Dark Revenge Jennifer Leeland “I like my sex rough and my women restrained.” So declares Alex’s captor, shortly after they’re mated in a ritual of vengeance. Though her body lustfully yields to her new mate’s dominant will, her mind is only too aware of the tumultuous past they share. She and Tory fought side by side in the military…until he was exiled for treason, an accusation leveled and proven by Alex’s own brother. Tory is determined to take revenge on the family who falsely accused him…and to win back the woman he’s always loved. If he can’t win her heart, though, he’ll settle for her body—preferably tied up, flogged and begging for him. When they find themselves in the middle of a brewing civil war, they have to learn to trust each other with more than just their bodies. If they can’t, humanity itself may pay the price.
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Dark Revenge ISBN 9781419934506 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Dark Revenge Copyright © 2012 Jennifer Leeland Edited by Meghan Conrad Cover design by Syneca Electronic book publication January 2012 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book. The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.
DARK REVENGE Jennifer Leeland
Dark Revenge
Chapter One Dead in the water. Alex flicked the controls. Hopeless. No lights, no whine from the engines. Nothing. If The Athena had been an ancient seagoing vessel, her circumstances wouldn’t have been so dire, but the crippled vessel floated in the depths of space and faced a fucking monster. On her view screen, his ship menaced her and he didn’t even have his burners hot. There weren’t too many ships that could both outmaneuver a Teran One shuttle and blast it to smithereens. The Pinnacle could. And its commander had the talent to anticipate Alex and outsmart her. The fact that his pursuit had forced her to overload her engines wouldn’t stop him. Tory Ingle. Former covert military, current mercenary, bad boy of Teran One. He hadn’t hailed her, but that was no surprise. The blaster shot across her forward shields had been message enough. She’d been so close to her destination, her cargo intact, her secret mission almost over. Now, she was so fucked. The one-person shuttle hadn’t been equipped to outrun a pirate runner. No one on Teran One believed anyone would attack her. Why would they? Unless they knew exactly what she carried in her hold. Without hesitation, she began the countdown for self-destruct. Whatever was in that hold had Darius scared shitless. There was no way she’d let that asshole Ingle get his money-grubbing hands on it. “Self-destruct sequence engaged. Three minute countdown. Two minutes, fiftynine….” The drone of the computer’s announcement was almost soothing. Her communications panel lit up. She ignored it. In less than three minutes, she’d be a floating speck in space and if Ingle didn’t back off, so would he. She closed her eyes and thought about her family. Her mother, killed in action on Teran Five during the civil war when Teran One had sent peacekeepers. Her father, killed on a food ship when Teran One sent food to Teran Three during their war with Teran Four. Her brother, dead on Teran Five, presumably killed by Teran Four soldiers. Now, she’d die in a shuttle on some mysterious mission no one would remember or care about. Well, except maybe Celeste. “Turn off the self-destruct, Commander Zeerah.” Tory’s smooth voice filled the small space of her bridge. God, she remembered that voice. Once it had made her nerves tingle and her pulse pound. Now it just made her heartsick.
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Hell, she was shocked he hadn’t blown her out of the water. No way was she letting him board her. He had every reason to want her dead and even more reasons to want her to suffer. She sighed. Less than two minutes and it would all be over. Did most people wonder about the major decisions in their life when it was about to end? Maybe she was just weird. Tory’s voice had probably brought it all to the forefront. The agony of letting him go. The numb despair when she’d been shown the evidence against him. All of it seemed to have been for nothing. She had always wondered if she’d done the right thing. Now she’d never know. “God damn it, Alex, turn the fucking thing off!” Tory sounded concerned. She wasn’t. Soon, she’d be free. No more fighting. No more civil wars. No more— “Self-destruct terminated.” Her eyes flew open. What the fuck? She stared at her console and her lips tightened. With a hard flick, she turned on her com. “I don’t know how you did that, but you are not going to get this cargo.” Or her. God knew what he’d do to her. “Do you even know what the cargo is?” “It’s Teran One property. That’s good enough for me. You’re not going to get it. Ever.” She slammed the button to shut off communication and started for the back of the bridge. It had better be there. She had packed the bridge herself, but those Black Ops assholes messed with her shit before. Relief flooded her chest. It was there. Two Stet explosives. All she had to do… What the hell was that? A hiss sounded all around her and a heavy smell filled the cabin. Her eyelids drooped, though she fought it. Every muscle dragged and every thought slowed. Memories crowded her mind, the present moving in slow motion, though the past seemed clear and bright. Five years ago, when everything changed, when she changed, she had been so sure. “Come with me,” he said. Tory never begged and Alex was stunned he would do it now, when everything had fallen apart. “You know I can’t,” she said. “You’re exiled.” His eager expression changed, all the light dying from his blue eyes. “Is that why you made sure they booted me out of the Teran Corps? Because you knew what the Tribunal’s verdict would be?” He shook his head. “I don’t care. Come with me. I need you,” he pleaded. “How can you ask me?” she burst out. “I won’t go with you,” she said, reaching for calm. His eyes narrowed. “Because I’m not one of the original bloodlines, is that it?” That wasn’t it, but Alex couldn’t tell him why, couldn’t admit what she knew. “You know how important it is.” He slammed a fist into the palm of his other hand. “It’s only important on Teran One. There’s a whole universe out there, Alex.” When his hands cupped her face, she almost gave in. His lips met hers and passion and need sprang up between them. With effort, she forced her desire into a closet in her mind, jammed her
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feelings into a deserted corner of her heart and remained still beneath his assault. Stars, she wanted to drown in his kiss. He lifted his head, misery tightening his features. “You’d choose bloodlines over me, over us.” No! Her whole being denied it, wanted to run away with Tory and ignore everything she’d been raised to be. Blooodlines were everything. Teran One preserved Old Earth’s history through careful preservation of family ties. Who your great-grandfather was had more influence on your future than what grades you had in school. And Alex was a Zeerah, one of the families who first settled on Teran One. Founded by six families, Teran One was insulated from the rest of the universe’s chaos because the people kept tradition. New bloodlines might arrive, but they were never fully incorporated unless they proved themselves. The Ingles had been instrumental in putting the current royal family on the throne, so their rise was meteoric compared to others. But they were still only three generations old. Her father, her brother, even her friends had warned her about Tory. Hadn’t he proven her family right? He was a traitor, exiled from Teran One forever. She had to think about the men who had been publicly executed by Dividaon Teran Four. A hundred men had been betrayed by secret information that Tory had given to the dictator. “Yes. I would choose any bloodline over you,” she snapped. He winced, his face crumpling briefly. His hands slipped away from her shoulders. “You believe I’m a traitor, then.” The evidence had damned him. But she might have ignored the evidence presented to the Judges of the Tribunal if it wasn’t for the secret she knew, the facts she’d seen with her own eyes. “I won’t go with you, Tory. Not in a million years.” She stepped back and put distance between them, hating that her body had a mind of its own. It was torture to see the hurt in his face. After the battles they’d fought together, the moments they’d shared, a piece of her heart was lodged with him. She accepted that fact. But truth was truth and he had betrayed their people. A Teran One Tribunal had judged and convicted him. No matter what she might feel for him, nothing could change what he’d done. A muscle in his jaw jumped and his nostrils flared. “A million years is a long time, Alexandra,” he said, his voice low and deep. “You might keep that in mind.” And then he was gone. She ignored the ache in her heart. She denied the doubts about his guilt. All she had left now was her family. Her job was to protect the royal family and the bloodlines who ruled Teran One. Everything else she cared about had just walked away. Dark edges crowded around her gaze and tears squeezed from her eyes. She’d failed.
*****
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“She was going to blow the fucker up. What the hell is that cargo?” Pulzer asked as he followed Tory along the corridor. Tory carried her across the connect tube between his ship and her shuttle. He stared at the unconscious figure of Teran One Commander Alexandra Zeerah. Her goldenbrown hair had come loose from its tight braid and drifted over his bare arms. His second continued to pelt him with questions. “It’s in a quadruple-lined containment box. What the fuck could it be?” “Expensive.” Tory kept his answer short. He knew what was in that box. Alex was never supposed to reach her destination. Five Teran Four war ships waited for her only fifteen light years away, all prepared to take what Alex carried on the shuttle. The Teran One fuckers who had sent her had known exactly what she’d do. She was all about duty—he ought to know. She’d gotten him kicked out of the Teran One Ops so fast it had made his head spin. Of course, she had always made his head spin. And now apparently her superiors thought she was expendable. The Commander had been headed for a trap. “Who’s bidding?” Tory’s second broke into his thoughts. “Right now, just Teran Four and possibly Teran One, but I think the rest of the system will be interested in acquiring our little item.” He laid his former commander on the bed. He had plans for her. Revenge had just dropped into his mercenary hands and he was going to enjoy every minute of it. Pulzer followed him, but stopped at the door to Tory’s quarters. “Will Jezar be able to guide the ship?” It was Jezar’s mental manipulations that had stopped the self-destruct sequence on Alex’s ship, but it was Tory’s ability to control computer computations with his ship’s system that had flooded Alex’s cabin with a harmless overdose of anosenosin, used by the military to aid sleep in space. He stared at the woman in his bed. “Jezar is fine. Just don’t let anyone distract him.” Advice Tory should take to heart. Alex was definitely a distraction. “I’ll keep everyone off the bridge.” Pulzer glanced at the Commander on the bed. Tory knew he wondered about her fate, but what Tory had planned wasn’t anyone’s business but his. “I’d appreciate that. I’m going to be with the Judge of Light, so you and Jezar are in charge.” He turned and clapped his second on the shoulder. “Send a message to Teran One and make sure it’s on an open channel. Then head for home.” “They’ll try to stop us.” “I don’t think so.” He jerked his head toward Alex. “They won’t while she’s on board.” “You sure? They sent her on a suicide mission. Maybe they won’t care.” Pulzer frowned.
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“She’s a Zeerah, one of the founding families of Teran One,” he said bitterly. “They’ll care.” “Won’t they attack us?” “Let me worry about that. Send the message. She should wake up in twenty minutes and then we’ll finish the ceremony.” Pulzer nodded and strode down the hall. Tory shut the door and turned around in time to just miss a potentially deadly blow to his carotid. Not the second blow, though. She numbed his right arm from elbow to wrist. Fuck, that stung. Lucky he was lefthanded. Alex swung her right arm out and his left captured it. He jerked her closer and pinned her arm behind her back, then shoved her further into the room. She swung her left hand down to disable him, but he dropped her to the bed and his shoulder crushed her beneath him. She tried to kick him, but he held her still, his legs wrapped around hers, her arms pinned under her back. Feeling came back in his right arm just as she freed her hands and he caught both her arms, pinning them to her sides. She glared at him. All military, all spit and polish, all regulations. That lift of her chin and the cold expression in her eyes was nothing new to him. She’d had that same look on her face before she’d testified at his Tribunal. Not once did she question the evidence. Of course, why should she? The man who accused him was her own brother. Her family was responsible for the way he had to stay on the run, taking work from whoever would pay the most. She would be his reward, his revenge. Teran One had a word for it. Saria. Treasure. Gift. His. And treasure is what she resembled with her golden eyes and her freckles that were like little brown diamonds. Her hair glinted in the artificial lighting, all spun brown silk. “You are my Saria, my revenge.” “No!” The word exploded from her and she squirmed, fighting beneath him. “Yes. And you know what that means.” Easily, he contained her, held her immobile. After all, he had been as well trained as she had been. He loved how her eyes widened and something akin to panic seemed to emanate from her. That’s right, my little Alexandra. Your family destroyed me, took everything away from me. “You can’t!” A muscle in her cheek pulsed as she ground her teeth. “I can. It’s my right.” Nothing had changed for him. The way her curves fit his body still made his cock hard and his mind spin. Focus, he had to focus. “Your brother lied to a Teran One Tribunal to get me out of your life, Alexandra Zeerah. You helped him.” She glared at him, all the pride of her heritage rising to the surface. “You betrayed us to the Teran Fours.” “I didn’t. And I can prove it.” He stared at her. She’d known. She must have. He hadn’t just been some random soldier in her command. They’d fought together, lost
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men together, gotten drunk together. Not that she’d ever allowed that fucking Zeerah façade to drop for a second. Except once. How could she believe he betrayed his men to the enemy? “They showed me the vids—” she started, but he interrupted her. “False vids.” His hands tightened on her wrists. “You wanted to believe it.” The attraction between them had been unbearable for him back then. Once or twice, he had thought she might feel the same. Had she deluded herself to avoid having to choose between him and her family? Her God damn family. The Zeerahs were old, established Teran One aristocrats, directly in line for the throne. The military was their breeding ground for soldier kings. And queens. They would object to any man who wasn’t from one of the old families, a man who wasn’t part of their precious bloodlines. She squirmed beneath him and he knew what he planned to do would destroy any chance of an advantageous marriage for her. But they wanted her dead anyway. Too bad for Alex. Any sympathy he might have felt dried up when she spat the next words. “Teran One will send an assassin to kill you.” He smiled and her eyes narrowed. He pressed closer to her and whispered in her ear. “They’re more likely to send one for you, Saria. Someone on Teran One wants you dead.” “And you don’t?” “Not yet. You owe me.” The despair in her eyes didn’t faze him at all.
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Chapter Two She would not cry. But Alex knew exactly what Tory intended to do. He was going to rape her. The Saria was just a legalized form of violence, of payback. She was a woman. She knew what that meant. It’s not like she hadn’t been threatened by that before. Hell, the Teran Four assholes made sure any Teran One female soldier captured was “properly punished”. The difference this time was that her past attackers had been the enemy, not a man she’d once fought with, drank with, kissed. Once, in a moment of weakness and after a few too many sangrias, she’d lip-locked with Tory. Even now, as he pinned her with his body, hers heated. If he only knew. Tory held all the cards. Alex was helpless, flat on her back, immobilized by his muscular body. He knew her tricks, had trained with her, fought with her. Tears burned the back of her throat, but she swallowed them. She had to hit where it hurt. “Fucking me isn’t going to make your pedigree any better.” Nothing. His whisper was calm, seductive. “No, but I’ll enjoy it.” Her stomach flipped and she arched her back, trying to dislodge him, knowing it was hopeless. He didn’t fight her. He just waited until she wore herself out. She closed her eyes. Let him do it. Let him take what she might have given him so long ago. He’d have to wrench it from her. Liar. She knew the truth. Her body would betray her. She had to fight him, push him away. But she had nothing left. Besides, she wasn’t sure she wanted to fight him anymore. He was right. No one would come. Her brother, her family, were all dead except for her little sister, who was vulnerable and underage. With Alex gone, the six remaining founding families would carve up her inheritance and marry Celeste off to the nearest asshole. Everything would be gone, even if she managed to survive Tory Ingle. He claimed her as his Saria. No man would touch her now. A sob escaped her. Hot tears welled in her eyes and she couldn’t stop them. Damn it. She hated crying. Her chest hurt from the effort of holding them in, but finally, they poured out. She cursed him, her voice harsh and choked. She clamped her teeth down on her lip to stop the scream rising. She was fucked, screwed, nailed. And not in a good way. To her surprise, he jerked her to her feet, his fingers still clasped around her wrists. “Let’s go.” “Where are we going?” She dragged her feet as he shoved her out his door.
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“Even someone from a low-caste family like me knows the rules of Saria, Commander.” He escorted her down a lengthy corridor, his long legs eating up the distance as he pulled her after him. He stopped and slapped a button to open a door. “You’ve already broken them,” she snapped. “A claim must be made to a Tribunal or—” She stopped mid-sentence when she saw who waited in the small conference room. “Or a Judge of Light.” Tory dropped her into a chair and handcuffed her wrists to the armrests. The Judge glanced at her, but his focus was on a file in front of him. The vid screen flicked through images she couldn’t see. A Judge of Light. A mind reader with absolutely no loyalty to any government, only to the truth. They couldn’t be bribed, bought or manipulated. They were some of the most powerful telepaths in the known universe. To become a Judge of Light, an Ardasian had to go through years of training. “You are Commander Alexandra Zeerah?” The Ardasian didn’t meet her gaze. “Yes.” “Your brother was Samuel Zeerah Jr.?” “Yes.” She pursed her lips together. She’d seen this process many times. The Tribunal Judges asked questions, the Saria answered. The proof was presented and the judgment made. “You are aware of the Saria ceremony, Commander?” His eyes were that weird green color that most Ardasian males seemed to have. When she met the Judge’s gaze, she swallowed. Aware? Hell yes. The Judge cocked his head. “I need your verbal answer, please.” “Yes.” The Judge nodded to Tory, who slid into one of the chairs across from her. She glared at him but he kept his gaze on the Judge. There was nothing he could show her to prove he hadn’t betrayed them to the Teran Fours. Because if he was innocent, that would mean her brother— She jerked her stare to the Judge and refused to look away. The Judge studied her for a moment and then turned to Tory. The Judge of Light’s voice was calm and completely neutral when he ordered, “Release her.” Tory jabbed a button on the console in front of him and the cuffs dropped off her wrists. She slowly rubbed them and kept her focus on the Judge of Light. If he was incorruptible, what was he doing with Tory Ingle? Tory’s exploits for the last five years had been infamous. He tormented Teran One space merchants. Granted, the ones he harassed the most were the ones who sold goods to Teran Four against the edicts of her government, but it didn’t change the fact that he was a mercenary, a criminal. He was a man who broke the rules and he’d claimed her as his Saria. She would have thought it was a joke except he had obtained the cooperation of a Judge of Light. The Saria ceremony was a Teran One tradition, but Ardasian Judges of Light were well-
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versed in the practice. According to custom, she and Tory had to play their roles. He was the Sarat, the injured. She was the Saria, the gift. “I am Mayar, Judge of Light for the Teran Planet system, authorized by Ardasia to serve as a beacon of truth in the spaces of darkness.” His green eyes focused on her and she sat up straighter. “I have been asked to perform the Saria ceremony. Tory Ingle came directly to Ardasia to request my help.” The Judge seemed to speak directly to her, though she knew they were being recorded. “I agreed to be an impartial judge of the evidence.” He seemed to wait for some response from her. She nodded and he continued. “May the truth be revealed.” The Judge’s tone gave the words meaning and weight. Alex knew the next part by heart. “Let the judged be exonerated if the Sarat can prove he has been wronged. Let the Saria answer for her bloodline.” The Judge said the words as if he were Teran One born. Alex relaxed slightly and the Judge continued. “In this way, the bloodline is preserved; the names are written in the Teran One annals.” The Judge pointed to her. “Are you the last of your line?” “No, I am not.” Almost. Not quite. Tears pricked her eyes. If she lost here, if Tory won, Celeste would be alone. But the Saria served a purpose and she was duty-bound to respect it. The Judge turned to Tory. “Are you the last of your line?” A question for form’s sake and Alex was surprised when Tory said, “Yes, I am the last of the family Ingle.” What had happened to his brother? She stared at him. This made more sense now. If he had the remotest chance of clearing his name, he would do it. His lands, his bloodline, his history were all on the line. If he couldn’t reclaim his family’s place on Teran One, they would be stricken from the records, forgotten. The Ingles had struggled to earn their place in history. Tory would do anything to keep it. Her fists clenched on the table. She took a deep breath. She had to remember the Judge was completely neutral. Whatever Tory presented as evidence had to be incontrovertible. “Does the Sarat have evidence to present for judgment?” The Ardasian focused on Tory. “I do.” Tory handed the Judge several discs. Mayar slipped the discs in and Alex stared at the screen. The first scene was an interrogation. Judging by the uniform of the interrogator, it was on Teran Four. The captured man was a Teran One soldier. “Did you take the money?” The Teran Four Covert shot the question out like a bullet. The other man shook his head. “No. Zeerah took it.” Alex gasped. Samuel? The man was lying. He had to be. “You’re lying,” the interrogator snarled. “I have a dead Teran Four soldier and a million leders missing. You want me to believe that a commander in the Teran One corps took the money?” “He hoped to use the money to overthrow King Darius.”
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The Teran Four interrogator made a derisive sound and said, “How did he hope to do that?” “He had someone on the inside, someone who hated the king.” The interrogator pounded his fist on the table in front of the captive soldier. “Zeerah used Teran Four soldiers on Teran One?” “Yes, yes. He sent Teran Four soldiers to drug Commander Tory Ingle. He wanted him out of the way.” “Why?” “Ingle would probably have fought to keep King Darius on the throne.” “So, Zeerah used Teran Four soldiers to cover his own involvement?” The interrogator thrust his face into the Teran One soldier’s. “Where’s the money?” “I don’t know,” the man wailed. “I swear, I don’t know. Zeerah must have it.” “Where is Commander Zeerah now?” “Teran Five. That’s where he said he was going to plan the war.” The vid faded. The timestamp on the vid was two months before Samuel’s death announcement. Alex blinked. Her brain spun a little trying to make sense of what she’d just seen and heard. The Judge changed the disc for another. What else could there be? When she received the word that Samuel was dead almost a year ago, she hadn’t seen his face for six months. His last transmission from the battlefield on Teran Five had been fuzzy, hard to see. The date stamp on this new vid was two weeks after his death. She stared at the numbers. Inside, she shook. No. This had to be a lie. Her lips tightened and she glared at Tory. She wasn’t allowed to say it, but she knew Tory could see her denial on her face. He seemed completely calm and only raised his eyebrows. “I don’t get it, Sam. Why stick the fucker out in space? What did he do besides have the hots for your sister?” A man’s voice grated through the speakers. Samuel was sprawled in a chair, one leg dangling over the armrest. In his hand, he twirled a stunner, his weapon of choice. “He was supposed to be dead. He’s an Ingle, the last one since I took out his brother. Get rid of him and that’s one less asshole to deal with when I take the throne.” The other man’s laugh was loud. “What if your sister finds out?” “Alex?” Her brother snorted. Alex’s stomach clenched. Stars. Not her brother. “She just wants to protect that sniveling brat Celeste. I’ll marry her off to one of the stronger houses.” “All this to be king of Teran One?” Samuel smiled, a cruel twist of his lips that made Alex wince. “That’s part of it. And maybe control of a planet or two. Or three.” His laugh grated on Alex’s nerves. 14
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“What did you do? Buy the Tribunal?” The soldier laughed as if he’d said something hilarious. But Samuel’s eyes narrowed. “That is impossible, of course.” “Oh come on,” the man pressed. “You had to have help high up.” Her brother’s smile was thin and snide. “You have no idea. I had the best kind of help.” Suddenly, her brother’s gaze looked straight at the screen and he stopped twirling the stunner. His gaze jerked to the other man. “You bastard. I’ll kill you,” he shouted, the stunner in his hand. The other man dove behind a bookcase and the stunner burnt a line into the floor. The soldier aimed a laser pistol and shot Samuel dead between the eyes. Blood spurted from her brother’s head and Alex made her eyes stay on the screen as the laser burned the skin and bone leaving charred remains. Her stomach rolled. She was not going to puke. She was a soldier. She’d seen death before. But this…this was her brother. When it was over, two soldiers came through the door. “Is there enough of the body to send back to King Darius?” The first soldier panted for breath. “He’ll assume the asshole was killed, just as we reported.” “You think his sister will buy that he died in battle?” one of the soldiers asked as he collected bits of flesh. “She’ll believe whatever Darius tells her,” the first soldier said with a sneer. “I got everything on vid.” “Will it work?” “It’ll work.” The man’s lips tightened. “We have to get the vid authenticated.” “Pack it up and take it to Ardasia,” one of the soldiers ordered. The vid clicked off. Alex bit her lower lip. She’d known Samuel was an asshole, but a traitor? She shook her head. “I don’t believe it.” The Judge gave her a long look. No, she wasn’t supposed to respond until the Judge spoke, but she couldn’t help it. She set her lips to force the words of denial back down. The Judge nodded and slipped the next disc in. This one was identical to the one she’d seen at the Tribunal that convicted Tory. It was the same bunker, the same men. Except for Tory Ingle. He was nowhere in the video. In the video she’d seen, Tory had taken money from Teran Four soldiers to surrender his men’s names and locations—men who later appeared lifeless in a taunting video from Teran Four. The only problem was that instead of Tory’s face, the man who actually took the money was…Samuel. Hot tears burned the inside of her eyelids. Her chest tightened and her throat closed. It couldn’t be. Her brother was the traitor? But why?
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The silence in the room was deafening. “Do you dispute the evidence?” the Judge asked her gently. She lifted her blurred gaze to meet his. “I am no vid expert.” “I am,” the Judge said calmly. “These are genuine vids. The one presented to your planet’s Tribunal was altered. I am…disappointed that their verdict was guilty.” “You’re asking me to believe my brother betrayed our planet, our king, our family. He couldn’t do it!” She clenched her jaw and tried to keep the tears at bay. Not once through the whole show did she glance at Tory. She couldn’t stand to see his triumph, his smile, his— When she looked at him she didn’t see any of that. He seemed…sad. She blinked. Her world was upside down. But the Saria ceremony wasn’t over and she had to hold it together until the Judge of Light completed it, even though she was dizzy. This was no time to faint. “I am the Judge of Light. In accordance with Ardasian Code and Teran law, I have read the minds of the principals involved. I declare the accusations and subsequent punishment delivered on Commander Tory Ingle were false and detrimental to his bloodline.” The Ardasian spoke and he laid his palms flat on the table. “This verdict is rendered. Commander Alexandra Zeerah is considered Saria to Tory Ingle. No other member of the Zeerah bloodline may be harmed in this act of revenge.” The Judge frowned at Tory. “You may choose the Saria’s fate. Death, slavery or mate.” A small sound escaped Alex. This was it. The judgment had come down and she’d lost. Celeste would be married to a stranger. Her land, her family bloodline would be absorbed but never be freed from the obligation now forced upon it. Just as Tory’s bloodline was tainted by the lies that convicted him, hers was destroyed by her brother’s betrayal. The Zeerahs would cease to exist as a recognized founding family on Teran One. “I am no fool,” Tory’s voice sounded harsh. “Death or slavery will not give me what I wish. Though I could seek to carry on my line with another, only a woman from my home planet will keep the Teran One genes intact and the Ingle family bloodline’s place maintained.” He kept his gaze on the Ardasian. “My undiluted bloodline ends with me unless I find a way to continue it.” She gasped and stared at him. Was he insane? She wouldn’t do it. He couldn’t seriously think she’d be his— “I choose mate.” Tory held her stare. “No! I will not—” she shouted, but the Judge pounded the table sharply. “He has the right.” His tone brooked no argument. “Tory Ingle has accepted Alexandra as his mate. The rules of Saria apply. She will not harm herself or her children. She will accept this fate or her bloodline is forfeit.” The Judge’s solemn eyes met hers. “If you deny this mating, it is his right to claim the other in the bloodline.” “No!” she shouted.
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“If the Saria refuses the mating, Celeste Zeerah will take her place.” “Judge,” Tory broke in. The Ardasian swerved his solemn gaze to Tory. “I allow amendments to the contract.” She jerked her head to stare at Tory. It was rare. The ceremony was often used as an accepted form of rape, violence. Amendments were created for men who wanted a true mate. Dizziness made her head swim. It was too much. The Judge’s voice seemed far away, like he was down a long corridor. Tory’s face swam in front of her. “Alex? Alex?” “A safeword, Commander Zeerah.” The Judge’s face drifted before hers as he peered at her. Where was Tory? “A safeword?” she said. It took a lot of effort to get those two words out. A safeword. Her ability to stop any action that may harm her, make her uncomfortable. A common amendment. “One word.” The Judge’s green eyes seemed to glow now. “Betrayed,” she whispered and the darkness closed in. “Done.” And with that one word, she became the mate of Tory Ingle, bad boy of Teran space.
***** Had it all been a bad dream? Alex blinked her eyes and focused. Tory’s face hovered over hers. She was on his bed, in his quarters, at his mercy. She was his Saria, the object of his revenge. His mate. Teran One law was clear. Until his thirst for revenge was sated, he could do as he wished. As long as he could prove he had a right to take her. And he’d proven it, according to all the Teran One traditions. It all could have been so different. If she hadn’t believed everything she’d seen. If she’d trusted her heart instead of her mind. If she hadn’t turned her back on the one man who meant anything at all to her. “Such pretty tears,” he said, finally, his gaze cold. All the pity and warmth she’d seen in the conference room was gone. “I wonder if you realize now how much trouble you’re in.” He lifted his body off hers and jerked her to her feet. She didn’t have time to fight him when he yanked her closer and wrenched her arms behind her back. “Before you destroyed me, you should have known who you were dealing with.” “What do you mean?” She’d known. He was a bad boy, a man who fought fiercely, but only in his own best interests. He loved his men, but because they fought by his side, not because of who they were. Oh she knew him, all right. He gambled, flew by the seat of his pants and fucked any woman who let him. The word duty wasn’t in the man’s vocabulary. She knew exactly who, and what, he was. She knew he liked rain, and how children made him smile and—
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“I mean that I have deviant tastes,” he said as he grinned at her. Her heart pounded and sweat dripped from her forehead. He nodded. “That’s right. I like my sex rough and my women restrained. And since you’d probably kill me if you could, it’s a good thing I do. For me. Not so much for you.” He flicked a button on a huge console near the door. A large metal…thing dropped from the ceiling and her heart almost jumped out of her chest. A long beam the length of the room held several different hooks, cuffs, leather straps and other things that she didn’t recognize. She couldn’t help it. She trembled. “Please, Tory,” she said, trying not to sound like she was begging, even though she was. “Don’t do this. My family left me money—” She sucked in a breath as he jerked on her arms, tightening his hold. The grin was gone and his gaze glittered. Why hadn’t she noticed the cruelty in his eyes before this? Because she’d avoided his gaze, afraid to fall for his seduction and drown. Now, they shone with evil intent. “This isn’t about money. This is about revenge.” He kicked her feet into two metal restraints that she hadn’t noticed on the floor. Then he roughly clicked her wrists into restraints that had her arms extended to the ceiling. He picked up his laser pistol and aimed it at her body. She tensed, even though she was well aware he had no intention of killing her. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t maim her, cut her. After all, she could still serve her purpose as his mate and continue the bloodline, even with scars. She closed her eyes, but his image was burned into her brain. When she’d first met him, he’d resembled an Old Earth pirate with his black hair and seductive blue eyes. He’d swaggered, he’d joked, he’d had no sense of the seriousness of his missions. Even as a Black Ops officer, he was a wild card. But he always got the job done. His lack of respect for authority kept him from promotions, but his men loved him. Women fawned over him but he didn’t brag. The women did. How “good” he was, how skilled he was. But then, those women hadn’t banished him from his home. She had. The restraints bit into her wrists and her ankles throbbed. Her arms were already sore from being splayed in this position. Then, heat on her shoulder made her jerk. Her eyes flew open. He used the laser pistol as a cutting tool, slicing through the material of her uniform. With precision, he cut through her clothes, her bra, her underwear and cold air hit her body as the shredded material dropped to the floor in burning bits. She shivered. Naked, unable to cover herself and completely exposed to his gaze, she wanted to die. Was this what he wanted? Her humiliation? Her subjugation? She wasn’t going to submit or surrender. She straightened her back and met his stare but almost glanced away when she noted the desire in his. He took his time studying every inch of her. His gaze trailed heat over her skin as her body betrayed her. Her nipples tightened and she wanted to scream in frustration. 18
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She didn’t want to want him. This was going to be rape. He would have to take her by force. She yanked on her wrists restraints, oblivious to the pain. She had to get away from him. Her pussy started to heat. She was enjoying this. How could that be? How could her body like the restraints, the way his eyes devoured her? How could she want this so much? She fought harder. If she didn’t get free, her humiliation would be more than if he raped her. She’d surrender. “You know the requirements.” His gaze focused on her breasts and her nipples puckered more, reaching out for him. Requirements? Hell, she knew them better than anyone. To complete the ceremony of the Saria, he had to consummate the mating. It was his part, his duty. “I’ll fight you,” she spat, even as her body betrayed her, her pussy throbbing, her breath coming fast. “Please do,” he said and he smirked. “I always knew you were the woman for me.” She wanted to hit him, wipe that satisfied grin off his face. She kicked against the ankle restraints. She would be bloody and bruised before she’d let this happen. She fought both him and herself. When his hand closed over her breast and his fingers stroked her erect nipple, she lost the battle. Her head dropped back and her body trembled. “Noooo.” Tears squeezed from her eyes. “You’ve always wanted me, Alexandra. And I’m going to prove it.” His hands cupped her breasts and she gasped. Her pussy ached, wet and needy. He stared at her, his gaze on her face, his hands dancing over her tits. She bit her lip to stop a groan from escaping her dry mouth. Pinpricks of need shot through her. God, she wanted this, his hands on her, his fingers warm on her skin. She jerked against the restraints, but this time because her hips rotated with unspoken, embarrassing desire. He lowered his head and his mouth claimed hers. There was no persuasion, no seduction. He took, she gave. His tongue plundered her mouth and sent her senses reeling. Every thought of resisting him dissolved and her head swam. There was no anger, no accusation in his kiss. Only passion. She wanted it. All of it. His fingers rolled her nipples and she arched into his hands. Helpless, enthralled, his. Maybe she’d always been his. She’d lived on his kiss—the one kiss they’d shared— for a year. It had been a sweet, passionate meeting of lips and tongues. Not like this. Not possessive, demanding and overwhelming. One of his hands slid down her body, leaving a trail of fire on her stomach, her hip, and he finally reached her clitoris. His fingers flicked the bundle of nerves, his mouth never leaving hers, his other hand rolling her nipple. The combination of sensations overloaded her and made her head spin. Her pussy clenched and she thrust toward his hand. He responded and slipped two fingers into her slick channel. He tore his mouth away and hovered over hers. “Say the word. Say the safeword and I’ll stop.” 19
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Her gaze held his. She could say it. The safeword was her right, her power, but her body throbbed and ached for him to finish what he started. His fingers in her pussy, his breath hot on her face, his wicked mouth a hairsbreadth away from hers. When she said nothing, he captured her lips in a bruising kiss. She groaned into his mouth and twined her tongue around his. Whatever their differences, in the face of this…this…passion, she couldn’t deny him. For five dull years she had ignored what her body knew in this moment. No one had aroused her, made her laugh, or touched her heart the way he had. The thought, fleeting and startling, created fear tinged with relief. All that was swept away by his insistent touch. His fingers slid in and out, faster, faster. Oh God, she couldn’t control her body or her mind anymore. She wanted him. She wanted his dick inside her. She wanted him to fuck her blind. It was incredible and humiliating and overwhelming all at the same time. There was no conscious thought, no resentment left. There was only this burning need in her belly that ached and longed for more. He drove her on, his talented fingers beckoning her to the edge and, finally, over it. Her pussy convulsed around his fingers, the pleasure washing over her like water. He broke the kiss and whispered, “Scream for me, Alexandra.” His fingers pumped inside her until she convulsed again, her body slammed with hot need and desire, her orgasm going on and on. Control slipped from her fingers. He gave her orders as if she could choose to disobey him. Choice? What was choice in the face of this? The pain within mixed with the physical pain and sobs tore from her throat. She did scream. His name. “Tory!” Tears dripped from her chin and she could barely breathe. Gasping, she tried to get air into her lungs. He dropped his fingers from her pussy and his other hand left her breast. She blinked, trying to focus. He licked his fingers clean and a wicked gleam in his eye made her skin flush. “Very nice, Alex.” That was it? He wasn’t going to— “No, I’m not.” He grinned and she wanted to kill him, all past desire wiped away. Somehow she found her voice. “We aren’t mated until you do.” “I’m going to let you stew a little longer.” “You’re the one who will suffer. I had mine,” she said, trying to infuse her voice with flippant sarcasm. She sounded breathy and needy instead. “Oh, yes, you did. And I enjoyed it,” he purred. “But I like anticipation.” She clenched her jaw to keep from screaming at him. But she wasn’t sure if she would scream at him for keeping her captive or not fucking her. She was in big, big trouble. He stepped away from her and pressed buttons on the console in the wall. A dark screen dropped down between her and the door. “So no one can see you when the door opens and closes.”
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What was she supposed to say to that? Thank you? Alex stayed silent. A few noises and beeps indicated he was still programming something. Then, silence. He said, “If you need to relieve yourself, you’ll have to say it out loud and the computer will provide for you. Also, if you say my name, the computer will let me know you need me.” Something about the way he said that made her shiver. She didn’t need him. Nothing would induce her to ask for him. But when the door whooshed shut behind him, she wondered if she would be strong enough not to beg for him. She did have to pee. Badly. “I need to urinate,” she said out loud. Out of the floor, a bowl-shaped container appeared and positioned itself between her legs. She relieved herself and tried to ignore the humiliation of this latest personal affront. When she finished, a nozzle rose from the floor and sprayed a light stream to clean her. Then, the bowl descended and a towel dried her carefully. All the amenities. She could be here for the rest of her life. Her punishment completely in his hands, her personal hygiene no longer her own, her body possessed by him. Mated. Her throat closed and a dry sob escaped her lips. This wouldn’t do. She was a soldier, a trained Teran One Commander. In twenty-four hours, everything she knew about her life had changed. Her brother was traitor who had been planning to destroy her planet’s ruling family. The man she once believed to be a criminal had been falsely accused and held her life in his hands. Why hadn’t she seen that? How could she have been so wrong? Worst of all, now he knew the truth. She wanted him, had always wanted him. She took a deep breath and managed to slow her heartbeat. Assess the situation. Somehow, Tory had known about the secret delivery. How? And what had he meant that Teran One was more likely to send an assassin for her, not him? Unwanted thoughts drifted through her mind, like how her family had been slowly disappearing. In the last five years, her mother, her father, even her cousins had been killed. Hers was a military family, rooted in tradition, raised to be fighters. Even Celeste, who was only eighteen, was in training for Black Ops. Their family connection to the royal family was strong and certain. King Darius Stender was her cousin, his father brother to her father. Darius’ family held the power of the throne and the Zeerah family protected the line. When Darius ordered her to take an unknown quadruple grack-lined box to Teran Five and deliver to a General Costas, Alex did it without question. She wasn’t a fool. At court, loyalties shifted and alliances were created while families rose and fell from power. Had hers been deemed unnecessary? Bile rose to her throat. Standard operating procedure when faced with an implacable enemy with valuable cargo onboard? Blow up the ship. Suicide. Stars, she’d made it easy for them. Worst of all, Tory knew. She couldn’t even cry anymore. It was as if she weren’t there, a ghost, empty. Someone had tried to wipe out her and her family after centuries of dying on the battlefield for Teran One. The Zeerahs had fought in the civil war that 21
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put the Stender family on the throne. For three generations, Alex’s bloodline had kept the peace but now, the only ones left were her and her sister. And what would happen to Celeste? Perhaps the Stender line had decided to eliminate the only family left that could contend for the throne. Not Darius. For a moment, she wasn’t in Ingle’s quarters, hanging like a piece of meat, but in the Grand Hall on Teran One. Darius seemed like a gentle man, his kingship a duty he took seriously and reluctantly. Alex had the impression if it weren’t for his demanding family, he’d be tending his horses. The King’s family had dwindled too, with Darius taking the throne unexpectedly after his brothers’ untimely deaths. Her mind spun around. Who would eliminate his family and hers? What about Darius’ uncle? The man stood beside Darius, always submissive, always reverent. But what if Pontoon had other plans? He was Darius’ uncle by marriage. Pontoon came from the Gregor family, a distant heir to the throne. He’d married into the ruling family through King Treco Stender’s sister. Now, he stood at the right hand of the throne. Another deep breath and her mind calmed. A strategy. She needed a strategy. Otherwise, her planet might be plunged into another civil war.
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Chapter Three “She has realized her planet’s government has tried to kill her,” Jezar told Tory. It bothered him that Jezar was reading Alex. It was one thing when the Judge of Light read her. That was his job. But when Jezar probed her mind, it seemed…intrusive. What did he really know about this Ardasian? A citizen of Teran Five, Jezar fit in well with the melting pot of that democratic colony, even though he was an Ardasian. Ardasians seemed human, though they weren’t. In fact, Jezar had told him that his people weren’t sure where they had come from, but their current planet, Ardasia, hadn’t been their first. They were all telepaths, mind readers. Teran Five used them in every aspect of their trade and government. The Judges of Light were invaluable to all the Teran planets. But Jezar had signed on with Tory. The Ardasian seemed to know something was in the wind. On top of reading minds, some of them knew the future. Tory didn’t ask and Jezar didn’t tell him. He was good with that. Tory didn’t want to know the future. He lived in the moment. “Teran One’s Representative is live,” his communications man announced. “By all means, open the channel.” He slipped into his command chair and stared at the stars dotting his view screen. “This is Deputy Director Lin Mauser. I demand—” “Let me straighten you out on one count. You demand nothing.” Tory kept his tone even. Perhaps this desk jockey didn’t know what had been in that hold. “You are holding a commander of the Teran One military. That is an act of war—” Tory interrupted him again. “A war against whom? I have claimed Commander Zeerah as my Saria.” Silence. He resisted a chuckle. The man was dying to ask about the cargo, but he didn’t dare. It might reveal what the cargo actually contained. And how important it was. “What is the status of The Athena?” So Mauser was going to continue to beat around the bush. “Commander Zeerah set the self-destruct sequence.” More silence. Then, “So, her ship is destroyed?” “Her ship is destroyed, but her cargo is safe with me.” He exchanged a smirk with Jezar. Fools. Tory was a master at this game. “You mustn’t open it!” Mauser lost all his composure.
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“Why not?” Tory hardened his tone. This planetary government hoped to get away with something heinous, horrible and he wanted them to pay. Through the fucking nose. “Tell you what? Why don’t I jettison it down to your planet? I mean, the impact might jar it a bit but—” “No! You must not!” This asshole knew exactly what was in that box. Tory’s jaw clenched. “Then you don’t get to demand anything, do you, Deputy Mauser?” He shook his head. There would be no negotiations. He wasn’t going to let anyone have possession of that shit. But he was going to make Teran One pay for their mistake. “I wish to speak to Commander Zeerah,” the Deputy requested. That was better. His voice was a little more respectful now. “Sure. Set it up, Dink,” he told his communications man. Tory shot a glance at Jezar. He would know what to do. “On your transfer, sir,” Dink said. Tory pressed a button on his captain’s console. “Alex? I’ve got a desperate Deputy on the line for you.” A small silence and then, “Is it video streamed?” Tory winced. Yeah, she would think he’d do that. She was completely naked, trussed up like a pig. Why wouldn’t he humiliate her before her government? He sighed. “No. Audio only.” He clicked off. She always had believed the worst of him, hadn’t she? She doesn’t think she knows who you are now, Jezar said to Tory telepathically. She never knew me. In his thoughts, he admitted the bitter truth. If she had, she wouldn’t have believed her brother. Considering the position she’s in now— You’ve been listening? He didn’t regret restraining her on his rack. Maybe he was a bastard, but he’d fantasized about her in just that position. Her response had been everything he’d hoped. In taking her as a mate, he took a risk. Even now, she would kill him if she could. He couldn’t blame her. It would be ironic if he died while trying to mate with Alexandra. What a way to go. For five years, he’d fantasized, wondered, replayed the time they’d spent together. He had made a few guesses and he could have been wrong about her. But he wasn’t. Commander Alexandra Zeerah liked being at his mercy. Whether she admitted it to herself or not, her body didn’t lie. Do you want to know what she thinks about it? Did he? Not really. No, but I need to know what they want her to do. Someone wants her dead. Jezar gave him a short nod and closed his eyes. It would be easier if I connected you to her as a bridge.
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No! He definitely didn’t want that. Part of him was afraid he’d find out things he didn’t want to know. Part of him wanted that advantage over her. Mostly, he didn’t want to know her thoughts at the moment. I’d rather just…hear what she hears. You can do that, correct? Yes. I will listen to her thoughts and give you access to her room. Thank you, Jezar. It’s interesting how you violate some of her boundaries, but respect others. She has no idea how you feel, does she? I’m sending the call through. He didn’t answer Jezar’s question. He wasn’t going to. Not even in his thoughts. Around Jezar, that was the same thing anyway. He depressed the button and his vision blurred slightly when Jezar connected with his mind so he could hear what Alex could hear. Jezar kept Alex’s thoughts away from Tory’s and Tory was grateful for that. Jezar had been known for ignoring Tory’s requests at the oddest times. “Alex?” That was not the Deputy Director. “Darius? What are you doing on an open channel?” The military precision of her tone gave no indication of her physical state. And her first thought seemed to be protecting her king. “Is the box contained?” The king’s voice edged on panic, nothing like the gentle tones Tory had always heard from him. “I don’t know.” The despair in Alex’s answer bit deep in Tory’s emotional armor. “Darius, what the fuck is in that box?” She didn’t know then. “Something important to us, Alex. We have to get it back. Can you escape?” Apparently, King Darius thought Alex was some sort of magician. “I’m Tory Ingle’s Saria.” She spoke calmly. “He proved it to a Judge of Light. My family ruined his career and banned him from Teran One. It’s his right.” “I take it Ingle doesn’t know you defended him.” Darius didn’t dispute Tory’s right, but his revelation had some meaning. Tory blinked and tried as hard to remember as he’d tried to forget in the past. The day of his judgment, Alex didn’t talk to him or look at him. Tory had assumed she believed her brother and condemned him to the Tribunal. Had he been wrong? “I told the truth at the tribunal,” Alex said. What had she told the Tribunal? Tory would make it his business to find out. That was probably Darius’ intention. Alex didn’t intend to be distracted either. “And all that doesn’t matter. What game are you playing here?” The king didn’t speak for a moment. Then, “Kyler’s missing.” Who the hell was Kyler? Tory had a lot of digging to do when this illuminating conversation was over. “And Celeste?”
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“I’ve ordered her to the palace but—” Clearly the king wanted to say more, but wouldn’t as long as Tory was listening. The little prick. When Alexandra spoke, she sounded tired, older than her twenty-nine years. “Darius, why didn’t you tell me what was in that box?” Tory noticed she didn’t again ask what was in the box. Still protective, she must not have wanted Darius to announce anything damaging over an open channel. “I didn’t think you’d take it if I did,” the man admitted. On an open channel. She could have no doubt Darius had known what she was transporting before she left Teran One. What was he really saying to Alex? She’d been his personal bodyguard for three years before she left to head his military. What was their relationship? They were first cousins, but how loyal did the blood tie make her? The temptation to change the stakes, have Jezar connect him directly to Alex, almost overwhelmed him. But he fought it. “Then whatever it is, it’s really bad,” Alex commented. “What is Ingle asking for?” “He’s set up a bidding war.” Darius’ tone was shrill and desperate, almost panicked. And young. “Then outbid the others,” she told him. It occurred to Tory that this wasn’t a new role for her to play. She sounded confident the king would follow her advice. She must have done it before. How that must have chapped Pontoon’s ass. This time, her advice was wrong. She didn’t know what was in that box, only that Darius needed it back. And she’d failed to deliver it. Would her advice change if she knew what was in it? “Alex—” Darius said, his voice pleading. He was asking her to do something and she knew what it was. Tory heard it. Again, he blessed the stars he had Jezar listening in on her thoughts. Whatever the Teran One King wanted his cousin to do, she would do it. It would be her “duty”. “What does Pontoon say to do?” Her question was sharp, edgy. “He says to get the box back at any cost.” Tory could hear Alex thinking. What was it like inside her head? Did thoughts whirl around like butterflies? Or was her thinking like everything else about her— straight lines and boxes? I could show you. Jezar’s mental tone seemed amused. Fuck you, Jezar. You’re not my type, Teran. Back at you, Ardasian. A low, rumbling chuckle echoed through his mind and Tory shook his head. Darius broke the silence. “Alex, I promise I’ll get you back.” Like hell he would. Alex belonged to Tory. She always had. She just didn’t know it yet.
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“I’m his Saria, Darius. He chose the mate ceremony. You know what that means.” Yes, a Teran One King knew exactly what that meant. After all, the Stender line had created it to save the bloodlines. Centuries ago, families would wipe each other out, eliminate entire bloodlines. To stop the carnage, the first Stender King created the concept of Saria, or single revenge. One member of a family could be taken, owned, to pay for the sins of the bloodline. Murder, slander and other forms of harm done by a bloodline to another would be appeased by the sacrifice of a member of the offending family. In this case, Alex paid for her brother. “He knows your family is dead? All of them?” Darius sounded shocked. But why? Regardless of what Darius said, she would pay the price. It was her duty, after all. And Alexandra was all about duty. Apparently, Tory was still a bit bitter about that. “Celeste isn’t. If I didn’t accept the contract, he had the right to claim Celeste. I couldn’t let that happen. To get the box, you’ll have to negotiate with Ingle. Outbid the other Teran planets. Get Pontoon on some diplomacy with Teran Five.” “They’ve cut us off.” “We’ll need an alliance with them, Darius.” She was giving him diplomatic advice while she was hanging from cuffs in her enemy’s quarters? What the hell was wrong with that woman? It infuriated him that she continued to put that motherfucking planet before everything else. And why wouldn’t she? Hadn’t she done just that five years ago? “I’ll do what I can, Alex. But what about you?” Yes, Alex, what about you? Darius made a good point. Had she written off her own life? “I’m not going anywhere. Focus on the problem. Get the box.” She was lying. She had to be. Jezar would know for sure. “Alex—” “Don’t let Pontoon marry Celeste off, okay?” It was the only favor she asked from her King. “I won’t.” And the line disconnected. She’s trying very hard not to cry. Damn it. Tell me what I want to know, not what I don’t want to know. Kyler is someone she asked to watch over Celeste. Who the hell is he? Jesus, he sounded like a jealous piece of shit. She thinks of him as a relative, someone from her childhood. Why hadn’t he ever heard of this guy? It still rankled. He should have been the one she turned to, but her brother had made sure that wouldn’t happen. Five fucking years wasted.
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Jezar stayed silent for a moment. And then, She still has no idea what she was transporting, but she realizes it must be a weapon. When King Darius spoke her name at one point, she knew he asked her to destroy this ship, the box and herself. It was a relief to know she wasn’t aware of what she carried on that damn shuttle. Tory clenched his teeth together. Fucking royalty. They always wanted sacrifices. And her thoughts on that? She is…divided. Explain. All she knows is her duty to the Royal family on Teran One. To not do as King Darius asked would be painful, unthinkable even, for her. But she does not want to hurt you. Me? Tory blinked. Why the hell wouldn’t she want to hurt him? You are surprised by this? Hell yes, I am. She hates me. With good reason. And considering what he had planned for her, it wasn’t going to get any better. In fact, he’d rather have her hate. She wasn’t going to give him anything else. She’d made that crystal clear five years earlier. You humans are odd. Is this where I thank you? Okay, you can get out of her head now. I’m going back to my quarters and it’s private. Strange that you don’t want to know what she thinks of what you do to her. Is it? Well, I don’t. The Saria bond is personal, private. As you wish. “Jezar, you have the bridge. Let’s get a little distance between the Teran system and us, please. Head for the Merian system.” He strode off the bridge. “What about the bidding?” Dink asked him. “When it reaches sixty million leders, call me.” The doors shut behind him and he walked purposefully toward his quarters. It was time to make his Saria pay for her family’s crimes.
***** For the first time in Alex’s life, she was both helpless and confused. Her arms ached from being stretched above her head. Her ankles throbbed from her earlier struggle in the restraints. Her thoughts were no better. Tory had every right to claim her for revenge, for mating. Her King asked her to go against the most basic rules of that claim. To kill Tory, to kill herself, to destroy them both, left the blot on his line unavenged. But to disobey Darius was against her nature and her family’s honor—in short, everything she was. And then, there were these odd feelings Tory brought out in her. Her life had always been about being in control. He stripped her of all of it, paring her down to her truest self. Nothing new there. He always had.
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The facts were right in front of her. She’d been wrong. What rankled most wasn’t that her brother had deceived her. It wasn’t that her government had wrongly convicted a man. What cut her to the quick was the knowledge that she’d believed it all, swallowed it all. Five years of doubt now changed to immediate certainty. He wasn’t a traitor. And she’d been a fool. The doors opened and she heard a step behind the screen. Buttons beeped and the screen rose back up to the ceiling. Tory gazed at her. To her absolute embarrassment, her nipples hardened under his scrutiny. What the hell was wrong with her? He stepped closer and instead of flinching away in horror, she wanted to lean toward him. Pull yourself together, soldier. “Your arms must be sore.” He pressed a button and the restraints released her. She stumbled forward into his arms. The warmth of him sent heat shooting through her body. Damn it. She didn’t want to be so weak. But he did something for her that no one else did. In response, she tried to fight him, but her muscles wouldn’t obey. They hurt. She hurt. In so many ways. He laid her on the bed and stood beside it. “I know what you’re planning.” Planning? What the fuck was he talking about? “You plan to try to blow up this ship and the cargo we took from you.” Oh. That plan. How the hell did he know that? Another button pressed and two soft, silky cords appeared from the bed frame near her hips. Two more appeared near her feet. “You are mine, Alexandra.” She shivered when he said her name. Alexandra. He’d called her that once. When he’d begged her—but she wasn’t going to think about that. “I’ll never be yours,” she lied. And it was a lie. He owned her. “You already are.” He tied her wrists with the cords so she lay immobilized on the bed. Her ankles too. It wasn’t uncomfortable, like the metal rack, but it held her captive, naked and at his mercy. “Is that why you have to tie me up? If I was ‘yours’, as you say, you wouldn’t have to.” His gaze traveled from her face down over her tightened nipples and her flushed skin. Why did her body have to betray her like that? His fingers brushed the inside of her thigh. “What would I find, Alexandra? Would you be wet? I told you I like my sex rough and my women restrained.” His finger stroked the folds around her clit. “And having you like this is so satisfying.” “You aren’t having me,” she managed to choke out. “You’re taking me.” She gasped on the last word as his finger flicked over her nub. He chuckled, his smile wide and teasing. “I’m going to have you. And this time, Saria mine, you’re going to take me.”
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A shiver of fear and desire shuddered through her. Part of her fought her desire, her desperate need. Another part of her reveled in his power over her, the way his deep voice rumbled through her body, the way he played her like an instrument. To distract her body from the need pouring through her, she fought the restraints. The bite of the rope in her skin should have lessened her melting need. Instead, it added fuel to the fire, burning her, sending her senses into another realm of pain and pleasure. Between desire and despair, she buffeted back and forth. Her body responded to the restraints, but she couldn’t deny that part of her was relieved, grateful that she was physically kept from making a fool out of herself. Without them, she would probably throw her arms around him and cling to him. The thought made her chest tight and her lips tremble. She took herself to task and strengthened her resolve. But it wasn’t just her body that melted at his touch and she didn’t know how to shore up the walls around her heart. His finger kept the pressure on her pussy and she jerked against the restraints. One glance at his face spoke volumes. He liked it when she fought him. He enjoyed it. He wanted her resistance. She could deny him by laying there like a rock but it just wasn’t in her not to fight. She tamped down on her response, kept back the whimpers and moans of pleasure that clogged in her throat. No matter how she tried to shift away from his wicked hands, he followed. One hand stroked the sensitive skin of her inner thigh as the other tormented her clit with quick, firm touches. She should hate him. He’d forced her to be his mate, manipulated her body to betray her. But the feelings she had thought were ashes flared to life and she wanted to give in, to surrender, more than she wanted just the release of her body. The passion built and her orgasm gathered. When he thrust two fingers inside her slick channel, she exploded, her body arching off the bed in humiliating pleasure. Her mind went blank, wiped clean by the pleasure. Here, there was no revenge, no honor, no duty. There was only sensation. When his tongue scraped over her clit in time to his thrusting fingers, she thought she would die. Her head tossed back and forth. By the stars, she wanted him to stop. She wanted him to go on forever. Nothing could be like this. The feel of his mouth on her, the way his fingers delved deep, the thrill of the restraints sent her over the edge and she screamed. Her pussy convulsed and she drenched his mouth with the evidence of his success. He moaned and to her it seemed like a sound of triumph. He lifted his mouth and met her gaze. His face was blurred by her tears, but it wasn’t triumph she saw there. Raw passion, need and desire tightened his features. He didn’t seem like a man who’d won a battle but like a man in the middle of one. His clothes flew across the room, tossed away as if he couldn’t wait to get naked. Her breath left her. Naked, Tory was stunning. His black hair curled around his head, his face chiseled in determination and his strong jaw set in a straight line. His broad shoulders and narrow hips only added to his sexiness, his chest hair light and curled. She wanted to touch him, stroke him.
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When her gaze traveled lower, her gut clenched. His cock, long and lean like the rest of him, waited, fully erect. Her mouth watered. She wanted to taste him. She wanted him inside her and she didn’t care where. He apparently had no patience for slow seduction. He straddled her on the bed, his cock just outside her entrance. “Say the word and I’ll stop, Saria.” Instead, she groaned and arched her body toward him. His hands were everywhere—her breasts, her belly, her hips. His mouth traced a line along her neck and captured one of her ears in his teeth. He sighed, making her tremble. God, he felt so good, his hands so rough and hot. The way his touch demanded her response, the way his teeth scraped along her neck, all added to the huge fire raging inside her. It shouldn’t be like this. Instead of a gentle slide into pleasure, she was being consumed, burned away, squeezed by the intensity. No one had ever breached the walls Alex had erected to protect herself. Now, Tory sliced through them as if they were paper. She wanted to discount it, ignore what was happening inside her. But there was no denying that more than her physical being was being breached. Finally, his mouth plundered hers and she could barely breathe. His tongue swept in, dominating her, taking her to new heights. One of his hands wrapped around her hair and angled her head. Deeper. He dove deeper. Then, his cock slid inside her and she couldn’t breathe at all. She moaned in his mouth and he echoed her in response. He stopped buried inside her, the tip of his penis on a spot that sent shockwaves rocking through her. She tensed, her body out of control, her hips frantically thrusting upward. His hand clenched in her hair and pinpricks of pain dotted her scalp. His other hand roughly grabbed her hip. He jammed his cock inside her harder, faster. His tongue demanded a response and got it. He released her mouth to meet her gaze. “Open your eyes and keep them open,” he demanded in a hoarse voice. She did as he told her. The need, the tension in his face was an aphrodisiac. Her body liquefied to molten desire. She lost her mind and words began to tumble from her mouth. “Oh God, do it. Tory, fuck me. Fuck me. Harder.” He obliged her, his hips bruising as they slapped into hers. The collision was raw and violent. He jerked her head by the hair to stare deep into her eyes. “You want me. Say it.” “I want you,” she sobbed. Her whole body shattered and she milked him, sucked him in, wanting him deeper inside her until there was no “him” and “her”. Only this. He tossed his head back and his cock exploded inside her pussy. She drowned in the sensation, which sent her into an extended orgasm that left her weak and throbbing. It shook her, shattered her into a million pieces, leaving her unsure she’d be able to reassemble herself again. He belonged to her. 31
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Where did that thought come from? It had to be some residual effect from mindblowing pleasure. But with his cock buried deep inside her, his breath hot in her ear and his arms trembling, she couldn’t help the feeling that he was hers, that as much as she had been bound to him, he was tied to her. That was ridiculous, wasn’t it? She expected him to collapse on top of her, dismount her like she was an animal. She wasn’t prepared for the gentle kiss, the drugging touches and the sweet murmurs. He wasn’t abusing her. He didn’t “take” anything she hadn’t given him. And while she didn’t like what that said about her, she realized she’d been wrong about him. “Please, Tory.” She didn’t even know what she was asking him for. “You should have come with me, Alexandra.” He raised his head and stared at her. “You were under Tribunal arrest,” she protested. “What you asked was too much.” His eyes flickered, hardened, something bitter and ugly back in his face. “I suppose it was. I should have known you would always choose Teran One over anything real.” “Teran One is my home.” “And I was a disgraced Commander with a nothing bloodline.” His cock, still buried inside her, twitched. “But now, you have no one but me.” He lengthened, hardened. “You see, they sold you out. I claimed you. They rejected you.” “No!” She knew he was right. But it made everything she’d ever believed pointless, worthless. “Yes!” He gripped her hair tighter until she cried out. Stars, it hurt, but not as much as the possibility that she could have had something special, something real, with this man and had thrown it away for nothing. For a king who had sold her out. For a planet that wanted her dead. For a brother who betrayed her. “Betrayed!” She shouted the safeword at him. The tears she’d cried for the last twenty-four hours dried up and she was numb. It didn’t matter what he did to her. It didn’t matter. Nothing did. Immediately, he slid his cock out of her and released her hair. But he didn’t leave her. Gently, he stroked her hair, his body still naked on hers. “Shhh, little Alexandra. You will find my revenge more pleasurable than your duty.” He slipped away from her and pulled on his clothes. “Until you are willing to give yourself to me completely, I will keep you restrained.” What the hell did he mean? She had given herself to him. Didn’t he realize that? He gazed down at her, his finger slid along her tear-stained cheek. “I don’t just want your body, Commander Zeerah. I want your loyalty. I want your ‘duty’ to be only to me.” “Then you’ll have to leave me tied up forever,” she said bitterly. She would never shirk her duty to her planet for sex. Never. He shrugged. “That’s no hardship for me.”
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She opened her mouth to berate him, but he was gone before she had a chance. He left her thoughts of the past swirling through her brain.
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Chapter Four “Pacing will not make the information come faster,” Jezar informed Tory. As if he didn’t know that. Years of careful cultivation, of money spread in the right places, wouldn’t be rushed because he was in a hurry. His sources on Teran One were questionable and their verifying information took time. Alex probably thought he’d walked away from Teran One, hurt and vengeful. The truth was more complicated. Part of his vengeance meant cheating Teran One merchants, especially those with government contracts. That required sources and agents on the planet. Yes, he’d stayed in touch these past few years. He’d planned his revenge on Alexandra for a long time. Now, he needed real-time news. His sources were transitory and on the move. Chaos had taken over on Teran One. His new mate had no idea of what events had transpired while she had attempted to carry that cargo. Essentially, if his informants weren’t a bunch of liars, a civil war was brewing and the two sides were not the ones Alex thought they were. On one side, the Royal Family. On the other side, the hungry First Families all vying to take over. So far, the ruling family had maintained control. But not King Darius. He was finished. Pontoon ran the government now. Darius sat on the throne but he had no power. Did Alex know her cousin essentially ruled with an empty hand? Her fear for her sister seemed justified now. She hadn’t asked Darius not to marry Celeste off. She’d asked Darius not to let Pontoon marry her off. Perhaps Alex had figured out her cousin was king in name only. “Keeping up with your thoughts is like chasing a star speeder,” Jezar commented. “Then get out of my head,” Tory snapped. “They cannot kill her while she is with you.” Jezar gazed at him with those eerie green eyes. “If someone hadn’t tipped me off about her cargo, she’d be dead.” Just the idea made his blood run cold. It all seemed convoluted, the way Teran One politics often did. Two thoughts kept him pacing. One, the person who tipped him off must have hoped Tory would kill her. Perhaps if Tory had been a different kind of man and Alex hadn’t been, well, Alex, that might have worked. The cargo alone warranted her death. And most people wouldn’t have questioned whether the Commander knew what was in her cargo hold. The second thought was someone was trying to kill massive numbers of people. The fact that Alex’s bloodline, his bloodline and several others on Teran One were near extinction. Why? 34
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His head throbbed. Tory was no historian. Some people were good at keeping all the bloodlines straight. He wasn’t. But Alex was. Did she realize what was at stake here? Both of their lines were close to being eliminated. To fight back, he had taken her as his Saria, as his mate. The only way to survive was to fight to together to save their bloodlines. Genetics were always the key on Teran One. Matings were often arranged and planned a generation in advance. As Alex had said, fucking her wouldn’t make his pedigree better. But their children would have the rights of one of the First Families and the vibrancy of alien blood. Even if he’d mated to one of the minor families, he would have had influence and could have negotiated a mating for his children from a better position. Bloodlines were all about time. The longer a family lived on their lands, breathed Teran One air and fought against the planet’s enemies, the more influence a bloodline would have, the more valuable a bloodline would be. Tory had always blithely ignored the constraints of bloodline etiquette. The corps had taught him that everyone’s blood was red on the battlefield and it didn’t matter what your last name was or who your grandfather might have been. But when he’d been exiled and his brother was killed, it left him as the last heir to Ingle land, Ingle rights. Suddenly, the things that he had ignored and rejected became his legacy. He wasn’t going to let the things his father and his grandfather had fought for disappear. It became more important to mate than ever. A child would have solidified his place on Teran One. The only mate he wanted was Alexandra Zeerah. He had fought and plotted and planned to win her. What he hadn’t counted on was his gut-wrenching need for her and her rejection of him. Right now, all she did was work against him. What good did it do for her to surrender in his bed but nowhere else? Her bitter denial of him during the Saria ceremony spoke volumes. She hadn’t spent five years missing him. If all he was going to get was her sexual surrender, then that’s what he’d get. She treated him like the enemy, like he was still guilty of the crime that had brought her to his bed. Even his innocence hadn’t changed that. And how could he ever break down the wall she’d built between them? “Teran Four has put in a bid of fifty-eight million leders.” Dink’s announcement broke into his thoughts. “Ah.” He glanced at his man at the helm. Blond, big and with a perpetual frown, Masterson came from Teran Four. “What do they want to do with it, Bud?” Bud’s frown deepened, grooves appearing beside his mouth and eyes. “What they always want with anything, Commander. Domination.” He shook his head. “In the end, they want to be in charge with the other Teran planets subject to them.” “And they want to create the end?” The man’s bright blue eyes met his. “Control is their first priority.” 35
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You don’t trust him. Jezar’s mental voice intruded. No, I don’t. Let me read him. I can tell you. You know why I won’t. It amuses me that you are squeamish on my behalf. I know what it costs you, my friend. Yet with Alexandra, you were quite willing to “cost me”. Reading Alex was a pleasure for you. She is incapable of the dark ugliness that hurts you. You are correct. She is incapable of it. Do you want to know—? No, I don’t. Jezar’s dry chuckle in Tory’s mind was annoying. “Accept the bid and contact the others with the status,” Tory ordered. “I’m going to get a history lesson.” “Are you sure that is the lesson you will receive?” Jezar asked, definitely amused. “Probably not, but I’ll learn something.” He glared at Jezar, who only grinned. “You’re in charge, Jezar.” The Ardasian nodded and sent Tory a quick smile. Yeah, Jezar knew it wasn’t just history that drew Tory back to his new mate. When he entered his quarters, he couldn’t help the jump of his cock. On his bed, Alex’s brown hair fanned out, her curves exposed for his perusal. The emptiness in her eyes concerned him. He sat down on his bed. “Are you hungry?” Her lips tightened and she turned her face away from him. He sighed. “I’d say you are.” He rose and pressed buttons on his console. This ship was more luxurious than most vessels. Everything he needed was here in his quarters. Food, water, air, entertainment…all at his fingertips. Yet what he really wanted was completely out of his reach. Oh, clearly he could make his mate scream with pleasure. But touch her in any other way? Certainly not now that he’d destroyed the pristine vision she had of her brother and forced her into the Saria bond. The smell of the wolden fowl with a side of root boolers made his stomach growl. But first, he should take care of his new responsibility. He set two plates down on a table in one corner of the room. He caught her gaze following him, but she glanced away when he looked directly at her. Distrust, fear and resignation all registered on her face, drooped and tired. With as little contact as possible, he untied her restraints and released her. He pressed a button and the restraints on the bed disappeared. She sat up slowly, her fingers massaging her wrists. He opened a drawer and removed one of his old
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uniforms. He handed it to her. “It’s too big for you, but I didn’t know I was going to be mated this trip.” “Neither did I.” The bitterness in her voice made him wince. She dressed quickly, refusing to meet his gaze. “Have a seat.” He waved a hand at the chair opposite. She slid into the chair, her gaze fixed on the top of the table. He sighed. “Alex, I need your help.” Her head shot up and she glared at him. “And why would I help you? You— you…raped me!” His jaw clenched. Did she really see it that way? Suddenly, he didn’t want his food anymore. It hurt. Damn it. She’d wanted him. He felt old and tired. Why was he bothering to save his bloodline? He shoved his plate away and his fist closed. He took a deep breath. If that was how she was going to see their time in bed, he couldn’t change her mind. “As much as I need your help, you need mine. Celeste’s life may be at stake.” He tried to keep his voice steady. Considering the geyser of emotion inside him, he thought he did pretty well. “Celeste is fine,” she spat. “King Darius will protect her.” “King Darius has lost his throne. He is king in name only,” he said as he studied her expression. “Celeste is a danger to both sides of an upcoming civil war. A civil war you’ve helped along with your blind duty.” She jumped to her feet, color blazing along her cheeks. “At least I know what duty means.” “Do you?” he shot back. “Then do it. You are my Saria. Help me to continue my bloodline and yours.” Her chin shot up. “If you want to fuck me until I’m pregnant, I will lie down and let you.” He ground his teeth together. This was what she wanted. She wanted him to force her, try to break her so she could lie to herself that he had raped and coerced her. “Well, then, you’d better eat something. Lying down takes a lot of energy.” He meant to remind her that she hadn’t remained a passive lump of flesh beneath him as he had fucked her and by the way the color left her face and her hand tightened on the back of the chair, he was pretty sure he succeeded. She sat in the chair and picked up her fork. He leaned back and watched her eat. Everything she did was smooth and confident. It was a pleasure to observe the way her hands moved and how her lips closed over the fork. She shot a glance at him and flushed. He allowed the silence to stretch. Let her break it. After all, he was a rapist. “This is very good,” she murmured, not raising her eyes to look at him. “Thank you.” He loved the way her hair curled around her shoulders and how her freckles dusted the tip of her nose along the bridge to her cheeks. Funny. Those two 37
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years they’d fought side by side, he’d respected her mind and abilities. He saw her as a woman, certainly, but admired her more for the way she fought. It wasn’t until he kissed her that he’d fallen for that smattering of freckles. Five years ago, she’d been an up-and-coming officer, sure of herself as a soldier, but less confident as a woman. He’d thought that kiss was the beginning of something much more. How could he know that the very next night he’d be drugged and then accused of treason? “I wish you wouldn’t stare at me.” “I’m a rapist. What do you expect?” He couldn’t help it. He sounded bitter. She raised her eyes. “I didn’t mean that,” she said in a low voice. “Didn’t you? But it’s so effective, isn’t it?” He bit the words out. “It absolves you completely for everything and it keeps me at arm’s length.” Two lines appeared on her forehead. “I…Tory…” She couldn’t seem to find the words. “I’m sorry” would have been nice but, considering how they had been reunited, was probably too much to ask. “Finish eating. You have some lying down to do.” “Tory…” Her teeth worried her lower lip. “What help did you need?” Something unwound in his stomach. She didn’t really think he’d raped her. He took a deep breath. “You’re better at history than I am.” She blinked. “History?” He nodded. “When was the last time a bloodline was extinguished?” “Not since the implementation of the Saria,” she said immediately. “Then why are there bloodlines disappearing now?” He leaned forward. “Your bloodline is almost ended, with only you and your sister left. Mine ends with me unless I have children. I know two other bloodlines in danger of becoming extinct.” She stared at him. “Stender being one of them.” He nodded. “Darius is the last of his line. He lost two brothers before he took the throne, right?” She nodded. “Both of them were killed—” She stopped dead and all the color dropped from her face. He resisted the urge to take her hand in his to comfort her. Tory nodded slowly. “In battle?” Her right hand closed into a fist. “You think this is deliberate? That would mean someone has been planning this for…” “For at least twenty years.” “I don’t believe it,” she said, shaking her head sharply. Color came back to her cheeks. “You’re just trying to manipulate me, scare me.” Some of her old commanding demeanor came back. He sighed. “And my motives would be?” “I don’t give a shit about your motives,” she snapped. “You’ve gotten what you wanted. A mate. Too bad you had to get it by using the Saria law.” 38
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Just once, he’d like to have a conversation, not an argument, with the woman. For a moment he saw red, his anger blotting out rational thought. But isn’t that what she wanted? He took a deep breath and let it out. Now was not the time to inform her of his reasons for using the Saria law to protect her. She didn’t even recognize the danger she was in. “My sources say your sister is being married to Antony Gregor.” Her fork slipped from her fingers and clattered on her plate. He’d never seen the commander so unsettled, so off balance. Granted, he’d tried to keep her that way but she wasn’t treating this situation like a battle. And she needed to. Soon. That’s right, Alexandra, he thought. Antony Gregor, who has gone through three wives. Apparently, his women couldn’t live through the ordeal of marriage to the man. Brutal, powerful and rich, what Gregor wanted, he got. And Celeste was next on his list. From what Tory had found out, Celeste had rejected the big brute and her life wasn’t worth half a leder. Whoever was out to destroy Alexandra’s bloodline was thorough. “How do we stop it?” Her voice sounded small and frightened. Damn it, he didn’t want that. He wanted her in fighting form. But she’d said the word “we”. That was encouraging. “Two ways. We announce our mating and Celeste becomes a ward of our family. The second way is to expose who planned to transport that cargo.” “You didn’t have to choose mate to do either of those things.” Alex kept her gaze on the table, her fingernail running a pattern over the surface. She needed to snap out of it. “Are you suggesting I should have chosen slave?” Her features tightened into a bleak mask. “It would have been preferable.” He lost the fight with his tenuous control and rose to his feet, his chest tight. He gripped her arm and yanked her to her feet. “Mating to me protects your sister. Your slavery wouldn’t. You know that.” He dug his fingers into her arm. “So I can only conclude you’re complaining about sharing my bed.” He shoved her toward the door. “I’m going to give you an opportunity to put your money where your mouth is.” She glared at him. Finally, a little of the woman he knew was back. “It’s not like I’ve had a choice in this.” “Right,” he bit the word out and slapped the door open. “After you, Commander.” Instead of moving, she put her hands on her hips. “Are you going to take me to the Judge of Light?” He could and she knew it. He wouldn’t, but if he chose to nullify the contract because she refused to cooperate, he could take his revenge on Celeste. It was his right. Somehow, it infuriated him she implied he would. “No,” he said through gritted teeth and yanked her into the corridor. “We’re going to see what you’ll do when you’re given a choice.”
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Chapter Five Not adapting well. In the past, Alex had written these words for soldiers who responded to crisis with weakness or hesitation. Now, she could use these words for herself. She’d been hesitant, ineffective and stupid. Faced with a crisis, she let the enemy throw her off. Desperately, she attempted to build her crumbling courage. The idea of Celeste with Antony Gregor made her blood run cold. The man was a killer, a hater of women. Celeste wouldn’t last a month with the asshole. Hell, she wouldn’t last a month with this asshole. Alex shot a sidelong glance at Tory Ingle. Why couldn’t he be a big, ugly brute like Gregor? It would be easier to reject him, toss his offers back in his face. Instead, her pride lay in tatters and she couldn’t seem to find that reservoir of strength that had made her respected among her men. Instead, this…mercenary manipulated her with sex, with lust. Shame made her stomach sour. It wasn’t like her to pass the buck. To hurt him, she’d called what happened between them rape rather than admit the truth. She’d wanted him. He hadn’t had to work all that hard to get a response from her, either. Humiliating. Others passed them in the corridor and she glanced at them briefly. Several officers nodded to Tory and then, surprisingly, to her. “Commanders,” they’d said. Rumors after Tory had been exiled had labeled him a criminal. She’d collected every bit of information she could without revealing her intense interest. He’d cheated every businessman who served the royal family. He’d double-crossed Dividaon Teran Four, who’d put a price on Tory’s head. He’d raided a corrupt Teran Five corporation’s space station and sold its goods to the highest bidders. The stories about his crew were outrageous. They were cutthroats, only interested in money, without loyalty. But the people she saw on this ship seemed well-trained, taking pride in their appearance and following military precision. The respectful demeanor of the nonofficers showed their loyalty to Tory. And it seemed by their salutes that their respect extended to her, as well. After the fourth crewman showed her this courtesy, she asked Tory, “Why are they respectful to me? Aren’t I the enemy?” “You’re my mate,” he answered. “They’re proud to have two of the best Teran One officers in charge of their ship.” She blinked. They were? Who the hell were these men? She’d thought they were criminals, outcasts, thieves, murderers. 40
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Tory opened a door to a large exercise room. Pads covered most of the surfaces. Various weapons were on two of the walls and she noted the console inside the door had a myriad of controls. This was a military-issue training program. She didn’t want to know how Tory had gotten his hands on it. The door snicked closed behind her and she whirled to face him. He stared at her as he verbally programmed the security controls. “Ingle, level ten security. No access except by vocal command.” He stepped to the center of the room, his blue eyes challenging her. “You can’t kill me or you’ll be a prisoner in here. The only person who might be able to get you out is Dink and he won’t be too sympathetic to you.” “So I still have no choice,” she sneered. “Oh, you can hurt me, maim me or make me bleed, you have the right. I give you my word that you can do anything you want except kill me.” She cocked her head and studied him. Did he mean it? Because she wanted to make him hurt. She hated the helpless feeling he’d inspired in her since he’d captured her shuttle. He was handing her the means to escape this prison he’d created. “Why are you doing this?” “Because you say you had no choice,” he said and clasped his hands behind his back as if he stood at attention. “You mean because I said you raped me.” His blue eyes blazed. “Yes.” “And you’re giving me a chance to kick your ass.” He stalked her. She retreated, but circled so he didn’t back her into a wall. His voice was low and menacing. “I’m giving you a chance to surrender gracefully.” Her chin shot up. “And if I don’t you’ll nullify the contract and go after my sister.” The way his eyes narrowed made a shiver run down her spine. “See? That pisses me off.” “I’m crying for you,” she said sarcastically. “After Baslet and Wysister? I can’t believe you’d think I would betray Teran One. And I can’t believe you’d think I’d want your Goddamn sister.” In a way, he was right. At both those battles, she and Tory had stood side by side, fighting the enemy. He’d never balked or complained. He fought smart and he fought to the death. Didn’t he understand that to believe him back then, she would have had to disbelieve her brother, her family? “My brother—” He changed the subject. “Here’s your chance, Commander. Disable me. Take me out. Hurt me. It’s what you want. If you win, you go free to get killed by some asshole on Teran One.” She licked her lips. There was so much at stake here. Part of her wanted to get back to Teran One and protect Celeste. Part of her wanted to lose. Surrendering to Tory,
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being his mate, wouldn’t be so bad, would it? She shook her head. What was she thinking? She was going to kick his ass. But he was as well trained as she had been. She needed an advantage. Then a very wicked thought occurred to her. Slowly, she unzipped the borrowed uniform she wore. His gaze remained steady on her face as she slid the material down her body. He appeared unaffected, but she didn’t believe it for a second. His pupils dilated and his breath came a little faster. Gotcha. The cool air in the room made her nipples tighten. Adrenaline made her heart beat faster. Naked, she had no barrier against him except for her fighting skills. Goosebumps rose on her skin and her breath caught. She assumed her fighting position, her hands raised, her feet apart. For a moment, he stared at her, unmoving. Then, he removed his t-shirt and tossed it aside. His pants he left on, but he kicked his shoes off and faced her. They circled each other and she watched for weakness. The fucker didn’t seem to have any. His arms were muscular and tight. His stance showed absolute vigilance, his abs rock-hard. The only chink in his armor was the telltale bulge between his legs. She made her first move. The blow, aimed for his carotid, never made it. He deflected it and his answering blow was a shock. Flat-handed, he smacked her exposed breast. The sting shot through her and warmed her body. Oh shit. It turned her on. How the hell did he know that? Shaken, she whirled around and aimed a blow to the inside of his right thigh. This time she connected, but only to his hipbone, which made her hand throb dully. Again, he answered with a slap to her left breast and again, pleasure and pain combined, making her nerves sizzle and her heart skip a beat. Her breath hitched and she backed away, wary. Her nipples tingled in a dangerous, titillating way. She swallowed. This was going to be harder than she had thought. Breathtakingly fast, she whirled toward him, feinting with her right hand and using her left foot to aim for his balls. He grabbed her hand, deflected her left foot with his other hand and pinned her to the floor. Beneath him, heat snaked along her skin. He slid his knee against her clit and she jerked, electricity sparking through her. Desperate, she maneuvered her hip and foot to dislodge him. He jumped away and they circled each other again. She gasped for breath. A heaviness began to seep into the muscles around her pussy. This time, he initiated the attack and his hand was a blur. She managed to avoid his bruising blow to her upper thigh by blocking it with her wrist but the strike numbed her hand. Her body twisted and turned, her foot aimed for his kidneys. He managed to duck down so that she caught his hard upper arm. He gripped her ankle with his right hand and swung her across the room.
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She hit the floor with a thud that jarred her bones and she tried to jump back on her feet. And collapsed. Tory waited. She dragged her body back up and raised her hands. Damn it. He was fucking good. Adrenaline shot through her and she let out a yell as she attacked him. This time, she controlled her blows, seeking an opening to disable him. He met every strike, every move. She increased her speed and he responded in kind. His hand connected, open palmed, to her breast. Like before, it stung so good. Then again, and again, until she wasn’t sure if she was deliberately letting him do it. Every time she struck out at him, he outsmarted her and got behind her defenses. Soon, she struck out of lust and fear rather than staying focused on beating him. He let her get close, making her think she had a chance to gain the upper hand, and then, he’d smack her in that erotic way until she couldn’t think straight. The pain, the pleasure, the rush increased her blood flow. She changed tactics. Her next blow scraped her nails across his neck, not to wound, but in a slow drag to tempt and taunt. When his next move was to slide his fingers across her clit, she gasped and her pussy clenched. In retaliation, she slid her naked breasts over his arm and reveled at his quick intake of breath. It wasn’t combat anymore. Not to kill. Another battle was underway. She rushed him, kicked out and ran her toes over his bulging cock with controlled pressure. He growled and she laughed, exhilarated. She whirled her leg around for a kick she knew he’d avoid, but he’d get a great view of her pussy lips as she flew at him. She missed, as she’d thought she would, but he followed his dodge with a smack to her ass. Stars! Who knew she’d love that? She glared at him and attacked again, this time aiming lower, for his ribs. He caught her leg with both hands and slammed her down on the floor, his arm flat across her nipples and his other hand sliding up her leg to the junction between her thighs. Thoughts of killing him seemed to disappear when his fingers dipped into her slick channel. But she couldn’t let him win that easily. She rolled away and they both crouched, knees bent. His eyes glittered and his chest rose and fell with harsh breaths. She sprang to her feet, whirling and turning, her hand and left leg all directed at Tory’s body. He deflected one attack after the other and somehow, she ended up flat, face down, on the floor. Tory straddled her, his hands on her upper arms, his knees at her hips. “Yield.” “No.” She shifted and tried to free her body from the evocative pressure of his. His cock dug into the back of her thighs through his pants and she struggled against his hold and her desire. He jerked her hands behind her back and held her wrists with one huge hand. His other hand did something she both anticipated and dreaded. He delivered a sharp slap 43
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to her ass. Like before, it stunned her and melted her to the core. She groaned. Shit. How could she fight him when he knew, he just knew, all her dark secrets? He spanked her again and the heat of it spread over her skin and through her veins. Two more and her ass was on fire, making her squirm—not to escape, but to receive more. His fingers stroked her skin and she arched her hips into his touch. The next strike was harder and she cried out in desire, not pain. He stopped. “No!” she blurted out. He leaned down until his lips were by her ear. “Tell me what you want, Alexandra.” She knew exactly what he asked. There would be no denying it later. Her breath stopped. He released her wrists, allowed her to escape, freeing her to make the choice. Desire or pride. Him or her deniability. “Please,” she begged. He flipped her over, his broad shoulders towered over her, his body barely touching hers, but the heat scorching her. “Please what?” “Please touch me, fuck me,” she said with her eyes closed. She couldn’t look at him. Her pride, her courage, all failed in the face of her need for him. “Open your eyes, Alexandra,” he demanded. She met his gaze. The burning she saw there stoked the fire in her lower belly. Need. His whole expression screamed it. She arched her back and her hips slid along his, her pussy touching the hard outline of his cock. He moved his hand slowly, winding his fingers through her hair, unbraiding it, until he reached her scalp. “Say it.” She swallowed. “I am your Saria. I choose you.” Those words cemented what had already been done. It signaled her willingness. And man, she was willing. He tipped her head back and lowered his head until his lips reached her neck. His teeth scraped along her skin and her nerves jumped and danced. His tongue slid over her collar bone until she thought she’d scream in frustration. This slow seduction was going to kill her. Everything she did to spur him only slowed him more. She thrust her hips to meet his and he pinned her to the floor with his legs. She squirmed beneath him and he tightened his hand in her hair as a warning. Any minute, her whole body was going to spontaneously combust, she just knew it. When he blew a hot breath over her taut nipple, she whimpered. Whimpered! He kissed the valley between her breasts rather than take the nipple in his mouth and she growled. “Damn it, Tory.” He raised his head and the grin on his face made her want to deck him. She lifted her hands and rested on his shoulders and the grin on his face disappeared, obviously wondering if she would shove him away, deny the pledge she’d just made. When she 44
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twined her fingers in his hair, he closed his eyes briefly. He blew on the other nipple and resisted the pull of her hands to close the gap between his mouth and her aching flesh. If he didn’t do something, she was going to die. Her hips, still held immobile by his body, shifted restlessly, her pussy wet and needy. Finally, he flicked his tongue over her breast and she moaned. Then, he sucked it into his warm mouth and she couldn’t breathe. Magic. His mouth was magic. Faster, harder he sucked her until, suddenly, her orgasm hovered close. When his teeth caught her nipple as his tongue wrapped around it, she dropped over the edge. His mouth branded her, owned her, and she reveled in it. Her pulsating core arched toward his cock, desperate for him to complete the connection that had clicked into place. Her scream echoed in the room and her body writhed. Oh stars! No one had ever made her come from sucking her tit. He raised his head, his face dark and forbidding. He still had his hand twined in her hair and he angled her head with a jerk that made her dizzy. “You belong to me, Alexandra Zeerah.” He growled the words. She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t. Not when she had to bite her lip to keep from begging him to finish her, fuck her, complete her. And what was this warm, safe feeling when he said it? It both frightened her and thrilled her. But all her thoughts scattered when his mouth descended and took possession of hers. Any thought of resisting, had there been any, disappeared when his tongue thrust inside her mouth, claimed her. She returned his kiss, receiving him enthusiastically. Her hands buried in his hair, her body beneath his, his mouth fused to hers all sent her flying into another world where nothing mattered but this moment, this man. The tangle of tongues and limbs seemed to go on forever, but he broke the kiss to stare at her for several seconds. She stared back. His stare challenged her and he seemed to be waiting. What was he waiting for? Did he need her to say more? Do more? Maybe he did. With shaking fingers, she reached down and yanked on the buttons of his trousers. She shoved her hand inside and stroked his hard length, her gaze never leaving his. When she said she surrendered, she had meant it. Her hand pumped his cock and he groaned, his hips moving to increase the speed. “Alexandra,” he groaned, and his eyes drifted closed. While he was distracted, she shifted and flipped their positions. Her hand gripped his cock and he tumbled onto his back until she straddled him. His hands grabbed her hips as if he were going to toss her off him, but she kept the firm strokes on his penis. There was only one way to show him, prove to him, that she meant it when she said the words. She let go of his cock to grip his pants, yank them off his legs and toss them away. She met his gaze with hers briefly. His expression was wary, uncertain, and filled with intense desire. She bent down, her hair drifting over his thighs, and slid her tongue
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over the length of him. His hips jerked and his breath stuttered, the sound of it spurring her on. Focusing on the moisture at the tip of his cock, she licked it and then dipped her tongue deeper. His groan made her pussy throb. If he could go excruciatingly slowly, so could she. She savored the taste of him, the feel of him. His hands fumbled in her hair, all his earlier finesse gone as he tried to increase the pressure of her mouth on his cock. She chuckled and he made a guttural, feral sound that made her heart pound. If she belonged to him, this proved it went both ways. Pure sexual satisfaction rippled along her nerves. Finally, she took almost all of him into her mouth, reveling in the way his hips lifted and his head dropped back. She swallowed, the tip of his cock at the back of her throat, her eyes open watching every expression on his face. He moaned and she sucked him in harder. His hands stroked her head frantically and then, he gripped her hair and yanked her head away. She groaned as he pulled her up so he could fuse his mouth with hers. One hand wrapped in her hair, he plundered her lips as sure as he’d plundered her life. His cock pressed against the folds of her pussy and she shifted, trying to capture him inside her. When he broke the kiss, he angled her head so he could lay his lips on her neck. She shivered as he sucked on her neck. Hard. Her pussy clenched and moisture gushed from her slick channel and, from the sound of his groan, dripped onto his cock. “Tory, please,” she whispered as his tongue slid along her neck. His fingers dug into her ass and urged her closer. She braced her body over his and slid down over his erect flesh, driving him deeper, surrounding him with her heat. Stars, he felt so good, so right, inside her. She shifted, an age-old rhythm beating in tune with her pounding heart. He met every thrust, every shift, of her body, his hands guiding her, goading her. She stared down at his features. The way his neck corded and his expression of something that looked like…joy stunned her. She used a finger to trace the line of his cheek, her heart clenching. It was like the five years apart dropped away and they were just two human beings together. Then, rational thought disappeared as the steady beat of their thrusts built a crescendo until she convulsed, her back arched, her fingers clenched on his shoulders. His hands gripped her ass and his hips slammed into hers. For a moment, it seemed as if they’d been connected this way forever, as if it were meant to be. Loneliness was gone and something much more solid and precious replaced it. Then, her mind blanked, pleasure overriding any thoughts or feelings. She cried out, her orgasm sharp and intense. Lights flashed behind her lids and she shuddered, her release subsiding. Suddenly, he flipped her onto her back, bending her legs, driving his cock deeper. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. His movements were frantic, out of control, his face tight and determined. His gaze held hers as he pounded her again and again. One of his hands clasped her breast and his fingers rolled her nipple. She gasped and her eyes closed. There was no way she could come again, was there? And then, in a
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flash, she was there, over the edge, crashing into another orgasm. His shout coincided with the force of his cum inside her and she opened her eyes. Tory was always handsome, his good looks one of his assets. In the throes of his orgasm, he was beautiful, the lines of his face drawn in pleasure and intensity. The cords of his neck emphasized the strength and need in him. She reveled in the way his whole body bowed in his final thrust and then relaxed. All the things he hid with his charm and his defiance showed on his face when he gave himself to her. It was a twoway street. He dominated her in keeping with his fearsome reputation, but he gave so much more to her. More than she had expected. She didn’t expect the shimmering orgasm that washed over her as he continued to slide in and out of her. Perhaps it was because she’d declared herself as his or because this sexual collision had been with her full consent, but each release, each climax had intensified. This one didn’t slam her or overwhelm her. It uplifted her and strengthened her. What she saw in his face now wasn’t the triumph of man who had gained capitulation of an enemy. His expression was filled with tenderness and his touch was gentle. Her heart clenched. She could take his anger, his revenge, even his hatred. But how could she fight this? And did she even want to? The force of her release was over, but the emotions remained. The walls that had taken her years to build were torn down and she was helpless. Tears dotted her eyelashes and she moaned. However she’d become mated to Tory Ingle, she could never deny him now, never leave him. She didn’t want to think about what that meant.
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Chapter Six What the fuck had just happened? When Tory had brought Alex to the exercise room, it had been to prove a point. Given a choice, she would fuck him. But somehow, she’d smashed through his defenses. He’d chosen her as his mate expecting little. Oh, he’d intended to keep her satisfied in bed, but nothing else. But when they were fighting hand to hand, he had lost perspective. He hadn’t wanted to manipulate her, trick her, into fucking him. He’d wanted her to give it to him. There was no doubt she’d said the words. As he stared at her wet lashes and mussed golden-brown hair, he realized he’d always wanted more from her. He jerked away from her and rubbed a hand over his face. What the hell was he going to do now? Something had happened to him while he was buried deep inside her. Up until this moment, he’d viewed her as a means to an end, a way to change his own destiny. Now, she was quickly becoming necessary—like breathing was necessary. It scared the shit out of him. She blinked and gazed at him, her eyes a bright gold and filled with warmth. That satisfied, sleepy expression on her face terrified him. It brought out strange feelings and thoughts he didn’t know how to handle. Like the overwhelming desire to just run away with her to another system and fuck the rest of the universe. He jumped to his feet and turned his back on her. Somehow, he had to rebuild his defenses, his protections, against this woman. There was a silence in the room. It didn’t feel like a good silence, but he couldn’t break it. He was afraid of the things he would say, things he couldn’t take back. He shut down his thoughts and his feelings and yanked on his clothes. The silence stretched as he picked up her discarded uniform. Still lying on the floor, her naked body tempted him with the bruises, his mark darkening on her neck. Her hair was askew and her skin still glowed from their lovemaking. Lovemaking. Just thinking that word made his mouth dry. He swallowed. She watched him, a wary expression replacing the drowsy contentment of seconds earlier. He looked away and handed her the uniform. She took it and dressed, silent. He cleared his throat. Shit, this was awkward. “Alex—” he started and she cut him off. 48
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“I’m not stupid. Don’t say it,” she said and her voice sounded casual, unconcerned. He risked a glance at her face. Telltale lines around her mouth and the dying light in her eyes gave away the hurt. “I wasn’t—” “I know the drill, Commander.” There was a bite in the last word. Suddenly, his chest tightened and a burning anger spit fire into his stomach. He grasped her arm. “We aren’t going to follow any drill that you know, Alexandra,” he snapped. Her golden eyes blazed. “Aren’t we? I know when a man wants to get dressed and run out the door.” His lips twitched. “It’s happened before, has it?” She glared at him. By the stars, he loved it when she looked at him like she wanted to kill him. “Enough that I know the signs.” “This time is very different, dear heart.” His anger had disappeared. It didn’t matter that she got past his defenses. All that mattered was that she was his mate. And to make that work, maybe he had to put aside his idea of what he thought it would be like. Clearly, their mating wasn’t going to follow any guidelines he understood. “Oh? How?” she sneered. He slowly pulled her closer into his arms. “Because you are my mate. There won’t be any running away for either of us.” She struggled, trying to get away from him. He leaned in and captured her lips with his and she stopped fighting him. Her mouth was sweet, addictive. “Commander Ingle,” the intercom blared and he and Alex both jumped. She started to slip away, but he held on and brushed her lips with his. He smiled when her eyes widened, startled. “I’m here, Dink. What’s up?” “We’ve reached Ardasia. The Judge of Light is disembarking.” “How’s the bidding going?” He noticed Alex tensed. “Teran One has bid sixty-one million leders.” Well, well, well. It looked like King Darius had been able to outbid his competitors. “And Teran Four?” “They say they can raise the funds.” “They’re lying,” Tory announced and took Alex’s hand as he headed for the door. “Get Bud on it. Announce the bidding is closed and don’t inform anyone of who has the winning number.” “You’re going to let Darius have the box?” Alex shook her head. “I don’t understand. This is all about money?” Tory glared at her. “Are you trying to piss me off?” He input his code and the door slid open. “No, it isn’t.” 49
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He refused to say more until they were back in his quarters. Though he’d handpicked his crew, he knew these men had debts to pay and bank accounts to fill. As long as they believed this whole thing was about their Commander getting his Saria and the box was a commodity, Alex was safe. When they reached his quarters, he closed the door and put his hands on her shoulders. “No one can ever have what’s in that box, Alex. Not ever.” She squirmed under his hands, her face flushed and angry. “It’s Teran One property. Let them have their toy back.” He shook her. “It’s not a toy. It’s the Old Earth plague.” The color dropped from her face. “No,” she breathed out. There was nothing he could do. He had to tell her everything. “Yes. You were supposed to die. That Stet explosive you wanted to put on the box? It wasn’t an explosive. It was a delivery system.” Alex’s lower lip trembled and his heart ached for her. “I don’t understand.” “Your ‘secret’ mission was to deliver the box to a General Costas, the man in charge of the Teran Five forces, right?” He waited for her nod. “You were supposed to meet him at certain coordinates near where I intercepted you. But, dear heart, he never left Teran Five.” “What?” The one word was faint, weak. “You were supposed to do just what you did. Try to self-destruct. The Stet explosives were set to deliver the biological virus to the two nearest planets.” “Teran Three and Four.” “Yes. My men don’t know what’s in that fucking thing and I don’t want them to.” Her face, white and chalky, turned up to his. “You have to destroy it. You have to send it into the sun.” She stopped abruptly. “There’s more.” His stomach churned. There was a lot more. Right in the middle stood his mate, a pawn in an ugly game of not just civil war but planetary destruction. “My sources on Teran One don’t think this is the only batch of the plague.” She shuddered. “We’re bait.” He nodded. “If it hadn’t been for Jezar—” “Who’s Jezar?” “You’ll meet everyone in a few minutes. Go shower.” He shoved her toward his bathroom. “How did you know I wanted one?” He snorted. “You’re a woman, aren’t you?” Her lips twitched and her face relaxed into a smile. The sight shot straight through his chest and loosened the knots there. “I most definitely am a woman.” She strode through the door and turned back for a parting shot. “Find me something to wear, though, would you?” 50
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“Absolutely.” She disappeared and he flicked on the intercom. “Jezar? Can you ask Tesia if she has any extra clothes?” “She is on her way.” Tory snorted. “You need to stay out of my head, old friend.” “Your thoughts were…interesting.” He shook his head. The Ardasian had no idea. “Will you let the Judge of Light know we will join him shortly?” “He wishes to meet with your Saria alone before he leaves.” Now, why would he want that? Odd. “I’m sure that will be fine,” he said knowing Jezar would sense his disquiet anyway. Several minutes later, his door signal buzzed. Tory opened the door and his only female crewmember stood there glaring at him. Her red hair, cut short, certainly fit her feisty personality. He was lucky to have her, though. She was one of the few crewmen he trusted unconditionally. She was born on Teran Two, but she was nothing like those pacifist people. Lucky for him, she had rebelled against the agrarian lifestyle there and caught the first transport off planet. She wasn’t military trained, so jobs were hard to come by, but Tory paid her well. She was invaluable. She handed him a stack of clothes. “Is it true?” she demanded. Tesia was one of the few crewmen who cut him absolutely no slack at all. “Is what true?” Tesia jabbed a finger in his chest and he stumbled back into the room. “That you forced this woman into a Saria contract.” Her sparkling blue eyes blazed. “You know how I feel about that. It’s barbaric how Teran One treats their woman like commodities, like baby machines. I can’t believe—” The door to his bathroom whooshed open and Alex stepped out. She was wrapped in a towel that barely covered her curves. Her hair, still wet from her shower, curled around her shoulders. Droplets of water slid along her skin, still pinkish from the heat. Pink, like her ass had been when he spanked her in the exercise room, like the flush that covered her skin when she came under him. Stars, she was so beautiful. He wondered if he was ever going to have a rational reaction to that. “Are those for me?” Alex put out her hand and Tory held his breath wondering if the towel was going to slip, wondering if he could brush her hand while he passed her the pile of clothes. For a moment, he marveled that she really belonged to him, had mated with him. He’d always been a loner, a distrustful man. Jezar had taught him to be less prickly, but Alex was a reminder of what was lost and gained when he’d played a lone hand. Right now she was looking at him expectantly, as if she’d asked him a question. Oh wait, she had. “Yes, Tesia brought them for you.” He handed her the clothes and inhaled the fresh scent of soap. 51
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Alex’s face flushed a bright pink and she lowered her glance as she took the clothes. She smiled at Tesia. “Thank you.” And she disappeared back into the bathroom. He stared at the door. He had to buy her clothes. Ardasia had some nice boutiques in its capital city. The city was pretty, too. Maybe he should take Alex planetside and she could relax a little. God, he’d lost his mind. Here he was dealing with the Old Earth plague and he was distracted by thinking about shopping. “Did you hear me?” Tesia’s voice broke into his thoughts. He blinked and met her gaze. She didn’t seem pissed anymore. What had she been mad about again? “What did you say?” Tesia snorted. “Never mind. I was going to lecture you on the horrors of a loveless mating, but I can see that’s not your problem.” Now, she had his full attention. “What?” She chuckled and left the room. “Better hurry if you’re going to see the Judge of Light off,” she said over her shoulder. After Tesia left, he tried to work, studying the manifests for several of the military vessels leaving Teran Four. But focusing was impossible. Focus, that’s what he needed to do. So much depended on it. If there was more of the virus out there, the whole Teran system was in danger. Maybe even Ardasia. The plague had decimated Old Earth. Even now, the planet was still quarantined. If there were human survivors, no one in the Teran system knew about it. After half the Earth population had fallen to the plague, a desperate gamble had created the Teran planets. Terraforming, still new and barely tested, made Teran One and Teran Two. The next three planets followed over the two years. All five planets were created to save humanity. The hope had been at least one of the planets would thrive, even if the others fell victim to the same fate Earth had. Instead, all five had survived. And now someone wanted to change that. “I’m ready.” Alex appeared at the bathroom door. Tesia had given Alex one of her black uniforms. He’d never really noticed them on Tesia, but on Alex? Wow. The woman made the uniform look like lingerie. He shook his head to clear it. He definitely had to get her more clothes. Preferably a shapeless sack. It was probably the only way he’d keep his damn hands off her.
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Chapter Seven The expression on Tory’s face made Alex’s nerves jump and sizzle. He made her feel feminine and sexy. Desirable. Considering their circumstances, it was odd that he did. For a moment she wondered if they were going to make it out of his quarters. Everything she thought she knew about the Saria seemed incorrect. She’d always viewed it as a price to pay, a forced enslavement of one to save many. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Tory had allowed her to choose. And she’d chosen him. She had to be honest with herself. The Tory Ingle she knew wouldn’t have exacted revenge on her innocent sister. Even to preserve his bloodline. It seemed she had a choice here—to continue to fight him and this mating, or to work with him. But she didn’t know what, or who, to believe anymore. “Would you like to see the capital city of Ardasia?” he asked her. She swallowed. “I would like that very much.” The air between them crackled with heat. What she wanted was to stay right here in this room and shut the rest of the world out. What she wanted was to explore this thing with Tory without everything else getting in the way. What she wanted was what he offered her five years ago. “Come with me. I need you… There’s a whole universe out there, Alex.” He’d offered her himself then. But she’d been appalled, seeing duty and honor as more important than the gift he wanted to give her. She rejected it. And him. Since then, she’d questioned that decision, wondering if life with a criminal she loved would be better than an honorable life alone. For five years she’d crammed those thoughts away, believing somehow that her planet had been saved by her choice. What a joke. Her planet hadn’t been saved. She’d thrown away something wonderful, something important, for a bloodline facing extinction and a brother who had betrayed her. “Alex?” Tory frowned and she shook off the memories. What difference did it make? It was the decision she had made and now she had to live with it. What Tory offered her now might be a pale shadow of the gift he had offered then, but it was more than she’d had before. “I’m ready,” she said and placed her hand in his. “The Judge of Light wanted to see you alone before he disembarks.” Tory’s gaze slid away. Clearly, he didn’t like the idea. She wondered why. “Do you want me to refuse?” His gaze jerked to meet hers. “Only if you want to refuse.” 53
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She stared at him. “What are you afraid of, Tory?” One of his hands curled in a fist and then unclenched slowly. “Nothing.” He was lying. She shrugged. What else could she do? “Lead the way.” Tory led her through a maze of corridors and down two levels to the shuttle bay. A contingent of Ardasians stood in a group, the Judge of Light in the center of it. When he saw Alex, however, the Judge nodded to the others and strode across the room to meet her. “Commander,” he said. “If you wish, there’s a conference room off the hangar there,” Tory said and pointed to a door to their right. “I will not keep her long, Commander Ingle.” The Ardasian’s green eyes seemed to twinkle as if he was amused by something. Considering the man could pick through their minds without their knowledge, he probably was amused. The Judge’s hand brushed her arm and he escorted her to the small meeting room. When she glanced back at Tory, his hands were jammed in his pockets and he stared at the floor. He seemed…worried. But why? “Please, sit down, Commander.” The Judge waved toward a chair and she slid into it, unease beginning to prickle the surface of her skin. What the hell was going on now? She threaded her fingers together on top of the table and took a deep breath. “How can I help you, sir?” “It’s not how you can help me. I’m here to help you.” He sat down and placed his hands together, mimicking her posture. “During the ceremony, I am required to read the participants. I’ve read much in both you and Commander Ingle.” So? She knew that. “Yes?” Keep it polite. What was he getting at? “Are you aware that some Ardasians can glimpse future events?” His tone was casual, almost musing as if they were talking about a play or the weather on Teran One. “I’ve heard that rumor,” she said carefully. “The rumor is true.” The Judge stared at his hands for a moment. “Some of us are…gifted with the sight. But it’s not always clear.” His green eyes snapped up to meet her stare. “This I do know. The concerns you have for your sister are valid but the threat is not from Tory Ingle.” He smiled faintly. “But I think you’ve realized this.” Her lips lifted in a smile. “Only just.” “Your planet’s future depends on the mating you have with the commander.” The statement stunned her. What did he mean? The Judge leaned forward. “In your hands, Alexandra Zeerah, is the future of the five Teran planets and possibly Ardasia as well.” “I don’t understand. Only Teran One seems to be threatened at the moment.” The Judge shook his head. “No. What you carried in the cargo hold of your ship has already changed the fate of a people once. Without you, it may decide their fate permanently.” His face hardened. “Those who seek power only see the leverage to
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move them into a throne or an office. They do not see the consequences of that leverage.” “What do I have to do?” “The thing that is the hardest thing to do,” he answered. “You must trust Commander Ingle.” “He manipulated me into a Saria contract,” she snapped. “I’m willing to work with him, be his mate, but I don’t have to surrender it all. He has to earn my trust.” The Ardasian shook his head. “There is no time. And much will happen to test your trust in each other. I tell you this to warn you that if you doubt your mate, much more than love could be lost.” She raised her eyebrows. “Love? I think you have the wrong couple, sir. Love doesn’t have anything to do with Tory and me.” Well, not anymore. Maybe at one time they could have had love. But she destroyed that. “You risk much by denying the truth,” the Judge said, his eyes narrowed. “He is no Ardasian Judge. He cannot read your mind and he doubts his own.” She snorted. “Tory doesn’t doubt anything. He seems pretty confident to me.” “Do you know what the amendments are to your Saria contract?” “I have a safeword,” she acknowledged. That much she remembered. The safeword to stop any action. It was unusual to grant such power to the Saria, but Tory wanted her as a brood mare. “Not just that.” “What do you mean?” What else could there be? Amendments were usually short ones, like the safeword or a grant of money to the Saria’s family. “He agreed to mutual nullification.” The world tilted a little. Mutual nullification? He granted her the power to discontinue the contract. She’d heard of only one like that and it was a myth, a fairy tale, told by mothers to their daughters. A gesture of love. “What are the stipulations?” “There are none.” She blinked. “I can nullify it for any reason.” “He swore his bloodline oath.” The Judge gave her a steady stare. “The only requirement is that you must remain mated for three months.” “What if there is a child? That’s no choice if I’m pregnant.” She knew there was a catch. “I asked him that.” Judge Mayar shook his head. “He is the last of his line. A child would be his bloodline’s salvation. But he relinquished his rights.” “What?” Before she could think, she’d shot to her feet. It couldn’t be. What man would do that? “I warned him that it gave you the power to control him, blackmail him into anything, since a child is his last hope for his family’s name.” The Judge had read her 55
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mind at the ceremony. Her thoughts hadn’t been very complimentary to Tory or their mating. But would she do that? Would she use this to force Tory to let her go? And why did that idea depress her? “What did he say to that?” She almost didn’t want to know. “He told me that he wanted no woman as a mate who did not want to stay with him. He hoped that three months would be enough, but he doubted it.” “He signed the contract believing I would nullify it,” she said, unable to wrap her brain around it. “He signed it to save your life. Had you not been claimed as his Saria, Teran One would have had the right to attack his vessel to rescue you.” Judge Mayar shook his head. “You never would have made it home.” “I don’t understand.” She dropped back into her seat. “Why are you telling me this?” “Because he doesn’t have three months to convince you.” The Judge reached out and clasped her hand. Abruptly, the conference room bled away, the walls melting as if they were wax. She glanced around. She was in the shuttle bay and there was fighting everywhere, stunners and disintegrators going off all over. Men were screaming and dying. She stared at a vision of herself. She could see herself as she stood in a faceoff between two men. Darius held a disintegrator aimed at Tory. Suddenly, she watched as her image raised a weapon and fired. On Tory. The gut-wrenching agony on his face made her cry out. He dropped, his face ashen, his gaze focused on the woman who just killed him. Then, Darius fired and Tory’s body crumbled, blown away like space dust.
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Chapter Eight The Ardasian let go of her hand and Alex recoiled. “I would never do that. Never.” Not even before she’d known Tory had given her more freedom than she’d dreamed possible. Not even before she’d discovered rich pleasure in his arms. She wasn’t capable of that kind of betrayal. Was she? The Judge interrupted her thoughts. “I do not know what causes that vision, but I know you believed yourself to be justified.” She stared at him through eyes blurry with tears. “I don’t want him to die,” she whispered. And it was true. She didn’t. Love indeed. “You must trust him. Whatever you are told in the next few days, know this. Tory Ingle has refused to take a mate in five years. Even though he is the last of his line. Even though his choices risk his life every day. Five years, Commander Zeerah. Have you ever asked yourself why?” Her heart stuttered. Why hadn’t he mated? He could have. He could have made a home for himself on Teran Five or Teran Two. Instead, he chose to live the life of a space cowboy, a mercenary soldier. He could have taken a woman and continued his line. The thought made her stomach hurt and she wondered why she hadn’t considered it before. She’d been so wrapped up in her own pain, her own frustration, she hadn’t pondered why he was still unattached. Had he waited for her? Of course not. That was ridiculous. Maybe he waited to retaliate. After all, controlling her offspring would be the ultimate revenge. But he had relinquished his rights to their children. The Ardasian rose and smiled. “Your mind is a fascinating one, Commander. I’m sure you will reach the correct conclusion.” Love. The Judge meant Tory…loved her. Impossible. “Shall we rejoin your mate? He is very impatient.” The Judge turned to the door. She wondered at the Ardasian’s motives. They were a strange people, human with strange, intriguing powers and a rigid code of conduct. She shook her head. What did the Ardasians really want? He took her arm and his fingers wrapped lightly around her upper arm. Warmth, comfort and peace spread along her nerves and she felt safe. Odd, since she didn’t know the Judge. Of course, she didn’t feel as comfortable and safe with the Judge of Light as she’d felt in Tory’s arms. Where had that thought come from? She and the Ardasian crossed the shuttle bay. 57
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Tory was surrounded by a group of men, but she only saw his eyes. The minute her gaze met his, that heat and desire replaced the gentle warmth of the Ardasian’s touch. Every word, every stroke flooded through her memory. Would it always be this way? All he had to do was look at her and she melted. She forgot about saving her planet. She forgot he was the enemy. It had been that way five years ago. The Ardasian squeezed her arm. “You are very lucky, Commander.” She glanced at the Judge. “Why is that, sir?” “It is rare to see a Sarat and a Saria bonded so quickly.” She snorted. “We’re bonded by necessity.” His green eyes were serious, no trace of humor. “You were both connected before. What is in your past only lies dormant.” Alex would have responded, but Tory took her hand and pulled her into the circle of his arm. Affection? Bonding? Love? “May the Saria contract be lasting and fruitful.” The Judge said the words and Alex glanced at Tory. She’d heard the words a million times in the Tribunal chambers. Her position as a descendent of one of the First Families meant she was often asked to witness Saria ceremonies. In almost all of them, she’d seen the cold reality of the arranged matches created to satisfy a bloodline’s need rather than the heart’s desire. Those couples had resigned themselves to their fate as Saria. She was far from resigned. How had this happened? His hand twined in hers, Tory bowed at the waist to the Judge of Light. “May the Light shine in dark places.” An Ardasian farewell. She stared at Tory. How the hell had he gotten so familiar with Ardasian culture? The only reason she recognized it was because of her childhood friend Kyler, who was part Ardasian. The Judge nodded to the others and gathered his entourage onto the shuttle. Tory’s crew stood at attention in a respectful tribute, flanking the space where the Ardasian group walked. These men and women on The Pinnacle clearly followed certain Teran protocols, including the one for disembarkation of a political figure. The Judge was afforded all the pomp and circumstance the crew could give him. When the Judge passed the last man, she glanced at Tory and found him staring at her. “Let me introduce you to some of my crew,” Tory said. He waved his hand at a tall man with wavy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. “This is my second, Stegar Pulzer. He’s from Teran Five. I met him when I was an insurgent on Teran Four.” Tory had fought the Teran Four dictatorship as an insurgent? She hadn’t known that. There had been rumors that Tory and his crew had robbed Davida, caused trouble for Teran Four, but she hadn’t realized that The Pinnacle’s people had fought planetside. Even Teran One, who had been in a simmering conflict with Teran Four for years, hadn’t dared fight Dividaon his home turf.
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Pulzer’s eyes narrowed and his lips tightened. There’s one of the crew who didn’t like her much. She stuck her hand out. “Nice to meet you.” For a split second, she thought he wouldn’t take her hand. But he slipped his hand in hers and she shook it. “It’s an honor to meet a man who fought Teran Four and still lives.” She meant it. Teran Four fighters were mean, destructive and deadly. To survive meant you were well trained, determined and lucky. The man thawed slightly. “I’ve heard you’ve had your share of fire fights. Your flying is legendary.” “Not on Teran Four,” she admitted. “I’ve fought them, but never on their home turf. That takes guts.” “Your mate only hires the best.” A reminder that they were paid mercenaries. She didn’t believe it. To fight on Teran Four required commitment. “Bullshit. You would have fought for him for free,” she told him and his eyes widened. The other people in the group shuffled their feet. Pulzer’s lips twitched and then, he threw his head back and laughed. “You got me there, Commander.” He nodded and jerked a thumb at the man next to him. “This is Bud Masterson. He’s Teran Four, but hates that bastard Divida more than we do.” The big, blond man bowed formally. She studied him. He had the perfect Teran Four good looks. Divida controlled the genetic material on Teran Four. He bred them like cattle. Some for fighting, some for other things. What had Masterson been bred for? His hand engulfed hers when she shook it. Everything about the man was huge. “It is my privilege to meet you, Commander Zeerah. Your name is well known on our planet.” “Oh?” She slid her hand away. Well known? No kidding. She was probably vilified by the government there. Teran Four hated Teran One fighters, especially female soldiers. On Teran Four, women served one purpose and one only. Procreation. “Your exploits are spread by our underground,” he said, grinning. “We hope to inspire our little girls to rebel against the status quo.” “I’m glad I could be of service.” She nodded her head. Pulzer pointed to another man. “This is Dink. If there’s a code, he can break it. If there’s a communication, he can listen in.” Pulzer clapped the man on the back. “He’s a genius.” Dink cleared his throat and kept his gaze lowered. His hand was limp and a little damp. “I’m good with computers,” he muttered. “We’ve got a file on you on Teran One,” she told him and his eyes jerked up to meet her gaze. They were a startlingly bright blue. “What I read is that there isn’t anything you can’t do with computers.” She shook his hand. The man was legendary and she’d pictured him differently. His sloped shoulders and lanky, almost awkward, posture surprised her. But she imagined he was at ease in front of a console. “We have a tremendous amount of respect for your work.”
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He smiled, a shy lift of his lips. “You look exactly like I thought you would.” “Quit flirting,” Tory ordered and he took her hand away from Dink, who blushed a bright red. “And this is Tesia Lyter. She’s our engineer. There isn’t a bolt or a rivet she doesn’t know on this ship. Or any other, for that matter.” Alex hadn’t paid much attention to her when they’d met before. The woman was gorgeous. Short, curly, red hair and blue eyes with green flecks combined with her diminutive size to give her a fairy-like appearance. Right now, Tesia studied her as intently as Alex was staring at her. “You look different with your clothes on.” Pulzer sputtered and Tory laughed. She liked the sound of his laugh. Big and free. She turned her attention back to Tesia. Something there. Hostility? A little. Her quick glance at Tory was protective. Not like they were lovers or anything. More like she was afraid Tory would get hurt. After the vision Alex had seen, Tesia had good reason to worry. She shot another look at Tory. He seemed…anxious, lines around his mouth and eyes. It was important to him that she get along with Tesia. So, she smiled at the woman and put her hand out. “Thank you for the clothes. I appreciate them.” “Anything for Tory,” Tesia said. Well, she’d made her position clear. Now, it was Alex’s turn. She kept her hand out even though Tesia hadn’t acknowledged it yet and said, “I agree.” Tesia’s gaze narrowed. “I know about the Saria,” she said, her voice harsh. “You had no choice. You were forced into this mating.” Every syllable spoke of the woman’s distrust. Well, that was direct. Alex dropped her hand to her side, but held Tesia’s gaze. Tory started to speak but Alex shook her head. “I was given a choice and I chose Tory. He is my mate. How that happened no longer matters.” “Bullshit,” Tesia snapped. Alex shook her head. “Not bullshit. I have said the words, committed to my Sarat.” “Is this true?” she demanded and glared at Tory. He nodded. “She has.” “You didn’t force them from her?” Tesia asked him. “He didn’t,” Alex interrupted. The other men seemed uncomfortable with this topic. Should she reveal the mutual nullification? No. Tory’s pride might be hurt if she did. Besides, the details of their contract were no one’s business but their own. “Why?” Tesia bit out the word. Tory tensed beside her. Maybe he thought she didn’t have an answer. But she did. “Why not? Could I ask for a better mate? You know he had to prove my family wronged him. He wasn’t guilty of treason. He is a man of honor and courage. Why wouldn’t I accept him as a mate?” 60
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Tesia snorted. “Anyone who knew him wouldn’t have believed that crap in the first place.” “You’re right.” Alex answered that charge. It needed to be said, dealt with. She felt Tory’s gaze on her but she focused on the woman who accused her. “I was afraid.” Tesia’s eyes widened and Tory hissed a quick intake of breath. “I had discussed a courtship contract for Tory and myself with my family.” “You did?” Tory burst out and Alex glanced at him. “I did. I was insistent.” She bit her lip. “Two weeks later, my brother presented evidence that Tory was a traitor.” Her chin rose. “Tory had no alibi, no defense. My brother had witnesses, vid evidence that the Tribunal said was genuine. I had no reason to doubt them.” Her stomach clenched. There was much more to it than that, but she wasn’t going to talk about it. “I was an idiot. I thought my feelings for Tory had blinded me.” She couldn’t hold Tesia’s gaze anymore. She stared at the floor. “I questioned my own judgment.” “Because you loved him,” Tesia stated. Loved him? She blinked and stared at the woman. “I don’t know. I cared about him enough to ask for a courtship contract.” “But five years? You never doubted it for five fucking years?” Tesia’s hands clenched into fists. “No, I never did.” To her ever-loving regret. “The Tribunal found him guilty.” “Your Tribunal was wrong.” Tesia clenched her fists at her side. “You let them exile him. You didn’t defend him.” “That’s not true,” Tory interrupted. Tesia and Alex both turned to stare at him. He met Alex’s gaze as he spoke. “I read the transcripts after I heard Darius say you defended me. I should have gotten them sooner. I was so hurt I—” He stopped. He didn’t have to say it. She remembered. He’d begged her to run away, to make a life with him. Instead, she’d chosen to side with her family. He glanced at Tesia. “She told the Tribunal I was a hero and she’d fought by my side. She didn’t believe I was capable of the accusations presented.” He met her gaze. “They showed you the vids. Was that the first time you’d seen them?” She nodded. “And the bank accounts.” “Your brother was thorough.” He gazed at Tesia. “What you don’t know is that the Tribunal recommended a death sentence. It was Alex’s testimony that changed it to exile.” “How did you find that out?” Alex stared at him and he grasped her hand. “I have sources who obtained the notes from the Tribunal Judgment.” “So you saved his life,” Tesia said with a frown. “And he saved mine. That’s what this is really all about.” She twined her fingers with Tory’s.
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“Only one more ordeal, dear heart,” Tory said. Ordeal? Another man stepped forward with a bow. He had jet-black hair like Tory’s but it was cut very short. And his eyes were an eerie green. An Ardasian? Serving on The Pinnacle’s crew? She glanced at Tory. “I am Jezar Rysa,” the man said, his voice deep and pleasant. She bowed. “I am honored.” What was he doing here? Ardasians were known for having a strict code of conduct. Stealing, pillaging and pirating were not on the list of things for them to do. Jezar grinned. “Our code is more complicated than it seems.” “Get out of her head, Jezar.” Tory glared at the man. “My apologies.” He didn’t look apologetic. “We have work to do.” Tory stared at his crew. “Let’s get to it.” “Are you going planetside?” Pulzer asked Tory. Her mate glanced at her with one eyebrow raised. “Alexandra?” She frowned. “You’re suggesting we take a jaunt down to the planet’s surface to play tourist with all this going on?” Tory’s smile was soft and gentle. “No. We have an appointment with someone who needs to see us. But she won’t be ready to see us for a few hours.” He raised his eyebrows. “We could use that time to ‘play tourist’. Have you ever been to a planet as anything other than a military attaché?” He knew she hadn’t, damn him. It was tempting. Ardasia was a puzzle, a planet with a rich history, and was well known for its preservation of alien history. With a sigh, she gave in. “Okay. You win.” Tory grinned. “Of course I do.” Alex rolled her eyes. He clapped Dink on the shoulder and nodded to Pulzer. “You’re in charge until I get back.” They strode across the bay, Jezar walking beside them. Tory kept his voice low and spoke to the Ardasian. “Get the box loaded onto the shuttle.” “The box?” Dread suddenly slammed into Alex’s stomach. “Yes,” Tory said and kept the smile on his face. “We have no intention of selling the contents to anyone.” “You’re giving it to the Ardasians?” Bad idea. Her gaze shot to Jezar. Did they all know it was the Old Earth plague? It gave the Ardasians a weapon against the Terans, didn’t it? No, Alex, it doesn’t. The words floated through her mind. Jezar? She knew they were telepathic, but they could talk to a non-telepath? Why not just destroy it? She knew the answer, but asked this voice in her head. Because we want to find an antidote so that whoever has the other batches can’t use it ever again. Our scientists can do that. How are you able to talk to me? 62
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I’m gifted. Bullshit. There was more to it than that. The chuckle in her head only added to her irritation. “It’s annoying when he does that, isn’t it?” Tory whispered in her ear. “How did you know?” She kept her gaze on Jezar as he moved away. “I recognize the frustrated expression.” He shook his head. “He’s a mystery to me too.” “He says the Ardasians are going to come up with an antidote.” She followed Tory toward one of the shuttles. “That’s what we hope.” “Do you trust them?” She knew a little about the Ardasians, but not enough to believe they wouldn’t use the plague against the Teran planets. “I do,” he said firmly. “You’re a history buff, right?” Tory asked. “Yes. My grandfather encouraged me to keep track of Teran One bloodlines.” “Then there’s something on Ardasia I think you’d enjoy,” he said and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. His touch, his attitude, all implied they were a couple. They were mated, but Alex wasn’t sure of Tory’s true feelings. Wanted her? Yes. Needed her to help him stop a civil war on Teran One? Probably. Anything else? Despite what the Judge of Light revealed, there was too much…history between them. Perhaps Tory had deeper feelings for her, but she still doubted it. They rounded the corner of the shuttle and she glimpsed two other vessels in the bay. “Are those Rama Fighters?” “Yes,” Tory said shortly. “Who flies them?” She loved Rama Fighters. Quick, fluid and responsive, the ships were deadly in space. Teran One only had a few. The fighters were made by Teran Five but she had mastered the controls. “I do. And Jezar.” She tore her gaze away from the pretty, shiny fighter ships and observed that Jezar and Tesia climbed into one of the Rama’s cockpits. “Who is Jezar anyway?” Tory shrugged and stepped into the shuttle. “I don’t know. He’s an Ardasian. His family lives on Teran Five and he’s got a clean record. He’s never balked at any of the questionable things we’ve done so somehow doing them must serve some higher purpose.” “You mean, there’s a bigger reason why he’s here than just making money.” She took Tory’s hand and he helped her into the shuttle. “That’s the only way it makes sense. What would you like to see on Ardasia?” Tory changed the subject and Alex got the idea he didn’t want to discuss Jezar anymore.
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“I’ve heard of the Olani Falls. They’re just outside the capital, right?” She decided to go along with him. Maybe that trust thing the Judge of Light had mentioned needed to go two ways. She had to earn his trust too. “They are. And they’re everything that’s reported about them.” Tory sat in the pilot’s seat and bent over the controls of the shuttle. She sat in the copilot’s chair. “Shall I?” she asked politely. When they’d fought at Sevu, on Teran Three, she’d been his copilot on a rusty bucket called The Clipper. The two of them had worked together like a well-oiled machine, anticipating each other, complementing each other. His aggression and her caution combined on that mission to make it a success. The man they’d extracted from the enemy camp that time now had five kids on Teran One. “Go ahead. We’ll be on auto for most of the trip, but I’d love your touch when we leave the bay.” He didn’t glance at her when he answered. Did he remember too? He had to. She flicked buttons and levers to prepare for disembarkation. “This is Shuttle Two. Estimated time for departure?” she asked the bridge. Dink’s voice came over the line. “The Ardasian shuttle The Lightning will disembark first, Commander, in five minutes. Please stand by.” The Judge’s shuttle roared and the bay doors opened. Alex noted that one of the dashboard lights blinked, indicating the magnetic locks were weak. She quickly transferred power to the magnets before the shuttle door opened. A heartbeat later, Tory adjusted the power couplings above the locks. It was as if they thought as one person. It had always been that way for them. Many of their missions had succeeded because of Tory’s ability to anticipate her and vice versa. When he was exiled, she’d missed him sorely. No one in Teran One ops had been as compatible for her. Or as disturbing. It had always seemed that Tory read her mind, knew her as well as she knew herself and enhanced every move she made on a mission. She had wondered how someone so different could resonate with her so well. “The Lightning is away, Shuttle Two. Stand by.” Dink followed procedure. She had always thought these rogue ships followed their own protocol, but Tory’s ship seemed to keep to the military forms. “Shuttle Two cleared for takeoff,” Dink said. “Firing engines,” Alex informed him and Tory flicked the engines wide open. The familiar shudder of the ship and the soothing whine of the engines relaxed her. She loved to fly. It was her one talent. Most of her fellow soldiers could outshoot her and many of them were better at hand to hand. But none of them could match her in the cockpit. Except for Tory. “Shuttle Two taking off.” She matched Tory’s calculations with her own and they slid the shuttle out of the bay like butter, slow and smooth. 64
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“We’ll be back in five hours, Dink.” “Acknowledged, boss. Say hello to Kera for me.” “Will do.” Tory flicked on autopilot and turned to her. “We have to wait for the right window in the atmosphere. I’ve set the trajectory. It’s going to be about an hour before we land.” She clicked out of her seat’s restraints and relaxed. “Who’s Kera?” Tory’s fingers froze on his restraints. “She’s a friend.” A friend? A lover maybe? She glared at him. “Could you clarify, please? I really don’t want to be caught flat-footed.” His gaze met hers. “I told you. She’s a friend.” Damn it. Alex threw off her restraints and stomped into the back of the shuttle. How the hell was she supposed to adjust to this if he wouldn’t be honest with her? She heard his step behind her and whirled around to face him. “You want an awful lot, don’t you, Tory Ingle? You want me to believe this mating is something more than just your personal satisfaction.” She ticked off her fingers. “You want me to believe someone on Teran One is trying to kill me. And you want me to believe there’s someone on Teran One with the Old Earth plague.” Her hands closed into fists. “How am I supposed to trust you if you won’t answer simple questions?” He ran a hand through his hair and let out a quick breath. “Because your questions are never simple, Alex.” “Bullshit. If we’re going to see someone you’ve been fucking, I think I should know.” Great. Now she sounded like a jealous mate. Well, fuck, she was a jealous mate. His eyes narrowed. “If I have been fucking someone, it’s none of your business.” She gasped. “So, this mating is just about your revenge. Thanks for clearing that up.” His hand shot out and gripped her arm. “What did you expect? That I’d remain celibate for all those years?” “Of course not,” she scoffed. “But I don’t really want to meet the women you slept with either.” She was being pretty fucking reasonable. “So mark your territory,” he said in a low, purring tone. The way he said it, the feral expression on his face, the way the air between them crackled made her ache. “You want me to fuck you now?” “Yes. Make me smell like you. And you’d smell like me.” He pulled her in his arms. “I’m a man who likes sex, Alexandra. You’d better realize that right now.” Without ceremony, he swooped in and took possession of her lips. She wanted to fight him, stand her ground. But when his tongue swept inside her mouth, she forgot everything but the feel of him, the taste of him. Her hands lifted, at first to shove him away, but instead buried in his hair and pressed him closer. He shoved her back against the shuttle wall, his hands tight on her
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hips, his mouth fused to hers. The cold metal against her spine and the heat of his body on her breasts created an erotic contrast that sent fire along her veins, burning through her token resistance. He crowded her, pressed her flat against the wall and lifted her legs until she wound around him like a vine. His cock fit at the junction between her thighs and she moaned. The sound seemed to set off an explosion in him. He broke the kiss and his hands yanked on her clothes until she was naked. His mouth captured one of her nipples and scraped it with his teeth. Her whole body jerked, electricity crackling along her nerves. When had he taken off his shirt? She didn’t care. She just wanted to touch him. Her hands ran along the lean lines of his shoulders and down his chest, exploring every dip, every hard plane of his broad expanse. Stars, he was perfect. Solid, dominating, sexy. Another moan escaped her lips and his hands tightened on flesh. His fingers wandered lower and flicked over her clit. She thrust her hips into his hand, desperate for his touch, his cock, everything. She was mindless under the expert hands of her mate. “Tory,” she begged. He lifted his head and met her gaze. The swirl of desire and need in his eyes made her ache. Her pussy throbbed and pulsed. She didn’t wait. Her fingers reached his pants and yanked on the buttons. His eyes closed when her hand found his cock and stroked him. The way he fit in her hand was perfect. But then he shifted and thrust two fingers in her pussy and she panted, unable to keep the rhythm going as her body tightened like a bowstring. She closed her eyes and held on. He added a third finger and rubbed his thumb around her clit with every thrust. He played her like an instrument, his fingers magic on her body. His other hand palmed one of her breasts, sending sparks of pleasure shooting through her. The sensation of the solid wall behind her and his large frame pinning her against it spurred her arousal. She didn’t know what it was about him, about them together, that created these reckless and borderline violent moments, but she reveled in the collisions. All those years of correct behavior, following the rules, being completely in control were swept away by his hands, his mouth, the press of his body on hers. The past, the future and even the dangers of the present seemed far away and unimportant in the face of their connection. No one had ever made her this mindless and no one else ever could. Tory was the only man who had inspired passion in her and the only one who could rip away her control. Some of her response was rooted in her anger at him and at herself for the years they’d been apart. The fact that another woman might have tasted this, could have been in his arms, made her wild. In concert with her thoughts, she struggled against him, straining to get closer, yet fighting to get away from him. He growled, his mouth pressed to the sensitive skin under her ear, and tightened his hold, refusing to give her any space at all.
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It was his mouth on her neck that sent her spiraling into an orgasm. He sucked the taut flesh there and she convulsed around his fingers, stars floating behind her eyelids.
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Chapter Nine The feel of her pussy, hot and tight, almost made Tory spill his cum all over himself. Stars, she smelled so fucking good. He marked her with his mouth, sucking on her neck. She gushed her release on his fingers and he slid them out to taste her. Her hot breath blew out as she watched him lick every drop of her cum from his fingers. She arched her back and rubbed her slit along his cock, making him gasp. He resisted, his cock throbbing and desperate, while she tempted him, dared him to slam inside her. She was so strong. Her hands gripped his hair and she pressed closer to him, her heels digging into his back, urging him to take her. For a moment, he just stared. Her brown hair framed her face like brown silk, her eyes, lit with desire, were golden and her skin flushed an enticing pink. The mark on her neck was already a dark red and gave him a primal sense of satisfaction. She was his. She belonged to him. He grabbed her hands out of his hair and slammed them over her head. His body pinned her to the wall, his cock ready to complete them, join them. One hand encircled her wrists and his other hand captured the soft flesh of her ass. She had no idea what he was capable of, what he wanted. His fingers sought and found her anal entrance and circled it with a firm touch. She didn’t tense, or try to pull away. Instead, she moaned and shifted her hips to slide her wet pussy over his hard cock. God, she was all he ever wanted or needed. He slipped a thumb inside her ass slowly, so slowly. As he did, he slammed his dick inside her pussy. She screamed and convulsed, her ass and her pussy both squeezing him, tightening until he thought he wasn’t going to last another second. In perfect rhythm, he slid his thumb in her anus and held it there, filling her, while he thrust his cock inside her pussy. He watched her face, contorted in pleasure, her sweet lips parted and her eyes half closed. His release pressured him, making his balls ache, but he didn’t want it to end. He wanted to hold them both there, in the shimmering pleasure that blocked the rest of the universe out. She leaned forward and bit him on the neck, a low growl vibrating from her throat, and he couldn’t hang on anymore. He pulled his thumb out of her ass and lifted her legs until her thighs were on his hips and he could drive deeper and harder inside her. Mine. She’s mine. His cum gathered and exploded from him and his shout made his throat sore. Her answering cry and the way her body curled around his extended his pleasure. He moaned against her hair, irrevocable words hovering on the tip of his tongue. His mate. His woman. His love. But he didn’t say them. She still called these times together “fucking”. She still questioned his commitment to their mating. She wasn’t ready to hear that he had 68
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feelings for her, feelings that began when he was a raw commander standing by her side, fighting a common enemy, and had continued even in his exile. She’d never believe it and he couldn’t stand it if she questioned it. Instead, he murmured other words, expressions of desire. She ran her hands along his shoulders and he stroked her back. They were intimately connected and he didn’t want to let go. He kissed her, reveling in the small sigh that escaped her lips as he did. It gave him hope that maybe she would want more from him than the cold mating of the Saria. Maybe she would see him as the comrade in arms they had once been. Alarms screamed in the cabin and they broke apart. “Shit,” he said. God damn it. He wanted more time. She was in her uniform before he’d even had a chance to start dressing. He couldn’t read her expression. Did she regret giving in? He shook his head. There wasn’t enough time to convince her. He’d hoped three months would give him a chance to earn her trust, but they didn’t have three months. If his sources on Teran One were correct, they didn’t even have three days before the bond between Alex and him was tested. He grabbed her arm and whipped her into his embrace. He kissed her with all his pent-up emotion, knowing she wouldn’t understand but needing to touch her. Then, he broke the kiss and stepped toward the cockpit. He glanced back and she stood frozen, two fingers on her lips. When he entered the cockpit and saw what they faced, his stomach rolled. A Teran One Dar Fighter had found them and was demanding credentials. The window to land on Ardasia was only minutes away. How could he stall? Before he could do anything, another voice broke in. “This is Ardasia space. State your business, Teran One Fighter.” Ah, Ardasians didn’t like interference from alien law enforcement. “They are flying a Teran One vessel. It falls under our jurisdiction.” “You are incorrect,” the Ardasian communications stated. “This shuttle is scheduled to land in ten minutes. Do you have a Teran warrant?” Of course they didn’t. That would require a lengthy process. “We believe this shuttle is involved in the robbery of highly classified items taken by Commander Tory Ingle.” “Unless you have a warrant to prove your accusations, you must respect Ardasian space.” Silence. The fighter’s engines fired up and flashed as it veered off into space. Tory followed the blip on the screen representing the fighter as it disappeared. “We won’t have long.” “Maybe we should just go back to the ship,” Alex said, a wrinkle on her forehead. “No. I need to see Kera.” He wanted to bite his tongue. Kera had started the whole argument earlier. Alex stared at him. “Why? What’s so important about this woman?” 69
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“She’s a seer, someone who has visions of the future. There’s only a handful of Ardasians who have clear visions, though many have sporadic glimpses of the future.” He didn’t say more about Kera. Alex couldn’t be more mistaken about Kera’s relationship to him, but he didn’t think she’d believe him if he explained. “The Ardasian government has authorized Kera to speak to us.” He met Alex’s direct stare. “That’s rare.” She nodded, clearly not convinced if her tightened lips and narrowed eyes were anything to go by. “Okay.” He tried to lighten the moment. “Besides, you need to relax a little.” One side of her mouth lifted. “I’m not sure visiting an entire planet of telepaths is exactly relaxing.” “They’ll be respectful.” Tory had never had an Ardasian poke around in his head the way Jezar did. Again, it was against their code. But Jezar had a larger mission, a bigger goal, which overrode the Ardasian code. Tory hadn’t asked because he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. They landed the shuttle on in a large hangar half a mile above the surface of Ardasia. When they exited the shuttle, they entered a busy station with several different ships taking off and landing. The landing bay was high above the surface of the planet and Tory smiled when Alex peered through one of the huge windows to the lower levels where other shuttles were docking and departing. The place was a busy mecca with aliens from all over the galaxy trading and networking. Visitors were welcome, not colonists. Ardasia was closed to settlements. Probably because keeping the peace between telepaths living together was hard enough without adding normal humans to the mix. “I’ve never seen so many aliens before,” Alex said, her eyes wide and flicking everywhere. “Ardasia is a major trading planet. Their services are used by every inhabited planet within the galaxy,” Tory whispered in her ear as they strode toward a long escalator. “Don’t move as we descend. They scan us while we wait.” “What are they looking for?” “The usual. Weapons, contraband, plagues.” Tory stayed alert. Just because they were on Ardasia didn’t mean they were safe. And Alex wasn’t exactly nondescript. She carried herself like a military commander and she garnered a lot of stares because she was fucking gorgeous. He should have made her braid her hair before going planetside. Right now, it curled past her shoulders and gave her that just-fucked look he had been going for when he told her to mark her territory. The way other men, alien and human alike, glanced her way made him glad he’d marked her the way he had. He wanted to reach up and stroke the mark to emphasize it.
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They reached the lower floors on the planet surface and he led her out into the Ardasian capital city. He had plans for her. He knew his Alex. She loved history and the city housed one of the biggest museums of ancient artifacts. “Where are we going?” she asked when they slid into the seats of a hovertaxi. “You wanted to see the falls. I aim to please,” he answered. The streets of the city teemed with life and hovercars whished past above and below them. The taxi driver used telepathy to anticipate the other drivers and somehow they all got where they were going. It always fascinated him. The culture on Ardasia was so different from Teran One. Here there were no bloodlines or ruling families. The Ardasian Judges ran everything and they were completely incorruptible. As few as ten could end up on the Judges’ Ring and no more than fifteen had ever been recorded. The requirements to be a Judge on the Ring were stringent. A Judge of Light was more common but also went through rigorous vetting before they were allowed to serve. He caught sight of Alex’s face. Her gaze was riveted to the window of the hovercar. She looked like a little kid—excited, thrilled, fascinated. She turned to smile at him. “This is amazing.” He grinned. He knew she’d love it, just as he had. His first visit to Ardasia had been like that too. Jezar had shown him everything and he had eaten it up. Now he paid it forward, pointing out the sights as they sped by them. The Judge’s Ring Chamber, grand and solemn. The Ardasian Theater, brightly lit and colorful. The Oracular Round, a large temple where Ardasian visionaries shared their sight with the rest of the planet. Finally, they reached their destination. The Orlani Falls. The taxi dropped them at a small platform and Tory paid the man. He took Alex’s arm and led her along the walkway. She craned her neck. “Where are they? I don’t see them!” “They’re up ahead. You come up on them suddenly.” He reached down and twined his hand with hers. “Do you know how the falls were made?” She shook her head, keeping her eyes on the walkway ahead. He smiled. “Thousands of years ago, this was the edge of a sea. There was a beautiful woman who lived in a small cottage, alone and lonely. She sang to the ocean since she had no one to sing to. And then, a man of the sea heard her singing and came to her. He made love to her on the beach.” They had almost reached the falls. He could hear the roar and smell the water. “But when morning came, he disappeared under the surface of the sea. She stood on the edge of the incoming waves and sang for him until her voice gave out and she wouldn’t sing again, for the memories were too painful. The woman’s heart broke and her grief was so strong, the crust beneath where they had consummated their love cracked and split. The sea water rushed away into an underground cavern. The sky opened and fresh rain covered the land until the crack healed and the water pooled. But the place where the opening had been was marked by the Orlani Falls.” On the last word, they stepped into paradise. Alex gasped. “Oh, it’s beautiful.” She leaned over the railing and stared at the sight. Even though Tory had seen them before,
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he never got tired of the falls. They were spectacular, spanning a mile across and tumbling four miles down. The drop-off was stunning. Rainbows glittered as sunlight sparkled through the water droplets, creating a kaleidoscope of color. A long bridge crossed at the top of the falls, its graceful lines a perfect complement to the dramatic water. Trails dotted along both sides of the falls, which were so massive that if there were other people visiting, he couldn’t tell. “What a sad story to go with such a beautiful place,” Alex said as he held her hand and they strode across the bridge. “Oh, that wasn’t the end,” he told her. He had to shout, since the rushing water drowned out his normal voice. “How did it end?” she yelled back. “I’ll tell you on the other side.” They reached the far side and a trail led them a distance away from the falls. He finished the story. “He came back for her.” “The man of the sea?” Tory nodded. “He came for her, but the sea was gone and he couldn’t reach her. And the falls became a barrier keeping him out.” “So it is a sad story.” He shook his head. “No. Because he never gave up. He stood in the fresh water pool beneath the falls and called to her every day, even though she couldn’t hear him, even though he would die if he was away from the sea too long.” He stopped and met her gaze. Did she understand why he told her this story? Would she hear what he was saying? Or would she just think he was entertaining her? “He waited for her. And one day, on the edge of the falls, she saw him on his knees in the water and she finally sang again.” “And they lived happily ever after?” Alex smiled as if amused. She didn’t understand. He sighed. Why should she? “They lived happily ever after and their children always tell the story so the Ardasians don’t forget.” “Don’t forget what?” He met her gaze. “That all grief passes. That resentment breeds pain. That love conquers all.” She glanced away. “A romantic notion.” “Yes, it is.” He squeezed her hand. “Are you hungry?” “I am.” “I know a place here, but it’s not well known by tourists. Strictly local,” he told her and smiled. “Another adventure? Sure, why not?”
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What did he expect? He should accept the fact that she was his Saria, mated by contract, not by anything else. He let her hand fall from his and ignored the dull pain in his chest.
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Chapter Ten The trails were surrounded by tall, thick trees. To Alex, it seemed to be a fairy land, complete with tales of undying love and cracks in the planet’s crust. The story about the Sea man and the woman reminded her of the fairy tale on Teran One. The mutual nullification fairytale. The story of a family out to destroy each other, each with grievances, each with bitterness. Bloodlines would fight each other for dominance, for power, for land, over petty differences. Until the Saria tradition began, families attacked other families, eliminating competition, creating long-standing feuds satisfied only by the blood of the innocent. The newer families, who arrived after Teran One was founded, were targeted, their lack of status making them easy pickings for the First families. Vengeance kept some families divided and fighting for centuries. Hundreds of years of mass murder with entire branches of bloodlines completely wiped out led to chaos. To save Teran One, the Stender line had created the Saria ceremony, where a single member of an offending family could be used as an object of revenge. It had been an uphill battle to get the families to quit massacring each other. Until one man claimed a woman from the other family as his Saria. Newly arrived on Teran One and immediately targeted by another family, he wanted to end the bloodshed and stop the violence. But both sides were so filled with hatred, he had to win the Saria’s heart. Their courtship spanned a year in which her family and his continued their bloody warfare. But through persistence, through courage, he won her in the end. When they faced the Tribunal Judges and performed the ceremony, he declared the amendment of Mutual Nullification. That man had founded the Ingle bloodline on Teran one. The Stender family, backed by the Ingles and the Zeerahs, solidified the Saria practice and strengthened the ruling family’s position. The ceremony became ingrained in the fabric of Teran One society, the Ingle story being told regularly to show its effectiveness. But it was a fairytale told to little girls to give them hope. A hope dashed by reality. In real life, the Saria ceremony ended familial violence through personal violence on one member. Alex had always thought that was the case. Did she now? At her side was a man worthy of the mating. He had courage and patience. He’d shown intelligence in dealing with his enemy. He’d followed the rules even though those very laws had convicted him unjustly. The story he told her started to sink in. Resentment breeds pain. She’d been so angry with him. Not because he’d betrayed Teran One, but because he’d never explained himself. When accused by the Tribunal, he’d denied it and refused to say
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more. When asked for an alibi, he had none. When they demanded a statement before their judgment, he stayed silent. He’d acted like a defeated man. Five years and he never contacted her. That had rankled. It didn’t matter that she’d rejected him, refused to go with him when he was banished. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t sought him out. Of course, he didn’t know how hungrily she collected news of him, his exploits, his crimes. He had no idea how her brother brought him up as an example of her inability to choose a mate, since she’d requested a courtship contract with Tory. What did he know about her now? “Tory, I’m sorry I didn’t come with you,” she said. He stopped abruptly and frowned. “What do you mean?” “I wanted to. When you asked me. But I didn’t know how you felt about me and…” She couldn’t explain without revealing too much. “Didn’t know how I felt about you?” He stared at her. “I begged you to come with me. It was all I cared about.” She met his gaze. “I thought—” What had she thought? She thought he wanted some revenge on her brother for accusing him. She thought he would whisk her away and then leave her. Not to mention what she saw. Or thought she saw. “I thought a lot of things that don’t make sense now.” His face shuttered and turned away. “It doesn’t matter now.” “But it does. Don’t you see?” She grabbed his arm to make him look at her. “If I had thought for a minute that you were innocent, that my brother had framed you, I would have fought tooth and nail to get you home.” He stared at her. “But you thought I was guilty.” Time for the truth. Time to tell him the one thing she hadn’t wanted to ever admit to him. Ever. She dropped her hand away from his arm and hugged herself. “I had a good reason to think you were guilty.” “Oh?” How did he manage to sound mildly curious about something so…so…awful? “I saw you that night.” She swallowed. This wasn’t going to be easy. “Do you remember what happened the last time we saw each other before the trial?” He was silent for a moment and then said, “I remember we kissed for the first time.” She couldn’t look at him, couldn’t watch his face when she told him what she’d seen. “I…begged my father for a courtship contract. He refused. I showed up at your house to force his hand.” And she could have. Once in Tory’s bed, she could have negotiated the contract and her father would have withdrawn any objections. It was a radical choice, but she’d been willing to make it. And then, she’d seen him with another woman. “I saw you with Samara,” she blurted. Tory’s hand wrapped around her arm and turned her to face him. “Alex, I don’t remember a fucking thing from that night. What was I doing?” 75
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He didn’t remember? She blinked. “You seemed…drunk, stumbling. She was holding you up, laughing.” Alex bit her lip. “All I could think was we’d gotten drunk the night before and you’d kissed me. And here you were with someone else.” “How did that make me guilty of treason?” His gaze held hers. “Because you said you had no alibi. You didn’t say you didn’t remember anything. You said you had no alibi. You didn’t tell them you were with her, so I thought—” She glanced away and stared at her feet. “You thought I was sleeping with this woman and she was a spy?” Alex nodded. “Even if I doubted my brother, I saw you with my own eyes. When you didn’t admit it, I thought you were lying.” “The last thing I remember about that night is leaving my quarters to meet one of my men. I don’t remember meeting Samara.” He shook his head. “I didn’t tell anyone I didn’t remember. What would be the point? I don’t expect you to believe me, Alex, but you were the only woman I ever wanted. Then and now.” He released her and strode up the trail. She closed her eyes. The Judge had said they didn’t have three months. Or even three days. How were they going to find a way through the maze of their past? Hands jammed in the pocket of her uniform and her head down, she followed Tory along the path. Suddenly, all the beauty of the falls and the fresh smell of the trees around them made her heart clench. Tears pricked her eyes. Damn it. Why couldn’t she have just gone with him? She loved him, even then. But she didn’t trust herself. And now, she had to face the possibility of a mating with love, but no trust, because of her mistakes. Maybe love wouldn’t be enough. No way she’d let that happen. Somehow, she and Tory would have to fight it out. For their future. She wasn’t going to give up just because she’d been young and stupid. Besides, this mating was permanent. “Tory, wait,” she shouted and quickened her pace. Something slammed into her and her skin crackled and burned. Pain shot through her muscles and she convulsed uncontrollably. Her vision blurred and the blue sky darkened. Then, darkness.
***** Tory heard her shout and turned around in time to see Alex fall to the ground. Shit. Luckily, the Ardasians had allowed him to carry his disintegrator. He drew it and sprinted toward Alex. If anything happened to her… He wasn’t going to let that thought stop him. He leapt forward, his murderous yell echoing among the trees. Two men dropped from the ridge above him. The way they moved, the way they crept along the path, betrayed their training. These had to be Teran One Black Ops. Soldiers trained in covert missions. Tory recognized the style of attack. Tory stood over 76
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Alex’s body. She was too still. Had they killed her? He fired on the first man and missed. The stunner blast ripped up the dirt in front of him and he got off another shot. The soldier crumbled into ashes. The second man whipped out a second weapon and Tory dove to the ground to avoid another blast—this time, from a disintegrator. The tree behind him tumbled and disappeared into small particles that floated in the air. Tory rolled to his right and fired twice. The first missed. The second didn’t. The second man blew away in the wind. Adrenaline pumping, Troy grabbed Alex and lifted her over his shoulder. Limp and unresponsive, she was dead weight. He didn’t want to think what that might mean. He just ran. He slipped and stumbled down the path and to a place he knew was out of sight and deserted. A small cave opening covered by brush, virtually invisible unless a person knew where to hunt for it, hidden by a cliff overhang and shadows. Neither side of the gorge could see it easily. It was close to the falls and the noise of the water against the rocks drowned out any sound so they wouldn’t be heard, either. He ducked inside, ignoring the droplets of water that hit him and the roar of the falls. Inside, he lay Alex down gently. In the muted light from the entrance, her face was gray and lifeless. His blood froze in his veins. She couldn’t die on him. Not after all they’d been through. It wouldn’t be right. He had waited five years for her, for this mating, for their chance. With a jerk, he tore some material from his shirt and held it outside the cave until the mist wetted it. He wiped the dirt away from her white face and tried not to shake. His insides were jelly. He was terrified that she was dead but too scared to confirm it. His fingers fumbled as he reached for her carotid pulse. She was alive. He was dizzy from the relief. He rubbed his hand over his face and now, he was shaking all over. That could have been it. In one careless moment, she could have been wiped out of his life. Those fucking assholes weren’t going to let her live. But he wasn’t going to let her die. Her lashes fluttered and those glorious golden eyes peered at him. He’d thought he was never going to see her again. He wanted to snatch her into his arms and kiss her. He wanted to whisk her away to the ends of the universe so no one would ever get a chance to hurt her again. “Tory?” A hoarse croak never sounded so good. “What happened?” “Teran One Black Ops,” he said softly. “Apparently, they found us.” She winced when she tried to sit up and he gently kept her still. “I should have expected it.” “Bullshit.” She pushed his hand away and sat up. “Why would you expect them to attack us on Ardarsia?” “Deniability.” He bit the word out. She’d know what he meant. If they were killed on Ardasia, the government on Teran One would have an easier time denying
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involvement. Outside of Teran space, no one would question the death of a known criminal and a rogue commander. “Why didn’t they kill me?” She clutched her head and moaned. “Though at the moment I almost wish they had.” “I don’t know.” “Well, Tory, you told me they’d send assassins after me, not you. Right again.” He didn’t like the hopeless tone she had. “Knock it off. We don’t know what they wanted.” “I’m sorry, Tory,” she said and turned her head away. He gripped her chin and forced her to face him. Tears stained her cheeks and a sad droop to her eyes made his chest tighten. “For what, Saria?” he said gently. “Any wrongs between us are wiped away by our mating.” He kissed her. “You committed to it.” “But we could have been—” she choked. “We could have had—” He interrupted her with another brush of his lips. “What’s done is done.” “Do you think we could…” She blushed. It was such a feminine response, so sweet. Tory’s heart did a flip. His hands cupped her face. “Yes, Alexandra. I think we could.” Whatever she wanted. Her hands reached up and clasped around his neck. She pulled him closer and pressed her lips to his. He swept his tongue inside, warmth spreading through his chest. It didn’t matter that they just made love on the shuttle. It didn’t matter that the cave was littered with sharp rocks and someone probably waited to kill them. All that mattered was the touch of her mouth, the sweet taste of her breath, the slide of her hands over the small hairs on the back of his neck. Everything else could go to hell. When she moaned, his arms wrapped around her and she clung to him like a vine. Tory. Jezar’s voice broke through the sexual haze. Not now. We’re on our way to you. I thought I’d warn you. “Shit,” he muttered when he tore his mouth away from hers. “We’re about to have company, dear heart.” “Jezar?” “Good guess. We’re connected enough that the intensity of those moments I thought you were dead would have gotten through.” He sighed. “Sorry about that.” She grinned. “I’ll make you pay later,” she murmured against his lips. She brushed his mouth with her tongue and shoved him away. “Help me up. Let’s go greet our rescuers.”
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He flicked tiny rocks and dirt from his pants when he stood and hauled Alex to her feet. She was a little unsteady, but seemed fine. They crept out of the cave and peered up the trail. Jezar and, surprisingly, Tesia stood on the trail, weapons drawn. Tory waved at them and climbed up to the ridge trail. He turned and gave Alex a hand. Tesia stared at them. “You both look like shit.” “Thanks,” Tory shot back. “I figure we look pretty fucking good for a couple who survived Teran One Black Ops.” “Jezar said Alex was dead.” Tesia glared at the Ardasian, who only looked amused. “I said Tory believed she was dead,” Jezar corrected her. “I was afraid he would…be rash.” Tesia rolled her eyes. “Rash? If you loved someone and they looked dead, how would you react?” Jezar raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know. I’ve never loved someone.” “Pretend,” Tesia snapped. “As fascinating as this interchange is, I think we should go,” Tory interrupted. Jezar had no intention of letting it drop. Tory wondered why Tesia’s comments rankled the Ardasian. He guessed that she was only biting at Jezar because he had worried her. Of all people, she might have an inkling of Tory’s connection to Alex. It would concern her that Tory had lost his mate and she didn’t like to be worried about the people she cared about. The Ardasian’s gaze narrowed on Tesia’s face. “When the occasion arises and someone I love appears dead, I’ll make a note of my reaction. How is that?” Tesia glared at him. “You’ll probably make a vid of it. For study.” “Children—” Tory tried to interrupt them again. “What?” they both snapped. Jezar’s mouth was a thin line and Tesia’s face was flushed. What was with these two? “We need to get back to the ship,” he ordered. “Did you see Kera?” Jezar asked. Tory shook his head. “It may be too dangerous now.” “It may be too dangerous not to,” Jezar pointed out. Damn it, he was right. Kera had confirmed sketchy information from Tory’s sources on Teran One before. And she was absolutely trustworthy. Unlike his sources. “I’ll go. Take Alex back and I’ll join you when I’m done.” “No,” Alex snapped. “We go together. I’m not leaving you here.” Tory sighed. “Fine. We’ll all go. Maybe there is safety in numbers.” Alex muttered something under her breath and Tory narrowed his eyes. “What did you say?”
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Jezar answered. “She said ‘There’s no fucking way you’re going to see some Ardasian woman without me.’ I believe those were the words.” Alex glared at Jezar. Tory hid his smile behind his hand and started up the trail. Something has changed between you. Jezar sounded genuinely curious. I believe we are now a team, on the same side. It’s more than that. She is protective, jealous, connected to you. Tory decided to have a little fun with Jezar. Why don’t you ask her? His smile dropped away when Jezar was totally silent. He wouldn’t. Would he? Do you want to know what she said? Jezar’s amused tone irritated Tory. No. If she hasn’t said it to me, then you shouldn’t. I don’t agree. Jezar’s tone was firm, unshakable. She loves you very much, Tory. But she doubts your feelings for her. Yet I know you waited for her, planned for her, thought only of her. She knows that too. Then why does she doubt? Women on Ardasia don’t doubt a man’s love? Are you sure you’re genetically related to us indecisive human beings? I suppose it would seem odd to you, but Ardasians, when they reach the level of intimacy you and Alex have reached, share their thoughts and don’t doubt each other. You’ve told Alex that you love her. Doesn’t she believe you? Tory struggled for the right words. You know how a small plant struggles to the sunlight? It’s tossed on the wind, bowed by the rain. Some new plants don’t make it, even though they have all they need. Love can be like that. It has to survive storms. Very poetic. Tory snorted and Tesia, who walked beside him, socked him in the arm. “Stop having private conversations no one can hear. It’s rude.” “Doesn’t he talk to you, Tesia?” “No. I won’t let him,” she said firmly and strode ahead of him, alert and watchful. She is afraid of me. Jezar seemed hurt by this. Why? I don’t know. I have…respected her wishes and stayed out of her mind. Tory shot a curious glance at his friend. Normally, he’d give him a bad time, remind him of the times Tory had told Jezar to get out of his head and he hadn’t. But something in the way he referred to Tesia made Tory keep his mouth and his thoughts shut. Instead, he changed the subject. “How did the two of you get here so fast?”
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That didn’t seem to be a better subject, since Tory noted Tesia’s lips tightened and Jezar’s face had a blank expression. “We borrowed a hovercycle. I sent a mental message to the owner to come get it when we arrived.” “You stole it,” Tesia snapped. “I appropriated it and returned it,” Jezar said tightly. “And that’s not what bothered you about our bike ride.” Tesia’s inhaled with a sharp hiss. “You promised to stay out of my mind.” “I didn’t get that from your mind,” Jezar said. “What does that mean?” Tesia seemed incensed. “Ardasians can read body language too,” he replied. “I am not having this conversation with you.” Tesia shut her mouth and strode ahead of all of them. “You’re poking a tiger,” Tory mused, his gaze following Tesia to make sure she was all right. Jezar glared at him. “She lies to herself and to me.” “Maybe so, but pointing it out isn’t going to win you points.” His friend’s expression was bleak. “Don’t I know it.” No more Teran One goons greeted them as they reached the top of the falls and crossed the bridge. Tory noted that the hoverbike Jezar and Tesia had used to reach the falls was indeed gone. The hovertaxi Tory and Alex had used was still waiting for them, though. Alex gave the falls one long look and sighed before she allowed Tory to take her hand and lead her back to civilization. In the taxi, the four of them remained silent, though Tory wondered if Jezar was carrying on a conversation with Alex. Kera’s home was near the edge of the capital city tucked away in a small grove of giant trees. She met them at the door. “Tory! I am so glad to see you’re alive. I tried to get a message to warn you but I was too late.” His old friend clasped his hands. “You must come in. Time is running out. You’re going to have to save us all.”
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Chapter Eleven Jealousy wasn’t an emotion Alex was too familiar with. This churning, pointless anger directed at a person she didn’t even know felt uncomfortable and new. But Kera was stunning. Tall and willowy with big breasts and a slender waist, she was every woman’s nightmare and every man’s wet dream. Her long, blonde hair drifted down her back like a silk nightie and her dainty feet were hugged by an expensive-looking pair of ridiculously high heels. And the hands that clasped Tory’s were perfectly shaped and manicured. Difficult not to hate a gorgeous bitch like that. Especially since she and Tory seemed so…close. They are old friends. Jezar informed her. La-di-fucking-da. She needs to get her hands off him. Now. The woman’s gaze met hers, a faint smile on her perfect lips and her green eyes bright. Alex took a deep breath and sought calm. Five years was a long time. Did she think he’d been a monk? But still, she didn’t want to run into his old lovers. “Kera, this is my mate, Commander Alex Zeerah,” Tory said and he placed a possessive hand on her shoulder. The assessing glance of the woman held no trace of jealousy or competition. In fact— Alex blinked. It couldn’t be. Let’s just say Tory has more to worry about than you do. Jezar’s amused tone confirmed what she’d been thinking. Kera didn’t lean Tory’s way. And the way she was stripping Alex with her gaze was a bit uncomfortable. Alex shivered. The woman had a seductive power Alex couldn’t deny. If Tory weren’t her mate… Why the hell didn’t he just tell me? She fumed. Perhaps he thought he was being discreet. Though Kera wears her sexuality on her sleeve, I think Tory may have thought she might want some privacy about it. And let me think he was fucking her? If you believed it, he would not betray a friend to convince you otherwise. He told you she was a friend. To him, that explained it. Jezar’s tone was amused. I didn’t say it was smart. Tory cleared his throat. “You know why we’re here.” Kera’s gaze lingered on Alex for a moment longer and she sighed. “Yes.” The woman’s gaze slid to Tesia. The same seductive perusal Kera had given Alex made the engineer flush bright red. “Norlan contacted me. The box is contained in a level-five security laboratory.” Her green eyes hardened into small glass chips. “Would you like to know what I’ve seen?”
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“No,” Tory answered immediately. “But we don’t have a choice. We can’t fly blind anymore. It’s too dangerous.” The woman nodded and waved them inside her spacious home. As if Kera weren’t sexy enough, her home was a visual assault on the senses. It seemed to celebrate the female form. A statue of a well-endowed naked woman with her hands raised to the ceiling in supplication dominated the hallway. There was no place to look in the entryway or the living area where they finally sat down that wasn’t profoundly distracting. Alex found her attention caught by a painting of a woman’s vagina, open, glistening, clearly aroused. Somehow the artist had captured a powerful moment in the female body and, instead of it being a clinical depiction, it was beautiful. She shot a glance at Tory. How could any man be in this house and not be aroused? He can’t. Jezar answered her unspoken question, his mental tone smooth and silky. His own excitement spoke clearly in his voice inside her head. “The bridge is the best way,” Kera said out loud. “You could just tell us.” Tory’s reluctance was in every syllable. What the hell was a bridge? Whatever it was, Tory didn’t want to do it. “What is the bridge?” Alex asked. “Kera would join the minds as one. She can only bridge between two other minds, but for a short time, those two minds would be joined with each other and with hers,” Jezar answered. A muscle in Tory’s jaw jumped and Alex could tell he didn’t like it. “Joined? How?” “Even when an Ardasian touches your mind, Alex, we are only picking through thoughts on the surface of your mind, those thoughts you consciously think.” Jezar kept his gaze on Kera. “With the bridge, an Ardasian facilitates a connection that goes deeper. It’s a quick way, a better way, to pass information. Especially something as complicated as a vision of the future.” Alex wanted to ask Tory why he was afraid to do this thing. Maybe afraid wasn’t the word. She stared at him. “Tory?” A million questions in one word. He met her gaze. “It gives you no place to hide, Alex. And it’s temporary, but it’s designed to be…addictive.” “You’ve done this before?” Had he done this with someone before? The idea made her feel depressed. “No,” he said slowly. “But I’ve seen others who have. It…changes things.” He seemed to be groping for words. Alex wasn’t sure what to think. “Are you afraid I’ll know some secrets you don’t want me to know?” That’s what it had to be. He didn’t want her to know him. It hurt and her chest tightened. Surprisingly, his blue eyes blazed and he placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’m afraid that you’ll misinterpret what you see there. We aren’t Ardasians, used to the background noise, the bits of information that leak from us all the time.” 83
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Her chin rose. “I can handle it.” He sighed. “I don’t know if I can.” She stared at him. “You’re not afraid of me finding something. You’re afraid of what I’m thinking.” He dropped his hands and turned his back. “Yes.” That decided her. She glanced at Kera. “Do it.” Tory’s fists were clenched but he turned to face Kera, side by side with Alex. Kera reached out and put a long, slender hand on the side of their necks, her fingers warm. Sparks of electricity crackled along Alex’s nerves. Her eyes closed and a whirl of thoughts and feelings spun around her mind. First, connect with Tory. Once the bridge is completed, I can share the vision with both of you. Kera’s sexy voice was even more seductive in Alex’s mind. Dangerous, that’s what Kera was. The woman’s chuckle only increased Alex’s discomfort. The connection with Tory was an odd thing, like walking in a dimly lit forest, shapes and colors muted and hard to see. It slowly began to get a little brighter and soon she was hearing thoughts that weren’t her own. Lines of tightly wound thoughts tempted her like passageways in a fascinating maze. Tory’s mind was orderly, straightforward. His thoughts followed straight lines, all categorized and filed. Only one tangled skein seemed to twist and bend. Of course, that’s the one she wanted to delve into. With her mind, she reached out and touched the tangled mass of thoughts. It flooded her with warmth, fear, desire. In the background was a mass of snippets all about her. Tory constantly thought of her, her physical beauty, her courage—all the things he admired about her. For the first time, Alex saw herself the way he saw her. It wasn’t just a mirror image, but a painting filled with color and emotion. In the tangles lay the pain of rejection, the years of anguish he spent alone, drifting, without her. The anger was there too, a red, raw wound of pain covered by resentment. The rage at her willingness to believe him a traitor, the anger at her sense of duty and honor that overrode her feelings. The thoughts swirled around her, brushing her like strands of seaweed. It took a moment to get the hang of it, but Alex figured out how to move the strings, separating them, focusing on one at a time until they were unraveled. She untangled the strings one by one until she reached the one in the center, the straight one, the one that the others wrapped around. She touched it and emotion slammed into her like a freight train. Love. He loved her. Beyond reason, beyond the anger, beyond the pain. He loved her. And he risked anything and everything to save her, even from himself. The thought was clear—he felt she wouldn’t return his feelings, not like this. How wrong he was.
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But fear struck her. What if he didn’t find the same thing in her? Her love wasn’t like this, was it? Tenuous and fragile, her love for him had never been straightforward or clear. Would he be disappointed? She touched the skein again. Such a precious gift. The other strands wrapped around her, each with a little bit of Tory in it. Memories of men he’d lost, women he’d sought mindless comfort with, all swirled around her now. None of the women he’d slept with had made much of an impression. The loneliness, the emotional wasteland, of those five years was fresh and strong. When he’d said there was no other woman he’d wanted, he had been telling her the truth. She delved deeper, oblivious to the outside world, wanting to explore this internal landscape. Twisted among the strands were his fantasies, his darkest sexual desires. There she saw visions that both disturbed her and excited her. In these mental pictures, she was restrained, hung on a rack like the one in his quarters. She wore nipple clamps and Tory held a wicked-looking whip that sliced through the air and hit her skin. She shuddered with anticipation. Like flickers of light, the pictures clicked to the forefront and then disappeared to be replaced by another. She could see in them a dark, sexual need that she’d only glimpsed in Tory. Needs that didn’t appall her or offend her but filled her with shivering excitement. Her physical body responded, her pulse pounding. Alexandra? Tory’s voice, strong and clear, snapped her away from the sensual slide show. Tory. I…did what you find disappoint you? I was…surprised. She caught the vision of what he’d found. To him, instead of lines and strands, he found whirlwinds and waves of her thoughts that were difficult to catch, to understand. But, just as she had, he found the foundation, the rock of emotion that fueled all the rest. Though surrounded by doubt, depicted by an ocean of water, her love for him was solid and calm. I was too. Tory, there’s so much— We do not have time, my dears. Kera’s voice intruded on them. Show us, Kera. Tory’s mind wrapped around hers and they merged to accept the visions Kera would show them. An explosion of color in her mind rocked her and she winced. Light, bright light, stung her eyes for a minute and she squinted, trying to see. Then she wished she hadn’t. Again, the moment in the shuttle bay appeared just as the Judge of Light had shown her. This time, Alex didn’t fire on Tory, didn’t kill him as she had in the vision she’d seen. This time, Darius fired on her. She felt the impact, the stunned, shattered expression on Tory’s face, the cold hand of death. The vision shifted and she had a view of Teran Two, desolate and empty, dead bodies everywhere. She had a vision of Teran Four burning and destroyed, bodies littering the streets. A vision of Teran One, her home, people screaming, human beings changed into flesh-eating monsters, explosions
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and destruction everywhere. The wails of the dying screeched through her mind and she clasped her hands over her ears. She saw Ardasia empty of life, the great Olani Falls fouled by dead flesh. Tears streamed down her face and she gasped for breath. So much death and destruction. Arms wrapped around her and she pressed her face against the solid wall of Tory’s chest. He held her close and her hands clutched at him to hang on, to stop the screaming in her head. The visions were gone. She lifted her gaze and stared into Tory’s face, his brow wrinkled with worry. “I can’t feel you anymore.” It was like a piece of her missing. “The bridge is temporary, held by Kera’s connection to us. She’s passed on the vision.” “How do we stop it? We have to stop it.” Her voice rose, panic bubbling in her stomach. “I don’t know,” Tory said. Kera broke in, her features tight and her color drained. “There are several fulcrums on which the future hinges.” Her gaze met Alex’s. “Like the vision of the hangar that the Judge of Light showed you, the future can be shifted and changed.” “It’s that moment in the shuttle bay that changes everything,” Alex said. In the first vision, Darius had killed Tory after she stunned him. In this vision, Darius killed her. “Why was that moment so important?” Kera’s gaze focused on Alex. “The outcome from your death or Tory’s death meant the end of Teran One, possibly the end of all the Teran planets. The vision you saw now is only possible if one of you dies.” Tesia, who had said nothing since they entered Kera’s home, asked, “What exactly did you see?” Jezar met her gaze. “Would you like to see it?” A wary expression shuttered Tesia’s eyes. “How?” “I can share it.” His tone revealed nothing, but Alex caught something between them she couldn’t grasp. She shot a glance at Tory, who shrugged. Tesia’s lips tightened. “I don’t like it.” The way Jezar’s lids drooped over his eyes seemed to show he was offended by Tesia’s doubt. “Kera has expended too much energy to create another bridge. It is better if I do it.” The engineer took a deep breath and nodded. Jezar’s fingers brushed Tesia’s neck and the woman stiffened, her eyes closed. A few minutes later, she jerked away from his touch and turned her back. “Thank you,” she said the words through gritted teeth. Alex didn’t think she sounded grateful and Jezar’s expression seemed disturbed as well.
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Kera grinned. It was a feral smile. “It is difficult to share without revealing oneself.” “You didn’t,” Alex blurted out. “I am an adept Visionary. I see the future.” Kera nodded at Jezar. “He also glimpses the future, but is less adept at sharing it with others, especially humans.” Jezar’s nostrils flared but he said nothing. Whatever happened between Jezar and Tesia hadn’t been personally pleasant. The vision was bad enough without weird personal shit thrown in. Alex shook her head. They had bigger problems. “How do we avoid that confrontation with Darius?” she asked Kera. The woman’s color had returned. “Your loyalty will be tested, Alexandra Zeerah. Loyalty to your mate, loyalty to your planet and loyalty to your race. All of these will be strained to the very edge of your limitation.” “You’re saying the confrontation can’t be avoided.” “I’m saying what precedes the confrontation is not set in stone. What you do before Darius appears in that shuttle bay could determine the future of humanity.” Great, thought Alex. No pressure.
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Chapter Twelve The air was clean and fresh and Alex inhaled deeply when they stepped outside Kera’s house. The woman’s home had been oppressive and draining. Several emotions flitted through Alex. There were only so many discoveries she could take. “What now?” she asked Tory. “There’s something I want to show you before we leave Ardasia,” Tory said, his arm slipping around her shoulders. Tesia still spoke very little, her face troubled and strained. Alex touched her arm and the woman seemed startled. “Are you okay, Tesia?” “That vision…” Her lips pursed together. “I know.” “I’m scared,” she murmured. Jezar shot her a glance and his hand rose, but dropped back to his side almost immediately. “We had to know. There has to be something we can do.” Alex allowed Tory to guide her to the taxi still waiting in Kera’s long driveway. “Don’t think about it for a little while. We’ll go through it all when we get back.” Tory pulled her closer to him in the backseat of the hovercar. “Right now, let’s just enjoy Ardasia’s capital city. We still have an hour.” Alex knew an hour wouldn’t be near enough time when she realized where Tory had brought them. The Ardasian History Museum was famous all over the galaxy. It had artifacts from all over the system, including some from Old Earth. When Tory glimpsed her face, he grinned. “I knew you’d love this place.” “I’ve heard of it. I can’t wait to see the Old Earth artifacts.” “The history they’ve preserved here is amazing,” Jezar told her. “Our own origins are not very clear, but our archeologists speculate that we were colonists from Old Earth centuries before the plague descended on the planet.” “Really?” Alex’s brain whirled as they entered the huge building. She didn’t know where to look first. Several corridors marked with enticing symbols called to her. There was one dedicated to the Teran system. What would they have there? Another one was dedicated to Placido, a planet abandoned by a lost people. “Where do you want to start?” Tory asked her. Tesia spoke up. “I’m dying to see the excavation results of Placido.” “We can split up,” Jezar commented. “Come. I’ll know a bit about Placido. It’s fascinating.” Tesia followed him, listening and looking enthralled.
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“Old Earth. I want to see what they have there.” To figure out what the future held, she had to delve back into the past. Tory nodded. “Old Earth it is.” He took her arm and they strolled down the corridor and walked centuries into the past. Some artifacts she recognized. The Ardasians even had an old automobile from the twentieth century on Earth. Bigger and bulkier than the hovercars used by humans on Teran and Ardasia, she wondered how ancient humans managed to deal with the noise and the smell of combustion. But the section she wanted to see was the display on the last days, before Earth was quarantined. On Teran One, their historical facts were passed down through vid memories, not actual artifacts from the time period. Surprisingly, the Ardasians had actual vids of the days of the plague. She found the one she wanted and pressed the “play” button. Her hand found Tory’s. What they saw now could be a portent of things to come. Static crackled but the vid cleared. The narrator had an emotionless, passionless delivery. Perhaps the impact of his words made him numb. “In Earth year 2260 A.D., the political leaders of the nations finally obtained a peace treaty after a millennium of warfare and destruction. But their peace was short-lived. A plague released by an alien force called the Huacan infected two-thirds of the Earth’s population. Several colonies escaped and terraformed five planets, moons that orbited the Melida Star in the Teran system, but most of Earth’s population was overcome. The last survivors on Earth were rescued by an Ardasian envoy.” The vid switched to a gruesome scene. A small army of humans faced thousands, maybe millions, of plague-infected monsters. The battle was brutal, with the small army showing bravery and courage. But the infected humans were strong, incapable of feeling, and outnumbered them a hundred to one. The death and destruction sickened even a battle-hardened soldier like Alex. She made herself watch even as the plague-ravaged creatures swamped the small army’s positions and ripped them apart with their bare hands and teeth. Especially teeth. It was disgusting. She’d thought disintegrators were the worst way to be killed but this was much, much worse. The vid closed in on one pocket of resistance. A woman, blonde hair flying in the wind, her ancient weapon firing projectiles into the mass of bodies attacking, screamed a battle cry and stood alone, all her comrades dead and bloody at her feet. Suddenly, an Ardasian warship appeared and lifted her out of the battle. Alex wanted to cheer. The vid showed other rescues and how they came to Ardasia. “These humans were immune to the plague of Old Earth. A small force of these humans returned to Earth and defeated the Huacan. But to defeat them, the Earth’s surface was made uninhabitable for humans and Huacan alike. The surviving humans scattered throughout the Teran system and some settled on Ardasia.” Several pictures of these humans appeared on the vid. The blonde woman from the battle was listed as a Commander Darina Stanton.
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“She led the Earth forces against the Huacan.” Tory stared at her and then at the blonde woman. “She settled here, mated with an Ardasian and had three children.” “She looks so familiar but we don’t have pictures of her when she was young.” Alex studied the strong features. Darina Stanton had been a beautiful woman. She glanced at Tory. He studied her just as intently. “You’ve studied the ancient bloodlines on Teran One. Name the Firsts.” Alex blinked. “You wanted me to see this.” “Yes. I remember that the Gregor, Zeerah and Stender bloodlines were a few of the Firsts. Who else?” He was headed somewhere with this but she couldn’t see where it was. “The Sollys, the Orions and the Nylans. Six,” she said. “There were six primary bloodlines.” “And some of them came later. Like mine.” He held her gaze. “The Ingles came when the first Stender fought for and ascended the throne.” She should know. She had studied Tory’s bloodline intently. It was in her nature. The Ingles had played a small but important part in the Stenders coming to power. And without Zachias Stender, the six families might have destroyed themselves. “And who else is in your bloodline, Alex?” “What do you mean?” “I mean, other bloodlines have been absorbed into the Zeerah line. Which ones?” She chewed on her thumbnail, thinking hard. Intermarriage was common and lesser bloodlines combined with more powerful ones. Often, lesser lines disappeared, becoming a part of an older, stronger line. The Zeerahs hadn’t incorporated many other lines since they were connected to the royal family and less likely to “marry down”. It was one of the reasons her family had objected to Tory. “Well, a Zeerah mated with a woman named Sabine Dudley. She was listed as a visitor from Teran Five.” Slowly, Tory shook his head. “No. She wasn’t a Teran Five.” He flicked a few buttons on a keyboard station near the vid display. “Look.” A genetic chart filled the screen. Alex studied the information, used to reading gene charts. She was adept at reading odd connections and notations. This one was no different than the ones on Teran One. At the top of the chart was the name Darina Stanton married to…she peered at the name, unable to quite believe what she was seeing. Married to an Abel Dudley. “Dudley is an Ardasian name?” She blinked. “It’s also an Old Earth name,” Tory told her. She frowned. “I don’t understand.” “Jezar has told me that Ardasians don’t know where they originally come from, that their early history on this planet was almost completely lost.” Tory glanced at the genetic chart. “But when their greatest Seer had a vision of Old Earth’s destruction, the Ardasian government speculated that they had come from Earth.” He pointed to 90
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several names. “These are Ardasian names that can be found in Old Earth’s annals.” He stopped on one name. “What does this notation mean?” She pointed to a symbol that appeared beside Darina’s name and several of her descendents. “It’s a genetic marker.” Tory pointed to Darina’s name. “She was immune to the plague that destroyed Old Earth humans.” Alex’s gaze snapped to his face. “Immune?” “Immune,” he said, no trace of humor. “Entire bloodlines are immune.” “I don’t understand.” “A small part of the human population carries a gene making them immune to the effects of a deadly plague that killed millions.” “And you think I may be one of them.” “I am.” She stared at him. He seemed quite serious. “How do you know?” “Kera suggested a few years ago that I have a genetic workup done on Ardasia. Not only am I immune to the plague but I’m descended from some of those last fighters on Old Earth who settled here.” He switched the chart to a different one. Another Dudley but this one was Cano Dudley, not Abel. “Cano mated with another female soldier who survived that day. I’m descended from them.” He pointed to a fork three generations past Cano Dudleay. “This is Arden Ingle. He immigrated to Teran Five and then to Teran One.” He caught Alex’s glance. “He carried the gene.” “I’m so confused. What does this gene have to do with the civil war on Teran One?” “Think, Alex. What bloodlines are being eliminated on Teran One?” Tory’s voice was hard and cold. “My line, carrying the gene marker making us immune to the Old Earth plague. Your line, carrying the same gene. And finally, the ruling family, who, incidentally, has intermarried with your line and mine several times over the last hundred and fifty years.” He focused back on his genetic history, his bloodline. “All the bloodlines that could resist the plague are being systematically destroyed.” “But why?” He didn’t glance at her. “To control the survivors.” “That’s why they had me transport the vials.” Suddenly, it all made sense. Even if there had been a breach, she was immune. But anyone else would be infected—and probably would have eliminated her for them. She started to shake. Someone was playing God. To release the plague on a planet was to doom it. To survive the plague didn’t necessarily mean survival, since the plague created zombies. Tory’s arm wrapped around her shoulders. It suddenly seemed very cold and she couldn’t stop shivering. The idea that anyone, human or otherwise, would release a deadly plague on whole planets and murder those who might survive was abhorrent.
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“You wouldn’t die from exposure, but anyone else who tampered with it would.” His body heat wasn’t enough. She thought she’d never feel warm again. The idea that someone, anyone human or otherwise, would do this seemed inconceivable. “Are you absolutely positive that the containment box had plague vials?” “The Ardasians confirmed it.” Tory turned her away from the display on the plague. “I know you don’t want to believe it, but it’s a fact. Someone has a plan and it doesn’t involve a lot of survivors. I think whoever it is didn’t count on the Ardasians helping us. Perhaps they hoped no one would know until it was too late.” He led her to a different display. The corridor that laid out Old Earth history ended at a long perpendicular hallway, one ran left, one ran right. “To the left, Ardasian history from its inception. To the right, Teran system history. Take your pick.” Alex took a deep breath. “I’d like to see the Ardasian history.” He smiled, the first she’d seen in a while. “Good choice.” It was amazing. Every artifact and display was dated with an Ardasian date and with an Old Earth date, still used by the Terans in their current planetary dating. She stared at the earliest artifact, which was dated Old Earth 900 BC. It was an ancient machine, something from Old Earth that the new Teran planets had never preserved. She glanced at Tory. “They call it a Gahnat. Do you know what it is?” “It’s an ancient computer.” Tory peered closer. “The story is that a handful of early Old Earthlings made it here and settled. How and why they don’t know. Apparently, some great catastrophe struck them and they lost much of their technological knowledge before they arrived. The myth is they wandered in space for a generation and found this planet when all hope was almost lost. This is all they could preserve after landing.” “Why do they think they come from Old Earth?” She gazed at the other artifacts grouped around it. None of them seemed familiar. “Genetics,” Tory answered her question and pointed to a gene chart. Less specific than the one they’d seen earlier, it did show prominent names, leaders, who were genetically connected to Old Earth DNA. “At some point, the Ardasians began to trace their origins. Something led them to Old Earth—a myth, a forgotten legend, something. They began to study Earthlings.” He led her to another display. “Early Ardasian history mentions an alien race that saved their early civilization from destruction. Interbreeding with them began to produce Ardasians with mental gifts. They developed those talents, honed them, bred for them. Then, they began to have visions. Too late to save the Earth, but they did help to get the Teran planets colonized.” She gazed at a prominent display of a tall, beautiful, dark-haired woman. The years below her picture showed she’d been twenty-three when she died. “Who is this?” “Lyra. The great Seer. She told the Judges of Ardasia to save Old Earth, to rescue Darina Stanton and her people.” Tory held Alex’s hand. “If it wasn’t for her, you and I
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wouldn’t be here. She saw the destruction coming. She was too late to save Earth, but she helped stop the plague from spreading. She died trying to save us.” Sacrifice. So much of the Ardasian history was sacrifice for Old Earth, for their ancestors, for a people they didn’t know. Now they were sacrificing again. “Jezar signed up with you because of the vision,” she blurted out. She didn’t know if she wanted to talk about what happened at Kera’s home. The bridge, the merging of their minds, the discoveries in his thoughts were so raw and emotional, she wasn’t sure she wanted to explore them. “Yes, he did.” Tory stopped at a bench, sat down and gently pulled her into his lap. “When you’re ready, Alexandra, we can discuss what we saw.” She knew he didn’t mean the vision. He meant the strands, the tangled skein of thoughts she’d unwound to reveal the core of him. His love for her. She wanted to share the joy she’d felt when she touched it, stroked it. But she was terrified of what he’d found. Or rather, what he might not have found. “Would you like me to start?” he asked her softly. “I don’t know.” She didn’t know what it all meant. He was her mate. Would their revelations change that? No. She took a deep breath. “I found the core, the love for me that stands in your center.” “And it frightened you,” he said and she felt his withdrawal. She clasped his face in her hands. “No, not at all. It…shamed me.” He blinked. “Shamed you?” She brushed the hair away from his face. “Not once, in five years of agony, did you doubt the love you felt for me. But I—” She couldn’t look at him, see the disappointment, the hurt on his face. “Yes, let’s talk about what I saw,” he said and his fingers gripped her chin and forced her to face him. “I said it was an ocean, a strong, steady ocean, with waves of emotion crashing on a shore of shifting sand. But there was rock there, Alex. Around it, a flood of fear and guilt, but the rock was solid. That rock was your love for me. It was buried, battered but you held onto it. In the face of overwhelming grief and pain, you kept it strong and looming in your sea of fear.” Tears pricked her eyes. “I let so many things come between us.” “We are together now, my Saria.” Once she had thought that word was a shackle, an insult. But she realized what it meant. It meant she belonged to him. And he to her. Mutual nullification. He loved her. She brushed his lips with hers. “I am your Saria. Until my death or yours.” The ancient words flowed from her and from the way the color drained from his face and his hands shook as he pulled her closer, they rocked Tory to the core. “Get a room,” Tesia’s voice boomed in the corridor. Rather than jump away from him, Alex kissed Tory gently. “We will. Thanks.” The engineer sighed noisily. 93
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“We should get going,” Jezar announced. “Dink will be expecting us back.” Leaving the museum, Alex wondered what corridors would be added. Perhaps humanity would be a lost and forgotten culture like Placido, the deserted planet.
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Chapter Thirteen The trip back to the launch pad was uneventful and Tory tried to relax in the moment instead of focusing on the future. It wasn’t going to be easy. The issue had gone from one planetary civil war to a plan for genocide. He ran through the prominent names on his list of possible suspects on Teran One. Who would want power, not just on Teran One, but on the other Teran planets as well? Even someone who wanted to rule all human planets would balk at destroying a majority of the population to do it. Wouldn’t they? Tory shut out the noise around him as he and Alex negotiated the huge shuttle bay. What had his father told him? A truly great leader plans not for his personal future but for his children. To ensure a bloodline takes a generation or more. He was looking for someone who had been planning for a very long time and who had no hope of power for himself, just for his bloodline. The rival families had a stake, but none of them had been prominent lately. At least, according to Tory’s sources. But Tory wasn’t sure about his sources anymore. He and Alex parted ways with Jezar and Tesia. Tory went through the motions, checking through the systems of the shuttle to prepare for takeoff. Alex hadn’t said much either. Granted, she’d had to absorb a lot of information. He’d been stunned when Kera revealed his bloodline, his connection to Ardasian history. Once again, a select group of humans stood against a faceless enemy. He could only hope the Ardasian scientists found a cure for those who didn’t carry the gene. The person behind all this had to be someone who not only carried the gene, but knew about it. Damn. Why hadn’t he thought of this before? Planning. A generation of planning. He flicked on his com link. “Please connect me to Kera Alstar.” “Connecting,” a voice responded. He waited. They needed a direction, a name, something before they headed back into Teran space. “Tory? What do you need?” Kera’s warm voice filled the cockpit. “A name. It’s going to take a while. Can you access Teran visitors for the last forty years?” “What am I looking for?” “Someone who accessed the bloodline charts about the plague gene. The person we’re looking for has to know it exists. The only evidence of that is on Ardasia.” “You’re assuming this person didn’t read the data somewhere.”
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“This isn’t common data, Kera. Someone knows specifics, the bloodlines with the gene and the ones without it.” Alex spoke up. “And it has to be someone who also has the gene. That means they’re on the charts.” Tory shot a glance at his mate. She followed his line of reasoning so quickly. He loved that. For a moment, he was distracted by the way her fingers threaded through her hair as she braided the long strands. He preferred it down, but something about when she restrained it turned him on. She caught his eye and smiled. What was it about her that made the blood drain from his brain to his dick? He shook his head. “We don’t have time,” he muttered. They had to get back to his ship and make plans to decoy the buyer. “What was that?” Kera asked him. “Nothing. Let me know what you find out. Thanks, Kera.” A sigh came over the com. “Watch your back, Tory. I don’t like the murky visions I’m getting.” “Will do.” Alex had flicked on the engines and run through most of the checklist while he’d talked to Kera and they lifted off the launch pad. “Where’s Jezar?” He searched the grid on the screen for the signature of the other shuttle. “They took off ahead of us.” Alex adjusted the engine speed. Tory sat back and watched her. Behind the console of a ship, Alex was graceful and confident, like when she made love. Her fingers flew over the buttons and her focus reminded him of when she took his cock in her mouth—complete concentration. Great. Now, he had a monster hard-on. He’d probably get one every time she flew a ship too. He turned his attention back to the grid screen and his pulse leapt a little faster. Shit. “We’ve got company.” Alex’s gaze jerked to the grid. She swiveled in her chair and increased their speed. Tory focused on getting the weapons hot. The shuttle had great shielding but the weapons were not fighter material. They were more defensive than offensive. We could use a little help. Jezar’s strained voice reached Tory. “Jezar and Tesia are taking fire,” he told Alex. They worked silently, preparing the shuttle for a fight with Teran One fighters. The first blast came from their port side and out of view of their screen. It rocked the shuttle and alarms blared, piercing his eardrums. Damn it. The shield held, but the fighters were using a resonator. Which meant when they fired on the shields, the whole fucking ship vibrated. They would be ripped apart. He had to drop the damned shield. “Alex—”
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“I know. I’m on it. Let me adjust the shields. I can—” Another shot rattled them so hard Alex was flung out of her seat. “Shit. I can change the frequency of the shield’s resonance—” “Don’t explain it to me, just do it.” He had his hands full with the navigation, keeping the ship from plunging planetside. Another shot slammed him forward into the console and sharp pain in his lip was followed by the copper taste of his own blood. Pain came next but he ignored it, his mind focused on keeping the ship on course. “Got it.” Alex pressed a button just as another blast left the Teran One fighter. The shield didn’t absorb the shot. It reflected it. The fighter wasn’t prepared and the ship exploded. “Brace yourself,” Tory ordered and he slammed the shields back up. Some debris still hit the shuttle, the sound of metal on metal screeching through the cabin. “We’ve got another one coming.” “Engine two is down.” “Adjusting.” “That next fighter isn’t going to use a resonator.” “I hope not. I’ve got the shields back up,” he told her. The weapons light came on. Finally, they were up and running. “Weapons hot.” “I can’t get a lock.” “They’re firing.” He hoped Alex was right and they didn’t fire a resonator again. If they did, the shuttle would sustain a lot of damage. But he couldn’t leave them exposed in case the other ship had communicated with the one they destroyed. He could only hope Jezar had gotten back to the ship. There had been no mental connection since Jezar had gone to his own shuttle. The blast slammed into the shields. They had used a disintegrator. Thank the stars. “No damage to the shields. Got a lock?” “Got it. Firing.” Alex fired, the weapon flared against the dark and hit the fighter. It dropped from view. “Where is it?” Alex demanded. The blip on the grid spiraled toward Ardasia’s orbit. “It’s gone planetside.” “You’d better warn them.” “Ardasia, this is Shuttle One of The Pinnacle. There is a disabled ship hitting your orbit.” “Acknowledged. Planetary defenses have been activated.” Tory watched the blip on the grid disappear. Just…disappear. Whatever the Ardasians did, it worked. We made it back to the ship. Jezar’s voice caused a flood of relief to wash over Tory. 97
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Damage? Minimal, though Tesia is quite upset. Oh? What did you do? For a few moments, Tory thought Jezar wasn’t going to answer him. Clearly he and Tesia had…something going on between them. Finally, Jezar answered him. I created a mental connection with her. Something deeper than the one you have with me, I presume. There was nothing upsetting about the communication he had with Jezar. It had to be something different. Though Tory was aware there were several levels of connection for the Ardasians, he didn’t know the implications of most of them. She is…uncomfortable with my thoughts. So lock them up. What was wrong with him? They had bigger things to worry about than his complicated relationship with the ship’s engineer. It’s…not that simple. It never is. What do you want me to do? I don’t know. It was so rare to hear those three words from Jezar that, for a moment, Tory was at a loss. He glanced at Alex, busy at the controls. Hang on, Jezar. “I have a question for you, dear heart.” “What’s that?” “Say the bridge connection happened in a moment crisis.” She frowned and shot him a glare. “You mean it didn’t?” “Think of the fire fight we were just in.” “Jezar bridged with Tesia?” She shook her head. “Idiot.” “It’s done. What can he do to make her comfortable?” Alex snorted. “Grovel.” Tory grinned. “I don’t think so. You women say you want a man to grovel, but you don’t respect a man who does.” She laughed, her golden eyes dancing. “Okay, you’re right. I don’t know about Tesia, but I’d need some reassurance that puts everything in perspective. Being aware of another person’s thoughts can be overwhelming. And it depends on what she found out too,” she said, the smile dropping from face. “He’d better figure it out himself.” Tory nodded. “So, he’s on his own.” “I wouldn’t get in the middle of that tornado. Tesia doesn’t strike me as someone who is going to appreciate any interference.” One side of her mouth lifted in a smile. “I wouldn’t.” Tory? Little help here. Jezar sounded desperate. You’re on your own, buddy. Sorry.
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Alex kept her gaze averted. “I imagine Tesia found out some stuff she wasn’t ready for.” He longed to touch her, but thought it best to let her alone. The bridge had been a revelation for both of them. Normally, they could have revealed themselves to each other slowly, tentatively. The mental connection ripped through the walls that they both hid behind. Even though they both found a solid ground to stand on, the connection wasn’t comfortable. Too much information too fast meant no time to process the things revealed. And it didn’t eliminate doubt about the other person’s feelings. Human beings were too complicated and the maze of emotion didn’t make for clear answers. “I imagine she did.” He wondered if Alex found out things she wasn’t ready for, but he was afraid to ask. “I wasn’t ready for what I found,” she answered his unspoken question and his chest tightened. He had suspected she’d been surprised and confused by their connection, still it hurt to hear her say it. She continued, “But if we hadn’t connected, I might have doubted you to the very end.” Finally, her gaze met his. “I couldn’t believe, after everything I’d done, that you could love me.” He stared at her. Was that true? He thought about the fear and guilt surrounding the rock-solid emotion of her love for him. Perhaps, it was true. “There was nothing you could have done to change that, Alexandra. It has gotten more complicated, a little twisted—” “That’s exactly what I saw,” she said excitedly. “A twisted skein, tangled, complicated.” He nodded. “I know this isn’t how you wanted to be courted—” Her hand reached out and stroked his cheek. “I don’t care how.” “I wanted to do it our way, with the contract and the ceremonies.” He knew women on his planet loved the ritual, the safety of the courtship rites. She would miss that. “Did you know that I had never asked for a Courtship Contract before you and none after you left?” He blinked. What? But men must have been clamoring to court her, possess her. “No, I didn’t.” “Why do you think my father and my brother objected so strongly?” She smiled. “They both knew I’d made up my mind to have you.” Stunned, he found that words failed him. Damn it, he didn’t want to be navigating a fucking shuttle right now. He wanted to get his mate naked and do things to her she’d only glimpsed. Up to now, he’d given her a taste of his dark, delicious intentions. All those years of searching for a sexual release, frustrated without her, thwarted from having her were going to pay off. If he could stop flying the damn shuttle and touch her. She met his gaze and grinned. “I love it when you’re speechless.”
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Fuck the shuttle. His hand whipped out and yanked her out of her chair into his lap. He plundered her mouth, reveling in the sweet softness and marveled that she was his. All his. She broke the kiss and slid off his lap. “I think I’ll keep us from crashing,” she told him, laughter lacing her tone. The sound he made was feral and involuntary. She reduced him to a fucking animal. He focused on getting the damn ship docked so he could rush her back to their quarters. No more fighters appeared as they traveled the rest of the way and docked in the bay of The Pinnacle. He’d managed to get blood back to his brain but it was a near thing. Once they stepped off the shuttle, he had one thing in mind. Unfortunately, he was a Commander on a vessel supposedly carrying a level-four containment box that every Teran government clamoring to get their hands on. The minute his feet hit the bay, Pulzer was by his side with several communiqués for him to inspect. Alex walked by his side, her silent, fluid grace solid and comforting. The bidding had continued despite the general announcement that it was closed. The message from Teran Four was clear. Take their bids or be boarded by Teran Four soldiers. Teran Five was less aggressive, more cajoling. But ultimately, their message was the same. Teran Three objected to the bidding at all on moral grounds. Which they would, the religious fanatics. Teran Two had nothing to say at all. Which they wouldn’t, being completely uninterested in technology of any kind—even a plague that didn’t differentiate between a peaceful human being and a warmonger. The one message missing was from Teran One. But then, they had sent their message in the form of fighters. They reached the elevator and Alex stopped as if she was going to go to their quarters without him. He gripped her arm. “Come to the bridge with me.” Her eyes widened for a moment, slid to Pulzer and then she nodded. Pulzer said nothing, but his gaze stayed straight ahead and his lips tightened. Tory’s second probably thought he was being replaced. “At the moment, we only have one navigator, Jezar.” He met Pulzer’s gaze. “Alex will be the relief navigator. We need one.” The slight relaxing of Pulzer’s muscles told Tory he’d been right. “Yes, sir.” Tory put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I couldn’t do a thing without you, Pulzer.” “Thank you, sir.” The doors opened and they entered the bridge. Dink grinned. “You have made an impression on the Teran One military.” “He always did,” Alex quipped. “Send Teran One a message. Tell them the price has gone up. Tell them it’s now— What was that last bid, Pulzer?”
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“Two hundred million leders.” Alex’s sharp intake of breath was the only sound on the bridge. Two hundred million leders was the entire budget of Teran One. “Tell them, Dink. Two hundred million leders.” “What the fuck is in that thing?” Dink asked. “Something the Teran One government wants badly.” He didn’t like keeping his crew in the dark. He felt better knowing the box was off the ship. The decoy was in place. Only Jezar, Tesia and Alex knew the box wasn’t the one from Alex’s shuttle. “Something Teran Four wants badly as well,” Bud spoke up. “Be prepared for an attack from Teran One or Teran Four.” Tory instructed them. Jezar entered the bridge. “What is our heading?” “We’re heading to the Teran system. I imagine we’ll have company.” He glanced at Tesia, who had slipped in behind Jezar. “Keep the weapons hot and the shields ready.” “Will do.” “Pulzer, you’re in charge.” He strode toward the elevator and took Alex’s arm along the way. Once inside the elevator, Tory slammed Alex against the metal wall. He gave her no chance to resist or say a word, but took possession of her mouth with his. The hour from Ardasia to the ship had been excruciating, wanting her, needing her. He loved the way she shifted to rub against him. His tongue thrust inside her mouth, dominating her, taking all she had to give. His pulse pounded, his hands itched to rip her clothes off right there in the elevator. The ping indicating they’d reached their destination managed to penetrate his sexual fog and he broke the kiss. The dazed expression on her face and the way her lips were parted drove him insane. He practically dragged her down the corridor toward his quarters. Slow down. Slow down. He took a deep breath as she stumbled into his quarters ahead of him. He clenched his fists and inhaled again. Fingers pulled at his clothes and Alex’s mouth pressed against his. He moaned as she yanked his clothes off, tearing his uniform in her haste. Stars, he wasn’t going to last two seconds. He’d be buried inside her before he had a chance to savor her. “Alex.” His voice was hoarse with need. She dropped to her knees and his cock was in her sweet mouth before he regained control. “Oh fuck. Alex!” His hands buried in her hair and he thrust inside the hot cavern of her mouth. When her hands stroked his balls, he gritted his teeth. His cum boiled and churned, ready to explode from him. He controlled it, forced it back. Barely. He pulled out of her mouth and she groaned in protest, which almost made him come all over himself. He lifted her to her feet and she began to nibble on his neck. If she continued to torment him, he wouldn’t last. And he wanted this to last. “Alex, you remember what you saw when we were bridged?” 101
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“You mean—” “I mean the rack.” “And the flogger.” “And much more.” She leaned back and a hungry look tightened her features. “Yes.” Her acceptance was almost too much for him. He yanked her closer and captured her lips with his, his hands ripping and tearing at her clothes. Naked. She needed to be naked. Now. Once they were skin to skin, he resisted the urge to plunge inside her, to drive her to pleasure again and again. This need to possess, to connect with her was so overpowering, so intense, he barely controlled it. His hands shook as he pressed the button for the rack and his other hand rolled one of her nipples. She shivered and, a flush spread over her neck and chest. God, she was so beautiful. Her braid was loosened, but he undid the braid slowly and buried his face in the thick tresses. She smelled like the water at Olani Falls, fresh and clean. Her head dropped back and he scraped his teeth along her neck, all the while backing her up to the rack. His cock was iron-hard at the thought he would have her restrained, aroused and naked in his contraption. A fantasy come true.
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Chapter Fourteen The cool metal on her wrists and ankles sent shivers down Alex’s spine. This time, there was no fear, no pride. Only need and desire. Her skin burned, and her pulse was erratic and she felt as if she was floating in a pool of liquid. Tory clicked the restraints in place and stepped back. She opened her eyes and met his gaze. His were dark indigo, desire and need deepening the lines around his eyes. He’d kicked his uniform away and she drank in the sight of her mate. His muscles showed the dangerous life he kept prepared for and his chest narrowed down to his hips. His cock, encircled by his hand, erect and long, mesmerized her. She licked her lips, the taste of him still on her tongue, and wished he was in her mouth again. “If you keep looking at my dick like that, I won’t last very long.” He slid closer to her, the heat from his body warmed her skin and she arched toward him. He ran his finger from her earlobe along her neck, her shoulder, the side of her breast, down her rounded hip and finally flicked her clit just once. She groaned. Why didn’t he touch her, take her, fuck her? She bit her lip. He moved behind her, his hand still warm on her skin. His lips touched her ear. “I’ll stay here where you can’t tempt me.” He tempted her, though, his finger slipping along her slit with a featherlight slide that made her whimper. That teasing finger dipped inside her pussy and probed her until she gasped. There! Oh stars, there. She held her breath and he added a second finger, pressing on the spot he’d found within her like a key to a lock. Her body jerked and tensed. A wave of pleasure washed through her, over her, tightening her whole system like a bow ready to release. Just as she began to slip over the edge, his fingers on his other hand pressed against her anus. The skimming of his fingers around her tight entrance only increased her tension. He controlled her response with every twitch, every thrust of his hands. When he stopped teasing and slid two fingers into her, matching the pace of the two in her pussy, she gasped. Impaled on his seeking fingers, she rotated her hips, thrusting him deeper into her pussy and her ass. Her orgasm hit her hard and she yanked on the wrist restraints, the sting of the metal pinching her skin adding to the explosion until she felt the rush in every single nerve of her body. Control didn’t matter and she let the sensations take her wherever they led. No one else had ever had this kind of hold over her and no one ever would. Though she tried to deny it, her heart had been his before he had claimed her. She should have been shocked by his dark desires, but she wasn’t at all. If anything, it was as if hidden fantasies of her own were clarified and sharper because she knew his.
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Behind her, his breath was warm on her skin. His cock was a rod of iron against the back of her leg and she felt him leave a trail of wetness there. His fingers slipped out of her pussy and he kissed her shoulder. “I have a present for you,” he said, his voice low and seductive. She shivered and blinked when he walked around to stand in front of her. He opened a drawer and removed a belt with a small, round button. She didn’t even care what it was. She’d do whatever he wanted. She thought of the flogging she’d seen in his vision. Even that. She wanted that. “I bought this on Sethos Five.” He slid a finger over her nipple and she tried to move closer. “You know what Sethos Five is, don’t you?” Did she? She couldn’t put two thoughts together. Her brain was fuzzy. “A…pleasure planet?” “That’s right,” he said and he palmed her breast with his free hand, the belt dangling from the other hand. “They provided me with this rack and many other…toys that fueled my fantasies.” He brushed her lips with his. “My fantasies about you.” He slipped the belt around her waist and she realized small spikes dug into her skin and vibrated gently. It echoed through her whole body and sent more fluid rushing to her swollen labia. Oh stars. She was one raw, exposed erogenous zone. The front piece of the belt dipped down over her pussy, the straps following the crease between her thighs and her torso. The button on the belt rested directly over her clit and Tory flicked a switch. It hummed on her throbbing flesh and she cried out. “Tory!” “That’s right, my Saria, my mate. You’re going to come so many times you’ll be exhausted. You’ll think you can’t have another one. And then I’ll slam my cock inside you and you’ll go supernova, like a new star.” She was a hot as a supernova. The buzz of the small button on her clit, the spikes vibrating on her flesh and his sexy voice brought her so close to the edge. Freedom was only a stroke away, freedom from loneliness and grief, freedom from an empty life of duty and obligation. She hardly knew herself anymore, but it didn’t seem like a bad thing. She growled low in her throat, a sound she barely recognized as her own. Suddenly, she was there, flying over the cliff, falling, spinning. She thrust her hips, seeking to capture his cock inside her emptiness that ached for him, clenched for him. The keening sound she made sounded strange to her own ears and she trembled violently. Slowly, the wave receded. She opened her eyes and met his gaze. The barely controlled need was there in his eyes, in his face. “Do it, Tory. Fuck me. Love me.” He made an impatient sound and gripped her hair in one hand and grabbed her ass with the other as he seemed about to complete her. Instead, he kept his dick just out of reach. His mouth closed over her breast and she screamed her pleasure, the huge wall of pleasure-pain crashing over her.
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Weak and breathing heavily, she begged him, “Please, Tory, please.” She barely got the words out. His fingers sought her anus and she gasped as his fingers stroked her tight entrance. Just that stimulation sent her into more convulsions; her muscles tightened and clenched, her orgasm almost painful in its intensity. Tears leaked from her closed eyes and she sobbed. “Tory, Tory,” she chanted his name. Suddenly, her ankles were free and he lifted her legs around him. His mouth devoured hers in a shattering kiss that sent her reeling into another universe filled with unlimited pleasure. It was just as he said. She didn’t think she could have another one. Her body was spent. He broke the kiss, her lips tingling and parted. And it was now that he ordered her, “Open your eyes, Alexandra.” She blinked away the tears and gazed at him through half-lidded, heavy eyes. He held her stare and withdrew and thrust inside her, his cock deep inside her pussy, completing her, joining her to him. He pressed so deep inside her, she felt like he was beneath her skin, a part of her very soul. She didn’t just explode. She went nuclear. Molten pleasure rocked through her, every nerve sizzling and snapping. Her muscles clenched around his cock and squeezed him. There couldn’t be more. She thought she’d die from the pleasure of her own release. Then he exploded inside her. She screamed as her orgasm reached another level, another place. His answering shout rang in her ears and her heart clenched with a feeling of intense of satisfaction. His thrusts were less controlled and he bruised her with his clenching hands. Slowly, her system began to level, the vibrations of the belt still sending shockwaves of pleasure and pain shooting through her. She trembled and shook, unable to control her response. “I lied,” he said, his voice muffled, buried in her neck. “You did?” she said faintly. “You were better than any fantasy I could come up with,” he choked out. She pressed him closer, her legs still around his waist. He reached out a groping hand and released the wrist restraints. Her arms floated down around his neck and she kissed him with light, sweet kisses. How had she gotten so fucking lucky? She didn’t know and didn’t care. “I love you, Tory.” He gazed at her. “I love you too, Alexandra.” She became vaguely aware there was a persistent sound interfering in her warm, safe bubble. Tory didn’t seem to hear it at all. He staggered to the bed, still connected to her intimately, his mouth brushing lightly over the skin on her neck. He laid her down and covered her with his body. The sound didn’t go away. “Tory,” she murmured. “Hmmm?” 105
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“I think there’s an alarm going off.” She groaned when his mouth captured her earlobe. “Hmmm.” She wanted to ignore it too, but… “Tory, honey, I think it’s the com.” “Slave driver,” he muttered and brushed her lips. And brushed them again. And plundered them thoroughly. She giggled. He sighed. They both moaned in protest as he slid away from her. He slapped the button of the com. “Ingle.” “Commander, we have an incoming message,” Dink said. Alex sat up. She didn’t like the tone of the Dink’s voice. “On my way.” “Commander Zeerah should see it too.” “Got it.” He signed off and stared at her. “Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.” “I feel like I could face anything,” she said and found some fresh clothes. “Let’s go.” Tory dressed and ran a hand over his face. Together, they strode toward the elevator, silent, comfortable. The bridge members all stood when they came on deck. Not one of them cracked a smile even though she was sure they all knew what she and Tory had been up to. Jezar seemed almost murderous. What the hell was going on? Tory’s lips tightened. “Play it, Dink.” “Yes sir.” Dink twisted some knobs and the picture came in. All the warmth Alex had been feeling, all the safety and comfort, disappeared. On the screen, her sister, naked and bloody, was trussed up, her red hair damp and limp in front of her face. Her wrists had thin lines of blood dripping down her arms and her body was marked and bruised. Pontoon appeared. His black beard was trim and neat in a horrific contrast to the woman behind him. His dark skin, smooth and oily, shone beneath the harsh florescent light in the dungeon. “Darius Stender has stepped down from the throne of Teran One. I do not negotiate with criminals. Since Commander Alexandra Zeerah has provided secret Teran One weaponry to our enemies and mated with a traitor, her family is forfeit if we do not have the level-four containment box and its contents within fortyeight hours.” Pontoon’s black eyes gazed out and seemed to look right through her. “All Teran One fighters have been ordered to shoot down The Pinnacle on sight.” He walked over to Celeste and yanked her head back by the hair. “Celeste will die in two days if our property is not returned.” The transmission ended.
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Alex realized she hadn’t been breathing. She gulped for air. This wasn’t the first time she’d seen brutality like this. It was just the first time she’d seen her own government practice it. Tory’s hand twined around hers, holding it tight, reassuring her. “How was the transmission sent?” “Narrow band. Private.” Tory nodded. “Release it. Send it to the Teran System satellite. Let the whole system see what Teran One justice looks like.” “No!” She blurted the word. “We can’t give him the box back,” he explained. “He’ll kill her,” Alex shouted, panic bubbling underneath her skin. She began to shake. “Please, Tory,” she said in a pathetic whisper. “She’s only seventeen.” Her mate met her gaze as a twinge of hurt shot through his eyes. “Celeste isn’t going to die, Alex. You’ll have to trust me.” He took a deep breath. “Do it, Dink.” Without another word, she strode back into the elevator. He didn’t stop her. She couldn’t look at him. As the doors closed, she stared at console inside the elevator and the red button that said STOP!
***** The silence on the bridge spoke volumes to Tory. Dink kept his gaze on the console. Pulzer was suddenly busy with one of the screens. Only Jezar met his glance and his face had an expression of pity that made Tory feel worse. Damn it. Why didn’t she trust him? Didn’t she know him well enough to see he’d never let them kill her sister? What kind of a monster did she think he was? And after everything… He stopped those thoughts. She thinks you’ll sacrifice her sister to get revenge. Jezar‘s statement only confirmed what Tory already believed. Tory fumed, his teeth grinding together. His revenge. She was more obsessed with it than he had ever been. All he wanted was to prove his innocence and win his mate. Done and done. What happened on Teran One didn’t matter to him at all except for one thing. Alex loved Teran One. She always had. He accepted that part of her and planned accordingly. Why else would he try to stop a fucking civil war? He had immediately taken steps to protect her and her family after he had discovered her covert mission. If she won’t trust me, there isn’t a fucking thing I can do. A bleak and desolate emptiness swept through him. Without trust, their love wouldn’t survive. Great sex. Maybe that was all they’d ever had. He rolled his shoulders. Well, it was more than many men could hope for. Would you like to know—? No! He took a deep breath and let it out. “Pulzer, you’re in charge.”
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“Do you want me to send the message?” Dink still didn’t look at him. Tory stared at him and then at his second. Even Bud was staring at the blips on the radar rather than meeting his gaze. Didn’t anybody trust him? Explain to them why you are doing it. You know why I can’t. They’ll know you had inside information. They’ll know I never had any intention of negotiating and they’ll figure out the box isn’t here. “Hold it for now. I’ll let you know when to send it.” He turned his back. After five years, he’d thought his men would trust him, stand by him. They knew how he operated. Instead, even they doubted him. “Commander,” Dink called after him just as he entered the elevator. “It’s just we don’t hold to letting a kid get killed.” Tory’s lips tightened. “I know that. What pisses me off is that you believe I would.” He snapped the doors shut. The trip down was unpleasant as he replayed every bitter minute since he’d forced Alex into the Saria contract and concluded that she had said only that she loved him. She hadn’t said she trusted him. It galled him that the only way to convince her was to assure her that Celeste was never in danger of losing her life. Did everyone think he was stupid? The first thing he had done when he obtained the information about Alex’s shuttle was make sure Celeste would be safe. That woman on the vid screen wasn’t Alex’s sister. But even his own mate believed he’d send out a video of Celeste naked and risk the woman’s life to do it. It was clear Pontoon was desperate enough to kill anyone in an attempt to regain his power. And if Alex’s family was targeted by a powerful bloodline, then Pontoon would go along in hopes of obtaining political favor. Tory had been well aware that Celeste would be targeted as a bargaining chip and he’d hidden her with his underground contacts the minute he’d gotten word about Alex’s mission. In the time it took to stroll down the corridor, each thought pissed him off more. Bad enough his men who fought with him, faced danger after danger with him, doubted him. But Alex? Well, why not? He slapped the door open and stepped in the room preparing to fight it out with Alex. And found an empty room. His guts dropped into his boots, his blood frozen under his suddenly clammy skin. He pressed a button on his console. “Locate Commander Alex Zeerah.” He knew the answer. But he hoped he was wrong. “Commander Zeerah is on Shuttle One, five klicks off the port side.” 108
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“God damn it!” He slammed another button. “Dink, get her on the line.” “Who do you—” “Don’t give me that shit. She couldn’t have left without your approval. She’s not that stupid. Get her on the fucking line.” “Yes, Commander.” Then, “She’s on the line.” “Alex? Get your ass back on this ship.” Okay, not the smartest way to deal with this. He was going to lose her. He couldn’t lose her. The speaker crackled and Alex’s voice sounded on the line. “I’m sorry, Tory. I have to leave.” After everything, after they’d bridged, after all they’d been through and she still didn’t trust him, or even talk to him, before she went on a suicidal rescue mission. For a moment, he contemplated just letting her go. If he told her the truth, she wouldn’t believe it. You’re wrong. She’s confused and frightened. Let me bring her in. Jezar could do it. But time was running short. Fine. When she’s back on the ship, put her in one of the extra rooms. He didn’t want her in his quarters. If all she wanted to give him was her body, he wasn’t interested. That would be a mistake. Tory sighed. Jezar was right. Her actions already screamed that she didn’t view her mate as trustworthy. If he put her in a different room, it would confirm to the others that the mating was in jeopardy and that he rejected her, wouldn’t protect her. For him? No big deal. For a Teran One commander who had chased down several of his crew? Possibly deadly. You’re right. I’ll just take the night shift. Pulzer could use a break. In two minutes, Jezar had manipulated the shuttle back into the bay. Tory sent two of his men to lock her in his quarters. Then, he addressed his crew. Except for Jezar. The Ardasian could placate Alex. He strode onto his bridge. His eye twitched slightly. “Bridge recording off.” This was a signal. The whole ship was wired and they knew it. Tory didn’t tolerate any bullshit from his crew. The surveillance was necessary. But now, he indicated they could speak freely, no consequences. “If you’re going to take over this ship, now is the time,” he spat the words. They’d betrayed him, gone behind his back to disobey him. On a military bucket, they’d be jettisoned out in space. On Teran Four they’d be sent to the grack mines. Dink wouldn’t meet his gaze. Bud shuffled his boots. Pulzer cleared his throat. His second spoke up. “We’ve all lost friends and family to the Teran One dungeons.” “Really?” Tory’s glare included them all. “Do you think I haven’t? Don’t you think I’d know when I’m being played by a politician?” Dink shot him an angry stare. “What do you think? Teran One doesn’t even admit they have dungeons.”
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“So if I told you that those weren’t Teran One dungeons, that it was a pleasure room in the palace, you wouldn’t be able to say I was lying, would you?” Silence. “How about if I told you there is no way that woman on the screen could be Celeste Zeerah?” “Alex thought it was,” Bud said sullenly. “Alex saw a woman with red hair over her face, naked and bruised. She didn’t wait to see if it was her sister.” He gritted his teeth. “I can understand her part in this. But you?” He glanced at each of them in turn. “You know me. You know how I operate.” “She’s underground,” Pulzer breathed out. “Yes, she is, you fucking idiot. And now, if she is captured, I’ll know one of you is in the pay of the new Teran One regime.” Dink jumped to his feet, his wiry body trembling, his fists clenched. “How could you believe that?” “You didn’t trust me. I see no reason to trust you.” He laid his hand on his laser pistol. “Like I said, if you want to take over, now is the time.” “Dink,” Pulzer said quietly. Dink’s eyes opened and closed a few times. Then, he seemed to wake up and he ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck, Tory. I’m sorry.” Pulzer stepped in front of him. “We were wrong, Commander.” Tory kept his hand resting on his pistol. “And you, Bud?” The big man unfolded from his chair and stood. His blue eyes were hooded and his features flat. “I lost my father, my mother and my sister to Teran Four torture chambers,” he said. Tory was careful to keep any expression from his face. It was the most personal comment the man had ever made. “So, you justify letting Alex go to her death because of the torture of your family.” His chin shot out. “It’s what I would have done. I would have gone after them, whatever the sacrifice. I would have—” Bud snapped his mouth shut and his gaze swerved to the console, his shoulders rigid. Whatever had happened in the man’s past, it still haunted him. Tory relaxed. He believed it. None of these men wanted Alex dead. They all wanted her to save Celeste. “Bridge recording resume.” He gazed at these men. Jezar knew which of them wasn’t loyal. But Tory couldn’t spend his life asking an Ardasian to read his men. That was his job. Of course, he wasn’t willing to bet the fate of planets on his gut. After all, he’d been wrong before. He had to trust Jezar to step in before it got dangerous. “Unless you bring it up, I won’t discuss this again.”
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“Yes, Commander,” they all said in unison. Dink opened his mouth to say more, but shut it. “Pulzer, I’m taking the night shift. Go get some R&R.” The other men went back to work and Tory sprawled in his command chair. It was going to be a long night.
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Chapter Fifteen “So, now I’m his prisoner.” Alex paced Tory’s quarters. Jezar’s green eyes followed her and he rested his fingers on the table. He’d brought out a deck of Fist cards and began to deal them out for a two-handed game. Was he insane? Play Fist? Now? Her sister was about to be killed, her mate was pissed at her and this Ardasian wanted her to play Fist? “He thinks you don’t trust him.” Jezar picked up his cards and began to arrange them. She threw her hands up. “Celeste is going to die!” As her sister, Alex should be there. It was her fault Celeste was being tortured and beaten. How could Alex sit here, safe and sound with her mate, while her sister was being hung on a rack? “Are you sure of that?” Jezar kept his gaze on his cards. She froze and stared at him. “What do you mean?” “I mean you should consider what your mind has been trying to tell you but you’ve been ignoring.” The color of his eyes deepened to a forest green, a rare signal of the Ardansian’s strange power. “Why do you want to get away from Tory?” Her heart clenched. Was that why she’d run to save her sister? It wasn’t like she hadn’t realized it was a pointless exercise in futility. She did. “I don’t know.” “Shall I tell you?” Jezar kept his gaze locked with hers. “I’m afraid you will.” And an icy finger of fear shot through her. Did she want to know? “Sit down, Alex.” She took a deep breath and sat down. Her nervous fingers picked through the cards and automatically arranged them highest to lowest. “Ardasians have a difficult time sifting through human lies. You see, all of you lie to yourselves as much as you lie to others.” He laid down a card to begin play. She tried to focus on the game and his words. She drew a card and laid down her play. He went on. “For example, Tory tells himself that if you loved him, you would trust him. Deep down, he knows this isn’t true. He realizes that you are mired in guilt and fear. Your love for him is almost drowning in those feelings.” She thought about Tory’s description of the solid rock surrounded by a turbulent sea of water. Not unlike the tangles surrounding the straight strand she found. She nodded. Jezar played another card and waited until Alex played to continue. “Deep down, you don’t believe you should be happy.”
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Her hand froze, hovering over the deck of cards. “What?” “Your family is dead. Your planet is on the verge of war. Yet you have a profound sense of joy in your mating with Tory. That adds to your guilt. This is why I think you chose a suicidal rescue instead of trusting your mate.” She drew a card and played, but her mind spun. Should she have trusted Tory rather than running away? She’d always handled everything alone. Tory offered her a chance to work with someone else, someone as good at handling shit as she was. “He hates me,” she said and her chest hurt to say it out loud. She’d known when Tory hadn’t been there to rip her a new asshole as she reboarded the ship. She’d known he despised her when he wasn’t here in his quarters but sent Jezar to play Fist with her. Tears clogged her throat. “He cannot hate you.” Jezar spoke softly and laid his cards down. “Fist.” “You win,” she said and tossed in her hand. It occurred to her that she meant more than just the game. “What am I going to do, Jezar?” Her sister was still in the hands of Pontoon Gregor. “Think, Alex,” Jezar leaned forward and touched her hand. “Do you really believe Tory would allow Celeste to go unprotected? Especially when he believed someone tried to kill you?” She blinked. She replayed the vid. What had she seen? A woman, naked, beaten with long reddish hair hanging over her face. Had it been Celeste? She’d been so sure it was. “I don’t understand.” “Tory has hidden Celeste in his underground network on Teran One.” Jezar glanced at her and back to his cards. “He knew if you were threatened, so was she. There was no intention to allow the Zeerah line to continue.” A cold hand gripped Alex’s heart. “What do you mean?” “I mean Tory was barely in time. His contact barely got Celeste out alive. Pontoon Gregor believes your sister is dead.” He shuffled the cards. “The purpose of the vid was to do just what it did. You were supposed to come after her and die. That’s Gregor’s goal.” He dealt the cards and arranged his hand. “And if you hadn’t stopped me—” “Tory would have gone after you and died as well. Two bloodlines with the plagueresistant gene eliminated.” Jezar laid down his first card. “You and Tory are too important to the future.” “We are?” She stared at him. The memory of the Judge of Light’s words came back to her. She had to trust her mate. He nodded. “Your sister is as well. She is safe. Though I suspect Tory has informed three of the crew she is underground on Teran One. Now it will be a race to see who gets to her first.” “I don’t understand.”
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Jezar gazed at her for a moment as if he was deciding whether to tell her something. Then he said, “Because you tried to go after your sister and the crew allowed it, Tory was forced to tell them the truth about Celeste. One of them is a traitor.” His voice was calm and he played another card, as if they were discussing the weather. “Tory knows this? Which one?” “Tory has not asked me and I will not tell him.” “Why?” “Because the traitor still has a part to play.” Alex glared at him. Fucking Ardasians. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” A bleak look spread over Jezar’s face. “I do too.” “Is all this why you signed on with Tory?” She played a card and rearranged her hand again. “Tory’s reputation for having a strict moral code isn’t a good enough reason?” He smiled faintly and laid another card down. Strict moral code? That’s not what she’d heard. “No. You don’t strike me as a criminal or a rebel.” Most of the men on The Pinnacle were men outside the law in some way. At least, that’s what the vid streamers said. Though Alex didn’t believe everything she’d heard, she knew those stories had to have some truth to them. Tory’s crew was known throughout the system as space Robin Hoods, stealing from the powerful and giving to the downtrodden. But they were still criminals. “Oh? How do I strike you?” She stared at him. How many Ardasians did she know? Well, there was Kyler. She’d grown up with him and hadn’t thought of him as a true Ardasian. He had never seemed like one. In her capacity as a Star Commander of Teran One forces she’d met three. One was a Teran Five general with a very sarcastic tongue but a knack for inspiring loyalty in men, human or Ardasian. The second, a Judge of Light who had arbitrated a dispute between Teran One military and Teran Two space merchants. The third had mated her to Tory. What did she really know about Ardasians? “Well, actually, I don’t know that much about Ardasians. I suppose my experience is limited.” “Our culture is confusing to the uninitiated,” he said casually. “We have a personal code that demands a high price.” He sighed. “It’s better that way. With our power, too many could turn to crime or power plays. Being privy to the thoughts of others is a huge responsibility. Our punishments for small infractions are severe. For example, a child who bridges with another without permission is cut off from contact with other minds for six months.” “You’ve never had any rebel?” she asked and immediately regretted it when his eyes jerked away from his cards and color dropped from his face. She stammered, “I mean, if your punishments are so strict…” She trailed off. The idea of a human culture that controlled its people who had so much power seemed impossible. A human being
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would rebel eventually from such a strict code. From the expression on Jezar’s face, she guessed even Ardasians had their rebels. His answer came slowly. “The cost of rebellion is…substantial.” “Your history has examples?” Jezar kept his eyes on his cards. “Yes.” “What happened?” she said bluntly. He hesitated. “To know that, you have to understand our whole history. The best example of rebellion was many of us were left behind on Earth and did not follow the wanderers that colonized Ardasia.” “What do you mean?” She laid another card down. Almost. She was close to a winning hand. “We were gifted, mentally enhanced, though not as powerful as we are now. Some of our fellow gifted humans stayed behind when we colonized Ardasia.” Her eyes widened, her cards forgotten. “Earth. You’re talking about Earth.” “Yes.” Jezar’s lips tightened. “Those left behind did not follow the code. They…used their power to control the ungifted.” “Us.” He nodded. “Yes.” He seemed about to say more but clamped his mouth shut. “They were the alien force that released the plague.” Jezar frowned at his cards. “The plague is not what you think it is.” “I don’t understand,” she said and put her cards face down. She wanted answers to this. “It is a virus, an infection. But it affects the mind, weakening it. Essentially, the victim becomes a mindless zombie.” “And from the vision, they’re flesh-eating zombies.” She shuddered as the picture Kera showed them replayed in her mind. “Not flesh-eating, flesh-killing,” he clarified, though Alex wondered if the distinction meant that much. “And Ardasians are immune.” “Yes. Those who are genetically descended from those Ardasians who stayed behind, those ‘rebels’, are immune from the virus. The original few who stayed behind on Earth could not control the humans who had their blood. In the end, however, it didn’t matter. Those who survived the virus were killed by those infected.” He glanced at her face. “It’s your turn.” He meant those who were genetically descended from the alien race that made the virus in the first place. So, that commander she’d seen in the Ardasian museum, Darina Stanton, was descended from those who caused the whole mess in the first place. Alex wondered if Darina had seen the irony.
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She played her next card and Jezar played his. In the silence, Alex reviewed what they’d discussed. Jezar wouldn’t talk about all this without a reason. He was preparing her for something. She had no doubt the Ardasian knew something about the future. Still, the silence was comfortable, relaxing. Soon, the card game took over both her thoughts and their conversation. Gathering together a complete suit, in order, took focus. She lost the game they’d been playing. And the next. Alex sighed and tossed her cards his way. “If I didn’t know the Ardasian code demanded no cheating, I’d say you were using your mental skills to beat me.” Jezar’s smile softened his features. She hadn’t really noticed before that he was a very good-looking man, his features strong, his smile reaching his eyes to brighten them. “I’m afraid the imprint of your thoughts does make the game easier to play.” “What does that mean?” The imprint of her thoughts? How deeply had he read her? “The way you arrange your thoughts, your habit of processing, all adds to how you play the game of Fist,” he told her and he shuffled the cards. “From reading you, I can tell which cards you are drawn to and your way of discarding.” “How deeply have you read my thoughts?” she asked. Jezar raised his eyes and met hers. “Not as deeply as I would like.” She blinked. What he doing? Hitting on her? Ridiculous. She was mated to Tory and nothing, not even Tory’s anger with her, was going to change that. She wasn’t sure she understood anything about this man. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.” He arranged his cards, his attention on them, not her. “Tory saved my life.” That seemed like a change in subjects. “Oh?” He laid his first card down. “I don’t want anything to threaten him.” Alex remembered the vision the Judge of Light had shown her where she shot Tory and nodded. “I understand that.” She laid her cards face down and clasped her hands together. “How deep do you need to go?” He blinked and met her steady stare. “You’re…willing to allow me access?” She took a deep breath. “Tory saved my life too.” His head cocked to the side. “You realize that?” “I saw it. When we bridged.” Jezar nodded. “I promise to respect your boundaries.” “Do what you have to do.” She braced herself. Having Tory in her head seemed…right. Allowing Jezar in was completely different. Again, the shift in focus threw her off and her vision blurred. Jezar’s touch was completely different than being linked to Tory. More aggressive, probing and much less careful of her hidden places. Tory had been single-minded, only accessing bits and pieces of her thoughts and feelings. Sharing the same mental space had been revealing and enlightening.
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With Jezar, sharing the space was uncomfortable. He pillaged her mind, upending her thoughts like a raid on her ship. It took effort not to defend against his invasion, and try to block him. Instead, she mentally stepped aside, allowing him in, hiding nothing. The result surprised her. She dipped into his thoughts, what he searched for and why. A traitor. Jezar knew someone close to Tory, someone he cared about was going to betray him. It wasn’t the vision of the shuttle bay that slammed into her, but something worse. The Ardasian had seen a vision of Tory stranded on a plague-ravaged Teran One with its inhabitants tearing flesh from those who weren’t infected. The sight of her mate being torn to bloody shreds by a hundred seeking hands and mouths made Alex cry out. Her heart cracked and shattered. She couldn’t breathe. It couldn’t happen. She had to stop it. What the hell are you doing to her, Jezar? Tory’s mental voice sounded enraged. I never intended to show her. She… I’m sorry, Tory. Jezar backed away from her mind slowly. She held onto his connection. Wait! Did you find anything? Am I the one who does this thing? She’d rather slit her own wrists than be responsible for Tory ending up ripped to pieces by those zombies. No. It’s not you. And he was gone. When she opened her eyes, Jezar was on his feet and Tory stood in the doorway, his blue eyes blazing and his fists clenched. “What did you do to her?” He spat the words out and Alex realized Tory was about use a laser pistol on Jezar. She jumped between them. “I asked him to do it.” Tory glared at her. “He bridged you, read you deep. I felt it.” “You know the vision he sees,” she said, resting her hand on his arm. His shoulder lifted. “Yes. So what?” She wanted to shake him. “So, there’s a traitor, someone who betrays you. Someone who leaves you to be—” The blood, the gore, the horror of it, choked her. “Damn it, Tory, you need to know who it is.” “It’s not her.” Jezar had stood absolutely still, as if he would accept whatever Tory decided to do to him. “You didn’t have to—” “Yes, he did.” She gripped both his arms with shaking hands. “You know the vision the Judge of Light showed me. We both have to know it wouldn’t be me.” He blinked. “You left. You were going to get yourself killed. I knew it wasn’t you.” “I didn’t,” she said firmly. He had to understand. After all she’d seen and learned, she had to know. Jezar knew that. “She trusts you. She doesn’t trust herself.” Jezar folded his body into the chair and dealt three hands. 117
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Tory’s lips tightened. “Trusts me? I don’t think you read her deep enough.” His tone was so bitter that Alex winced. She dropped her hands. How could she convince him that she’d gone after her sister because she had to? “I read her deep enough,” Jezar told him. “But she didn’t pay attention to what she read in my thoughts or she’d know when you saved Celeste.” Alex’s brow wrinkled and she stared at Tory. He was going to make her drag it out of him. “Care to let me in on this?” “Tell her when.” Jezar calmly rearranged his cards. Tory cleared his throat. “I made sure Celeste was underground when I found out what you were transporting on that shuttle.” “How?” “I have contacts on Teran One. I told them to get her underground, to hide her. They convinced her that she was threatened. She’s still with them. I checked.” She blinked. “You did this before we were mated?” “Yes.” Idiot. Why hadn’t he just told her? She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. He barely caught her and returned the kiss before she leaned back. “Thank you.” She almost giggled at the way his mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. “You’re welcome.” “Now, can we play some cards?” Jezar asked them, a smirk on his face. “I hate playing cards with you. You always win.” “There’s always a first time.” Tory groaned and Alex grinned. She shifted in her seat and said, “While we’re playing, you can tell me what you know about Celeste’s situation since I’ve been gone.” Her mate rolled his eyes and sat down with bad grace at the table. It occurred to Alex that she had to add the life of her sister to the list of her debts to Tory. How was she ever going to pay him back? One wicked thought of just how she could repay him was followed by several others until she didn’t want to play Fist anymore. She wanted Jezar to go away. The Ardansian’s gaze met hers and his lips twitched. “I think we can save the game for another time. Perhaps you’ll explain better alone.” She bit her lip to keep from grinning. She made sure to think about being grateful so he’d catch it. Jezar nodded toward her and started for the door. Tory stopped him. “Jezar—” Jezar stared at his friend and smiled. “No need, my friend.” He shot a glance at Alex. “I completely understand.” Tory’s shoulders relaxed. “Thank you.”
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Chapter Sixteen After Jezar left, Alex didn’t know what to say or how to start. She knew exactly what she wanted. But she was no practiced seducer or knowledgeable lover. She was a military commander. A military commander who liked being hung on a rack and spanked. Well, there was no other way to make him understand. She’d been wrong about him. He had already taken care of her family long before he had any reason to. Determined to take whatever he had to dish out, she remembered his comment in their first violent encounter here in this room. I like my sex rough and my women restrained. She stood and strode to the console on the wall. One firm push and the rack dropped down. Tory, still seated, watched her with hooded eyes. She removed her uniform and stepped, naked, into the restraints. The feel of the metal against her skin reminded her of the other times she’d been in the rack. Her pussy throbbed and her skin flushed at the thought. Yes, this was what she needed. “I was wrong to doubt you. I thought I had burdened you enough, so I went after my sister alone.” Tory’s blue eyes glittered. So, he was still pissed. This might be a severe punishment. She still had her safeword. His gaze swept over her naked body. When he spoke, his voice was rough. “You made me worry.” “I’m sorry.” And she was. She knew how she’d feel if he went off on a lifethreatening mission without her. “I’m going to have to punish you,” he said, his tone no longer hard but seductive and hot. He slowly approached her, heat emanating from his body and she could feel it as he got closer. She shivered. “I know.” She lifted her chin. She could take whatever he could dish out. He slapped a button on the console. Three items were in the small opening. She didn’t recognize any of them. One was a short, stubby phallic device with a button on one end and a rounded tip. One was a glove with small, blunt needles protruding from the material. The last item was a long stick with several controls on the side of it. Tory’s face was set in stone. This was going to be both painful and pleasurable. He clicked the wrist restraints in place but left her ankles free. Her breasts felt heavy, needy, her nipples tightening under his severe perusal. The scent of her own arousal 119
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reached her nostrils and she gasped. Just the way he looked at her made her senses go crazy. He didn’t touch the items in the drawer at first. Instead, he slid a finger from the line of her neck down to her right nipple. His fingers captured the stiffened flesh and he twisted it as his gaze met hers. An electric shock of pain and need shot through her. It should have hurt. But it felt so good. He twisted her nipple again and her pussy ached. Her nerves were taut, ready, wanting more. Both his hands were on her breasts, his thumbs and forefingers rolling her nipples in a painful, sweet twist. God, she couldn’t wait. She wanted his mouth on her, his dick inside her, his hands everywhere. She moaned as he stepped closer, the smell of his sweat filling her senses. That unique scent of Tory. It reminded her of the many times they’d been close together, inches apart physically, but miles apart in every other way. But now? Now they were together in every way that mattered. Her back arched and she lifted one leg to try to pull him closer. One of his hands dropped from her breast and slapped her ass with a sharp, painful crack. She only moaned again. Her system sizzled, every inch of her skin hot and flushed. The pain of the pull on her nipples and the fire from his strike on her buttocks made her tremble. More. She wanted more. She closed her eyes and let the sensations rocket through her. Then, pinpricks slid across her ass and her breasts. Her eyes flew open. Tory had the glove with metal needles and he ran it over her flushed skin, leaving a trail of reddened flesh and intensified nerves. He kept twisting her nipple as the other hand stimulated every inch of her torso with his gloved hand. When the little needles scraped lower, near her clit, she held her breath, waiting. Finally, his hand brushed her pussy with the pins and she cried out. Stars, just that gentle touch and she wanted more, harder, faster. The protrusions on the glove dug into her flesh and her blood sprang to the surface of her skin, heating it like a hundred tiny brands. Her breath came in pants and her heart pounded in her ears. Even though she’d known he would punish her, she had no idea how much she would like it. It wasn’t just her senses being overloaded with pleasure and pain, but her heart clenched with the need to be with him, to take all he would give her no matter what it might do to her. “Do you know when I bought this rack and these toys, Alexandra?” Tory’s voice barely penetrated the sexual haze that fogged her mind. She opened her mouth but a whimper escaped instead of words as he slid the tiny needles lightly over her clit. Too lightly. “I bought everything when I’d made the decision I was coming after you. Finding the information that you were heading for a trap was just dumb luck.” Alex opened her eyes. Tory’s stare focused on the stripes across her belly, her breasts and her thighs. He moved the glove over her sensitive flesh and she barely managed to form the question. “Why?”
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He raised his eyes to meet hers. The desire, the need, the naked lust there made her feel like she had fallen into a lake of fire. Her whole body responded to his glance, nipples tightened, and her pulse accelerated as her pussy became drenched. His voice rippled over her like an unstoppable wave. “Because I knew you would be like this, my Saria. I lived for the day I would have you here.” He brushed the glove over her distended nipples and she shuddered, the pain mixing with intense pleasure. “Would you like to see what else I have for you?” She didn’t have any air in her lungs to answer, so she nodded. He smiled and removed his hand from her reddened skin to drop the glove back in the drawer. He picked up the stubby, phallic object and the long stick. With the handle of the long stick, he pressed another button. Suddenly, a bench slid out from the wall just in front of her. Then, he pressed another dial and the rack lowered slowly until she was on her knees, her arms still suspended over her head, her ass exposed. Something about the way all the items moved slowly, without her control and totally under his, made her shiver, anticipating his next wicked move. What were those items he’d gotten from the drawer? Her ass was on display, helpless when he caressed it with a firm hand. She hoped he would spank her. He didn’t. Instead, she felt the stick against the back of her thighs and he drew it over her buttocks, along the crack, and pressed on her clit. A tiny electric buzz jolted her and vibrated her sensitive nub. She stopped breathing. Shit! How was it possible to feel the hard pain of the shock and the sweet joy of pleasure? The thought drifted through her mind and then she went totally blank as her orgasm rolled over her. Fire, heat and mindless resistance swamped her and she pulled against the restraints that held her. Her body seemed to be owned completely by him. He played on her nerves, drawing out her orgasm until she thought her pussy would strain beyond what she could take. Each burning shock made her jerk and convulse. A shiver of fear slid up her spine. Everything, every touch, was pleasure now because it came from him. Pain didn’t exist. Only him. The fear was overwhelmed by a sense of peace and contentment, knowing that Tory would never hurt her. She trusted him to give her pleasure and, even if he punished her, to care for her and give her what she needed. Sweet release was so close that her muscles coiled, awaiting that final touch that would send her over the edge. Coherent thought was impossible and she cried out, unable to stop the sound of need from escaping. The shocks kept coming and her muscles jerked as her system built toward another orgasm. Tory moved the stick from her clit and touched her nipples, one after the other, giving them tiny shocks that further stimulated her overloaded nerves. She was going to die if he didn’t fuck her, take her, stop tormenting her. But he wasn’t going to, she could tell. He moved the stick to shoot electricity at several points, even her anus, until she was a mass of seething sensation. Her lungs hurt from desperately gasping for air. Her muscles were weak and she shook uncontrollably.
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The clatter of a toy hitting the wall brought relief and disappointment. Neither feeling had a chance to stick. He bent down and whispered, sliding his fingers inside her ass and slathering something wet inside her anus. “I have another surprise for you.” Another one? She didn’t think she could take another surprise, but she was so languid and buzzing with heat she couldn’t form a coherent answer. He pressed a button on a console at the foot of the bench. Fascinated, she watched as a mechanical arm protruded from the side of the bench. At the end of it was a dildo, thick and long. His fingers kept probing her puckered entrance and she arched back into his hand. As she thrust her hips backward, the dildo slid inside her pussy. She screamed, the explosion of her orgasm ripping every thought, every doubt, everything away. She was too connected to the feelings that tore through her to float and too aware of Tory’s focus to be wrapped up in the convulsions that shook her. Hyperaware of his soothing hands, his deep voice in her ear telling her how beautiful she was and encouraging her to stay in that moment of pleasure, she hung suspended in that moment. It was the two of them, bound by invisible bonds, clinging to this charged space in time. Only Tory remained, central to her need, washing her away.
***** Precum leaked from Tory’s dick and he gritted his teeth against the flood of feelings. Stars, he wanted to sink inside her, own her, possess her. Her golden eyes were fogged with sex. Her skin was pink and marked. By him. She was impaled on his mechanical cock, which was buried deep in that sweet pussy. His fingers sank inside her ass, tight and hot. Her scream as she came echoed in his ears and he fought the orgasm bubbling up through his balls. But he was going to make her come more. A lot more. He wanted her weak and sated as he plunged inside her ass. He lubricated her anus so his fingers easily slid out and the anal vibrator, the last item in the drawer, slid in just as easily. He stretched her with the dildo, reveling in the way her pussy dripped over the other long appendage deep inside her. Her thrusts were uncontrolled and frantic. Every time she rotated her hips back, he twisted the anal toy deeper. Whimpers filled his ears and tears streamed down her cheeks. The fingers of his free hand pinched and tweaked the nipple nearest to him. He wanted to keep her here, on the edge, wanting, insane with lust. Her head was thrown back, her arms strained at the cuffs, her tits swaying and bobbing in time to her thrusts. But he couldn’t wait any longer. He removed the vibrator and stood behind her, his cock at her anal entrance. She glanced back over her shoulder, the expanse of her shoulder muscles flexing as her fingers grasped the restraints at her wrists. Her eyes glowed with a soft, eerie light. The weight of his body stilled her thrusts on the mechanical phallus and she tensed. He gripped a handful of hair and pulled her head back to keep her face where he could see it as he leaned forward, pressing her against his back. While he fucked her in 122
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the ass, he wanted to watch her, absorb her. With her head yanked back and turned toward him, she held his gaze as he slid inside her anus slowly, inch by inch, her asshole clenched around him. Her eyes drifted closed and he released her hair to clench his hands in a bruising grip on her hips. He growled, an involuntary response to the way her channel squeezed him, sucked him in. With one thrust, he buried his cock deeper inside her ass. Stars, the feeling was heaven, absolute heaven. He withdrew and slammed inside her, pushing her forward onto the mechanical cock. He could feel the way the other cock vibrated and filled her. It careened him over the edge. Desperately, he wanted her there with him. He reached around her and thumbed her clit as his teeth sank in the soft flesh of her shoulder. She cried out, a long, keening cry, and he let go, his cum boiling over and streaming into her ass. She sobbed out words he barely understood, but that gave him an unnamed satisfaction. His release washed over him, his nerves stretched and snapped from the intensity. The way her anal muscles squeezed him dry blanked out his mind and he floated. Only the sound of their harsh breaths broke the silence. His hand rested on the soft curls surrounding her clit and his dick buried in her ass twitched. He didn’t want to move. But Alex groaned when she shifted and Tory realized she might be uncomfortable. His legs shook as he slid his cock free of her tight channel. He fumbled to reach the release for the wrist restraints and caught her when her arms dropped free. Gently, he moved her away from the bench and off the mechanical cock. She whimpered, her body limp and pliable. Beautiful. She was stunning. She was light and easy to carry, so he hefted her into his arms and laid her on the bed. He couldn’t help it. His fingers traced every mark, every bruise that had appeared on her skin. The glove left trails of reddened skin, still visible. His teeth marks were embedded in her shoulder. Her hips showed his finger imprints. She belonged to him, every inch of her. When he glanced at her face, her eyes were open and gazing at him. Golden and bright, they were filled with a low-burning fire that wouldn’t take much to stoke. It rocked him. He’d known how he felt about her. All those years away from her had given him clarity, certainty. But to see it in her eyes was…earth shattering. He cupped her face. “Alexandra,” he breathed out. It was a prayer, a need. His entire life seemed to boil down to one thing. Her. “Tory,” she sighed, her breasts rising and falling in a seductive motion. “I love you, my Sarat.” Her eyes closed and, by the rhythmic breaths, he could tell she’d fallen asleep. That was the first time she’d called him her Sarat. It showed an acceptance of their mating he hadn’t expected. Alex was military, self-sufficient, perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She was also well aware of what the ancient word Sarat meant. Master.
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He curled his body next to hers, skin to skin, heart to heart. Soon, her steady pulse and warmth drugged him into sleep.
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Chapter Seventeen “Commander Ingle.” The sound of his overhead com jerked him out of an intense, sexual dream and he blinked at the ceiling. A rustle of warmth next to him reminded him it hadn’t been a dream. Alex was here. And she was his. He leaned over and pressed a button by his bed. “I’m here, Dink. What’s up?” “Two Teran One warships thirty thousand light years away. They’ll be on our position in an hour.” “Right. Be right there.” He rubbed a hand over his face. He needed a shave, a shower and to wake up. What he wanted to do was bury himself back in his mate’s waiting heat. Instead, he was probably going into a firefight. The memory of the vision he’d seen in Alex’s mind, of her shooting him, of some kind of confrontation with Darius, floated in the front of his brain. He shook his head and headed for the shower. Warm needles of water brushed over his skin and slowly his body began to come to life. Damn, he was tired. And thoughts of why he was tired made him hard and needy. His cock filled, sprang to life. The feel of Alex’s skin, the squeeze of her ass, the scent of her cum all came back to him. He groaned. “Need a little help?” Alex stood outside his shower, naked, glorious. “Alex,” he warned. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to tell his crew to fuck off and spend the day in bed with her. Instead, she dropped on her knees, the water splashing over her back, and licked the tip of his cock. His head dropped back and his eyes closed, taking a deep breath to keep his orgasm from exploding all over her face. Her tongue slid along his length, a slow teasing that made him growl. “Alex. Shit. Damn it.” In response, she sucked him to the back of her throat. Her lips created friction, her mouth pulled at his flesh. In and out, she moved his cock deeper and deeper until he was completely lost in her hot, sweet cavern. His fingers wound in her hair and his hips thrust harder, his orgasm rolling through him, exhilarating him. She moaned and the vibration of it shot through his dick straight to his fevered brain. His cum exploded from him in a rush and he shouted, his pulse pounding. As she sucked every last drop from him, every slide of her tongue sent shards of pleasure through his whole body. When he opened his eyes, he had to lean his hand against the shower tiles to stay upright. He gazed down and found his mate smiling up at him. He reached down, suddenly desperate to connect to her in some other way, and pulled her up to capture her lips with his. He thrust his tongue in her mouth, and the 125
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taste of his cum on her made him a little crazy. God, he was never going to get enough of her. Somehow, he managed to finish his shower, shave, and got dressed, resisting the temptation of his sexy woman. She, too, pulled on a uniform and he wasn’t sure that was any less tempting. Even when she yanked her wet hair back into a tight braid, she was a walking sex goddess to him. “They’ll try to board us,” she said as she slid on her military-issue boots. “Yes, but we’re ready for that.” She frowned, a slight mar to her perfect face. “Tory, don’t go to the shuttle bay.” “Even if you do?” He knew what was worrying her. “Especially if I do.” Her hand clutched his arm. “You’re too important and I don’t want—” “You’re not going to.” He leaned down, his nose touching hers. “We’re more than the vision. We’re stronger than all of it. You’ll see.” For a moment, anguish crumpled her beautiful face. “Tory—” “I trust you, my Saria. With my life.” A single tear slid down her cheek and he kissed it away. His hand covered her belly. “I trust you with my future, Alexandra. Remember that.” He backed away and turned to the door. She grabbed his hand and followed him. “I’m going with you.” He nodded and, together, they headed for the bridge. What surprised him when they got there was the immediate expressions of relief on his crew’s face. What the hell was that about? Jezar glanced around at the men and met Tory’s curious gaze. “I think they’re glad to see you with your mate.” “Where else would I be?” she said and batted her eyelashes. He burst out laughing. Only Alex could make a joke about taking off on a suicide mission. His crew stared at him like he’d grown another eye. “What?” he asked them. Dink’s mouth hung open and Bud’s eyebrows were raised to his hairline. Pulzer’s stare was unblinking. Jezar grinned. “I don’t think they’re used to seeing you laugh.” “What’s the status of our incoming guests?” He ignored Jezar’s comment. After all, had he really been so morose? Probably. It felt good to have Alex by his side. It felt right. “A hundred klicks out. Chatter on the underground pipeline is that the Teran One acting government tried to get Teran Five to participate in a joint takedown of The Pinnacle.” Dink smiled. “They wouldn’t.” “Of course not,” Tory rejoined. “A little bird told them what was in that Teran One container.” “Teran Three is pissed,” Dink added.
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“And Teran Four?” He glanced at Bud. The man was a mystery. What drove the Teran Four native to be a part of his crew? His response to the vid of the tortured woman had answered several questions. Bud had his contacts on Teran Four, but he was no lackey for its government. Clearly, something pretty ugly happened to Bud and his family. That didn’t mean Tory trusted him, but at least he made a little more sense. Bud cleared his throat. “The Teran Four government is playing a waiting game.” Tory grinned. “They’re hoping Teran One takes me out and then they can attack Teran One with moral indignation. Brilliant. But, unfortunately, it requires I get my ass kicked. And that, my friends, is not going to happen.” “What class warship are they sending?” Alex asked. “Type E with modifications,” Dink answered. Alex met Tory’s glance. “No resonators,” she said. “The Dara fighters have them, but the Type E was only fitted with disintegrators. They won’t work against our shields.” He nodded. “They’re slow and not as well armed as we are, but let’s not get cocky.” He sat in his chair and pressed a button. The elevator doors opened and Tesia strode onto the bridge. “I hear we’re going to have company,” Tesia said. “We are. Two Teran One warships. I need power to the shields and the charges on the resonators and the disintegrators double checked. Be ready for a fight.” Tory stared at the stars on the screen. A firefight now was not what he’d had in mind. Teran One had to know what would happen if they attacked him. Or did they? He’d been careful to keep the transfer of the containment box under wraps. Did the Teran One ships hope to eliminate the whole mess? What exactly was their agenda? “They’re sending a message,” Dink interrupted the flow of his thoughts. “Put it up.” Tory watched the pixels rearrange until the picture of King Darius Stender filled the screen. “Surrender, Commander Ingle,” the man demanded. “I have no intention of surrendering, Your Majesty,” he said and couldn’t help sarcasm from creeping into his tone on the last two words. “If you’re representing Teran One, then I demand you release the prisoner being held by Pontoon Gregor.” The channel was public, picked up by surrounding satellites. He hadn’t released the vid, in deference to Alex, but he would if Darius didn’t back off. “She is an enemy of the crown.” Darius’ dark eyes gave nothing away. Tory shook his head. “What do you want?” “Give me the box and I’ll allow you to go free.” “I’m afraid the bidding on the box is still ongoing,” Tory told him. The other bidders would hear that and rejoice. Of course, they didn’t know the box was empty. The bidding was stated as for “the box transported by Commander Zeerah from Teran
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One”. Technically, what sat in his cargo hold was the box. The contents, however, were now on Ardasia. Suddenly, Darius lost his composure. “You cannot sell what is in that box, Commander. In the interests of our planet—” “Your planet, not mine. You exiled me.” The bitterness was still there, tangy on his tongue. Alex’s hand clasped his shoulder and squeezed. It eased the rising anger a bit. “You know what will happen if another planet gets their hands on it.” Darius’ tone was strident, desperate. “Funny you didn’t think of that when you sent Alexandra on a suicide mission with it.” That still pissed him off. This fucker casually threw away Alex’s life like it was garbage. “It would have been destroyed, harmless,” Darius shouted. “Bullshit,” Tory spat and sat forward aggressively. “If that’s what you think then you’ve been lied to. She was headed into a trap. And those Stet explosives were duds. Instead of blowing up her ship, it was going to spread that box’s contents far and wide. Those stets had infrared target recognition chips. And you know what that means.” The expression on Darius’ face held no surprise. He’d known. “No,” Alex said under her breath and Tory reached up to cover her hand with his. Her fingers were icecold. “That wasn’t me,” Darius insisted. “Perhaps, but I don’t give a shit about your local disputes.” “Let me come aboard and we can discuss it.” Alex tensed beside him. The shuttle bay, her vision, the fighting. He knew she worried about what might happen here. Tory shot a quick glance at Jezar. Sweat poured off Darius’ face. Whatever happened here could change many things. “All right. One shuttle. I’ll meet you alone.” “No,” Alex burst out. “He wants to kill you, Tory.” Darius gritted his teeth. “Alex—” “You don’t talk to her,” he snapped and Darius glared at him, but shut up. Tory clasped Alex’s hand. “Darius knows that if I die, this ship’s crew will do whatever they have to do to avenge me.” The message was for Darius. By the way his throat moved, the man got his drift. “How do I know you won’t hold me for ransom or kill me?” Darius asked. “You have my word as a former Teran One Commander,” he told him. “Unless you do something stupid, you’ll have safe passage.” “Agreed. I want Alex there.” “No.” Tory leaned forward. “You never get to see your cousin again. We clear?” The man’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded. “Ten minutes.”
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Tory nodded and killed the transmission. Alex gripped his arms, towering over him in the chair. “Are you insane? You know what I saw. You know what he’ll do. Why are you doing this?” So many things flew through his mind. The fact that Darius might have been a victim just as Alex had been. The possibility that Darius carried the same plagueresistant gene. All these thoughts combined and Tory was well aware that the deposed king might be in big trouble. “Because I think things might get ugly and we’ll need Darius.” Tory leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. He loved her so much. The thought he might not see her again was too painful. He tore his lips away from hers and stared at her face for another moment. He drank in her golden-brown eyes, the smattering of freckles, the way her hair tried to escape the braid she ruthlessly shoved it into, the strong line of her jaw—all the little things he’d fallen in love with. Of course, there was the strong grip of her hands, the way her heart shone from her gaze, the way she responded to his kiss. His fingers traced the area on her shoulder where he knew he’d marked her shoulder with his teeth. He whispered, “I’m not going anywhere, my Saria. We have too much to explore, too much to share.” She slowly released her grip on his arms and glanced at Jezar. “Tory, please,” she whispered. He loved it when she begged. “I will, but later.” Her lips twitched and her eyes twinkled. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. “You’d better come back, Commander.” “I promise, dear heart.” He headed for the elevator and Jezar fell in step. What the hell was he doing? “I told Darius I’d be alone.” “I won’t go in the shuttle bay unless I have to.” Jezar stared straight ahead. Had the man seen something? Tory shrugged. Not a damn thing he could do about it anyway except order Jezar not to come. And then Jezar would disobey and—if Tory lived—that would be a big mess. Ah fuck it. Still not going to happen, Teran. Jezar’s humor had perfect timing and Tory snorted. They reached the shuttle bay doors and Tory ordered all his men out of the docking area. He pressed the com button. “Dink? Let me know when he docks. I won’t go in until we scan his shuttle.” “Got it. And Commander?” “Yes, Dink?” “Don’t get yourself killed.” Dink signed off. “What does he think I’m going to do?” It was exasperating. Didn’t anyone think he could negotiate?
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Jezar answered, “He believes, as does the rest of the crew, that you’ll sacrifice anything for your mate. They can see what neither you nor Alex will see in each other. That you would give your life for her.” “I would,” he stated. It had always been that way. For Alex, he’d risk anything and everything. “They’re also concerned she may risk everything for you.” Tory sighed. “I’m just going to talk with the man. On my ship. With my crew ready to eliminate him.” “I know.” Everything in him wanted to ask what to do, what was going to happen. But Tory knew the dangers of future visions. Like the one Alex had been shown. Dink’s voice came over the com. “Darius’ shuttle has docked. Scanning now.” Tory tapped his fingers. He had to expect trouble. Darius considered Tory and his crew a band of criminals, a reputation that Tory encouraged. They weren’t, as Alex was finding out, but it served them well to let others think they were a bunch of immoral cutthroats. “Four men, all armed. Darius has disembarked with a stunner. His men are still in the shuttle.” “Okay, Dink. Rig the bay. Like we did on Tarias.” “Will do.” Jezar grinned. “A brilliant move.” “It’s an old trick. Darius has been stuck on Teran One so long he’s forgotten how to improvise.” “I hope it works.” “I do, too.” The shuttle bay doors opened and Tory strode through them. He focused on the man standing in front of the Teran One shuttle. Darius Stender had always been a political softie, too kind to survive a coup like the one Pontoon Gregor had just pulled off. The king would trust his men and get killed. “Commander.” The man inclined his head. His dark hair seemed more mussed than it had on his vid appearance and there were dark circles under his onyx eyes. His features seemed tightened, strained. “Your majesty,” Tory said, and this time he managed to sound less sarcastic. “We can talk privately in here,” he said and waved toward the conference room. Darius’ lips tightened. No, he wouldn’t like the idea of going into a room alone with the Commander. But then, so much was at stake. His sharp nod was followed by a hand signal to his men on the shuttle. Tory bowed and allowed the man to go first. The man walked like a king, straight and brave, into a room he might not ever leave. Something to admire.
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In the conference room, Darius sat down, his hands clasped together on the table. “I did not send that box with Alex to be intercepted. I told her to deliver it to General Costas only. Teran Five has a better laboratory than we do. The stets were not part of any plan of mine. I sent her in secrecy, believing I was the only one who knew she carried the box. General Costas was supposed to analyze the contents.” “You were looking for a cure.” He glared at Tory. “I was hoping to find out it was a dud.” He shot to his feet and started pacing. “I discovered the shipment completely by accident. One of my informants told me about a warehouse. I obtained the vials, stunned by what it appeared to be.” He stopped and ran an agitated hand through his hair. “I didn’t believe it.” Tory stared at the man. Then, it struck him. Darius was young. How old had he been when he’d taken the throne? Fourteen? That made him twenty-four or twenty-five. Shit. He was a kid, a rookie. No wonder Gregor had been able to manipulate him. Hell, Alex had been twenty-five when Tory had been accused and convicted of treason, an experienced soldier, and she’d still been pretty easy to manipulate. And Tory had been twenty-six, trained in black ops, but still naïve enough to be drugged and set up. All that aside, Darius was young and needed to wake up. “Believe it,” Tory said harshly. “The vials were part of an ongoing plan to dominate not just Teran One, but all the Teran planets. And it would have involved the death of millions.” Darius pounded his fist on the table. “I know that now.” A bitter twist of his lips made him seem old, worn. “Do you think I don’t know that those men in that shuttle might knife me?” He sat down suddenly. “If I don’t get that container, Gregor will. If you sell it to another Teran planet, Teran One is doomed.” He laughed, a grating sound. “I don’t know why I’m appealing to you. It’s clear you don’t give a shit about my planet. But Alex does. And I can’t imagine her mated to anyone who wouldn’t care about Teran One.” “She was forced to mate me,” he mused. Darius snorted. “If she truly didn’t want to be your Saria, she would not have been standing on that bridge. She loves you.” A warm feeling spread through Tory’s chest. She did love him. “What exactly do you propose?” Tory asked. One side of Darius’ mouth lifted. “I didn’t expect to get this far.” “So, you don’t have a plan.” He sighed. He didn’t expect them to get through this much information either. Time to let the deposed king in on what was really going on. He never had a chance to say a fucking thing. All hell broke loose in the shuttle bay. Two of Darius’ guards were firing on the other two still in the shuttle. One of the men took a hit from a laser pistol and bled freely all over the place. “Shit!” Tory pressed a button. “Dink, flood the bay.”
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Chapter Eighteen A hiss drowned out the shouting and gas flooded the bay. Tory airlocked the conference room and turned to Darius. “The move has been made. Your war ships are probably under Gregor’s control. You were going to do something different, but changed your mind. Why? Be quick.” Darius stared at the man bleeding out in the bay through the huge picture window. “I was going to kill you. And if Alex showed any sign of being on your side, I was going to kill her.” His gaze met Tory’s. “But then, I saw her on the bridge. Alex would never betray Teran One. Ever. Yet she stood with you.” “Maybe I’m really good in bed.” “Maybe, but you’re not that good,” Darius said with a faint smile. “Alex has an inner core of rightness that can’t be denied. Even if you were the bad boy everyone thinks you are, you wouldn’t be able to either.” Tory grunted. “You’re right. Okay, that explains why you didn’t shoot me immediately. But your men are being gassed and you’re not surprised.” “I’ve gotten daily reports on you for five years, Commander Ingle. I’m well aware of what happened on Tarias.” Tory stared at him. “And you came here anyway.” Darius nodded. “You gassed those Teran Four soldiers when they opened fire, not before. I figured you’d only release the gas if we made an aggressive move. I knew the risk.” “I underestimated you.” “Most do. It’s the age thing. That and because I won’t be a dictator.” Darius shook his head. “My father ruled with a heavy hand. My brothers were more circumspect, but none of them believed compassion had a place on the throne. Judging by the results, they were right.” “Bullshit,” Tory said. “This plan has been going on for two generations, Darius. It began in your grandfather’s time and he was no pushover.” “No, not at all.” Darius sighed. “How long until we can get to my injured man?” Tory pressed the com button. “Dink? Clear the bay. And send medics.” “Okay, Commander.” Another hiss and the bay cleared. Tory opened the door for Darius. “You’d better prepare for a firefight with your own men.” “Well, at least I’ll know who my friends are.” The sarcastic tinge to Darius’ words made Tory wince.
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“You’re welcome to stay aboard.” Darius shook his head. “No.” He gave Tory a steady look. “What are you going to do with the container?” “The container?” He gave Darius a wicked grin. “I’m going to sell it to the highest bidder to see who knows what was in it.” The other man’s eyebrows rose. “Was?” “Was.” Slowly, Darius nodded. “I see. And you’ll tell me nothing else.” “Nope. That’s it. It’s a lot, actually.” Tory crossed his arms and observed the rush of medics. His men contained the other Teran One soldiers. “So, you’re going to go back to the warships?” “Yes. There are more men loyal to me than you think.” “I hope you’re right.” Tory strode to the shuttle at the men unconscious on the ramp. “What about these two? They’re definitely not loyal to you.” “Keep them restrained. I’ll take them back with me.” He climbed onto the shuttle. Brave. Stupid, but brave. If the fighting broke against him on his warships, two fewer men might make the difference. Darius caught the expression Tory wore and smiled. “I know you think it’s crazy, but I save them from you and then they owe me. It might save my skin in the future.” Tory shrugged. “It’s your skin.” Darius thrust out his hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Commander.” Tory took the man’s hand. “Likewise, sir,” he said with no sarcasm at all. The king was young. He was embattled. But he was a leader. “I wouldn’t go back to Teran One for a bit. We discovered another shipment of the same contents has been delivered.” There was no surprise on Darius’ face. “I understand.” The man boarded the shuttle, three of his men unconscious and two trussed up, to go back to what was likely a mutiny. He saluted from the cockpit and Tory cleared his men from the bay. The shuttle swerved into space and flew toward the nearest warship. Tory hit the com. “Dink, what’s the last bid we had?” “Two hundred and seventy-five million leders.” “From whom?” “Teran Four.” “Any sign of them?” The Teran Fours would try to take the item by force rather than pay. Teran Five would leave them alone as long as they stayed out of the Teran Five airspace. Teran Three would buy off someone on The Pinnacle to steal it. And Teran Two wouldn’t want to be involved at all. They’d sent a protest. “No, Commander. Bud says there’s no chatter, either.”
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Which was not reassuring. It meant if Teran Four planned a hit, his people couldn’t prepare. Better to be prepared than dead. “Head toward Teran One. We have some unfinished business there.” Teran Four wouldn’t try for the container as long as Teran One weapons were aimed at The Pinnacle. It was the fighters he worried about. Would Gregor shoot down a huge vessel containing a deadly plague? Well, hell why not? He was planning to release it to kill off whole sections of the population. If the plague was going to be released on Teran One, he owed a few people their lives. He had to rescue the people who had been part of the underground. At this point, he had no idea where the other vials might be. He was hoping his contacts did.
***** Relief flooded Alex’s system and she couldn’t stop trembling. Jezar shoved her in a seat on the bridge. It wasn’t going to happen. Tory wasn’t going to die. Darius didn’t start shooting. The vision wasn’t going to come true. When she heard Tory order Dink to send for medics, her heart stopped. She didn’t relax until he ordered Dink to set a course for Teran One. Then, she started shaking. Jezar came over after they’d made the adjustments. “You should go to your quarters. Shall I take you?” He must have known she wasn’t sure she could walk. Somehow, she rose to her feet and made it to the elevator. Jezar said nothing as the car took them down. She took deep breaths and by the time the doors opened, she was less freaked out. The possibility of losing Tory had hit her like a supernova and she’d buckled. After the whole thing was over, of course. Jezar opened the door to Tory’s quarters and waited until she was inside. “Thank you,” she said. He bowed. “I’m sure Tory will be here soon.” And he left. What did Tory have planned? They were going to Teran One, but for what? Questions whirled through her mind. What in the hell had Darius and Tory talked about? Darius. When he’d taken the throne, she’d been a new commander, intent on proving herself. He’d been a child, really, trying to be brave, his father dead, his family decimated. All he had was the Zeerah family and an aunt who had married that piece of shit, Gregor. Alex had been determined to keep Darius on his throne. It had been her brother Samuel’s political savvy and her own military prowess that had kept Darius in power. When Alex’s family had begun to die, her power in the court lessened. Samuel had fingers in all the pies. She was a commander, a genius at warfare, but a political bull in a china shop. Diplomacy wasn’t her strong suit.
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Samuel had always been the one who handled the delicate political maneuvering. He negotiated with all the families, keeping the Zeerah bloodline in power. Once Samuel was gone and Gregor held sway over the families, Alex had spent less time at court and more time training. Now she wondered if that had been a wise choice. Darius showed brilliance at the political nuances but once Gregor showed up, Alex stayed at the forefront of her men, fighting for Teran One, rather than put up with the new face of power. Had she blundered? Darius had been nineteen when Alex’s heart had been shattered by Tory’s exile and she’d thrown herself into the planet’s defenses rather than her cousin’s court. While she paced the room, she ran through everything she knew about Teran One bloodlines. The Gregors were one of the old families. The Stenders were connected to the Gregors by several marriages, but the Zeerahs were closer to the throne. The old families were vulnerable. They were the ones who didn’t marry new lines, the ones that stayed insular and isolated. The bloodlines with new blood were more likely to survive, bloodlines that had apparently emanated from Ardasia. The isolated lines were the ones who would be infected by the plague. That had to be the plan. Infect the planet, get rid of the old families. In the past, families had fought for prominence, for power. Get rid of the first families, the ones who still held most of Teran One’s political clout, and the status quo would be destroyed. One bloodline could sweep in and dominate the Teran One government. The question was what family would come up with a horrific plan like that? She felt like she ought to know. She’d studied bloodlines, the families, as a counterpoint to the violence of her military career. Pacing, she clicked off the latecomers. There were several, but only a handful showed up during the right period—when Darius’ grandfather implemented the Saria. Up until that generation, new families weren’t integrated into the structure of Teran One society. They lived on Teran One, but they weren’t a part of the economy and the bloodlines until Lando Stender had stopped the constant bloodshed between families by creating the Saria contracts. It was the new families, the Ingles, the Vinars, the Byrons, and many more who made the Saria contracts work by arbitrating them, creating rules that all the Teran One families could live with. Tory’s bloodline, once extensive and prolific, began to drop off immediately. Alex remembered when she had studied his bloodline. Before she’d presented a possible Courtship Contract to him, she’d wanted to know everything about him. And his family. His great-grandfather had stood beside Lando Stender, had fought to put him on the throne even though he was from Teran Five. Arden Ingle had fallen deeply in love with a native Teran One woman, Melia Orion, who refused to marry him. It was Arden who began the fairy tale little girls were told for the next three generations. Arden Ingle, lonely and unmarried, had only his brother to carry on the bloodline on Teran One. The last male heir of the Solly family, in a foolish drunken brawl, killed Arden’s brother. By Teran One’s new Saria law, Arden had the right to kill the last male 135
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heir. Instead, he chose to take a woman from the Solly family. It was this Saria contract, created with the Mutual Nullification clause, that carried on the Ingle line. Regina Solly Ingle had five boys for Arden Ingle. A happy ending all around. Why was she thinking about some random fairy tale? She should be trying to discover who was coming up with this apocalyptic plan. But something about the tale was connected. The Gregors. The hatred of the Gregor bloodline for the Sollys’ power dotted Teran One history, each side committing acts of violence. After the joining of the Solly and new Ingle bloodline, the Sollys went on the soar in popularity as the Gregors tumbled to obscurity. Bloodlines ebbed and flowed, but political power on Teran One was held through strong genetic connections. The Sollys recognized that their line had been weakened by isolating. New blood, through the Ingle line, had reinvigorated them, yet allowed them to retain their First Family status. Only the Gregor bloodline had refused to include new blood. They had stubbornly clung to the old ways, the old families, and as a result, died out. Pontoon Gregor had only two sons, both the last of their line. He’d married Darius’ aunt, but they’d had no children so the Gregor bloodline remained pure. And vulnerable. Wouldn’t it be in Gregor’s best interest to intermarry with those with the antiplague gene? Unless it wasn’t the Gregor family. Shit. His own sons didn’t have the gene to protect them. Could the Gregor family be the target? One of the new bloodlines? Perhaps. But most of them were connected to the old families. It would be a genetic throw of the dice. Some would carry the gene and some wouldn’t. How could anyone be sure? No, it had to be someone who knew they were immune, their bloodline was safe. She stopped abruptly. The Sollys would feel safe. And they hated the Gregors. The Sollys had been on their last leg as a bloodline when Regina became Arden’s Saria. Fenton Solly, the last male heir, was a drunk. His two sisters, Regina and Char, were both in danger from destruction by the other families who wanted them dead. Regina married Arden and founded the Ingle family bloodline on Teran One. Char married another newcomer, a Byron, Arden’s closest friend. But Fenton went on to a loveless, contracted mating that produced only one child, who died without producing an heir. It was Char Solly Byron’s bloodline that inherited the Solly land and the Solly name. And, apparently, the Solly hatred. With their own genes safely stowed in the Byron blood, the new Solly line would benefit the most from the destruction of the old lines.
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And killing off the Ingles? Collateral damage. The Ingles were close to the Stenders and the Zeerahs. Kill them all and be the last standing. That was the plan. She had to be right. And she had to tell Tory. Now. Her finger stabbed the com button. “Commander Ingle?” “He’s on his way, Alex.” Jezar’s voice cracked over the radio. “I think I know who’s planning this.” She didn’t want to wait. Before they reached Teran One, she had to let Tory know. “Wait.” Jezar was silent for a moment and, for some reason, Alex’s nerves stretched tight. Something wasn’t right. “Alex? Come to the bridge. Don’t talk to anyone and stay in contact with me. Tory has been abducted.” Her stomach contracted as if someone had punched her. “No.” “Leave now,” Jezar ordered her. She smacked the door button and fled down the corridor toward the elevator. I was able to read Tory, but it was faint. Apparently, the traitor has made their move. Who, Jezar? Who is it? It looks like Pulzer has kidnapped him. He’s taken him in a shuttle and they’re heading for Teran One. His contact, Jezar. On Teran One. She had an idea she knew, but she needed Jezar to confirm it. The elevator was too fucking slow. She had to get on that bridge and rescue Tory. I know he had one. To hide Celeste, he had to have someone on the planet giving him information and help. Her name is Ena. Ena Solly. Shit. Shit. Shit. I read she is part of the family you suspect. Yes, and I imagine Pulzer is related somehow. Tory would not let me do a deep read on his crew, so I don’t know. The doors whooshed open and Alex strode onto the bridge. Dink looked green, like he was going to puke on his shoes. Bud’s fists were clenched, his face white and ghostly. Jezar wouldn’t meet her gaze. Guilt. Rage. Fear. None of that shit was going to help now. “Get this bucket moving, Bud. Now. We’re going to catch that shuttle.” She bit the order out and Bud glared at her. “He’ll kill Tory if we threaten him.” She shook her head. “He’ll try to bargain with him. You managed to fuck me over and I had explosives, an unknown weapon in my hold and a suicidal resignation. Pulzer doesn’t have shit. Move.” She shouted the last word and the crew was galvanized into action. 137
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Funny, no one questioned her right to step in as commander. Tory’s respect had influenced his crew. The ship sped up and the vibrations felt good, almost soothing, on her skin. She was going to get that fucker. What about your sister? If she’s not dead, then the Solly bloodline will use her as leverage. It would have worked too. It still might. But Tory thinks I’d put Celeste before him. He’s a softie. But not you? I’ll see them in Hell first.
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Chapter Nineteen The stars flicked past them in streams of light and Alex remained standing on the bridge, no relaxing, no giving up. They were going to kick ass. The shuttle came into sight. “Shall I get them on vid?” Dink asked. “No. Fuck that. Shoot at them.” Aggression was all Pulzer would understand here. “But Tory—” Dink started and she glared at him. “You’ll have to trust me. Jezar, fire at their aft burners,” she ordered. The disintegrator charge resonated off the shuttle’s shields. “Fire the resonator.” The next blast shook the shuttle and Pulzer’s voice came over the com. “What the fuck are you doing, Jezar?” Alex answered him. “I’m blowing you out of space, asshole. What does it look like?” “Tory will die too.” “I don’t even know he’s alive. Fire again,” she said so Pulzer could hear. “No!” Pulzer shouted and Alex raised her hand to indicate Jezar stop. She waited. A few million years—or seconds—later, Tory’s voice came over the com and she almost collapsed from relief. “Alex? Honey, back off. If you kill him, Ena will murder your sister.” “If she’s not already dead.” In her voice, she let the murderous intent show. “I’ve got nothing to lose, Pulzer, are you listening? If you don’t get your ass back on this ship, I’m going to send the contents of that box to the planet surface. It won’t just be the infected people who will die.” That’s right, she thought. Your precious Ena will get her body ripped to little bitty pieces, asshole. Give me back my mate. The silence that followed was agony. “You win.” Pulzer’s voice sounded resigned but Alex didn’t trust him for a minute. She cut him off and ordered Dink, “Send ten men to the shuttle bay. If Pulzer so much as sneezes, dust him.” Dink sent the men to the shuttle bay and Alex shot a glance at Jezar. He nodded and headed down the elevator. He’d read Tory and make sure he was okay. Nerves were beginning to take their toll on the crew. They were in Teran One space. Fighters would appear soon. Her bluff about the vials worked for the moment, but it wouldn’t work on Ena. And Ena probably had the
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other vials, the other shipment. They’d have to get down to the planet, rescue Celeste and take out Ena Solly. All without setting off an outbreak of a deadly plague that would ravage her planet and possibly the other planets. He’s fine, Alex. Jezar’s reassurance signaled she could relax. She slumped into the commander’s chair, her hands shaking as they covered her face. “Damn. You are fucking amazing,” Dink murmured. Bud smiled faintly. “She’s a product of good breeding.” “Fuck you, Bud,” she said, but the words had no heat. He was right, after all. It was all in the genes. “Get us out of here. I don’t want to be this close to Teran One.”
***** Tory stared through the one-way screen at the man he’d thought was his friend. Pulzer sat in the interrogation room, calm, collected. He wasn’t afraid. But he should have been. Tory wanted to rip him limb from limb and that was nothing compared to what Alex wanted to do to him. The man had risked Alex’s planet, her bloodline, her mate. Jezar had kept her from murdering Pulzer in cold blood by reminding her they needed names of the other Solly traitors. Pulzer and Tory had fought side by side on Teran Four. They’d been stranded on the wastelands on Teran Three. Tory had saved his life and vice versa several times. How could any man turn away from that? Apparently, all it took was a woman. That Pulzer was Ena’s lover became quickly apparent when Alex told him she was going to grind the woman’s face into the floor. It was the only time since the shuttle landed that Pulzer showed any reaction. He had lunged at Alex, who had started to beat the shit out of him. The man never had a chance. It was only Jezar’s timely interference that had saved Pulzer from being pulverized. Now what? Ena had Celeste. Ena had the remaining vials. Ena was the key. And Pulzer wasn’t going to give her up. Dink was combing through all of Pulzer’s transmission to make sure there wasn’t some code or message to reveal Pulzer had been caught. Alex was on the bridge with Bud, keeping an eye out for Teran One fighters. And Jezar was about to go into that room and deep read Pulzer. Tory felt sorry for Jezar. What a muck and mire the asshole’s mind must be. Jezar sat down across from Pulzer who gazed at the Ardasian with hooded eyes.
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“Alex wants to kill Ena. Since her whole family is gone, she’d just as soon infect the whole planet.” “She won’t do it. Celeste will die if she does.” Jezar’s gaze rose. “You didn’t hear me. She believes Celeste is dead. I don’t have the authority to stop her.” Pulzer’s nostrils flared. “Tory will.” “And why would he do that?” Sweat gathered on Pulzer’s forehead. Jezar continued. “It might be in your best interests to tell me how Ena can be contacted. Without proof that Celeste is not dead, no one will stop Commander Ingle from wiping out Teran One’s human population.” “You’re lying,” Pulzer spat. “Am I?” “Alex Zeerah would never turn on Teran One. Ever.” “Even if she had no bloodline left there? Darius isn’t on the planet surface. Her sister is dead. Who is left that she would care about?” Pulzer opened his mouth and closed it with a snap. “Celeste isn’t dead, I told you.” Jezar leaned forward, his chin jutting aggressively. “You also told me you were loyal to Tory. That knot on Tory’s head says otherwise.” The man’s face shuttered. Tory had seen that look on Pulzer’s face before. Once, when a Teran Four officer had spit at him. That officer was dead. But he didn’t need to warn Jezar. When Pulzer sprang at the Ardasian, there was nothing there. Jezar was up and behind the man pinning him to the surface of the table. “Playtime is over.” Tory had never seen his friend deep read a human. Never. And he hadn’t watched when Jezar bridged Tesia. His odd eyes expanded, emerald bleeding throughout his entire eye until the whole orb shone green. The inward swirls throughout his enlarged pupils were fascinating, though disturbing. Pulzer jerked, his muscles tense and corded from resisting. What surprised Tory was the twist of disgust on Jezar’s face as if he tasted something bad. From some bits and pieces of memories of past conversations, Tory had known it cost Jezar to deep read someone. Now he guessed why. Some of the nasty essence bled into Jezar’s mind, infiltrating him. That’s why reading Alex had been such a pleasure. Not a nasty part there. She was all innocence and light. Well, except for the parts he most definitely enjoyed. Those were pleasant for me too. Did I distract you? No. I’m finished. Jezar’s mental tone seemed negative and tired. He hadn’t liked being in Pulzer’s mind.
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What did you find? More than I expected. I have the codes you need. But it may not be as easy as you think to rescue Celeste. Why is that? Because Pulzer…formed an attachment with her. And with Ena. Explain. Better I show you. And Jezar hit his brain with a vision of Pulzer and Ena in a passionate embrace with Celeste watching. The eyes of the couple were locked on Celeste’s as she masturbated. Pulzer’s promise to Celeste was to include her in his mating to Ena when this is all over. For a moment, his vision was clouded by a red, hot rage. Was there any intention to follow through? No, his only intention was to use Celeste to blackmail you out of the vials. Did you get a location? No. Ena was supposed to move and give him the new location when he contacts her. Lock his ass up. He’ll be lucky if I don’t dump him on that planet with his girlfriend and her lethal vials. His head still spun a little from the blow he’d received from Pulzer earlier. The question now was whether to inform Alex about the unorthodox relationship between her sister and the two traitors. He slapped the com. “Jezar’s on his way, Alex.” “Did he talk?” Talk? No. “We got what we needed.” “Good. Can I kill him now?” Tory’s lips twitched. That was his woman—sweet, loyal, and violent. “No, honey. We still need him.” “Fine. You should rest. The medic said a good night’s sleep and you’ll be good as new.” “Only if you join me.” “Tory!” she protested and he chuckled. Yeah, she wouldn’t like him announcing their personal shit over the com. Too bad. “You’ve got fifteen minutes and then I’m coming to get you.” “Is that an order?” “Fuck yeah,” he told her. He needed her. Twice in twenty-four hours he had thought he wasn’t going to see her again. There wasn’t enough time in the galaxy to erase those feelings. He was going to bury himself inside her as many times as it took to forget. “Yes, sir.” She clicked off.
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A permanent bridge between you would be strategic. Jezar’s voice intruded on the sexual fantasies spinning in his brain. I’ll talk to her. It’s a big decision. Besides, it might not work. Permanent bridges were tricky. Sometimes one mind wasn’t capable of the connection. One way wouldn’t work for either him or Alex. I think it will. And before you arrive on Teran One, you should bridge. She and I have fought many battles together without it. I won’t push her. You know the consequences. If one of you dies, the other experiences it. And is forever alone. Tory strode down the corridor toward his quarters. I don’t want either of us to feel that. There was a good chance he’d die and he wanted Alex to move on if he did. No point in both of them being miserable. Of course, if she died, he wouldn’t rest until he wreaked vengeance. The connection between you is already strong. I’m in the elevator, almost to the bridge. She’s on her way and she’s… You’re a very lucky man, Ingle. Okay. Get out of my head, old friend. I never get to have any fun. Go talk to Tesia. Tory laughed when Jezar’s mental connection cut off abruptly. In his quarters, he waited, anticipation built, his cock responding to his fantasies. He wanted it all. The rack. The toys. Her ass. She was probably still sore from the last time. He took his uniform off and laid on the bed, his cock in his hand. He stroked it slowly, rubbing the skin beneath the head. She’d come in and jump him. She’d strip for him, unbraiding her hair with slow, deliberate fingers and… His eyes drooped. Shit, he was tired. He hadn’t realized how tired until he lay down. Maybe he could just close his eyes for a moment.
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Chapter Twenty Fuck, his head hurt. But he was warm and comfortable. Something soft and pliable was wrapped around him, something warmer than a blanket. He pried his eyes open. Twisted around his body, his mate clung to him, her breathing even and deep. Her lashes brushed her cheeks and her hair drifted around her in all its glory. His cock, with a mind of its own in his sleep, nestled between her legs, the tip pressing against the entrance to her warm channel. That woke him up. He could watch her sleep. Or he could wake her up in the best way possible. God, she was soft and warm in all the right places. His hands traveled over her breasts and his lips brushed hers. She murmured his name in her sleep, her hips shifting to send electricity through him. Damn, she was sexy, even sleeping. He leaned in and ran his tongue over the gentle curve of her neck and she shuddered. His hands cupped her tits, his thumbs scraping her erect nipples. Her back arched and the tip of his penis slid into her pussy easily. Her response drenched his cock and he groaned against her neck. She was made for him. Her hands were busy and she dragged her fingernails across his back. He lifted his head and discovered her eyes were half open, their golden depths filled with the same need he knew shone in his. He swooped down and plundered her mouth, reveling in the way her tongue twined around his. His balls tightened, his cock throbbed, but he held back, only allowing the tip to rub in and out of her pussy. She tried to thrust forward but he resisted, not allowing her to deepen his penetration. She whimpered and rubbed his body with hers. Sparks shot through him and he almost lost his grip on his sanity. He tore his mouth away. He slammed her onto her back on the bed, his hands grabbed her wrists to hold them over her head. He loved her in this position. Her hair fanned out, her breasts high and jutted out, the muscles in her arms tensed. He didn’t hold her tightly, but she wasn’t fighting him. She arched her back and thrust her hips until his cock sank deep. Her pussy squeezed around him and he growled, a low, vibrating sound in his throat. What was it about her that brought out the animal in him? “Alex, I won’t last a second if—” “I don’t want you to, damn it!” She bent her knees and rotated her hips. The tenuous hold he had on his control broke and he gripped her hair, his fingers threading through the soft strands. He angled her head and took possession of her sweet lips while he pounded harder, deeper. God, the way her pussy clamped him was so hot, so erotic. The moment he touched the key to unlock her release, he knew it. Triumphant, he moaned against her
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lips, reveling in the warmth of her response. She cried out, her mouth covered by his. He moaned in hers, increasing the speed of his thrusts. She screamed, her fingers in his hair, her mouth frantic on his, her pussy like a glove around his dick. Fresh cum surrounded his cock as she came and he tumbled over the edge into his own release. Their mouths crashed together, their tongues entwined the way their bodies were. There was no space, no way to tell where she ended and he began. They merged, melded together in a sweet, tumbling mass of need. The vibration of her moan echoed in his mouth. The kiss went on just as her convulsions did. Her pussy wrung every drop from him and he couldn’t breathe when she kept on shuddering in his arms. She was a dream, a fantasy. He didn’t want it to end. He kept thrusting inside her, even though his cock had spent itself, and sent her over the edge again. She tore her mouth from his and shouted his name, her voice hoarse and strained. It was music to his ears. The fresh, warm flow of her release dripped over his dick and he started to harden again. For her. Always for her. “Don’t stop, Tory,” she cried out. His teeth scraped along her neck and she shivered. Still buried deep within her, he bent down and sucked on her nipple, the erect flesh filling his mouth the way his erect cock filled her pussy. An answering clench from the muscles that held his dick in their grip increased his suction. She chanted his name over and over, her nails marking his back, her hips moving in uncoordinated, fast thrusts. His cock filled, hard and ready. He switched his lips to her other nipple and she gasped when his teeth nipped her hardened tip. He dipped his hand underneath their bodies to slide down her spine and along her ass crack. He reached his goal, the small, puckered entrance between her sweet, soft globes, and ran his finger along the rim. She sobbed out his name, her pussy getting wetter and her breath hot on his skin. But when he slipped his finger inside her ass, she went crazy. She thrashed beneath him. The action slammed his cock hard in her slick channel. He struggled to hang on, but when she bit his neck, her nails digging into his ass and driving him deeper, he gave up the fight and exploded inside her. Her keening cry filled him with satisfaction along with the rush of hot lava that swept through his veins. This one was sharper, quicker, more intense than the last. His mind blanked and he floated in a sea of pleasure. His pulse, erratic and fast, matched her frantically beating heart. Their breaths mixed and mingled as they panted, sweat sliding off their skin. She murmured something and kissed his neck, his shoulder, her fingers sliding over his damp skin. He realized the weight of his entire body was over hers. But when he tried to move, she clamped her legs around him, her feet digging into his ass. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, the space on the side of her nose, the corner of her mouth. He could spend all day doing this with her. It occurred to him he had no idea what time it was or what was going on. And he didn’t give a shit. 145
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As if someone read his mind, the com crackled and Jezar’s voice filled the room. “Commander, we have fighters ten thousand light years away and heading right for us.” Alex groaned and relaxed the grip she had on him. “I don’t know if I can move,” she muttered. He smiled. “You were moving just fine a minute ago.” “A minute ago, I was coming all over you.” He groaned. “Don’t say that. I’ll get hard again.” She purred, a sound that went straight to his dick. Damn it. When it came to Alex, he was insatiable. But they had to get up. “Shower. Now.” He slid away from her body, her pussy unwilling to release its grip, but finally giving way. He gripped her hand and yanked her to her feet. “I’ll take one after you.” “Sure you won’t join me?” She threw him a cocky look over her shoulder as she sped toward the bathroom. He groaned. He wanted so much more. He wasn’t sure there was enough time in the universe to have her. “Believe me, if there weren’t people out there trying to kill us, I’d be pinning you to the bathroom wall.” She licked her lips and he had to close his eyes. As she disappeared into the bathroom, he wondered if she’d kill him. What a way to go.
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Chapter Twenty-One One thing Alex had figured out. Tory had amazing self-control. He couldn’t hide that he sported a hard-on, but he didn’t touch her after her shower. She was bruised, worn, deliciously sated. Still, if Tory so much as crooked his finger, she’d run down to his quarters with him and have him again. Not thoughts she should be having on the bridge of the ship as four fighters barreled toward them. Besides, Jezar would read them and that would be embarrassing. The blips on the screen clicked closer and Alex wondered what their options were. She knew Tory had two fighter ships on board, but destroying these Teran One fighters might bring the whole fleet descending on them. Hiding would be better. Bud suggested the very idea Alex had been thinking. “We could hide behind Teran Two. Most likely, they’ll come to the last coordinates they received.” No one said Pulzer’s name but they all knew he’d turned them over to the Teran One government. Tory had a signal jammer to confuse the fighter’s sensors but if they stayed here, a fight was inevitable. The best thing to do was leave this grid. Pulzer probably gave them a square section of space they’d be in. The fighters would search the grid to find them. She knew the routine. Who the hell had ordered them out? Darius was still on his warship. A message had come in while she and Tory had been sleeping. Darius managed to contain one of the ships with only a minimal loss of life. The other ship’s crew killed forty of Darius’ men and disappeared, ostensibly to return to Teran One. Her planet was imploding. Civil war hung on the horizon. All Ena Solly had to do was shove it over the edge. If she released the plague, the infected humans would kill the rest. But Ena’s survival depended on getting off Teran One after she released the plague. From her history lessons, Alex knew one thing. Once the infected humans rampaged, there was no place to hide. Stronger, meaner and oblivious to pain, they destroyed anything and everything. And blood was all they wanted. The smell of it, the sight of it, the taste of it was their goal. Alex’s knowledge of Old Earth’s fate was mixed with myths, stories of humans that ate the flesh of others, drank blood, and swarmed in huge numbers. The vids on Ardasia had been more horrific. They weren’t scary tales told to children to keep them from going out at night or myths passed down by their ancestors. They’d been the reality, the harsh truth. Those blips on the screen represented a truth too. Someone on Teran One was calling the shots and they weren’t sure who anymore. Probably Gregor. But if that was 147
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who had scrambled the fighters, why would Pulzer give Gregor the coordinates? Ena Solly wanted Gregor’s bloodline gone. But maybe this was a move toward that end. A thought occurred to her. “Tory,” she met his gaze. “They want to blame us.” He blinked twice and then his lips pursed. He got it. “Top speed, Bud. Move us to the dark side of Teran Two. Keep us out of range of any satellites.” Bud clicked buttons and levers. Dink frowned at her. “I don’t get it.” She kept her focus on the blips and the numbers indicating the distance between The Pinnacle and the fighters. “Pulzer gave the government our coordinates and sent them after us. The idea is to announce that we have the Old Earth plague so when he and his girlfriend released the plague on Teran One we’d take the blame. Well, us and Gregor.” She met Dink’s wide gaze with a steady one of her own. “Think about it. All the Teran planets would hunt us down. Meanwhile, Ena and her horde of rebels would take over, spreading the plague to the other Teran worlds.” She shook her head. “Everyone would think we did it.” “Fuck,” Dink breathed the word out. “Yeah. We’ve got to stop her before she can release those vials.” She caught Jezar’s attention. “Do we have a timetable?” “Shoshani.” “Of course!” she burst out. It made sense. “Shit! Why didn’t I think of that?” Tory shook his head. “You’ve been distracted,” Jezar said wryly. “Fill me in?” Dink asked them. “Shoshani is a planetwide festival, a celebration. The old families are honored and everyone pays homage. Nothing tangible, but it’s like a really big party and the First Families are the guest of honor.” “Everyone who has connections to the Firsts gathers to celebrate the colonization of Teran One,” Tory added. “They’ll all be in one place.” “When is this celebration?” Bud asked. “Tomorrow.” Alex met Tory’s stare. “That doesn’t give us much time.” “No, but we have to try.” Tory’s jaw jutted out. “We’ll have to take a shuttle. Fiveman crew.” She shook her head. “Don’t even suggest it,” she told him when he gave her that look, the one that said she should stay behind. “You’re not, are you?” “No,” he said emphatically and sighed. “You, me, Jezar will go.” “Let me go,” Dink spoke up and Tory shook his head. “I need you here. If we don’t come back, you’ve got to get word to the other Teran worlds.” Tory shot a glance at Jezar. “I can ask for volunteers.” “They should know the risks.” Jezar said, a frown pulling his mouth down. 148
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“Only my immediate crew knew what was in that box.” He glanced at Bud and Dink. “And even they didn’t know we transferred it.” Bud shot out of his seat. “What?” Dink’s mouth dropped open. Tory nodded. “If you’re going to take over, you’ll need to know. The scientists on Ardasia are working on a cure. The vials of Old Earth Plague are there.” He glanced at Jezar. Alex wondered if they were having a separate conversation. She wished she and Tory could communicate that way. Tory continued. “By the bidding we know only Teran Five knew what Alex was carrying. They offered significant sums under the table and definitely not through official channels. By their official silence so far, we know they didn’t like it. We didn’t even get a polite protest. Basically, Teran Five is willing to blow us into the next century rather than allow the plague to be released. I don’t think they’d react this way about anything else. I think the only reason they hesitated was because they weren’t sure what the hell I would do.” “And Teran Four?” Dink asked. Tory shook his head. “They only knew it was a weapon Teran One had and they didn’t. If they’d known what was in that container, we’d have been attacked.” He shrugged. “We weren’t. They think we’ll sell it. If they knew what it was, they’d doubt it.” Bud nodded. “I believe you’re right.” “What’s the plan?” she asked Tory. “Why, Commander Alexandra Zeerah is coming back to Teran One to celebrate her bloodline, of course.” He grinned. “Of course.” She smiled. “So we’re not trying for secrecy.” Tory shook his head. “No. We’re trying for misdirection. None of Pulzer’s communiqués included my abduction or his capture. He’s going to send a transmission and make plans to meet his lover.” “She’ll know he’s not with us,” she warned. “I know,” Tory said. “That’s why he’s coming.”
***** A little later, Alex and Jezar met with Tory in a meeting room to discuss their strategy for the planet operation. The idea of Pulzer going with them was ludicrous. “You can’t bring him. He’ll turn on us in a heartbeat,” Alex said. “He’s our ticket in,” Tory answered. “Jezar is going to keep tabs on him and I’ll shoot him myself if he tries anything.” “I don’t like it,” she said worrying her lip between her teeth. “What other insanity do you have planned?” Though Dink and Bud needed to be in on the overall plan, the
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details were only between Jezar, Alex and Tory. It seemed safer that way. The Pinnacle’s crew could claim ignorance. Tory and Jezar must have been having a mental discussion since the minute they were alone, Tory’s face was serious and he took her hand in his. “I have to ask you a favor, something that may change things permanently.” She curled her fingers around his hand. “Ask.” “Jezar wants to create a bridge between us, one that won’t go away when he backs out.” Tory kept his gaze on her face, but she couldn’t tell by his demeanor whether he wanted her to do this or not. “Okay.” There was no question in her mind. She was connected to Tory in every other way. She wanted to know what he did. If that meant a permanent bridge, so be it. Jezar’s tone was firm. “I think you’d better understand what this means.” A cold finger of fear slid up her spine. Something about the way the Ardasian’s green eyes studied her gave her the willies. She tried to shake them off. She held his gaze. He continued. “The bridge will give you access to each other’s mental processes, your emotions. Every time a thought passes through your brain, the other will know it. At first, you will be unable to stop this.” Alex blinked. Every thought? She squirmed in her chair and pulled her fingers away from Tory’s hand. What would that look like, feel like? Nothing private, nothing separate. And it would be reciprocal. She glanced at Tory. What would his thoughts be like? Did she really want to know what he thought? “But eventually, we’ll be able to…filter out thoughts?” “Eventually,” Jezar answered. “It’s like a muscle you’ve never exercised. Sometimes when you’re tired, or stressed, the muscle will fail.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Pros and cons. Unlike with her mating, Tory gave her a choice. Her gaze met his. He gave no indication of his own preference, his blue eyes bright, but hard to read. This was her decision. All her life, intimacy had been discouraged by her parents. They weren’t an affectionate family, preferring competition and achievement to love. Her family’s position at court made relationships more difficult to maintain. She’d felt more loss when one of the men in her command died than when her father was killed on his mission of mercy. When her brother was killed on Teran Five, she’d felt outrage that, for political reasons, she wasn’t allowed to avenge him. But then, she’d almost lost Tory. All those feelings of loss and outrage were nothing compared to the overwhelming panic and fear that flooded her when she believed he might be dead. A solid certainty swept away the churning in her stomach, the doubts in her mind. Whatever happened now, she belonged to him. It wasn’t just the mating. And love was such a small word for what she felt for him. “Do it.”
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“There’s more,” Jezar started and she snapped her gaze to the Ardasian’s face. “The connection is…intense. If it is physically severed by death, the emotional consequences—” “I don’t care. Do it. Whatever happens, we need all the advantages we can get.” “Alex,” Tory said gently as he took her hand again. “I don’t want you to do this out of duty.” She almost rolled her eyes. Idiot. But he’d find out how stupid that was in a minute. “Can you do it now?” Jezar’s nod was slow. “The sooner the better. When we go to the surface of Teran One, you’ll need those filters in place. Otherwise, you’ll drive each other crazy.” He clasped her hand and immediately, Jezar’s thoughts were there. He was…different from Kera. Stronger. I am a Child of Light, Alexandra Zeerah. I have been sent to save the universe. She caught an ironic tone to his thought. The connection had been set by Jezar’s touch and now his full powers were unleashed inside her head. Like when Kera bridged her mind to Tory’s, she felt stretched, pulled forward. And Tory was there waiting. Their touch was easy, almost natural. Jezar still held them, but she followed the path of the lines between them, ethereal and only visible in her mind. Familiar. Comfortable. This time, instead of seeking particular thoughts, sharing a similar vision, all of Tory’s thoughts flooded her. Every one of them. Disjointed, yet orderly. The deaths, the blood, the scrabbling he’d experienced all his life clicked through her mind. Like an old slideshow of ancient pictures bright and clear, each scene bombarded her. Low murmuring added to the confusion and suddenly his thoughts were streaming through her mind like an ongoing background noise. The last of my line. How can I protect what I have left? If I die here, there is nothing left in the universe to carry on my line. I waited too long. I should have taken Alexandra with me. At first, many thoughts slammed into her at once. Thoughts about Teran One, thoughts about their mating, things she’d never wanted to know, things she’d always wanted to know. But after a few seconds, she realized there were layers. Some thoughts were unconscious, his mental stream that flowed beneath the surface. Other thoughts were the ones on the surface, the ones that weren’t as deeply connected to his subconscious. Her head strained, throbbed, the pain slicing through her. When she lifted her hands to clutch her head, Tory’s hands caught hers and suddenly, it all blurred. His thoughts, her thoughts, his feelings and hers, blended until she couldn’t tell whose was whose anymore. Little things like that his brother had carried him on his shoulders on a sunny day. His mother had kissed him like a real mother did, like her mother never had. Tory’s father, enraged when Tory’s brother had died, seemed to never smile again. A day on 151
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Teran Four when he’d seen five children shot down by a soldier for being “mixed Teran blood” and later when Tory had killed a whole camp of those soldiers as a result. All his doubts about his ability to read a man since Pulzer had betrayed him. It was too much. And Tory was fairly organized in his thinking. How the hell would he make sense out of the mess in her head? I have a hell of a headache, but it’s not as bad as you think it is. Well, that’s something, I guess. No, really. Once I figured out the pattern, your thinking is fascinating. He really thought that. Tory was filtering, digging through her thoughts, turning them over, testing their flavor. He enjoyed the challenge, the puzzle she presented. His mental fingers delved into every corner, enjoying the freedom of exploring. Maybe he had the right idea. I think I’ve been too afraid to look. Well, seeing how your life has been, dear heart, that’s understandable. She began to explore, tentatively at first, then with more curiosity. The way he boxed things, filed things away, everything was there neatly labeled. Except for her. She didn’t fit neatly into his little boxes. But there were a few other things dangling. Conflicted thoughts about his bloodline, his family, dominated the odd bits that didn’t fit. His father’s words drifted into her mind. The bloodline is more important than our own lives, son. It’s all we have left now. A boy. He’d been a boy when his father instructed him in duty. But in his family, duty was tempered by love, affection, connection. Those intense feelings of loyalty were shattered when his family disintegrated in the face of one loss after another. He joined the military because he thought it was something he could do. Fight and kill. And then he’d met her, fought with her. All those feelings of loyalty, to blood, to family, transferred to her. She had no idea why. Clips of their time together all those years ago snapped one after another. One wrenched her heart. She remembered that moment. Stuck in a trench, a muddy hole really, on Teran Five, she and Tory had spent forty-eight hours cut off from their team, alone, with their lives hanging in the balance. The things they’d said, the secrets they’d revealed, exposed them both. I knew then, Tory told her. I was afraid. I know. And yet, only two months later you presented a Courtship Contract to your father. For me. I wish I’d known that. All those years, Tory. She was back to the place she’d come to when they’d connected before. But this time, his mind and hers were entwined more closely. Alex, all things happen for a reason in the universe. Jezar’s mental voice intruded briefly. It’s true. Had you mated five years ago, you would probably be dead. This process began two generations ago on Ardasia. Had either of you chosen a different path, this opportunity to stop it would not have presented itself. 152
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Stunned, Alex reviewed all that had happened and realized Jezar was correct. What if the plague had been transported by someone else? What if Darius hadn’t come after her? What if Tory hadn’t stopped the transport in an effort to save the woman he loved? Everything happened for a reason. Those five years weren’t wasted. To save her planet, her people, humanity, it was worth the fleeting pain she’d experienced without Tory. This thought made their coming mission easier to face. Together, we are a powerful force, Saria. They would have to be.
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Chapter Twenty-Two Alex’s headache receded and the murmuring in the background drifted away to silence. Jezar had been right. It would take time for her and Tory to adjust to the closeness, the intimacy, of the permanent bridge. For two hours, Jezar helped them, guided them, to exercise the mental control to block each other and the constant chatter. Tory adjusted better, blocking her fairly quickly, until she could only read bits and pieces. She took longer, struggling to block his forceful mental touch. The longer they were connected, the more she realized he was more violent, more aggressive than he appeared outwardly. Years of learning to deal with civilization spread a veneer over his real male self but the thrusting male part of him resided in his thoughts. Thoughts that were difficult to block. Your thoughts are like a symphony with different parts all assaulting my ears. Is that a compliment? Because it doesn’t feel like one. He only chuckled and they kept at it. Control was the name of the game here. She had felt it the minute Jezar had withdrawn from their connection. Yet, he’d just been a presence, a voice in her mind, not connected to her the way she was connected to Tory. The bridge held and the connection went on, reflecting back on itself, like mirrors of mirrors. In a few hours, she grasped the skill to build the wall. It had to be a push, a powerful mental shove, to keep him out. Her head stopped hurting and only a rush of warmth remained. She’d done it. Tory smiled. “Now, we have to practice it.” She sighed. “I’d really like to rest a bit. We’re going to be on Teran One tomorrow. I want to be sharp, not tired.” “Sure,” he told her. They headed back to their quarters, each alone with their thoughts for the first time in hours. Odd, but the connection still tied her to him, even though his mind was closed to hers. The bridge had only solidified what was already there. Feelings, warmth, sexual energy spread through her body. It was as if he touched her, his hands brushing over her nipples, her pussy. So, specific thoughts she could block, but his rush of sexual need seeped through. She’d make him pay for that. Instead of giving him the mental shove he deserved, she amplified his feelings with her own, delving into her sexual fantasies for inspiration. The warmth in her body spiked to heat and a feral growl emanated from his throat. Still, she kept his thoughts at bay and reflected his desire back. The problem was her body reacted, her pussy dampened and her heart pounded. The visions of Tory spanking her with her body in
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the rack, the sight of his hard cock buried in her while her legs were wrapped around his waist, the sound of the slap of their flesh all spun toward him. His visions clarified, sharp and clear. In his, she was bound and gagged, her screams muffled and sexy. He, too, wanted the slap of his hand against her flesh, the hot skin turning a sweet flushed pink under his gaze. She shuddered with arousal. Damn it. She couldn’t block him now. The connection, the ties, were like ropes that pulled at both of them. By the time they reached their quarters, they were both out of breath and frantic with need. The door whooshed behind them and she faced him. Suddenly, she dropped all her walls between their mental connection and the need, the desire, and the hot flood of lust slammed into her like a fist. She let it wash over her, her mind receiving it the way her body welcomed him. He was on her in a second, tearing at her clothes as frantically as she tore at his. Naked, her body swayed toward him making her nipples brush along the skin of his chest and she gasped at how close she came to an orgasm just from that sensation. The mental connection, the flow of disjointed words and feelings, increased the fire between them until she could have come just from his mental command. Her hand wrapped around his cock and she felt it jump in her hand as well as the hiss in his mind. Everything intensified as what he felt seemed to amplify what she felt. Their mutual senses not just doubling, but quadrupling the arousal they both experienced. Through their connection, she felt the way her soft skin drove him crazy, the way he needed to be inside her, and the driving force of his passion for her. Close. Fuck, they were both so close. All it took was a tiny shift, the right word— but all that flew out of her mind when his fingers sought her pussy and stroked her clit. She jerked, mind blanked, desperate to hold on. Come for me. Come all over my fingers. Even his mental voice was strained, almost a growl. He slid his fingers along her clit again and she shuddered, shattered really, her whole body tense, her cum wetting his fingers. Her back arched and she couldn’t control the low cry that grew louder as her orgasm continued unabated. Finally, she drifted. She opened her eyes, not remembering when she closed them, and found him watching her, studying her. His thoughts were of how beautiful she was, how every inch of her face showed her release, how he could barely hang onto his release when she found hers. She squeezed his cock, still hard in her hand, and moved up and down until he groaned aloud. He pushed her hand away and shoved her back on the bed. When she fell backward, he gave her no time to catch her breath, but parted her legs with his shoulders, and his tongue lashed against her slit. His fingers circled her anus, sending shards of pleasure cutting through her. Sharp and hard, she came into his mouth, her hips violently thrusting toward his wicked 155
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tongue. He jammed two fingers inside her ass and his tongue rhythmically fucked her pussy. She screamed, her whole body thrashing beneath his ministrations. He moaned, his mouth vibrating her clit and ecstasy swept along every nerve, every muscle. With their minds wide open, she felt everything he did, every thought about her, every single thing he wanted to do her but couldn’t because he had to fuck her right this very second or die. Her body ached for his cock inside her. That’s what she wanted. The connection of his cock to her pussy, key to her lock. He caught her broken thought and lifted his head to stare at her. His gaze was still locked with hers when he towered over her and thrust inside her. She exploded, her orgasm pounding her over and over, her muscles strained. Her keening cry echoed in his mind and reflected back to her, extending her pleasure. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think. Feeling, slipping into a world of intense erotic ecstasy, falling, drifting. In that moment, there was only him, only his touch. Nothing else existed for her. But when he came, lights cascaded in her mind like fireworks and heightened the sensations until they were sharp and needy. Like echoes on a canyon wall that went on and on, his release amplified hers, which augmented his until it seemed as if there was no end. How long they were held there, she had no idea, but finally their bodies gave out, a sudden collapse, and he lay on her, his hot breath on her skin. She whimpered, her entire system unraveled, quaking beneath him. Thoughts, sensations, floated between them. The intense love he felt for her, the way she always amazed him, the way her body fit his. She purred and wrapped around him like a vine. Stay just like that and don’t move. Ever. Rest. Together. Connected. And still buried inside her, his breathing deepened and lulled her into a comfortable, warm sleep.
***** I don’t mean to intrude, Commander, but we are nearing Teran One. So far, we have not been identified. Jezar’s voice woke Tory up out of an erotic dream. Unfortunately, or fortunately, he wasn’t sure which, he got a massive hard-on from those dreams. Still buried inside his mate, Tory gasped when she squirmed beneath him just as he received Jezar’s mental nudge. He growled, his thoughts fuzzy and uncoordinated. Damn it. Alexandra, we have to wake up. Jezar says we’re almost to Teran One. No time for a quickie? He almost laughed out loud at the severe disappointment in her mind. No, but I promise, my Saria, I will make up for it. They groaned in unison when he backed out. Visions of showering together slammed into his mind from Alex. He groaned again and caught a mischievous grin on
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her face. He blocked her, his mind creating a wall. Her grin disappeared and she pouted. “It’s not fair. You’re better at this shit than I am.” He stroked her cheek with his finger. “You’ll have to keep practicing.” They dressed and headed for the bridge. In the elevator, he shot a glance at her. Her braid was ruthlessly in place, her uniform perfect and unwrinkled. No one would ever know how completely out of control she’d been only hours before. Somehow, it turned him on, that this woman, so straitlaced, so perfect, had been undone by his hands. She caught his glance. “Your wall is down.” He smiled. “So?” She rolled her eyes. The doors opened and the bridge crew immediately relaxed. Dink spoke first. “The news on Teran One isn’t good.” “What now?” Tory strode to the Commander’s chair and Alex stood at his right. “The vid of the woman being tortured has been released on viral stream and everyone is up in arms about it.” Dink shot Alex a nervous glance. “We didn’t put it out there, but someone did. Pontoon has begged Darius to come back and the whole planet is on the verge of civil war.” Dink clicked a few buttons and a news story appeared on the screen. Fighting in the streets, still fairly localized, but intense, filled the stories. Old family ties were strengthened and newer families were being targeted as if they were the threat. The tenuous peace between the First Families and the lesser bloodlines had broken down. The old bloodlines had realized they were being eliminated, but they didn’t understand who was behind it. Their violence was too random, indicating an underlying panic. It was like a sight from ancient days before the advent of the Saria contracts, back when families aimed for bloodline genocide. Alex’s fists clenched. Tory reached out and took one of Alex’s tight fists in his hand and gently stroked the knuckles. “Ena Solly has made her first move.” “Also, Alex has been reported as dead,” Dink announced. Another button and another vid appeared. Her death was attributed to Darius Stender. What the hell was Ena doing? Eliminating the possible survivors of course. The story went on to say that a memorial was planned during the Shoshani celebration. “What does Ena gain by declaring Commander Zeerah dead?” Dink asked. “A power shift,” Alex answered. “My death forces some political factions to choose a side.” “She’s very popular with the Teran One people,” Tory added. “Ena probably wants to use Alex’s death to discredit the royal government.” “How do we proceed?” she asked Tory, though he had already leaked several thoughts.
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“Nothing has changed. The confusion works in our favor. We’ll slip in easier and make contact. Let Ena think she’s succeeded in elimating Alex as a threat.” Tory studied his crew. “Pulzer send any transmissions about Darius?” “Only that Darius was barreling down on us in two warships. That must be where Ena got the idea to spread the word that Commander Zeerah was dead.” A very ugly thought slammed into Alex. Oh shit. Not that. It couldn’t be. She met Tory’s gaze, her thoughts totally open to him. He shot a glance at Jezar. The three of them came to the same conclusion. She saw the vision. That meant there was another person involved in this mess. Someone who wasn’t Teran One. Someone who saw visions of the future. An Ardasian. Jezar, is that why you signed on with me? Tory didn’t want to believe it. For Jezar to hide the fact that another Ardasian was involved from Tory hurt him deeply. No. I signed on with you because I saw that you would save us all. This other person is a surprise to me, Tory, I swear. Her mate was silent, but his reluctance to believe the Ardasian and the conflicting desire not to have been wrong about someone else warred within him. Open up, Jezar, she demanded. It can go both ways. Open up. She pressed, her newfound mental talents expanding to dig at Jezar’s brain. Surprisingly, he did. He only allowed her into certain parts, neatly sectioned, but she wanted his reasons for being on The Pinnacle. She found them. He’d been sent by the Judges of Ardasia. Find the bonded pair that would save humanity from genetic destruction. For a moment, she was there, in the Judge’s chamber on Ardasia. They told Jezar that the humans were needed to save Ardasians from a genetic dead end, that inbreeding on Ardasia had created a crisis that only human beings had solved. Her own ancestor, married to the famous Dudley, had bred the future of Ardasia and saved Jezar’s planet from stagnation and eventual death. But the plague could wipe out the so many humans that the gene pool would shrink. The Ardasians had become dependent on humanity, which was why the aliens had interfered when the Huacan released the plague on Old Earth and why they insisted Jezar interfere now. If the Teran planets fell to the Ardasian line of humans, they were all doomed. They told me my own personal future depended on your success. But that avenue was firmly blocked in his mind. Right. An Ardasian who wanted the Old Earth plague released, who apparently didn’t care that it was genetic suicide. And someone who could see the future. They were fucked.
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“We have to adjust our plan,” she said out loud. Tory sent her a startled look but it was important to let the crew know what they faced. “We’re in trouble, aren’t we?” Bud said and sighed. “It’s never as easy as we hope.” “There’s another person involved. An Ardasian.” She dropped the bomb but Dink and Bud took it well, almost casually. “There had to be some way they anticipated almost every move you made.” Bud shook his head. “Whoever it is, do you think they know we switched the contents of the box?” Dink asked. She marveled at these men. No surprise, no protest. They just accepted it. “We have to assume they do.” “Are the vials safe on Ardasia?” Bud stared at Jezar. The Ardasian sighed. “It’s only accessible to the ten Judges. That means someone would have to go through them to get into the lab where the plague is being stored.” “We still have to go to Teran One and deal with Ena,” Alex insisted. “This changes very little.” “Except now we know Ena will be expecting us.” Tory’s lips tightened. “I don’t like it.” “Well, this way we don’t have to take Pulzer,” she quipped. “Oh, he’ll still have his uses,” Tory responded. “Okay. The plan holds then.” She stared at Dink and Bud. These two were their best hope if they failed. Tory also frowned at them. “When we disembark, take The Pinnacle out of Teran One space. In fact, get it out of Teran Space entirely. If we don’t make it out, I want you guys on your way to Ardasia to make sure the Judges know what happened.” None of them mentioned that if they failed, the Judges would likely know anyway. “We leave in one hour. Notify our two volunteers,” Tory told them. He turned to Bud. “You’re in charge.” Dink rose stiffly and stuck his hand out to Alex. “It’s been an honor, Commander.” “The honor was all mine.” She shook his hand. The way Dink’s gaze swerved to Tory’s made Alex’s heart clench. Tory was so much more to them than just a ship’s commander. He was their friend, their father, their brother. No handshakes for them. Tory clapped him in a hug that made tears prick her eyes. Bud rose. Would there be hugs for the Teran Four native? It shocked to Alex to see just that. Who knew? Then, Dink and Bud both hugged Jezar, a bizarre sight for anyone who had met any of these men.
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The moment passed and the three of them stepped into the elevator. Dink met her gaze. “Bring them back, Commander.” “I will, Dink.” The doors closed and Alex gritted her teeth. She hoped she could live up to the faith Tory’s men had in her. Tory reached over and clasped her hand in his. Whatever happened, they’d face it together.
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Chapter Twenty-Three The shuttle bay was almost empty when Tory, Jezar and Alex arrived. Tory hadn’t even checked to see which two men volunteered for this suicide mission. They hadn’t pulled any punches when they’d informed the crew about it. Survival? Probably not. Reward? None, unless you gave a shit about humanity. With Pulzer trussed up between them, the two volunteers waited for them by the shuttle. One was Marak Foche. Alex had met him briefly during the trip. He was an expert on engines and was often seen with the second volunteer—Tesia. “No.” Jezar breathed the word out so softly Alex wondered if she’d heard it. “Thank you, Tesia, Marak.” Tory nodded to both of them. “Jezar will fill you in on the details of our plan on our way to Saladian. Marak, I know you’re familiar with the Shoshani customs on Teran One. Will you help Tesia out with that?” “No.” This time Jezar’s voice was loud and emphatic. “I’m going,” Tesia said and glared at him. What was going on here? Alex glanced at Tory who shrugged. “This mission is too dangerous,” Jezar ground out, his jaw clenched. Tesia stepped up, a red flush spreading over the bridge of her nose, her eyes shards of blue glass. “I volunteered for this. I saw what would happen if you lose.” Jezar gripped Tesia’s arm and thrust his face close to hers. “If we lose, you’ll be dead.” Alex stared at the Ardasian. Where was his famous cool? He had clearly lost his mind if he thought Tesia was going to sit calmly on the sidelines while Jezar ran off to get killed. And she’d seen the vision. She knew what was coming. It was Tory who made the decision. “She goes. Jezar, fill her in.” Jezar whirled around, quick for such a big man, and his gaze narrowed on Tory’s face. “Get someone else.” Tory took a deep breath and let it out. “She has the right to take the risk, Jezar. It’s her life.” Something painful glittered in Jezar’s eyes for a moment and then, it was gone. His hands clenched into fists and Alex wasn’t sure if Jezar was going to relax or not. Finally, the man shook his head and strode onto the shuttle, his back stiff and his chin jutted forward. Tesia stared after him. “What the fuck is wrong with him?” Alex’s eyebrows rose. “If you don’t know, I’m not telling you.”
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Oh, Tesia knew what was wrong with Jezar. From the uncomfortable shuffle of her feet and the way she turned away from them, she had to know. She glanced at Tory. He’s in love with her. She sent the thought to Tory. I think so. But Tory’s thoughts were distracted from Jezar and Tesia. He was focused on the plan, the details, the things that could go wrong. She took his hand, aware that Foche watched them. “Ready?” In the shuttle, Alex strapped herself into the copilot’s seat. Jezar put Pulzer by the escape hatch and tied him in. Then Jezar gave the man a shot. Alex nodded at the Ardasian. Pulzer couldn’t know their plans. Her fingers flew over the flight check and then she relaxed as Tory did the rest. She glanced back at the other three people in the shuttle. Jezar’s tight lips and clenched jaw matched Tesia’s narrowed eyes and tilted chin. Foche frowned and listened carefully as Jezar began to explain the details of their plan. Since Alex had never really looked at Malak Foche before, she studied him as Jezar talked. Curly, brown hair, a straight nose and a lanky look about him. He had to duck quite a bit to fit in the back of the shuttle. Both Jezar and Tory did, too, but Foche was taller than either of them. There was something in the sidelong glance he shot at Tesia that got her attention. Where is Foche from? she asked Tory. I picked him up on Teran Five, but I think he’s from Teran Two. He’s got a thing for Tesia too. Several thoughts flitted through Tory’s mind until he settled on, That would explain why he volunteered. I don’t know much about him except that he’s good with the engine’s computers. He’s kept to himself mostly. I took him on because Tesia suggested him as a good assistant engineer. I think he has a past record, but I didn’t ask. Tory gave a mental shrug. He flies under the radar. Tesia’s word was good enough for me. Then Tory’s thoughts were tied up in getting the shuttle out of the bay. She matched his movements with her own. Copiloting certainly was easier when she knew exactly what the pilot intended to do. They disembarked easily. Alex continued to listen to the conversation in the back. How Tesia and Foche responded to the information would be critical. “We plan to attend the celebration in Saladen, the capital. Our target is Celeste Zeerah.” Jezar clicked a button on his handheld console and Celeste’s face appeared. “She is not being held against her will.” “But the vid—” Tesia started. “Was a fraud,” Jezar interrupted her, his gaze not meeting Tesia’s. “Celeste is a willing participant in what she believes is a civil war. We don’t know for sure how much she knows, but we’re going to rescue her.” “Does she have something to do with the box on Commander Zeerah’s shuttle?” Foche asked. 162
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Jezar nodded. “Celeste, the commander’s sister, may know the location of a shipment like the one Commander Zeerah had in her cargo hold.” He glanced at Tesia and then back to Foche. “Four hundred vials containing the Old Earth plague.” The color in Foche’s face bled away. “Four hundred?” “Or more. We don’t know how large the shipment is.” Jezar clicked another button and the blueprints of the capitol building appeared. “The woman holding Celeste is Ena Solly, a member of a First family. As the last of her bloodline, she should be here.” He pointed to a small area of the large cathedral room. Alex shot a glance at Tory’s profile. Could they pull it off? Jezar continued, “Commander Zeerah is the head of her bloodline. She is supposed to be here.” He pointed to a section to the south of the previous position. “We expect the current government to attempt to arrest her on charges of appropriation of Teran One property. In anticipation, we will be transporting the box from her cargo hold with us. As insurance.” Any color left in Foche’s face drained away and he looked a little green. Jezar reassured him. “The vials are not in it, so there is no danger. There are, however, several vials containing our escape plan.” “Anosenosin,” Tesia said shortly. Jezar nodded. “There’s enough to knock out over a thousand people, but not for long. Our plan is to save Celeste, contain Ena Solly and obtain the information of the location of the virus.” “Do we have a plan B?” asked Tesia, her gaze on the blueprints. “No. This is it. Our problem is twofold. The current government, led by Pontoon Gregor, will attempt to stop us. Also, according to the information I got from Pulzer, there are several thousand Teran One rebels—and they’ll also try to stop us.” Jezar sighed. “My hope is that the rebels will blame the Gregor government and Darius Stender can return to the throne to restore order.” “What if the rebels release the plague?” Foche asked. “Then we’d better hope we’re off planet and can kill anyone who tries to leave Teran One space, or the other Teran planets are doomed.” Jezar clicked his handheld and showed them a copy of the vid Alex had seen at the Ardasian museum. She turned away to avoid seeing the slaughter, the carnage, in that scene, but the sounds of screaming and ripping and tearing still reached her ears. Was this going to be the fate of her world? A retching sound made her turn and see Tesia’s face had lost every vestige of color. Foche’s hand was at his throat and his face had a greenish tinge. That’s what they would face if they failed. Alex closed her eyes. Only a small chance existed for them to stop the plague and save her planet. So small, so slim. But she clung to it. If they could succeed, she would have a life with Tory. If they didn’t, she would die with him. Simple.
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She focused in front of her, but the conversation in the back caught her attention. Tesia found her voice first. “Who was fighting them?” she asked. “Humans immune to the plague.” Jezar’s voice sounded clipped and cold. “There are humans immune to the plague?” Foche asked. “Humans genetically descended from an alien race are not affected by the plague.” Why didn’t Jezar just say yes? He seemed to avoid the question both volunteers wanted to ask. Were they immune? Tesia sighed so heavily, Alex heard it in the cockpit. “Are we immune? How do we find out?” “Do you want to know? After all, the chances you’ll be exposed are very high.” Jezar spoke slowly. “I’d rather know if I’m going to become a flesh-tearing animal and kill my friends, wouldn’t you?” Tesia snapped. Jezar was silent for a moment. Then, “And you?” Foche answered, “I’d like to know.” “It’s simple, really. Put your thumb here.” A moment and a beep sounded. Then, Jezar spoke. “Tesia, you’re apparently immune. Foche, you are not.” Alex let out a breath. How would the man feel about that? Why did it feel like he’d just been handed a death sentence? Foche’s voice revealed no fear, only determination. “Tesia?” “You can’t ask me to do it.” Something panicky and shrill crept into Tesia’s tone. “I can’t think of anyone better,” Foche said in a low voice. “You can’t let me become…like that.” A small sound, like a whimper, came from Tesia and Alex’s heart ached for her. What exactly was the relationship between Foche and Tesia? He is in love with her but, to her, he is a very old friend. Jezar’s mental voice intruded. Alex mentally recoiled. Damn it, Jezar! Get out of our heads. Suddenly, a very bleak and bitter sensation swamped her. It isn’t pleasant to read things from you humans all the time. You send your thoughts so loud we can’t miss them. Foche is projecting so strongly it’s like shouting to me. We don’t do it to torment you. No. But don’t criticize me for what I am. Then, his thoughts were gone like a radio transmission switched off. She shot a glance at Tory. For most of the trip so far, his thoughts had been closed off, blocked. She touched him and he met her gaze. “Tory,” she said aloud, but kept her question silent. She wanted him to connect, but she wasn’t going to force it. Like a door opening to a fresh wind, his thoughts began to blow over her. The mission, his worries, his conviction about what they were doing and his laser-like focus 164
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traveled between them. He hadn’t been listening to the conversation between the others. What she’d been hearing and thinking communicated to him in a blink. Jezar pays a price for reading most humans, Alex. What do you mean? She focused on myriad conversations Tory remembered. Snippets of these exchanges revealed the Ardasian struggled to block human thoughts. Jezar’s gift was so strong that it picked up too much. And he paid for it. The dark secrets, the negative emotions, the deceit in human behavior all taxed Jezar’s mental energy. Being on my ship hasn’t been easy for him, Alex. Though my men aren’t evil, they have dark pasts, dark deeds, dark thoughts. You were a pleasure to read for Jezar. Like light after a dark night. Tesia is that way too. Can’t he block the thoughts coming in? Yes and no. Right now, he has to read Foche and Tesia. And Pulzer. All of that is taking its toll. If he’s a bit bitter that a man who’s his rival for Tesia is a hero in her eyes for the moment, it’s natural, I think. Alex turned these thoughts over, picking them apart and studying them. The mission required too much from Jezar. She wouldn’t want to read the murky thoughts of a traitor like Pulzer. And how would she feel about reading someone who loved Tory? Someone who might have some claim on his affections? She shook her head. Tory was right. No wonder Jezar sounded bitter. Tory reached out and clasped her hand, his gaze still on the control panel, but his thoughts entwined with hers. We are very lucky. We have been able to touch in every way possible. Jezar has never broken through Tesia’s distrust and wariness. Why in the world would she distrust him? I mean, he’s proven he wants to help us. Tory’s thoughts were jumbled about this and his opinions were based on his gut feelings rather than facts. I think Tesia is afraid of her feelings for Jezar. She was raised on Teran Two, which practices stringent isolation. I don’t think she’s entirely comfortable being attracted to an Ardasian. Particularly one who has Jezar’s power. She blocks him out, keeps him at arm’s length and won’t allow herself to get to know him any better. Jezar, on the other hand, admires Tesia’s strength and honor. I think he’s strongly attracted to her, but she won’t give him the time of day. That’s so sad. Alex’s heart clenched. She had gone five years without the only man she’d ever loved for the cold comfort of duty and honor. Could she have done it if Tory was there, day after day? No. Yet Jezar had been forced to do it. I always believed Jezar would eventually win her over but… His thoughts jumbled a bit, but she finished the thought in her own mind. Now, Jezar won’t have the time to win Tesia. It isn’t that hopeless, Tory. Alex threaded her fingers with his and squeezed his hand. Perhaps he’ll get his chance. I don’t know what he’s seen, but he hasn’t been very optimistic and I know his own destiny is somehow tied to all this shit. Frustration threaded Tory’s thoughts. He wanted to help 165
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his friend, save his world, save his mate. Yet, he could only do so much. Tory was only human. We’ll make it. I know we will. How do you know that? Tory’s resignation weighed heavily on her, but Alex shored him up, sending her hope and love to him. Because I haven’t had nearly enough time with you, Tory Ingle. You’re not getting out of this that easy. He chuckled out loud and the sound carried through the cockpit. Jezar’s mental touch, gentler this time, reached her. I did not mean to be so…negative. You’re only reflecting the thoughts of those around you, Jezar. Let us ease your burden a bit. Alex opened up her mind and let Jezar see more. The Ardasian tentatively connected with her and Tory. Pulzer’s mind is violent and uncomfortable for me, even when he is unconscious. I believe it is coloring my thoughts, Jezar admitted. Well, take what you need, my friend, from both of us. Alex’s thoughts focused on her hopes for Tory and herself, their children, their lives in the future. Powerful thoughts that gave her more strength than she’d ever had before. In battles past, she’d gathered her energy, faith in her people, faith in her bloodline. With Tory by her side, all her energy focused on him, on their connection. Jezar seemed to soak it up like a sponge. Perhaps alone, she might have been sucked dry, but Tory was there, echoing her hopes and dreams with his own. Somehow, Tory didn’t just complete her. He amplified her, the sum of the two of them being so much more than each of them alone. You have no idea how rare it is to touch something so strong and powerful. Jezar sounded awed. I would think Ardasians would mate this way, she answered. Many do, I’m sure, but they do not allow other Ardasians to…experience it too. Humans are different in that. When you love, you share. Slowly, Jezar slipped away, his touch lingering a moment and then disappearing. Alex hoped it had helped. “We’ve reached the window to land at Saladen.” Tory prepared the others. “Orbital entry in ten.” Mentally, Alex counted down and the shuttle rattled when they hit the upper atmosphere of the planet. She stared at the screen. Home. She’d been on Teran Two, Three and Five. She’d studied Teran Four. None of the Teran planets were alike, despite being terraformed within the same five-year period.
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Teran One had a thick layer of clouds that kept the temperatures cool, but not too cold. The planet’s land mass was made up of large islands, all with temperate climates, each with their own special claims to fame. Perhaps the topography of Teran One was the reason Ena had initially attempted to spread the plague on Teran Four—islands could hide isolated pockets of survivors. Bloodlines tended to congregate on individual islands and trade between them was regulated by the throne. The clouds parted and Alex spotted four of the largest islands. Saladen, the capital city, sprawled in the center of Stender Island. Across a narrow strait, she spotted Zeerah Island. Both were large and dominated the area just north of the center of a large ocean. The other two largest islands were further south and had a slightly warmer climate. God, she’d missed her planet. “Please identify yourself,” a voice droned through the system’s speakers. Tory glanced her way and smiled. She answered, “This is Commander Alexandra Zeerah requesting permission to land. I am here for the Shoshoni.” She noted Tory’s hand tightened on the console. Gregor had demanded Alex’s head, but was he still in power? “We had reports that you were dead, Commander,” the man said. “May I just say, I’m happy they were in error.” “Thank you.” Of course, it wasn’t that easy. The tower demanded proof of identity and the identities of her crew. Tory’s presence hadn’t even rattled the tower. They seemed thrilled that Alex and Tory were back on Teran One. Cleared to land, all the official rigmarole finished, the time to face what lay outside the shuttle doors had come. They landed at the huge space port near the city and the tension in the ship increased. All of them knew they might step off that shuttle into a fight. Or not. Jezar had no insights into their situation. When Alex shot him a questioning look, he shook his head. He read nothing out of the ordinary out there. She shrugged. Not much they could do. Just walk out and do what they came to do. Pulzer, groggy and grumpy, was now awake and glaring at the rest of the crew. Jezar’s response was hard and mean. “You feel me, Pulzer? I’ll know. The minute you think about running, calling out, betraying us, I’ll know. And it would be my pleasure to run a laser through your heart.” The cold menace in Jezar’s voice made Alex shiver and Pulzer turned pasty white, the glare wiped away. Jezar stepped back and Pulzer stepped toward the door. To do so, he brushed past Tesia, who tensed and recoiled. Pulzer’s attention focused on her, a sneer on his face. Jezar moved so fast in the small confines of the shuttle Alex barely had time to gasp before the man’s hand connected with Pulzer’s kidney. 167
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Pulzer doubled over, a gasping, retching sound escaping him. Jezar towered over him, his green eyes blazing with fire. “Every thought. She is worth a million of you. You allow even one more thought about her and I’ll kill you, mission or no mission.” The man couldn’t even talk, but Pulzer managed a nod. Alex glanced at Tesia. She stared at Jezar, her expression troubled and awed. Foche blinked and stared at Tesia. Poor Foche. He didn’t stand a chance when it came to stature against the Ardasian, though Foche towered over Jezar by about two inches. She wondered what Foche thought about the whole thing. He struck her as a man on a mission to die. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen that. There was a fanatical light on the faces of men who had decided to die on a mission. It had never been something she trusted. “Let’s go. We’re running out of time.”
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Chapter Twenty-Four The last time Tory had been on Teran One, he had managed to slip unnoticed and undetected onto a cargo ship going planetside. This time, he was arriving with one of the premier heroes of Teran One society, Commander Alexandra Zeerah. He’d seen the news vids streamed to him before they’d landed. The people had thought she was dead and rejoiced that she lived. He knew his mate was revered on her home planet. And why not? She was brave, beautiful and intelligent—a fine example of good breeding. A huge swarm of people waited in the shuttle bay, ostensibly to get a glimpse of the woman everyone thought was dead. He rolled his shoulders and that old feeling of not being good enough came over him. A warm hand clasped his shoulder and he glanced down to find those loving golden eyes focused on him. To his surprise, she rose on her tiptoes and kissed him in front of everyone in the crowded shuttle bay. It was just a brush of her lips, but it was a statement to the crowd. She claimed him. He was hers and she was his. He wrapped his arm around her waist and slid her into his arms. No light, airy kisses were going to satisfy him at the moment. He leaned down and captured her mouth with his, a dominant possession. Her surrender only heightened his need and he forgot the crowds, forgot the mission, forgot everything but the feel of his Saria in his arms. Later, my love. We have to concentrate. Though Alex sent him the thought, he felt her rising excitement, her pride, her love. It made it difficult to pull away. Tesia’s poke in his shoulder worked better. “Do you suppose you two could save it for later?” she hissed. Slowly, savoring every last moment, Tory ended the kiss. Still, he cupped her face, well aware that what lay ahead may make these their last tender moments together. Together, they turned toward the crowd. Vid news crews swarmed them and asked them questions. Alex put on her irresistible charm and answered every one of them. Some of them were insulting, a deliberate attempt of the ruling party to discredit her. “Commander, is it true that you stole a Teran One weapon?” one man asked her, his vid camera rolling. Alexandra gazed at them all directly. “Of course not. And I’m sure when the details are declassified, I will be exonerated of any accusations of wrongdoing.” Damn. He wished he could carry that ringing conviction in his tone the way she did. One good thing about Alex—her reputation on Teran One was impeccable. What she said carried weight with the population, a miscalculation on the part of Gregor. He believed rumor was all that was needed to destroy her. He was wrong.
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His Alexandra was a very popular figure. Even Teran Two loved her for her humanitarian missions. She stood for freedom, integrity and love of one’s planet, and the people knew it. Gregor had played into Ena’s hands. “Is it true you’ve mated to a known criminal?” another vid reporter asked. Tory took a deep breath. They knew it would be like this, anticipated it. While the furor raged around the very popular Commander Zeerah, Jezar, Pulzer and the other two were slipping away to a predetermined location. “Commander Tory Ingle is my Sarat. His Saria claim was established by a Judge of Light. I have seen the evidence. He was innocent of the charge leveled against him.” Again, Alex had such a determined tone it swept away doubt. Tory wondered how she did it. Her demeanor dispelled doubts and inspired confidence. Come to think of it, she’d always been that way. “Commander Ingle, will you seek damages for the five years you spent in exile?” a female vid reporter asked him and batted her lashes at him. “I have no need of seeking revenge.” He held Alex’s hand and she squeezed it. “The contract is enough for me.” Liar! She sent the thought and chuckled in his head. Suddenly, several naughty visions cascaded from her mind to hers. He almost groaned out loud. She was evil, just evil. They eventually made it through the crowd somehow and caught a hovertaxi. Alex gave an address he didn’t recognize to the driver. Of course, he wasn’t all that familiar with Saladen. The city had never been a desirable destination for him. Too big, too crowded and too political. He preferred to visit his home island when he was planetside. “Where are we going?” “I want my official dress uniform.” Tory knew what that meant and where they were going. A small shop on the Main Palisade carried dress uniforms for all the Teran One Commanders. He’d heard of it. Once, he’d been told they carried one for him too, but he’d never gone there to retrieve it. For a brief moment, he regretted the lost time, the lost prestige. Then he glanced at Alex and the regret disappeared. Without those five years of separation, he doubted his mate would have become his Saria. Perhaps, as Jezar implied, they never would have mated at all, but died in a senseless bloodline genocide not many knew was happening. No, he wouldn’t trade all the prestige, the ease of Teran One life, for his mate. They reached the shop and Alex strode in as if she’d never been off planet, never mated to a known criminal, never fired on Teran One fighters. The proprietor deferred to her. “Commander Zeerah! What a pleasure to see you again.” “And you, Isler. I would like one of my dress uniforms please.” “Yes, Commander.” Isler shot a look at Tory. “And your mate?”
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“Would you like to wear the uniform again, Tory?” she asked him. “It’s your right, but I could understand why you wouldn’t.” And she did understand. His bitterness, his pain, about his exile still throbbed inside him. She touched it gently with her mind, stroked it really. You have every right to reject them as they rejected and hounded you, my love. Your call. Tory had worn the Teran One uniform with pride five years earlier. Would it mean the same now? “I will wear the uniform.” He glanced at Isler. “Do you have one in my size?” “Your size?” Isler, a dark man with heavy black brows that rose in surprise now, brought out a black commander’s uniform. “I have yours, Commander Ingle. If there are any alterations to be done, I can do them now.” Tory fingered the uniform. All his ribbons, his Starburst pins, were on the collar. It was as if another man, the man he once was, stood in front of him. He nodded to Isler. “Thank you. I will wear this.” It was odd. The uniform didn’t fit, but had to be widened in the shoulders and narrowed at the waist. Isler disappeared in the back of the shop and returned quickly, the alterations done. Tory shrugged into the uniform, now fitted to him. He’d grown stronger, harder, in those five years since he’d worn this type of garment. It felt like he’d put on another skin, another life with the uniform. But it seemed appropriate that he would wear the uniform of the planet he’d come to save, a planet that rejected him, exiled him. He stared in the mirror and had double vision for a moment. There, a young man, reckless, barely serious, fought because fighting was something he was good at, not because he believed in Teran One. There also, the wanderer, a philanderer, floated through life taking for granted all the things handed to him. Behind him, Alex appeared in a matching uniform with a red sash around her waist indicating promotion, something added after he’d been exiled, no doubt. But she clarified how that young man had become the man he was now. She had given him something to fight for then and she gave him more to fight for now. Without her, he wouldn’t have been anything and he wouldn’t have worn this uniform with any pride. The years without her had been long, but had taught him about gratitude, honor and death. His chin rose and the young idiot of five years ago faded away replaced by the man he’d become, a man who deserved the woman by his side. The glow in her eyes spoke of pride and something hotter that made him wish they weren’t pressed for time. “Like it?” he asked her casually. She smiled slowly, a wicked lift of her lips that sent electricity through him, and his hands flexed, itching to grab her and kiss her. Her smile became a grin and he rolled his eyes. Isler handed him another item he’d forgotten about. His family crest.
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Worn as a belt, the Ingle crest of a comet with a blazing tail seemed to speak of his journey from a Teran One soldier to a space mercenary and back again. Alex’s crest, a Zeetah, glared from her waist. It had always fascinated him that the lithe, cat-like mammal had the same golden eyes as his mate. It was as if the very things that made the Zeetah admirable—speed, cunning, agility—were embodied in his mate. “Shall we go and take our place?” She tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. He covered her hand with his. “It will be my honor.” They turned toward the door and Isler bowed low to both of them. “May the blessings of the Saria go with you on your journey.” “Thank you, Isler.” The man’s dark brown eyes were misty. “It is good that you are home. Both of you.” Isler whirled away and disappeared behind a curtain. Tory stared after him. “What was that all about?” Alex also gazed at the swaying curtain. “He’s a relative, distantly connected to my family and Darius’ too. To him, Teran One’s survival is paramount.” She glanced at him. “Somehow he knows we’ll save it.” She shrugged. “Or we won’t.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “We will.” The streets of Saladen were busy with Shoshani celebrators milling in and out of the shops and restaurants. Tory kept a hand clasped in hers as they wove through the crowds. The gray sky cast a pall over the bright colors, but there was still an energy, a tension in the air. It was as if the whole planet anticipated what was going to happen. They were only a block away from the Great Hall where the First bloodlines were gathering when a man appeared suddenly from one of the side streets. The stranger grabbed Alex and yanked her into the shadows of a dark alley. Tory was close behind, his fists raised. “Stop! I’m a friend. And you’ll need all the friends you can get,” the man whispered. “Get your hands off of her!” Tory demanded. “Shut up, Commander.” The man’s gaze was on the street. Two men, knives drawn, strode across the busy street, their family crest emblazoned at their waist. The Gregor family was looking for someone. When the two Gregor men had run past them, the man turned to regard him with intense silver eyes that glowed in the shadows. He had no family crest on his sash. “There are those of us in the rebellion who don’t want Ena’s plan to succeed,” he told them. Tory studied him. The way he gripped Alex’s arm had a familiar look to it. Black Ops? No. He’d met several of the rebels, but this man was a total stranger. The man’s face had a long, jagged scar down the side of it and his hand was missing a pinky finger. 172
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“Who are you?” The silver eyes met his. “Someone who doesn’t want the Old Earth plague released on this planet. Ena thinks she can do it and control the results.” He shook his head. “Most of the rebels haven’t seen the results.” “You have?” The man sighed impatiently as if Tory was stupid or something. “I’ve been to Ardasia. I managed to convince a few of them, but Ena still has a significant force behind her.” He crept forward and gazed up and down the street. “Follow me.” “Our plan is—” “Your plan is obvious to everyone, including Ena. She knows you’re using Pulzer.” “Fuck!” His heartfelt curse earned a bitter smile from their nameless companion. “Yeah. I figured I’d waylay you before they did.” “How the hell did she know?” The man’s gaze pierced his. “You don’t think you’re the only one with an Ardasian helping you, do you?” Alex met Tory’s glance. “We…guessed,” she said. “This is no native-born Ardasian. This is a full-blooded Ardasian who lived all his life on Teran One. He hates humans. Especially Teran One humans.” The man shook his head. “He’s been pushing Ena to release that fucking plague since we got the shipment.” His eyes glittered with violence. “He sent eight men to some distant drop point to get those vials. We were stupid and didn’t ask questions. Seven of my men died to get that fucking shipment,” he spat out. “That asshole didn’t tell us what was in it, did he? He knew it would happen, too. I can tell when someone is surprised by a body count. He wasn’t.” “Is that when you decided to help us?” One side of the man’s mouth rose. “No. Several of us were always going to help you, Commander. There were those of us convinced of your innocence.” Tory stared at him. Funny. He had always attributed that kind of loyalty to Alex, not himself. “Thank you.” “Several of your men stayed to fight on, Commander.” The man moved like a cat, a ghost, and he seemed familiar. Who was he? “What’s your name, soldier?” The man shot a glance back at him. “Once upon a time, I was Corporal Johan Ovid.” He slipped ahead of them and kept his voice low. “Then, Pontoon Gregor secretly detained me, as he did several of your men. He wanted to know if we were all traitors.” Ovid held up his hand. “He cut off my pinky and sliced my face. Fortunately, I couldn’t tell him anything because there was nothing to tell.” He glanced at Alex, his face unreadable. “Then we discovered that Samuel Zeerah had paid off some of the Teran One Tribunal Judges. Before we could release the proof, Gregor murdered the men in his custody. Out of twenty men, only three of us escaped.” 173
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A small sound of distress escaped Alex’s throat. She closed her eyes briefly, pain tightening her features. Johan stared at her. “You didn’t know.” She shook her head, her stomach rolling. This seemed to satisfy Johan. “After that, we arranged to trap your brother.” “You made the vids of Samuel’s confession.” Johan shook his head. “Not me, but several men in the rebellion did and we lied to King Darius about how Samuel had died on Teran Five.” “I’m in your debt two-fold, then,” Tory told him. They had reached a small house near the Great Hall. “Ena told us she wanted to end the control Pontoon Gregor held over the court. We had no idea she meant to destroy the rest of the planet in the process. We thought she’d release the plague on Teran Four and end the war.” Johan’s tone was bitter. “We helped her set up Commander Zeerah. With the help of the Ardasian, we knew Darius would get his closest relative to deliver the plague vials. We also timed it so you would confront her. Of course, our plan was for Commander Zeerah to be killed.” The man’s gaze met his. “Some of us believed it was your right to kill her, sir.” His chin jutted out. “We didn’t know—” He cleared his throat and opened the door without finishing his thought. No, his men wouldn’t have known about Tory’s obsession for Alex. And it would have made sense to take revenge on the woman whose brother exiled him. Of course, they didn’t know he’d been slated for death, not exile and that Alex had saved his ass. The little house wasn’t a house at all. It resembled a command center with computer consoles and vid monitors everywhere. Johan waved them into two chairs and began to click on a keyboard. Several points of the city clicked on the screen, the mill of people scrutinized and studied by those intense silver eyes. “Does the Ardasian know Jezar is here too?” Alex asked. Johan nodded. “I’ve sent a woman to intercept them. Hopefully, Jezar will read her and she won’t have to risk being seen.” “Johan, do you know Celeste? Have you seen her?” The man squirmed in his seat. “Commander—” “Please tell me.” So, Alex hadn’t caught those thoughts from the bridge. The thoughts were there, but she hadn’t gleaned everything yet. Johan shot him a look. Tory nodded. “Tell her.” “Celeste is part of Ena’s…entourage. She isn’t a prisoner. She’s Ena’s…” Alex waited. Johan didn’t go on. Tory told her. “What Jezar got from Pulzer is that Celeste has been promised a mating with Ena and Pulzer and that your sister has watched the couple fuck.” He said it baldly, knowing it was going to hurt no matter how it was packaged.
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Her face crumpled. He reached out with his mind to give her comfort and got slapped back. Yes, she was pissed he hadn’t told her, but he wasn’t going to let her keep him out. He pushed and she glared at him. He pushed more and she finally surrendered and let him in. He winced at the pain there. A whirl of emotion slammed into him. Anger that he hadn’t told her, had hidden it from her. Hurt that her sister would betray her, allow her life to be forfeit for a sexual connection with the enemy. And finally, fear that she’d have to watch her only sister die, either by the hand of Ena Solly or, perhaps, Celete’s own hand. Mental touches weren’t enough. He stood and hauled her to her feet to hold her in his arms. She clung to him, a wave of despair washing through her and over him. He stood firm, reminding her that they were there to save Celeste, even if she didn’t want to be saved. “We tried to tell her, Commander Zeerah. We all knew Ena wasn’t going to share Pulzer with her. Celeste has been…convinced.” “The Ardasian?” Tory guessed and Johan nodded. “He has a lot of power over her.” Alex frowned at Johan. “Who is this man? How could a full-blooded Ardasian blend in like that and not be spotted?” Johan’s gaze widened. “You really don’t know?” “Know what?” Slowly, the man shook his head. “We thought you knew.” “Knew what?” Alex shouted at the soldier. Johan’s silver gaze glittered. “Your mother was full-blooded Ardasian. Before she mated with your father, she had a child with an Ardasian male.” She blinked. “What?” “Kyler is your half brother.” Tory barely caught her when she slumped. White-faced, shaking and completely unnerved, Alex collapsed in a chair. “No. It can’t be.” Johan stared at her. “I can’t believe you didn’t know.” “Kyler can’t be that. He can’t be.” “He is. And believe me, he hates your whole bloodline as much as Ena hates the Gregor and Ingle bloodlines. Between the two of them, they wanted to end the aristocracy.” Johan turned away. “Which, up until she proposed releasing the Old Earth plague, was fine with me.” “Understandable,” Alex said shortly. “Saria—” “I’m fine. Kyler…visited us twice. My mother…I had no idea she was an Ardasian. She said Kyler was a distant cousin.” The last two words were spat out as if they were foul on Alex’s tongue. “He… Let’s just say he didn’t act brotherly.”
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Dangerous levels of adrenaline shot through Tory’s blood. “Oh?” “He never did anything, but…” She shuddered. “If he was full-blooded Ardasian, he knew exactly who he was and what he was to me.” She shook her head. “I thought he was my friend.” “He never was,” Johan told her. Alex’s smile was bitter. “I never was much good at family.” “You are now,” Tory insisted and put his arm around her. “We’re family.” She shuddered. “What if Celeste doesn’t want to come with us?” He turned her to face him, his hands gripping her shoulders. “I gave you no choice, remember? I wanted three months. We’ll demand the same from her.” A faint smile crossed Alex’s face. “I don’t think you can tie her up though.” “No. But we can keep her contained. She needs us more than ever, Alex. We can’t turn our back on her.” “Even if she ends up being responsible for the death of millions?” “Even then. Especially then,” he said earnestly. One lone tear slid down Alex’s face. “What about Kyler?” A frown wrinkled her brow. “Is he family too?” “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “He’s your half brother by blood. He has no claim on you unless you want him to. If you do want to save him, we will.” Simple as that. What she wanted, he wanted. “I just want to stop Ena from releasing that damned plague.” She jerked out of his embrace and paced. “That will cost you,” Johan said brutally. “It always does.” Alex stopped abruptly and then sighed. “I know it.” “There she is.” Johan pointed and a small woman with red hair strode past, approaching an oncoming threesome. The tall figure of Foche towered above the crowd and Jezar followed behind. Tesia was hidden by their bulk, protected by both men. The dark woman glanced up at the camera and then met Jezar’s gaze. Awareness flared in Jezar’s green eyes. He touched Tesia but said nothing. The redhaired woman nodded and slipped across the street. Foche pushed Pulzer foward and Jezar followed. The dark woman nodded to two men, who grabbed Pulzer and hustled him away. Jezar stopped Foche from lunging after them and whispered something to him. They disappeared down a side street. “They’re on their way here.” Johan stared at them. “Where are they taking Pulzer?” Alex asked. “Somewhere he can’t do any harm to my plan.” His eyes narrowed on them. “I have a plan, but it’s risky.” Tory shrugged. “Any plan to stop Ena Solly will be risky.” Johan gave Tory a steady glare. “You’re going to have to leave your mate.” 176
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“No!” “She has to draw Kyler away from Ena. It’s the only way to surprise Ena.” “I said no,” Tory ground out. Alex laid a hand on his shoulder. “Hear him out.” Agony ripped through him. “Not again, Alex. Not again.” He didn’t want to be without her. She cupped his face. “We’re bridged, my Sarat. We will never be apart again.” I can’t live without you, Alexandra. Me either, but if we have a chance to win, we should at least hear the plan. Alex— He couldn’t even put it into thought. The pain, the slicing pain, that tore through him just thinking about being away from her. He couldn’t handle it, couldn’t block it. She brushed his lips with hers. Emotion flowed from her to him. Warmth, love, hope, need, desire, a flood of everything she felt about him touched him everywhere. He lowered his forehead to meet hers in surrender. What she wanted, he wanted. And she wanted to win.
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Chapter Twenty-Five Though Alex convinced Tory to listen to the plan, she knew he might still refuse to go through with anything that might take her away. By the time Jezar, Foche and Tesia showed up, Tory was resigned, but resentful. His mental touch had been about receiving reassurance and giving comfort. She made sure he didn’t catch some of the thoughts she had about Kyler. When she’d lost Tory, she threw herself into her work, the military, the missions. Then, she lost her father, her mother and finally her brother. Celeste was all she had left. Kyler had offered to “keep an eye” on her little sister. When Darius asked her to transport a “dangerous but important” item to Teran Five’s General Costas, she had been aware that she might not come back. She’d turned to Kyler. As an Ardasian, he must have known her thoughts. He knew she still loved Tory deep in her heart and that her last thoughts as she left on her mission were of the chance she’d missed with him. The rebellion had informed Tory about the shipment because Kyler knew something very important. She’d never fire on Tory. Ever. Even for Teran One. Even though he was a criminal. And she’d never surrender either. She would have rather died than make the choice between the planet she loved or the man she loved. It was all there for him to read. Jezar met her gaze. Your love for Tory was clear to anyone who reads you. I’m sorry. You knew, didn’t you? I knew. Jezar’s thoughts leaked out and a jolt of surprise shot through her. He’s your brother too! Holy shit! His biological father is my father. She stared at Jezar. That’s why he had signed up. This was what the Ardasian council had meant by Jezar had a personal stake in what happened. It was very personal. His brother broke the code, flaunted the gifts Ardasians hold sacred, used his mental powers to influence human beings. You knew he was in charge, pulling the strings, and you’re here to stop him. No! Jezar’s denial was firm. I knew Kyler was on Teran One, but I swear I didn’t know he was behind all this. It wasn’t until we realized there was an Ardasian involved that I considered my brother might be the one. But I didn’t want to believe it. And now? Now I have no choice. Jezar was going to stop Kyler the rogue Ardasian.
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“Let’s hear the plan,” Tory said. Johan clicked a few buttons and the screens showed three different locations. One was the Great Hall, bustling with visitors. The second was an underground maze of tunnels. The third was the shuttle bay. “I have two hundred of my people lined up for today’s fireworks. Commander Zeerah will still make her appearance at the Shoshani celebration tonight.” He shot her a quick glance. “Gregor will make an attempt. My men will stop it. Unfortunately, Commander Zeerah, we need Jezar and Tory to confront Ena and Kyler.” “Why?” Tesia demanded. “Because Jezar can cloud our approach. We might be able to get the vials with a minimum of bloodshed.” He pointed to the shuttle bay. “The underground tunnels end here, Commander Ingle. When you’ve obtained the vials that are in the guarded safe, our men will cover your escape.” He touched each of them with a serious gaze. “If the Gregor family is distracted by Commander Zeerah and my men at the Great Hall, they won’t attack Ena. Right now, Ena plans to begin a civil war.” He held Alex’s gaze. “I plan to stop her.” “All right,” Tory said. “Let’s discuss the details and synchronize our watches.”
***** The Great Hall teemed with familiar faces but Alex studied each of them more carefully than she ever had before. All her life, she’d taken so much for granted. The aristocracy had always been the bedrock of their society, but maybe they’d been inflexible. Teran One prejudices had allowed an Ardasian to manipulate them, to create the crisis that now loomed. The rigid adherence to bloodlines, family and nepotism had fermented unrest and resentment. It made Teran One easy pickings for someone like Kyler. The Hall had been decorated with banners, each family crest represented even if the bloodline had died out or, in Tory’s case, been disgraced. The First Six were the biggest tables. The Stender table, empty and sad, dominated the front of the hall, its eagle crest hanging over the rest of the tables. The Gregor table, moved from previous Shoshani celebrations, now resided directly beside the Stender’s place. Eight older men and one very old woman sat at this table, their eyes shifty and wary. On the opposite side of the Stender table was Alex’s place, the Zeetah on her crest crouching as if ready to spring. An apt position. She and ten of the rebels resided at the Zeerah table. Her contingent included Foche and Tesia. Alex enjoyed explaining the various rituals to Tesia, who seemed enthralled by the spectacle. The remaining three of the First bloodlines were lined up below them, the Solly table populated by lesser members of that family. Alex pointed out each name and told stories for each bloodline, a welcome distraction from the tension in the other members of their group. 179
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When she reached the Ingle table she told the story of the first Ingle and Saria contracts. Tesia stared at her. “You mean, it’s not servitude?” Alex smiled. “Don’t misunderstand me. In barbaric hands it’s…well, barbaric. In some instances, such as Anton Gregor’s various marriages, it’s just a legalized form of rape. But the alternative for some of the families is extinction.” She studied the brutal Gregor, who had just “lost” his fourth wife. “The Gregors have always tended to use bloodshed to gain positions in power. After all, it was their bloodline nearly destroying the Solly line that caused the Saria contracts to be created in the first place.” She stared at the Ingle crest. The comet, a bright orange and red, shot across their banner. “Our people are brutal, Tesia. But we are deeply loyal to our families. It is both our blessing and our curse.” She thought about the Old Earth plague and how her genetics played such a huge role in what was happening. “Look alive, boys,” one of the rebels murmured. All the Gregors stood and men were weaving their way through the great hall. Violence was one cough away from exploding. So intent on the Gregors and the men approaching from the back of the Great Hall, Alex didn’t hear the approach of men from behind her until it was too late. A flash, the familiar agonizing buzz over her skin as the stunner slammed into her and then, nothing.
***** The entrance to the tunnel yawned like a gaping mouth and its dark recesses made Tory nervous. He didn’t like the turn of events. Alex was too far away. He and Jezar followed Johan into a maze of darkness. And somewhere out there was an Ardasian who had the ability to see the future. It didn’t look so good for their side. The men with them were battle-hardened rebels and Jezar seemed fine with all of them. But Tory’s gut churned. He didn’t like it at all. They crept along the hollowed-out passageways, the sounds of the city above them completely muffled. The darkness grew cold and the glowsticks each man had, cast an eerie shadow over the tunnel walls. Can you feel the other Ardasian? he asked Jezar. No. He’s clouding his men too. I don’t like this. For Jezar to be disturbed as well only increased Tory’s discomfort. It had seemed so simple. Distract Ena and the Gregors with Alex. Get the vials. Abduct Celeste. But somehow, he wasn’t sure it was going to be easy at all. “It’s in here.” Johan led them to a smaller corridor off the larger tunnel. At the end of the corridor, lit by a single light, was a steel door. Johan stepped forward eagerly and pulled it open.
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Too late, Tory realized it was all too easy. Where were the guards? Where was the Ardasian? As if in answer to his question, a pain in his back ripped through him. A stunner. Cries all around him told Tory they’d been trapped. And then it all went black.
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Chapter Twenty-Six Cold. It was so fucking cold. Tory tried to move and found his feet and hands bound in metal. He blinked and tried to clear his blurry vision. Then he wished he hadn’t. On the floor in front of him, Jezar was slumped in a heap, restrained, possibly dead. Beside him, Johan, also trussed up against the wall, seemed as if he was still unconscious. Across the small room, Tesia and Alex, both completely naked, were bound the same way he was. Despair flooded his soul. He had failed. They had failed. And now Alex would pay the price. Where were Foche and the other men? The door opened and a tall man, blond, smiling, with sharp green eyes and a smooth gait, strode into the room. This must be Kyler. In his hand, he had something Tory recognized and his stomach flipped. Shit, not that thing. He’d seen one on Teran Four up close and personal. A Drav. A long stick that sent shards of pain shooting through one’s body but did no physical damage. Teran Four specialized in causing pain without damaging the victim’s ability to procreate. “Well, well, well,” Kyler said, his voice smooth. “Look what I caught in my little web.” No one responded. He reached out to Alex. Are you okay? What happened? We were ambushed at the Great Hall. He must have known what the plan was all along. “Indeed I did,” Kyler said, as if Tory and his mate had spoken aloud. He gritted his teeth. Shit. This asshole was able to read them, listen to their thoughts. Kyler grinned at him. “What a simplistic view you have of my power.” He strode over to Tory. “I can do much more than that.” He stroked the Drav, his long fingers caressing it like a pet. “I can read your fears, your weaknesses.” He studied Tory from head to toe. “Why anyone related to me would mate with you is beyond me, but that’s beside the point.” He was enjoying this. Center stage, the great performer finally getting the spotlight. “I find it amusing that my brother,” he spat the word, “decided to try to stop me.” He kicked Jezar and Tesia cried out. “You see, my little half sister, you are ignorant of my true power.” Casually, he placed the end of the Drav against Tory’s hipbone. “I can see into your very soul.”
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A jolt careened through Tory. It ripped away everything but the pain. His dick felt like it was on fire. Shooting agony tore along his veins, making him convulse. Every thought bled away. He was vaguely aware of trying to breathe. It felt like something was burning his cock off and kicking his balls against the wall. Nothing else penetrated his mind. Even though he knew it was all nerve induced, he couldn’t grasp the thought long enough to relax his tensed muscles. Someone was grunting and he realized it was him. The pain escalated again and his hoarse shout was drowned out in his ears by the rush toward oblivion. He lost control of his bladder and the pain increased as urine slid down his legs and dampened his pants. When it stopped, Tory almost sobbed in relief and then shame. He knew Kyler had intended just that. He’d left Tory’s pants on so that he would be humiliated by his own weakness. Fuck him, his mate’s voice said in his head and Tory lifted his gaze to meet hers. He’s wrong. You are strong. Stronger than he is. He can only inflict pain on you because he’s incapable of joy. Satisfaction shot through Tory as Kyler’s eyes narrowed in displeasure at what Alex had said. He was still breathing heavily. He met Kyler’s gaze, his shame gone, his pride intact. He might die, but he wouldn’t die crawling. Kyler smiled. Shit. What now? The Ardasian opened the door. Foche came in. Only it didn’t look like Foche anymore. His brown eyes were blank, empty. Tesia shouted, “Malak!” The blank eyes swerved to look at Tesia and Tory shuddered. Like the vids on Ardasia of the plague victims, Foche wasn’t there anymore. “Malak is mine now, Tesia.” Kyler licked his lips. “And you’re quite wrong, my dear Alex. I can experience joy. Nothing will give me more pleasure than watching Malak rape you.”
***** Once, when Alex had been down in a foxhole on Teran Five, she had spent a night certain that the next morning would bring her capture by Teran Four. In the aggressive invasion, Teran Four hadn’t been too concerned about wartime etiquette. She and the three men in that hole with her knew what it meant. In war, rape of women was common enough, but Teran Four took it to a whole new level. Female combatants were repeatedly raped by Teran Four soldiers, the brutalization recorded and publicized. It was their duty, according to their fucked-up way of life. She told the man she trusted the most in the foxhole to put a bullet in her brain. That man had been Tory. Kyler had probably gleaned this from Tory and was using it against her.
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With every ounce of energy, she faced her fear. She poured strength into a wall, trying to block Kyler from her thoughts. Would this be bad? Hell yeah. Foche was taking off his clothes, his cock huge, just like the rest of him. But worse would be Tory’s agony if she showed any sign she gave a shit. Worse would be Kyler’s satisfaction if she broke. She wasn’t going to break. Kyler’s smile wasn’t helping. “It’s too bad, really,” the man said. “He wants to rape her,” he hand waved toward Tesia. “He’s very put out that she seems to prefer my brother over him.” He kicked the prostrate form of Jezar. “But I’ve promised him you, Alex.” Alex’s chin rose. Naked, pinned to a wall, helpless, she couldn’t stop what was going to happen here but she sure as hell wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear. Of course, he could read it in her mind, but she layered her thoughts with her love for Tory and her duty to Teran One. She wasn’t going to let despair take over. Inside her mind, she could feel him probing, seeking to raid her thoughts. What she didn’t understand was what he wanted from them. All he had to do was kill them. End game, he wins. Why did he have them captive? “Do you know how I’ve controlled him?” Kyler grinned now and studied his naked slave. Foche stared at Alex, with drool dripping from his mouth, something hungry and feral on his face. Kyler nodded. “The mistake you and your friends made was thinking the plague turned humans into mindless zombies.” He met her gaze with a wicked, gleaming gaze. “The plague is so much more. My brother knew. You see, it kills humans slowly, but while they’re dying, someone like me can completely control their minds.” Kyler strode over to Tesia. He laid the Dav against her pale skin. Alex gritted her teeth. Kyler only zapped her briefly, but Tesia’s scream echoed in the room and her skin turned an angry red. “But some of you have the gene to resist the plague. Like you,” he sneered at Tesia and released her. He crossed to Johan and stuck him with the Dav. The man didn’t cry out but agony crumpled his features. “And you.” He released Johan from the Dav and turned back to Foche. “He doesn’t.” Fear shot through Alex. Kyler had released the plague. Teran One was going to become the wasteland she’d seen in the vision. She gulped for breath. Kyler clearly caught her fear because he grinned at her. “The ones who don’t have the gene are mine, Alex. They all belong to me. All I have to do is send the word ‘kill’ to their pathetic minds and they’ll tear anyone who isn’t infected limb from limb.” He laughed and it had a high, shrill sound. He glanced at Johan and shook his head. “I’m afraid your friends who were holding Pulzer are dead now, torn apart like raw meat. He wasn’t too careful, I’m afraid.” His silver eyes flashed, but Johan said nothing. Alex had to think and think quickly. Mind control. After she and Tory had bridged, she’d realized Jezar hadn’t been able to poke around her mind anymore. Somehow, the action of connecting with Tory had
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enhanced her mental capabilities. She’d always thought the Old Earth plague turned people into zombies but if something was controlling them, then perhaps she had a defense. Tory? She opened her mind to him, following the thread between them. They connected, touching, and she spun the thoughts toward him. She ignored the rage on the surface about Foche and Kyler’s plan to have her raped. She pushed aside all the heavy emotion and pain hanging over him. She needed his rational mind. Speed was essential. She poured her thoughts toward him. The way they had practiced their wall, their blocking with each other, might come in handy now. The two of us, Tory. Together, we might be able to fight him. Free Foche or get Foche to free us. What’s your plan? To use our Adarsian blood against him. It’s our one chance. We don’t know what that will do to us. He wasn’t afraid for himself, she saw, but for her. What would it do to her? It doesn’t matter. We can’t lose here. Connected, they worked together to strengthen her wall, the ability to push back, which she’d developed in her bridge with Tory. Vast reserves of power were flooding her mind. Tory shoved everything he had at her, fueled by his anger. Kyler had given Foche the order to attack her. The huge man grabbed her breast in a painful squeeze, his brown eyes dead and lifeless. Tesia cried out the man’s name but he didn’t hear her. She had nowhere to hide—Alex was spread-eagle and her position was set up perfectly for what Foche intended to do. Alex fought the fear and brought her mental fist up to push at Foche’s mind. The man’s dick pressed against her naked thigh, inches from his intended goal, and she swallowed. Focus. She made herself focus. She pushed harder, all her mental pressure brought to bear on Foche. What she found was a mass of resentment and violence. Kyler wasn’t using anything that wasn’t already there. Normally, Foche kept all these horrendous impulses under control, but the plague stripped him of that control. Part of Foche recoiled in despair at what he was being forced to do. Alex discovered his feelings for Tesia, intense love, almost obsession, were being amplified and twisted by Kyler’s mental control. Determined to break it, Alex dove at the lines the connected Foche and Kyler. One hard shove and she severed the connection between Foche and Kyler. The answering attack almost crumbled the wall, but Tory was there with her, doubling the power. Together, they repelled Kyler from Foche’s mind. Foche dropped to his knees, his stricken expression matching the horror in his mind. Alex, still in the driver’s seat of Foche’s mind, forced him to lurch to his feet and unlock Tory’s restraints first. One press of the button and Tory was free.
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Kyler screamed in rage, the Dav shooting out to connect not with Foche’s body, but Tesia’s. Foche, in the agony at seeing the woman he loved in pain, sent a wave of emotion over Alex, weakening the wall. She fumbled for a moment and her control over Foche slipped. What Kyler hadn’t anticipated was Foche’s ability to respond on his own. The man flung his body at Kyler, completely disregarding wisdom and safety. Kyler deflected the huge man easily. Alex sought control again, shoring up the wall in Foche’s mind, but also dealing with the huge amount of energy from the man’s rage. Suddenly, someone helped—something helped her control over Foche’s mind and held back the wave of emotion from him so she could hold the wall. Jezar. Tory! Jezar is conscious. She sent the thought along their bridge but it was all she could do. Tory stumbled to his feet, his body still reeling from the Dav torture earlier, but he reached Jezar. Tory tore at the restraints. Meanwhile, Kyler grappled with Foche mentally and physically. Kyler lost his physical hold on Foche and the Dav slammed into Foche’s ribs. The pain was so intense, Alex cried out even as she forced her mind to hold the wall between Kyler and Foche. Foche writhed on the ground, his body in convulsions, Kyler standing over him. Then, Tory plowed into Kyler. The Dav flew from Kyler’s hand and skittered across the floor. Jezar hadn’t moved, but he and Alex both held Kyler at bay in Foche’s mind. But when Kyler gripped Tory’s throat, Alex lost focus. Suddenly, an anger, a killing emotion, ripped through her. Without thinking, she combined with Tory’s mind, experiencing the way Kyler squeezed his Adam’s apple, the way Tory’s remaining air slowly faded. She lashed out, her mind strengthened by the bridge, and attacked Kyler directly. Kyler’s grip loosened. She whipped out again, flinging her mental fist against his mind. Then, she discovered a fact in Kyler’s mind that made her blood run cold. The man had a mental grip on thousands of Teran One humans. Thousands upon thousands. The only reason she’d been able to wrest away control of Foche was because he was holding the minds of so many others. One mental command from Kyler and the horrific vision she feared would come to pass. And he was calling for reinforcements. More of his zombies were on their way. She couldn’t stop them all. Jezar’s voice was in her head, faint but there. We have to stop him. Now. Ignore Foche. Combine with me and Tory. You are half Ardasian and more gifted than you know. The way she gathered power from Tory and Jezar was almost too easy. Oddly, two other minds connected as well. Tesia and Johan were both there, their latent power adding to hers. It was similar to a bridge, but one built out of necessity and less a
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meeting of minds than a combining of power. Still, she glimpsed thoughts and feelings in each person that discomfited her. She just wasn’t going to deal with that shit now. Now she was going to crush Kyler. “No!” Kyler’s scream didn’t even faze her and Alex pressed on his mind, bringing everything to bear on him. Kyler staggered to his feet. Tory gasped for air on his knees. But Kyler gripped a disintegrator and aimed for the nearest target. Tesia. Harder, Alex pushed to stop him, but it was too late. The weapon sizzled, its buzz electrifying the air. And hit Foche, who had covered Tesia’s body with his own. In horror, Alex watched the slow disintegration of Foche’s body as it crumbled into dust particles. Tesia’s agonized scream and her responding mental anguish increased her power and pushed against Kyler harder. The door burst open and their window of opportunity seemed lost. The zombies, controlled by Kyler, would swarm in and kill them all. Still, she kept the attack up, determined to damage if not win. Scorched Earth mentality. She was distracted by the figure that burst into the room. Celeste. Her red hair was flying, her blue eyes flaming. She was pissed off. She faced Kyler. “Kyler, look at me, you fucking son of a bitch.” The Ardasian jerked his head toward her and the disintegrator aimed at Celeste but lowered when he saw it was her. Apparently, he missed that she was one enraged woman looking for his blood. “She’s dead. So is he. They’re both dead. Ena and Pulzer. What did you do to them?” Kyler’s gaze narrowed on Celeste’s face. A standoff. They both had fully charged weapons aimed at the other. The Ardasian fought off Alex and the others in his mind trying to send his kill order. “I freed them. They were subhuman anyway. Ena, so convinced she had the gene that would make her immune to the plague, begged me to release it.” He smiled. “She wanted to know which of the rebels would be infected. She had no idea she’d be one of them. So much pride. She didn’t even check. And Pulzer? He died doing what he really wanted to do. Killing Teran One humans.” “They were my friends. They saved my life. Die, you motherfucker.” Celeste’s weapon whined as she prepared to fire. Kyler’s hand swerved and the disintegrator aimed directly at Alex. “I wouldn’t. If you fire, I’ll discharge my disintegrator on your sister.”
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Celeste shot a glance at Alex. Harder, Alex pressed against Kyler’s hold. Celeste, who clearly hadn’t noticed Alex until that moment, hesitated. Kyler smiled, confident he would win, that his mindless zombies would come and he’d kill them all. His thoughts were clear to Alex. Then, Jezar somehow managed to slam into Kyler’s body. The disintegrator was caught between them and Alex held her breath. The two Ardasians struggled, their death grips both physical and mental as Jezar still supported Alex and the others to hold Kyler back from the hordes of infected humans. The disintegrator discharged, the sizzle echoing against the walls of the dark room. Kyler’s surprised expression slowly crumbled away, the dust of his body dropping to the floor like dead leaves. With his death, Kyler’s mental wall against all of them disappeared and Alex collapsed, her mind suddenly alone, tired and strained.
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Chapter Twenty-Seven “Alexandra, honey, please! Wake up!” The voice came from a long way down a dark tunnel. Alex didn’t want to go. She was warm, safe, comfortable. Of course, she seemed to be falling…somewhere. It hurt to think. But that voice kept calling her. Tory. She snapped back, her eyes flew open and met Tory’s frantic gaze. “I’m okay,” she managed though her throat was sore. “Saria,” he murmured and touched his forehead to hers. She was still fuzzy, but she realized her hands and feet were unbound. Tory held her in his arms and rocked her back and forth. Her arms were heavy but she forced them around his neck and buried her face in his chest. It was over. Wasn’t it? “Honey, you have to wake up. We’ve got to move.” Though Tory’s voice was gentle, she caught the urgency from him. What was going on? Shouts penetrated her mental fog. Fighting, screaming, something awful was happening outside the door. “Tory?” “Kyler released the kill command before he died.” He answered her unspoken question. She lurched to her feet and stared around her. Wrapped in a blanket, Tesia clutched the material around her naked body. Johan was supporting Jezar, who still seemed weak. Tory’s arm was around her waist. Celeste stood in the doorway fighting off a crowd of mindless killers. “Weapons?” she croaked out. “Two. Celeste’s and the one Kyler had.” “The Dav.” “Right. I forgot about that.” They were trapped. Too many of the infected humans were outside the door. Suddenly, Johan moved across the room and gripped Tory’s arm. His gaze slid up toward the ceiling. A vent. “Up you go, honey.” Tory bent down and ducked between her legs to lift her onto his shoulders. Still naked, she scrambled up to stand on his shoulders and slammed her hand into the cover on the vent. It gave way and she gripped the edge, hauling her body up into the air duct. Tory found a blanket on a chair in the corner, tossed it up and she caught it.
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Tesia was next. Alex gripped her hand and hauled her up to the vent. “Which way do we go?” Alex pointed. “That way slopes up, which probably heads toward the surface. Hurry. And look before you come out of the duct.” Tesia started scrabbling up the duct. Jezar followed, easily levering himself on Tory’s shoulders and into the duct and quickly followed Tesia. Johan was next. He followed Tesia and Jezar. She wasn’t leaving the opening until her mate was there with her. And Celeste. Shit. How were they going to do this? Celeste’s bloody face appeared and Alex grabbed her hand to pull her up. Apparently, she and Tory had gotten the door blocked, but Alex could hear them pounding on it. “Hold my feet, Celeste.” Her sister nodded and gripped Alex’s calves as she leaned down to pull her mate up. He faced the door, resigned to his death. “Tory! Damn it! Grab my hand.” “Go, Alex. I can’t make it.” “Don’t you fucking leave me!” she screamed at him. “Grab it! Now!” I’ll jump down there with you, Tory. I’d rather die with you than live without you. Grab my hand! Tory reached up and she gripped his wrist as he clutched hers. Her muscles strained, her heart pounded and she reached her other hand to grab his other wrist. Entirely dependent on Celeste’s strength to hold her, she caught Tory’s other hand. “Pull!” she shouted to Celeste. Slowly, Celeste yanked her backward, Alex’s skin scraping off as the ducts bloodied her. The pain didn’t matter. All that mattered was Tory. She kept her gaze on him, her arms feeling like they were going to tear out of the socket. The edge of the duct was in his reach and Tory grabbed it. He pulled. She pulled. Celeste pulled. And then, he was there. In the duct. She threw her arms around him and kissed him brutally. “Don’t you ever fucking do that to me again!” Tory grinned and slid the cover over the duct just as the mindless hoard burst into the room in a scream of frustration. The three of them scrambled through the duct. Celeste let them lead since she and Tory remembered the blueprints of the underground tunnels that Johan had shown them. Up and north. The sounds of screaming and fighting seemed to be everywhere. Tears pricked Alex’s eyes. She’d failed. Her planet was going to be ripped apart. You think you failed, but you didn’t. Kyler’s plan did not succeed. He was only able to infect some of the population. What he wanted was the location of the vials Darius stole from him. Jezar’s mental contact reached her. How bad is it? Can you tell? Saladen is infected.
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She didn’t want to know how Jezar could tell. She wanted to know which way to go for safety. Where do we go? The shuttle bay. The immune humans have barricaded themselves there. “The shuttle bay,” she told Tory. “I heard. Okay, it’s this way. Be careful. Too much noise and we may alert them we’re here.” Stealthily, quietly, they moved along the duct. Sunlight streamed through the covers and she heard weapons and fighting above them. They reached street level. Ahead, Jezar, Tesia and Johan waited. Jezar put a finger to his lips. The duct ends here. We will have to go on the street. How will we get into the shuttle bay? Johan asked the question, but Alex heard it as if he’d spoken it. She blinked and met Tory’s gaze. He shrugged. Whatever happened in that room underground when she’d pushed back at Kyler had changed things a bit. We will have to fight our way there. Jezar glanced at each of them. There was no argument from any of them. Even Celeste, who seemed to also hear Jezar, said nothing. They all knew what could happen. Jezar moved the cover away from the opening and crawled out. Tory followed, then Johan, then Alex. She helped Tesia and Celeste out. The street was completely deserted. Fire had broken out in several of the buildings. Blood and torn flesh strewn across the streets. There was no sign of anyone or anything, including those infected. The sound of laser fire seemed distant. Smoke and blood filled Alex’s nostrils. An acrid taste of death made her mouth dry. “This way.” Alex knew this city like the back of her hand. She could take them over side streets to the shuttle bay. Once there, she had no idea how they would get in, but they’d have to. Then, a thought rolled through her mind and she stopped dead. Of course. Why didn’t she think of it? “Wait,” she whispered. Quickly, she touched Tory’s mind with hers. It was quicker. She showed him her idea and he nodded vigorously. “Why didn’t I think of it?” “Fill us in?” Celeste said impatiently. “There’s an armory near the shuttle bay.” “Shit! You’re right.” Celeste slapped her hand to her forehead. “There’s some big stuff there. The one I’m thinking of will clear any crowd gathered at the shuttle Bay and save the ones barricaded there.” She wasn’t waiting. She started moving toward the location. They needed a hovertank. With its big disintegrator, it would turn all those infected to dust.
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They had uniforms there too. Maybe she could get some fucking clothes on. The trick was to get there without getting killed. I hear you on that one. Her mate agreed. She shot him a grin. Now was probably not the time to tell him she liked him naked. Back at you, dear heart. They had two disintegrators and about a kilometer of streets to negotiate. They snuck quietly until they ran out of side streets and reached a major boulevard. On either side of the street, shuffling and grunting, were mindless killers who were once human. In a mass of twisted humanity, they moved toward the shuttle bay, their backs to the small, hidden group. But one move, one slight noise and the hordes would come after them, overwhelm them. “There are about a hundred of them,” Tory calculated. “Shit. The gate is right there.” Alex stared at the metal gate. Across the street, maybe a hundred yards. The code was in her head. All she had to do was get inside that compound. Celeste gripped her sister’s arm. “Go. I’ll cover you,” she whispered. Her mouth set in a determined line, her blue eyes older than they should be, Celeste didn’t look at all like the girl Alex had left weeks ago. Alex nodded. She tossed the blanket aside and sprinted completely naked across the road. Behind her, Celeste fired at the oncoming horde. Shit! They were faster than Alex had expected. Less time. Hurry! Her fingers fumbled, but she put the code in. The locks clicked open just as her sister went down. Alex turned and kicked the man who had Celeste in the throat. Someone grabbed her from behind and she threw an elbow back connecting to a nose. She followed with a deadly headshot. Several of the attackers turned on their own wounded. Alex tried not to hurl. Tory, wielding the Dav to make a hole in the crowd of killers, fought to get to her. His fear, his rage, slammed into her mind, but she focused on surviving. Johan kicked and fought toward them, but Jezar reached them first. Jezar tossed a body into the surging enemy and gripped Celeste’s hand to yank her to her feet. Two other zombies disintegrated as her sister rose and fired. With Tory and Jezar firing, they managed to throw the crowd back and the five of them slipped inside the compound. Alex shut the gate and locked it.
***** Tory’s chest hurt. No mission could prepare him for the carnage he’d seen out there. He glanced at his mate. She was gulping for air, her hand on her chest. He came near but didn’t touch her. Those monsters outside had grabbed her, scared her. She slid down the wall, shaking, white. She shook her head and met his gaze. 192
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Finally, she took a deep breath and nodded as if they’d had a conversation. The connection between them was so strong, they basically had. She calmed and he straightened. He wanted to yell at her, shake her. But this was Commander Alexander Zeerah. She wasn’t going to sit back. Ever. He wondered if his heart rate was ever going to beat the same. When he watched her sprint toward the gate and those bastards lunge for her…his insides shook. It wasn’t going to be easy being her mate. Provided they lived through the next twenty-four hours. Three hovertanks were in the yard, ready for deployment. Probably all of the military contingent had been killed, either infected themselves or killed by those who were. During Shoshani, the armory was empty. And there were uniforms. They all put on the gear and armed themselves with disintegrators, chargers, and laser guns. “Johan, can you operate a hovertank?” Tory asked. “Yes, sir.” “Alexandra, I want you with me.” Tory insisted and hoped she didn’t argue with him. Surprisingly, she didn’t. “Jezar?” Jezar nodded. “I can.” Celeste asked, “What’s the plan?” “We clear the shuttle bay and contact the military installation in Zeerah.” He glanced at Alex. “They still have one there, don’t they?” She nodded. “And it’s the closest.” “Right. Let’s move. Jezar, you’re with Tesia. Johan, you’re with Celeste. Alex and I will take this one. Move out.” The hovertanks started with a roar and the three of them started through the streets, disintegrating anyone who attacked them. He and Alex reached the shuttle bay entrance first. The sight through the scope scared the shit out of him. Thousands of mindless human bodies hurled themselves at the makeshift barricade. They were making progress, too. Together, he and his mate began the fight to save the people who were barricaded in that shuttle bay. The hordes continued to pummel the barrier. Did they have weapons in there? Tory fought to get the tank in front of the barricade. Someone got on top of the tank and Alex fired as one of them tried to get in. Then she used the laser gun to weld the fucking thing shut. He and Alex would have to blow their way out of the can. If they survived. Those things weren’t weaponless. Some of them had resonators that shook the tank.
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The other two tanks rode in and began to clear the way, moving in unison toward their goal. Finally, Tory managed to get the tank in front of the entrance to the shuttle bay. But the attackers just kept coming. They were going to run out of charges in the tank before these fuckers died. No point thinking about that now. They might die, but they’d go down fighting. Suddenly, a fleet figure running past his tank and over the barrier caught his attention. Celeste. She catapulted over the barrier and rolled into the shuttle bay, weapon drawn. Tory covered her. What the fuck was she doing? Luckily, someone on the inside recognized Celeste when she charged the barricade and she disappeared into the shuttle bay. Then he didn’t have time to worry about it. He kept firing, ignoring the fact that the energy level on his weapon was low. Alex kept firing the laser on the sides of the tank. Just when he thought they were dead meat, a fighter appeared in the sky above. It fired, cutting a swath through the crowd. He sent Jezar a quick mental thought. Use the turtle armor. Celeste can blow this whole fucking street up. Tory hoped Jezar would send the same message to Johan and slammed the button on the tank to fold up like a turtle in its shell. Only moments later, Celeste dropped a laserbomb. The impact tossed the tank like a fucking rag doll. They rolled over and over, his head slammed into the ceiling. Blood spurted from his nose and he didn’t have time to register it before he was thrown into Alex. Then, it stopped and the metal groaned to a stop. He was just able to lift his head to see Alex, bleeding, unconscious, before darkness edged around his mind and he dropped away into oblivion.
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Chapter Twenty-Eight “Hurry! Cut them out!” A voice penetrated the dark screen that had fallen over Tory’s mind. Alex’s face swam in front of him, lit by the dim glow of the greenish lights of the tank’s console. She was alive. A little bloody, but alive. Thank God. “Thank God, you’re alive. I thought—” “Me too.” “Celeste is getting them to cut us out.” “I heard. She’s bossy isn’t she?” He hurt everywhere and winced when he tried to sit up to hold his mate. Alex grinned. “In this instance, I’m glad she is.” “How long have we been out?” “Long enough for Celeste to land her fighter and the reinforcements she called for to arrive.” Alex ran her hands over him. He brushed them away. “I’m fine. I just want you.” He grabbed her and held her against him. It shook him. How many times had he been close to losing her? He was going to lock her up and throw away the key. As long as you’re in there with me. She brushed his lips with hers. Light burst into the interior and he blinked. Celeste’s face peered through a hole made by a laser. “Thank God! Can you move?” They crawled out of the tank. Standing around the three tanks were about five hundred stricken-looking souls. All of them clapped and shouted when he and Alex came into view. “Apparently, we’re heroes,” Celeste murmured. “Jezar and the others?” he asked. “Almost free. Enough to know they are okay. The military is eliminating the last of the infected.” Celeste’s gaze met his. “It was a good thing Kyler never got that other shipment.” “What happened, Celeste?” Alex asked. “We heard—” Her sister’s glance slid away from them and down to the ground. “You heard I was looking forward to mating with Pulzer and Ena.” She took a deep breath. “Ena saved my life. When your ship was taken, Gregor tried to arrest me. Two men in my command were arrested and killed. Ena rescued me.” She shrugged. “Let’s just say I wasn’t too bright about her.”
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“It’s understandable,” Alex said. He caught some of Alex’s surprise at her sister’s sexual preference. “I was attracted to them both, but dependent on Ena. When Pulzer…changed, I confronted Ena.” She pursed her lips. “Ena admitted she and Pulzer had been exposed to the plague, that all of us had. I was terrified.” Celeste’s shoulders rolled. She’d be feeling guilty for a long time. “You couldn’t have known about Kyler’s agenda,” he pointed out. “No, but I shouldn’t have been blinded by Ena and Pulzer. Neither of them gave a shit about me. It was all about winning Teran One for themselves,” she said bitterly. “They had help. Kyler manipulated everything,” Alex added. “They ripped Ena to shreds.” Tears were in Celeste’s voice, though her eyes were dry. Tory’s stomach clenched and he felt Alex’s sympathy. Her sister’s voice was thick. “When Kyler sent the kill order to Pulzer, I guess he sent it to everyone in his vicinity. Which included everyone around us.” Celeste bit her lip for a moment. “One minute, we were standing side by side with our friends, our fellow rebels. The next minute, they tore her throat out.” They were silent for a moment. From Alex, he could feel her relief that Celeste hadn’t died. He asked the hard question. “How did you make it to Kyler?” The agony in those blue eyes tore him up inside. No one that young should have a look like that, he thought. She spoke in a low voice. “I almost didn’t.” One of her eyes twitched and a muscle in her cheek throbbed. “I really don’t want to talk about it.” He nodded. “What now?” Celeste glanced around her. “Now, we clean up and salvage what we can. King Darius is on his way home, but I don’t think things will go on as they were.” “How could they?” Alex said. Celeste stared at her sister for a moment. “I thought you’d—” “Abandoned you?” Alex finished for her. “No. But I don’t hold it against you for thinking I had.” “You never had before,” she admitted. “No, but someone tried to kill you, Celeste. It isn’t easy to know who to trust.” She placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “I know about that.” Celeste started to cry, awkwardly at first and, when Alex wrapped her in her arms, then with loud sobs. Tory nodded at Alex. It was all going to be okay.
***** Where the hell was he? Alex paced the quarters at her home on Zeerah Island. She hated being apart from her mate. He’d gone on a shuttle a month earlier to meet up with The Pinnacle and he was supposed to come back yesterday. 196
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The aftermath of the plague on Teran One had been complicated and annoying. First of all, Darius didn’t want to run the damn planet anymore. Of course, he’d never wanted to be king. Pontoon Gregor and most of the Gregor family had died in the laserbomb blast. In fact, few of the first families had survived. All their usual customs were gone. Even the Saria contracts seemed unnecessary since many families were decimated. There was no place now for isolation or for vengeance against other bloodlines. Survival demanded cooperation. The other island populations hadn’t been infected by the plague, but their representatives, the heads of their families, had died in the sweeping destruction of Saladen. Which left her in charge. Totally unacceptable. She was not a queen of anything. She was a commander, a soldier, a woman who wanted to disappear with her man. Keeping the fucking politicians at bay was a challenge. Luckily, Darius was willing to stay and help clean up the mess. Celeste also stepped in. Jezar stayed behind to provide much-needed intel for her. But Tory wasn’t there and that pissed her off. The new government had begun to function well. After centuries of an aristocracy, a representative government seemed odd to most. Family politics were in the past and a new era had dawned. Luckily, many of the survivors were from other areas of the Teran system, so they were accepting of a government elected by the people. There weren’t many dissenters. The horror of Saladen had changed everything. Her planet had adjusted, survived, and she couldn’t wait to get off the rock. She wanted to be in space, on The Pinnacle. Let the rest of them build a new Teran One. She was part of the old guard. They had begged her to stay, but she was firm. She represented the thing that began the whole mess in the first place. And Tory wasn’t here. Wherever he was, it was too distant for a mental touch. She’d tried until her fucking head hurt. When he didn’t show up the day before, she excused it, thinking he was wrapping up business or something. But now? She paced. Maybe he didn’t want her anymore. Maybe it had all been too much. If he hadn’t loved her, all this shit wouldn’t have happened. He certainly wouldn’t have been involved in it. Her heart was breaking into a million little pieces at the idea that he might not want her anymore. Someone came through the front door and her head snapped up, hopeful. Jezar. She sighed. “How was the committee meeting?” she asked. “Long. Have you contacted The Pinnacle?” “I sent a message yesterday asking for an ETA.” She resumed pacing. “Nothing.” “Has it occurred to you he might be in trouble?” She stopped abruptly. No, she hadn’t. Shit. Had he been caught in some fucking trouble and she’d been sitting here thinking he didn’t love her anymore? 197
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Damn it. She strode into her room and grabbed her duffle bag. “If you’re coming, I’m getting a shuttle and going after him.” “Good. Tesia and Johan are ready to leave.” “What?” She glared at him. “They’re all coming along. Celeste declined. She’s going to help Darius continue to rebuild Teran One.” “Fine. Whatever. Let’s go.” She strode out the door of her childhood home. As she got into the hoverboat to head for the shuttle bay at Saladen, she didn’t look back. Not once.
***** “Um, Commander? We’ve got a shuttle approaching.” Dink gave Tory the information in that tone that said they were in deep shit. “Well?” he said impatiently. “Who is it?” “It’s Jezar.” Dink gave Tory a steady glance. Tory didn’t like that. “I told him to stay on Teran One and help—” He stopped. “Alexandra is on that ship, isn’t she?” “She is and from the coded message Jezar sent me with his transmission, I’d say you’re in big trouble.” Dink shuddered. “I don’t want to be anywhere near Commander Zeerah when she gets pissed off.” Tory sighed. Everything had taken longer than he’d thought. His ship had been impounded by Teran Five military geniuses who had wanted to search for “items damaging to the Teran system”. Fucking assholes. Why they thought they were the Teran system police, he had no idea. He had to go to Teran Five and fight for his right to carry his cargo, which consisted of nothing contraband…this time. It took weeks to get the damn paperwork shoved through, but being a Teran hero and saving the system had counted in his favor. He’d only left Teran Five that morning and was winging his way to Teran One. Not quick enough, apparently. He smiled. She was probing his mind and he blocked her. Just to piss her off more. Memories of their battle in the exercise room made his cock hard. He hadn’t had his mate for a whole fucking month and he wasn’t going to wait until she cooled off to have her now. He glanced at Bud. “You’re in charge. I’m going to meet the shuttle.” On his way down, he tapped his foot. She pushed hard to get into his head and he countered with sexual fantasies that infuriated her, since he blocked her from his thoughts as he bombarded her with those erotic images. Damn, he loved her. The shuttle bay doors opened and there she was striding across the bay. All he saw was her. Her hair in that inevitable braid, her hazel eyes glittering gold, the familiar
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smattering of freckles and the sweet curves he adored all hit him between the eyes and he just stared. He almost missed the first swing and ducked just before she knocked him on his ass. He tackled her, tossing her over his shoulder and marching out of the shuttle bay. She pummeled his back, her fists probably bruising him. Oh, she was going to pay. And love it. They reached the practice room and he locked the door. She didn’t wait. She launched at him. She was a whirl, almost a pleasure to watch as she blocked his answering blows and struck out at him. He swept her legs out from under her, but she arched back and sprang onto her hands, landing back on her feet. She flew at him, her feet deadly and intent on his throat. He blocked, grabbed her ankle and tossed her. She curled up, rolled and crouched on her feet, her chest heaving from the exertion. “I’m glad to see you too, Saria,” he said. She attacked again. “Don’t call me that, you asshole,” she said through gritted teeth. He caught one arm and yanked her around, her arm trapped at her back. “It would be more fun if you were naked.” She shivered. “No.” “Scared?” She jerked against his hold. He let her go. God, he just wanted to knock her on her back and plunge inside her, but he wanted her wet and wanting when he did. He shrugged. Well, if she wouldn’t get naked, he would. He swept off his t-shirt and tossed it away. She stared at him as he unzipped his pants and kicked them to a corner. His dick, hard and insistent, bobbed up and her gaze dropped to study it, which made him harder. Her eyes narrowed and she glared at him as she ripped her uniform off. Naked, she was glorious. Her breasts, generous and high, already showed signs of her willingness, their tips pointed. The curls that covered her pussy were tempting him. He knew they were soft and he wanted his mouth there. But first things first. She wanted to kick his ass. She launched at him, her hands a blur, her feet swinging toward him. He countered and, just as before, began his deviant form of foreplay. The smack of his hand against her breast left a pink print that made his cock ache. She attacked again, he slapped her other breast, the sound vibrating through him. The mark on her neck, his mark, was long gone and he wanted to replace it. She belonged to him. This time she kicked out and caught his thigh, but he used his forearm on her upper body while she was still off balance. He pounded her into the floor and gripped her wrists. “I don’t like your hair bound when we fuck,” he ground out. He yanked her hair free and she fought him, trying to dislodge him. 199
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“You left me. You didn’t tell me where you were. Nothing.” “I know, dear heart,” he said softly. “I’m a bastard. I’m still going to pound into you and make you scream.” “If you didn’t want me—” All his humor vanished. “Not want you?” Suddenly, he lifted all the walls in his mind. Not want her? Never. He always wanted her, every minute, every hour. She’d been there, in his mind, while he was gone and he fought to come back to her, to be with her. Her doubts were all there, spread out for him. Still? How the hell could she doubt him? He went digging. She fought him, but he won. There, at the core, in the ocean of fear and doubt that had always been around her love for him was her greatest fear. She was unlovable. Her parents hadn’t loved her. Her brother hadn’t. Even her sister held her at arm’s length. Her men had been loyal but it had been Tory’s men who saved them, saved Teran One. Not hers. Oh Jesus, dear heart. Don’t you know I’d die without you? Don’t you know I lived five years of absolute hell without you? With his mind entwined with hers, he kissed her, his mouth possessing hers with every ounce of his strength. His hands stroked her body. God, he’d missed her. He rolled one nipple in his fingers and she arched her back. His release pounded to be free, but he held on. He broke the kiss and moved his mouth over her neck, her shoulders and down to take one of her nipples in his teeth. She gasped and thrust her hands in his hair. He traveled lower, his tongue dipping into her bellybutton and along the top of her thigh. He lifted his head. “Squeeze your nipples, Saria.” Her hands shook as she rolled her tips in her fingers. He growled in satisfaction and dove for her pussy. He wanted her screaming, dripping with cum and begging for him to fuck her. He just hoped he could hold back long enough to get it. His tongue slid over her nub and he tasted her cum in his mouth. God, she was so perfect. Sweet, salty, perfect. He rotated the tip and slipped a finger inside her slick channel. She thrust toward his tongue and he added another finger, then another. He jammed them inside her as his tongue flicked over her clit. Then, she was there, her cum spilling over his fingers and on his tongue. Her scream sent his senses reeling and she clenched his fingers in an erotic vise that made him groan against her mound. She belonged to him. Alex shattered, her orgasm washing all the anger, all the resentment, all the fear, away leaving only pleasure. 200
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Tory lifted his head and towered over her. He gripped her hair and his lips took possession of hers, brooking no resistance. She slid her pussy over his cock, a cascade of electricity shooting along her nerves. His mind, wide open, showed her how the taste of her on his lips and the slick desire on his cock sent him into overdrive. More from his mind slipped into hers. The vision of his hand connecting with her ass until she came fascinated her. He broke the kiss and stared at her. “Do it!” she demanded. He rolled away from her and yanked her into his lap. His dick pressed into her belly, a small amount of his pre-cum sliding over her skin. He spread her legs so her pussy and her ass were both exposed. When his hand connected to her skin, her pussy throbbed, heated by the friction. Again, he struck her ass, the flat of his hand hot. She moaned and he flicked two fingers along her slit before he smacked her. Quick, short spanks made her squirm and arch toward his wicked hand. His mind and hers merged and she saw her pink skin as he saw it. Erotic and sexy, he loved to mark her, brand her as his. Fantasies shot through her mind and he responded to them with a growl. He lifted her so she straddled him, face to face, and impaled her on his dick. She screamed, her body sliding over him, deeper, harder. He followed her fantasy and slapped her ass in time to her thrusts on his body. She opened her eyes. He watched her, devoured her with his gaze. She bent down and rubbed her lips on his, need and desire filling every space in her head. Her legs wrapped around him like a vine and thrust him so deep she felt his balls slap against her ass. She arched her body and he gripped her hips, bruising her, little pinpricks of pain shooting along her nerves. Echoes between them, the feel of her pussy in his mind, the fullness of his cock in hers, resonated, increasing their pleasure. On and on they both convulsed in an eruption that seemed to have no end. The explosion of his cum inside her set off fireworks in her. There was no separation, no division, between them. Together, they merged, joined. Something changed in that moment. They both felt it. The connection between them morphed into something else. Instead of a bridge, they were joined, like two oceans with no barrier. It was as if the earthquake of their joining had shattered any land between the oceans of their love. Her body tightened even more and her orgasm sent every muscle of her body into overdrive. Tory joined her there, surfing the wave of pleasure. It seemed like an eternity later, but the world righted itself and she blinked. On Tory’s face she noted the same stunned expression she was pretty sure was on hers. “What just happened?” 201
Jennifer Leeland
Tory shook his head. “I don’t know.” You’re no longer bridged. You’re melded. Jezar’s voice rumbled in her mind. Apparently, the Ardasian had felt the change. Well, after all, he created the bridge. He would sense something powerful had happened. What does melded mean? Tory asked him. Millions of miles will never separate you, Jezar answered. Alex sensed envy. Some say even death will never part the melded. Only a handful of Ardasians experience it. You are the first humans I know of. So, we never have to be apart again? She liked that idea. A lot. Never. And Jezar was gone. Alex leaned down and kissed Tory. “This last month was agony. I never want to be without you.” “It will be an adjustment, Alex,” Tory told her, his worry reaching her mind. “There will be no escape.” She smiled. “I don’t want to escape.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “You were right.” “About what?” he murmured. “Your revenge was much more pleasurable than my duty.” His eyes sparkled and he twined his hand in her hair. “I think my desire for revenge may take a long, long time to be sated.” Her lips were almost on his when she said, “That’s what I’m counting on.” The End
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About the Author Once upon a time, there was a little girl… I loved Harlequin romances when I was little and used to sneak them from my mother’s bookshelf. But my father influenced me with Agatha Christie, Ngiao Marsh and Arthur Conan Doyle. I always loved to write, but never thought about becoming an author. In 2003, a profound experience changed that. My mother showed me a manuscript written by my father. No one had ever seen it. No agent. No editor. No one. He died in 2002, never realizing his dream to be a published author. I wondered if that would be my fate. Would my family come across my attempts at storytelling and shake their heads in pity? I vowed that I would at least try. I love reading romance, especially erotic romance, and in 2006, I decided to take a shot at it. It turned out that writing erotic romance was as much fun as reading it. The more I write, the further I want to go. It has been a fabulous journey creating new worlds and exploring new emotions. I have a special relationship with my characters, who both annoy me and inspire me. I live with a Redneck, who loves to brainstorm with me on occasion, and my two dirt-faced okie kids in the Northern California boonies. And I write all my love scenes with Thomas the Tank Engine in the background. Jennifer welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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