by Aubrey Ross
“We kept our penthouse in Akielesh and the lake house, but the rest were sold and invested in this project. It’s do-or-die for Mikko. This city will either make him one of the richest men on Fedoros or grind him into the dirt.”
“Any predictions?” Quade remained by the door, hands clasped behind his back. Despite their intimacies, he remained polite and professional. She understood his detachment. He used professionalism to remind them both that she was a mission, and Mikko could reassign him at any time.
“Given the popularity of the gladiator games, I think New Pompeii will be wildly successful.” She swept her hand over the panel and activated the communications grid. Selecting a private link, she pinged Caleb’s audiocom.
“Captain Thrax, go.” Caleb’s deep voice filled the small space.
“It’s Laetif. I got your note.” All her efforts failed to keep her voice steady. Just the thought of him left her week in the knees.
He chuckled. “And? Are we going to finish what we started?”
She swallowed hard and nodded then realized he couldn’t see her. “I’d like that. I know you’re in the middle of unloading the refugees. When will you be available?”
“Are you coming to me, or am I coming to you?”
“It might be best if we met on neutral ground. Have you ever stayed at the Palace Arms? They’re known for their discretion.”
“I’ll meet you there at twenty-one hundred. Text me with a room number. Aiden can supervise the evacuation for an hour or two. Thrax, out.”
Just like that, she was scheduled to meet the lover of her choice while accompanied by the lover her husband assigned to her. How had her life become so convoluted? She powered down the comgrid and turned to Quade. “So, what should we do for the next four hours?”
He inclined his head. “I’m open to suggestions.”
* * * * *
“What happens now?” Felicia sat in Aiden’s office, a datapad resting in her lap, displaying a book she had been unable to concentrate well enough to read. “Shika explained about the GPS chips. I know it’s only a matter of time before they come for me.”
Aiden flattened the computer display and gave her his undivided attention. “I never chipped you. Remember, as far as Xyell is concerned, you didn’t survive stasis.”
Uncertainty swelled within her, fragmenting her thoughts. She could walk away and begin a new life. On a strange planet where she understood so little? “What if I want to stay for a while, make sure the others have adjusted to the relocation?”
“I’ll have to chip you and put you back in stasis. You’ll need to be processed like everyone else.”
Her heart twisted as the only question that mattered surged to the top of her list. “What are your plans?” She didn’t want to sound desperate. In the back of her mind she’d known their affair would end with their arrival on Fedoros. She had just avoided the reality of what was to come.
He pushed back his chair and came around to the front of the desk, gathering her hands in his. “Stay with me, Felicia. This doesn’t have to end.”
“I cannot desert my people.”
“Can you oversee festivals and offer sacrifices to a goddess you no longer trust?”
His conversational tone did little to alleviate her immediate resistance to the question. She pulled her hands out of his and stepped back. “My role in the community is far more complicated than that. My gift has become a resource many depend on for guidance and comfort. If Perion is truly dead, which I am still not convinced of, the temple will be my responsibility. If he’s alive, I must protect others from his lechery.” She crossed her arms over her chest disappointed and depressed. “I cannot walk away. I would be leaving more than friends and distant relations—I would be abandoning my calling.”
“I understand. I hate it, but I understand why you’re doing it.”
She wanted to suggest he come with her, but that was an option he needed to come to on his own. She wouldn’t beg him not to leave her, even though her heart was breaking with each passing second. “These past weeks have been the best of my life. I have—”
He swept her into his arms and silenced her with a demanding kiss. “Don’t you dare say goodbye to me. I am not nearly ready to let you go. There has to be a compromise, a situation that will…”
Buzzing erupted in her ears, drowning out the rest of his sentence. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her fists to her temples as emotions and sensations blasted into her mind. Terror, raw and brittle, sliced through her being. Aiden called her name, carefully shaking her by the shoulders.
She didn’t understand the source, but it didn’t matter. Her gift compelled her into motion. She flew from his office and dashed through the infirmary, ignoring the staff’s startled gasps. Aiden was right behind her when she reached the corridor.
“What’s wrong? What do you sense?”
“Danger and fear,” she forced the words past the ringing in her head. “Someone is in trouble.” With no further explanation she ran to the lift and paused to focus the sensations, gather a clearer picture of the situation. “Crew quarters, near the cargo holds.”
“Deck Nine.” The lift responded to his command and his arm slipped around her waist, steadying her as the car descended. “Security to Deck Nine. Immediately!”
Two burly guards joined the small procession as Felicia led them down the corridor. The emotions spiked, pain stabbing deep into her body. “There! He’s in there!” She pointed to the next door on the left as the pain drove her to her knees.
The guards rushed past them, announcing their presence before manually overriding the privacy lock. A female’s scream echoed in the hallway as the door slid open then an irate male demanded, “What is the meaning of this?”
Fury drove Felicia to her feet as she recognized Perion’s voice. The guards had him pinned against the wall when she rushed through the door, but her gaze flew to the girl huddled in the corner, sobbing. Felicia snatched a blanket off the bed and draped it around the victim’s shoulders, kneeling by her side.
“It’s all right. No one will hurt you now. You are safe.”
The girl raised her tormented gaze and tears blurred Felicia’s vision. “I screamed and screamed, but no one came. Why did they do this to me?”
They? The word filled Felicia with dread. Why had her gift taken so long to engage? She’d sensed the girl’s peril, but not soon enough to prevent the deplorable crime. She wrapped her arms around the girl, aching with regret. “It is not your fault. None of this was your fault.”
“But they said—”
“It does not matter what anyone said. You are not to blame.”
Unable to restrain her fury any longer, Felicia flung herself across the cabin and confronted Perion. “You fucking pervert!” She punctuated the label with her fist. His head snapped to the side and blood gushed from his nose. His startled scream only fueled her anger.
“What is going on here!” Xyell’s voice cracked like a whip, silencing everything but the girl’s soft sobbing and Perion’s moans. “I demand an explanation.”
Panting, blood dripping from her hand, she turned toward the doorway.
“You tell me, Ambassador Xyell.” Aiden’s tone was every bit as autocratic. “Why is this man not in stasis and why was he allowed to brutalize this girl?”
“Allowed? I resent the implication.” They faced off through the open doorway, Aiden on the inside and Xyell in the corridor. “The priest has been helping me assign residences in the new city. His knowledge of the social structure of the city is invaluable. Obviously, he did not have my permission to harm anyone.”
Perion’s struggle suddenly resumed and he screamed at Xyell. “You brought her to me! Your seed was still wet on her thighs!”
“Clearly he is deluded. I’ve been nowhere near this girl. Ask her.”
Felicia moved closer to the doorway, shaking with barely suppressed rage. “Then how did she get in here? Can Perion authorize an awakening?”
/>
“Felicia, I presume?” He tried to push past Aiden, but the doctor wouldn’t budge. “Perion insisted you were still alive. I see now where you’ve been hiding.”
“Take them both to the brig,” Aiden told the guards. “I’ll summon spaceport authority.”
“You will do no such thing,” Xyell said, unconcerned with Aiden’s threat. “As you’re doubtlessly aware, I have diplomatic immunity and this priest is my responsibility. I will deal with his misbehavior. And I will not be harassed on the word of a deranged rapist. If you summon spaceport authority, Prince Tarhee will be here to greet them.” Suddenly a sea of red and gold filled the corridor. At least twelve of Xyell’s men had responded to a silent signal. “Step aside,” he told Aiden.
“At the very least, I insist on examining the girl.”
“She will be tended in New Pompeii. Your infirmary is too—sophisticated for her needs. You signed the noninterference clause when you took this job.”
Aiden seethed. Felicia could almost feel the waves of anger and frustration radiating off his body. After a strained silence, he cleared the doorway, allowing Xyell’s men to enter the small room. They dragged Perion, kicking and screaming, down the corridor. The girl was nearly catatonic, so one of the guards carried her.
“I’ll go with her.” Felicia rushed forward, but Xyell blocked the door. “You aren’t going anywhere. At least not yet.” He looked at Aiden, hostility blazing in his eyes. “Dismiss your guards. You owe me an explanation.”
“Wait in the corridor,” Aiden told the two grim-faced guards. Four of Xyell’s men had tarried as well, so the hallway was still rather crowded.
The door shut and Xyell strolled farther into the room. “She’s dressed in a crewmember’s uniform. Did you, perhaps, mean to keep her for yourself?”
“She is no longer your concern,” Aiden insisted.
“She is my property.”
“I am no man’s property!” Felicia yelled. “I am not, nor have ever been a slave.”
Xyell crossed his arms and stared at her, his lazily assessing gaze bordering on insolence. “We intend to maintain the status quo. Those who were freemen before shall remain free. So, I suppose your claim is valid. However, you must reimburse me for your transport if you intend to leave my care.”
She gaped at him. “I have no funds and you know it.”
“But you do have something that greatly interests me. Perhaps we can barter.”
“I will never sell my body.” She ground out between clenched teeth.
“Deduct her passage from the second half of my payment,” Aiden said, his gaze openly challenging. “I will buy her indenture.”
Xyell’s brow rose at that. “Her indenture would cost the majority of what you have coming. Will your brother agree to that?”
“He will have no choice.”
Torn between gratitude and sorrow, Felicia faced Aiden and placed her hand on his chest. “I cannot desert my people. I am flattered by your offer, but I belong in New Pompeii.”
For a moment he looked wild, as if he would lose his temper and find a physical solution to the conflict. Then he stilled and his expression became resolute. “Then I’ll go with you.” He turned to Xyell and continued. “I’m a skilled physician. Surely you can use medical personnel in your city.”
Xyell chuckled, tilting his head as he considered the offer. “Everyone who joins my staff signs a ten-year commitment and agrees to the noninterference clause. Are you really interested in signing away ten years of your life and living in such a primitive environment?”
“Why won’t you just let her go?” Aiden snapped.
Xyell shrugged. “The decision to stay was hers not mine. I made an offer for her release.”
“An offer you knew she had no hope of fulfilling.”
Ignoring the charge, Xyell looked at Felicia and smiled. The warm expression fell short of his eyes. “You are an important member of Pompeian society. People on all twelve ships asked about you. Apparently, you’re what we call a celebrity.”
“And having a celebrity encourage people to accept the new situation and respect the new administration would benefit the founders?” she mused.
“Obviously.”
“Perion has been victimizing women for years. I want him permanently removed from power.”
A wicked gleam hardened Xyell’s gaze. “How permanently? Speak the word and I’ll add his name to the roster for the next gladiator games. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
An undercurrent of temptation flowed through the offer. Join me, it whispered, stirring the darkest corners of her soul. “His punishment is not my decision. He should be subjected to the law like anyone else.”
Xyell sniffed, obviously disappointed. “As you wish. I’ll turn him over to the magistrate.” He paused, his gaze drifting from her to Aiden and back. “You will come with me now. I will talk to Prince Tarhee about the good doctor’s offer and let him know what we decide.”
“No fucking way!” Aiden flared. “She is not going anywhere with you.”
“That’s not your decision to make.” Xyell opened the door and ordered his men to restrain Aiden then held out his hand to Felicia. “Come, priestess. It’s time we got to know each other better. I’ve heard so many fascinating stories about you.”
Chapter Twelve
Quade sat in a chair angled toward the bed, his gut twisting tighter with each passing minute. Why had he agreed to this? His cock had been hard ever since Caleb walked into the hotel room eager for his “session” with Laetif.
Encouraging Laetif to seek out another man had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. But he understood her pain, understood that she needed to purge years of hurt and betrayal before she could even begin to heal. He had tried to surround her with tenderness, create a nurturing environment where she would feel safe. She responded well to the affection and offered herself—up to a point.
He wasn’t sure why he cared. She was an assignment, a task like any other. The more he allowed himself to feel for her, the more dangerous it was for both of them. Still, he couldn’t suppress his protective instincts or ignore the inexplicable connection he’d felt with her the first time they touched.
She cried out sharply, drawing Quade’s attention back to the couple across the room. She knelt beside the bed, naked, hands bound behind her back. Caleb circled her wearing only black synth-leather pants. They created an extraordinary picture, her golden beauty contrasting sharply with the captain’s dark handsomeness.
Her nipples stood high and red between the jaws of small metal clamps. Each time Caleb grabbed her hair or raised the paddle in his hand, Quade averted his gaze. She wanted this, needed it, but the realization didn’t make it any easier to watch.
Caleb had begrudgingly agreed to Quade’s presence only after Quade agreed to remain silent and not interfere in any way. He clenched his fists and pressed his lips together as Caleb ordered her to bend over the bed.
“Your welts healed nicely. Did you use the ointment I gave you?”
“Yes Sir. Twice a day.” Her voice was breathless and tight. From pain or anticipation, Quade couldn’t tell. Her movements were awkward with her hands bound behind her and Caleb made no move to help.
Caleb trailed his fingertips along her spine then into the crease between her ass cheeks. “Wider. Show me that soft, wet pussy.”
She obeyed and Quade’s cock hardened even more. Caleb stood to one side, giving him an unobstructed view of her supple body. Was the position intentional? Did he want Quade to see for himself that these techniques aroused her?
“You have permission to come.” He snapped the paddle against one cheek and then the other. She gasped and then moaned. “How does that feel?”
“Hot, so very hot.”
“Tell me about your week. How have you spent your time?”
Quade cursed under his breath. He hadn’t expected the captain to be so talkative. Why did Caleb care what she did when she wasn’t with him?
“With Quade mostly. I shared several meals with Felicia and Aiden.”
“Does Mikko know you’re fucking Quade?”
It took a smart swat to motivate her answer. “Yes. Quade is required to check in twice a day.”
Caleb caressed her with his hand as he asked, “How does it make you feel to know your lover reports to your husband?”
“It’s not Quade’s fault.” Her assertion pleased Quade. Even in the midst of this crucible she instinctively defended him. “He has no choice, and neither do I.”
Caleb moved into her line of sight, disapproval clear in his expression. “That’s a cop-out. There are always choices. Why did you let Quade fuck you? He doesn’t strike me as the type who would force the issue.”
“He’s very handsome and… I…” She turned her head, avoiding Caleb’s piercing gaze.
The captain’s next swat was harder than its predecessors. She didn’t make a sound. “Do not hide from me.” Slowly she turned her head back around and looked into his eyes. “Go on. You what?”
“It felt good to be desired, and I knew my interest in him wouldn’t put him in danger.”
“Because his actions were sanctioned by Mikko?”
“Yes.”
He moved lower, warming the backs of her thighs. “Has Mikko gone after all your lovers?”
“There were only two, but both of them died unexpectedly.”
Caleb paused, his fingertips teasing hers. “Why are you willing to endanger me?” A surprising ripple of amusement lightened his tone.
“Are you afraid of Mikko? It never occurred to me that you couldn’t handle him.”
“Thank you, and no, I’m not intimidated by your husband. I’ve had dangerous enemies before.” He tossed the paddle aside and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Besides, you’re worth the risk.” His hand swept down her body and eased between her thighs. “I can’t wait to be inside you.” He pushed two fingers into her core. “So hot and wet. I’ve dreamed about how you’ll feel clasping my cock.”
Quade watched Caleb’s hand pump between her thighs then his shoulders flexed and he raised his fingers to his nose. Caleb’s angry gaze collided with his for a long, silent moment then he turned back to Laetif. “You come to me reeking of another man? Did you expect this insult to go unanswered, or were you trying to anger me?”