Her sharp-eyed gaze lifted to glare at Evena. “Heard you even had a couple of these in your own mouth.”
Evena shot a quick glance at Calandra, who shook her head, confirming that Celestine’s sources were her own. That worried Evena. The psychopath was supposed to be isolated from the rest of the prison population.
Celestine’s gaze remained on Evena. “Bet you didn’t see any as beautiful as mine,” she said, while continuing to caress her breast until the tip blushed a deep red.
Keeping her face expressionless, Evena said, “Get up. You know the routine.”
Celestine smiled and shimmied off the bed, her breasts jiggling becomingly. Brushing past Evena, she deliberately grazed the Captain’s arm with her nipple.
When Celestine stood against the wall opposite the bed, Evena began her search. She was disappointed when she found nothing. She’d wanted an excuse to bust the psychopath’s chops. With a jerk of her head, she indicated Celestine could return to her bed.
As she sauntered past Evena, she leaned close and sniffed loudly.
Evena pushed her away.
Calandra raised her club.
Celestine laughed and moved away. “I smell man all over you, Evena. Can’t get enough, can you? Who will you turn to when they leave, hmmm?” She lay back down on her bed. Ignoring the two women, she pushed a hand inside her suit and began to masturbate.
Evena curled her lip in disgust, and she turned on her heel to leave the cell. Once outside, she turned to Calandra. “I want to know who’s talking to her. Log every visitor. Double up the guards. Someone’s playing a dangerous game.”
Celestine’s mocking laughter followed them down the corridor.
*
Adam surveyed the dining room, satisfied all was progressing nicely. A line of women waited their turn to see Doc, who extracted a small blood sample from their earlobes to run through his portable diagnostic chamber. Multiple samples, with the women’s blood smeared on blotter tissues, were set in the tray inside the chamber. The women didn’t have time to take their seats again before the monitor on the chamber gave readouts for each sample, the test of primary importance being the fertility reading.
Several women had already been turned away for fertility problems, but the rest waited in the next line to speak individually with one of the twelve pirates conducting interviews.
No internal examinations were being conducted this day. Once the field was narrowed, Doc intended to examine every woman to ensure she could bear a child without complications.
Adam grinned when he remembered how enraged Evena had become when he’d suggested the women’s circumferences should be measured. He was lucky his men hadn’t hit on that very idea. Adam stood behind one of his men, Milton Everhardt, as he interviewed the blonde woman with the scar across her cheek that Adam had seen among Darak’s harem the previous evening.
The scar did little to detract from her loveliness. Her long, sandy-blonde hair and cream-colored skin would please any number of his crew.
He leaned closer to gauge how the interview was going.
“So, Miss Aurelia, have you ever worked on a farm?”
“No, but I’ve worked in a brothel.”
“Well, that’s a fine profession. Some of our men have very particular sexual requirements. Let me see.” Milton removed his wrist computer, laid it on the table, and pushed a button to raise a holographic display of a list. “Here’s Akron’s list. His first requirement is ‘Must love anal sex.’”
“What’s this Akron look like?”
“I have a picture here.” He pressed another button.
Adam nearly burst his gut suppressing his laughter when a picture of Akron Kelly’s nude body flashed above the table.
“Oh, my. Is this picture to scale?” Aurelia asked, staring at the man’s engorged cock.
“Pretty much so,” replied Milton. “I took the picture myself.”
“Tell Akron I adore anal sex, bondage with chains, spanking…anything he desires,” she replied eagerly.
“Yes, well. I guess I don’t need to ask you anything else. Akron didn’t care whether his woman could cook or clean or help him with his farm.”
Aurelia grinned and leaned forward to plant a kiss on Milton’s lips. “Look me up later, if you need to verify my qualifications.”
Milton’s cheeks grew red, but he nodded.
As she walked away, hips rolling, Adam heard the younger man release a loud sigh.
“I take it everything is going well?”
The younger man jerked to his feet. “Aye, sir. It’s been an interesting morning.”
From the corner of his eye, Adam saw Evena enter the room. With a brief nod to Milton, he hurried to head her off. No telling what she might take offense to, given his men’s lack of social etiquette.
Evena stood behind Ivan’s chair as he interviewed a buxom brunette. Her scowl grew as Ivan read the qualities one of his crew desired.
“Must have meat on her bones.” He eyed the woman’s fleshy thighs and check marked the first item on the list. “Must be willing to perform fellatio, and often.” He looked up expectantly.
“Oh, of course,” the woman replied, and then grimaced. “Um, what exactly is that?”
A blush colored Ivan’s cheeks, spreading to the tips of his ears. “That’s, you know, sucking his dick.”
“Oh. I love that. I can do that.”
Ivan added another check mark. “Must like spankings. And giving them.”
Shaking her head, the woman’s eyes rounded. “Now, I don’t think I’d like that. Maybe I could give them, but I wouldn’t want some man paddling my behind.”
Adam crept behind Evena and caressed her bottom.
Without looking around, she leaned into his body, her buttocks rubbing against his growing erection.
“I hope, madam,” he said whispering next to her ear, “that you know very well whose cock you toy with.”
“Adam? Is that you?” The minx turned, her expression pure innocence.
His eyes narrowed, promising retribution. “Does our operation meet your approval?”
“So far. I haven’t heard any mention of the measurements of a woman’s circumference.”
“That’ll be tomorrow,” he teased. “After we narrow the field.”
“Now, Adam…”
He glanced up and spied Darak and Mary walking their way. “Your friend Mary’s here.”
Mary’s face glowed. “I passed the fertility test.”
“I could have told Doc she’d have no problems there,” Darak grumbled, but then he too smiled broadly.
“Congratulations,” Evena murmured.
“The only thing you’ve to do now is submit to an interview,” Adam said.
“I’ve already taken care of that,” Darak interjected. “She met all my requirements. Top of the list.”
“Better be the only one on your list,” Mary said, her eyes narrowed in warning.
“You’re right, dear. Just teasing.”
Adam’s brow lifted.
Evena hid a laugh with a cough.
“We’ll be interviewing for the better part of the day, here,” Adam said. “If you ladies have other matters to attend to…”
Mary gave him a questioning look. “Come on, Evena. Let’s make sure our garden’s been set to rights.”
Evena nodded, knowing Adam had his own interviews to conduct, and that she’d just as soon not see whom his interest settled on. She gave him one last lingering gaze before following Mary into the corridor.
Chapter Eight
‡
Shaking off her melancholy, Evena squared her shoulders and headed for the security room with Mary. Not slowing the pace, their long strides matched, heels clicking in time as they strode down the long hallway.
“Lord, I don’t know about you, but that boy wore me out. You’d think he was the one who hadn’t fucked in three years. Then, to take on four women—boy’s got possibilities.”
Evena cleared
her throat. “Mary, what you said this morning, about…looking at me for a long time. What did you mean by that?” Mary’s steps slowed. The look she shot Evena said she thought she wasn’t particularly bright.
“Evena, honey, you and I have watched each other’s backs a long time. Usually, you learn a thing or two about your partner when faced with challenges.”
Evena frowned. She thought they knew each other well. They were best friends.
Mary pursed her lips. “You’ve built one hell of a wall around your heart. Believe me, if I’d seen so much as a crack, I’d have been all over you.”
Evena fought to keep her shock from showing in her expression. Not once, until today, had she thought of Mary as a possible sexual partner.
“Don’t look at me like that. There’s all kinds of love—and we’re friends. I’d have scratched your itch, if I’d ever seen you wanted it.”
“Mary, I’m s—”
Mary halted, facing Evena with her hands on her hips. “Jesus Christ, don’t you tell me you’re god damned sorry. It doesn’t matter. Not really. It’s not like I did without, just because you weren’t interested.” Her lips twisted in a wry grin. “’Sides, I got some world-class ass last night. And more’s coming.”
Relieved her friend’s heart was recovering, Evena returned her grin.
“Guess I was just pissed that the first time you decided to try girl-pie, it was with Calandra, not me.”
Evena blushed. “It…it just happened. She was there…”
“Shit! That makes me feel so much better,” Mary replied, rolling her eyes. She started to walk again. “Come on, let’s make sure those floozies cleaned up their mess after the party.”
Quietly digesting Mary’s comments, Evena realized she was right. She’d been so wrapped up in her old bitterness, she hadn’t recognized the other woman’s offer of love and solace. “So, you’re definitely going after Darak?”
“Yeah. He’s comin’ around to the idea. It won’t take long for him to realize I’m the only one who belongs on his list. But I’m willin’ to share—if that’s what he wants, too.”
She jerked her head toward Mary. “You’d share him with another wife?”
“Sure. Some men feel suffocated, just one-on-one. Darak’s a young pirate—still full of his oats. I don’t want him to get bored and screw around behind my back. The man has a powerful sex drive. I want him honest. And I really won’t mind him fuckin’ another woman—so long as he lets me participate.” She gave wicked waggle of her eyebrows.
“Aren’t you afraid of jealousy from the other wives?”
“Don’t get me wrong. There will be only one ‘number one’ wife. We’ll get along, ’cause I won’t let there be any game playing,” she said, flexing her arm to produce an impressive muscle.
Evena shook her head. She had a hard time thinking of Adam with any wife—any woman—not herself.
“Evena, we’re women. We hold the real power. We’ll bear the children. We’ll help each other and hold the community together. So long as we try not to make the same mistakes our old society made.”
“But how do you fight human nature?”
“By remembering where we come from. Not this hell hole—Mother Earth. Now, I wanna hear about you.”
“What about me?” Evena said, her back stiffening.
“I see the way you look at Adam—your face all full of longing. When are you gonna give up the past? Bitterness and revenge will destroy your woman-soul.”
“I don’t know if I can.” Even as she spoke the words, she understood how hollow they sounded. Somewhere, between her emotional awakening and Adam’s not-so-gentle sexual persuasion, she’d already started to change.
Mary snorted. “You better figure it out sooner than later, girlfriend. As we speak, that man’s makin’ plans for the future. And I’d sure as hell hate to conquer a new world without you watchin’ my back.” She slipped her arm around Evena’s waist.
Evena awkwardly returned the gesture. Funny, how only yesterday she’d felt a million miles removed from every other human in the known galaxy, and today she discovered she’d had a sister all along.
*
Adam watched Evena as she moved from table to table in the dining room, speaking with the women huddled in groups.
At the start of the meal, a committee of women whose expressions indicated they had a bone to chew had drawn her from his side.
By the number of times the women gestured toward the men, he knew with a sinking feeling his well-laid plans were about to be dealt a blow.
“Doesn’t look good,” Darak said around the rim of his mug of ale.
“What started all this? Did anyone mention any problems with any of the girls?”
“Not really,” Darak mumbled.
“What?” Adam gave him a sharp glance. “There was an issue, and no one brought it to my attention?”
“Well, it wasn’t an issue, really.”
Annoyed, Adam drummed his fingers on the tabletop.
A frown darkened Darak’s expression. “It’s just that some of the women were asking whether they could bring people with them.”
“As in, more of the women?”
“Yes.”
“They were told in the beginning, we needed only a hundred.”
“Right, but I don’t think they realized how much work was ahead—until we spoke with them during the interviews today.”
“I specifically said we would be starting a colony. What part of my briefing did they not understand?”
“The part about taking care of their husbands’ homes, helping with the crops in the fields, and raising the babies. They said the division of labor sounded a little uneven.”
“Uneven? That’s how it’s done.”
Darak shrugged. “I’m just telling you what I heard.”
“Well, they will just have to get over it. Besides, I’m sure the men will help out with the women’s chores—if they become too onerous.”
Darak cast him a doubtful glance.
Adam caught Evena’s gaze and indicated with a crook of his finger that he needed her.
Evena’s brows rose, but she kept right on talking.
“See how well they obey? And you thought they’d be so grateful, they’d be an easy sell.” Darak chuckled.
Adam placed a hand in the center of Darak’s chest and shoved him off the bench. While Darak sputtered in a pool of spilt beer, Adam noted with a great deal of satisfaction his Alarian silk shirt was drenched.
The men nearest him laughed, drawing the women’s attention.
Evena rose to her feet and strode toward him.
Disgruntled that it had taken an altercation to bring her to his side, Adam folded his arms over his chest and waited.
Evena climbed over the bench opposite him and took a seat. She opened her mouth to speak.
But he forestalled her, gesturing for more food to be brought to the table. “What would you like to eat tonight, love? We’ve yak and Samureen beef, fresh vegetables acquired from a freighter just a week from Earth, and fruit. Strawberries and apples.”
Evena glowered, but she picked up a fork and stabbed a slab of beef, moving it to her plate.
Adam hid a smile. Tonight, she wasn’t so quick to refuse his offering. A glance around the room and he noted the women had begun to disperse, finding seats among the men. Perhaps he’d worried for nothing.
Evena cleared her throat. “Adam, the women have asked me to negotiate the terms of your bargain.”
Adam spread his hands. “I’m a reasonable man, Evena. I’ll hear you out—but if this has anything to do with adding numbers to the passenger list, well, that’s just not happening.”
“And where does the reasonable part enter into this?” she snapped.
“Evena, I’ve stockpiled supplies to support my men and a hundred women for one year. If I take more people, we may starve before we can harvest our first crops.”
“And you think the women will last the year with
the work you and your men expect from them? Haven’t you considered that perhaps more hands will increase productivity? You’re asking an awful lot of women who aren’t used to hard physical labor. And beyond the first harvest, who will be there to support the men’s wives when they start to bear children?”
Adam reined in his temper. The women’s concerns were valid. Perhaps there was room for compromise. “What do you propose?”
“The women who are selected want the right to select one woman to bring along as their partner.”
“Two hundred women?” He knew he must have shouted his question when the room grew silent. He took a deep breath.
“Your face is growing red. No need to get angry about this. Their suggestion makes sense. The men get their choice of wives. The women get their choice of helpmates. This can work out to everyone’s advantage.”
He took another deep breath. “As I said, I’m a reasonable man. What advantages?” he asked, his voice clipped.
“Some of the women would like to bring partners with them.”
“Something you’ve already stated. I need more reasons to reconsider my decision.”
“They would be willing for their husbands to take a second wife.”
Adam knew that suggestion would earn favor among his men. They’d have two wives to serve their every need, never mind they’d have two women to nag them, too.
“Some would like to bring older prisoners to serve as grandmothers, midwives, and teachers for the children.”
Adam’s anger deflated. She was right. It took women to civilize a world. The wives would have their hands full, as it was. His colony would need unmarried women to fill those roles. “All right, but just two hundred.”
Evena flashed a triumphant smile. “I told them you wouldn’t be hard to persuade, once you saw the logic.”
“That’s my last compromise.”
“Of course.”
Her agreement came a little too quickly. He narrowed his eyes, warning her his tolerance was already stretched.
Evena grinned and stuck a bite of asparagus into her mouth. “Oh, this is incredible. We tried to raise asparagus, but the conditions in the atrium didn’t favor it.”
Adam acknowledged her tactic to neatly change the topic of the conversation, and didn’t miss the thumbs-up signal she gave the women in the room.
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