Will grabbed her hips, shot his cock deeply into her pussy one, two, three more times. He then threw his head back and roared his climax to the ceiling of their canopied, silk-adorned bed.
Jeremy halted and let Will finish, but soon increased the speed of his thrusts when Will stopped moving. His hands still squeezed her breasts. One side of his face still pressed against her neck. One of his arms dropped to encircle her waist and his cock strokes sped up.
Two seconds later, his arm tightened around her middle, his fingers squeezed her breast, and he growled his subsequent release into the back of her neck. They stayed that way, him clenching her tight, her breathing hard. When he got hold of himself again and started moving, he still panted like he’d just run a mile.
He kissed her neck again, whispering in her ear, “Still absolutely extraordinary, honey.”
Angelica slid a hand behind her, patting Jeremy’s exquisite bare ass. She turned her head around to look into Jeremy’s eyes and caught sight of Sapphire smiling at her. She still held hands with Vidarr.
Will and Jeremy withdrew from her. They put the laughable “clothing” back around their hips as she also draped the filmy robe around her shoulders. Her body was languid as the three of them slid out of the bed to face Lord Harcourt.
“We’ve performed as you required. Now let us go.”
Lord Harcourt stood from his throne and smiled magnanimously. “You are free to go. However—”
“What?” she barked, anger filling her as quickly as love just recently had. “What do you want now?” Angelica expected some sort of trick, but found she wasn’t in the mood to fight with his lordship.
“I merely meant to ask if you wanted to change clothes and have a meal before you embark on your new adventures away from my hospitality.”
“Clothing, yes. But we don’t need any food. We just want to leave.”
“It’s a harsh world outside of this arena, Angelica Brice. Perhaps you should reconsider getting one last good meal before you go.”
“Where is my shuttlecraft?” Jeremy asked without warning. Yes. They’d need a means of escape off of the planet. She just wasn’t certain how all three of them could fit in there, but that was a challenge for after they were out of the arena. They’d figure it out.
Lord Harcourt’s smile faded. “Your shuttlecraft?”
“Yes. You know, the vehicle I flew into the gladiator’s arena to save Angelica. I’ll be wanting that back before I go.”
Lord Harcourt frowned as if he never expected Jeremy to want his means of escape returned to him. His lordship’s brows furrowed before he finally made a harrumph noise, and said, “Unfortunately, I’m not certain your shuttlecraft is all in one piece.”
“I beg your pardon, why not?” Jeremy asked in what sounded like a shocked and angry tone, but Angelica could tell that he wasn’t surprised at all.
“My slaves are unfamiliar with such advanced mechanical things. As they removed it from the arena, it’s possible it was disabled. I don’t know if it’s even still functional.”
“Oh?” Jeremy also didn’t sound too surprised to discover his ship wasn’t intact. He didn’t sound too devastated. How were they going to leave without it?
“Well then, you broke it, you bought it. I want a fair amount of credits for its value instead. Brand new they cost about thirty thousand. However, I’ll tell you what, since I only used it that one time, I’ll take twenty-five thousand credits for it.”
“Twenty-five thousand credits?” Lord Harcourt’s expression turned dark, until the gaunt man at his side leaned in and whispered to him.
Lord Harcourt’s sycophantic little sidekick always seemed to calm his lordship down, and he also came up with better ideas of how to ruin any plans set in motion.
No one in the audience had left their seats yet. Was there going to be more of a show? Angelica caught bits and pieces of whispered conversation throughout the crowd as Jeremy was bargaining with Lord Harcourt.
Apparently the three of them being allowed to leave was a very big surprise. If this wasn’t a usual practice, it made Lord Harcourt’s eagerness to let them go incredibly suspect.
She wasn’t certain what he planned, but she wasn’t eating anything he provided before they left. It would likely be poisoned or contain a sleep agent. They’d wake up all three chained about the waist together to be filmed having threesome sex in perpetuity.
Lord Harcourt straightened again. “Fine. But I’ll only give you twenty thousand credits for your broken vehicle.” Jeremy thought about it for a few seconds, and then he nodded. “Fine.”
Time to change tactics. Time to go along a little bit so they could get out.
Angelica cleared her throat, drawing Lord Harcourt’s attention back to her. “Let us change our clothing to something more appropriate,” Angelica said, “And we’ll also discuss our release over the meal you’ve generously offered.”
It was difficult to keep a straight face and not snarl at him, but she felt like they were so close to possible freedom that she didn’t want anything, especially her poor attitude, to keep them from it.
Angelica was rabidly impatient to get out of this offensive arena and on their way.
Before his lordship finds a way to keep us here forever.
Chapter Twenty
Jeremy had reached his highest personal alert level since arriving in this iniquitous place. He hadn’t actually expected Lord Harcourt to give him his spacecraft back. Having him agree to give over a substantial bounty of credits for its value was also highly suspect. He was handed a portable credit device with the sum they’d discussed, holding it in his hand, as his loin cloth hadn’t come with any pockets.
Lord Harcourt obviously didn’t expect the three of them to have a chance beyond the stadium walls, if he was so willing to part with this many credits. And to be fair, Jeremy knew why his lordship felt this way and actually agreed with him to a certain extent.
The gladiator arena was built on the edge of a vast wasteland filled with dried-up trees, sand, and no measurable water for hundreds of miles. Once they exited the arena by any door on the north or west sides of the structure, there was nothing of value to eat, drink, or collect for a hundred miles.
Lord Harcourt’s generous offer of food as a final meal would be just that. A last bit of food to go off into the harshest of environments. As they’d approached the small planet where Lord Harcourt ruled his many businesses, the Stargazer had probed the surface more in depth—once they’d finally discovered the correct gladiator’s arena—to determine the best plan for escape once they were free. The terrain was brutal in pretty much all directions away from Lord Harcourt’s substantial domain.
The main and only sizable city was south and east of the arena, in a veritable oasis of water-filled wells, small ponds, and with lots of lush, verdant land in this one and only spot on the entire planetoid surface.
He suspected it had been manufactured. Take an asteroid devoid of anything but compacted space dust, add in a bit of terraforming technology, and voila a small place in the middle of nowhere on a desolate planet that suddenly supported life was born.
In this case, only ten percent of the planet supported life and the rest was a vast wilderness, looking like no discernible terraforming had been applied. The rest of this small planet was simply leftover, compacted space dust. Although, given the dried-up plants and trees left behind on the north and west sides of the stadium, something must have changed to make it uninhabitable. Had the land simply been over used to the point it wouldn’t support life? Available water allowances misused?
Jeremy knew from scans of the planet before they’d dropped into the atmosphere that in the terrain beyond the walls of the slaver stadium, there was not a single drop of water there.
The probe results had indicated the terraforming had once covered a third of the planet. Whoever had run the planet hadn’t been a good steward. Likely poor distribution of water for the dried-up farmland contributed to the s
hrinking livable area. Either way, water or not, the dried-up remains would be their salvation. Because Jeremy had a plan already worked out and the forest of dried up foliage would be helpful in their ultimate escape.
Once Lord Harcourt allowed them to leave, they’d be sent out the back door. He had no doubt of that whatsoever. And unless they were given packs with enough water and food to last, well, forever, going out of the stadium and into the dry wilderness would be a death sentence. They’d die soon after any water they carried ran out.
It was whispered among the slaves in the stadium that no one going out the north or west sides ever lasted more than five days before returning, if they ever came back at all. And only if they’d carried a modest supply of water. Once Jeremy led them all out there, he knew they only had about two or three days to survive without any supplies.
Lord Harcourt’s voice rose above the cacophony of whispers in the small arena and Jeremy’s own desolate escape thoughts. “That will conclude this evening’s special surprise sexual performances. Come back tomorrow for an even more surprising presentation.” Apparently tonight’s sex show had been changed in favor of him being added to the cast of players.
He and William had briefly discussed Jeremy’s unexpected arrival into the gladiator arena earlier in the day. They both agreed that since the mechanical beasts had halted moments before Jeremy destroyed them, that Lord Harcourt had probably planned to offer the two of them a way to survive away from the blood of the gladiator’s arena in the Den of Iniquity.
William had smiled. “I’m grateful you did what you did. And if Par…I mean, Angelica had recognized you in the arena when you first landed, I would have helped you shove her into your shuttle so she’d be free from all of this by now.”
Jeremy knew William had all of their best interests at heart. They both agreed that Angelica needed to be rescued and taken out of this place. They’d both do anything to ensure she was finally safe and as far away from the Forbidden Zone and this never-ending enslavement as soon as was possible. He’d told William he had an alternate plan. William had seemed relieved that any plan was in motion. They’d shaken hands and a bond between them had formed. They were both in love with the same woman due to circumstances beyond their control, how could they not be fast friends?
Jeremy hadn’t crossed over the prohibited District Six border and flown into this hellacious place without a plan or two in mind and also in motion. His primary scheme was now complicated by not only William coming along, but also Vidarr and Sapphire. But it would work and he’d gladly help to free an old military acquaintance if he was able.
In many several, and hopefully hidden hand signals, Vidarr had recognized him from a military exercise they’d been on early in his career. Jeremy might have realized it faster if his appearance hadn’t been so vastly different. He certainly hadn’t sported a six inch long braided beard the last time they’d served together.
Vidarr requested the he and Sapphire be allowed to join them for any possible escape. He’d waited a very long time here hoping for a chance to get away from this place with his lover, a woman he also recognized from a different venue.
Regardless, Jeremy didn’t need any incentive to bring them along, but Vidarr had offered one anyway. He promised to permanently alleviate the power of the implant in both William and Angelica’s head.
Vidarr also mentioned there was one other final bonus duty he needed to accomplish before taking his leave of this place. An important task that he promised would make them all happier in the long run. Jeremy had quickly outlined his general plan, and Vidarr had looked damn near joyful.
So it was lucky that he’d planned so carefully already as his scheme would take care of all the problems they faced once out in the dry, cruel world beyond the Gladiator arena.
Jeremy wondered if Lord Harcourt expected the three of them to discover the wilderness untenable, return and beg for entrance back into his lordship’s good graces. Likely he figured that once they discovered how harsh the terrain was outside, they’d be grateful to again earn their way to a better life in the Den of Iniquity. Fat fucking chance.
His current attitude was Go fuck yourself, Lord Harcourt, we won’t be performing for any reason.
Jeremy’s internal clock told him it had only been about twelve hours since he’d disembarked from the Stargazer on a whim, changing all his carefully thought out plans to rescue Angelica from the immediacy of death in the gladiator arena.
This planet received light from two sources. And either one sun or the other was up and shining for over twenty hours a day. And likely another reason it was so desolate here. Light to guide them to the another shuttle already hidden in the wilderness wouldn’t be a problem.
Initially, Jeremy had planned to offer his lordship a healthy number of credits, borrowed from Gray before he left, to let him leave with Angelica, but instead they’d all ended up in the Den of Iniquity to pay for their freedom.
Hardly seemed right to enjoy the experience so much, but he had. Not to mention that the three of them were inexorably linked now. William was a man he respected. A friend who no longer deserved to be ensconced inside this Slaver’s prison. Jeremy knew that above all else here, he loved Angelica and would do anything to ensure her safe departure out of this life.
And he’d be lying if he said that watching Vidarr make love to Sapphire hadn’t lit up his libido like a crazy wildfire out of control. Vidarr had been sending him message after message drawn on Sapphire’s back, which Jeremy had a bit of difficulty deciphering as the distraction of watching them move so well together in the exquisite dance of love had made him miss a few words in the message.
Lord Harcourt signaled to Gruvat some prearranged message. He also snapped his fingers at Sapphire and Vidarr to join the three of them. Interesting, since the two of them tagging along made things easier over all.
He sent his gaze over in that direction, blinking once at Vidarr. The gladiator blinked his eyes twice in response, meaning that they were good to go. Jeremy tried to quell the exuberance that things were going to work out fine. One step at a time. His current goal was to get them all outside the slaver’s primitive stone walls.
The crowd began to disperse and Gruvat led all five of them to a small room where several pitchers of water, bowls, and wash cloths waited for them to clean up. Through an open arched doorway was another adjacent room with an abundance of clothing stacked on three tables, surrounded by wall-to-wall wardrobes filled with more garments, shoes, and every accoutrement he could ever conceive of in one place.
It looked like a veritable warehouse of things to wear. The wide variety of clothing items were clean and either folded on the tables or hanging in the wardrobes. Jeremy suspected these items had originally belonged to the unfortunates who hadn’t escaped the gladiator’s arena like William and Angelica had.
All five of them ignored any pretense of embarrassment—they’d just watched each other perform wicked, hot sex in front of a crowd on a large, blue silk covered bed—and simply stripped down to nothing so they could wash up and find new serviceable clothing to wear.
It didn’t take them long to find suitable attire for travel.
Jeremy noted that there were cameras mounted in the four corners of the wash room, but not the room with the stacks of clothing. Not surprising. Lord Harcourt likely filmed every possible bit of nudity to be sold in his surprisingly high-tech DMR video business.
“You’re all in for a treat,” Sapphire said suddenly, looking straight at one of the cameras in the corner. “After the presentations in the Den of Iniquity, we as the performers are given a generous bounty of food and drink to enjoy before we retire to our quarters.”
“Are the rooms nicer in the Den, than in the gladiator’s area?” Angelica asked.
Sapphire turned away from the corner camera and responded, “Yes. It’s like night and day, in fact.” The sad tone in her voice did not go unnoticed.
Vidarr approached his woman, slung an a
rm around her shoulders, and pulled her close. She leaned into him as if seeking the support only he could provide.
Gruvat returned to the wash area and motioned them all out of the space. Vidarr led Sapphire out. Jeremy grabbed Angelica’s hand and followed them, with William staying close to Angelica.
They were led down a darkened hallway to a nice-sized dining room. Centered on the large table’s surface was a veritable feast. A wide variety of fruits, chopped vegetables, breads, cheeses, tree nuts, sliced meat, dessert treats of every shape, and much more.
Around the huge table were twelve ornately carved wooden chairs with padded seats, five on each side and one at each end. Lord Harcourt was already seated at the head of the table. The small gaunt man, ever at his side, was also at his side here.
“Ah, there you are. All my stars from the Den,” he said jovially. “Please be seated.”
“It looks beautiful, but I’m not hungry,” Angelica said quietly. She opened her mouth to say more but before a word exited, his lordship spoke up.
“Nonsense,” he said gesturing for them all to sit down. “You’ll need a good meal under your belt if you’re to survive the harsh world outside the safety of my gladiator’s stadium.”
Vidarr exhaled a deep breath and walked to the side of the table where there were five open seats. He sat down next to Lord Harcourt and directly across from his lordship’s thin confidante as if he’d done this a time or two before.
Sapphire sat next to Vidarr. Jeremy pulled out the middle chair and sat down warily, between the two woman. William seated himself in the last chair. All five of them were lined up on one side of the table filled with more food than he’d seen displayed in a long while.
“Fill your plates. Eat until you can hold no more,” Lord Harcourt said effusively. “You’ll be glad for it once you pass into the wilderness beyond my generous hospitality.”
Jeremy glanced at Angelica and William. Neither of them put any food on their plates. Vidarr and Sapphire selected a few things from nearby platters to put on their plate and continued searching the table as if for more. Jeremy grabbed a clump of berries still attached to their stems and deposited them on his plate.
Sexual Memory [Dark Colony 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 22