by Joanna Wylde
She and Calla sat at the kitchen table. The children had already eaten their breakfast and had gone outside to play. Calla had decided to take them out for treats later that morning and tell them.
“I’m sure,” she said. “I love him, Sarai. He had good reasons for behaving like he did before. If I had trusted him, none of this would have happened.”
“If he had trusted you, none of it would have happened, either,” Sarai muttered darkly.
“Well, we have a choice,” Calla said briskly. “Seth and I can spend the rest of our lives hating each other for what happened, or we can learn from our mistakes. We choose to forgive ourselves and start over. I want happiness, Sarai, and Seth and I will only find it together. It’s time to put the past behind us.”
“I’ll miss you,” Sarai said, dropping her composed facade. Losing Calla was almost too much to bear. “Oh, Calla, you’ve been like a sister to me. I don’t know what the children and I will do without you!”
“Oh, I think you’ll do just fine,” Calla said. “Sarai, you’re a new woman now. You own your own business, and your children have a future, just take life one step at a time. And remember, we can always visit.”
“I guess I just don’t want anything to change,” Sarai said with a sigh. She would save her tears for later, when Calla couldn’t see them. “Are you sure you can trust him? A bad marriage is a terrible thing, Calla. I don’t wish this upon you. It would be better if you stayed here with us, where it’s safe.”
“I’ll be safe with him,” Calla said, tears building in her eyes. She and Sarai stood and held each other for several long minutes. Then Able burst through the door. They both jumped in surprise.
“Think about it, Calla,” Sarai whispered. “It isn’t too late to change your mind.”
“My mind’s been made up from the minute I saw him,” Calla replied, smiling happily. Sarai didn’t return the smile. Instead, she held out her arms to her son.
“Sweetheart, go get your sister,” Sarai said, giving him a quick hug. “Calla is taking you out for a treat. There’s something she needs to tell you.”
Able turned and ran out the door, and Calla followed. Sarai waited until they were gone, then sat down at the table. She lay her head down on her hands and let the tears flow. The thought of Calla leaving was too horrible. Worse yet, she was leaving so soon. She would be alone with the children again, all by herself against the whole world.
* * * * *
“Sarai?” a male voice asked. She whipped her head up—Jax had come into the kitchen so quietly she hadn’t heard him at all. Sarai quickly wiped her face, then looked away from him. She didn’t like looking weak in front of any man, let alone this one. He was too quick to take advantage of a woman’s weakness.
“You’re upset because Calla’s leaving, aren’t you?” Jax asked softly, coming to over to her bench. He swung one leg over, settling himself in a straddling position facing her. “It’s going to be all right. She’s his life mate—in Saurellia there is no greater bond that can exist between two people. They’ll be happy together, they’ll make each other complete.”
“I don’t care,” Sarai said, still refusing to look at him. Bastard. He’d used her, and now he had the nerve to try to comfort her. “I’m going to miss her, and I don’t like him. He’s not good enough for her.”
“Seth is a good man,” Jax said softly. “I’ve known him for more than ten years, and I know that he’ll always love her.”
“You know, I’m sick and tired of men who think they need to take care of women,” Sarai said harshly, finally looking at him. Her eyes blazed with the force of her emotions. “I had a husband who ‘took care’ of me regularly, and I wouldn’t wish marriage on any woman. It’s a trap, and Calla’s falling into it. It’s a trap.” She repeated quietly, more to herself than to Jax.
“That’s not true,” Jess replied. “For a Saurellian-”
“Don’t give me your crap,” Sarai said, standing abruptly. She paced across the kitchen, then turned to lean against the counter with her arms folded in front of her. “Get out of my kitchen, get out of my hostel. You brought him here, you’re responsible for this. Go back to Saurellia, because I don’t ever want to see you again.”
“I can’t do that, Sarai,” Jax said with determination. The intensity of his gaze frightened her. She turned away from him, willing him to disappear. He came up behind her, she could feel his presence, just as any creature can feel the presence of a predator. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to confront him.
“Get out,” she repeated coldly, staring at a spot in the middle of his chest. “If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the authorities to remove you.”
It was an idle threat, they both knew it. She couldn’t move more than a few inches without running into him, and Jax was more than powerful enough to stop her. But he stepped back, raising his arms in mock surrender.
“I’ll give you some space, Sarai,” Jax said. “But I’m not ready to leave Hector Prime just yet. I’ll see you again.”
“Don’t threaten me,” Sarai gritted out between clenched teeth.
“I would never threaten you,” Jax replied with a strange smile. “And I’ll never lie, either. I’m not your ex-husband, Sarai. I’m a good man, and I won’t hurt you.”
With that, he turned on his heels and strode out of the kitchen.
* * * * *
The next day, after all the hugs were given and all the tears were shed, Calla and Seth sat alone in the cockpit of his new ship. It was bigger than the old one, with a more sophisticated design. The cockpit in particular was larger, with a small, cushioned couch behind the pilots’ seats. Calla raised one eyebrow in question when she saw it, and Seth laughed.
“I decided that we could improve on the old design a little,” he said with a shrug. “If I remember correctly, we could have used something like that several times in the old ship.”
“It sounds like a great idea to me,” Calla replied archly. “Of course, we’ll need to do some testing, to make sure it works properly.”
“By the Goddess, woman, can’t you give me a break long enough for us to take off?” Seth asked, groaning in mock exhaustion.
“Oh, we can wait as long as you like,” Calla replied with laughter. “Besides, if we don’t take off pretty soon we’ll miss our launch window. That could delay us for up to a day.”
As she spoke, she deliberately propped both legs up on the control panel. Then she leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms above her head, causing the fabric of her shirt to tighten across her breasts. Seth growled warningly, and she laughed, reveling in her ability to arouse him.
“You know,” she said languidly. “A good friend once told me that all men think with their cocks. Particularly Saurellian men. Is that true?”
Seth stared straight ahead, starting his checklist for take-off without replying. Calla took one toe and delicately pushed a small clip off the control panel, causing it to fall to the floor with a pinging noise.
“Oops, I dropped something,” she whispered. Then she stood up, and turned away from him before slowly and calculatedly bending from the waist to pick it up. Seth breathed heavily as he watched her, and Calla had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Then she sat down again, turning to meet his gaze.
“It’s true,” Seth said.
Calla looked at him with surprise.
“Right now, my cock must be doing the thinking,” Seth said, giving her a slow smile. “Because I don’t give a damn if we miss our launch window. Let’s see how efficient the new cockpit design is. Come over here.”
“Why don’t you come and get me?” Calla asked. Then she scrambled off her chair and over to the low couch. Seth came after her, laughing like a child, and they rolled together like puppies. Then Seth caught her mouth with his, and they kissed long and slow.
“Can you feel how much I love you?” he asked.
“Oh, yes,” Calla replied. “But I think a demonstration is in
order.”
“If the lady insists,” Seth said. He kneed her legs apart, grinding his large erection against her already-moist cunt. Calla sighed with pleasure, arching against him. “Let’s get rid of these clothes.”
They sat up, pulling at their clothes; each drinking in the sight of the other. Calla finished first, falling back against the couch.
“Come and get me, Seth,” she said. “I’m ready for you.”
Seth lowered himself over her waiting body, carefully placing his length at the mouth of her opening. Then, catching her mouth with his, he slowly pressed his rock hard cock into her. She gasped at the sensation, whimpering with pleasure as he moved within her. Then he stopped moving altogether, and raised his head.
“Thank you,” he said.
“For what?” Calla asked in confusion.
“For giving us another chance,” Seth said.
“Thank you, too,” she replied. Then she pulled his head back down to hers. He started moving again, and the pressure built in both of them. Within minutes, Calla’s orgasm hit her. She cried out, squeezing Seth with her internal muscles.
It was too much for him to hold back, and he joined her, shouting out his own pleasure. He collapsed to her side, then leaned up on one elbow to look at the control panel.
“We’ve missed our launch window,” he said idly, tracing a pattern on her face with one finger. “What are we going to do to pass the time?”
“I’ve got some ideas,” Calla said. “Just trust me, I’ll take care of it.”
“I’ll trust you,” Seth replied with a smile. “I’ll trust you for the rest of my life.”
Epilogue
Jess sat in the darkness, idly cleaning his fingernails with a long, wicked blade. It had taken him so long to find Jenner that he’d given up hope at times. Now she was his. She would be coming up to her room soon; when she did, she would see the face of justice. His face.
Calla was dead.
Hari’s words had played through his mind a thousand times since he’d returned to Discovery station for his sister. She had been kidnapped, according to the little kitchen slave, or she ran away. There were all kinds of theories, but each ended with the same cold truth. Her implant had been found in the station’s recycling pit. No one could survive such a fate. Now it was time for Jenner to die.
He could hear the stairs outside creak as she heaved her massive form up to her room. It wasn’t as nice as her apartment at the hostel, but she was lucky to be alive. Of course, her luck was about to change, he thought with grim humor. She’d survived the Pilgrims’ disastrous attack on the Saurellians, but she wouldn’t survive him.
The door opened, and the light from the hallway outlined her form. She sighed heavily, then turned to switch on the light and close the door. His blaster was already raised by the time she caught sight of him.
“Hello, Mistress Jenner,” he said tightly, savoring the moment. “I think you should sit down on the bed.”
Jenner did as she was told, her snake’s eyes wide with fright.
“I’d like to draw this out,” Jess said. “I’ve dreamed about this day for years, you know. All those nights you made me come to you when I was younger? You’re going to pay for them now.”
Jenner gave a little moan of fear, and he almost felt pity for her. Almost. Then he thought about Calla’s lifeless corpse and the pity disappeared.
“Unfortunately,” he continued. “I have other business. We’ll make this quick.”
He tossed her a bottle of pills.
“I’ve already written a little note goodbye for all your friends,” he said thoughtfully. “About how you’re so filled with guilt you can’t bear to live any longer. I’m prepared to give you a choice. Either take the pills or I’ll use the knife.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Jenner whispered, but she was wrong and she knew it. He could see it in her eyes.
“Oh, I would enjoy it,” he murmured with dark satisfaction. “Which way do you want to go?”
“I’ll take the pills,” she said finally. “I suppose you want to watch?”
“I’ve seen you stuff your face a million times while those around you were hungry,” he replied coldly. “This time I plan to enjoy the sight.”
He stood over her with the blaster as she took the pills, watching carefully to make sure that she swallowed all of them. There was enough in the bottle to kill her ten times over, but he wasn’t going to take any chances.
After an hour, he rose to check her pulse. Nothing. Jenner was dead. He waited for the triumph to wash over him, but her death left him feeling hollow. Everything left him feeling hollow… Everything except her, the woman waiting for him in his ship. She was his love, his life, his prisoner. She was all he had left.
He went over to the window, opening it silently, then crawled out on to the roof. The planet where Jenner’d taken refuge was backward, and security was poor. It had been ridiculously easy to break in and find her. Escaping was just as easy. Within seconds he had blended into the darkness of the streets.
His ship was parked at the edge of the primitive landing field; Nestoria was too insignificant to have a true space port. Carefully checking to make sure no one had followed him, he palmed the airlock open and stepped in.
As always, his eyes flew to her cell in the corner. She was sitting on her little bench, watching him with dark eyes. Still, after all these months, he couldn’t bring himself to leave her alone in the ship without locking her in. He told her it was to keep her from sabotaging his equipment, but the real reason was fear. He lived in fear that she would find a way to leave him.
He walked across the small room, pulling out the key to open her cage. She stood with dignity, watching his movements.
“Is it done, then?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said tightly. He didn’t want to discuss Jenner with her.
“And did it make you feel good to kill her?” she asked in a mocking tone. “Is Calla alive again? Have you stopped being a runaway slave?”
Jess glared at her. Once upon a time she would have been too fearful to speak to him this way. Those times were long gone.
“Please,” he said, running a hand through his dark, curly hair. “Please don’t. I just need to hold you tonight. Will you let me?”
She stared at him, trying to judge his sincerity. The look on his face must have convinced her, because she dropped her militant stance and came over to him. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her body against his. It was like coming home, and Jess felt himself harden in response. She was the only person who could make him feel anymore.
“Let’s go to bed,” she whispered. “We’re both tired. We’ll think of what to do tomorrow. Tonight let’s just be together.”
“All right,” he said, dropping a kiss on her head. Then she stepped away from him and held out her hand. Taking it, he let her lead him into the bedroom.
About Joanna Wylde
Joanna Wylde is a freelance writer and a voracious reader.
Joanna 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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Print books by Joan
na Wylde
Aquamarine Allure anthology
Glamorous Garnet anthology
Reaper’s Property
Saurellian Federation: Jerred’s Price
Saurellian Federation: The Price of Freedom
Saurellian Federation: Saurellian Survivors
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Price of Pleasure
ISBN 9781843601708
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Price of Pleasure Copyright © 2002 Joanna Wylde
Edited by Martha Punches
Cover design by Syneca
Cover photography by RomanceNovelCovers.com, diversepixel/shutterstock.com
Electronic book publication April 2002
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