Knight, Dee S. - Bride of the Pryde (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)
Page 9
Finally, he was fully embedded. Charlie groaned, and Erik detected the signs that he’d come. Soon, he moved away from the threesome. Erik grasped her thighs, wet from the sticky ejaculate Charlie left on her leg. Strangely, that drove him on. He smoothed it over her thigh and up her hip. Three men would leave their mark on her today simultaneously. That was a powerful aphrodisiac.
He steadied her against him. Adam’s hands capped her hips. Erik pulled out and drove in then reared back in shock. Deep inside Susan’s vagina, Adam’s cock slid along the thin lining separating her pussy from her ass. The sensation was like a double fuck. He thrust in again, straining to set a rhythm that had him rubbing Susan’s clit and feeling Adam’s cock along her channel.
She came again and then again. Whimpering, she begged them not to stop. Rolling orgasms had her trembling and Erik fighting his own release so as to give her everything she could take.
But such pleasure couldn’t last forever. Erik sucked in a breath and held her close. Adam’s dick continued to drill her from behind, which only added to Erik’s release. He came hard and heavy, shooting deep into her. Before he finished, Adam let loose, filling her back canal with warm cum—or whatever Omnians ejaculated.
He pulled out, regretting the coolness of the bridge after the heat of Susan’s pussy. But post-sex exhaustion struck, and it was all he could do to help support her while Adam withdrew.
Adam whispered to her, cradling her against his chest as he slowly sank to the floor. Erik, on the floor himself, watched as she nodded and smiled, cuddling up to Adam with closed eyes. Was that envy he felt curling up in his chest? Did he wish she snuggled up to him instead of Adam?
Hell no! But he suddenly wasn’t so sure he could view Susan as nothing more than a good lay to occupy his time while they quite possibly flew into a hell of a mess on Heron. He had to face the fact that he’d developed real feelings for the sexy, brunette DAT agent. He hoped like hell he wasn’t about to get her—and the rest of them—killed by taking them back to Heron.
Chapter Eleven
A week later, Erik awoke and shook his head, trying to orient himself. His back against the bulkhead, he leaned on his elbow and examined the imprint of another head in the pillow beside his. Susan was up.
He lay back down and waited for her return. When several minutes went by, he got up to search for her.
Pulling on a pair of pants and robe, he determined first where she wasn’t. Not the bathroom, exercise room, crew lounge, or galley. Silently, he strode to the bridge.
She stood in little more than a thin gown, silhouetted against the backdrop of open space shown through the viewing window. Removing the robe, he draped it over her shoulders. “You must be cold. We drop the temperature in here when we’re on autopilot.”
“I’m fine.” But she pulled the edges around to her cover her front.
He positioned himself behind her and felt a strange sense of contentment when she leaned back against him. Almost without volition, he wrapped his arms around her. As one, they regarded the vastness of space.
“Does this ever frighten you?” she asked. “Only a thin sheet of metal separates us from a vacuum that would kill instantly. We’re not really safe, and yet we go through life thinking we are.”
He gave her comments some thought. They didn’t seem to be about space and the ship’s bulkheads. “Like one thin lie separates you from death at the Jackal’s hands. You’re right. We aren’t safe in life. One wrong move brings this about, another move brings that.”
“We’re fools then.”
“No, we’re just people trying to do what’s best in the best way we know. It’s who we are, what makes us special. I admire you for the work you’ve done.”
“What frightens you, John Erik? Anything?”
At that moment, telling Susan McAllister that he thought he might love her scared the piss out of him. Which was why he wasn’t about to tell her. “When I was little, my mother used to tell me stories about monsters who hid in the deep woods behind our house. We lived in the northern section of the Nordic Region, and the forest was dark and forbidding—a place I could well imagine monsters.” He felt her smile. Rubbing her arms, he wondered if her mother had told her such stories, too.
“When I grew older, I realized she told me those things for my own good. The woods were a place children wandered and got lost. There were wolves living there and bears. She frightened me to make sure I stayed away from a place where I could be harmed until I was old enough to protect myself. Fear isn’t always a bad thing. Only when we let it rule our lives is it dangerous.”
“Are you nervous about going back into Jackal’s territory?”
“Nervous, yes,” Erik admitted. “But I’m not afraid.” Except for what might happen to you, my brave warrior. “You see, I’m not alone. I have Charlie and Adam and you with me. And you have all of us. Don’t forget it.”
She sighed. “It’s been hard to open myself to you three. Hard to remember that I can rely on someone other than myself. But I’m getting better. I appreciate you three more than you know, and I’m drawing strength from you every day.”
He squeezed her to him, knowing how much her admission meant. “I’m glad to hear it. You’re one of us, you know, as if you have always been here. You’re part of us.” She nodded. God, just holding her felt good. “Ready to come back to bed?”
“Yes.” She turned in his arms and kissed him. “Let’s go back.”
* * * *
Erik’s Pryde cruised silently up the river Oze, leading to the dock in the middle of Jackal’s empire. Susan knew a dozen or more laser cannons had been pointed at them since they entered the planet’s atmosphere. She hadn’t radioed her presence on board. Instead, she believed Erik when he said Jackal’s men would recognize the ship. Criminy! She hoped this plan didn’t backfire. Though she would have to leave them to return to Earth and discover who had betrayed her, she’d come to love these men.
The feeling was alien but pleasant. She wouldn’t have traded the time on Erik’s Pryde for anything. The past few days had been an orgy of new experiences, from laughter and intimate talks to wildly intensive sex. Their sexual exploits seemed to shock even Dilly into speechlessness. His snide remarks had tapered off to nothing. He walked around sniffing in disapproval and raising his brows each time he saw her, but he kept his thoughts mostly to himself.
“Here we go,” Erik said in a low voice.
Susan turned her attention away from the men and ship she was leaving behind and toward the task at hand. One of Jackal’s ships approached.
“Erik’s Pryde, explain your presence.”
That was Jackal, sounding confident and arrogant.
She took the COMM microphone. “They’re my space taxi. How’ve you been, Jackal?”
“Susan, sweetheart! You’re back early. How did you happen to find these assholes?”
“Trouble found me. I had to get outbound fast, and Captain Erik was…shall we say, persuaded to help me.”
Jackal chuckled. “I can only imagine. When you make up your mind very little can stop you. You’re much like me in that regard.”
“We do have much in common,” she replied. “I decided to let my family handle its own troubles and come back early. God only knows what the Galactic Police want, but they won’t bother me if I’m here with you. I assume you’ll give me safe harbor?”
The COMM stayed quiet for a few moments. What was going on? What the hell was there to think about? They’d worked together—or so he thought—for years. Still, doubts assailed her. What if he turned her away?
“Erik’s Pryde, tie up as soon as feasible. I will meet you at the dock, Susan.”
Susan let out the breath she’d been holding. The plan would work after all. “One other thing. Once we got past my persuasion techniques, I promised these guys safe passage. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all, they can drop you off and take off immediately. I have nothing but admiration for Captain Erik and his crew.”
“If our plan works, you might get that chance,” Susan said. She turned to check her Renthaur X-89, retrieved from the weapons safe. It felt strange in her hands, a notion that bothered her. There had been a time—just a short time ago—when she’d felt naked and vulnerable without it. She shouldered the weapon and put her discomfort aside. The Renthaur represented who she was, regardless of the part she’d played on board Erik’s Pryde.
Erik reduced the engines’ power but didn’t cut them altogether. “Ready?”
“Let’s get this over with. Remember—”
“If you aren’t at the rendezvous point by tomorrow at noon, it means there’s trouble and we’re to leave.”
“No foolish rescue attempts.” She pretended to check the contents of her single suitcase. “I would…I’d, uh…hate it if anything happened to any of you over something stupid.” She zipped the suitcase again. “Ready.”
“Susan,” Charlie said, a worried frown marring his beautiful, youthful face, “please be careful. If you don’t want anything to happen to us, just think how we feel about something happening to you.”
She kissed him and held him close. Memories came flooding back of the recent days they’d spent in the exercise room. She worked on her fighting techniques and he sparred with her. Between bouts they laughed and talked. He told her about growing up with his two brothers on C8282 and she told him of her early years with the DAT. A bond formed that rivaled that which they shared in bed. In Charlie she found a steady rock as well as a cherished, considerate lover.
“You’re such a sweetheart, Charlie. Don’t worry about me. This has been my life for years, and I know how to take care of myself.”
“Susan,” Adam said as she hugged him good-bye. “I have something for you.” He slipped a thin blade into her palm.
“Jackal knows I don’t deal with knives,” she said. She hefted her Renthaur. “I’ve always preferred guns.”
“Then he will be even more surprised if you need to use this. And he won’t know you have it until then. As the mate of an Omnian—”
“Half Omnian,” she corrected with a smile.
“Not when we’re together,” he whispered in her mind. “This blade remains hidden from sight when in the possession of an Omnian or his mate. Keep it near, my heart, and come back to us.”
“Thank you, Adam. I will never forget what we’ve shared.” She brushed his cheek with her hand. You are my husband. The only one I will ever love so dearly. She pushed the thought forward and returned the smile that crossed his face. Then, tucking the secret knife in her pocket, she followed Erik to the ship’s exit.
“Erik, Charlie will want to do something impossibly romantic, like coming after me. Adam may be influenced by his Omnian side and feel the need to protect his mate. I’m counting on you to be a ruthless SOB and make them leave if I don’t show up tomorrow.”
“You’ve been a pain in my ass since you arrived on board. I won’t risk my ship on a fool’s mission.”
She stared at him, examining his eyes. When he dropped his gaze she knew the truth. “You liar,” she said in a low voice. “You’re as bad as the other two.”
“I’ll be ruthless enough for you,” came a voice from behind them.
“See to it that you are, Dilly,” Susan said.
Erik faced her with a blaze in his eyes. “You just make goddamn sure you meet up with us tomorrow by noon.”
“That’s the plan. You get the cash, I’ll get the son of a bitch supplying the universe with Pheron.”
He took her roughly into his arms and kissed her deeply. As quickly as the kiss started, he broke it off. “I hate leaving you with that bastard, but I trust that you know your job.”
“So far I have,” she quipped.
He nodded once, his jaw like stone. “All right, then.” He punched the hatch button. The door shushed as the seal broke and then lowered silently. Erik stepped out. Susan swaggered out behind him, swinging her weapon on her shoulder in such a way that it was hard to tell if she carried the Renthaur or held it loosely on the captain. Jackal met them on the dock.
“John Erik,” he said, a sneer making his bottom lip curl.
“Jackal.” Erik met disdain with hatred that resonated with the one word.
“Thank you for bringing my friend.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I brought her of my own free will. She used a drug on us before we took off, and by the time we came to, we were out of Earth’s orbit. She did promise us money.”
“So sorry,” Jackal said, sounding anything but. “I’m afraid dear Susan tricked you.”
“Well, shit.” Erik faced Susan, looking very much as he had when she met him. “You’ve been nothing but trouble since I first laid eyes on you. It’s a relief to get you off my ship.”
“Fuck you, too,” she said as she sauntered past. “It’s good to be back,” she said to Jackal.
“It’s good to have you back. I hope whatever trouble happened on Earth straightens itself out.”
Susan snorted. “Things have been hell.” She yawned. “I can’t wait to find out what I’ve missed, but first I need some sleep. The last few days on that ship have been one fucking thing after another.”
Erik’s Pryde’s engines cranked up. Susan fought the impulse to turn around and watch it pull away. For one thing, it would show an interest, a spark of emotion Jackal wouldn’t expect of her. And for another, she wasn’t at all sure she could keep tears from filling her eyes.
* * * *
“What’s been happening since I left?” she asked.
“Nothing too much,” he said, a smirk sounding in his voice. “Oh, yeah. We did find a vein of querpher so rich it should keep us in production for fifty years or more.”
Dismayed but trying not to show it, she looked up. “You’re kidding. That’s good news, huh?”
“Great for us,” Jackal answered. “Not so good for the DAT or Intergalactic Police, but who gives a shit how hard they have to work to stop us.”
“They don’t work hard enough, evidently. Know what that shows?” She playfully punched his arm and smiled. “They don’t want to stop us as much as we want to make money.”
“No one wants to do anything as much as I want to make money. I’m glad you’re back, Susan. We do have some serious business to discuss.”
“Yeah? Like what?” She climbed the steps to the wraparound porch that bordered the house that served as Jackal’s private residence and office.
“Go on into the office. I’ll be right in.”
As Susan entered the back room Jackal called his office, the reality of being back on Heron hit her foursquare between the eyes. The smell of querpher hung everywhere in the room, for though it was a mineral, it carried the distinctive, decayed odor of the deep soil from which it was mined.
The room also held the acrid smell of cigars, which struck her as strange. In all the years she’d known Jackal, he rarely smoked, except when he had company. Who had been visiting? Few dared come to Heron, so it must have been a business associate. Could it have been the traitor from Earth? Her heart quickened. The very person she sought might have left this room a short time ago. He might even still be on the planet.
A door opened and closed on the second floor and someone came down the stairs. Susan cracked open the door but saw nothing of the new person.
“Take him where he wants,” Jackal said to one of his men.
“The others won’t like it.”
“If they know what’s good for them, they’ll do what they’re told,” Jackal responded angrily.
His man raised his hand in resignation. “Okay. I’ll tell them.” He walked away. The outer door closed, leaving the house silent.
Susan closed the door seconds before Jackal entered. He shut the office door behind him and locked it. What was that about? Wary, she called forth e
very acting technique she knew to appear calm.
“Have you had company?” Susan sat in the brown-leather visitor chair and propped her booted feet on the corner of his desk. “Usually you have a cigar with me when I come back from a trip. Today you started without me.” She wrinkled her nose to indicate the odor still hung in the air.
“Our friend from Earth stopped by.”
She snorted a laugh. “Stopped by? From Earth? I wish I’d known he was coming. I wouldn’t have gone through all the trouble of confiscating that piece of shit John Erik calls a cargo ship.”
“I’d love to have seen Erik’s face when he lost control of his ship, and to a woman, no less.” Instead of settling in the oversized chair behind his desk, Jackal paced between the desk and door.
“Sit down, for God’s sake. What’s wrong?”
“The reason for the visit from Earth is what’s wrong. We’ve got a mole,” Jackal ground out, facing her.
“What?” Susan launched from her chair. “Who?”
“You.” Jackal reared back his right arm as he took two quick steps and slugged her across the jaw.
She crumbled to the floor, pain radiating through her head. She tried to crawl away, tried to gather her scattered thoughts to protest, but Jackal’s foot slamming into her stomach robbed her of breath and all rational thought.
“You’re a huge disappointment, Susan. But you won’t be for long. Soon you’ll be dead, and so will Erik and his crew. This time I’ll do the job right.”
Run, Erik, run. Forget the money and get away.
Darkness closed over her.
Chapter Twelve
“I don’t like this, Captain,” Charlie said. “I don’t trust Jackal.”
It took everything in Erik to keep his worry behind a composed expression, but showing Charlie his concern would only make things worse. The plan had been to wait until the following day to meet, but Erik had a feeling he couldn’t shake that something had gone very wrong. He didn’t know what to do, burst in on Jackal and ruin whatever Susan had planned or stay put, waiting for the hammer to drop.