she wrapped one of her
legs around his hip and ensured their physical connection. “Can we do this every
morning?”

“You’ll get no argument from me.” He started to kiss her again then suddenly

tensed and jerked his head to the side, squeezing his eyes shut.

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“Are you all right?” She disentangled their bodies and sat beside him, reaching for

his face. He caught her wrist and warned her off with a stiff shake of his head. Silence
stretched on as his features twisted into an unreadable mask.

“Fuck.” He released her hand and crawled off the bed, running both hands through

his hair.

“What’s the matter?” Her confusion was rapidly turning to fear. “What just

happened?”

“Inwatta’s replacement has arrived. I’ve been summoned to sector three

headquarters.”

* * * * *

It was like looking into a mirror. Malik stood in front of the stately oak desk with

his hands clasped behind his back. Though also housed within the Pentagon, sector
three headquarters was in an entirely different section of the massive building than the
Hub. Malik had known what to expect when he was ushered into Fibarre’s office. But
knowing the Gathosian leader intended to inhabit the first clone and actually
conversing with the creature were two entirely different things.

“You’re the best judge of our success,” Fibarre said. “Will this body pass for

Bartonese?” The clone’s voice sounded odd, almost synthesized, but his physical
appearance was uncanny. And damn creepy.

“I didn’t realize passing for Bartonese was one of your objectives.” He tried to

sound calm and nonconfrontational, but he wanted to lunge across the desk and beat
Fibarre to an unrecognizable pulp. Thanks to his unique physiology, Malik was now the
face of the Gathosian high command!

“Without the limitations of our humanoid hosts we intend to become more

proactive. Far too many of our recent challenges should have been preempted, or at
least dealt with before they escalated beyond our control.”

“I understand, sir. How can I assist you?”

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“Scan my mind. What do you sense?”

Malik hesitated. Was this some sort of trap? Seeing no option but compliance, he

lightly scanned the clone’s mind. Energy saturated his receptors, the rhythm hauntingly
familiar. “You scan Bartonese. In fact, your energy pattern is identical to mine.” That
was an exaggeration. Even with only the lightest of touches he could sense Gathosian
energy as well. But Fibarre still seemed subdued. Apparently his showdown with
Inwatta had resulted in a lasting weakness. Still, there was no telling how long it would
take for him to recover. The next time Malik saw Ra’jen he would reemphasize the need
for haste.

“That’s wonderful.” Fibarre grinned and Malik’s stomach knotted. “With just the

two of us it will be possible for others to keep track of our whereabouts. But once there
are hundreds of us moving freely throughout the sectors, no one will be sure if they are
being observed by one of us, or you.”

Once there were hundreds of copies of him running around there would be no

reason to keep him alive. Well, they might put him in stasis or cryogenic suspension in
case they needed to refresh the template, but he wasn’t a fool. The prototype appeared
to be operating flawlessly, which meant Malik’s days were numbered.

“Congratulations on your progress.” He even managed to produce a stiff smile.

“May I ask a question?”

“Regarding?”

“Your host body.”

Fibarre’s gaze narrowed and Malik thought he’d refuse. Then the Gathosian said,

“Considering your contribution to the project, I suppose curiosity is understandable.”

“How functional are the clones when they are not occupied?”

Fibarre paused to stroke his chin, a gesture Malik frequently employed when he

was contemplative. “When not occupied the clones are only able to obey rudimentary
commands. They are not sentient beings. They are biological containers, nothing more.”

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“I see.” Diffusing his signal, Malik immersed himself in Bartonese energy and

flowed deeper into the clone’s mind. “The likeness is disconcerting. I was just curious.”
He sensed no flicker of awareness, no emotions, no individual thought. As Fibarre
claimed, this was a husk, a biological puppet, useless on its own.

“Have you made any progress with the ambassadors?”

Unwilling to press his luck, Malik smoothly withdrew. “I’ve been unable to

substantiate any of my theories. I’ll submit a detailed report as soon as I have facts
rather than suspicions.”

“That is acceptable. You should need access to the Hub less often now that I am

more readily available.”

Malik carefully schooled his expression, refusing to let his alarm show. If Fibarre

cut off his access to the Hub they were fucked. “I have several open investigations that
were generated by other members of the high command. Should I bring those reports to
you instead?”

“No.” His features scrunched up with obvious affront. “I have enough to do, trying

to clean up the mess Inwatta left behind. Carry on.”

“Of course, sir. Is there anything else?”

One of the clone’s dark brows arched and Malik had to look away. Sensing

Fibarre’s malevolent personality emanating from a perfect replica of his own body was
extremely disturbing.

“You seem anxious to return to the embassy. Are you enjoying this assignment?”

Malik didn’t suppress his guilty smile. “It has been a very long time since I allowed

myself to enjoy the amenities of an embassy. However, I have not lost sight of my
purpose. I am there to gather information, not indulge my baser needs.”

“It sounds as if you have the situation under control. I will expect your report

within the next few days.”

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Malik returned to the embassy, anxious and restless. He told Saroji that he needed

to speak with Ra’jen but the general had already left for the day. Approaching Ra’jen at
Protectorate headquarters would be highly suspicious, so Malik had no choice but to
wait.

He shared a leisurely lunch with Saroji in one of the embassy’s private dining

rooms. The meal was delicious and the company charming but he was undeniably
distracted. Saroji told him about her work at the clinic and how fortunate she felt to
have been spared the abuse so many females had endured, and were still enduring.

“Even before Ra’jen was promoted he kept me isolated from the harsher realities of

life on a Gathosian-inhabited world. I’ve always felt a little guilty.” They strolled
through the walled garden behind the embassy. The afternoon was mild and sunny and
the garden seemed untouched by the Gathosian scourge. A bittersweet reminder of
another life.

“You saw your world decimated and you’ve been dragged from planet to planet as

the cycle repeats. None of us are untouched by this travesty.”

“I know that. And I don’t disagree. We have all been undeniably changed by what

the Gathosians have done to our dimension. But if it weren’t for Ra’jen, Summer could
have become more than my cover persona.”

His steps faltered and he caught her hands, turning her to face him. “Just the

thought of you as a true pleasure ambassador makes me want to tear things apart.
Starting with every man who ever touched you, of course. I am so glad Summer was
only your cover. I never would have forgiven myself if you’d been subjected to that.”

She stroked her thumbs over his for a moment then slowly pulled away. “I know

you mean that and I know you care about me. But why did you stay away so long?”

With a heavy sigh he resumed their trek, emotion thickening his voice. “Do you

honestly think I had a choice? The ‘training’ anchors go through takes years, and once
the Gathosian is on board…” He shook away the past, refusing to let it taint the present,

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or the future they were attempting to build. “None of that matters now. Very soon life
will change so drastically, all this will seem like a nightmare.”

“You’re very confident all of a sudden.” She slipped her hand back into his and

entwined their fingers. “Have you figured out solutions to our challenges?”

Pleased by her emotional return, he lightly squeezed her hand. “I have ideas.

Hopefully with some help from Ra’jen they will develop into workable strategies.”

Ra’jen didn’t return to the embassy until late that night. Understanding how

important Malik’s information was, Autumn gathered Malik and Saroji into her office
before her mate could object.

“Fibarre arrived this morning,” Malik said once everyone was seated. “As I feared,

he’s inhabiting the prototype.”

“Who is Fibarre?” Autumn asked.

“He’s the most powerful member of the high command. Most consider him the

Gathosian leader,” Ra’jen told her. Then turned back to Malik and said, “Tell us about
the clone. Did it look like you, or was your DNA simply the component that made
everything gel?”

“The damn thing is my doppelganger. The voice is still off but the outward

appearance is downright scary.”

“He can’t be too scary if he looks like you,” Saroji commented with a smile.

“You know what I mean.” He enjoyed her playfulness but they had serious plans to

make. He’d encourage her playfulness after they returned to their suite.

“Is this good news or bad?” Autumn rested her hand on Ra’jen’s leg, the gesture

unconscious yet possessive.

“There are a few more things you need to know.” Malik looked at Saroji and

smiled. He was way past the point of no return. If the Resistance couldn’t pull off this
coup he was likely dead anyway. “The last Gathosian I hosted didn’t just die. I took
control of him and intentionally dispersed his energy.”

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“You’re still alive so I gather the Gathosians don’t realize what you did?” Ra’jen’s

gaze narrowed on his face, the silvery gleam sharp and assessing.

“I can do a lot of things they don’t realize.”

“How does your ability help us now? Fibarre is in the clone, not you.” Saroji looked

decidedly uncomfortable with the topic. She crossed her legs then uncrossed them,
fidgeting and fiddling with anxious energy.

“But the clone’s mind is a copy of mine. I should be able to slip in and take control

so fast Fibarre won’t know what hit him.”

“What will that accomplish? They’ll just dispatch someone else.”

Ra’jen wasn’t being argumentative. It was his job to consider every possibility. “Not

if I also use the clone to blow up the Hub network.”

That brought interest back into the general’s expression. He scooted to the edge of

his seat, gaze focused entirely on Malik. “The clone has your DNA as well as Gathosian
energy. Will he still have Gathosian energy if you ‘disperse’ Fibarre?”

“Yes. If Fibarre is dispersed from inside the clone, residual energy will infuse every

cell in the clone’s body. If it’s possible I’d like to destroy the other clones while we’re at
it.”

Ra’jen laughed. “Now you’re being greedy. If you set your goals too high you’ll

doom us all to failure.”

“Without a Gathosian operating it, the clone is basically a biological robot. It will

question nothing it is ordered to do. I’ll tell it to set one bomb down in the Master Hub
and then take the other and return to its home. We’ll have both rigged with timers or
we can detonate them remotely. As long as you have an explosive scanners won’t
detect, this should work.”

“You make it sound so simple,” Saroji muttered. “Life never works that way.”

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Apparently energized by the possibilities, Ra’jen stood and began to pace the

breadth of the small office. “We’ll have two thousand doses of the antidote ready by
Friday. All of my officers are on standby.”

“Will the general population be willing to wait once they hear that there is a stable

antidote?” Autumn remained seated but her gaze followed her mate.

“What choice do they have? Do you honestly think one person on Earth will lift a

finger to help the Gathosians?”

“The initial surge won’t be the problem,” Malik agreed. “The real challenge will be

maintaining order once the Gathosians are driven out. We cannot allow the Protectorate
to become our new masters.”

“I’ll make sure my men understand their new role.”

“Has your reluctant ship’s captain been given the formula? He must pass it to the

other dimension before I blow up the Hub.”

“Not yet but I’ll see to it personally.”

Malik accepted Ra’jen’s assurance with a stiff nod. “If you distribute the antidote on

Friday I suggest we make our move the following day. I’ll return to Fibarre, pretending
to make my final report on the embassy spies. I’ll take control of the clone and send him
back through the Hub. The subsequent explosion will be your cue to attack.”

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Chapter Five

Saroji and Malik spent the next three days enjoying each other’s company and

exploring the passion that erupted each time they touched. They used the playroom to
help them discover new pleasures and delve deeper into familiar territory.

Though Saroji understood Malik’s need for control and reveled in the freedom it

provided her, she also longed for the softer, slower encounters when they lingered over
each caress and lost themselves in each other’s eyes.

He was on top of her now, peppering kisses across her features while he steadily

pumped between her thighs. Her hands were unbound for a change and she took full
advantage of the novelty, stroking his back and squeezing the tight curves of his flexing
ass.

She felt complete, at peace for the first time in her life. The battle had yet to be

fought yet already she’d found contentment.

His thoughts and emotions flowed through her mind, as familiar as her own. He

wanted to be gentle, to fulfill her need for tenderness. But he was holding back. He was
restless and hungry for wilder, darker pleasures.

She framed his face with her hands and gazed deep into his eyes as she smiled. “Let

me turn over. I want you to finish in my ass.”

Lust blasted into her mind as he closed his eyes and groaned. His cock jerked inside

her and his entire body tensed. “Damn it, woman. I just about lost it.”

She pushed to her elbows and watched as he pulled out. His long, thick cock

gleamed with her cream and his balls were tight and snug against his groin. “Then we’d
just have to start over.”

He flipped her onto her stomach and drew her hips up so she could fold her legs

beneath her. “Don’t move.”

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The bed dipped a bit as he crawled off the side but she obediently remained as he’d

positioned her. He was probably retrieving a bottle of lube from the playroom. Anal
pleasures had become a regular part of their sexual repertoire but he was always careful
not to hurt her.

Another shift in the mattress announced his return. Then his fingers traced a teasing

path from the base of her spine, along the crack separating her ass cheeks and into the
soft folds between her thighs. She held perfectly still and experienced each tingle to its
fullest. He frequently used silence to build the tension and heighten anticipation. It was
a technique she was quickly learning to appreciate.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sensations he was creating and the

steady flow of emotions pouring into her mind. He found her body pleasing but his
desire went deeper. His need for her was more widespread. He wanted her, all of her,
forever. And her desire for him was just as profound.

His cock pressed against her pussy and something smooth and slick positioned

itself at her other opening. She raised her head, trying to see what he was using. It felt
different than his fingers. He flashed a wicked smile and drove inward with slow,
steady pressure.

“That feels…” She gasped. “What is that?”

“A new toy.” His voice sounded gravelly, almost harsh. But she could sense his

struggle for control. “If you don’t like it I won’t use it again.”

She wasn’t sure how it was connected but it moved in tandem with his cock. His

hands steadied her hips and each firm thrust of his pelvis drove both shafts deep into
her body. Saroji knew men sometimes shared a woman and created this incredible
fullness. Malik liked to finger her ass while he fucked her pussy, but this felt much
more like two cocks.

“Now who’s distracted?” Reaching down with both hands, he palmed her breasts

and pressed against her back as the dual shafts stretched her. “Do I need to bring you
back into the moment?” He rolled her nipples, the firm pressure just short of a pinch.

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“No Sir.” She braced her knees and lowered her head. “I’m with you now.”

He pulled back slowly and the distinct slide in both passages tore another gasp

from her lungs. She showed him how well she enjoyed each sensation, how arousing
she found the new toy.

One of his hands moved between her thighs, lightly massaging her mound as he

fucked her from behind. She let go, surrendering to the new sensations as the building
intensity swept her along.

“So good,” he muttered, his hips pumping faster. He moved his hand to the back of

her neck, his fingers firm yet careful.

She braced her legs and took him as deep as possible, wanting everything he had to

give. Pleasure rushed up to meet her, shooting through her body like a sensory geyser.
Her inner muscles contracted around his cock and the toy while she trembled beneath
him.

Malik cried out, surrendering to his own release. He shuddered and moaned as his

seed burst out of his cock in rhythmic spurts. He rubbed her back and sides,
everywhere their bodies weren’t pressed together, obviously in no hurry to separate.

“I want to go with you tomorrow.”

Saroji’s casual statement jarred Malik out of his tranquil haze. His body still tingled

with aftershocks from their powerful orgasm and already she was thinking about
tomorrow. “Not a chance. There’s no reason for anyone else to be at risk.”

Her determination blazed through his mind for a moment before she pinched off

their link and withdrew. “You’ve been here four days. If you return with nothing to
show for it, won’t Fibarre become suspicious?”

He pulled out with a muttered curse, unable to think with her warm body

surrounding him. “I won’t put you in danger.” She rolled to her side and met his gaze.

Aubrey Ross

72

Her expressive eyes were nearly as distracting as her naked body, so he looked down
and unfastened the toy. “I’ll submit a detailed report. That’s all he’s expecting.”

“I’m a trained operative, as well as being half Bartonese. I can help you, if you’re

not too stubborn to admit you need help.”

Leaving the toy on the mattress, he crawled off the bed. “I don’t know that I’ll need

help. If Fibarre is as weak as he seems this might be no big deal.”

“And if he’s not, you’ll wish you had backup!” She sat, dragging the sheet up to

cover her nudity. “I’m coming with you.”

Malik planted his fists on his hips and glared at her, scrambling for a logical

argument. Every fiber of his protective nature balked at putting her in danger, but she
was right. Fibarre would expect results. Four days was more than enough time for
Agent Wanatee to unravel any mystery.

“Fibarre enjoys interrogating prisoners.” His stomach knotted a bit tighter with

each word he spoke. “I can ask for his assistance but we need to be somewhere private.
Every corner of the detention center is under continual surveillance.”

“Tell him our web extends much further than you ever imagined, that you’re not

sure who you can trust.”

He nodded, allowing his mind to temporarily silence his heart. His personal

feelings for Saroji could not skew their strategy. This was bigger than either of them.
“I’ll ask him to meet me in a lesser-used interrogation room—one that just happens to
be a lot closer to the Hub than the detention center.”

“Are you sure he won’t see through that?”

“The Hub’s location was chosen because of its seclusion.” He shrugged with a

nonchalance he didn’t feel. “If he objects I’ll improvise.”

“No, we’ll improvise.”

Accepting the distinction with a smile, he surrendered to the inevitable. “We’ll

improvise.”

Codename Summer

73

The following morning dawned clear and bright. They’d both been too anxious to

sleep so they’d spent much of the night talking and making love.

Ra’jen assured Malik that the rebels within the Protectorate were ready to attack as

soon as he gave the signal. Saroji suggested they omit the fact that she was participating
in the mission. Having borne the brunt of one of Ra’jen’s overprotective outbursts,
Malik was quick to agree.

“Well, here goes.” With Saroji standing out of camera range, Malik entered Fibarre’s

personal code into the companel.

A young blonde woman appeared on the display, neatly dressed in a Protectorate

uniform. “Master Fibarre’s office, how may I direct your call?”

Master? All the other sector leaders were referred to as supervisors. “Master Fibarre

is expecting my call.”

She manipulated the display for a moment then said, “Enjoy the rest of your day.”

Her image faded as Fibarre’s appeared. “I was expecting this report in person. I will

not extend the duration of your mission.”

“That’s not the purpose for my com.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Is

this link secure?”

Fibarre’s brow knitted and he turned his attention to his desktop for a moment

before he said, “You may speak freely now.”

“I’ve arrested one of the ambassadors. I believe she’s a central player, if not the

mastermind behind the entire network.”

“And yet you have not delivered her to the detention center. Is there a reason for

your breach in protocol?”

“She is Saroji, General Noirte’s sister.”

“Are you implying General Noirte is involved with these spies? That’s ridiculous.”

“I would have believed so too, sir, if his sister had not presented herself to me in a

provocative costume, claiming to be an ambassador. I’d rather not get into the details

Aubrey Ross

74

over a comlink, but I have reason to believe that highly placed members of the
Protectorate are involved in this mess.”

“Then you can’t take her to the detention center.”

“I agree. There are several rooms on sublevel two that were used for interrogation

before the detention center was completed. It’s my intention to continue my
investigation there. I would appreciate your assistance. She has some very unique
mental shields. If I didn’t know better I’d suspect she has Bartonese blood.”

“Fascinating.” He tapped his finger against his lips then said, “I’ll meet you on

sublevel two.”

Malik inclined his head and the display went blank. He deactivated the companel

just to be sure then turned to Saroji. “He took the bait.”

“And all you had to do was reveal several of the Resistance’s most closely guarded

secrets.” She took a deep breath, her gaze unreadable.

“After today there will be no more need for secrets, and there will be nothing left to

resist.”

“We’ve been planning this for so long. It doesn’t seem real that it’s finally

happening.”

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, pushing reassurance and tenderness

into her mind. “He’ll sense a mind link, so I won’t pull you into the fight unless there is
no other choice.”

“You’re the only one who has been able to best them. I’ll gladly follow your lead.”

* * * * *

Saroji walked beside Malik down a long, narrow corridor in the basement of the

Pentagon. They had no way to be certain they weren’t being observed, so she tugged
against his hold on her arm and did her best to look petulant. Her wrists were cuffed in
front of her but a simple release lever would allow her to shed the restraints in a matter
of seconds.

Codename Summer

75

A door on the right opened and a man stepped out into the hall. Her steps faltered

and she gasped in feigned surprise. “What the… Why does he look exactly like you?”

“Don’t let my appearance fool you,” the newcomer said. “I’m Agent Wanatee’s

superior in every way.”

“You must have taught him humility. He’s an arrogant prick too.”

Fibarre chuckled and looked at Malik. “This should be amusing.” He turned and

retraced his steps, leaving the door open.

Malik dragged her into the room, kicked the door shut and casually set his

backpack down against the wall. “She’s stubborn, hotheaded and she enjoys provoking
her captors.”

“That’s because my captors are spineless monsters who enjoy torturing women and

children!” She glared at Malik and then Fibarre. Thank God their clothes were different.
It would be way too easy to confuse the two.

Malik released her arm and stepped back as Fibarre advanced toward her. “Is your

brother part of the Resistance?”

She scoffed. “As if I’d tell you.” Pain stabbed into her brain, driving her to her

knees. She screamed and raised her bound hands, pouring energy into her shields. The
pain ceased as quickly as it had erupted and she fought back the nausea rolling through
her belly.

“You’re right. Her energy pattern is unusual.” Fibarre circled her as he rudely

probed her mind. Suddenly his head snapped toward Malik and he demanded, “What
the fuck are you doing?”

Malik didn’t answer. His eyes were narrowed, his lips compressed as he focused on

his task. Fibarre flew at him, arms flailing with wild punches and ineffective slaps.
Malik deflected the blows and maneuvered the Gathosian into the nearest corner.

Emboldened by Malik’s progress, Saroji rid herself of the cuffs as she struggled to

her feet. The clone was not their enemy. They had to siphon Fibarre’s energy until

Aubrey Ross

76

nothing remained. She moved closer to the men and tried to slip into Fibarre’s mind.
The Gathosian flung her backward with a vicious growl.

Feed me. Energy. Malik grasped Fibarre’s throat as the Gathosian began to struggle.

Saroji linked with Malik, gasping at the tempest raging inside his mind. He was

silent and still but Fibarre was bombarding him with excruciating sensations. She
remained distanced from the pain and poured energy into Malik’s being.

Fibarre’s screams echoed through her mind and in her ears. He twisted and clawed

at Malik’s hands but Malik’s attention never wavered.

Terrified that it would never end, Saroji fed Malik a steady stream of energy. Her

head throbbed and her legs trembled but she refused to narrow their link.

Gradually Fibarre’s physical struggle slowed as he focused on forcing Malik out of

his mind. Malik panted. Perspiration ringed his armpits and darkened the back of his
shirt, and still he pushed onward.

They’ll just…send another. You useless fool. The clone slumped into the corner as

Malik scattered the rest of Fibarre’s energy.

Malik knelt over the clone, meticulously searching for remnants of the vanquished

Gathosian. When he was satisfied that the enemy was defeated, he shifted to his ass and
rested back against the wall.

Saroji sat beside him, rubbing his shoulders while he caught his breath. “That was

pretty damn amazing, my love.”

“We make one hell of a team.” His voice was breathless and tense but he managed

to smile. “See if you can rouse him. We’ve got to move. Gathosians lose contact from
time to time but they’ll send someone to investigate if Fibarre doesn’t reconnect soon.”

She moved to the clone’s side and gently shook his shoulder. His thick lashes raised

and she looked into night-black eyes. So like Malik’s.

“Can you hear me?”

The clone looked around and rubbed his throat but said nothing.

Codename Summer

77

“He might not be able to speak.” Malik pushed to his feet and expelled a long,

shuddering breath. “But he should obey basic commands.”

The clone looked at Malik, his expression blank. “Where is my maker?”

“Your maker is gone but he authorized me to command you.” Malik rubbed the

back of his neck and rolled his shoulders. “I have two packages that need to be
delivered, one to the Master Hub and one to your home base. Do you understand?”

“Affirmative.”

“Are you able to activate the Hub without your maker?”

“Affirmative. In the event of separation I am programmed to return to the lab.”

“Perfect.” Retrieving the backpack from its place against the wall, Malik motioned

for the clone to stand.

How much does he understand? The clone looked so much like Malik it was tearing at

her heart to realize they were sending him to his death.

The lights are on but no one’s home. Scan his mind, sweetheart. He is a biological container

with minimal functionality.

She lightly scanned the clone and found exactly what Malik had described. There

was no curiosity, no emotion, no personality.

Malik secured one of the bombs around the clone’s waist and handed him the other.

“When you reach the Master Hub you will wait until a portal opens and then you will
set this package down.”

“I understand.”

“You will depress the lighted area then step through the portal.”

“I understand.”

“Once you reach the lab, you will walk immediately to the middle of the room and

press this button.” He handed the clone the detonator to the bomb around his waist.

“I understand.”

Aubrey Ross

78

Malik opened the door to the hallway and motioned the clone out. “Go now, and

stop for no one.”

The clone walked down the corridor with steady, purposeful strides. “Won’t

anyone question him?”

“Anyone who sees him will presume he’s Fibarre. Besides, the Hub is protected by

scanners. As long as the explosives don’t trigger an alarm we’re home free.”

“Then let’s get the hell out of here!”

They made it to the stairwell without incident but a guard rounded the corner just

as they emerged into the ground-level corridor. The guard snapped to attention and
Malik grasped Saroji’s arm. They stalked past the guard and then Malik muttered,
“Carry on.”

“Would you like an escort, sir?” The guard stepped away from the wall, his gaze

narrowed and suspicious. “Where are you taking her?”

“That’s none of your concern, Lieutenant. Carry on!”

Rather than risk an alarm being triggered, Saroji spun and caught the guard in the

face with a vicious jump kick. He stumbled back, his weapon clattering to the floor as
he raised both hands to his bloody nose.

Malik touched the side of the guard’s head and he went down, collapsing with a

low-pitched moan.

“Run,” Malik advised, and Saroji didn’t hesitate. They sprinted down the hall and

slammed out a side exit, scrambling onto Malik’s skimmer-cycle. The vehicle came to
life with a mechanical roar and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

They didn’t speak until the Pentagon was hovering on the horizon. Saroji finally

relaxed and rested her cheek against his broad back.

Contact your brother. The clone should have reached the Master Hub by now.

Accessing her familial link, Saroji reached out for Ra’jen. The package was delivered.

Did we succeed?

Codename Summer

79

Silence stretched, renewing her anxiety. She could sense Ra’jen’s presence, knew

he’d heard the question. So why didn’t he—

A raucous cheer interrupted her speculation and joy surged into her mind. Target

destroyed! Excellent work. Now it’s my turn to play!

She gave Malik a firm squeeze. We did it, love. Ra’jen’s off to finish the job. Relief

washed over her in a tingling wave and tears blurred her vision.

Malik reached down and squeezed her hand, his emotions poignant and

intoxicating. We need to lay low until Ra’jen gives the all clear. Where would you like to go?

It doesn’t matter, as long as we’re together.

He pressed a kiss to the center of her palm. I’ll find the perfect place to consummate a

courtship two centuries in the making.

She laughed and hugged him tightly. Well, find it quick, my love, or we’ll form our bond

in midair on this skimmer-cycle.

Taking her at her word, Malik found a deserted park and landed the skimmer-cycle

beneath a massive tree. He took her by the hand and led her toward a ramshackle
gazebo surrounded by wild rosebushes.

He looked at the leaf-strewn benches and piles of debris, his gaze narrowed and

disapproving. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait?”

“We have the rest of our lives for soft beds and romantic fires. I want you inside me

now.”

Without further argument, he sat her down and pulled off her boots then stripped

off her uniform bottom.

“What about you?” she protested as he deftly worked the fastenings on her jacket.

“I don’t need to be naked.”

He spread her jacket on the bench then unfastened his pants and freed his cock. She

curved her fingers around the thick shaft and pumped him slowly as she smiled.

Aubrey Ross

80

She started to kneel but he caught her under the arms and sat down on her jacket.

She straddled his lap and guided his cock to her waiting pussy. They stared deeply into
each other’s eyes as she lowered herself inch by inch.

Pulling her mouth to his, he kissed her with feverish urgency. She met his thrusting

tongue with her own and opened her mind, offering herself without reservation. They
flowed together, their energy combining completely for the first time.

Yes, oh yes! He grasped her hips and thrust up into her as his control snapped.

They’d waited so long, had wanted this forever. And finally their time had come.

She moved with him and on him, fucking his mouth as he fucked her pussy.

Their souls entwined, knitting together in an intricate bond, beautiful and lasting.

They soared together, climbing higher, digging deeper as sensations swirled, blurring
the lines between fantasy and reality.

He threw back his head and bucked so hard he lifted her knees off the bench. She

cried out sharply as the pleasure crested and rolled.

They clung together, panting into each other’s mouths as their bodies shuddered

and strained. Her cunt greedily milked him until his cock had no more to give.

He framed her face with his hands and kissed her over and over. “Tell me this is

real,” he whispered against her parted lips.

This is real. We are mated as we were meant to be.

“As we were destined to be,” he stressed, nipping her bottom lip.

Before she could argue the point she felt her brother tap against her shields. “Ra’jen

wants to talk and I’d rather break this to him slowly. Would you mind raising your
shields?”

“You’re still ashamed of me?” He punctuated the question with a playful grin.

“No. I just don’t want to pick a fight with my brother right now. Today has been too

damn perfect.”

Codename Summer

81

“Fine.” He reinforced his shields but held her in place when she tried to crawl off

his lap. “He can’t sense my cock inside you, so talk.”

Enjoying the wicked slide of Malik’s body inside her pussy, she carefully opened a

link with Ra’jen. Do you need us? How many of the anchors are under our control?

Ten surrendered without incident, the other six are on the run. It’s just a matter of time

before we find them. They have nowhere to go.

Malik caught both her nipples and squeezed. She bit back a moan. That’s fantastic!

Were there any casualties?

Several wounded but no casualties. As soon as the Gathosians realized they were cut off

from their home dimension they panicked. Everything went as planned. An announcement
regarding the antidote will be broadcast within the hour. I’m thrilled to say Earth is no longer
under Gathosian control!

I know how hard you worked to make this happen. I’m really proud of you.

We all worked hard and I’m proud of you too. Now finish fucking your mate before this gets

any more obscene.

Ra’jen pinched off the link and Malik laughed. “I guess shields don’t work with

newly bonded mates.”

“Or you weren’t trying very hard to conceal your wicked thoughts.”

He laid her back across the bench and knelt between her thighs. “That’s a distinct

possibility. I know the real work has just begun, but right now I need you all to myself.”

She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled his mouth back to hers and let

the rest of the world fade away.

About Aubrey Ross

When my parents realized I had an aptitude for storytelling—okay, even at an early

age I was a consummate liar—they encouraged me to find constructive ways to put all
that “creativity” to use. I wrote my first novel when I was in junior high school. It was a
typical teenage girl’s fantasy about being kidnapped by a sexy rock star, finding out he
was really a misunderstood millionaire’s son, and living happily ever after with the
reformed rebel. Check out A Taste of Twilight if you’re curious to see what became of the
story.

Now I spend my days, and many of my nights, trying to keep up with the

characters springing to life within my mind. I find creative ways of avoiding errands
and housework because I can’t drag myself away from the dramas unfolding in my
latest story. And every day I thank God I was able to quit my day job and actively
pursue my dream! (I also write paranormal romances for Ellora’s Cave as Cyndi
Friberg. They are still smoking hot, just less adventurous than Aubrey’s books.)

Aubrey welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email

addresses on her

author bio page

at

www.ellorascave.com

.

Tell Us What You Think

We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email

the author

directly or you can email us at

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(when contacting Services, be

sure to state the book title and author).

Also by

Aubrey Ross

Crimson Awakening

Crimson Carousel 1: A Taste of Twilight

Crimson Carousel 2: A Taste of Midnight

Crimson Carousel 3: A Taste of Oblivion

Crimson Carousel 4: A Taste of Dawn

Crimson Prey

Crimson Thrall

Dream Warriors

Ellora’s Cavemen: Flavors of Ecstasy IV

anthology

Enemy Embrace 1: Rebel

Enemy Embrace 2: Toymaker

Enemy Embrace 3: Replicant

Enemy Embrace 4: Mystic

Enemy Embrace 5: Madam

Enslaved Hearts 1: Captives

Enslaved Hearts 2: Pleasures

Enslaved Hearts 3: Secrets

Intimate Invasion 1: Forgotten Hope

Intimate Invasion 2: Forsaken Desire

Intimate Invasion 3: Forced Alliance

Mystic Keepers 1: Refugee

Mystic Keepers 2: Cayenne

Mystic Keepers 3: Krystle

Mystic Keepers 4: Lorran

Mystic Keepers 5: Rammi

Mystic Keepers 6: Minuette

Mystic Keepers 7: Elita

Mystic Keepers 8: Felise

Sensual Captivity 1: Seducer

Sensual Captivity 2: Shifter

Sensual Captivity 3: Sorcerer

Sensual Captivity 4: Specter

Sensual Captivity 5: Seer

Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 2

anthology

Sworn Protectors 1: Onset of Darkness

Soul Kisses

Undercover Embassy 1: Codename Autumn

Undercover Embassy 2: Codename Winter

Undercover Embassy 3: Codename Spring

Velvet Deception

Print books by Aubrey Ross

Candy Cravings

anthology

Dream Warriors

Ellora’s Cavemen: Flavors of Ecstasy IV

anthology

Sensual Captivity 1: Seducer

Sensual Captivity 2: Shifter

Sensual Captivity 3: Sorcerer

Sensual Captivity 4: Specter

Sensual Captivity 5: Seer

Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 2

anthology

Velvet Deception

Ellora’s Cave Publishing

www.ellorascave.com

Codename Summer

ISBN 9781419941009

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Codename Summer Copyright © 2012 Aubrey Ross

Edited by Beverly Horne

Cover design by Caitlin Fry

Electronic book publication September 2012

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