Seized & Seduced

by Shelley Munro

  Indecision tore at her. Did she run or stay immobile?

  “Don’t move, Jannike,” Lynx roared.

  His order stayed her in place. Her heart tried to burrow from her chest and it took every ounce of her control to remain still. The tremors increased until the ground at her feet churned.

  She didn’t know if Lynx and Shiloh were still shouting at her. Sound had become lost in the rushing approach of the sand worm.

  The rapid seesaw of the ground under her feet tossed her off balance. She fell hard, the force of the fall pummeling the air from her lungs. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to watch death approaching.

  * * * * *

  “You have a traitor amongst your people,” the man said in a crisp voice, after listening to Ursola’s recitation. His skin was a delicate lilac, and he had the creepy white eyes of the Torgon people, but his heritage came from another race too. His skin was textured, his eye ridges prominent, his bald head gleaming under her office illumination.

  Ursola bit back her curse. “That much is apparent, Krarbrock. The question is, what are you going to do to root out the turncoat?”

  “We will look at your staff. Those who work in your facilities and your home. We could plant a spy from within our organization.”

  “Start at my facility. I believe that is where the trouble springs forth.”

  A knock at the door halted their conversation.

  “Come,” Ursola ordered with a touch of impatience. It was one thing to suspect a traitor but another to learn the private investigator believed the same. She’d built her empire on fear to halt this sort of treachery. Obviously, she needed to up her game.

  Cayle entered her office bearing a tray of the refreshments she’d ordered. Without a word, he set the tray on her desk and poured the pale green fruit juice into tall glasses filled to the brim with crackle ice. The juice began to bubble on contact with the ice. A refreshing drink and her favorite.

  She nodded at Cayle, and he retreated without a word.

  “Which of your staff are allowed access to this private office?” The investigator’s pale violet face remained serene but his empty white gaze bored into hers. This male was not an idiot. She could see that and combined with his official success rate, she felt better about this decision. This male would ferret out the traitor.

  Then, she’d make a public example of the being who’d attempted to reduce her empire to rubble. Next she’d gut him with a knife and hang his or her body at the entrance to her facility. A warning to anyone who dared to cross her, to cheat her from the profits she so richly deserved.

  This mishmash of incidents would not occur again.

  Chapter Ten

  The ground bubbled and churned like liquid boiling in a cooking pot. Jannike sank into the sand. Her arms thrashed. She struggled. Her panicked resistance made things worse. She sank downward, deeper, deeper, deeper.

  Fighting every instinct of self-preservation, she forced herself to still. Her immersion slowed, and she sucked in a hoarse breath. Where was the worm? She turned, trying to see. Sand boiled over her head, filled her mouth. Heat seared her skin along her back. She jerked at the discomfort, tried to shift her body to escape the burning sensation.

  Her squirming sent her deeper into the sand.

  She spat, attempted to breathe through the particles of grit sticking to the inside of her mouth. No saliva. She spat again and couldn’t halt the terror swirling through her mind. A sob escaped. This wasn’t the way she wanted to die.

  Where was the worm? It was there—somewhere—making the earth rise in waves. Heart galloping, she wriggled and writhed, attempting to move carefully instead of letting her panic reduce her to helpless thrashing. Finally, finally her hand grasped solid ground. For secs she gripped the handhold, then the boiling sand forced her to lose her grasp. She kicked, legs scissoring. The motion popped her closer to the surface and a solid purchase. Her entire head broke free of the sand. She gasped air, choked on the residual sand in her mouth and throat. She sank, the bright light obscured by the dark sands again.

  The violent shuddering and bubbling of the sand slowed and another rapid kick of her legs propelled her above the surface. Air. She sucked in a huge draft of air, coughed.

  This time the soft desert didn’t suck her under. She kicked again, her fingers scraping across the more solid ground at the far extent of her reach. Her fingers clawed the sand.

  She gulped another breath of air, the wheeze of her lungs loud to her ears. The bloody creature was toying with her, just like those worms in the tales she’d heard during her youth. Any second, the sand would seethe, she’d sink down and the worm would swallow her whole.

  Calm now that fate stared her in the face, she waited. She swallowed, the gritty sand aggravating the membranes in her throat.

  “Jannike!”

  She lifted her head, squinted against the bright light. It sounded like Shiloh.

  “Stay there,” she called back, unconcerned about attracting the worm now. They didn’t all need to die.

  A tremor rippled through the ground, but it was milder than before. Jannike twisted, trying to see. As her heartbeat and the roaring in her ears subsided, she began to notice her surroundings.

  The worm…she crawled inch by inch and attempted to haul her body from the soft sand. For some reason the vibrations had reduced even further. The worm was retreating.

  “Take my hand,” Lynx said.

  “You shouldn’t be here. You’re mates.”

  “We’re not leaving anyone behind,” Shiloh snapped. “Give me your other hand.”

  His fingers tightened around hers.

  “Why did the worm retreat?” she asked, bewildered at its actions. Maybe it was the more compacted ground she’d struck.

  “Going after bigger, easier prey.” Lynx tightened his grip. “Ready?”

  “Ready,” Shiloh confirmed.

  They yanked her arms and she popped free from the quick-sucking sand. She lay on the ground, each breath rasping down her throat, tearing at the tender skin of her mouth and gullet. The heat on her back still smarted and now danced down the backs of her legs.

  “What bigger prey?” she croaked.

  “Let me help you up.” Lynx hauled her to her feet and her knees buckled. If it weren’t for him grasping her waist, she would’ve toppled.

  “We need to move in case that thing comes back.” Shiloh’s voice held strain.

  A throbbing buzz sounded in her ears. She turned her head toward the sound, frowned at the scream. “Is someone else here?”

  “The men on the motor-skids.”

  Hence Shiloh’s urgency to get to the haven.

  She forced her knees to hold her body weight. They trembled and she thought she could walk. Her first step proved otherwise.

  Strong arms scooped her up before she hit the ground. “I’ve got her,” Shiloh said. “Move.”

  Another scream echoed across the sand, carried by the wind. The fear and horror had the hair at the back of her neck standing to attention.

  “That thing is feasting on them. The vibration of the motor-skids is drawing the creature.”

  “It’s a sand worm,” Jannike whispered hoarsely and that hurt her throat. Everywhere hurt. Her back, her legs, her eyes, her throat. And now that Shiloh held her pressed against his chest, the weird tingles beneath her skin added to her misery.

  Lynx glanced in the direction of the screams. “I’ve never of heard them.”

  “Thought my mother made up the tales,” Jannike croaked.

  “Don’t talk,” Shiloh ordered. “We’ll get you water once we get to the haven.”

  The ever-present vibration increased.

  “Move it.” Lynx’s voice held urgency. “Seems the beast is still hungry.”

  Jannike’s gut bucked, the idea of repeating her experience filling her with horror. “Put me down. I can walk.”

  “No, you’ll slow us down.” Shiloh’s reply was a vibration against her back. He incre
ased his speed, loping now instead of using careful foot placement.

  Jannike squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to the goddess of justice and death. Please let me live today.

  If the widow was gonna take her life, Jannike wanted to do it face-to-face and fighting. She didn’t want to get sucked into the sticky maw of a sand worm.

  “Keep going,” Shiloh said. “You saw the creature rear from the sand.”

  Lynx grimaced. “True.”

  “I can walk.”

  “It’s easier to carry you.” Shiloh never slowed. “Besides, I want to get water on those burns.”

  Jannike frowned. “They’re not that bad.”

  “Your skin is blistered. The backs of your legs too.”

  “Doesn’t feel that bad.”

  “It should,” Shiloh said in his blunt way.

  “Just feels hot. Uncomfortable.”

  Shiloh shrugged. “Maybe the creature has venom of some sort. Anything like that mentioned in the tales you were told?”

  “Mostly the stories were to stop us from wandering off and exploring outside the dome. People die all the time. It’s why they built the dome. Not everyone starts off with water like us or is able to find a haven.” She cracked her eyes open and screwed them shut again. The brightness was almost too much to bear, and her throat protested her long speech. “Need water.”

  “You’ll have it. Almost there.”

  “How is she?” Kelvin boomed. “I’ve built a shade shelter for her.”

  “Water,” she mumbled, the tightness of her throat becoming worse.

  “The water isn’t potable,” Kelvin said.

  “Phrull.” Lynx’s shoulders slumped. “What are we gonna do?”

  “I can drink and filter it,” Kelvin offered. “It will take a cycle.”

  “She needs water now.” Shiloh placed her under the shade. “Let me take off your tunic. I need to see the extent of those burns.”

  Jannike winced as Shiloh lifted her tunic over her head.

  “The water is all right for swimming and bathing,” Kelvin said. “I could see nothing disturbing in its depths.”

  “Nice undergarment.” Amusement colored Lynx’s voice. “I’ll check the pond while you see what you can do with her back.” The crunch of gravel marked his departure.

  “Once Lynx says the water is safe, I’ll carry you down. I think sitting in the water will relieve the heat in your skin.”

  “It’s not bad,” she said again. Well, her back was stinging but it was bearable.

  Kelvin shunted Royal under the shade and the calibore ambled over to Jannike. He sniffed her leg and sneezed.

  “He looks better. Thanks, Kelvin.”

  “You next.” Kelvin whispered to the markowls and the birds lifted off to circle the haven. Kelvin planted himself next to the shade. Thick roots speared into the sandy soil, rooting him in place. His branches spread outward, some swaying low. Amazed by the process, Jannike stared as a thin branch dipped in front of her face.

  “Bite into my branch. Slake your thirst.”

  Jannike lifted her battered, aching body until she was sitting. Lightheadedness struck and she wobbled unable to remain upright. Shiloh caught her before she toppled backward. Her heart went into a series of palpitations. Whoa!

  “Jannike, are you all right?” Shiloh demanded.

  “I can’t bite Kelvin.”

  “You will die if you don’t.” Kelvin’s matter-of-fact summation drove the truth home. Hadn’t she decided she wanted to live? “I can replenish my supply and filter the new water intake, make it safe for you all to drink. Bite my branch for her, Shiloh.”

  Shiloh’s glance held uncertainty too, but he did as Kelvin instructed. He grasped a thick branch and bit down, his sharp canines making quick work of the task. Kelvin’s expression tightened, his only reaction to the tearing of his bark. Shiloh’s cheeks sucked in, his dark lashes screening his eyes.

  When Shiloh lifted his head, he sighed with distinct satisfaction. “Thank you for sharing your water with us. I am honored at your gift.” The formal words of thanks should have sounded silly, but Jannike thought they were perfect. Shiloh was a male of hidden depths.

  Shiloh held Kelvin’s branch in front of her mouth and she placed her mouth where he’d bitten into Kelvin’s flesh. Despite her lingering horror at biting Kelvin, the wash of moisture into her parched mouth had her moaning in pleasure.

  “Is that what you sound like when you’re having sex?” Lynx asked from behind them.

  “I have plenty of water,” Kelvin whispered. “Show him.” He arrowed another branch in Lynx’s direction. “You will need more moisture too.”

  Jannike sucked on the wound and swallowed the moisture, so grateful to Kelvin for allowing them to drink from him. The lightheadedness faded as did the dryness of her mouth and throat. Uncertain of how much to take, she lifted her head.

  “More,” Kelvin insisted. “I will drink to replenish my supply later.”

  Royal crawled over to her and bit into Kelvin’s branch not far from where she drank. He showed no hesitation.

  Jannike drank until she’d quenched her thirst. “Will the bite marks heal quickly?”

  “No.” Kelvin sounded matter-of-fact. “I will ask ye to drink from the same place each time.”

  Beside her, Lynx and Shiloh finished slaking their thirst.

  “Kelvin is right. I sensed no danger at the pond. You should soak in the water.” Lynx glanced at Shiloh and winked. “I know I intend to.”

  “If you two are doing sex things, I’m staying here.”

  Lynx’s grin was broad and toothy. “We can share the pond. It’s a spring, and the far end is private. Shiloh and I will head there.”

  “I want to check on the worm first,” Shiloh said. “You help Jannike to the water.”

  “Ever the bodyguard—” Lynx broke off as if he’d uttered something out of place.

  Shiloh shook his head and laughed, his long strides taking him to the edge of the haven.

  “What did you mean bodyguard?” Jannike asked.

  “A joke,” Lynx said. “Can you walk or do you need me to carry you?”

  “I can walk. Do you need anything, Kelvin?”

  “No thank ye,” Kelvin whispered. “I intend to sleep.”

  Jannike noticed the bark bites they’d left oozed a kind of sap. It made her curious, and she wished she knew more about Kelvin and his capture. Kelvin remained in the background, listening rather than participating, yet never hesitating to offer help when it was required.

  Jannike followed Lynx to the pond and saw what he meant about privacy. “I’ll go over there by those rocks. I can strip off and wash my clothes.”

  “Your tunic is shredded in the back. Not much holding it together now.”

  “So, I’ll wear my blanket like you do during the worst of the heat.” She picked her way over the rocks and when she reached the water’s edge, she plonked her butt on a rock in order to remove her shoes. Now that she’d drunk deep and conquered her thirst, the throb of her back became more apparent. She removed her red bra and stood to take off her trews. The sharp pain in the back of her legs had her eyes watering. Blisters. She peeled off her panties and stepped into the cool water, almost moaning at the instant relief. She waded deeper until water covered her back. Dipping her head under the water, removed a lot of the dust and dirt.

  “Jannike, are you decent?” Shiloh called.

  “I’m in the water.”

  “Stay there. I’ll bring you some cleansing plant. Kelvin says it’s a kind of soap.” He appeared around the corner and clambered over the rocks. “I’ll leave the plant here on the rock. You just squeeze the sap out the end and lather up.”

  “Thanks.” Jannike watched him leave, her pulse racing a little faster. Close call. She released her tongue from imprisonment between her teeth and waded to shore to retrieve the soap plant. In this short time of relaxation and relative safety, Shiloh and Lynx would consummate their relationshi
p. The mating bonds should click into place once that happened, effectively shutting her out.

  It was what she wanted.

  The way things should happen.

  Yet no matter how many times she told herself this, the yearning wouldn’t leave. It crouched like a black leopard, attentive and watchful, ready to pounce the sec she released her restraint.

  Sighing, she dipped her head under the water and proceeded to wash her hair. The sap that oozed from the spiky green leaf didn’t resemble soap. It didn’t lather like Earth cleansers or dissolve like the cleansing agent in the sanitizer units on board the Indy. It remained thick and viscous like the stuff Camryn called gel.

  Laughter echoed across the water, low and intimate. The urge to go to them was so strong she found herself taking two steps from the water before forcing her limbs to stop. Lust swept her in a rogue wave, frisking her breasts, her nipples and her pussy while she struggled in the undertow. A needy moan escaped, squeezing up her throat like a stealth warrior. Her legs trembled and she returned to the water’s edge, plopping down in disgust.

  This wasn’t going to happen.

  She was handling the discomfort. It couldn’t get much worse. She pushed herself into deeper water and floated, letting the coolness ease the sting on her back. Swimming reminded her of their visit to Earth, and she wondered how Amme was getting on in her new life with Marcus. She and the rest of the Indy crew had spent much of their Christmas visit playing in the pool.

  Good times.

  More masculine laughter drifted across the water, and a dart of acute pain arrowed to her pussy. She bit her lip as the sharp ache morphed into pleasure. She groaned softly, mindful she wasn’t alone. Unbidden one hand drifted down her belly and slid between her legs. The merest touch of her slit sent spiraling bliss—the like of which she’d never felt before—crawling through her veins.

  Maybe this would be enough. She should grab the opportunity while she had the luxury of privacy. One finger circled her clit and she sank under the water. She came up spluttering and coughing. Shaking.

  “Goddess,” she muttered, disgust a hammer pounding on her stupid, thick head. She resumed her floating and kept her hands clamped firmly at her sides.